Eros's Misunderstanding
The warm spring sunlight bathed Valkyrie Island. Located at the southernmost tip of the continent, this place maintained a pleasantly mild temperature year-round. Thanks to that, it was also a region where many rare specialties difficult to find elsewhere on the continent were cultivated. However, Valkyrie Island was currently operating as an academy for the education of hatchlings.
—Ah, this feels great. How long has it been since we had a weekend?
—It's only been a week. Time's crawling by like crazy.
—Still, this century might be bearable. The cafeteria food keeps getting better.
—Plus, once we move up a grade, we'll finally get to use the rest lounge, right?
—Huu, I'm just happy I can sunbathe like this-♡
It was a quiet weekend afternoon at the academy. Students were granted only two days of free time per week. Most spent it enjoying leisure or taking care of personal matters.
—Tap, tap, tap!
—Thud, thud, thud…!
—Pitter-patter…!
Yet three young ladies were moving far more busily than anyone else, hurrying through the academy grounds.
“Is this really the right way-?”
“Howawa? This path leads to the main building……”
“I'm not sure. I'm simply following the lingering traces of Breeder's presence. I wonder why he headed toward the main building.”
Unlike the other students peacefully enjoying their weekend, these three wore urgent expressions.
“Haa? What is going on here? A servant shouldn't even be allowed inside, so why……?”
The three young ladies walking side by side came to a halt in front of the academy's main building entrance. They all wore puzzled looks, trying to guess where Breeder had suddenly disappeared to.
“Senior Sofia? Why did you stop so suddenly?”
“Don't tell me you can sense big brother's presence inside-?!”
“No. It's the opposite. What on earth……?”
Among them, Sofia muttered with the most bewildered expression, her face filled with disbelief.
“Howawa…? What do you mean by that?”
“Does it mean Breeder oppa suddenly vanished-?!”
“Yes, exactly as Derke said.”
""……?!"
At Sofia's words, everyone finally showed shocked expressions. They had been searching everywhere for traces of Breeder, only for his presence to suddenly vanish?
“Breeder's presence just cut off right here. How is something like this even possible……?”
None of them could hide their bewilderment at the unbelievable situation. Yet just as Sofia said, Breeder's presence had indeed been severed precisely at this spot. It was something that should have been impossible unless he had sunk into the ground or soared into the sky.
—Shhhhk……
Even the halo shining over Sofia's shoulder began to dim. This faint light reflected her anxious and confused state of mind.
Am I dreaming right now? Breeder's traces have completely vanished? I was already uneasy because the presence was so faint……
‘Besides, how far away must he be for even the Dragon Heart's resonance to still not reach me……?’
Sofia muttered with a grave expression in front of the main building where only faint traces remained. It was something she simply could not accept. How could a human like him have so quickly escaped the Dragon Heart's detection range and disappeared without a trace?
“My beloved Breeder would never abandon me and—”
“Sluuuuurp-!!! The sap I drink while on duty…… It's criminally delicious-!”
"""……?!"""
Just then, a husky voice rang out.
—Slurp! Suck, slurp…!
A long tree branch was strolling on two legs in front of the main building entrance, sucking on a straw stuck into a canteen.
“…Hey, Indrago?”
“Gahack…?! Cough! Keck-! What brings you young ladies to the main building?! And on a weekend, no less……?”
When Sofia spoke to him as if grasping at straws, Indrago responded in a startled voice. It made sense—on weekends, aside from staff, students rarely set foot in the main building. Everyone was busy enjoying their own free time.
“It's nothing much… Have you seen Breeder today by any chance?”
“Gahack…?! B-Breeder?”
“Yes. Have you seen him at all?”
“Ah, I saw him a few hours ago…!”
“R-Really?! Do you know where Breeder is right now-?!”
At the unexpected news, Sofia rushed toward Indrago with a startled expression and shook his trunk. She wanted him to answer quickly.
“A while ago he went with some second-year young ladies…! He said he was joining them on patrol duty-!”
Indrago answered in a trembling voice, his few remaining leaves shaking precariously as if about to fall.
“Is that true? Why would Breeder join patrol duty……?”
“Hey, firewood pile! Don't tell me you skipped your shift and made the mutt cover for you?!”
“…If that's what happened, Derke won't forgive you-!”
At the news of Breeder being sent on duty, the other young ladies rushed forward as well, all wearing worried expressions for his safety.
“I-It wasn't like that! He volunteered to go with the second-year young ladies! Plus, we just got a report from the outpost…!”
“W-Wait…! If it's second-years on patrol duty, then could it be……?”
“Raylin? Do you have an idea?”
“Yes! It was canceled yesterday, but today was originally the day I was supposed to lead the second-years on patrol. So why is the mutt taking my place as the senior…?”
“Is that true-?!”
“Right, it was supposed to be the day I explained patrol duty to Sonya and Eros.”
“Huaa-?! Maybe he's getting distracted by something else again-!”
""──?!"
At Derke's sharp guess, Sofia and Raylin momentarily lost their words. Their expressions hardened instantly. Though they all wore disbelieving looks, imagining Breeder getting cozy with the second-year juniors made them feel uneasy.
—Thud!
Just then—
“Howaa-?! S-Senior?!”
“Are you alright-?!”
Sofia suddenly collapsed to the ground as if her legs had given out. And no wonder……
—Throb! Throb…!
How is this possible? The Dragon Heart suddenly resonating? Could this mean……?
A sharp pain throbbed in Sofia's heart.
“…W-We don't have time to stand around like this! Something must have happened to Breeder!”
Sofia could instinctively sense the ominous sign. Something had happened to Breeder, who was connected to her through the Dragon Heart.
“Huh? Senior, what do you suddenly mean by—”
“Raylin?! I'm sorry, but could you fly us along the patrol route? As fast as possible…!!!”
Mental interference detected within the body.
The accumulated Dragon Heart (Light attribute) has reacted.
—Throb! Throb!
At the same time, a sudden tightness gripped his chest. An alien pressure pressed down on his heart. His blood flow quickened and his heart rate increased. The Dragon Heart was reacting in real time.
The Dragon Heart (Light attribute) purifies the mental interference.
Light's purification has recovered all abnormal status effects.
‘Suddenly it's talking about Light's purification?’
As expected of a Light-attribute Dragon Heart. This clearly meant Eros had tampered with the fruit.
“Kukukuk-♡”
“……?”
Eros stared at me with a satisfied expression, giggling. The moment I finished swallowing the fruit, she changed her expression to something sly and approached me.
“As expected of someone who's not half-bad~? It was way easier than I thought. With this, Breeder-sensei is mine-♡”
What the heck is this girl saying? Something feels seriously off. The atmosphere suggests she's about to pounce on me at any moment.
And sure enough—
—Clatter…!
Eros tossed her punitive mace to the ground and suddenly threw herself into my arms. The girl who had jumped into my embrace buried her face against my neck.
“Sniff sniff sniff…! I've been smelling the male scent since before patrol duty started-♡ It was so hard holding back from this rich body odor~♡”
“Um… Miss Eros?”
“Huuung♡ What is it~? Can't you hold back anymore because you've fallen for me too? Still, we should keep things in order♡”
“……?”
Eros was clearly under a serious misunderstanding. Still clinging to me, she suddenly lifted her head and puckered her lips. Her eyes were tightly shut, as if shy.
“Come on, kiss me as deeply as you love me. Hurry, before Sonya comes back-♥”