Reborn As An Extra : I'm gonna mess up everything

"The only thing I see in you is pain," Esdeath said quietly, her voice gentle but firm. Her eyes, filled with sincerity, locked onto Lortell's. "So much pain."

She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her words. "I know that having so much power isn't easy. It's more suffocating than being just an ordinary person. And your powers—they're on a whole different level. Add your status on top of that, and it's like you're buried under a mountain of responsibilities. Everyone expects you to act a certain way, to do this, to do that, and you're left with almost no freedom at all."

Esdeath paused for a moment, letting her words sink in. She knew she was speaking the truth, and she could see that truth reflected in Lortell's eyes. "And I can only imagine how hard it must be for you. Maybe not in front of you, but behind your back, people must say terrible things. They don't understand you. They judge you, criticize you, and that has to hurt."

She could see the impact her words were having. Lortell's expression hadn't changed, but Esdeath knew she had hit a nerve. "And that's why, without even realizing it, you decided to play the role of an emotionless doll. But that was the worst choice you could have made!" Esdeath's eyes locked onto Lortell's like a magnet, her gaze intense and unyielding. She wasn't going to stop until she got through to her.

Esdeath turned away, showing her back to Lortell, her voice calm but carrying a deep wisdom. "To forget pain, you don't need to abandon all your emotions or cut off all your attachments. A person without emotions is nothing but a lifeless corpse. Being strong doesn't mean you should push away what you feel. Instead, you should take control of your emotions."

She paused, gathering her thoughts, then continued with a sense of determination in her voice. "Use your will to do what you want. At first, your emotions might resist. They'll try to pull you back into your old habits, making you feel lazy, desperate to return to what's familiar. But in the end, they will have to submit to you, kneeling before you, because you are their master."

Esdeath finally turned back to face Lortell, a bright, confident smile lighting up her face. She raised her hand, showing a victory sign with her fingers. "In short, what I'm telling you is, just do whatever the fuck you want, but do it with a smile."

Lortell stood up abruptly, her face twisting with irritation. "I've had enough of your nonsense!" she snapped, her voice sharp as she hurried to leave.

But instead of being annoyed or discouraged, Esdeath let out a light chuckle. "I knew it," she said, her tone playful yet confident. "Just now, you felt two emotions—irritation and annoyance—from being lectured by some random girl!" Her words echoed through the room as Lortell ignored them, storming out without looking back.

As Lortell walked away, Esdeath called out after her, her voice ringing with determination. "I'm not giving up! I'll make you smile someday, just you wait!"

…

Later, in the quiet atmosphere of Nyx's house, Lortell found herself lost in thought. She turned to Lorraine, her voice soft but tinged with uncertainty. "Lorraine, do I look like someone who's in pain?"

Lorraine was caught off guard by the sudden question. "W-what? No! Of course not!" she stammered, responding quickly without even thinking it through. Lortell seemed a bit more satisfied with that answer, and she returned to her room, trying to push the lingering doubts from her mind.

But it didn't take long for Esdeath to show up again. It was as if she was completely determined, almost relentless. She entered Lortell's room without hesitation, starting another conversation, then another, and another. She wouldn't leave Lortell alone.

Esdeath began taking Lortell on walks, dragging her outside even when Lortell seemed disinterested. She made her play games, even if it was just for a little while. It wasn't much, but it was something.