Chapter 102

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 102

Chapter Title: Pinned Down by a Stunning Archmage Duchess

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"Thanks, Hisenna."

"It's the least I could do."

The awards ceremony took place right before the closing ceremony and the afterparty.

The subjugation festival was a kind of celebration.

So the cadets who had returned after a good rest had all dressed up to the nines.

I had also put on the outfit I'd prepared for the last banquet.

It was uncomfortable and hard to put on, but once again, Hisenna had straightened it out for me.

"Behold my entrance!"

And then Elrim arrived.

Thankfully, she had toned it down from that bizarre, flashy dress last time.

"Wow~ Elrim, you look absolutely stunning today! Even better than last time!"

Hisenna must have thought Elrim's previous dress was a bit much too, because she clapped as soon as she saw her.

"Really? I deliberately went easy today, though?"

"Keep going easy from now on."

"What'd you say, you scrub?!"

"You didn't show up in that godawful dress today."

"Today had to be about showing off Letchi! I toned down the dress for that!"

Elrim shrugged and showed off her Redlight Stitch.

She seemed awfully proud of it.

Well, it made sense—she was the first to ever catch one that no one else had managed to snag.

I decided to humor her today. It was thanks to her that we'd won, after all.

"So, what about your winner's speech..."

We three were discussing our acceptance speeches when

the area around us suddenly grew noisy.

I could feel the men's gazes shifting intensely,

and I realized why when I saw the woman approaching us.

"Everyone arrived early."

"Ch-Ch-Ch-Chayuri?"

"Ch-Ch-Chayuri! Sc-Scrub... no, not a scrub?!"

Chayuri Floridel had arrived.

Chayuri's dress... well, it was something else.

Not just emphasizing his massive pecs, but a skin-tight black dress that highlighted his slim waist and wide hips too.

A tight minidress so short it barely covered underwear—any guy would do a double-take.

But once your eyes spun around, you'd have no idea where to look... something like that.

"Ch-Ch-Chayuri! This is way too revealing!"

"Everything that needs covering is covered."

"But there are dignitaries here, this is..."

"I'm not receiving any awards anyway, so it's fine."

"That's not the point! There are so many people at the event!"

Hisenna's face flushed beet red as she flapped her hands, explaining to Chayuri.

Chayuri looked down at her dress with a completely clueless expression.

To be fair, there was nothing objectively wrong with it. Other cadets were wearing minidresses too.

The problem was Chayuri's body.

"...Hng."

Meanwhile, only Elrim looked glum.

"Anyway, congratulations. To think you'd take overall victory."

"Hmph! See that, Chayuri? Me going pa-pow with Letchi!"

"Yes. It was impressive, Elrim. I never thought you'd actually catch the Redlight Stitch. And that ascent into the sky was one of the highlights of this subjugation festival."

"R-Really? Who said that?"

Elrim, who had been sulking, brightened up immediately at Chayuri's praise.

"They were showing highlights from the subjugation festival on screens over there."

"For real! Let's go!"

Before the awards ceremony began,

there was apparently a spot screening scenes from the subjugation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠festival captured by recording magic.

When we followed, there was a big screen in one corner of the venue.

A lot of people were watching it.

"Whoa. She really caught it solo."

"Isn't that obvious?"

Just then, the scene of Elrim catching the Redlight Stitch was playing.

It must have been counted as a highlight too.

There were moments in between where Elrim paused and seemed to mutter into thin air—

probably when she was talking to SubsidyRiceEater.

As SubsidyRiceEater had said, he didn't appear on screen at all.

Like he didn't exist. A true archmage.

-Ooooh!

After that was the scene of Elrim riding the Redlight Stitch to come rescue me.

The crowd cheered at the screen of her rocketing into the sky.

Elrim started excitedly chattering about that moment.

There were other scenes too, like Harisha gathering people for a massive subjugation,

or me battling Lore in midair.

