novelraw Chapter 106 : The Bursting Dam
Chapter 106 : The Bursting Dam
"So... this Miss Dorothea is a friend you met at the tavern before?"
The gaze from her girlfriend, who had finally calmed down, seemed to pierce through her body. Her face clearly said 'Is that really all?', constantly interrogating her conscience.
"...Yes."
However, it seemed Yvonne had no choice but to nod.
Although she hadn't done anything to feel guilty about, Yvonne felt she lacked some of the confidence she should have had when answering.
However... to say she didn't feel any flutter in her heart when Dorothea hugged her would be an absolute lie,
After all, that was also 'her'.
Moreover, no matter how she tried to make excuses, it was an undeniable fact that the things she was concealing from Elsa had increased again.
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Elsa didn't know what expression she had on her face right now,
Seeing Yvonne being tightly embraced by someone other than herself, she almost had a magical outburst due to her overly agitated emotions.
And the one who stopped her was this woman called Dorothea.
'If you can't control your magical power well, you're just like a crying child swinging a dangerous weapon around. You'll hurt yourself and others—right now, you're not even as good as a 6-year-old child.'
Leaving behind such harsh advice, she had somehow gotten behind Elsa and restrained her hands. Using some unknown spell, the turbulent magical flow within Elsa's body seemed to be calmed by her and returned to stability.
Rubbing her sore wrists under the table, Elsa's heart was full of resentment.
The recent contact made her realize one thing:
That is... she was no match for that person at all.
If she were an enemy, Elsa would probably have lost her life already.
In terms of experience, skills... and even magical strength, she was still far inferior to that person.
She was 16 years old this year.
Considering what she could achieve at this age, she was already very impressive. After being crowned a genius, she had been putting in extra effort to continue gaining recognition.
Until now, in order to become a person worthy of Yvonne, she had gritted her teeth and persevered.
However, in front of this person, all of that meant nothing.
10 years...
If she had another 10 years... could she grow to this person's level?
She didn't know.
Because the gap between them was just that big, big enough to make one feel despair.
If it were just herself alone right now, she felt she would probably cry out in frustration.
When asking Yvonne, her instinctive avoidance of eye contact made Elsa's heart sink even further.
The questioning born out of seeking reassurance instead made Elsa even more uneasy.
She had noticed long ago that Evie was deliberately hiding something from her.
Everyone has secrets they don't want to speak of, which is normal, so Elsa hadn't deliberately pressed the issue. As a lover, she wanted to give the other person enough personal space.
Elsa didn't want to become a troublesome and burdensome romantic partner, and she definitely didn't want Evie to dislike her because of this.
But—when 'secrets' are known by others, yet she remains completely unaware, the nature of the situation changes entirely.
Simply put, it felt like she was being left out.
Since that day, after Miss Dorothea appeared in the dense forest, the expression on her face had completely changed.
As if she had found the answer to a long-troubling question.
Such an expression had never appeared when she was with Elsa.
Thinking of this, ugly emotions swirled in her chest.
Anxiety and frustration clawed at her throat.
Making her want to shout, to pour all of this out to Evie at once.
She wanted to know the answers, to know the things she didn't know.
But thinking that she might not want her to know.
The bitterness welling up from the root of her tongue choked her throat.
Even though it was painful, she could only endure desperately.
She hoped Yvonne would take the initiative to tell her those things she was concealing from her.
But at the same time, she also felt disgusted with herself for having such thoughts of wanting to coerce her into revealing her secrets.
Elsa hated herself like this,
Hated it so much—hated it hated it!!
She didn't want to become that kind of heavy and troublesome woman...
She just...
She just liked her too much.
Just realizing that there were others who understood Yvonne better than herself made Elsa almost go mad with jealousy.
She didn't want to be left out, didn't want to be abandoned by her—
In fact, even if Yvonne told her now, she would still feel uncontrollable jealousy because she wasn't the first person to know these things.
This greed was utterly irrational and endless.
No matter what.
She wanted to understand Yvonne more. Wanted to share her burdens, didn't want to see her worrying alone.
Why—
Why, why why why—
Why couldn't she tell her?
Why couldn't it be her?
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Come to think of it... is it really okay to let two people from different time spaces meet like this?
