Chapter 324: Awakening(4)
Chapter 324: Awakening(4)
A storm had swept through because of Kate, who had suddenly awakened to her carnal desires, but fortunately, the situation settled down without further incident.
It helped that Kate made a "concession"—if you could even call it that—by agreeing to wait her turn. The other women didn't even try to keep her in check.
To be honest, while I was involved, Luminous was the one who pulled the trigger, so it was hard to hold anyone accountable. It was lucky that I was the target; who would dare talk back to a God?
Of course, as karmic retribution, I couldn't escape being treated as "public property" for a while. I thought they were joking when they said it, but they were dead serious.
Mari was the worst of them. She was already feeling uneasy because of Arwen, and then Kate suddenly barged in, causing her jealousy to explode.
She would bite my neck hard enough to leave teeth marks, leave hickeys, or take occasional nips at my cheeks.
I humbly accepted these expressions of her affection and jealousy. The fact that it ended with just this was a testament to Mari’s broad-mindedness.
In any case, Kate’s sexual frustrations were resolved for the time being, and we returned to our daily routine. Since our household had grown, I spent my days opening fan letters and gifts.
However, there were still countless tasks left to handle. Most notably, Leona, who was still at the Academy.
According to Mari, Leona was searching for me frantically. Apparently, her mother had also arrived at the Academy.
If I left things as they were, I might hurt Leona’s feelings, and her mother would likely form a negative opinion of me.
Now that they knew I was Xenon, they might be somewhat understanding, but I still had to go back to stay in their good graces.
With that in mind, I sent word to the Empire that I would be returning to the Academy. It was better to give them a heads-up; if I just showed up unannounced, they would undoubtedly make a huge fuss.
How did I send the message? I could communicate through the mage dispatched to our mansion. While they couldn't manage full-scale teleportation, they could send and receive small items.
I received a reply, thinking that mages truly were versatile, if not quite omnipotent. The first matter was regarding the dormitory.
The Academy claims to stand for equality on the surface, but that isn't entirely true. It’s more accurate to call it "fairness" rather than equality.
While it’s true that every student is assigned a single dormitory room, the security and escort protocols differ slightly based on social status.
There isn't much difference up to the rank of Count, but from Marquis upward, students are assigned to dormitories with stricter security. For royalty like Leort or Lina, the level of protection is on another tier entirely.
The chances were zero, but what if—just what if—someone managed to break in? What if they harmed a member of the royal family?
The Academy’s reputation would be dragged through the mud, and international chaos would ensue. The Kingdom of Ters, in particular, would be the primary target of blame.
To prevent such incidents, students of royal rank or higher are assigned to dormitories with triple-layered security. This applies to foreign royalty as well.
'I wonder if Hiriya is coming to the Academy?'
I was a bit curious about that. It would be interesting if she continued her studies there.
Regardless, the dormitory assignment was settled without issue. They would likely add guards to the arrangement as well.
Speaking of guards, that was the next item on the agenda, and it was proving to be a major headache.
Adelia was my exclusive maid from the start, so she would naturally be by my side. The problem was who else to assign, and how many.
Personally, I wanted to travel with a small group, but that was difficult. With the very real threat of demon worshippers looming, traveling light was practically a suicide mission.
I couldn't exactly travel in secret, either. With this red hair of mine, I stood out everywhere I went.
However, if I used disguise magic, I could hide my features to some extent. Since there were many people around me proficient in magic, it was a realistic option.
The "Reapers" scheduled to be dispatched from Helium would be a huge help. Rather than providing direct protection, their role was to neutralize all potential threats in the vicinity.
'I should probably give them some autographs while I'm at it.'
I felt a bit sorry for Gartz, but I decided to let it slide. He had helped me so much with the typewriter and other matters, so I could give him as many signatures as he wanted.
In any case, I only wanted one thing. I didn't mind standing out, but I didn't want it to be excessive.
There’s something called the Streisand Effect; even if I was Xenon, dragging a massive entourage of guards everywhere might actually backfire.
This meant I needed the elite of the elite as my guards, but such high-level assets weren't exactly sitting around doing nothing.
In a world where "people" are weapons and military assets in their own right, this was a complicated issue.
Of course, the Empire wasn't stupid, and they had already considered this. Anticipating this situation, they had finalized their selection of personnel long ago.
However, an obstacle arose from an unexpected place. Other nations, excluding the Minerva Empire, expressed their desire to dispatch their own escort forces.
The mere act of sending guards had become entangled in international politics, which must have been a massive headache for the Empire.
As a result, other than Adelia, there was still no one officially designated to guard me "directly."
I didn't doubt Adelia’s skills for a second, but I worried about her getting hurt.
Fortunately, Mari was a full citizen of the Empire, so the Empire was guarding her directly. That was why she had been safe all this time.
I was the problem. Feeling troubled, I contemplated whether I should delay my return to the Academy.
"In that case, why don't I serve as your guard until then?"
"Pardon?"
"I am not bound to any nation. My loyalty belongs solely to Lord Luminous and Lord Isaac."
While I was agonizing over the unexpected problem, a voice reached my ears. I looked up to see the owner of the voice.
It was Kate. I hadn't even realized she had come to the mansion. She was looking at me with a smile.
"When did you get here... No, before that, how did you know what I was worried about?"
"Lord Luminous told me. To be precise, He said that I would be needed. I heard about the escort issue from someone else."
"Unbelievable."
This guy, seriously. I wanted to say something, but looking at Kate’s face, I could only let out a hollow laugh.
It seemed Luminous hadn't just passed the buck this time; He had sensed my dilemma and sent her.
