Wait, My Overpowered Skill is Just… Love?!-Chapter 6 - 5: A Stalker’s Persistence and The First Signs of Jealousy

Cecilia's life had turned into a game of avoiding Selene.

It had been nearly two weeks since her birthday, and yet her overprotective sister had shown no signs of leaving. Every time Cecilia thought she had a moment of peace, she would turn a corner, sit in the gardens, or enter a room—only to find Selene already there.

It was getting ridiculous.

At first, Cecilia tried to pretend it wasn't happening. Maybe she was overthinking it. Maybe Selene was just checking in.

But after the fifth time she "coincidentally" ran into her within the same day, Cecilia knew this wasn't normal behavior.

Selene was stalking her.

And the worst part?

---

[Soulmate Meter Updated]

Selene von Aetheria – The Distant Blade

Affection Meter: 55/100

---

It kept rising.

Cecilia slammed her forehead against her desk.

Why?!

She hadn't even done anything!

She had been actively ignoring Selene, avoiding conversation, and refusing to engage in anything remotely affectionate. And yet, every day, the number crept higher.

She groaned, rubbing her temples.

"I hate this system," she muttered under her breath.

"You're talking to yourself again."

Cecilia flinched.

She turned her head slowly—only to find Selene standing at the door to her study.

Cecilia's eye twitched.

"...How long have you been there?"

Selene tilted her head slightly. "A while."

Cecilia exhaled through her nose.

Calm. Stay calm.

She turned back to her book, trying to ignore her presence.

Selene didn't leave.

Seconds passed.

Then a full minute.

Then two.

Cecilia's patience was wearing thin.

Finally, she snapped the book shut and turned to her unwanted guest.

"Selene."

"Yes?"

"...Do you actually have anything to do today, or are you just standing there for fun?"

Selene blinked, as if the thought had never crossed her mind.

Then, without a single ounce of shame—

"I'm keeping an eye on you."

Cecilia's eye twitched.

She ran a hand down her face.

"Selene. I don't need a babysitter."

"I disagree."

"Of course you do," Cecilia muttered.

She stood up from her desk, brushing past her sister as she walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Selene asked.

"Away," Cecilia said flatly.

Selene followed her.

Cecilia stopped in her tracks.

She turned around slowly, giving Selene a deadpan stare.

"...Are you seriously following me?"

Selene nodded. "Yes."

"Why?!"

Selene crossed her arms, looking completely unfazed. "It's my job to protect you."

Cecilia let out an exasperated groan.

"I am inside my own house," she said, gesturing around. "I do not need protection!"

Selene nodded. "You do."

"No, I don't!"

Selene tilted her head. "You do."

"STOP SAYING THAT!"

Selene remained unbothered.

Cecilia took a deep breath, willed herself to stay calm, and rubbed her temples.

Arguing with Selene was useless.

She turned around and walked faster.

Selene matched her pace.

Cecilia stopped again.

She turned around, giving Selene the best glare she could muster.

"...You're really not going to leave, are you?"

Selene nodded once.

Cecilia's head hit the nearest wall.

---

By the next day, Cecilia had officially given up.

If Selene wanted to act like a guard dog, then fine.

She wasn't going to waste her energy arguing anymore.

So instead, she did the only logical thing.

She pretended Selene didn't exist.

At breakfast, she didn't acknowledge her presence.

During her lessons, she ignored the fact that Selene was standing silently by the window.

When she walked in the gardens, she didn't even flinch when she noticed Selene watching from the balcony.

If Selene was going to hover around her like a lost puppy, then Cecilia was just going to let her do whatever she wanted.

Maybe she'd get bored eventually.

(She wouldn't.)

---

Cecilia sat at a small, round table in the garden, enjoying a rare moment of quiet.

She sipped her tea slowly, relaxing under the afternoon sun.

It was peaceful.

It was pleasant.

And then—

Someone sat down across from her.

Cecilia already knew who it was.

She didn't even need to look up.

She took another sip of tea.

She set the cup down gently.

Then, without lifting her gaze, she spoke.

"...Selene."

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?"

Selene took a sip of tea. "I wanted tea."

Cecilia pressed her lips into a thin line.

"You don't even like tea."

Selene nodded. "Correct."

Cecilia exhaled sharply.

Then, as if sensing her rising irritation—

---

[Soulmate Meter Updated]

Selene von Aetheria – The Distant Blade

Affection Meter: 60/100

---

Cecilia stared at the system message.

Her eye twitched.

"...You've got to be kidding me."

Selene took another slow sip, completely unaware of Cecilia's internal suffering.

Or maybe she did know.

