OHNIR – Chapter 9

Chapter 9: A Sudden Change

For the next few days, the slacker Kelusta had no desire to stake out the library anymore. Whenever she had no classes, she would wander through the gardens, by the swan lake, or inside the academic building. Only when she'd had her fill of leisure would she have the System activate the Probability Increase MOD.

Then, she would often turn a corner and "coincidentally run into" Gloria, who would be admiring flowers in the garden, painting by the swan lake, or just leaving the academic building after class.

It wasn't until their third meeting in total, this one in the garden, that Kelusta suddenly remembered she hadn't formally introduced herself to Gloria yet.

Although the System started its nagging mockery again, Kelusta's good mood was completely unaffected. Surrounded by the vibrant, colorful flowers of the garden, Kelusta finally performed a belated but formally proper greeting for the ducal daughter who exuded nobility with every gesture.

Because Kelusta had specifically dug up information on noble etiquette from the history books in the library, her posture, expression, words, and even the angle at which she lifted her skirt for the curtsy were so by-the-book they could have been a textbook example. As a result, Gloria, who had always been regarded as the "perfect model" by the Nobili aristocracy, was very satisfied and added a point to her favorability.

So satisfied, it seemed, that she even overlooked the plain, cyan linen dress that was completely at odds with Kelusta's perfect movements.

To avoid arousing suspicion by meeting Gloria too frequently, Kelusta exercised great restraint and waited two days before hiding in the dense, cool bushes by the swan lake on a bright, sunny afternoon and increasing the probability once more.

Golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the lake's surface. The shimmering light looked like a sleek-scaled dragonfish swimming just below the water. The white swans spread their immaculate wings slightly, and a few feathers, seemingly plated in gold, were carried to the shore by the gentle breeze, drifting down until Kelusta caught one in her hand.

The brown-haired girl turned her head and, from between the concealing green leaves, smiled and waved at the ducal daughter who was focused on her painting not far away.

Gloria gave her a serene smile in return. The hem of her snow-white dress brushed against the grass, like the wing of a swan reaching for the damp moss on the bank.

Kelusta spent the afternoon with her as she painted.

To be precise, Gloria painted earnestly while Kelusta chased swans all afternoon.

The silver-haired girl would occasionally look up while mixing her paints, only to see the lively girl from Seaside brazenly using magic to summon streams of water, twisting them into an 'S' shape one moment and a 'B' the next. She laughed out loud, completely unladylike, manipulating the water into all sorts of bizarre forms like some wicked witch, maliciously drenching the swans' fluffy, soft feathers.

System: "Please be mindful of your image, temporary host."

Kelusta: "Hahahahahahaha, these swans are so ugly when they're wet!"

System: "..."

After it heard the notification, "Ding, Gloria's favorability +1," it finally decided to seriously question whether it was the only sane one in this game world.

Gloria sat in the shade of a tree, the warm sunlight completely blocked by the ancient, towering wood above her. From within the shadows, her eyes, deep as the sea, flickered imperceptibly, sweeping a quick glance toward the other end of the woods.

The next second, behind a brown tree trunk, a flash of gold moved as if it had sensed her gaze, then hastily disappeared down a winding path in the forest.

The smile at the corners of Gloria's lips gradually faded. She stared in the direction the golden figure had vanished with an alarmingly cold gaze and, concealed by her easel, let an unmistakable expression of disgust show on her face.

Like a spoiled girl whose treasure has been touched by another, she would rather throw it away than touch it even once more.

She silently set down her paintbrush and stared at the lifelike painting. In its delicate lines and gentle colors, the stream of water on the brown-haired girl's fingertips caught the sunlight, creating a rainbow. Her golden eyes were curved into crescents, and the flock of swans surrounding her all flapped their wings. She looked like an angel who had accidentally visited the mortal world—holy, yet irresistibly approachable.

Gloria's sapphire-blue eyes, clouded by a heavy gloom, turned almost as cold and black as the ocean depths. She studied the painting for a long time before gently raising a hand. A black, mist-like dark magic poured out like silk, slowly coiling around the beautiful artwork like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

A few seconds later, the dark magic rapidly dissipated, and the scene, once filled with the warmth of sunlight, had been completely transformed.

The swans' immaculate white feathers were dyed pure black. The lush, leafy trees by the lake had all withered as if in deep winter. The bright, sunny afternoon had turned into a dark, overcast day, and even the clear lake water had become a vast, lifeless pool of grayish-black sludge.

The girl playing by the water was gone. All that remained was the swan at her feet, now dyed black. It turned its head, its dark eyes chilling to the bone. Its scarlet beak pointed out from the canvas like a sharp, blood-stained dagger, aimed directly at the expressionless duke's daughter.

After a long while, she gave a small laugh, though it was unclear who she was mocking. She put the painting away and replaced it with a new, clean, and flawless white canvas.

