The Pink Bubble and the Secret Diary

Ophelia was in no mood to read now.

As she opened her palm, a pink bubble shimmered and danced within her cupped hand.

In novels, magical power typically manifested as elemental forces—Marta’s light, for instance, or the darkness now present, Luca’s shadows, Vina’s own radiant light, and Emily’s mastery over the four elements of ice, fire, lightning, and wind.

But what was this pink bubble? Could it possibly be a Desire Bubble? The thought of her magic originating from an evil god sent a shiver of revulsion through her.

Yet, the magic wielded by the Desire Bubble’s followers in the book wasn’t pink at all.

The dark arts associated with the Desire Bubble were invariably manifested in sinister blacks or purples, a fact that had even surprised the male protagonist when he confronted the entity directly.

The book had described the Desire Bubble’s true form as an incredibly cute, tentacled bubble, capable of directly captivating humans with certain peculiar predilections.

“System, what exactly is going on with my magic?”

[I am also unclear, Host. I can only observe your magic, but I cannot analyze it. I have attempted to analyze it, but my processing capabilities are insufficient.]

“If I use it, will there be any harm?”

[Currently, no harm has been observed. This pink bubble magic has already become a part of your body, Host. It suddenly occupied your being before I could even react.]

Ophelia let out a sigh.

She felt she couldn’t truly blame Hizeta; after all, her own actions had undeniably shown favoritism.

Thus, if Hizeta had somehow acquired a Desire Bubble’s avatar to hypnotize her, Ophelia reasoned it wasn’t entirely Hizeta’s fault.

‘I suppose I’ve brought this upon myself,’ she thought, sighing again.

Pink bubbles…

‘Hmm, if I ignore the pinkness of these bubbles, I should be able to use magic now, shouldn’t I?

To arrive in a world of swords and sorcery and not experience magic—that would be a truly regrettable life!’

‘Still, I have no idea how to actually use it…’

The books stated that learning magic absolutely required a teacher, as the primary prerequisite for wielding it was sensing mana.

Without external assistance, one could not perceive mana on their own.

‘I need to find a teacher…’

Logically, she should seek out a mentor at a Mage Tower, but Ophelia harbored no desire whatsoever to approach someone she didn’t know.

Engaging with an unfamiliar individual meant having to re-establish familiarity, a prospect that was utterly troublesome for someone with social anxiety.

After much deliberation, she realized Vina was preoccupied with devising new policies, and Marta was not a mage.

That left only Emily as a viable option.

Emily was currently reviewing documents.

Her task involved compiling and simplifying various data and proposals, leaving Vina to handle the rest.

At times, she would assist Vina directly, while at others, Vina would help her with the simplification process.

Undeniably, Vina possessed the talent of a monarch; indeed, one might say Vina had long since been a true ruler.

Yet Emily always felt a strange disquiet.

Vina’s affection for the Queen was perfectly normal, and Emily herself admired the Queen, making it entirely understandable.

However, Emily had painstakingly devised numerous methods and elaborate schemes, all aimed at diminishing the Queen’s status and ultimately rendering her a figurehead.

Her ultimate goal was for the Queen to become a caged bird, belonging solely to Emily.

She feared no one else; others lacked her strategic scope and foresight, and the foolish nobles could never grasp the true implications behind her tactics.

Yet, she feared Vina, for Vina was highly likely to discern her intentions.

But why did Vina merely smile each time?

‘Was she tacitly approving of my methods, or did she, in fact, share my desire to isolate the Queen…?’

The thoughts gnawed at her.

She opened her diary, beginning to pour out her heart with fierce intensity.

[Day *, Month *, Sunny]

[Still unable to ascertain Vina’s true feelings toward the Queen. The only certainty is that Vina, too, has set her sights on the Queen. If there is anyone in this kingdom I cannot contend with, it is Vina alone. Her motives and knowledge remain unclear, and it is truly vexing.]

[Damn it, another day confined here, unable to cuddle with the Queen. So frustrating! Now I only get to see the Queen at night, and without those cuddles, I feel a distinct lack of motivation. My Queen, my Queen, my soft, fragrant Queen!]

Emily wiped a trace of drool from her lip just as a knock sounded at her door.

“Please, come in,” Emily replied.

The door opened, and to Emily’s astonishment, Ophelia herself stepped inside.

Emily froze for a moment, then hastily slammed her diary shut, tucking it away, all while swiftly plastering a smile onto her face.

“Your Majesty? To what do we owe the honor of your visit today? Do you have any instructions for me?”

Ophelia had knocked on Emily’s door.

Emily’s reaction had been one of utter panic; she seemed to have just shoved something away.

‘Ah, I get it, I get it. Emily, you’re secretly reading during work hours, aren’t you?

Hehe, even the perfect genius noblewoman has this side to her, secretly reading.’

‘Actually, I like reading too, you know?’

‘Never mind. I’ll just pretend I didn’t see anything.

Slacking off during work hours is perfectly normal, and besides, Emily will finish everything quickly anyway.’

“Emily, I’ve told you before, you don’t need to call me ‘Your Majesty.’ Ophelia or Ophe will do just fine.”

“I’ve come to ask a favor of you… You’re not too busy, are you?”

Emily’s eyes brightened.

“Of course not busy! Your Ma— *cough* *cough* — Ophe, what can Ophe do for you?”

Ophelia briefly explained that she had gained magical abilities.

“So, I was hoping you could be my teacher. Would you be willing?”

‘To be the Queen’s teacher!’

Traditionally, female magic students could only have female teachers, and male students, male teachers.

This was because teaching magic and assisting with mana perception involved certain physical touches, which were strictly forbidden between members of the opposite s*x.

‘Hehe, touches…’

“Of course I’m willing, Your Majesty~” For some reason, Emily’s expression suddenly seemed to crumble for a moment.

The collapse lasted only an instant, causing Ophelia to wonder if it had been a mere illusion.

“That’s wonderful! Thank you, Emily!” Ophelia exclaimed, happily taking one of Emily’s hands in hers.

“No, no, no, Your Majesty, it will be I who says ‘thank you for the feast’ in the future, hehehe… *cough* *cough* Forgive my impropriety. So, when shall we begin?”

****

“My God, I am gradually nearing the truth of the God of Stars and Wisdom. I shall steal their authority for you, your devoted follower…”

In the darkened room, something seemed to fester in the shadows as Mr. Fanatic clasped his hands together in fervent prayer.

Before him stood an unspeakable idol.

Suddenly, the unspeakable idol shimmered with a pink radiance, and then a single pink eyeball emerged.

Mr. Fanatic’s eyes widened.

“A miracle! A miracle! God has answered me!”

This was the eye of God, an unparalleled honor for Mr. Fanatic.

He had no idea what he had done to please the deity, but the act of pleasing God filled him with immense joy.

Reverently, he lifted the eye.

Then, without hesitation, he reached up and gouged out one of his own eyes, subsequently inserting the pink orb into the still-bleeding socket.

In this way, God would be able to see all that he saw.

‘What would God wish to see? It mattered not. Mr. Fanatic cared not at all.’

‘Let me consecrate my life to you! Let me offer everything to you! Oh God! I am willing to be your eyes!’

‘Who is to fall into desire? Who is to drown in the abyss? It matters not, it matters not.

The world is your stage, and I am but a puppet dancing gracefully in your hands!’

‘From the very moment I first gazed upon your countenance, I fell in love with you… I willingly offer my life! My Lord! My most beautiful Desire Bubble!’