Wait, My Overpowered Skill is Just… Love?!

The next morning, Cecilia woke up with a sense of unease.

She didn't know why.

But something felt wrong.

It wasn't a loud, obvious kind of wrong.

There were no alarms, no sudden disasters.

The sky was clear, the mansion was quiet.

But deep in her gut, something told her—today would not be normal.

She got dressed and made her way down to breakfast, her mind still lingering on her conversation with Selene the night before.

---

When Cecilia entered the dining hall, her parents were already there.

Her mother smiled at her, motioning for her to sit.

"Good morning, darling."

"Morning," Cecilia muttered, sliding into her seat.

But as she did, she noticed something immediately.

Selene wasn't here.

That was strange.

Selene always sat nearby during meals, even if she wasn't eating.

She was always present. Watching.

But today, her seat was empty.

Cecilia felt her stomach twist.

Her father, Reinhardt, sighed, setting down his cup.

"She left early."

Cecilia's fingers tightened around her fork.

"...Where?"

Reinhardt glanced at her.

"She didn't say."

Cecilia's pulse quickened.

Selene never left without a reason.

And never without telling her.

Her mother must have noticed her expression because she gave Cecilia a gentle smile.

"Don't worry, dear. Selene can handle herself."

That was exactly what Cecilia was afraid of.

After breakfast, Cecilia walked through the estate corridors, trying to shake the feeling of unease.

She passed by knights, servants, and noble guests, exchanging polite nods.

But her mind was elsewhere.

Where had Selene gone?

And more importantly—what was she doing?

---

Cecilia's thoughts were interrupted when she reached the front courtyard.

Because standing there—just arriving through the estate gates—

Was Lord Albrecht.

His carriage had returned, accompanied by a small escort.

He stepped out, wearing the same pleasant, deceitful smile from before.

Cecilia felt her chest tighten.

Why was he here again?

His blue eyes met hers, and his smile widened slightly.

"Ah, Lady Cecilia," he greeted smoothly. "A pleasure to see you again so soon."

Cecilia forced herself to remain calm.

She didn't like this.

She didn't like him.

But she couldn't show it.

"Lord Albrecht," she greeted in return. "This is... an unexpected visit."

The noble heir chuckled.

"Yes, well, I felt it was necessary to continue our discussion from yesterday," he said, his tone light.

But Cecilia knew what he meant.

He wanted to push the marriage proposal again.

Before she could respond—

The sound of hooves approached.

A rider stormed through the estate gates, moving fast.

Cecilia turned—

And felt her blood run cold.

It was one of the Aetheria knights.

And his armor was stained with soot.

The courtyard fell silent.

Cecilia's eyes locked onto the knight as he dismounted his horse, his face pale and urgent.

Her father, Reinhardt, had already rushed forward.

"What happened?" he demanded.

The knight bowed quickly, his voice steady despite the exhaustion in his movements.

"There was an attack, my lord," he said. "On the southern border of our territory."

Cecilia's stomach tightened.

An attack?

House Aetheria rarely faced direct conflict—their military strength was known, and no one was foolish enough to challenge them openly.

So why now?

Reinhardt's eyes darkened. "By whom?"

The knight hesitated.

"...Bandits."

Cecilia's father exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples.

"Tch. A nuisance," he muttered. "How many casualties?"

The knight hesitated again.

"...None."

Reinhardt stilled.

Cecilia frowned.

"...What do you mean, none?"

The knight swallowed.

"My lord," he said carefully, "the bandits were already dead when we arrived."

Silence.

Cecilia's heart skipped a beat.

"What?" Reinhardt asked, his voice slow.

"They were slaughtered before they could attack the villages," the knight explained. "Bodies burned. No survivors."

The implication hit Cecilia instantly. Burned bodies and no survivors.

There was only one person who Cecilia could think of.

Her hands clenched into fists.

"...Where is Selene?" she asked sharply.

The knight flinched, as if nervous to answer.

"She... she was last seen leaving the area shortly after reports of bandit activity reached her."

A sharp breath left Cecilia's lips.

Of course.

Of course she did.

Selene had disappeared early this morning.

Now, there was an entire battlefield left in ashes.

It wasn't a coincidence.

Selene had gone out and eliminated a threat before it could even reach them.

Cecilia exhaled slowly, trying to control her frustration.

But before she could say anything—

Lord Albrecht chuckled.

