The Paranoid Elf Queen Turned Me Into Her Sister

Volume 4 Chapter 9 – Was She Really That Fickle in Love?

“L-Love?” Upon hearing that, I, Astrid, froze for a long while.

“Yup. What else did you think it was? Or are you saying you have a friend who’s that possessive of you, Astrid? I doubt it, right? Because that’s not normal friendship at all—it’s already beyond that.”

“But... you can’t put it so absolutely, can you?” I still tried to argue. “It could also be…”

“What could it be?” Felicia propped her chin with her hand, smiling as she gazed at me.

I was at a loss for words. After thinking it over, I realized that aside from stubbornly insisting it was just friendship, I had no other excuse.

What else could it be? If it wasn’t mutual affection, then it was unrequited love.

“Feeling anxious and losing sleep over the possibility of him accepting someone else’s confession—what do you think that is, if not love?” This emotion couldn’t be more obvious. Felicia didn’t believe for a second that I didn’t understand it.

I was just pretending not to see it, lying to myself, and by extension, to others too.

But she didn’t know—anyone with emotional intelligence above zero could see right through my little tricks. Probably only I believed no one had noticed.

In truth, I had fooled no one but myself.

Except for that silly girl Wenfu, everyone under the brilliance of the sun and moon knew who I liked. Still, Felicia remained a bit worried.

I likely didn’t know that Dylin was actually Teresa. Once I found out, how would I react? Would I accept it calmly, or would I reject it entirely, resenting Dylin for not telling me sooner? Or maybe, since we were both girls, I’d be too scared to go further?

No one could predict what hadn’t happened. Whether we were truly in love or simply not meant to be, it remained unknown.

“But one thing’s for sure—this is the first time you’ve ever felt this way about someone, right, Astrid?” As a teammate, Felicia thought she ought to give Teresa and me a little push if she could.

“Yes…” I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“Exactly. You should remember this one-of-a-kind thrill in your heart, because from now on, there may never be another passion as youthful and exhilarating as this.”

“Astrid, have you ever experienced being confessed to before?”

“I have.”

“Then now you should be able to empathize with those feelings, right? Because now... you’re just like them.” Felicia continued guiding me.

“Think about it—those people who once pursued you, maybe you thought their actions were absurd at the time. But now, isn’t it a little more understandable?”

Dinner had ended. Wenfu washed the dishes, Felicia cleared the table, Yimi read her book, and I alone could not calm down, sitting by the window letting the cold wind blow.

Silver strands of hair brushed my cheeks in the direction the wind blew. A chilly crescent moon offered the courtyard a faint glimmer of light in the late autumn night.

But unlike what Felicia imagined, the thing I was struggling with wasn’t how I felt.

It was…

Why did I fall in love with someone of the same sex—Teresa?

This feeling came so naturally, as if it was just something that happened, completely unremarkable.

So when I realized my emotions, although I couldn’t quite accept it, I didn’t feel surprised.

Maybe… maybe I had always known. I just instinctively refused to admit it.

What truly made me hesitate and ache was something else.

Although that final layer of emotional pretense hadn’t yet been torn down, my feelings for Dylin were clearly tied to romantic affection. Yet before I could even define it for myself, I unconsciously began liking someone else.

That was what I couldn’t accept.

Was I really such a fickle woman?

I stared up at the spotless full moon hanging in the sky, as if a block of lead had lodged in my throat. My chest felt tight—I couldn’t put the pain into words.

Just a while ago, I had feelings for Dylin, and now they have shifted. There was even a hint that I might be two-timing.

Thinking back on what Teresa once said to me, I couldn’t deny she made sense.

Maybe my emotions really weren’t that pure. Maybe they really were that capricious.

I had shamed the Elves.

At that thought, I made a silent decision.

***

Before the morning light fully shone past the curtains beneath the eaves, Teresa came downstairs and caught the aroma of food—pancakes and creamy corn soup. Wenfu’s cooking had such a recognizable style; it had already become the scent of the new semester.