'At least her eyes look normal.'
I stared intently into Kate’s eyes. Unlike before, they were normal.
Back then, they had been... how should I put it? They were murky, yet filled with Kate’s characteristic innocence.
Fortunately, she looked calm now, but you never knew. She could ask for the "seed" at any moment.
Setting that aside, I returned to the matter of the escort.
"...You're saying you'll take charge of my protection, Ms. Kate?"
"Yes."
"Hmm..."
I glanced at Adelia after hearing Kate’s offer. She was watching us warily, clearly sensing an unexpected rival.
She even let out a dry cough. Still, Adelia wasn't just a guard; she was my exclusive maid who would serve me until the end, so their roles wouldn't overlap.
I carefully weighed the pros and cons of Kate’s protection. Since she said Luminous Himself had sent her, every other nation would have to accept it.
But that was one thing; I had to consider the practicalities.
'Her combat power...'
She was a woman who went around smashing the skulls of demon worshippers. Questioning her strength was absurd. I checked that box off.
Second, political neutrality. The Holy Nation of Savior maintained neutrality along with the Duchy of Bellua, so there were no issues there.
Finally, the justification. Kate held the rank of High Inquisitor, the highest position within Savior, so serving as a mere guard was technically beneath her.
However, if the person she was guarding was me, the story changed. Since I was under constant threat from demon worshippers, there was no better guard than her.
Furthermore, she could temporarily declare a "Sanctuary," making her the most suitable person for the job.
In short, she was the perfect guard—flawless in every aspect, with no drawbacks.
"...That sounds good. There’s probably no one as capable as you, Ms. Kate. I accept your proposal."
"Thank you."
"However, please keep in mind that you aren't an exclusive maid like Adelia. When I go into the dormitory, you won't be allowed inside without my permission. Understood?"
"......Yes."
Why the delayed response, woman? Her mouth even flattened into a straight line, openly expressing her disappointment.
Surely she wouldn't lose control of her urges and try to crawl into my dormitory, would she? Even for Kate, that would be crossing the line.
I silently prayed that her patience was much stronger than I anticipated as I spoke again.
"Have you already informed the Order about this?"
"I haven't, but it won't matter."
"Why not?"
"They grant whatever I ask for."
"......"
"Besides, since Lord Isaac has given his permission, they will gladly accept it."
Did she really have no idea how much influence she wielded within Savior?
It was plausible. Kate had zero interest in anything other than following Luminous.
Her execution of the fallen Cardinal Bark was simply her eliminating a pest that was defiling Luminous’s name—nothing more, nothing less.
If I had to pick the most "free" person in Savior, it would be Kate. If she had set her mind to it, she could have easily become the Pope.
'I'm so glad she's on my side.'
If she were an enemy, she would be a nightmare to deal with. I felt a wave of relief, but then a question occurred to me.
"But is it alright for you to leave your primary duties, Ms. Kate? There must still be demon worshippers lurking about."
"You needn't worry about that."
"Why?"
"Just as insects are drawn to sweet fruit, those vermin will come crawling to harm Lord Isaac. Even the ones in hiding will reveal themselves to target you."
"......"
"I can protect Lord Isaac, exterminate those wretched bugs, and furthermore, be ready to receive the seed at any time. Isn't it wonderful?"
I would have agreed with her if she hadn't added that last part.
I let out a hollow laugh and shook my head. Regardless, it was an undeniable fact that I had gained a reliable shield.
I stood up and extended my hand. It was an offer for a handshake, a gesture of partnership.
"Then I'll be in your care, Ms. Kate."
"......"
Kate just stared blankly at my extended hand. Her gaze shifted back and forth between my face and my hand.
Just as I was starting to feel puzzled rather than embarrassed, I looked at her.
Gulp—
Why was she suddenly swallowing hard?
"Haa... haa..."
And what was with that perverted breathing? Why was her face turning red?
For some reason, it felt like a switch had been flipped. Just as I was about to pull my hand back, Kate made a desperate expression and lunged to grab it.
Not with one hand, but with both. And then, she began to massage it with an intensity that was frankly uncomfortable.
I tried to pull away in surprise, but she wouldn't let go. Instead, she offered her greeting while still gripping my hand.
"I-I look forward to working with you, Lord Isaac..."
"Uh... yeah."
"Lord Isaac’s hand... it’s so soft. Someday, with this hand..."
Feeling a sense of dread, I forcibly yanked my hand away. I felt that staying like this was dangerous.
When I pulled away, Kate looked disappointed for a moment, but then she quickly brought her own two hands to her face.
And then...
"Sssssssip... Haaa..."
"......"
Like a drug addict inhaling their fix, she took a very deep breath. The exhale that followed sounded borderline erotic.
I stared at Kate with a stunned expression. She caressed her face with both hands for a while, then slid one hand down.
Her neck, her collarbone, her chest, her stomach, and finally, where her hand arrived was...
"E-excuse me... please excuse me for a moment."
Had she finally come to her senses? Just as her hand was about to reach a dangerous area, Kate hurriedly fled.
I watched her retreating figure for a moment before looking down at my own hand.
"......It's not like I'm catnip."
It seemed even physical contact was dangerous with Kate. She hadn't been this bad before her "awakening."
"But you are. Human catnip."
"......"
I decided to ignore Adelia’s "truth bomb."
And so, with the escort issue resolved, I finished my preparations to head back to the Academy.
"...Ms. Kate?"
"Yes, Lord Isaac. Please, speak."
"...Never mind."
I had ended up with the most dangerous time bomb right by my side.