I Love Your Selfishness, Your Unreasonableness, and Your Pettiness

Suddenly, I thought back to my wavering will of whether to thank her or not.

No! Of course not!

Why do I have to thank her?!

THAT'S RIGHT. IF IT WERENT FOR HER, I WOULDN'T BE IN THIS SITUATION IN THE FIRST PLACE!

Hmph! And look at that smug smile of hers! Does she think that's won or something?!

Well, she hasn't!

"Asu… I…" Lancera started speaking, and the fragility in her voice surprised me.

Looking up, I saw that her beautiful smile had become a little forced.

"Asu… I'm sorry… I hadn't thought that you would be so worried about my disappearance… I'm sorry. I didn't take your feelings into consideration…" The girl's bright purple eyes darkened. "I just went to take care of something, but I didn't…" she sighed. "I didn't think it would take so long… Asu… will you… forgive me?"

I gulped.

W-W-Why does she sound so serious?! Gosh… now I seem like the villainess here!

But still. I pressed my lips into a thin line.

Should I… forgive her??

No! cried a small chibi version of myself but with red eyes, a pair of black leathery wings and a long, devilish tail swinging back and forth.

(VA note: She leveled up, okay?!)

'No! Why forgive her?! What if she's just putting up an act? Just to lure you in? You can't fall for it, stupid Asura! Besides, words don't mean anything! Have you forgotten?!'

But my mouth had moved before I could fully hear the warning. "N-No… It's fine! Y-Y-You don't have to… uh, you know, be sorry about something like that! I-I'm just… um, uh… I-ah… um… uh… I-uh…"

GOD DAMN IT! I SOUND LIKE A COMPLETE IDIOT, DON'T I?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! MY IMAGE! MY IMAGE!

Feeling my ears heat up, I wished that I could just crawl into a hole and wait for several centuries before crawling back out.

S-Should I pretend to cough? Pretend to faint? Pretend to be sick and use that as an excuse to leave?

But suddenly, I saw Lancera's blinding smile resurface once more. "Thank you, Asu. I knew you would understand. And… uh…"

She fidgeted, brushing back a strand of inky hair behind her ear. And… she seemed to be…

BATTING HER EYELASHES AT ME?!

Uh- th-th-th-that's… is this…

a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a—a-a-a-a—a-a—

"Asu… you asked before right? Whether I still like you after seeing your true personality?"

My face paled. Ah… Upon hearing the term 'true personality, ' I suddenly remembered.

That's right. I'd actually forgotten such an important matter—stupid me.

Truly. You stupid Asura! What are you gonna do now?! Gosh. If everyone else figures it out…

But I bet my expression has already revealed everything Lancera needed to know, even without me telling her.

"Asu… I'll"

I subconsciously gripped my now ragged skirt.

"I'll…"

My heart thumped loudly in my chest, the amplitude increasing each millisecond.

"I'll…"

Oh! JUST SAY IT ALREADY, YOU IDIOT HALL BRA—

"I'll love you, no matter what you are like. I love your beauty, your wits, your cuteness… but I love your selfishness, your unreasonableness, and your pettiness even more."