Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: I Don't Know Her
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I decided to pick up the rest of my conversation with Charlotte—mostly about improving the onahole—tomorrow, and sent her on her way.
Then I sat facing Ekaterina for her treatment.
Normally, she would casually expose her chest with that subtly indifferent expression, but today she hesitated, fiddling with her hair.
I'd been waiting for her to bare her breasts, staring intently at her chest.
Ekaterina flinched! and covered her chest with the hand that had been toying with her hair.
Yes, she covered it.
I'd been watching for it to open, but it wasn't moving.
She hadn't lifted her hand to expose her chest—she'd covered it to block my view.
...What?
Feeling flustered, I looked up, and she mumbled with slightly flushed cheeks.
"...Um, Teacher."
"What's wrong?"
For some reason, I had a feeling I knew what she was thinking, and a snide tone slipped out unbidden. Undeterred, Ekaterina pressed on.
"You're not... doing anything like that, right?"
"Like what...?"
I tilted my head, and her face reddened further. She seemed to be edging backward bit by bit.
"Like... having impure relations with a student or... something."
"No, I'm not. I don't know why you'd think that, but I was just counseling her and petting her."
"...I see."
It was a truly unjust accusation. If she knew how hard I worked to prevent anything like that, she wouldn't say such things, but I couldn't exactly blab about it.
I'd more than earned the title of Iron Wall Iris Teacher.
As I looked at her with what I hoped was an aggrieved expression, she averted her gaze sheepishly and mumbled.
"...Earlier, when you were holding that... little student, your face looked a bit... strange. Sorry if I misunderstood."
"D-Did it?"
What kind of face had I been making...?
I couldn't remember. Sure, I'd thought Charlotte was cute, but that was just because she really was—not in that way...?
As I felt more flustered, Ekaterina kept mumbling.
"Seeing that made me think of how you were staring right through my chest, so I just... It must be for the treatment. Sorry."
"Hm... Yeah, that could happen. But it's not like that, so rest easy."
Ugh, that stung.
To be honest, I did think Ekaterina's body was beautiful.
Her slender, perfectly proportioned figure and those perky, beautifully shaped breasts.
Maybe because of her dragon blood, it really stimulated my aesthetic senses.
...I'd thought I'd been sneaky about peeking, but she'd noticed everything.
Was she sensitive to gazes? Probably another dragon trait.
I resolved to be more careful from now on as I watched her finally tap-tap and expose her chest.
A nice fragrance wafted over.
She must have been practicing magic hard again, because as she undressed, a scorching heat brushed my face.
Her flushed cheeks probably weren't from embarrassment, but the heat building inside her.
I stared at Ekaterina's face as she obediently bared her chest, and she deliberately looked away.
She must feel ashamed for accusing me of being a pervert.
...Maybe because of what she'd said earlier.
For some reason, a rebellious urge welled up, and I took in the sight of her sweat-beaded breasts before she could question it, quickly placing my hand on them.
Maybe because my hand was a bit cool right now, her chest felt incredibly hot. Surprised by the temperature difference, a strange sound escaped her lips.
"Hnn...!"
Feeling a faintly lewd sensation, I checked her condition and unconsciously furrowed my brows.
Compared to yesterday, her state felt terribly unstable.
Which meant she'd pushed herself harder today than before.
Letting out a soft sigh, I began the treatment, feeling her squirm a little.
I was curious why she was pushing so hard.
She was a character I'd never seen in the game, so of course I was intrigued. If she'd appeared, she definitely would have had her own individual storyline.
But that's exactly why I thought it best not to pry too much.
I worried that getting more involved might accidentally set a capture flag I didn't know about.
Especially since everyone who'd sprouted that thing down there and tasted direct pleasure had suddenly started raising flags left and right.
Of course, the master of iron walls that is myself had crushed them all, so I wasn't too worried, but there was no need to poke the hornet's nest.
...If she volunteered the information herself without me asking, I'd listen, though.
Anyway.
As I worked to calm Ekaterina's body, her reactions today felt off somehow.
Usually she'd take deep breaths and stay composed during treatment, but today she was fidgety, and the energy leaking from her heart felt unstable.
