After things settled down, Harca and Anakin sat side by side on a sofa in the corner and talked.
“So, why were you looking for me?”
Anakin didn’t answer for a moment.
Now that she thought about it, why did she want to see Harca?
She had definitely been questioning whether it was okay to get close to him.
Perhaps, while thinking about him, her feet had naturally led her here.
“Just because. I felt like it had been a little while since I saw you. You were the one who came to see me first last time,” Anakin said with a shy smile.
“…”
Harca glanced at her.
“Your personality seems to have changed.”
“…”
Anakin blinked slowly, staring at Harca with a puzzled face.
Harca narrowed his eyes at the strange sensation—it was as if a beautiful doll had suddenly gained a soul and was staring back at him.
Prompted by Anakin’s gaze to elaborate, Harca added:
“It’s different from before. Back then, you were as clear and pure as a child, but now…”
“…What am I like now?”
Anakin’s red eyes watched him tenaciously.
Harca remained silent for a moment at the unfamiliar sight.
“You feel a bit more mature. You don’t laugh as much, either.”
“…True. The world isn’t that easy, after all.”
Anakin leaned her chin on her hand and gave a bitter smile.
“Now, I don’t even have anyone left to resent…”
Tapping the corner of the table, Anakin seemed lost in deep thought.
“What is it that makes you so troubled?”
At those words, Anakin’s eyes widened for a split second before returning to normal.
“I’m not particularly troubled. Other than my body being in pain, that is.”
Aside from the Crown Prince, with whom there had been a misunderstanding, the only person she really wanted revenge on was Evelyn.
Louis was merely Evelyn’s lackey.
“Harca, have you still not decided what you want to do?”
Anakin quickly changed the subject to avoid a complicated conversation, and Harca answered immediately.
“No.”
“…You don’t have any interests at all?”
His eyes were indifferent, as if he were simply bored.
Anakin felt both pity and wonder toward Harca, who felt no interest in life.
She felt bad for thinking it, but she wondered if this was what it felt like to meet a psychopath.
“Actually, I’ve had exactly one interest lately.”
“What is it?”
When Anakin looked up at him curiously, he tilted his head and spoke.
“You, Anakin.”
“…Me?”
Anakin’s expression distorted at Harca’s unexpected answer. Unless she had misheard, he definitely said “you.”
She didn’t know how the world-building was shifting, but Harca showing this much interest in Anakin was something that never happened in the original story.
Was it because she had helped him?
She should have realized it from the moment he suddenly sought her out at the library.
It made no sense for someone as indifferent to others as Harca to be the first to seek someone out.
“In me? Since when?”
“Since you started coming to find me at the Imperial Palace.”
“…”
“There was something different about you compared to other people.”
Anakin was internally flustered.
‘Is it because I’m not the real Anakin, but a third party from outside the story?’
She felt a pang of guilt, but she maintained her composure.
“…I don’t know what you mean.”
Harca stared intently at Anakin and said, “Until I met you, the only thing I was even slightly interested in was the Empress.
I was curious about the end of her greed.”
“…”
“It was fascinating to see that someone could desire something so intensely.”
Anakin frowned at those words.
The author had turned this person into a complete psychopath just to create a villain.
They had completely stripped away the basic desires a human should have.
No wonder he becomes that merciless tyrant later on.
“Then why are you interested in me?”
Harca answered simply.
“Because I’m curious about you, Anakin.”
“…”
At the sudden direct comment, Anakin froze, unable to say a word.
It was happening again—the phenomenon where her body stiffened whenever she was flirted with or touched.
Harca’s gaze didn’t feel like he was thinking of her seriously.
It was more like she was a favorite toy he’d been reaching for lately.
His expression seemed too indifferent to be one filled with the deep emotion of love.
She doubted if the emotion of love even existed within him.
She didn’t think he could feel it.
If it was just that level of light interest, she could handle it.
It was a thousand times better than the Crown Prince’s obsession.
“Well, if it’s just that much…”
After saying those words, a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Contrary to Anakin’s fears, the Harca she saw now seemed to have no interest in rebellion at all.
