Chapter 115: Special Training 5
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 115: Special Training 5
Yerika froze, sprawled across Loki’s bed, while Loki stood just as rigid, his hand still clamped around her foot.
“Hic!”
Ring, ring.
The sound of Yerika’s hiccup was immediately followed by another noise. The communication device that had slid from her lap during the tickling match began to ring, shrill and insistent.
Without letting go of her foot, Loki looked down at the girl lying on his bed. Even considering her naturally pale skin, her face was flushed a deep, dangerous crimson. Her golden eyes were unfocused, wandering aimlessly through the air.
Since Yerika seemed to have half-lost her mind, Loki checked the device for her. And then...
[Father]
The moment he saw the name on the display, Loki felt like he was going to lose his mind, too.
The owner of this device is Yerika. And the man Yerika calls ‘Father’ is...
Obviously, it was the Emperor.
What am I even thinking? Of course it’s him.
The Emperor was still at the Academy. If he discovered this situation, it wouldn’t take him a minute to storm into the dormitory and put a blade to Loki's throat.
Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!
Even as Loki felt like passing out, the device continued to ring persistently. Knowing the caller was the Emperor made the sound feel deafening.
Maybe I’m mistaken.
If it had been Lucas calling, he might have answered for her, but he felt a primal fear at the thought of picking up a call from the Emperor. He had no choice but to speak to Yerika.
“Um... Yerika?”
“Y-Yes!”
Yerika barely managed to squeeze the words out, her voice trembling and her tongue tripping over itself. Her face was still beet-red, and her shaking golden eyes couldn't meet his, staring off into space instead.
Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!
“Ah.”
A small gasp escaped her lips as she finally realized the device was ringing.
“If I don’t answer, he’ll worry, right?”
“I... imagine he would.”
If he only worried, that would be a blessing. Knowing the Emperor, he might flip the entire Academy upside down if Yerika didn't pick up.
“Haa... haa... huff!”
Yerika took several deep breaths to suppress her hiccups before finally answering the call.
—Yerika? Why did it take you so long to answer? Do you have any idea how worried I was? Nothing happened, did it?
Normally, she would have given a light laugh and told him he was being ridiculous and overprotective. But she couldn't do that with the Clown right next to her.
“I... I was just away for a moment, so I couldn't pick up.”
Yerika’s gaze drifted toward Loki. She had been too busy focusing on her breathing to notice until now.
Why are you still holding my foot, Mr. Clown?!
He wasn't pressing down hard like before, but he hadn't let go since he first grabbed it.
—I just finished speaking with the Principal. He’s as healthy as ever.
Yerika let out a silent sigh of relief. Fortunately, it seemed she hadn't been caught. It would be too embarrassing to let her father see her in this state.
“Is that so?”
—Come to think of it, you said you were going to meet that Loki fellow. Did the meeting go well? I wasn't exactly thrilled to hear you spent hours on your makeup and wardrobe for a boy who won't even show his face...
“Aaaahhh! F-Father! More importantly, why did you call?!”
Father! Why would you say that now?!
Yerika’s eyes darted toward Loki.
Did he hear that?
The hateful Clown had turned his head away entirely, staring in the opposite direction. He definitely heard everything...
She wanted to tell him to let go of her foot, but since she was on the phone, she couldn't say it. She couldn't even kick her feet in frustration.
—...Yerika, you sound different than usual. Is something wrong?
The Emperor noticed. Honestly, anyone would have noticed that Yerika was acting strange.
“A cat suddenly appeared and startled me, that’s all. When do you plan on returning to the Imperial Palace, Father?”
Yerika tried to play it off as naturally as possible, but Loki couldn't stay composed. Without realizing it, Loki’s grip on Yerika’s foot tightened. It wasn't intentional, but he pressed down on her sole just like he had earlier.
“Ugh... please, ngh, ah—ngh!”
The same suggestive moan as before escaped Yerika’s lips despite her best efforts to hold it back. The only difference was that this time, the Emperor was listening.
—...Yerika? What on earth was that just now? Are you alr—
“Hic!”
Another hiccup cut the Emperor off.