Dorothea, the culprit behind all this, had put on her conservative witch attire again and was sitting in a chair temporarily cleared for her as a guest. Holding a cup of hot coffee, she smiled at the two, as if nothing had happened just now.
Yvonne was somewhat worried about the paradoxes common in time travel settings, but since Dorothea, as a time traveler, didn't seem to mind, it should be fine, right?
"Pardon my rudeness, but are you two a couple?"
Noticing the heavy atmosphere, Dorothea took the initiative to break the deadlock.
This person... asking something she already knows!!
"...Of course, isn't it obvious!"
As if declaring her ownership, Elsa clung to Yvonne's arm more tightly, her body leaning closer, just like a foolish couple trying hard to emphasize 'we have a good relationship'.
However, rather than a foolish couple, her overly vigilant appearance today made her look more like a mother hen spreading her wings to protect the chick behind her.
"Oh ho... A romantic relationship between two girls is quite rare~ Tell me, how far have you progressed?"
"...What do you mean?"
"Of course, I'm referring to holding hands, embracing, kissing... and those things."
Unexpectedly direct, abandoning the last bit of girlish shyness made this Witch Lady seem even more mature.
"Well, the last one is still..."
"Oh my? So you're saying you haven't even reached home base yet? Then up until now, your romance is nothing more than playing house."
"What do you mean playing house—we are very serious!!"
Anger surged up. Although unable to understand the modern term 'home base', Elsa instinctively felt that the person in front of her was mocking her,
This half-joking attitude made her quite angry.
Dorothea shrugged.
"That won't do at all... Back when I was young, I very quickly... Oh no, I almost let it slip."
...What does that mean??
Yvonne, on the side, was instead made uncertain by Dorothea's reaction.
Could it be... that the parallel world version of herself had so little resistance and was quickly eaten up??
"Hmph... Let me tell you in advance, I have no interest in your love history, auntie!!"
"Calling me auntie... you rude girl, don't regret it!!"
"I won't regret it!!"
"Hmph—!" ×2
...As expected of the same person, even their angry reactions when arguing are so consistent.
Yvonne forgot where she had seen such a conclusion: people who are too similar often can't get along with each other. This saying seems to have some credibility now.
"Well, I've imposed on you this time. But don't worry, I'll be leaving soon."
After finishing her coffee, the Witch Lady arbitrarily ended the conversation, conjuring a wide-brimmed pointed hat from somewhere and putting it on her head, quickly falling into shadow. It seemed that special witch's hat had its own magic effect that could add extra concealment to the face.
"Miss Dorothea... where are you going again??"
Yvonne was somewhat anxious, not wanting to let her escape like this,
She had thought the Witch Lady would stay longer this time, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
The answers she had been wanting to know all along were with her,
She had many questions she wanted to ask her about the mysteries of this world.
"Now that my business is done, of course I'm returning to where I should be."
"...You said the same thing last time!!"
She even said they might never meet again, which made her depressed for a while.
So, seeing her again this time, Yvonne was truly happy.
She had hoped to get more information from Dorothea, but didn't expect her to leave so quickly.
"Can't be helped, I'm very busy you know..."
She sighed helplessly, her gaze towards the horizon gaining a sense of vicissitude. This vague tone made one start to doubt her actual age.
Come to think of it, how old is the adult version of Dorothy?
"Hehe... If you don't want me to leave... perhaps I'll consider it?"
She said teasingly, then pulled down her hat brim and winked.
"Just kidding... I must go back now."
She could only open one 'door', and the time span she could cross each time was fixed, so to make a round trip, she had to pass through before the door closed.
Like a cloud bird about to fly into the sky, she lightly tapped her toes, turned her hat brim, preparing to 'jump'.
"Wait—"
Yvonne instinctively reached out her hand to stop her,
It would only take a second for her to disappear.
—Snap.
However, after making a crisp snapping sound with her leather gloves, nothing happened.
"...Eh?"
Dorothea, who was preparing to 'jump', was also stunned. She forcefully snapped her fingers a few more times, still with no effect.
"...Strange??"
Like a failed magician who had performed a clumsy magic trick, the usually calm Witch Lady herself became flustered.
Not good... not good not good not good—
She hurriedly asked Yvonne.
