Untying the Knot
I had deceived Estellia and skipped class.
In the end, Estellia puffed out her cheeks, pounded on my chest, and shouted.
*Thwack! Thwack!*
Oh my… she’s even giving me a reward.
"Seriously, you’re late! What are you going to do about this!"
"Can't be helped. Why don't you play with me, just the two of us, today?"
"Forget it! I’m going to class!"
Still sulking, Estellia eventually went to the dormitory to change out of her sweat-drenched uniform.
She had intended to head to her own dorm, but naturally, I led her to mine.
Caught in my grasp, she ended up staying in my room for quite a while.
"N-no, really, I can't. I have to attend this class…!"
In the end, Estellia managed to run away from me.
"Hmm… then what should I do with the remaining time."
The midterm results were already out.
I checked, and I was ranked 1st in the Magic Department.
Since the first-semester grade is a combination of midterms and finals, it’s still too early to say for sure.
Even if my rank were to be overturned in the middle, I’d still be at the top or runner-up.
Though, the top and runner-up spots will likely swap in the second year.
"Haaaah… I’ve got my illusion formation set up in class, so that should be fine… shall I see what Eileen is up to?"
Come to think of it, I didn’t know what kind of classes the Special Operations Department, where Eileen was, took.
I was curious about what she was doing, so I headed over immediately.
The Assault Department is next to the Vanguard Department.
The Magic Department is next to the Assault Department.
The Support Department is next to the Magic Department.
The Special Operations Department is next to the Support Department.
They are all lined up right next to each other.
The Magic Department is essentially in the middle.
"Is this the Special Operations building? It’s gloomy."
True to the name "Special Operations," it gave off a grim atmosphere.
It was so quiet I couldn’t even hear a sound.
*Click.*
Wondering if they were in the lecture hall, I stepped inside, but there was no one there.
It seemed they were having outdoor training.
However, there was no one at the outdoor training ground for the Special Operations Department.
I had seen through the window as I passed by since it was behind the building.
"Then, since the basement would be for professors or graduate students… is it upstairs?"
I didn't even know what the floor above the Magic Department was used for, yet here I was checking the Special Operations building first.
It was a bit strange, but I headed upstairs.
There were various classrooms, starting with storage rooms.
Just as I was wondering which room to enter, several voices drifted out from the 4th floor.
"Oh, is this the place?"
It was an enormous space that took up the entire 4th floor.
I entered, expecting it to be an auditorium, but it wasn't.
It was a space filled with countless partitions.
Fortunately, a seating chart was posted near the door.
"Oh… there’s a seating chart. Let’s see… Eileen, Eileen… here it is."
As expected of a commoner, she was assigned to the very back corner.
That’s a big thank you from me.
I passed through the maze of partitions and entered what I assumed to be Eileen's spot, where I saw Eileen tied up with rope.
"Ugh… how am I supposed to untie this…! My mana is being drained, too…!"
Eileen, bound by the ropes, was struggling to break free.
Naturally, since I had activated several *Talisman* charms, she couldn't detect my presence.
In the end, she twisted her body this way and that, trying to escape.
"Oh…? Oh my…?"
A white shirt and a black skirt.
That was our Academy uniform.
But as expected of our Eileen, being a commoner, she wasn't wearing the blue ribbon tie.
Of course, I don't wear one either.
Since she was alone inside the partition, it seemed she had started by unbuttoning the top button because it was hot, but…
Oh my, oh my… this is just too good.
"I’m going to… haa… how do I untie this! You damn…"
Eileen, moving on her own while on the verge of tears.
*Kyaa*, this is gourmet. Pure gourmet.
Looking at the timer hanging in front of her, the allotted time was 12 hours.
And the remaining time was a whopping 8 hours.
She must have been trying to find a way out for 4 hours, but she hadn't managed to escape yet.
Looking around, only a few kids had untied themselves; the rest were in a similar situation to Eileen.
'How do they take care of their business?'
I guess that’s why they have individual rooms… or so I thought.
Whether she had a stye or something, she was even wearing a white eye patch, so it was, well…
Seeing her bound by red ropes made me want to tease her.
"Hello?"
"Eeeek!"
Eileen shrieked in surprise at my sudden appearance.
Since she was prone to being startled, I had placed a *Sound-Sealing Talisman* just in case.
After she screamed and realized the situation, she finally covered her mouth.
"I put a *Sound-Sealing Talisman* on."
"Haa… seriously… why are you here… wait. Since when…?"
"Hmm… it’s fine, dear. You can just marry me."
"You… you… you crazy pervert! Hey! Who are you! How much did you see!"
For your information, it’s almost summer, so it’s a bit hot.
She had been struggling hard, so she was putting a lot of effort into cooling herself down.
She looks hot, so should I help her out?
"Here… it’s a *Freezing Talisman*. I’ll do just a little bit."
"Hey! Answer… h-hueee… it’s cool…"
She had been steaming from the heat, but she started rubbing her body against the *Freezing Talisman* in my hand.
Heat is truly dangerous like this.
And not long after, Eileen came to her senses, her face turning incredibly red.
"Hiiing… you bad guy… you tried to take advantage of me while I was defenseless! I will never fall for it!"
"Who was the one rubbing against it… hey, don't you see the sweat on your arm? This is all your breas—"
"Kyaaaaak! Shut up! You crazy bastard!"
I tried to tell her where that sweat came from, and Eileen had a fit.
