Pink Eyes and Burdens

Once outside, Chloe felt a profound sense of disorientation without Tia by her side.

After all, she was an extreme introvert; in such a densely populated area, without a familiar face to guide her, she would immediately revert to her true nature, unable even to navigate. She dared not lift her head while walking, terrified of accidentally meeting someone’s gaze.

Aurora and Izha quickly walked ahead, leaving Chloe steeped in indecision. She was torn between following them or remaining there to await Tia’s emergence. Ultimately, she possessed little autonomy; anything Tia disapproved of was essentially forbidden, and even approved actions required careful consideration. For instance, if Chloe were to join the three new team members for integration, she might face the question, “Why did you act on your own initiative?” upon returning home.

Observing Chloe’s hesitant steps, Captain Nelly paused, taking Chloe’s small hand. “Come along now,” she urged gently, “new team members mustn’t fall behind.”

Nelly offered a remarkably warm smile, reminiscent of an older sister who frequently cared for children. Within her sunny demeanor, a hint of weariness lingered.

She truly is an excellent senior, Chloe thought. Yet, confronted with someone so utterly flawless, Chloe invariably harbored a sense of unease. Such perfection was unsettling; for, as the saying goes, tragedy is the destruction of beauty for all to witness.

Unable to conjure a suitable retort, Chloe passively allowed Nelly’s hand to lead her forward. Whatever came next, she decided, could be dealt with later.

“Walking so slowly now, you’ll surely be a burden later on.”

“I’m sorry…”

Having finally caught up with the two ahead, the girl named Aurora spoke with an insolent tone. She was likely still resentful of Chloe taking Yilan’s place, a sentiment Chloe understood and for which she felt a deep sense of indebtedness. It seemed, however, that the three of them were still unaware Yilan had sacrificed herself to protect Chloe. What would they think, Chloe wondered, if they learned the one who replaced Yilan was precisely the cause of her demise? Chloe dared not contemplate it.

“Don’t speak of Chloe that way; she’s simply not accustomed to things yet,” Nelly retorted, her voice tinged with indignation.

Chloe, shielded by Nelly, felt her guilt intensify, and her head instinctively dropped even lower.

Seeing this, Nelly turned and knelt to face the girl, cupping Chloe’s face in her hands and gently but firmly straightening her head. “Don’t always hang your head like that,” she chided softly. “You’re so incredibly cute.”

“I’m sorry! I’ll lift my head!” Chloe responded weakly, her amber-gold eyes seeming to be veiled by a mist of tears. Her pale golden eyelashes fluttered, and her nose was tinged with a delicate blush.

“Oh my, Chloe seems so timid,” Nelly mused aloud. “How could someone be so introverted after spending time with Senior Tia, when Senior Tia herself is so assertive?” Nelly had actually wanted to add that Yilan, too, had been a lively and cheerful child despite being constantly by Tia’s side. However, fearing her words might be misconstrued, she swallowed the thought.

While Izha remained expressionless, Aurora was far less inclined to hold her tongue.

“And here I was, idolizing Senior Tia,” Aurora scoffed, “only to find she’s nothing but a cold, heartless machine. For all her powerful magic, her sister barely dies, and she’s already seeking out another ‘sister.’ I doubt her intentions are pure…”

“Tia isn’t like that at all!” Chloe suddenly cried out, startling Nelly and, in truth, startling herself as well. She couldn’t comprehend why she had reacted this way, yet upon hearing Aurora’s unwarranted accusations against Tia, an uncontrollable surge of fury ignited within her heart.

The flow of magic within her body grew erratic. Simultaneously, the dark, impure energies that had not been fully expelled from her system began to surge restlessly, and a faint pink glow subtly emanated from her pale golden pupils.

“How is she not like that?” Aurora retorted. “If her own sister held so little importance in her heart, you, a mere replacement, should be wary. She might discard you at any moment!”

“Tia would never abandon me! You… you ignorant fool!” Chloe’s chest heaved uncontrollably with rage, her hands clenching into tiny fists.

‘It wasn’t because Tia held such immense importance to me,’ Chloe rationalized. ‘It was simply that I couldn’t tolerate anyone maliciously slandering another without cause. Yes, that was precisely it.’

“Hmph… we’ll see who the fool is in due time,” Aurora sneered. “I have other matters to attend to. I’m leaving now; you can integrate amongst yourselves.” Apparently concluding that arguing with such a stubborn child was pointless, Aurora simply turned on her heel and departed.

“Don’t be like this, Aurora!” Nelly exclaimed, dismayed that events had escalated so dramatically.

“I also have something to attend to,” Izha stated, her gaze lowered. After a brief glance at the somewhat bewildered Chloe, she, too, chose to leave.

“Izha…” Nelly, a touch of helplessness in her expression, gently stroked the back of Chloe’s head. Gazing at Chloe’s innocent face, she found herself momentarily at a loss for what to do.

“Did I do something wrong?” Chloe asked, her voice trembling slightly. “Why is it that no one wants to accept me?” With the sudden surge of anger having receded, Chloe’s heart was left with nothing but a frantic disquiet, regretting how utterly she had botched everything.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Nelly reassured her. “Aurora and Izha are just too… too unwilling to let go of Yilan. Don’t take it to heart; give them some time, and everything will be alright.” Nelly continued to comfort her, her cool fingers gently stroking through Chloe’s hair.

Chloe instinctively lowered her head once more, her body trembling slightly. She sniffled, a sound like a stifled sob escaping her nose. As Chloe gradually calmed, a sudden unease washed over her. Why had she so abruptly lost control of her emotions after hearing Aurora’s reproaches toward Tia? It was as if she had transformed into someone else.

“Oh, by the way,” Nelly interjected, “I just saw Chloe’s eyes turn pink. Is that some kind of special ability of hers?”

Pink eyes? Chloe thought, a new wave of bewilderment washing over her.