“I-I’ll... hic! call you back later!”
Her mental state already shattered, Yerika hurriedly hung up.
Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!
The communication device began to ring like crazy.
“................”
“................”
Yerika glared at Loki with teary eyes that looked ready to spill over at any moment. She had tried so hard to make an excuse...
Loki knew he had messed up. Avoiding those golden eyes, he stared at the plain wall instead. One pattern, two patterns, three patterns...
Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!
The ringing continued as if mocking his loss of composure. Then, Yerika’s voice pulled him back to reality.
“Mr. Clown, first... ngh, please let go of my foot.”
Only then did he realize his hand was still firmly grasping her. He slowly lowered her foot onto the bed.
“Um... may I go to the bathroom for a moment to finish the call?”
“Of course! The bathroom is that way!”
* * *
Creak, click.
After entering the bathroom, Yerika slid down the door and sat on the floor, leaning her back against it.
What do I do! What do I do! What do I do!
She was losing it. She had let out such an embarrassing moan in front of the Clown—and twice at that!
And why did Father have to say that!
Because of him, the fact that she had spent ages on her makeup and clothes before meeting the Clown was completely exposed. She had considered heavy makeup, but her mother had told her that a "natural" look was more important, so she had gone with that. She had tried on everything from comfortable clothes to high-end banquet dresses, but eventually settled on her school uniform since they were meeting at the Academy.
But even after all that effort, the Clown isn't even interested!
He had reacted when she moaned, but that was clearly a reaction of panic, not excitement. And earlier, he had just loosened his tie and approached her only to give her a finger flick.
Maybe he doesn't have any feelings for me at all...
“No, now isn't the time for this.”
Yerika slapped her cheeks twice.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Her father was still calling. If she kept ignoring him, he might track the device and come here, which would mean she couldn't spend any more time with the Clown.
Rejecting the Emperor’s call, Yerika dialed the only person who could stop her father. The name on Yerika’s device read:
[Mother]
* * *
The moment I confirmed Yerika had entered the bathroom, I slumped down, gasping for air.
“Haaa...”
Whether my eyes were open or closed, the image of Yerika talking to the Emperor wouldn't leave my head. The way she bit her lip to hold back the moan. Her trembling eyes that knew she shouldn't let it out. And the suggestive sound she eventually made when she couldn't hold it in any longer.
“Whew...”
Without my Poker Face active, my heart was racing like crazy. Honestly, even if I had it on, it probably wouldn't have made much of a difference.
She just went in, so she’ll be a while, right?
After making sure Yerika was still in the bathroom, I took off the mask—which felt like a part of my body now—and looked in the mirror. My face was the same as in my previous life, so it wasn't unfamiliar, but the white hair still felt a bit strange. However, something even stranger was reflected in the mirror.
My face was slightly flushed.
“I’m not some teenage girl...”
It was just a series of small mistakes overlapping.
“I’ll do anything I can.”
I didn't know why the words Yerika said earlier were coming back to me now. It was just a normal expression of gratitude for the artifact.
‘So, when Yerika said she’d do anything, did you really not harbor even a tiny bit of desire?’
I couldn't give a definitive answer to the question echoing from deep within my heart.
“Haaa...”
The situation before Yerika’s device rang played on a loop in my head like a recorded video. Yerika lying on the bed. Me sitting there, holding her foot and looking down at her. The suggestive moan she let out in that position.
If the device hadn't rung, I would have...
Get it together.
I vowed to keep my head straight and put the mask back on.
Click.
Right on cue, Yerika emerged from the bathroom.
“Was the call...?”
I tried to speak as casually as possible, but my voice died in my throat the moment I saw her. Her blonde hair shimmered softly under the room’s lights. Small droplets of water from where she had just washed her face trailed down her cheeks, chin, and neck.
“...Is there something on my face?”
Because of the frantic movement when I was tickling her, her shirt and skirt were slightly disheveled. Her golden eyes, half-lidded as if from embarrassment, were staring straight at me. And finally, her two hands were fidgeting nervously.
Haaa... I’m seriously going crazy.