Dance of the Dark

"Prove it. Prove your purity."

"You crazy bastard...!"

Gold Tae-yang flailed his arms, resisting with everything he had. But I wasn't about to let him go that easily. I pressed down firmly on his knees, pinning his body in place.

"W-Wait a second!! Give me time to mentally prepare myself!"

"Shut up."

Under my unyielding grip, Gold Tae-yang's struggles finally ceased. He mumbled something under his breath as if resigned, then let out a long sigh and spoke.

"Before I prove my purity... there are two things I need to say first."

"What is it?"

Gold Tae-yang put on a solemn expression and held up three fingers.

"You said you had two things to say, so why are you holding up three fingers......"

"First, I am indeed a virgin."

Gold Tae-yang cut me off and began speaking. One of the three fingers folded down.

"And second... I've never even had a girlfriend. I'm a lifelong solo."

Another finger folded. Why did the last remaining finger have to be the middle one...? Was that the whole buildup? I narrowed my eyes and stared at Gold Tae-yang.

"Is that all you had to say."

-Nod...

No, seriously, fuck. So the reason he held up three fingers was just to flip me off in the end. When Gold Tae-yang nodded, I furrowed my brow and shoved him toward the unicorn.

"Any last words?"

At my question, Gold Tae-yang grinned as he fell toward the unicorn. Then he shook off my hand gripping his collar and said,

"Let go, you goddamn bastard."

-Thud!

With those words, Gold Tae-yang sprawled out beside the unicorn.

"......"

"......"

Even with the blond tanned delinquent rolling at its feet, the unicorn showed no reaction. Instead, it let out a small, contented sound. Which meant......

Yeah. Gold Tae-yang really was a virgin.

"Well? Still don't believe me?"

Gold Tae-yang looked up at me with a triumphant face. I nodded in response.

"I believe you, Gold Tae-yang. You are a virgin."

It was an unbelievable story. But the blond tanned delinquent of this world was a virgin.

......And the unicorn had confirmed it.

***

While Raiden and Gold Tae-yang chatted with the unicorn between them, someone stood frozen, blankly staring at the bizarre scene.

"What... is that......"

The murmuring voice was laced with both confusion and shock. The girl staring at the boy with a rigid expression was none other than Margaret Filer.

Raiden's former fiancée.

She was blankly watching Raiden pet the unicorn.

"......"

The girl continued her confused silence, doubting her own eyes. But no matter how long she stared, the scene before her didn't change. The unicorn was acting spoiled like a tamed puppy, and Raiden was calmly stroking its head.

Unicorns were known as symbols of purity. Guardians that protected the pure and punished those who weren't. So what was this sight? What did this reaction mean, as if Raiden himself were a virgin?

"That can't be......"

Margaret unconsciously voiced her denial. A storm of incomprehension raged inside the girl's mind. She tried to accept the situation, but she simply couldn't. It was impossible. Raiden Lisite, being a virgin? The boy who deserved the unicorn's hatred more than anyone was being loved like this.

"......There must be something wrong with that unicorn."

The girl, who had been frozen in place, quickly concluded that the unicorn itself must be defective. Margaret could never consider the possibility that Raiden was a virgin. And for good reason—she had witnessed it with her own eyes. The scene of the boy engaging in physical relations with another person.

-Ahn...! Young Master Lisite...!!

-Haa, haa... You have a nice body, Amelda.

It had happened around last year. After Raiden suddenly turned into a complete scoundrel, Margaret had devoted herself to reforming him. She visited the Lisite family mansion every single day and busied herself trying to stop his misdeeds. It wasn't easy to serve someone while enduring contempt and insults from others, but the girl refused to give up on the boy. Because she loved him. Even though he had gone so far astray, she believed she could bring him back.

But......

The girl's devotion was betrayed in spectacular fashion.

-This is Young Lady's room... Hnn, you shouldn't do this...!

-Saying that while looking pretty excited yourself.

One day, after finishing all her schedules and returning to the mansion earlier than usual, Margaret heard it. No... more precisely, she heard it. The sounds of her most cherished maid and her fiancé exploring each other.

-Margaret... That bitch only knows how to annoy people. She doesn't know how to move her hips like this.

-Ah, hng...! Please... don't insult Young Lady... Hnn...!

-The one saying that while fucking on Young Lady's bed with Young Lady's fiancé isn't in a position to talk.

-Such vulgar... Haah...!

It was the first time. Even though she had grown up with Amelda since childhood, it was the first time she had heard such vulgar moans. And the fact that the other person ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was Raiden was enough to shatter Margaret's world. Her beloved friend and her cherished fiancé. The panting breaths of two people lost in seduction and pleasure rang in her ears. Overwhelmed by the hateful sounds coming from beyond the door, the girl collapsed, dry heaving. It felt like a massive thorn had pierced her heart. Her chest heaved, moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes, and her vision blurred.

But even in that despair, there was nothing she could do. The girl realized it. That it was too late. That the fiancé she had loved no longer existed. She had tried to deny that fact until now, but now she had no choice but to accept it. As punishment for foolishly clinging to the past, she had even lost her closest friend.

-Haa... Swallow it all, Amelda.

-Hup, mmph...

Unable to listen any longer, the girl forced her trembling body to stand. She didn't have the courage to open that door. Hearing the sounds alone was this painful. If she actually saw it, she felt she wouldn't be able to live on. The girl staggered away from the scene. Even until she completely left the hallway, vulgar moans continued to leak through the gap in the door.

"......I can't forgive this."

