Seidoukan Academy
Julis stood ram-rod straight before the dormitory's floor-to-ceiling window.
Her eyes never left the half-transparent holographic panel hovering in front of her.
The sunset's afterglow stread through the glass and scattered across her rose-colored hair, yet it could do nothing to dispel the shock and confusion in her heart.
"What on earth… is this…?"
The video on the light screen had finished, but the image of a crimson dragon—larger than a planet—reducing heaven and earth to ruin still refused to leave Julis's mind.
With nothing more than a casual lift of his hand, the group's owner, Rei Ao, had turned a world eerily similar to her own into cosmic dust amid a dazzling rainbow light.
Even more terrifying was the man's nonchalant smile to the cara afterward, as though destroying a planet was rely a bit of warm-up before breakfast.
Julis's fingers trembled.
She had always been so proud:
—Fifth-ranked "Witch of the Radiant Flas" at Seidoukan,
—youngest Special Student at Arlequint,
—first princess of the Kingdom of Lieseltania.
Yet in this unknown platform called the "Trading Chat Group," she was barely even mid-tier. Rumor had it that the group held more planet-busters than one could count on both hands.
With a sharp motion she closed the chat window, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
She turned toward the center of the room—only to stumble; only then did she realize her own legs were shaking.
"You've got to be kidding…"
She clenched her fists so hard her nails bit into her palms.
"Am I… actually afraid?"
Dong! Dong! …
Outside, the academy bell tolled six tis, its deep peals offering no comfort to her turbulent heart.
She drew a long breath, forcing herself calm. The usual sharp confidence in her eyes wavered.
"So this is what it feels like… to be a frog at the bottom of a well?"
A self-deprecating smile touched her lips; much of her pride fell away in that mont.
KLANG!
A sudden crash ca from the balcony.
Julis snapped into combat stance, conjuring a longsword. In a flash she was at the window.
The curtain, lifted by a wave of heat, revealed a purple-haired boy scrambling to his feet on the balcony.
"Who are you?!"
Julis narrowed her eyes. "How dare you trespass in the girls' dorm?"
"W-wait! This is a misunderstanding!"
Ayato Amagiri waved his hands frantically, his uniform still dusty from climbing up.
"I was just—"
"Spare the excuses!"
Today's pent-up emotions finally found a target.
"A student of Seidoukan, stooping to peeping-tom levels of depravity—
I'll petition the student council for a duel and have you punished!"
"I told you, it's not like that!"
Ayato gave a wry smile, his hand drifting to the school badge at his waist— the activation switch for Ser-Veresta.
"Enough talk. You broke into the girls' dorm; you will be punished!"
She might not have been exposed, but that hardly lessened her fury.
…
Elsewhere
Morning light filtered through gauze curtains, painting mottled patterns on the floorboards.
Madam Yukinoshita's lashes quivered; slowly she opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Rei Ao's handso face at point-blank range.
His black hair was slightly tousled, yet those iridescent eyes were clear, gazing at her with a smile.
"Morning, Mada."
His voice was husky with sleep, his warm breath stirring the hair by her ear.
In an instant, mories flooded back—heat, reckless touches, sensations that made her cheeks burn.
Color flared across her face.
Instinctively she tried to pull away, only to find Rei Ao's arm still locked firmly around her waist.
"P-please… let go."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes flitting away.
"Last night was… an accident. We should forget—"
Rei Ao raised an eyebrow; instead of releasing her, he drew her closer.
With a low chuckle, his fingertips traced the bare skin of her shoulder.
"When you took the initiative to kiss , it hardly looked accidental."
Mortification nearly stole her breath. Indeed, emotion had driven her past the point of control.
Clear-headed now, rationale returned—and with it, the urge to crawl into a hole.
"T-that was because…"
She fumbled for an explanation, only to fall silent under his deep gaze.
Rei Ao bent to kiss her burning cheek.
"No need to explain, Mada. I know your feelings have been bottled up far too long."
His lips brushed her ear, voice low and coaxing.
"And I quite enjoyed seeing you express yourself so freely.
That is the real you— not the politely reserved façade."
A shiver ran through her; Rei Ao plainly ant to start round two.
Panicked, she seized his hand.
"Yukino and Haruno…?"
"They already know."
His answer struck her like lightning; her body went rigid.
"W-what?"
Rei Ao savored her shocked expression.
"Why else do you think they turned in so early last night?"
"Besides, this house's soundproofing… isn't as good as you imagine."
Her complexion flipped from scarlet to white and back again.
She shoved him away, snatching up the sheet to cover herself.
"Y-you an they—"
"They're hardly ordinary girls any more. Heightened senses.
I'd guess from the mont you cried out my na?"
Propping his head on one hand, Rei Ao admired her mortified despair.
"Mmph!"
A strangled whimper escaped as she buried her face in her palms.
Her dignity as a mother, her authority as an elder—utterly ruined.
How could she ever face her daughters again?
Rei Ao sighed and drew her back into his arms.
"Don't be like that."
He gently brushed the hair from her forehead.
"They love you and respect your choices. Besides…"
A playful curve tugged at his lips.
"In this house we gave up on those hypocritical boundaries long ago, didn't we?"
She opened her mouth to protest, only to have it sealed by his kiss—
a kiss that felt very much like a claim.
By the ti he let her breathe, most of her resistance had lted away.
"Now then."
Throwing off the covers, Rei Ao rose from the bed, making no effort to hide his flawless physique.
"Let's have breakfast. I bet they're already waiting."
Hesitant, she looked at the hand he offered—then finally laid her own in it.
~~~
For Every 100 Powerstone = 1 Bonus Chapter! Please Vote for more Chapters!
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 220 Chapters Ahead of Others!
User Comments
0 comments from readers