Chapter 188: Side Effects (5)
Chapter 188: Side Effects (5)
Lying side by side on the same bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, Iona finally spoke.
"Hey, hey."
"Yes?"
"Am I gonna get fired?"
"Ah."
Regardless of the circumstances, a professor had laid hands on a student. Normally, that would be grounds for immediate disciplinary action. However...
"...Wouldn't it be fine as long as we don't get caught? Besides, who would demand such heavy disciplinary action against someone like you, Professor Iona?"
"The Chairman?"
"Okay. That might be a bit dangerous."
Following her exploits during the Great War, Iona had recently wiped out a large group of high-ranking cultists. Usually, no one would dare take a hard line against someone who was practically a hero... but the Chairman was an exception.
The sole survivor of the Hero's party from three hundred years ago. The founder, Chairman, and Principal of the Academy. The one who inherited the Hero's will. The oldest Archmage.
Though he currently couldn't leave the Academy for various reasons, based on his titles alone, the man was a living legend.
If the Chairman decided to step in, firing Iona wouldn't be impossible.
"But is this really such a huge mistake? I may be a student, but I'm an adult. It's not like there was any blackmail or coercion involved."
"Aha? Aha? You've got it a little mixed up! Us having sex is fine! As long as we don't get caught, it's not a big deal, and even if we do, I'll just get a pay cut for 'conduct unbecoming' or whatever! That's not the problem I'm talking about! You worry about the strangest things, Student Yandel!"
"When you bring that up right after we've finished the deed, while we're both lying here in the afterglow, of course I'm going to misunderstand!"
I was already mentally debating whether I should invite a jobless Iona to my mansion!
I let out a deep sigh and continued.
"Then what exactly is the problem?"
"Well, you see. Like during the fight last time, and again last night—Student Yandel, you used potions to recover your blood, and I drank it, right?"
"Well, you drank plenty of other things besides blood."
When I shrugged, Iona giggled and went on.
"Yeah, yeah. But that's actually illegal."
"Wait, what?"
Come to think of it, she had called it a Blood Funnel. She mentioned it was a violation of some Vampire Treaty.
"Why would they ban something so efficient?"
"Because if you're not careful, it becomes inhumane? More importantly, Student Yandel, you've felt it yourself. Having your blood sucked continuously means..."
"That the pleasure keeps building until you become addicted? I think I get the gist."
If it were just once or twice like this, it might be fine, but if repeated daily, a dependency would definitely form.
"Man, oh man. It's a good thing Student Yandel has such a sturdy mind. Anyone else would have become a slave to pleasure long ago, begging me, 'Please suck my blood, Lady Iona~' or something like that."
"You did something that dangerous to me?!"
"Student Yandel was the one who did it, though? Did you seriously not know how dangerous it was?!"
We both looked at each other in shock.
"Of course I didn't! All I know about vampires is how to kill them quickly and surely!"
"Actually, maybe Student Yandel is the dangerous one here?!"
Iona trembled in genuine fright. It was a bit late for that.
However, the part about how a normal person would have lost their mind by now bothered me. After all...
"I did think it might get dangerous if we kept this up for a few days, but it didn't feel like my mind was going to break..."
"That's, well... It's either because Student Yandel's willpower is incredible, your resistance is high, or we're just that compatible! I bet it's the compatibility, though!"
"Oh..."
Compatibility was one thing, but my resistance had likely increased as well. The Trait: Sun God's Blessing [C] I recently acquired included an effect that increased mental resistance.
Thinking of it that way, it made sense.
As I nodded to myself, Iona asked in a shy voice, her face flushing.
"Anyway, anyway. It's a relief it was Student Yandel, but it really was super dangerous, okay? So, about that..."
"If you get caught for violating the treaty and end up as a slave, Professor Iona, don't worry. I'll find a way to buy you."
"Whaaat?! Student Yandel was the one who offered his neck first, so it won't go that far!"
Oh. I guess not.
As I felt a bit embarrassed, Iona gave a small smirk.
"So, I was thinking. Why don't you officially become my Blood Sucking Partner, Student Yandel?"
"A Blood Sucking Partner?"
For a vampire, blood-sucking was an act somewhere between a meal and sex. In other words, a Blood Sucking Partner was...
"An F-buddy..."
"No! No! ...Well, I'm sure there are vampires somewhere who recruit partners with that vibe, but usually, that's not it!"
According to Iona's explanation as she shook her head vigorously, it was more like a sponsorship relationship for vampires.
Because of their long lifespans, most vampires possessed not only great martial prowess but also significant wealth and power. A Blood Sucking Partner was someone who provided blood in exchange for the various benefits a vampire could offer.
"I suppose. If someone thinks they can get a powerful backer just by letting a little blood be sucked, they'd see it as a winning trade."
Vampires who sided with humanity couldn't just suck blood whenever they wanted due to the treaty, but if the victim gave consent, direct blood-sucking became possible.
Blood Sucking Partners were those who officially declared, 'I am okay with having my blood sucked by this specific vampire.'
The important part wasn't that they were okay with anyone sucking their blood, but that they only permitted it for one specific vampire.
That was why, just as Academy sponsors might scout talent, vampires would take someone as a Blood Sucking Partner to mark them as a prospective clan member.