"How many days did you say I slept?"
"...3 days."
"So what day is it now?!"
"The 4th day?"
It's already the fourth day—
Dorothea fell into panic.
This also meant that her stay this time had already exceeded seven days.
At this point in time, the 'door' had long since closed! The closing of the 'door' also meant that she couldn't go back now.
Dorothea was filled with regret.
How could she make such a mistake!!
It seemed that now she could only stay at this point in time, waiting for the next opportunity when the star orbits aligned to open the dimensional door.
"What's wrong?"
Noticing her unusual behavior, Yvonne took the initiative to step forward and ask.
"...It seems there's been some problem with my itinerary."
Dorothea took off her hat with a headache, frustratedly folding it several times into her palm.
"Can't you go back?"
"...I 'temporarily' can't go back."
The Witch Lady corrected without much energy,
This actually played right into Yvonne's hands.
"In that case, why don't you stay here?"
"...That wouldn't be appropriate, would it?"
Yvonne shook her head,
"There's nothing inappropriate about it. As a friend, I hope you can stay."
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Something seemed to explode in her head.
"...Evie, come here for a moment."
Elsa pulled Yvonne away from Dorothea without saying much,
"What's wrong? So sudden..."
"...Do you really want to let such a suspicious woman move in?!"
She looked somewhat anxious, Yvonne didn't quite understand what she was worried about,
"When a friend is in trouble, there's nothing wrong with helping them, right? We still have empty rooms here... Just let her stay in the guest room upstairs—"
"That's not the issue!!"
She was almost crying with anxiety,
"Then what is the issue?"
This counter-question made Elsa's mind buzz,
Faced with her attitude, still confused and bewildered,
How could she so easily say such things?
"...Why can't you consider my feelings??"
By the time these trembling words were spoken, it was too late to rein in the wild horses galloping towards the cliff of breakdown.
"What's wrong?... Suddenly saying such selfish things... it's not like you."
"............"
Elsa fell into silence again.
I'm sorry... this is who I am.
The sensibility and obedience all along were just a disguise. Now this hysterical, selfish, greedy... ugly desire to possess her completely... this is the real me.
Hissing as she drew in a sharp breath, Elsa glanced at Dorothea not far away, then slowly shifted her gaze back to Yvonne.
"...If Evie insists on letting her move in, then as an alternative, I will move out."
Like a child throwing a tantrum, she tremblingly uttered these irrevocable words.
"Stop being unreasonable—!!"
Influenced by the other party, Yvonne also became agitated, her voice involuntarily rising,
But soon lowered again:
"...You should know, I didn't mean it that way!!"
More than the willful behavior, her distrust made Yvonne feel angrier.
From beginning to end, her feelings had no other intentions.
Everything she was doing now was for their future.
But Elsa didn't understand.
If she didn't explain it properly, how could she make her understand?
With clenched fists, her brain could no longer think clearly. She deeply felt that she was just like a child throwing a tantrum.
Miss Dorothea was right, the current her was probably truly not even as good as a 6-year-old child,
However, her runaway emotions could no longer be stopped:
"That's not what I meant either... Evie."
"...What?"
"...After all, our living habits are completely different, aren't they? Evie too... when you start reading, I never know when you'll finish... Always sleeping so late, I really hate that!"
"...Huh? You have the nerve to talk about me?? When you're working part-time, your return time is always unpredictable. Every time I make dinner for you, I have to reheat it several times... That's why I leave the books I like to read for nighttime!! Can't you consider my feelings??"
"The one who doesn't consider others is you, Evie—You never tidy up the room, I don't know how many times I've tripped over the books piled under your bed!!"
"I've been doing all the housework like cleaning all along!!"
"Huh?? You're talking as if I never do anything!!"
Without realizing it, the argument started developing in a strange direction.
Although they cared about each other, neither showed any sign of backing down.
Yvonne was also stirred up by some inexplicable sense of competition,
Finally, she let out some harsh words:
"Fine... If living with me is so difficult for you, then just move out!!"
"That suits me just fine!!"
Eh... Eh??!
Having witnessed the whole process, Dorothea watched in shock as Elsa started packing her luggage at lightning speed and rushed out the door, standing dumbfounded in place.
What in the world just happened...