A soft, amused sound.

Cecilia froze.

She had almost forgotten he was there.

But now, as she turned toward him, she saw it—

The slight smirk on his face.

The way his blue eyes gleamed with amusement.

As if he found all of this entertaining.

"Ah," Lord Albrecht mused, "it seems your knight is quite... efficient."

Cecilia felt her irritation flare.

"She did what was necessary," she said evenly.

Lord Albrecht smiled.

"Of course. House Aetheria is known for its swift, decisive actions," he said smoothly. "Some might even call them... ruthless."

Cecilia's jaw tightened.

Was that a compliment?

Or a warning?

Because the way he said it—soft, polite, but laced with meaning—

It made her feel like she was standing on uneven ground.

Lord Albrecht took a step closer.

"You must feel quite safe," he murmured, "having someone so devoted to you."

Cecilia stiffened.

It wasn't what he said.

It was the way he said it.

Like he wasn't talking about Selene as a knight.

But as something else.

Something far more possessive.

Cecilia forced herself to keep her expression neutral.

"My safety is House Aetheria's highest priority," she said smoothly.

Lord Albrecht smiled wider.

"Ah. Yes."

His eyes gleamed.

"But I wonder... does that priority belong to House Aetheria?"

He tilted his head.

"Or does it belong to your beloved sister?"

Cecilia felt her breath catch.

Her fingers curled at her sides, but she refused to react.

Because she knew—

That was exactly what he wanted.

He was testing her.

Pushing her.

Trying to see how much she understood.

And Cecilia wasn't about to give him that satisfaction.

Instead, she smiled just as sweetly.

"As long as I am protected," she said lightly, "it doesn't matter."

Lord Albrecht's expression didn't change.

But his eyes—his sharp, knowing eyes—

They told her everything.

He knew.

He knew that Selene was more than just a knight to her.

He knew that Selene's devotion wasn't normal.

And worse—

He knew that Cecilia didn't know how to stop it.

Cecilia turned away first.

She didn't need to keep talking to him.

She had already lost this round.

Not because she had said anything wrong but because he had confirmed what he wanted to know.

And now, he would use it against her.

She didn't know how.

She didn't know when.

But she knew—

This wasn't just about a marriage proposal anymore.

It was about power.

And Lord Albrecht had just made his first move.

---

The sun was beginning to dip behind the hills when the front gates of the Aetheria estate opened once more.

Cecilia heard it before she saw it—

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.

The slow, steady hoofbeats of a familiar black stallion.

And there she was.

Selene.

Her armor was dust-covered, her gloves darkened with soot.

She dismounted with smooth precision, handing the reins to a waiting stable hand.

Cecilia was already walking toward her before she could think twice.

She reached Selene just as the knight removed her gloves.

"...Where were you?" Cecilia asked, voice even.

Selene turned to her.

And Cecilia froze.

There was blood on Selene's cheek.

Not much. Just a faint streak—evidence of something, of someone, who no longer existed.

Selene wiped it away absentmindedly, as if it didn't matter.

"...Handling things," she finally said.

Cecilia felt her frustration rise.

"Handling what?"

Selene didn't answer immediately.

Instead, she studied Cecilia.

As if she was assessing how much she should say.

Finally, she murmured—

"The bandits that threatened our borders are no longer a problem."

Cecilia inhaled slowly.

She should have expected this.

She should have known.

But it was different hearing it aloud.

Hearing Selene admit, so casually, that she had gone out and slaughtered an entire group of people.

Not because she was ordered to.

Not because it was necessary.

But because she had chosen to.

For Cecilia.

Cecilia clenched her fists.

"...Did father send you?"

Selene tilted her head.

"No."

Cecilia's stomach dropped.

"Then who told you to go?"

Selene's answer was immediate.

"No one."

Silence.

The weight of that single word sank into Cecilia's chest like a stone.

No one had told Selene to leave.

No one had given her orders.

She had simply decided.

That was what made it terrifying.

Selene was acting entirely on her own.

Without hesitation.

Without question.

Without concern for consequences.

Because in Selene's mind protecting Cecilia was reason enough.

Cecilia took a slow, shaky breath.

"...You can't do this," she whispered.

Selene blinked.

"Do what?"

Cecilia's voice wavered, but she forced herself to keep speaking.

"You can't... go out and kill people just because they might threaten me."