Margaret, who had been lost in recollection, suddenly clenched her fists tightly. Thick hatred and contempt swirled within her captivating red eyes. Deciding she needed to look through books to understand the unicorn's abnormal reaction, the girl turned her head.

***

After a hectic day, evening arrived. Students who had been exploring various parts of the island returned to the base camp. After a rough headcount, dinner followed. Though it consisted only of preserved foods and canned goods of poor quality, the children who had been busy all day devoured even that with gusto.

After finishing their meal, the students sat around the campfire to wrap up the day's activities. An event commonly called a camp fire. The children sat in a circle around the blazing flames.

-Crackle crackle...

The students chatted about the mysterious places on the island they had seen throughout the day. Some took turns playing guitar and singing songs. Others dozed off while staying in their seats. The professors watched the children's untainted innocence with warm smiles. It was a typical school trip night.

"......"

I sat amidst the tranquil scenery, gazing at the flickering flames. A single flower of warmth blooming softly beneath the darkened sky. The campfire's gentle heat mingled appropriately with the night's coolness, creating a cozy atmosphere. My body felt strangely languid. Was this what they called fire-gazing? It felt as if my soul was melting into the hazy warmth.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

While I was lost in thought, Gold Tae-yang, sitting beside me, poked my arm. Only then did I come to my senses and reply.

"......Ah, did you call me?"

"Why do you look so lifeless? Are you tired?"

"A little... I suppose so."

"Why don't you go get some sleep? By the way, Violet went in earlier."

Gold Tae-yang gestured toward the tents. I quietly shook my head.

"I'll sleep later. It's still early."

"Hmm... Really? Then whatever."

Gold Tae-yang shrugged and turned his head. I stretched lightly and looked around. In doing so, I realized that Margaret, who was in the same group, was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Lady Filer? She doesn't seem to be nearby."

"Hm? If it's the Young Lady, she said she had something to take care of earlier......"

"Why are you looking for me?"

Before Gold Tae-yang could finish answering, a cold voice came from behind. When I turned around, Margaret stood there with her arms crossed, glaring down at us. I forced an awkward smile.

"......I was just looking for you because you weren't in your seat."

"Don't concern yourself."

Margaret answered coldly and sat down in the seat next to Gold Tae-yang. Gold Tae-yang broke out in a cold sweat and said,

"Uh... If you sit here... I'll be really uncomfortable between you two..."

"Uncomfortable?"

Margaret raised an eyebrow at Gold Tae-yang's muttering. Gold Tae-yang automatically shrank back and shook his head vigorously.

"N-No...! I'm very comfortable!"

"Yes, then that's fine."

"......"

A chuckle escaped me at Gold Tae-yang's pathetic reaction. However, I quickly realized this wasn't a situation where I should be laughing and wiped the smile from my face.

"......"

"......"

"......"

When Gold Tae-yang and I fell silent, an uncomfortable quiet settled over us. I glanced sideways at Margaret. She was resting her chin on her hand, staring blankly at the campfire. I wondered if she was fire-gazing like I had been earlier, but that didn't seem to be the case. Her expression was far too serious for someone who had spaced out. It looked as if she was deeply contemplating something. Come to think of it, she had been like this all day. Precisely since we visited the 'Garden of Purity'. Did something happen...?

I repeated ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the question I couldn't voice in my mind. After a brief moment of silence, Gold Tae-yang, unable to endure the awkwardness any longer, spoke up first.

"Hey, you bastard. By the way~ What song are you going to sing?"

"Hm...? Song?"

"You know, that thing over there."

Gold Tae-yang whispered in my ear and pointed somewhere. There was a line of students singing in order of seating. Moreover, that line was connected to us as well. I asked with disbelief.

"......Was every student supposed to sing?"

"Eh? You didn't know? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠We take turns singing."

Gold Tae-yang looked at me with a tilted head. I pressed my fingers to my forehead with an incredulous sigh. No wonder the guitar kept getting passed around in seating order... So everyone had to sing one song each.

"So, what are you going to sing?"

"I'm not singing."

I waved my hand dismissively at Gold Tae-yang, whose eyes were sparkling. Then he poked my side repeatedly and teased me.

"Come on~ It'll be boring if you skip in a place like this~"

"It would damage my dignity as a noble."

"This is actually an academy tradition, you know? To honor the night of the First Hero, Ashe Reynolds, who wandered the demon realm and adventured across the continent, we, the current generation, experience camping and campfires together! The name is~ 'Dance of the Dark'!"

"The name is tacky."

"Didn't the Princess do it earlier too?"

"......"

This was getting annoying. If royalty did it, I couldn't badmouth this low-class tradition. Why did Lucy agree to sing so readily? If the princess goes first, the rest of us subordinates have no choice but to follow.

"Since Her Highness is following the tradition, you're not thinking of skipping, right?"

"......Shut up."

"Hehe~"

I tried to ignore Gold Tae-yang's grinning gaze. My heart, which had been relaxed after a long time, felt uncomfortably constricted again. I really hated this kind of situation... Did that damn tradition not consider someone like me, a loner loser? Wasn't this a form of bullying too?

While I was internally cursing the academy, a familiar mechanical sound reached my ears.

"......"

I stared blankly at the blue window that appeared before me, a question mark floating above my head. A sub-quest? Suddenly? There hadn't been anything during this schedule that would trigger a quest. With those questions in mind, I clicked on the rectangular text box.

"......Hey, Gold Tae-yang."

"Yeah?"

"Bring me the guitar."

"What?"

"I'm going to play a song properly. 500 points for one song. How could I resist this."