And she just enjoyed watching her squirm.

Cecilia sighed.

"This is my life now, isn't it?"

Selene gave her a small, unreadable smile.

"Yes."

Cecilia wanted to scream.

---

Cecilia should have known peace wouldn't last.

For the past three days, Selene had been lingering around her at all hours of the day. She didn't speak much, but her presence was suffocating. Whether Cecilia was reading, eating, or simply existing, Selene was always there.

It was suffocating.

But it wasn't until today that Cecilia realized—Selene wasn't just being protective.

She was being possessive.

---

The Aetheria estate was hosting a small gathering for the young noble heirs of various influential families. It was an event meant to introduce future alliances, allow young nobles to form friendships, and strengthen bonds between houses.

Cecilia hated it.

Noble gatherings always ended the same way—people complimenting her, treating her like a delicate doll, and pretending to be interested in her opinions.

But as a noble daughter, she had no choice but to attend.

She sat at a beautifully decorated table in the garden, sipping tea, pretending to listen to whatever nonsense the other noble ladies were gossiping about.

Then, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Lady Cecilia, may I have a moment of your time?"

She looked up to see a young noble boy standing before her.

He had light brown hair, green eyes, and a confident smirk. He wore a finely tailored coat, exuding the kind of self-assurance that came from knowing he was from a powerful family.

Cecilia sighed internally.

She already knew what this was about.

The boy clearly came here to flirt.

Before Cecilia could even formulate a response, another presence loomed behind her.

A familiar, chilling presence.

Selene.

Cecilia barely had time to process what was happening before Selene placed a gloved hand on her shoulder. It was a simple gesture, but the meaning was obvious.

The noble boy froze.

Selene stared at him, expression unreadable, but her violet eye was sharp and piercing.

For a few seconds, there was only silence.

Then Selene finally spoke.

"Do you need something?"

Her tone was neutral. Calm.

But Cecilia could feel the underlying tension.

The boy cleared his throat, clearly trying to regain his composure. "I simply wished to converse with Lady Cecilia," he said smoothly, giving his best charming smile. "It's rare to meet someone as refined as her."

Selene didn't blink.

Cecilia could see the muscles in her shoulders tensing.

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Then, with no hesitation, Selene sat down beside Cecilia.

Not across from her.

Beside her.

Close enough that their shoulders brushed.

Cecilia stiffened.

This was not normal behavior.

Selene didn't even look at her.

Her entire focus was on the noble boy.

And for the first time, Cecilia saw it—

Jealousy.

Not open, aggressive jealousy.

But subtle, quiet, calculating jealousy.

The noble boy clearly sensed it too, because his confidence wavered.

Still, he tried again.

"I was merely hoping to speak with her—"

"She's busy," Selene interrupted.

Cecilia snapped her head toward her.

What?

"I—" Cecilia started, but Selene gently took her tea cup from her hands and placed it back on the table.

"You've had enough tea," she said smoothly.

Cecilia gawked.

The noble boy looked just as stunned.

"...Excuse me?" Cecilia finally managed to say.

Selene turned to her, her expression completely unreadable.

She reached out and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind Cecilia's ear.

The conversation came to a dead stop.

The noble boy's face paled slightly.

Cecilia's brain short-circuited.

What.

What was happening?!

She suddenly felt light-headed.

Then—

---

[Soulmate Meter Updated]

Selene von Aetheria – The Distant Blade

Affection Meter: 75/100

---

Cecilia's heart dropped.

Seventy-five.

She was dangerously close to 100.

Selene seemed completely unaffected, as if she hadn't just blatantly claimed Cecilia in front of a noble gathering.

The noble boy clearly got the message.

He cleared his throat, then took a step back.

"...I'll take my leave," he muttered before walking away quickly.

Cecilia watched him leave, still trying to process what just happened.

Then she turned to Selene.

And glared.

"What was that?!" she hissed.

Selene took a sip of tea.

"...You were uncomfortable."

Cecilia stared at her.

"...That doesn't mean you get to scare him off!"

Selene set her cup down. "He wasn't worth your time."

Cecilia wanted to scream.

"You don't get to decide that!"

Selene looked at her, then tilted her head slightly.

"I do."

"NO, YOU DON'T!"

Selene remained unfazed.

Cecilia buried her face in her hands.

"...Selene."

"Yes?"

"Are you aware of how weird this is?"

"No."

Cecilia groaned.

This woman.

This insufferable, overly protective, possibly obsessive woman.

She took a deep breath, calming herself.

Then she looked at Selene dead in the eye.

"...Are you jealous?"

Selene blinked.

Then, without hesitation—

"Yes."

