Robin knew her jealousy was thoroughly uncalled for.
This wasn't how a person was supposed to feel toward a friend.
Sylvia didn't belong to her either.
But then again...if human emotions followed logic, there probably wouldn't be half as many heartaches in this world.
Unable to suppress her swirling thoughts, Robin let out a quiet sigh in her heart.
Maybe I'm just a terribly possessive, bad girl after all.
Oh, Xipe, Aeon of Harmony...
This sort of discordant thinking must be nothing more than static interference caused by those traitors of the Family...
Detestable traitors!
Not only have they stolen my ability to sing the melody of Harmony, but now they're even messing with the harmony of my very thoughts.
Blushing furiously, Robin blamed the entire internal mess on the influence of the Family's rogue elements.
She instinctively used the wings behind her ears to partially shield her cheeks, burying her head in the sand as if she could keep Sylvia from noticing her current expression.
She took a sip of her ice-cold drink to cool down, her eyes remaining glued to the dancing pair.
Her chaotic thoughts were instantly drawn right back in by their steps.
Robin couldn't help but lose herself in a daydream.
What if the one standing there wasn't Miss Acheron, but herself?
She imagined guiding Sylvia to dance right in the palm of her hand, generously wrapping an arm around Sylvia's waist to pull her close against her chest.
They would lock eyes, and she would offer a radiant, unreserved smile.
Then, she would lean in close to her ear and whisper how much she wanted their relationship to grow closer.
"Mmh... I want to become more intimate with Sylvia too."
Having very few friends to begin with, Robin couldn't stop her mind from spinning tales of a closeness she had never experienced before.
Without realizing it, her innermost thoughts slipped out in a faint murmur.
When her own voice registered in her ears, it gave her quite a fright. Snapping back to reality, she quickly glanced around.
She assumed no one had heard her. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a familiar, giggling voice suddenly rang out right beside her.
"Hehe~ Looks like Sparkle came at the perfect time~"
"——!!"
Robin whipped her head around, only to find Sparkle sitting in the seat next to her, though she had no idea when she had arrived.
Sparkle held a drink in her hand, peering through the translucent liquid with one wide eye, examining Robin's expression.
"..."
Robin's face turned bright red in an instant.
"Miss Sparkle, you're as elusive as ever."
"Oh my, oh my~ Isn't the little bird going to join in? The atmosphere over there is just perfect."
Sparkle covered her mouth, giggling.
She deliberately craned her neck to look in the direction of Sylvia and Mei.
The ambiguous tension between those two was plain for anyone to see. Coupled with the fact that they were both exceptionally stunning women, the surrounding guests were all quietly admiring the beautiful view.
"...There's no need. Sylvia is just learning how to dance. Miss Acheron must have been through a lot with her."
It wasn't proper etiquette to just march over and cut into someone else's partner dance at a ball like this.
Besides, Robin was a public figure. Even if the guests here generally wouldn't spread idle gossip, just being stared at would be enough to trigger her sense of shame.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk~ Little songbird, you'll never win her over if you keep acting like this."
Sparkle shook her head with a smirk.
While she looked like she was merely teasing a shy Robin, Sparkle's attention was actually entirely focused on Sylvia.
Originally, she hadn't planned on showing her face today at all.
After all, this whole affair had nothing to do with her.
But just a moment ago, Sparkle had distinctly sensed the faint trace of that Aeon of Elation looming nearby.
And the medium for that presence happened to be the exact mask she had gifted to Sylvia.
Though Aha did whatever pleased THEM, the Aeon would never show up unless there was some fun to be had.
Sparkle was incredibly curious about what Sylvia had done—or what she was planning to do—that allowed such a serious person to draw Aha's attention.
And it seemed the girl herself hadn't even noticed.
"Hehe~"
How amusing.
Right then, perhaps sensing Sparkle's blatant gaze, Sylvia tilted her head, peeking out from beside Mei's arm.
Her eyes locked right onto Sparkle's.
"..."
Sylvia opened her mouth as if saying something.
Acheron also turned her head, looking over at the smiling Sparkle.
A Masked Fool.
The mask resting on her head wasn't concealed in the slightest.
Was she also an ally here in Penacony?
Taking advantage of the break in momentum, Acheron brought their steps to a halt.
The three of them had come together today, a fact she hadn't forgotten. She certainly couldn't keep monopolizing Sylvia on the dance floor, leaving the host of the gathering out in the cold.
Besides, Robin was a good girl.
Seeing the two stop, Sparkle immediately gave Robin a firm nudge.