Becoming a vampire impulsively could lead to centuries of regret and could sour the atmosphere of a clan, so this was a sort of internship period.
"But I don't have any intention of becoming a vampire..."
"I don't plan on making Student Yandel a vampire either. Not unless you want to. This is strictly so I can avoid getting scolded for the Blood Funnel thing."
"Hmm. No one would know about last night unless we told them, but I'm sure word about what happened during the battle has already spread."
"Yeah, yeah. Some people saw it from a distance, and even if they didn't, the amount of blood and mana I used was enormous, so they'd figure it out soon enough."
So, she wanted to claim I had been her partner all along.
Using potions for infinite milking—no, infinite blood-sucking—was illegal, but if we used the excuse that it was an emergency and I was her Blood Sucking Partner, we could get some leniency.
Perhaps worried by my silence as I tried to organize the situation in my head, Iona suddenly emerged from the blankets with a pitiful expression.
"How cruel, how cruel... After making me like this... You said we should take responsibility for each other... Was that night just a momentary spark of passion?!"
"Hey, saying that with your body looking like that is... it's a bit much!"
Her flowing blood-red hair. Her skin, white to the point of being pale. Her full breasts and prominent hips.
...And her lower belly, bulging as if she were pregnant.
Because I had ejaculated into her womb multiple times last night without pulling out once, the semen hadn't drained, leaving her like that.
She was a vampire with incredible regenerative powers, so it wouldn't be a major problem, but I couldn't help but flinch every time I saw that swollen belly.
Noticing my gaze, Iona hugged her stomach and made a mock sobbing sound.
"Sniff, sniff... I'll protect this child no matter what...!"
"Agh! Fine! I'll do it! I'll be your Blood Sucking Partner or whatever! Just empty your stomach already!"
"Got it, got it!"
Her expression flipped instantly. With a beaming smile, Iona stood in a half-crouch and spread her legs.
As she pressed down firmly on her bulging lower abdomen...
"Hnnngh..."
Splurt—
The massive amount of semen I had pumped into her all night poured out, forming a small puddle on the floor.
With white streaks still on her thighs, Iona curled the corners of her mouth into a smirk.
"There, see? Then we're going to go fill out the official paperwork later, okay? Actually, I'll just bring it here, so Student Yandel just has to sign it!"
"Sigh... I said I'd do it. By the way... um..."
I swallowed hard as I looked at Iona.
"What is it? Did that turn you on? Want another round?"
"No. Other people will be coming soon, so let's clean up and get dressed."
"Tsk, tsk. I'm not getting dressed until you tell me why you were looking at me like that!"
Iona clicked her tongue and wagged a finger. She was playful as always, but today... she felt a bit more familiar, somehow.
After taking another moment to appreciate the sight of Iona standing there with her arms crossed, her lower half still covered in semen, I finally spoke.
"It's nothing much. I was just wondering if you used contraception magic."
"Huh? I didn't."
"...What?"
For a moment, I felt like I couldn't breathe. If she used it now... would it be okay? I thought I had a contraception potion I'd bought and never used in my inventory...
Perhaps finding my flustered state amusing, Iona patted my shoulder with a giggle.
"It's okay, it's okay! It's true I didn't use contraception magic, but all vampires are infertile."
"Oh."
Now that I thought about it, that was true. Vampires increased their numbers by turning others into kin; they didn't get pregnant through sexual intercourse.
Apparently, that was why their turn-ons were different from other races.
"Hehe, hehe. You look visibly relieved. You know what? There are more than a few vampires who are sad they can't have babies."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Not having them and not being able to have them are different, right? My body's regeneration is so good it won't even allow a zygote to implant. ...Maybe that's why the Lord was so kind to me."
She stroked her lower belly with a wistful expression... then suddenly brightened and flashed a double peace sign.
"Well! I don't really care about having kids, so it's fine!"
She then proceeded to wipe away the traces of our tryst and began to pull on her clothes.
...I couldn't tell if she was truly fine or just pretending to be. I'd known Iona for a while, but it hadn't been long since our relationship became deep.
Since she said she was fine, I decided to play along for now.
I shrugged and asked in a light tone.
"If your regeneration is that good, doesn't your hymen regenerate too?"
"...Gasp!"
It was just a light joke, but she clearly hadn't considered it. Iona hurriedly shoved her hand between her legs.
Then, letting out a long sigh of relief, she held out her sticky fingers as if showing them off.
"Phew... Thank goodness! It's definitely broken!"
"Uh, yeah."
I definitely wasn't disappointed.
Really.
As I was stretching my neck from side to side, Iona, now half-dressed, suddenly hopped back onto the bed.
She reached out and pushed the window on the far side halfway open.
Probably to air out the room.
The window was flooded with the orange glow of the sunrise. The thin curtains fluttered in the breeze.
With that picturesque scene behind her, Iona asked casually, as if the thought had just occurred to her.
"So? Do you still feel like I'm going to disappear somewhere?"
"Pardon?"
"Or should I say it like this?"
The corners of Iona's mouth curled up into a smirk, forming an expression that was quintessentially her.
"Want to kiss?"
"......"
Without a word, I nodded.
It was the first time a kiss didn't taste like blood.