Cecilia nearly fell out of her chair.

WHAT?!

WHAT KIND OF PERSON JUST ADMITS IT LIKE THAT?!

Selene looked completely unbothered.

"It's natural," she said simply. "You're mine."

Cecilia choked.

"SINCE WHEN?!"

Selene paused, as if genuinely thinking about it.

"...Since the moment we met?"

Cecilia slammed her forehead against the table.

She felt another system notification appearing, but she refused to look at it.

She already knew what it was.

Her soulmate meter had definitely jumped again.

Selene, meanwhile, calmly took another sip of tea.

And just like that, Cecilia realized—she was doomed.

---

[Soulmate Meter Updated]

Selene von Aetheria – The Distant Blade

Affection Meter: 80/100

---

[Selene POV]

Selene had always believed herself to be a rational person.

Disciplined. Focused. Unshakable.

She had been raised with one purpose—to become a warrior, a protector, a blade of House Aetheria.

Emotions were irrelevant. Attachments were weakness.

And yet—

Here she was, staring down a noble boy, feeling a sharp, unwelcome irritation curl in her chest.

She knew what he was doing.

She had seen it before.

The overly confident approach. The honeyed words, the feigned politeness. The subtle, practiced arrogance of a noble heir trying to charm a young lady.

And his eyes—they were on her.

On Cecilia.

Selene didn't like it.

Didn't like the way he looked at her.

Didn't like the way Cecilia's attention was focused on him.

Didn't like that he even thought he had the right to speak to her.

To even see her with his dirty eyes that tainted Cecilia beautiful body.

She placed a hand on Cecilia's shoulder.

A simple, silent claim.

The boy froze immediately.

'Good'

Selene had been watching Cecilia more closely than she should.

She was aware of it.

She wasn't blind to her own behavior.

She had no logical reason to monitor Cecilia's every movement, to hover near her whenever possible, to step in before anyone else got too close.

It was illogical.

But it didn't matter.

Cecilia belonged to her.

She just didn't realize it yet.

The boy spoke again, making another attempt at conversation.

Selene didn't let him finish.

"She's busy," she interrupted.

Cecilia snapped her head toward her.

Selene ignored her.

The noble boy hesitated. "I simply wanted—"

"You're wasting your time," Selene said, voice flat.

She sat beside Cecilia.

Close. Too close. Close enough that their shoulders touched.

The boy's confidence wavered.

Selene could see the calculations in his eyes.

He wasn't stupid. He could sense the shift in atmosphere.

Could feel that something was wrong.

His body language screamed hesitation.

But still, he tried again.

Selene's fingers twitched.

The irritation inside her deepened.

She reached out—

And touched Cecilia's hair.

A small, innocent gesture.

But deliberate.

The moment her fingers brushed against Cecilia's skin, something inside her settled.

A quiet, unspoken satisfaction.

Cecilia stiffened.

The boy took one last look at the scene before him.

And then he backed away.

Smart.

Selene didn't bother watching him leave.

Her attention was on Cecilia now.

Cecilia turned to her, eyes burning with frustration.

"What was that?!" she hissed.

Selene sipped her tea.

"...You were uncomfortable."

Cecilia stared at her.

"That doesn't mean you get to scare him off!"

"He wasn't worth your time."

"You don't get to decide that!"

Selene tilted her head.

"I do."

Cecilia let out a noise of pure exasperation.

Selene simply watched her.

She was adorable when she was frustrated.

So expressive. So reactive.

She reached out and—

Poked Cecilia's cheek.

Cecilia snapped.

"SELENE!"

Selene felt her lips twitch.

She had never smiled before.

Not genuinely.

But right now, she wanted to.

She didn't understand it.

Didn't understand why she wanted to tease, to touch, to claim.

She just knew that she did.

"Are you jealous?" Cecilia asked suddenly.

Selene blinked.

She considered the question.

Then, without hesitation—

"Yes."

Cecilia choked.

Selene continued watching her.

She wasn't ashamed.

Wasn't even surprised by her own answer.

It was a fact.

She had always been logical. Practical. Direct.

So she simply said the truth.

Cecilia looked horrified.

"Since when?!"

Selene tilted her head, thinking.

"...Since the moment we met?"

Cecilia slammed her head against the table.

Selene took another slow sip of tea.

The irritation from earlier was gone now.

Replaced with something far more satisfying.

Cecilia was hers.

She just didn't know it yet.

But she would.

Eventually.

Selene would make sure of it.

---

A/N:Feel free to let me know what you think of how the stories are going and where it should go. I'm always eager to hear from you. Leave a powerstone or a comment to support me ;)