"Look, it's your turn to take the stage, little bird. Go on, go, go~"
"Huh..."
As a singer, how could Robin possibly resist Sparkle's physical push?
That girl's physical prowess was no joke.
In a couple of swift shoves, she was forced off the sofa by Sparkle. Left with no choice, she could only bite the bullet and walk toward Sylvia.
"Th-that... Miss Sparkle forced me out here."
Robin looked at Sylvia sheepishly, offering a flustered explanation.
In Mei's eyes, this jittery behavior looked exactly like a girl harboring feelings for Sylvia.
The hand she was still holding tightened slightly. The sudden pinch of pain made the corner of Sylvia's mouth twitch.
"Well, it's Sparkle. She wouldn't be herself if she wasn't causing trouble."
Sylvia shot Mei a sideways glance, but she was met only with Mei's warning smile.
"I only know this one role in the dance. As for the rest, I'll have to trouble Miss Robin."
Mei spoke up on her own initiative, then pulled Sylvia's hand forward, handing her over to Robin.
"Ah... Yes, I'll do my best."
Robin reached out from below to support Sylvia's hand.
For a fleeting second, the palms of all three girls overlapped.
Robin lifted her head, her gaze weaving together with Acheron's eyes.
"..."
"..."
Acheron paused.
The emotions swirling in Robin's eyes were far more complex than she had anticipated.
Where did this unprovoked jealousy even come from?
With that thought, Mei glanced at Sylvia.
The person in question still wore a clueless, blank expression.
Could it be that she didn't even realize it herself?
Thinking of this, Acheron couldn't help but want to sigh.
Thank goodness she had tagged along early on. Right now, she really wanted to crack open Sylvia's skull just to see what was inside.
How was it that no matter where she went, there was always a "dear sister" waiting for her?
Mei let out a quiet sigh, turning around to depart.
It was just a single dance, after all. Mei wouldn't be so petty as to leave Miss Robin hanging in an awkward spot at a time like this.
As for Robin.
She had noticed the hollow depth in Acheron's eyes.
It was a gaze that looked upon the entire world with absolute equality, as if the only thing in this universe capable of stirring a ripple within her...was the girl currently standing right in front of Robin.
"..."
In an instant, Robin's heart sank.
A single, serious look was all it took for Robin to realize something.
The world belonging to this woman named Acheron was likely barren and profoundly lonely. And Sylvia's presence was, quite literally, Acheron's entire world.
It was blindingly obvious.
Robin could never be that extreme.
She still had her own career, her own ideals, and her beloved homeland of Penacony that she could never cast aside.
She couldn't win.
There wasn't a single opening for victory here.
Whether it was the time they spent together, the depth of their mutual bond, or the sheer weight of the emotion invested in Sylvia...
Robin felt utterly eclipsed.
This heavy mood lingered right up until Mei walked away.
The moment Sylvia's face filled her field of vision.
"Ah—"
Finding Sylvia at such close proximity caught Robin off guard, her face flushing crimson as she let out a soft gasp.
She instinctively tried to step back, only to realize that Sylvia had already wrapped an arm securely around her waist, locking her into the follower's position.
"What's wrong? You were daydreaming just now. Are you drunk?"
Sylvia looked with concern at the slightly out-of-sorts Robin.
Not only had she been spacing out just now, but her complexion didn't look quite right either.
She had been shoved out here by Sparkle, after all.
It wouldn't be beneath Sparkle to deliberately spike Robin's drink just to watch some drama unfold, forcing a sudden intimate interaction between them, and then she'd get to watch Sylvia get sliced twice by Mei.
That was a Masked Fool for you.
When it came to chasing a laugh, their moral compass basically didn't exist.
"N-no, I have a pretty high tolerance for alcohol. I was just lost in thought a moment ago."
Robin could hardly claim she was doing fine.
After all, she had just been agonizing over her jealous thoughts, only to turn around and discover that her rival's feelings were infinitely more intense than her own.
This sense of defeat naturally left Robin feeling a bit downcast.
Yet, resting within the curve of Sylvia's arm, Robin felt an overwhelming sense of security.
And in a rather petty twist, she felt a sliver of self-consolation, a fleeting sense of being 'temporarily ahead.'
Even though Robin knew perfectly well that this feeling was nothing more than a coping mechanism—a hollow psychological victory—she still couldn't stop herself from thinking it for a brief moment.
Robin figured that perhaps too many chaotic things had happened in Penacony lately.
It was causing her faith in Harmony to waver.