With so many people around and Elrim yapping on about the highlights for ages, I slipped away quietly.

To check the gallery.

There were a ton of unread posts, but more importantly, something was bugging me.

SubsidyRiceEater still hadn't posted anything.

I'd figured he'd upload about crossing dimensions right away.

I tossed up a quick post, but everyone was in the dark.

FlapFlap had a hunch something was off.

I'd met FlapFlap, though.

Or maybe he was compiling all his research on dimension hopping before showing up?

Whatever, as a ghost account from an archmage, he's probably fine.

"Junior Ian?"

"...!!"

Whoa, startled me. Thought I'd been caught gallerying. Not that it matters.

Lost in thought, a voice suddenly pierced in, making me jump.

It was Student Council President Harisha.

Elrim was still over there bragging to Chayuri and Hisenna about her feats.

"Ah, President. Great job out there."

"You too. Stealing first place like that? Impressive."

"Sorry it turned out this way."

I felt kinda bad for Harisha.

In a way, I'd just swooped in and taken a bite from the table she'd set.

"Sorry for what? If anything, I'm the one reflecting. I got complacent thinking it would be that easy. Sigh."

Harisha rarely showed frustration like this.

But she quickly flashed her usual relaxed smile.

"I learned from this, so I'm satisfied. If no one had caught it, I'd have been more bummed. Don't worry, Junior Ian."

"Ah, glad to hear that. You were awesome this subjugation festival."

This wasn't just lip service for snatching the final blow.

Harisha's leadership had truly shone this time.

Gathering the cadets in that situation? No one but her could have done it.

I chatted with Harisha about this and that.

"Seriously. I think we need to conquer the skies too. I realized watching you, Junior Ian. Flight let you seize that last chance."

"If it's you, President, you could fly anytime you wanted."

"Hehe. Thanks. Hey, got a sec? Just until the awards."

Glancing at the screen area, Elrim was still talking up a storm.

Hisenna and Chayuri looked like they wanted to check out other spots.

"Yeah, nothing much on my plate."

"Then come with me a bit? Someone wants to meet you, Junior Ian."

"Me?"

"Not dangerous. I vouch for them."

She said that, but Harisha's expression was awkward.

If she'd come to drag me to someone, why bring it up now?

"...You sure it's okay?"

"...You're sharp, Junior Ian. To be honest, I'd prefer you didn't meet them, but I can't defy it. Your call. I guarantee no danger."

Who could make the student council president say that?

I pondered briefly before answering.

"I'll go."

Saying that, but if I refused, Harisha would be in a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bind too.

Probably one of the VIPs.

Come to think of it, I still hadn't met the second prince or Yuuna.

Had they not arrived at the venue yet?

"Then let's go, Junior Ian."

For now, I followed Harisha.

She led past the main stage where the awards would soon be held, to somewhere else.

It was a building midway between the academy's main gate and the subjugation field.

A place where outsiders waited sometimes, or VIPs lounged during events like this.

I think they were using the VIP lounge in this building too.

Harisha silently took me to the top floor,

and sure enough, it was the VIP lounge.

Used for dignitaries watching the subjugation.

Staff were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cleaning up.

But Harisha took me one floor higher.

Like a lounge above the lounge.

Up the stairs was an ornate, antique door.

"They're waiting inside."

"Who is it?"

"...You'll see when you go in. They'll head to the awards too, so it won't take long."

Less than an hour until the ceremony.

Didn't seem like it'd drag on.

"Then, be careful, Junior Ian."

"...?"

And Harisha left.

Safe, my ass. What to be careful of?

Her uncharacteristic attitude left me tilting my head.

Should be fine.

Heart pounding, I opened the door.

The antique door swung open smoothly with a heavy heft.

And inside.

"You've arrived. Ian Isaac."

Was an incredible woman.

In the same vein as Chayuri—incredible.

But unlike Chayuri, she wore a black dress that covered down to her calves, with a thigh-high slit.