The eyes of someone dreaming of revenge couldn’t possibly be that bored.
If Harca didn’t dream of revenge, the future would be completely overturned.
Anakin absolutely did not want to see the Crown Prince or Leo die.
Nor did she want a bloodbath in the Imperial Palace.
To prevent that, the priority was to divert Harca’s interest elsewhere.
Anakin looked at Harca and asked, “Is hanging out with me fun?”
Harca seemed to consider it for a moment, then nodded.
“Anakin, I’m never bored when I’m with you.”
“I see.”
As Anakin’s eyes curved into a gentle smile, Harca slowly leaned toward her.
When his large hand suddenly touched her cheek, a cold chill radiated from him.
‘Harca’s hands really are cold.’
Anakin then carefully placed her hand on Harca’s chest.
She felt firm muscle along with a steady, rhythmic heartbeat.
“Fortunately, your heart is beating.”
She had thought he might not even be human.
“?”
Harca looked down questioningly at the hand on his chest.
His cool pheromones brushed against the tip of Anakin’s nose.
“Harca, your hands are too cold.”
“…Is that so?”
Despite the comment, Harca didn’t pull his hand away.
A subtle tension began to swirl between them.
Harca’s actions were always closer to instinct than reason.
Like someone handling a toy they wanted, he had no hesitation in touching Anakin.
To him, she was like a substitute found to replace the Empress.
She trusted that Hilde wouldn’t harm her, but Harca… she didn’t know.
There was no guarantee he would maintain proper boundaries.
The risk was high, but still… it wasn’t enough to push him away.
“Harca.”
Her beautiful red eyes, which felt like they could pull him in, stared intently at him.
Anakin carefully moved Harca’s hand away and spoke.
“I have to go now.”
“…Already?”
“Yeah. I’ll come again next time.”
When she gave a bright, child-like smile, Harca could only watch her.
“…Alright.”
Anakin stood up and waved at the nodding Harca.
Then, she turned abruptly and walked toward the entrance.
She could feel Harca’s gaze on her back.
Anakin closed her eyes and thought.
‘…I hope Harca becomes happy.’
It was a sincere wish from the depths of her heart.
May the day come when he smiles.
May that wooden child who feels nothing realize the emotion of joy.
Anakin opened her eyes and stepped out of the blue sanctuary.
It was the day after her meeting with Harca.
As usual, Anakin gathered her class supplies and headed to the lecture hall with Mantis.
The atmosphere in the room was different than usual.
The dark and gloomy mood remained, but everyone felt stiff and tense for some reason.
The 46th-term students were especially so.
Anakin approached Hilde and asked.
“Did something happen?”
“No. They’ve just been like that ever since I walked in.”
Hilde also didn’t seem to know what was going on.
Usually, the room would be bustling with sarcastic remarks or chatter, but today, no one was talking to each other.
“Hmm…”
It was suspicious at a glance, but since class was about to start, Anakin took her seat.
Chris entered, and the class proceeded normally.
Nothing particularly special happened.
As soon as the long lecture ended, Anakin spoke up.
“Something is weird.”
“I think so too,” Hilde agreed as Anakin packed her books.
“Do you think that Evan person is collecting money again or something?”
“If it were just collecting money, they wouldn’t be this frozen.”
“Hmm…”
Just then, Lute passed in front of the questioning Anakin and Hilde.
Anakin called out to him.
“Hey, Lute.”
“…?”
It was their first time speaking since the joint battle, so there was a hint of awkwardness.
However, Lute spoke calmly, as if nothing were wrong.
“What is it?”
His way of speaking had somehow become softer than before.
Because of that, Hilde, standing next to Anakin, frowned.
“Didn’t you notice the atmosphere is strange?”
“…It was definitely a bit odd today.”
It seemed Lute felt it too.
The silence, like the calm before a great storm, felt ominous.
After some thought, Anakin spoke to Hilde and Lute.
“Hey. Why don’t we tail our seniors from the 46th term?”
At those words, Lute and Hilde both looked at Anakin with distorted expressions.