Suspicious, I glanced at her lower body, but it was still flat.
She seemed to sense something was wrong too, opening her closed eyes and looking at me anxiously.
"I-Is something wrong...?"
"...Hold on."
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
I had no idea why this was happening suddenly, which made it incredibly tricky. I'd only learned to soothe her heart from El in the first place, so dealing with something new was nearly impossible.
Still, drawing on everything I'd built up so far, I slowly gathered the hot energy.
If I failed, the academy would turn into a sea of fire like during practice, so I gave it my all.
Even after barely containing it, instability lingered.
Then.
El's voice rang out.
- Hmm... From what I can see, our contractor's handling is excellent... but it seems the problem lies with the recipient.
A problem with the recipient.
I had no clue.
If something stiff had sprouted down there, I could've guessed the heat was pooling and needed release.
But there was no sign of that.
As I pondered, El continued.
- Asking her directly might reveal the answer. It'd be good to inquire what she wants right now.
It was an out-of-left-field suggestion.
But hearing that, my gaze kept drifting to her lower body inevitably.
...Ever since coming to this world, that had been the root of most problems, so it felt natural.
Whenever something went wrong, it was always that.
They'd call it corruption... Doesn't change that it's a thoroughly harmful existence in every way.
Anyway.
Following El's advice, I decided to ask Ekaterina herself.
"Student, by any chance right now... do you want to do something, or feel any particular emotion?"
"...Right now, you mean?"
"Yes."
As I fiddled with her chest again, she groaned in thought, her face dubious.
Was she feeling something?
It couldn't be love again, could it?
People here fell in love so easily that I was a little suspicious.
There didn't seem to be any trigger, but when had there ever been a reason with the others?
After hesitating for a while, she mumbled softly, her face the reddest I'd ever seen.
"I... want to be held... no, um... want to cling? Want to hold something? I feel like hugging something..."
"...What kind of feeling is that?"
"...I don't really know either."
Was she playing twenty questions with me?
But her expression didn't suggest that.
She was the most flustered one in the room.
Even after saying it, she looked utterly confused.
My curiosity didn't last long.
I had Elwiki, after all.
- As expected. Yes, it seems your other half before you yearns for a mother's embrace, or a parent's warmth.
...Huh?
Stunned by the bewildering words, my hand slipped, and El continued.
- I may have mentioned this before, but this is something the parents should originally handle.
I think I'd heard that.
- For a hatchling, once is enough, but since it's your other half, it takes more effort. Which is probably why she's instinctively craving parental comfort... We could test to confirm, of course.
Test?
Did that mean calling her parents as the school nurse?
And who would I even call? The dragon side, obviously? But... which of Ekaterina's parents is the dragon?
If I knew, could I summon them? And how had the other half-dragons adapted all this time?
All sorts of stray thoughts swirled in my head.
As if mocking me, El giggled.
- I can feel you puzzling it out with that little head of yours from here. Rather than calling the parents right away... couldn't you just act like one? Hm, human mothers seem to hug their children tightly like you did earlier.
...It did line up with Ekaterina wanting to hug something.
Her energy still wasn't settling, so no other options seemed viable.
Unless I wanted to play with fire at the academy.
Sighing inwardly, I said cautiously.
When I suggested hugging her, she opened her mouth with a somewhat reluctant expression.
"...Are you serious?"
"...You said you wanted to, right? Nothing bad will come from trying a hug, so let's do it."
"...Okay."
Maybe because she'd suggested it herself, she nodded readily despite her reluctance.
Taking a deep breath, I...
held Ekaterina gently in my arms, just like I'd done with Charlotte moments ago.
Less "holding" and more "burying my face in her breasts," really.
Anyway.
The vivid sensation of something hot nestling between my breasts was clear.
I held her close, stroking her back, and gathered her energy.
At first, it seemed useless.
But the moment Ekaterina, buried in my chest, suddenly wrapped her arms around my waist, her energy began calming rapidly.
...El's guess had hit the mark, which was a relief, but...
Somehow, it left a bitter taste.
What circumstances was Ekaterina hiding, exactly?
She might tell me now if I asked.
But I didn't.