---

A few days later, in the evening, Kelusta waited until the academic building was empty before using the Probability Increase MOD again.

She boasted to the System, "Only one point of favorability left. I can complete the second stage of the mission today!"

The System said nothing. It's only because of those five initial favorability points, it thought. Otherwise, you'd be crying your eyes out right now.

Bragging to the System, she walked toward the second floor of the academic building, where the second-year students had their classes. Sure enough, just as she stepped off the staircase, Gloria emerged from a classroom, holding her textbooks and walking at an unhurried pace.

"Senior!"

The silver-haired girl looked up. Upon meeting the pair of golden eyes shining with excitement, she offered a flawlessly polite smile. "Miss Breviou."

Kelusta froze. Why had she used her surname this time?

But that was a minor detail. Although she found it strange, Kelusta suppressed the sense of dissonance she felt and extended a warm invitation. "Senior, it's getting late. Would you like to have dinner together? I heard from a friend today that the Pudding Workshop has a new, delicious dessert—"

"My sincerest apologies, Miss Breviou," Gloria said, her smile remaining in place, as perfect as a lifeless puppet. She delivered a formulaic rejection. "I regret that I cannot join you for dinner. I have another very important engagement this evening. Please excuse me."

"Ding, Gloria's favorability -2."

Kelusta was stunned.

After speaking coolly, the duke's daughter didn't even offer a parting curtsy. She simply gave a slight nod and brushed past Kelusta's shoulder as she walked away.

As if she had just flatly rejected an impertinent invitation from a complete stranger.

Kelusta turned back in astonishment, but only caught a glimpse of a silver strand of hair disappearing down the stairs. Other than that, her surroundings were utterly silent, as if the entire exchange had been a farce in a daydream.

"No, something's gone wrong."

Her golden eyes suddenly darkened to a deep amber. Kelusta's face tensed, her jaw clenched. The System could practically hear the anger lacing every word she spoke.

"...Temporary host?" it called out tentatively.

Kelusta took a deep breath, forcing down her rage. She stared straight in the direction Gloria had gone and said in an unprecedentedly cold, sinister voice, "I'd like to see just who ruined my plans."

The prize she was about to claim had flown away, taking her previous gains with it. Anyone in her position would be furious enough to pass out.

Two uses of the Probability Increase MOD remained. Current total favorability: 7 points.

"It's enough."

Kelusta rubbed a small, protruding bone on her wrist, saying thoughtfully, "I still have an ace up my sleeve."

The System, of course, knew what that ace was.

"However, you must let Gloria discover the magic mirror without any suspicion," the System said calmly. "Otherwise, you might not even be able to hold on to these last seven points of favorability."

"I know," Kelusta said flatly. She paused, unable to stop a hot breath from escaping her lips, and muttered with strained patience, "I was originally thinking that if I could smoothly raise her favorability to ten, I would just abandon the plan to 'let Gloria find the magic mirror'..."

Although Gloria would inevitably switch to her side after the true ending was achieved, it was better to prevent her from contacting the demons before anything was certain.

However, some unknown variable had entered the equation, causing her to get stuck at the final hurdle.

The most infuriating part was that she still didn't know why.

"...Wait a few more days. Set the location for the chance encounter to the library," Kelusta instructed the System. They had just left the academic building and were heading toward the tower.

"Instruction received." The System hesitated. "There are still two uses of the probability increase left, temporary host. You don't need to be too nervous..."

"I have to be cautious, System. Given Gloria's sudden change in attitude, it's very likely that even after she discovers the library's secret, her favorability will still be just short," Kelusta said. "She's never given me three points at once... If she still acts like she can't be bothered with me after discovering the secret of the magic mirror, then I might never be able to complete the first stage of the mission!"

The System fell silent.

It was true. In its experience, the first twenty points of favorability were the most difficult... Many hosts had failed their missions with the target's favorability stuck at exactly nineteen points.

Thinking of this, it began to share Kelusta's animosity toward the unknown person who had disrupted her plans.

As they discussed their plan, they walked toward the tower. While passing through an unkempt flowerbed in the courtyard, Kelusta sighed and joined the System in cursing the meddlesome person who had ruined things. She pushed aside the overgrown vines in front of her and forged ahead without looking.

Thump—

"Oof!"

Annoyed and frustrated by the tangled branches, Kelusta had charged forward without watching where she was going. The next second, she collided with someone. As she stumbled backward, the other person kindly grabbed her arm and pulled her upright.

"Sorry, so sorry..."

Pulled to her feet, Kelusta apologized hastily and looked up, instantly getting a clear view of the person she had bumped into.

Golden hair with a flowing sheen, a pair of eyes as blue as a clear, cloudless sky, a handsome face, and a crisp uniform as brilliant as his hair—

Kelusta stiffened, immediately realizing who he was.

One of the male leads from the original plot of Oceanum, the officially designated first heir of the Nobili Royal Family...

Satrick Nobili.

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