“Good morning, Teresa~”

“Morning, little Wenfu.”

Seeing Wenfu’s bright, energetic smile on the first day back was a cure for the soul.

Felicia was nowhere to be seen at the table. She must have gone out for morning training and hadn’t returned yet. Yimi had already finished eating and gave Teresa a small nod as greeting.

Teresa had come to understand the tsundere golden-haired girl’s personality pretty well by now.

Sitting at the table, with only Yimi and Teresa remaining, she looked around in mild confusion—she didn’t see the person who should’ve been there.

“Wenfu, Astrid’s not up yet?”

“Nope~ She got up real early today. Wenfu saw her leave when I went out to buy breakfast. She said she didn’t want any and would eat at the cafeteria.” Wenfu’s cat ears twitched a bit as she hugged her bread and swung her short legs that couldn’t touch the ground.

“Oh.” Teresa didn’t think it was strange. Maybe Astrid just wanted to try something different.

Although Dylin’s identity was no longer needed, she still had to keep up appearances.

Her intuition gave her a strong sense that keeping the Dylin identity was still important. She could be honest within, but to outsiders, no way. No one could know that Dylin and Teresa were the same person.

Otherwise, just the fact that both the Divine Child and Divine Princess powers existed in one person would cause an uproar.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Teresa had remotely sent “Dylin” out early this morning—off to the Divine Child School to maintain the usual routine and stay out of the way.

With Astrid eating at the Dining Hall, breakfast was just Teresa, Yimi, and Wenfu.

After the meal, Teresa helped Wenfu with the dishes. Whether it was just Wenfu’s imagination or not, she felt like Teresa, wearing an apron now, was somehow different than a few months ago—more like a virtuous and caring wife.

“Yimi, can I ask you a favor?”

“Say it.” Yimi, still packing her bag, didn’t even look up.

“You know my substitute body, right?”

“You mean that magic puppet?” Yimi glanced at Teresa. “What, the details of your puppet aren’t accurate enough for you to relieve boredom with it?”

“If you keep saying weird things like that, you can forget about sleeping on the bed tonight.”

“...What do you want me to do?” Yimi dared not keep joking. Faced with Teresa’s deathly smile, she immediately gave in.

“Nothing major. Just watch over that puppet for me. Don’t let anyone find out.”

“Your puppet’s well-made, and the enchantments are decent too. But even so, it’s still just a puppet. Any capable Divine Child will see through it in a glance.”

“That’s why I want you to add a ‘mental protection veil’—so those Divine Children who try to scan it won’t detect anything wrong.”

“You’re a Voodoo user. You can do it, right?”

“That's all?”

“If the puppet gets into trouble, rescue it.”

“I’m not even in the same class as that thing. I can only say I’ll do my best.”

Once they finished discussing, Yimi picked up her bag and was about to leave.

“Wait, don’t go yet. I have a gift for you.”

“It’s not even the Mother Goddess Festival.” Yimi said this, but still paused at the door. Then she saw Teresa pull out a small yellow duck backpack from who-knows-where.

“Your old bag has holes. You can’t use it anymore. Besides, this color doesn’t match your look. Use this instead.” Wearing an apron, Teresa stood at the doorway holding both straps of the backpack with a bright smile.

“See? The color matches your hair. I picked it out very carefully. The style fits your look too. Don’t you like it~?”

“...Your sense of style is still stuck in the Seven Saints Era.” Yimi replied expressionlessly. “No way. If I carry this embarrassing thing, I’d rather stick with my old, tattered bag. At least no one will laugh at me.”

“A yellow duck, seriously? It’s hideously unique. Your outdated sense of fashion feels almost postmodern…”

“Yimi, is your bed really that hard and uncomfortable?” Teresa suddenly asked with concern.

“Huh? No...”

