CHAPTER 825: CHAPTER 128 - ROSE AND IRENE (2)

"It seems like it’s true for you too," Rose said, her lips curling into a small, almost teasing smile. "So what’s stopping you then? Is it because you prefer monogamy?"

"Well, that’s part of it, I guess."

"Part?" she echoed, her brow arching slightly, curiosity glinting in her eyes.

I fell silent, my words catching somewhere in my throat, and instead lifted my glass, letting the cold rim press against my lips as if it could hide what I didn’t say out loud.

"Is it because of Gabrielle?"

The second her name left Rose’s mouth, it was like an invisible hand slapped me across the face. I flinched, my hand jerking slightly, and a bit of beer smeared messily across my cheek.

"I see..." Rose murmured, her gaze softening a bit. "So you’re still mad at her... because of that time."

Well... it wasn’t exactly something that should keep pissing me off forever. Even now, part of me knew it wasn’t the kind of thing to stay mad about for years. But the memory of that day still burned hot in my chest, stubborn as ever.

"Well, it’s not that easy to forget," I admitted finally, voice low. "I still remember it like it happened yesterday. I mean, how could I forget? It’s only been a few years since then, so it still feels pretty fresh. Honestly, I’m surprised you managed to forgive Gabrielle after what she said to us during graduation."

"Well, I haven’t really talked to Gabrielle about that day," Rose confessed, swirling her drink absentmindedly. "And honestly? I don’t think I need to. Truth is, I wasn’t even that offended by it, and I don’t think I was ever really mad about something that happened so long ago."

Yeah... maybe that was natural. Healthier, even. It wasn’t good to keep clutching hate in your chest like it was some sort of treasure.

And yet... here I was. Still dragging this bitterness around like a chain I refused to let go of. There’s a saying that people should let bygones be bygones, but damn, actually doing that? It was so much harder than it sounded.

"Still... I think I kinda understand why Gabrielle said those things," Rose continued, her eyes narrowing in thought. "You probably know this, but deep down, Gabrielle’s actually pretty awkward, you know? She doesn’t really know how to say what she feels. And maybe all of that just built up until it finally exploded at graduation," she added, taking a long swig. "It was probably the disappointment talking."

"Yeah..." I muttered, forcing a dry, wry smile that barely felt like it reached my eyes. "The disappointment of us not making it into Gold Class... and not becoming magic knights. I know just how disappointed Gabrielle was with us back then. But, well, I can only really blame myself for not living up to what she wanted. But still... isn’t it partly her fault too? That we didn’t graduate and maybe let other people step forward and shine?"

The words came out rougher than I meant them to—more like venting frustration than anything else.

Rose watched me quietly for a moment before finally speaking. "No. She wasn’t actually disappointed that we didn’t graduate as magic knights, Irene," she said, her voice softer, almost careful. "She was disappointed that we didn’t graduate with her."

The words hit harder than I expected, and I found myself looking right into Rose’s eyes, trying to see if she really meant it.

Was that really what Gabrielle had felt back then? Honestly, I couldn’t tell. Even though Gabrielle often seemed so easy to read on the surface, there were moments her thoughts seemed way too tangled for anyone else to guess.

"Well... I guess it’s too late now. The water’s already been spilled, and there’s no taking it back," I muttered, staring into my half-empty glass.

"I think you should end this feud," Rose said suddenly, her voice firm, though there was something gentle underneath. "It’s getting more and more ridiculous, don’t you think? And it’s probably what’s stopping you from getting together with Leon, right? I mean, if you let it go, get with him... become one of his women... I’m sure you’d end up way happier," she added, and I noticed her cheeks flush slightly pink. "I-I mean, like last night... he made me feel so special... I was squealing, and it got so intense I had to beg him to stop for a bit, but he didn’t relent and kept pounding me that hard..."

"Okay, okay, I really don’t need to hear about your sex time with Leon," I interrupted quickly, waving my hand, my own cheeks warming in embarrassment.

Trying to chase away the awkwardness, I raised my drink and took another big swig, the burn helping distract me from the heat rising in my face.

"Anyway... how about we just drink till we drop and stop overthinking all this shit?"

Rose shrugged, "Alright."

With that, the two of us kept drinking, letting the alcohol wash everything away until the room felt fuzzy around the edges, and we couldn’t even lift our glasses anymore because we were so damn drunk.

***

The next morning, I woke up slowly, my eyelids heavy and my head pounding from the hangover, like someone was banging a drum inside my skull.

Blinking past the blur, I stared up at a ceiling I don’t recognize.

I shifted a bit and turned my head, only to see a man with black hair lying beside me, sleeping soundly. His breathing was slow and calm, his chest rising and falling gently.

On his other side was a green-haired woman, also completely naked, curled up against him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Still half-dazed, I looked down at myself... and felt my heart thud painfully in my chest.

I was completely naked too. Not a scrap of fabric on me. Just skin against the cool air of the morning.

Scattered across the floor were three messy piles of clothes—two women’s and one man’s.

My head still felt foggy, but underneath the pounding headache, there was this strange tingling heat running through my legs, like a fading echo of what happened.

Then the memories of last night crashed back all at once.

And before I could stop myself, I bolted upright, my heart pounding so loud it felt like it echoed in my ears.

A furious blush flared across my face, burning hot.

For someone who kept telling herself she believed in monogamy, who thought she’d never get caught up in anything polygamous... I really wasn’t doing a great job living up to that, huh?

Because last night... I’d had a threesome with Leon and Rose.