Ophelia was deeply in love with Kirschtaria Wodime; that was hardly a secret anymore.
Nor had she ever tried to hide her feelings.
"You love him, but you can't set your mind at ease. You never can."
After casually stating that fact, Koyanskaya turned back around, walked up to Ophelia, and looked at the girl with unusual seriousness.
"You've always believed in your own righteousness, yet you've never been able to quell that restlessness."
"You can't devote yourself wholly to a single thing—whether it's love or work. It's as though you only have enough energy to do one thing at a time."
"Do you know why that is?"
—Ophelia glared at Koyanskaya.
What was with this woman?
Ophelia certainly did not think their relationship was really the "best friends" Koyanskaya claimed it was.
Becoming best friends with a woman like Koyanskaya... no matter how she thought about it, that was—
"You're someone who has never once been helped by another person."
"Think about it—you've never made even a single friend, have you?"
Koyanskaya casually tore open Ophelia's old wound.
It made Ophelia take another step back. There was even a trace of fear in the way she looked at Koyanskaya.
"I don't need friends."
That was all she could say as she forced herself to keep up appearances.
"I am a magus. Magi are beings specialized solely for the sake of pursuing the unknown."
"Magi have no need for things like friends."
"Ha ha ha ha—"
As if she had heard the funniest joke imaginable, Koyanskaya covered her mouth and laughed.
"Oh, stop it. Do you have any idea how pathetic you sound saying that?"
"You can't make friends, yet you're shifting the blame onto magi as a whole. It's absolutely hilarious."
"You're a living example of someone who could