“But it is. I saw you sleeping with your face all dislocated. Your mouth’s moving like it’s detached from your brain.” Teresa gently touched Yimi’s cheek, voice filled with pity. “You’d better sleep on the couch for a few days to recover.”

“My face isn’t dislocated! I—” Before Yimi could finish, a pale, slender finger lifted her chin, making her lock eyes with Teresa’s “concerned” gaze.

“I—I get it...”

“Good girl. So this backpack~?”

“I’ll carry it. But it really doesn’t suit me.” Yimi’s voice was faint, trying to put up one last resistance—only to be denied by Teresa again.

“Don’t be so shy. I said it’s a gift. Take it. If you like something but act reserved and make excuses, it’s just annoying, you know?”

“Mmph... I’ll kill you someday...” Yimi mumbled bitterly with a hint of grievance.

Like hell I like it. Only you do!

Yimi’s face said “reluctantly willing” as she dumped the contents of her old bag into the duck backpack and, with Teresa’s help, put on the cute little thing.

“Wow, perfect!” Teresa cupped her face and beamed. “Next time I’ll get you a little duck hat, a children’s dress, and white stockings—it’ll be even cuter.”

A yellow duck backpack, little yellow hat, children’s stockings... together with Yimi’s petite frame and face—it was the standard elementary school girl look.

“...”

Yimi stared blankly at the sky, full of despair, but too afraid to complain.

She tried so hard not to be treated like a child. That’s why she dressed more maturely.

Even though mature style didn’t suit her, Teresa had now demoted her from a middle-school-level look to preschool.

Nothing she could do. She was under someone else’s roof.

Grumbling inwardly at a certain rotten woman, she shuffled gloomily out the door, while Teresa stood waving goodbye like a mom sending her kid off to school.

“Haah, Miss Yimi sure has it tough.” Watching her go, Wenfu could practically see a little storm cloud floating over the blonde loli’s head.

“Hm? Wenfu, do you like this kind of bag too? I can get you one next time.”

“Eh, no need, Wenfu already has one.” Wenfu didn’t dislike childish backpacks—they were cute. But she didn’t want Teresa to spend extra money, so she politely refused.

Checking the time, Teresa figured she should head out too. She and Wenfu left for the Divine Princess School together.

They hadn’t visited all break, but the place wasn’t dusty—someone must’ve cleaned it regularly.

As soon as she entered, Teresa saw that familiar silver figure sitting by the window. The light shining in from outside reflected off her profile, her silver hair draped in a veil of purity.

Her expression was serene, her posture graceful—it looked like she was reviewing the new textbooks.

“Good morning, Astrid~ Did you sleep well last night?”

“Mm. Morning. Not bad.” Hearing Teresa’s voice, Astrid didn’t even look up—just nodded. Her reply was short, almost dismissive.

“Good morning, Astrid~”

“Mm, morning, Wenfu.” Hearing Wenfu’s voice, Astrid brushed her hair to the side and smiled softly at her. Like a clear spring flowing over stone, her violet eyes shimmered like starlight.

“Ehh...” Wenfu glanced at Astrid, then at Teresa. For some reason, she felt that Astrid’s attitude toward Teresa seemed different today.

Maybe it was just her imagination.

“So you slept well, huh?” Teresa didn’t mind and sat down beside Astrid.

In Class A, the Divine Princesses sat with their team members.

But the moment Teresa sat down, Astrid suddenly stood up. With a cold face, she said, “Sorry, excuse me,” and left the classroom carrying her things.

“Eh?” Wenfu tilted her head. “Class is about to start. Where’s Astrid going?”

Teresa silently watched Astrid’s retreating figure. After a moment, Astrid returned—but this time, she didn’t sit back in her original seat. Instead, she took a spot in the front row, a full row apart from Teresa.

“Uhh…” Even Wenfu’s little brain could tell something was off. She looked at Teresa, then at Astrid, unsure if they had gotten into a fight.