Chapter 117: Special Training 7
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 117: Special Training 7
"Yaaaaawn."
"Pushover, did you stay up late last night?"
I was on my way to the Special Class with Sepia after a chance encounter.
When I let out a wide, jaw-cracking yawn, Sepia tossed the question my way. Perched on her shoulders were the Fire Spirit and the Earth Spirit.
Where are the Water and Wind Spirits, you ask?
Right now, they were on my shoulders, busy scaling my head as if it were a mountain peak.
The squirming on my neck was itchy, but I endured it because they were adorable. When the spirits first started climbing me, Sepia used to try and stop them, but now she just accepted it as a given.
"Haaa-ahm. I did hit the sack a bit later than usual."
I was already exhausted from the duel with Darun and the subsequent Disciplinary Board meeting. To make matters worse, I had lost track of time playing with Yerika until late into the night after the meeting ended.
And it wasn't like I went straight to sleep once Yerika returned to the Imperial Palace, either. We kept chatting through our communication devices long after she arrived.
'How do I look? It suits me, right?'
A smile tugged at my lips as I recalled Yerika showing off all the artifacts I had given her, wearing every single one of them at once.
"I guess you were talking with His Majesty until late? Well, now that everyone knows you're the Emperor's disciple, I'm sure there was a lot to discuss."
"…Pardon?"
"What's with that reaction? You rushed off yesterday saying His Majesty summoned you. Don't tell me it wasn't actually the Emperor?"
Sepia’s eyes suddenly sharpened.
Right. I had used the Emperor as a shield to make my escape yesterday.
"No, of course His Majesty summoned me. I'm just a bit groggy from lack of sleep, so I got confused for a second. Ahaha."
"Something's suspicious..."
Sepia narrowed her eyes, staring at me piercingly. However, since my face was hidden behind my mask, she couldn't read my expression.
"Not at all. I have never told a single lie in my entire life. If I could, I’d even pay money to learn how to lie."
The fact that Yerika had come to the Academy was a secret. Even when she returned to the Imperial Palace yesterday, the Emperor's Shadow had come to escort her personally.
Despite conveying my 'sincere' feelings, Sepia continued to glare at me as if she didn't buy a word of it. In times like this, changing the subject is the best move.
"I felt like there were more eyes on me than usual today. I suppose it's because word got out that I'm His Majesty's disciple?"
The students whispering while looking at me flinched when they heard my voice. News of me being the Emperor's disciple had likely spread not just through the Academy, but across the entire continent by now.
The Croa Empire was currently in its golden age. At the center of it all was the current Emperor, Casten Leonhart. Even if every other kingdom combined their forces, they wouldn't be able to defeat the current Croa Empire. If the Emperor had truly set his mind to it, he probably would have unified the continent by now.
And the disciple of such an Emperor was me. Other kingdoms were probably investigating me at this very moment. Not that they’d find anything, of course.
"Of course that's why. What else did you think they were whispering about?"
"I just thought I was looking exceptionally handsome today. Isn't that the most logical conclusion?"
"So, what exactly are you learning from His Majesty? I know he uses a sword, but you don't seem particularly interested in swordsmanship, Pushover."
Sepia completely ignored my comment. How cruel!
The other students watching us also seemed curious about what I was learning from the Emperor; some even went so far as to reinforce their ears with mana to eavesdrop. I didn't necessarily mind if they found out, but I didn't feel like giving them the satisfaction.
"Hmm. Since you're so curious, Sepia, I'll give you a special hint."
"I'm not that curious—"
I leaned in close to Sepia’s ear so the other students couldn't overhear. Sepia flinched, clearly flustered by the sudden proximity.
"W-What is it?"
"What I'm learning from His Majesty is..."
"........."
As I whispered, Sepia gulped, her tension palpable.
"How to seduce women."
It was summer.
And Sepia’s foot moved faster than her mouth.
"Agh! You didn't have to kick me in the shin!"
"Shut up! Who told you to start it!"
Sepia began walking away briskly, huffing in annoyance. The spirits tugged at my hair, as if asking if we weren't going to follow her.
"Of course we have to follow."
I patted the spirits on my head and ran toward the fast-walking Sepia.
"Wait, Sepia! Let's go together!"
"No!"
"Actually, I'm much faster than you, so even if you don't stop— hop! —I can catch up in no time, just like this."
