Please Take Care of Sonya
"Carl came by earlier and explained everything himself. About how the two of you can't have a child."
"…."
I couldn't make sense of Carl's intentions. One thing was certain, though — by my standards, Carl was a decent man. As a merchant, he had the skill to manipulate people with clever schemes, but he wasn't the type to deploy those tactics outside of business. The Disposition Window never lied. I decided it was more important to keep listening to Luna than to waste time on baseless suspicion.
Luna studied my expression for a moment, then continued.
"After dinner last night, once we'd been shown to our rooms, we talked for a while."
In that conversation, Carl had told Luna everything about his and Sonya's situation. At first, the story had sounded so absurd that Luna wondered if it was a lie — but after hearing it all, she said she was certain every word was true.
"I always thought Professor Sonya chose not to have children for the sake of her career. But that wasn't it at all."
"Hmm…."
"…Did you already know?"
"Uh…."
I answered Luna's question without a second of hesitation. Swept up in the atmosphere, I hadn't even had time to think.
Lying in my arms in her pajamas, Luna heard my answer and, with a look of quiet pity, began talking about Sonya.
"I… feel so sorry for Professor Sonya."
Until now, Luna had considered Sonya the ideal figure — someone who perfectly illuminated the path she herself wanted to walk. As a mage, as a woman, and as a human being. It had seemed as though Sonya had paved every stretch of that road ahead of her, smooth and complete.
"But… that wasn't true. I've been doing something terrible to Professor Sonya."
"Hm? Terrible how?"
"I… took her Suho away from her."
Sonya was the kind of professor so popular that it seemed she had no students who disliked her. And Luna, one of those students, had revered Sonya as a model for her own life. The moment she heard the full story from Carl, she said she could roughly piece together the puzzle of my relationship with Sonya.
"Carl… I think he already knew. About the two of you."
"…."
Fortunately, it seemed he hadn't gone so far as to mention the request for a night together.
"He was hoping for it from the start, too."
"…."
The truth was, Sonya had been connected to me before Luna ever was. When Sonya and I first came together, Luna and I hadn't even been flirting yet. Luna was doing her best to understand everything from Sonya's point of view.
"I kept thinking about Professor Sonya. Realizing that even the person I saw as ideal was, in the end, just an ordinary woman."
"Luna…."
"And I stole even that dangerous love of hers."
Luna pressed her ear against my chest, focusing on the sound of my heartbeat, and whispered softly.
"Do you remember what I said earlier?"
"…?"
"That no matter what, just don't leave me."
"…Yeah. I remember."
I stroked Luna's hair and whispered through the comm.
I also clearly remember the part where you said cheating was fine….
They say forgiveness is easier than permission — and I'd already secured that permission verbally in advance. Any married man who saw this scene would cheer.
"I thought about it for a long time. And I reached a conclusion."
"…."
"Please… just don't leave."
"…I promise."
After that, Luna didn't look at me again. She simply nestled into my arms and fell asleep.
Luna and I woke to a clear, cloudless morning at Sonya's estate, and right up to the end we received every courtesy Carl and Sonya could offer. After breakfast, we bowed our heads and offered them our sincere thanks.
"Thank you so much for hosting us through breakfast as well."
"Please don't feel any burden — come visit again anytime."
"That's right. Carl is very fond of Shutra Academy students. Especially the two of you, so please do come again."
Carl and Sonya smiled as they spoke. The four of us stood at the front gate of the estate, about to go our separate ways, when Carl stepped up beside me and spoke in a low voice.
"Might I have a brief word?"
"Ah, of course."
I told Sonya and Luna I'd be speaking with Carl for a moment, then followed him around to the side of the estate. Once we were out of their line of sight, Carl stopped, turned, and got straight to the point.
"You need to get to school, so I'll be direct. Please… take care of Sonya."
"…."
He really was an extraordinary man. The Disposition Window showed no strange sexual proclivities. And it wasn't that he didn't love Sonya. Looking at Carl's Disposition Window, he loved her so deeply that the thought of her in another man's arms would normally send him into convulsions.
And yet here he was — seeking out Luna, seeking out me, pleading like this. All for the pleasure of the woman he loved.
"I heard you received a suspension."
"Ahem… yes, well, one thing led to another…."
"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. During the month you were gone, Sonya seemed completely filled with thoughts of you."