No, I don't know why she's acting like that when she was the one rubbing against it.
Eventually, after screaming for a while, she said quietly.
"Hey… can you untie this for me?"
"That won't do. I can't hinder your growth!"
"Tsk, acting like you care about me only at times like this! Please act for my sake for once! Don't just talk about marriage all the time!"
"Understood! I will act for your sake!"
"…Eh?"
I manipulated the ropes and loosened them slightly.
Eileen stood there blankly, as if she hadn't expected me to actually untie the ropes.
"Thank you! Then I’ll be going…"
"Where do you think you’re going?"
*Grab.*
I caught her as she tried to run away and pulled her into my arms.
"Eh…?"
Then, I tightened the ropes again.
Since I had the *Freezing Talisman* in my embrace, she would feel cool like this.
I’m just keeping her close so she doesn't get overheated!
"W-wait! You could just stick me to the wall!"
"I can't do that. If you’re going to rub against a wall, rub against me."
"You were the one complaining about me rubbing against it earlier!"
"I never said I hated it."
Eileen eventually gave up.
But there was one thing she hadn't thought through properly.
It was past lunchtime, so it wasn't the hottest time of the day.
However, the temperature had already risen enough to heat up the entire building.
Even the people around us were groaning, saying they were going to die.
*Rub… rub…*
"Keep your hips still."
"W-what! You didn't hug me for this!"
"Ahem…"
*Smack!*
"Hiiik…!"
Unfortunately, since she was pressed against the ropes, my hand was in the front.
I had nowhere else to hit, so I smacked her thigh.
But smacking it, it felt so firm and delicious.
"Ugh… why are you suddenly touching my thigh!"
"It feels cool and nice, doesn't it?"
"…"
My body wasn't cold anymore, thanks to the *Freezing Talisman*, but it was refreshing.
Imagine having a doll that’s perfectly cool in a sauna like this.
Wouldn't you want to just pull it into a hug?
In the end, Eileen didn't resist my touch.
"Hey… stay still. Don't move."
"Yeah."
Perhaps it wasn't enough, Eileen pulled her legs together.
*Kya*… this situation, with my arms tightening around the thighs of a black-haired beauty, is delicious in itself.
It’s tasty!
Feeling cool, Eileen lost the strength in her body and slid down.
I caught the underside of her thighs with my hands to be considerate.
*Grab.*
"H-hand…! You’re too close!"
"I caught you so you wouldn't slide down, why are you making a fuss?"
She tried to hurry back up, but she had already lost all her strength.
She told me to take my hand off, but I had no reason to.
My hand had been still, and she was the one who slid down.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm… come on, come on. Cheer up. Cheer up! Strength! Cheer up, strength!"
"Ugh… don't tease me! Don't tease me! Die! Diiieee!"
Is it thanks to the power of my cheering?
She exerted strength for a moment and hurried back up.
Unfortunately, the warm spot had left my hand.
"But you have so much sweat? It’s damp."
"…Shut up."
Hmmmm… this, this…
"Don't tell me…"
"I said shut up! Air conditioner, stay quiet!"
In the end, I decided to keep her private secret.
It’s truly nice to be stuck together like this.
Since I was staying still, Eileen, perhaps bored, opened her mouth.
"By the way, what are you going to do now?"
"About what?"
"The spy."
"Ah… wouldn't the characters in the story catch them on their own? I’m not really paying attention to it…"
Eileen had told me the fact that there was a spy within the Academy.
But I didn't really care.
Since it’s a character who gets caught in the original story, they’ll be caught once time passes.
"But she’s incredibly pretty. A total beauty."
"Wait. I’m interested now. Who is it?"
"Damn it… do you want to die? You were telling me to marry you just a moment ago! Hey!"
"Ahem… your voice is too loud."
"Hiiik! H-hand…! Sorry… I’m sorry!"
Hmm, she’s apologizing this much, wouldn't it be better to let it slide just once?
In the end, I returned my hand to its original position and listened to what she had to say.
"The spy is a 2nd-year in the Support Department, one year older than Elessia."
Why did she, a 2nd-year, turn into a spy?
It’s because she’s a fallen noble.
She had used all of her family’s wealth to pay the tuition fees up to the 4th year of the Academy in advance.
But the problem was that she had no money.
In the end, she was delivering information to the Black Mages for money.
"But in the side story, it says that after she goes to prison, she suffers terrible things from the Black Mages! So, it hasn't happened yet!"
"Oh, really?"
"I’m telling you! So you should try to win her over! They say that person is extremely competent, too!"
"In that case… I should turn her into a machine that can create the *Causality Potion*! Wouldn't it be enough to just dig into that until I die?"
If she’s an alchemist coveted by Black Mages and demons, it might be possible.
In the end, I left Eileen, who still had 16 hours left, untied the ropes, and tied her back to the wall.
"Hmm… wasn't it not like this?"
"Hiiik…! H-hand! Why is your hand…!"
"Wait a minute. I’m tying the ropes for you."
Lacking talent in rope-tying, I only left the Special Operations building after spending an hour properly tying her up.
When I stepped out, it was already a dark night.
On a night like this, it’s enough to carry out my plan.
"*Stealth Talisman*."
I activated the *Talisman* and headed straight for the Support Department’s female dormitory.
Since she said she had no money, surely she wouldn't be eating dinner out, right?
She’d be cooking it herself.
Since I knew her name, it would be easy.
As I entered the dormitory…
"Found you."