Chapter 145: Writing Again(3)
Chapter 145: Writing Again(3)
As I’ve mentioned before, since I was appointed as a recommended student, I only need to attend history lectures to avoid repeating a grade and be treated as a third-year student immediately.
I can't tell you how disappointed the other professors were when I told them, including Professor Virus, with whom I had grown quite close. Professor Virus, in particular, seemed the most regretful and even suggested that I take it as a double major.
However, I politely declined because I wanted to focus solely on history rather than literature. At that moment, the expression on Professor Virus's face was truly heartbreaking.
Of course, I don't only attend history lectures; I occasionally take other classes I'm interested in. Still, most of them are closely related to 'history' anyway, so I take them to broaden my knowledge.
Furthermore, I have free rein over Professor Elena’s laboratory and can even receive books from the Holy Land through Siris. This means I’ll never be lacking in information.
In any case, history is the only subject I truly focus on. I’m probably the one who asks the most questions and participates most enthusiastically in presentations.
Since I’ll be spending much more time facing Professor Elena during my time at the Academy anyway, I figured it would be best to earn some points with her, so I’m working hard.
Poke. Poke.
However, my girlfriend, who isn't exactly a fan of history, seemed bored. While I was taking notes, Mari kept poking my cheek with her finger.
It felt like a cat kneading, which strangely put me in a good mood. I glanced at her while writing and asked quietly.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing, you're just handsome."
Mari replied, pinching my cheek. In the past, I would have been embarrassed by such public displays of affection, but now I can handle it with indifference.
As Professor Elena lectured, Mari continued to express her desire for the class to end—poking my cheek, interlacing her fingers with mine, and so on.
Holding hands was the most frequent occurrence, and since the other students already knew we were a couple, they just let it slide.
At first, there was talk about how I wasn't good enough for her or how I must have some kind of leverage over her, but those rumors vanished once I showed rapid growth. Besides, once the news spread that I had been appointed as a recommended student, everyone accepted it.
Slide—
Mari’s hand, which had been interlaced with mine, moved beneath the desk. Soon, she placed her hand on my thigh and began to stroke it gently.
I couldn't help but let out a wry smile. This act of Mari placing her hand on my thigh and caressing it was a signal.
I won't bother explaining what kind of signal it is since you can probably guess, but it’s often troublesome because she sends it at the most inappropriate times.
Mari’s libido shows no signs of waning; if anything, it feels like she’s constantly adding fuel to the fire. It’s a good thing she takes her birth control pills regularly, otherwise, she would have been pregnant long ago.
Grip—
I caught Mari’s wrist before her hand could move toward the center. If I had allowed it, she would have kept going, but this was my way of saying 'not now.'
Mari looked at me with a mix of disappointment and questioning. I felt bad for her, but I had someone else to meet after class.
"I don't think I can today. I have work to do."
"But we didn't do it yesterday either."
"We did it two days ago. Can't you even hold out that long?"
"Nope. Mari doesn't think she can."
My girlfriend replied sulkily, puffing out her cheeks. Since she possessed the beauty of an angel, even her disgruntled expression was adorable.
But no meant no. I poked Mari’s puffed-out cheek with my finger. With a small huff of air, her face returned to normal.
Then, after a quick glance to make sure Elena wasn't looking, I gently stroked her hair. Her silk-soft tresses felt wonderful against my palm.
As I stroked her head, Mari broke into her signature radiant smile and scooted her chair closer until we were pressed tightly together. We were being quite blatant with our affection, but no one paid us any mind.
This wasn't the first or second time, after all. Even Jackson was ignoring us and focusing on the lecture.
"Can't we sleep together at the inn today?"
"Do you really have to?"
"You're the one who made me like this. So take responsibility."
"Sigh... fine."
How did she become such a lewd woman? I shook my head and reluctantly agreed.
Once I gave my permission, Mari beamed and began writing a time and place in her notebook. I caught a glimpse of what she wrote.
The time was 9:00 PM, and the location was in front of the fountain in the Academy plaza. That should give me enough time to meet with Leona without any issues.
"Once we're officially husband and wife, we won't have to do this... I just have to endure until the wedding. I want to call you 'husband' already. Hehehe."
"... ..."
Mari let out a pervy little giggle, clearly lost in some strange delusion. She was likely imagining life after our wedding.
Just how much did she want to devour me to show such an expression so openly? Princess Lina, sitting in the row in front of us, looked absolutely horrified after seeing Mari's face, so no further explanation is needed.
It was a good thing Mari only dropped her act when she wasn't trying to build social connections; if Cecile had acted like this, the cognitive dissonance would have been overwhelming.
"A wedding, huh..."
Cecile, who was also sitting in the front row, muttered softly, having overheard our conversation. Her elegant hand stopped mid-note as she turned to look at Lina sitting next to her.
Then, with her characteristic playful smile, she spoke loud enough for us to hear.
"Isn't the child more important than the wedding?"
"Wh-what?"
"Lina, don't you think so too?"
"Uh..."
Lina couldn't find the words to answer. She was too busy gauging Mari's reaction.
Mari, catching onto Cecile's intent, narrowed her eyes. Meanwhile, Cecile stole a glance at Elena.
Fortunately, Elena was preoccupied answering another student's question.
"...Cecile."
"Did you call me?"
"So, have you done it yet?"
"... ..."
