Chapter 253: Madness
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Stephanie found herself spiraling into an abyss of doubt and confusion.
When had HE first begun to notice her? No matter how heavy her burdens became, his gaze had always found her. Just a simple exchange of greetings, those fleeting moments in the morning and evening, had once been enough to fill her heart with warmth and contentment.
“Is this the world’s way of saying I’m inferior to this fool?”
When had he started looking at others? Lorena, Eunice, Korinna, Amy, and now Kisaragi — all of them had captured his attention. The mere sight of him conversing with anyone else drained the joy from her soul.
“This isn’t right, Mister Tsutomu. You’re acting strangely these days. Why? Why won’t you keep your eyes on me? Why… why? Why is this happening?”
When did the man in her room, whose eyes were on her and only her, become so different from the man she would see on Monitors? Each time that cruel reality struck her, her affection for him twisted, warping into something dark and loathsome.
It had all started at the Ealdred Crow Clan House, the day she had received Tsutomu’s praise. From that moment, she had driven herself harder than ever, desperate to earn more of his approval. But Tsutomu’s praise was not hers alone to keep. No matter how much effort she exerted, his acknowledgment always seemed to elude her.
Initially, she had convinced herself that he was pushing her, challenging her to grow stronger. But as the days passed, that thought became a suffocating weight, pressing down on her. And then, during the chaos of the Stampede, she had seen it — his supposed favoritism toward Eunice. And now, the sight of him gently helping Kisaragi to her feet, was the final straw.