Carl was sharp — both as a merchant and as a devoted husband. Over that month, he'd noticed something off in Sonya's behavior and concluded that I was the cause. It felt strange saying this as a man myself, but once Sonya had tasted it, she wasn't going to forget the flavor of a good cock so easily. She hadn't been intimate with her husband — her first — for years, so his was probably long gone even from her memories.
In a sense, Sonya was a woman who had taken every technique I had to offer. Especially those top-tier hand skills she'd received in the middle of the night — those weren't something you could just forget. I'd turned that pure, noble Sonya into a bitch who craved cock.
"I'm anxious. I'm afraid that at a critical time like this, something might go wrong because of me."
"As I told you before, that isn't because of you, Carl —"
"No. It is because of me."
Carl berated himself, then began wrapping up the conversation.
"I… fear that if Sonya keeps enduring like this, she might lose her heart to some villain."
"…."
"I have firm faith in your character. Please. I ask that you guide her so she doesn't stray down some other path."
"…I'll do my best."
I was the one reaping every benefit, and yet the one making the request was Carl — the man who had lost everything. From his dignified appearance to his character, he was the perfect intersection of every type of person I genuinely liked. That didn't mean I wanted to become him, though. A life where I couldn't get it up was just one of many routes to suicide, as far as I was concerned.
With that, the conversation ended, and we headed to school for the exams.
The moment we arrived at school, I could feel a restless energy at the front gate.
"Is it because of the exams? It's awfully noisy."
"It really is…."
Sonya shook her head at our exchange.
"No, exams alone wouldn't make things this chaotic. You two should hurry and change into your uniforms and get ready for the test."
"Yes."
Luna and I headed quickly for the dorms, wanting to avoid the other students' stares. Even if we'd stayed out overnight, showing up Monday morning in flashy clothes was bound to draw attention. We slipped into the dorms, changed into our uniforms, and met up at the lecture hall.
But the restlessness wasn't limited to the front gate — it filled the classroom as well.
"What do you think is going on?"
"Beats me…."
"I'll go ask."
Luna understood perfectly well that I had no friends, so she approached a group of girls and started asking around. From a distance, I watched her expression shift — from blank, to gradually more and more shocked. By the time she finished talking with them, her face was pure distress.
What now?
As if reading my mind, she came over and began explaining.
"Haa… Louis… went out yesterday and caused some kind of incident off campus."
"An incident?"
"Yeah, but nobody seems to know exactly what happened."
Apparently worried about Louis, Luna went around asking other students as well, doing everything she could to find out more. But everything the students knew amounted to unreliable rumors. Still, thanks to the reputation and image Louis had built up over time, most students weren't trash-talking him — they seemed genuinely concerned.
I figured at least one or two people would be talking behind his back, but I guess he's managed his image pretty well.
A guy who was good to everyone except me….
Well, we've got plenty of time. Still, this is luckier than I expected.
Nothing was confirmed, but the fact that Louis had run into trouble during yesterday's outing made it highly likely that Luna and I were involved. He had absolutely no reason to go out right before the exams. And if something had gone wrong on exam day itself, he'd have a hard time concentrating during the test. Or maybe the school would discipline him and he wouldn't be allowed to take it at all?
I was spinning those hopeful scenarios while waiting in the lecture hall when a teaching assistant burst in and shouted.
"There will be a speech from the Headmaster before the exams! Everyone, please gather in the main auditorium!"
Having delivered the message, the assistant dashed back out — apparently needing to inform the other classrooms as well. Luna, who had been mid-investigation into Louis, heard the announcement and let out a sigh.
"Haa… Louis, you idiot. What on earth have you been doing…."
"Luna, let's just head to the auditorium for now. If we still don't know anything later, we can ask Professor Sonya."
"…Okay."
Even Luna, who normally radiated open annoyance toward Louis, seemed worried about him now. Annoying as he was for interfering with her romance, she wasn't the type to discard the bond they'd built over the years. Looking concerned, she walked with me toward the main auditorium.
Louis was nowhere to be seen in the auditorium either. But I had a bigger concern right in front of me.
"To all students taking their first exams since enrollment — I ask that you give it your very best."
The Headmaster stood on the auditorium stage, smiling as he continued his speech. And yet….
"I sincerely hope that no student… resorts to dishonest means."
Throughout the entire speech, he kept looking at me as he delivered those loaded words.
He keeps doing that. It's making me nervous….
On top of that, Armonia said she'd prepared a warp just in case.
Yeah, please do.