"...It's fine. Sylvia, you were learning the follower's steps just now, right? It just so happens that I can teach you how to lead."
Seeing Sylvia instinctively assume the leader's stance, Robin knew that Sylvia likely wanted to try that part of the dance.
"As long as you're okay. Then I'll be in your care."
Sylvia nodded.
She completely relaxed her body, placing her trust in Robin.
Even though she was the one being guided and taught in both instances...
Learning to lead felt entirely different from learning to follow.
Furthermore, having changed into a formal gown today, Robin looked incredibly gentle.
She evoked a strong desire to protect her.
Her fair, delicate palm rested inside Sylvia's hand, her soft skin impeccably cared for.
And while it was supposed to be Sylvia guiding Robin's movements, it became Robin softly instructing Sylvia on how to move her around instead.
To put it in a slightly strange way, there was a deeply alluring quality to it.
Swaying along to the music, because Sylvia wasn't proficient yet...
The two of them would occasionally stumble due to Sylvia's missteps, closing the distance between them down to absolute zero.
Their warm body heat was incredibly palpable.
Coupled with that exquisite smile right in front of her, Sylvia couldn't help but blush slightly.
When she was dancing with Mei earlier, perhaps because she was thoroughly accustomed to physical contact with her, Sylvia hadn't reacted like this.
But Robin was different.
The most intimate things they had ever done amounted to a pat on the head or holding hands.
To suddenly find themselves holding each other tight today...
Their bodies pressed close, their breathing growing slightly heavy from the physical exertion... everything.
It all made Robin's presence swell significantly in Sylvia's eyes.
Especially...
When Robin held onto Sylvia's hand, rising onto her tiptoes to spin gracefully right before her.
Her fluttering skirt billowed like a flower blooming on a high mountain peak, or like pristine white snow drifting down from the heavens.
Her brilliant smile was breathtakingly beautiful.
If Mei's beauty was enhanced by her aura, her formidable strength, and various other traits...
Then Robin, in Sylvia's eyes, was just pure, unadulterated loveliness.
With Sylvia's arm supporting her waist, Robin leaned back slightly, her chest rising and falling in soft, rhythmic waves.
Catching her breath slightly, she offered Sylvia an encouraging look:
"You're doing wonderfully~ You learn so fast, Sylvia. It was the same when I taught you to vocalize before; you always catch on immediately."
"Thank you..."
Robin's gown featured a cutout at the neckline, revealing a glimpse of dazzlingly fair skin.
The moment Sylvia's eyes caught a fleeting glimpse of that deep contour, she immediately chose to look away.
However, that lovely face—flushed with a hint of rose, lips parted slightly as she panted—was equally captivating.
Her open, radiant smile was far more enchanting than her shy expressions.
"Let's try it one more time. We were still a bit clumsy just now."
Robin could only feel her own heart racing wildly.
Resting against her waist and abdomen, the arm holding her tight to provide support felt soft yet incredibly steady. It was just a single ballroom dance; given Robin's stamina, there was no reason for her to be out of breath.
Yet, every single time the distance between her and Sylvia shrank...
Every embrace, every breath shared a hair's breadth away, every locked gaze, every step.
The moments where she accidentally stepped on Sylvia's foot, prompting a face-to-face apology filled with a sheepish grin...
While it made Robin blush, feeling the distance between them gradually dissolving...
It also made her inevitably recall the interactions she had witnessed between Mei and Sylvia earlier.
Was this kind of interaction too intimate?
Was it pushing the boundaries just a little too much?
But in Sylvia's eyes, this level of proximity and closeness was exactly what she wanted too, wasn't it?
At this very moment, did she look just like the two of them did earlier?
Did they look just as ambiguous in the eyes of onlookers?
Just the thought of how close she and Sylvia must look to everyone else made Robin's face burn hot.
Her pounding heart refused to calm down.
Her chest heaved uncontrollably, her mouth parting instinctively to make breathing easier.
Consequently, the sound of her soft breaths became increasingly noticeable.
Right at that moment—
Directly in Sylvia's line of sight, a notification for Robin's affection level suddenly popped into view:
--+--
[Target: Robin]
[Affection Level: 75 (Admiration and Curiosity)]
[Relationship: Close Friend]
[Reward: One Purple Warp Ticket]
--+--
"..."
Her affection level had suddenly spiked, reaching seventy-five points out of nowhere.
Even the reward had updated.
Including the unused White Warp Ticket from when she ran into Dahlia earlier...
Sylvia now had two warp opportunities stashed away.
Who would have thought that dancing could raise affection levels too...
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL