I’ve loved Maria for as long as I can remember.
"I love you, Big Sister!"
"Goodness... Maria, really."
Maria was more beautiful than anyone. Her heart was purer than anyone's.
To me, Maria was everything.
But I eventually learned of the cruelty of this world.
"Look."
"How lovely..."
"Truly beautiful."
"The eldest Bradley daughter is such an accomplished girl."
"The younger sister is a bit... well."
I would overhear such things at parties.
I remember Maria’s expression at those times all too well. Compared against me, she was shunned for her skin and her eyes.
Maria was so beautiful.
Truly lovely.
Translucent, snow-white skin and hair. Eyes as red as fire. Together, they made Maria as beautiful as an angel.
She was the sister I was so proud of.
Maria, more beautiful than anyone.
And yet, everyone around her shunned her.
When I was young, I wondered why. Why would they shun someone as beautiful as Maria?
Then I learned. I learned that humans seek to exclude anything they deem different.
In the midst of that, I was the one receiving the praise.
Beautiful, intelligent, kind-hearted, and above all, talented in magic... or so they said.
On the other hand, Maria was seen as inferior to me. No matter what she did, she was slow and couldn't do it well.
But if she took her time, Maria could do things properly. Despite that, those around her didn't value her effort. My parents and my brother both compared Maria and me.
"Maria."
"...Big Sister. It's fine. I'm fine..."
Maria naturally drifted away from me.
I thought we would always be close sisters. But we couldn't stay the same.
This society, which prioritized bloodlines and excluded the "different," was nothing but a shackle for us sisters.
Even so, I had to work hard as the eldest daughter of House Bradley. If I were found to be useless, then Maria might be the one forced to shoulder those hardships next.
For Maria’s sake, I had to play the role of the "Big Sister."
I had to march steadily down that path.
Even if doing so ended up hurting her.
Because that was the only thing I could do.
"..."
"Maria. Would you like to go out together today? It's really lovely weather."
"Not really."
"I see... Well then, I'll go by myself."
"...Take care."
Maria changed.
Her hairstyle became eccentric. Her slanted bangs obscured one eye, while the back was cut so short it was practically buzzed.
She wore a massive number of piercings in both ears. Sometimes they would bleed, and it looked painful.
She stopped talking to me very much.
Maria changed. But I thought that was okay.
Because her essence hadn't changed. I knew that Maria was still rooting for me.
She always came to cheer for me at the Magics Chevalier.
I knew. Maria was always there for every match I competed in.
Though we didn't exchange many words, Maria remained as kind as she had always been.
At the same time, I found myself envious of her.
I knew she was suffering too. But I envied how she could behave so freely. I had to continue acting the part of the eldest daughter of one of the Three Great Noble Families.
I had come to terms with that. I didn't hate who I was.
I... thought I was happy.
Yet, because we were sisters, I couldn't help but compare us.
Maria was free and so very beautiful. But I... I would think to myself that I could never change.
"Is that...?"
One day.
It happened just after my work with the Student Council had finished. I was about to head to my room to rest, exhausted from the Cultural Festival preparations.
I saw Maria. She seemed to be waiting for someone in front of the Academy gates.
I wondered for a moment if she had come to see me.
But the person Maria called out to was Ray-san.
"Eh...?"
I froze, bewildered.
When had those two become so close?
I tightly clenched my hands in front of my chest.
Why did my heart ache so much?
I didn't recognize this kind of pain. Why was it so agonizing?
Ray-san had been an unusual person from the moment we met. He was a straightforward man.
Unlike me, he was incredibly earnest—and a beautiful person.
He was always surrounded by people.
Everyone was always laughing.
I couldn't enter that circle. It was simply too dazzling.
During summer vacation, he accepted my hobby, and I grew closer to Ray-san. I was happy. I was truly, from the bottom of my heart, happy that he accepted my writing.
But there was nothing I could do.
I wanted to do something about my fiancé, about House Bradley. But I was powerless. Tiny as I was, I couldn't...
"—and so,"
"Is that—so?"
"Yes—"
I could hear their voices in snatches. I watched them from my hiding spot.
And Maria laughed. Ray-san smiled gently in return.
Seeing them like that, a dark emotion ignited in my heart.
Why did the two of them look so happy when I was suffering this much?
"...!"
I clenched my fists until it hurt.
"Ah..."
I opened my hand to find blood. My nails had dug in, tearing the skin. Looking at the blood, I felt a lingering sense of helplessness.
I knew this was surely selfish jealousy.
I wanted Maria to be happy, unlike me.
But what if. If, hypothetically...
Suppose Maria were to date Ray-san. And suppose they were joined together and married.
At that time, would I be able to congratulate them from the bottom of my heart?
No, I surely—
"...I should go back."
Muttering under my breath, I headed toward my room in the dormitory.
Glancing back for a moment, I saw Maria laughing, patting Ray-san on the shoulder. I should have been happy they were getting along. I loved both Maria and Ray-san. It was a good thing for two people I loved to be together.
"...!"
Ignoring the black emotion dwelling in my heart, I began to run.
As if to shake off every last feeling.
"A letter...?"
When I returned to the Student Council Office, I found a letter waiting for me. It was from Ray-san.
Why a letter, at this stage?
He could have just told me in person.
With that thought, I broke the seal.
The message inside was brief—
'I'll be waiting on the rooftop.'
"The rooftop?"
Why there? It was true that preparations for the Post-festival Party were finished and my duties were over. All that was left was the cleanup.
But I had wanted to spend time alone with Ray-san anyway.
He had been so kind to me. I wanted to thank him properly.
And so, I climbed the stairs to the rooftop.
My time with Ray-san was the only thing I looked forward to right now.
Being with him was so calming. Even in my current situation, the time I spent with him healed me.
"Fufu..."
A small chuckle escaped me.
Recalling his strange words and actions made me smile. They really were nothing but good memories.
Truly... ah, truly...
But I felt a sudden pang of dread.
My instincts told me that I shouldn't go any further.
However, since Ray-san was waiting, I couldn't just turn back. I was already keeping him waiting. I ignored the warning bells and opened the door to the rooftop.
A gust of wind whipped past.
Holding back my hair, I looked out at a scene that was utterly unbearable.
"Maria...? Why are you here?"
I asked. It was the only thing I could do.
Why?
Why were the two of them together?
My heart hammered against my ribs. I pressed a hand to my chest.
I couldn't believe it. Why, Maria, why?
No. No. No. I don't want to hear it.
Don't make that face. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it!!
Then, Maria tightly intertwined her arm with Ray-san’s... and thrust the cruel reality upon me.
"Big Sister. You see, Ray and I are going out."
"Eh...?"
It was beginning.
I was about to find out.
I was about to face a reality I never wanted to know.
And it would surely stir those dark emotions within me once again—