Mari didn't get angry; she simply dropped an unblockable truth bomb. No matter how much Cecile tried to get under Mari's skin, that one sentence was enough to shut her up.
Indeed, as soon as those words left Mari's mouth, the corners of Cecile's lips twitched downward. Seeing this, Mari pressed her advantage with a triumphant look.
"If you haven't even done it, please refrain from talking about children and whatnot. Got it?"
"...The opportunity is always there."
"Yep. And I'm first."
"Tch. Just you wait."
In the end, Cecile was forced to back down. Even so, she kept glancing back at me, her red eyes burning with a desire that refused to give up.
I don't know if every woman in love is like this, but I could only offer a wry smile. Mari was willing to share, but Cecile wanted a 'higher position' than that.
Is this what they call a catfight?
I’d heard that among nobles with multiple wives, internal power struggles—or catfights—were common. Experiencing it firsthand, however, felt incredibly surreal.
Sensing the strange tension between Mari and Cecile, I looked at Lina, the third party in this. Even as an Imperial Princess, Lina seemed awkward in the face of such a conflict and was just trying to stay out of it.
Then, our eyes happened to meet. Her eyes widened for a moment before she abruptly turned her head back to the front. I could only see the back of her head, but for some reason, her ears were bright red.
To make matters worse, she was fidgeting, tucking her hands between her thighs. Lately, Lina’s behavior toward me had been nothing but baffling.
"That's all for today's lecture. Well done, everyone."
A short while later, Elena concluded the lecture. Even though I’d been distracted by the chatter, I’d managed to catch all the important points.
I remained in my seat even after the lecture ended. I was waiting for the person in the front row—Leona.
Even as others stood up to leave, Leona sat quietly, finishing up her notes. From the outside, she looked like a model student dedicated to her studies. And in truth, she was.
I approached her cautiously, careful not to disturb her. There’s nothing more annoying than having your concentration broken, so I planned to wait patiently until she finished writing.
"...?"
However, I had overlooked the fact that Leona was a Beastkin. Her race possessed senses far superior to humans. Detecting someone approaching her was child's play.
As I drew near, she stopped writing and slowly lifted her head. Upon seeing my face, she blinked and looked at me inquisitively.
"...Is there something you need?"
"Ahem."
She was acting now, but I knew her true nature. Because of that, I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
I had agonized over how to ask for her advice, but in the end, a direct approach was the only option left.
I cleared my throat and, keeping an eye on Leona's reaction, spoke quietly.
"...Do you have some spare time?"
"Spare time... do you mean this evening?"
"Evening works, or we could just grab a quick cup of coffee. I only need about an hour."
"Hmm..."
Leona stared at me with a dry, yet suspicious gaze. Since I’d had almost no contact with her since becoming a couple with Mari, such a look was understandable.
However, to learn more about the Beastkin, her help was essential. While I could learn enough about Beastkin history and their general way of life from books, nothing was more reliable than hearing about their culture from a member of the race itself.
Leona stared at me intensely for a while, and I waited nervously for her to speak. After what felt like an eternity...
"Purpose."
"Huh?"
"What is your purpose?"
Leona's question. Hearing it, I felt a sense of relief.
Calling it a 'purpose' felt a bit embarrassing. It was essentially just an interview.
Leona didn't know yet that I had been appointed as a recommended student in History. I figured it would be best to start with that.
"I have some questions I'd like to ask you. I'm not sure if you know, but I've been appointed as a recommended student by Professor Elena. Starting next semester, I'll be treated as a third-year."
"... ..."
"And right now... I'm writing something similar to a thesis. I need your help with it, so I'm asking for a favor."
If I put it that way, she should get the gist. That I was writing something specifically about 'Beastkin' rather than other races.
Leona seemed to realize my intent, as her brow furrowed slightly. She stared at me for a moment longer before answering in her characteristic monotone voice.
"Understood. However..."
"However?"
She trailed off for a moment before uttering words that sounded suspiciously like a threat. I could see a sharp glint in her blue eyes.
"If you write something that is far from the truth..."
"Hey, it's nothing like that. I actually think your people are quite impressive."
I waved my hand dismissively to soothe Leona's anxiety. It wasn't just empty flattery; the Beastkin described in the books were certainly bellicose and barbaric, but they also had surprisingly admirable qualities.
Historically, they were a race that had sacrificed much alongside humans, and they possessed a unique culture. They were strong enough that they might have shared dominance of the world had the humans not carried out massacres during the Race War.
Leona gave me a subtle look after hearing my words and asked quietly.
"Do you truly think so?"
"Yeah. I think there's a high possibility you'll be able to stand on equal footing with humans in a few hundred years."
"Why do you think that?"
"I'll explain that as we go. So, are you coming or not?"
At my question, Leona replied with an expression that showed more curiosity than before.
"I will gladly accept."
*
Meanwhile, around the same time.
"...Mari."
"Yeah?"
"That meeting at 9:00... it's what I think it is, right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"I see... In front of the Academy plaza fountain..."
Lina was once again cooking up a devious plan in her head. Seeing this, Cecile let out a hollow laugh, find the situation absurd.
"...Lina?"
"Y-yes? What? I didn't do anything!"
"...Never mind."
Cecile was worried that Lina might actually get caught. While one should respect another's tastes, what she was doing was morally questionable.
Should I actually help her...
She was seriously starting to consider it.