"I said no!"
I was walking toward the Special Class, teasing Sepia who had given up on outrunning me, when—
"Excuse me."
Someone blocked our path.
I naturally assumed they were talking to Sepia. After all, every time I walked to class with her, at least one person would try to strike up a conversation with her.
However, the woman blocking our path was looking directly at me.
Her makeup was heavy, as if she had just come from a banquet, and her school skirt was so short it barely covered her thighs. I wondered if it could even be called a skirt. Several buttons on her shirt were undone, leaving her cleavage on full display.
"You're Loki, right? I'm Iera Aizet, a third-year. If you're free, would you like to grab some tea after school today?"
The woman bowed as she introduced herself, a move that only served to make her already prominent cleavage even more obvious. The male students nearby were either turning their heads or coughing awkwardly while shifting around, clearly trying to steal a peek.
I looked at the woman, who was staring at me with a slight smirk and a flirtatious gaze that said, 'How's this?' and thought:
What am I supposed to do with this?
She was clearly trying to seduce me.
My heart had raced when I saw Yerika coming out after washing her face yesterday, but right now, it was perfectly calm. My heart rate was probably the same as when I was asleep.
If Johanna came to me in that outfit and gave me a thigh pillow...
—Thump.
Stop thinking about it.
I didn't realize just imagining it would be so dangerous. For a moment, I thought my heart was going to explode. To think she could kill me with just a thought—Johanna really is something else.
Come to think of it, I forgot to buy tea.
I had forgotten to buy tea because I was busy playing with Yerika yesterday. Since I was going to buy tea anyway, I should check if I'm out of anything else...
"If today doesn't work, tomorrow is fine too..."
The woman's voice reached me while I was planning my shopping list. Ah, right. I was in the middle of a conversation.
Naturally, I had no intention of having tea with the woman in front of me. I could spend my time much more productively by lying on Johanna’s lap or teasing Sepia.
How should I reject her?
I couldn't just give a half-hearted rejection. If I did, she’d just keep bothering me.
I looked at Sepia, who for some reason seemed a bit angry. I tried to recall how Sepia usually chased away the annoying people who clung to her.
'Get lost.'
'Can't you see I'm talking to this guy right now?'
'Are your eyes just for decoration?'
Hmm, that didn't seem very helpful.
It was obvious what this woman was after. She had found out I was the Emperor's disciple and was trying to get close to me by any means necessary. I didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing; she hadn't actually caused me any harm yet.
Of course, just because I didn't think it was 'bad' didn't mean I had any desire to have tea with her.
Should I just be direct like Sepia?
I was still staring at Sepia. With her right there, I felt a bit hesitant to use harsh words to reject the woman.
"Fine. I'll get out of your way. Happy?"
Leaving those words behind, Sepia started walking ahead. It seemed she had interpreted my staring as a request for her to leave us alone.
* * *
"Whoops! I told you earlier, didn't I? I'm much faster than you, Sepia."
"Are you all done making plans with that woman?"
Sepia spoke sarcastically, her pace never slowing.
"No. I turned her down."
".........Hmph. It looked like you couldn't take your eyes off her chest earlier."
The corners of Sepia’s mouth twitched slightly at the news of my rejection.
"No way. When did I ever look at her like that? Besides, you can't even tell where I'm looking because of the mask."
I gently pressed down on the top of Sepia’s head.
Sepia stopped walking.
"Goodness, walk a little slower. People will think you're being chased by a hunter."
".............."
Sepia only glared at me. She didn't tell me to move my hand, though. Touching her hair felt strangely healing.
".........So, why did you turn her down?"
"I told you before that I’d make you stronger, didn't I? That starts today after school."
"So you turned her down because of that?"
"I suppose you could look at it that way. But even if I hadn't made a promise to you, I think I still would have rejected her."
"Why? She was pretty, wasn't she?"
Hmm. Was she?
At Sepia’s words, I tried to recall the face of the woman who had just spoken to me.
"...................."
...I forgot.
The only thing that remained in my memory was the unpleasantly strong scent of her perfume.
"Was she? From my perspective... no, from anyone's perspective, you're much prettier, Sepia."
".............."
Sepia didn't say a word after hearing that and just continued walking toward the Special Class.
Just as I was scratching my head, wondering if I had said something wrong, Sepia, who was walking ahead, turned back to look at me.
"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?"