Selene's violet eyes studied her.

For a moment, Cecilia thought she would argue.

That she would justify it. That she would say 'I can do whatever I want' in that infuriating, calm tone.

But Selene did something far worse.

She smiled.

A small, unreadable smile.

As if Cecilia had said something irrelevant.

As if she didn't understand why she should care.

"Cecilia," she murmured, voice almost amused, "I never needed permission."

Cecilia felt her chest tighten.

It was a warning.

Or maybe it was a promise.

Either way—

It was already too late to stop her.

Cecilia took a slow breath, trying to steady herself.

"You can't keep doing this," she said, her voice firmer this time.

Selene tilted her head slightly.

"Doing what?"

Cecilia's patience snapped.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" she hissed. "This—this silent war you're fighting for me. I never asked for this!"

Selene regarded her quietly.

Then she took a single step forward.

"You didn't have to ask."

Cecilia clenched her fists.

"This isn't normal, Selene," she said, her voice lower now, almost pleading.

Selene's gaze softened—just a little.

"Normal is irrelevant," she murmured.

Cecilia felt her stomach churn.

"Do you even hear yourself?"

Selene was quiet for a long moment.

Then, in a rare show of honesty, she spoke

"I hear you, Cecilia."

She reached out slowly, deliberately and brushed a gloved finger against Cecilia's wrist.

Cecilia tensed.

It was the lightest touch. Barely there.

But it carried a weight she couldn't ignore.

"You are worried," Selene murmured, voice almost... amused. "How sweet."

Cecilia jerked her hand away.

Selene didn't stop her.

But her smile widened.

And somehow, that was even worse.

Cecilia wanted to yell at her.

She wanted to make Selene understand that this wasn't protection—it was control.

But Selene wouldn't listen.

Not because she didn't care—but because she believed she was right.

That was the problem.

Selene wasn't acting out of duty.

She was acting out of possession.

She saw Cecilia as hers.

And worse—

Cecilia had no idea how to stop her.

Because deep down, in some quiet, treacherous part of her heart—

She wasn't sure if she even wanted to.

The sound of footsteps interrupted the tension.

Cecilia turned just as Lord Albrecht stepped back into the courtyard.

He had changed into lighter attire, his posture relaxed.

But his smile remained the same.

Unbothered. Calculated.

"Ah, Lady Cecilia," he greeted, completely ignoring Selene's presence.

Cecilia swallowed her irritation and forced a neutral expression.

"Lord Albrecht."

He smiled.

"I was hoping we could continue our conversation over tea," he said smoothly. "I believe there is much to discuss regarding our... future."

Cecilia barely resisted the urge to shudder.

But before she could answer—

Selene stepped forward.

Lord Albrecht finally acknowledged her existence, turning his sharp blue eyes toward her.

Selene didn't speak.

She simply looked at him.

And for the first time, just for a second Lord Albrecht's smile faltered.

It was slight. Barely noticeable.

But Cecilia saw it.

Selene saw it.

And Selene smiled.

"Lord Albrecht," she said smoothly, voice as calm as ever. "You are quite persistent."

He regained his composure instantly, chuckling lightly.

"Am I?" he mused. "I simply find Lady Cecilia's presence... irresistible."

Selene's gaze darkened.

And Cecilia felt the shift in the air.

Selene was about to do something irreversible.

Cecilia needed to stop this.

"Enough," she said sharply, stepping between them.

Selene didn't move.

She simply watched as Cecilia turned toward Lord Albrecht.

"I appreciate your visit, Lord Albrecht," Cecilia said coolly. "But I'm afraid I must decline your offer for tea. I have other matters to attend to."

Lord Albrecht raised an eyebrow.

Then he chuckled, stepping back.

"Of course," he said. "I wouldn't want to keep you."

But before he turned to leave, he leaned in slightly.

Just enough for only Cecilia to hear.

"You can delay the inevitable, Lady Cecilia," he whispered. "But you can't stop it."

A chill ran down her spine.

Then he straightened, smiling pleasantly.

"I look forward to our next meeting."

And with that, he walked away.

Cecilia didn't move.

Didn't speak.

She just stared after him.

She knew that Lord Albrecht wasn't going to stop.

And she knew that Selene wasn't going to let him continue.

She was trapped between two dangerous forces.

And sooner or later—

One of them was going to break.

---

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 ;)