It might have been an overreaction, but warps weren't expensive, and there was no harm in being prepared. The Headmaster, who had been staring holes through me for the entire speech, finally wrapped up with a satisfied smile.
"Now then, everyone return to your respective classrooms. I wish you all the results you desire."
After the speech ended, I approached Luna, who was glancing around the room.
"Luna, let's head back for now."
"…Okay."
Looking at slightly dejected Luna, I cheered inwardly.
Hehehe! Perfect! Just don't show up to the exam hall!
And the very moment I celebrated that thought….
"Luna!"
Inside the lecture hall, the bastard was already there waiting for us.
I shouldn't have said that last part….
"Luna!"
"Louis?"
Louis came running from the far side of the lecture hall and immediately locked eyes on me. He glared at Sung Suho with such intensity it looked like fire magic might shoot from his eyes. Luna stepped between us and spoke.
"Louis, what on earth happened yesterday?"
"…I need to talk to you for a second."
"What? The exam is about to —"
"It'll just take a second!"
"…."
Luna's brow twitched at Louis's raised voice, but she nodded anyway.
"…Fine. Just calm down and let's talk outside."
Louis's expression eased slightly at her answer. Luna turned back to Sung Suho.
"I'll be right back."
"Yeah. The exam's starting soon, so make it quick."
"Okay. Hoo…. Come on, Louis."
"…."
Louis glared at Sung Suho as if he wanted to devour him. Luna, clearly displeased by that, spoke up again.
"Louis. If you don't have anything to say, I'm going back to my seat."
"…Fine."
He brushed past Sung Suho and followed Luna out. The two of them found a spot in a nearby corridor and began talking. Louis fixed Luna with hollow, piercing eyes and opened his mouth.
"Luna… where were you yesterday?"
"…I just went out for some air."
"Where?"
"…Just around."
"Be specific."
"…."
Luna was already starting to regret all the effort she'd put into worrying about Louis and tracking down what had happened to him.
Don't tell me he went out yesterday just to look for me? Haa… how pathetic.
Disgust and irritation rose in her simultaneously at Louis's behavior. Her reason wanted to understand his concern, but her emotions refused to accept it so easily. Luna just wanted the freedom to go around with the man she liked — and Louis's relentless possessiveness was slowly cracking both her patience and their friendship. To her, Louis was becoming a genuine burden.
Luna flattened her brows into a straight line and spoke with a blank face.
"I don't want to tell you."
"…What?"
Louis looked stunned. Luna addressed him once more.
"Louis… if you're going to keep bothering me like this, just stop talking to me altogether."
"Lu, Luna…."
"The exam's about to start. Let's go."
"Luna!"
In a trembling voice, Louis grabbed her shoulder. Luna turned back with an irritated look — but even that irritation melted the moment she saw the pitiful expression on his face again.
"Luna… I'm sorry. I just… I was just worried…."
"Hoo…. I'm sorry too, for saying unnecessary things."
Relieved by her softened expression, Louis let out a breath and asked one last question.
"Luna… then just one more thing. You… you weren't with that Sung Suho guy all night, right?"
"…."
The urge to just tell the truth swelled inside Luna until it felt ready to burst. She wanted to announce outright that they were dating. But….
No. If I tell Louis the truth right now, Suho will be the one who suffers.
Judging by Louis's current behavior, if she told him, he'd make life difficult not just for her but for Sung Suho even more. And she was afraid of what Louis might do to Suho if he won their exam bet.
"No. I really just went out for air and stayed at an inn by myself."
"…An inn."
"…?"
Luna tilted her head at Louis's muttered word. He nodded slowly with those hollow eyes.
"Okay. Sorry for bothering you."
"Yeah. Then let's hurry. We've got an exam to take."
Luna left Louis behind and headed for the lecture hall. Watching her back, Louis muttered to himself.
"Luna… would never lie to me. She must have stayed alone… at some inn I didn't check."
Louis followed the now-relaxed Luna into the classroom. And the moment he stepped inside, only one person filled his vision.
Sung Suho… that bastard definitely said he went out with Luna….
Louis sat down in his own seat, apart from Luna, and carefully watched as she took the seat next to Sung Suho. The face that had been blank and irritated just moments ago lit up — beautiful as a flower under a full moon. But the owner of that smile was not Louis.
Sung Suho… Luna might have a little interest in you right now… but just wait. I'll smash you to pieces and make everyone treat you like a cripple.
With that vow, Louis glared at Sung Suho without rest.