Extremely tight, clinging to her body and revealing every curve perfectly.

So, who the hell was she?

"Hello. But who might you be..."

"...You don't know me?"

"No..."

She seemed to assume I'd know her on sight.

To be fair, she'd be unforgettable after one look. But really, first time seeing her.

"...How intriguing, Ian Isaac."

"..."

Who is she, seriously?

"I'm Isua Illimost."

She rose, hand on chest, bowing slightly in introduction.

Elegant and seductive.

Of course, first I'd heard the name.

But the surname was impossible to ignore.

"Illimost... Archmage Duchess...?"

"That's right."

"Eep, s-s-sorry! I had no idea...!"

"It's fine. Have a seat here?"

Archmage Duchess. A real one?

I hadn't heard she'd come.

Maybe she came without announcing to regular cadets?

Come to think, I'd heard something about the Illimost Archmage Duchess being unique.

With eight duchesses, I didn't remember details for each.

I knew she was a woman, but not that she'd be this stunning.

I sat where she indicated.

A large, plush sofa big enough for several people to sprawl.

"So, what brings you to me..."

I side-eyed the gallery, typing a post while asking.

I had zero connection to the Illimost Archmage Duchess.

No one related nearby either.

A bad vibe—more like prickling wariness.

Harisha guaranteed safety, so for now...

But relaying the convo to the gallery folks seemed wise.

Someone of archmage duchess level wouldn't say anything outright; meanings hidden in words.

Tense as hell—not because of her outfit or figure, of course—I waited for her words.

"No need to tense up. I just wanted to confirm something with you, Ian."

"Confirm...?"

"Yes. Just stay still..."

Then Isua slowly rose.

And shrugged off her thin cardigan over the dress.

Made it even harder to look.

But,

"Wait, Duchess—"

Isua flawlessly computed some unknown spell.

The moment she started channeling mana, I began computing mine,

but no way could I outpace an archmage duchess.

Her spell completed, and my body froze.

"Don't worry. It won't hurt if you stay still. No need to fret."

"What the...! Sh—"

Fuck, she said it wasn't dangerous.

Was Harisha in on it?

What the hell was she planning? Why target me?

"Stay still, Ian. I'm not going to hurt you."

Of course I didn't trust her—I started computing a spell.

In this close range, big magic risked me too.

Maybe shove her off with something like [Anvil Cloud's Updraft]—

A massive updraft erupted in the narrow room.

[Anvil Cloud's Updraft] could blast a person to the stratosphere, but had no destructive power otherwise.

Meaning it wouldn't wreck the academy's sturdy building.

But in this tight space, the air burst might push her back.

That was my arrogant miscalculation.

Naturally, the archmage duchess was leagues beyond me.

"Hmng..."

Shuuu—

Isua calmly computed another spell without panic.

The raging updraft vanished in an instant.

My spell hadn't even been enough to resist her hierarchy.

No options left? Shouldn't have trusted Harisha?

One choice remained.

I frantically posted to the gallery.

But,

"It'll be over quick, Ian."

What Isua did next was completely unforeseen.

Not attacking with another spell,

Physical assault—no, not magic, but a body slam.

Precisely, with me immobilized by her spell, Isua started climbing on top.

"Stay still, Ian..."

Isua straddled my thighs.

The firm yet soft, squishy feel of her thighs and hips pressed fully onto my legs.

She didn't stop there.

Isua pressed her entire body against mine.

Her arms wrapped fully around my upper body, burying my face in her chest.

Her stomach against mine, hips perfectly aligned and glued together.

Isua clung to me atop me, hugging so tight I could barely breathe.

Her seductive flesh scent was numbing my mind.

"M-Mmph—"

Face smothered in her chest, I couldn't even speak properly.

What the actual fuck was this?

Getting jumped?

Things were starting to feel weird.

I had no clue what was happening.

Anyway, first things first—