Secret

"...A special guest professor?"

"Yes. If Your Grace wouldn't mind, I'd like you to lecture in the Knight Faculty for about a month. What do you say?"

Endless leaned in as she spoke, presenting a pair of colossal breasts I estimated at a J-cup.

It was a rather sudden proposal. I closed my eyes, fighting down an erection as I sank into thought.

She wants me to stand in front of students and lecture.

Not an offer I could accept without a second thought. The advice ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd given Luke before had drawn on knowledge from the original novel — I had no particular confidence in actually teaching anyone. And if I took the lectures, I couldn't phone them in. I'd have to prepare properly, which sounded like a hassle in its own right.

More to the point — why has Endless taken an interest in me at all? We hadn't had any real connection until now.

I cracked my eyes open.

"I'm not sure. I'll need to think it over. That said, I am curious why you'd make such an offer to me."

"Because Your Grace's performance at the Sword-Magic Festival left such a deep impression."

Endless crossed her legs as she answered, the motion casual and unhurried. Her revealing dress laid bare the line running from her slender calves to her plump, full thighs, and like a butterfly seeking nectar, my gaze drifted unconsciously toward the space between them.

Shut up. You're in no position to talk.

I retorted coldly and tore my gaze from Endless's thighs. I didn't think it had been this bad when I'd first transmigrated. Strangely, it felt like my lust had been boiling hotter with each passing day. At this rate, I might shove all my plans aside and fall into a life of doing nothing but screwing women every single day. Then I'd be well and truly fucked — in every sense of the word.

As if to resolve my doubts, a mysterious, crystalline voice delivered a message into my mind.

...

You've got to be kidding me. No wonder something had felt off — this was running in the background the whole time? The sheer gall of activating an effect this obscene without so much as asking me was staggering.

Someday I really need to have a word with whatever's sending these messages into my head.

"Hmm. Could it be that my proposal wasn't to your liking?"

"Ah, forgive me. I was lost in thought for a moment. More to the point — when you mention my performance at the Sword-Magic Festival, are you referring to the finals and the battle with the Magic Tower Master?"

"That's right. In particular, the way Your Grace rescued ten thousand people from the Magic Tower Master left a profound impression. I would so love for the students at the Academy to learn that spirit and that strength from you... What do you think?"

Perhaps she'd read the look on my face. Endless's tone had grown careful. I listened, quietly stroking my chin.

So that was it. I'd been wondering what had drawn her attention, and it was that incident at the Sword-Magic Festival. Even so, she was being far too earnest for a simple request to take a teaching post. Did she have some secret she was keeping?

Not that she'd give me a straight answer if I asked her now. But as someone who'd read the original novel, I had a fairly good idea of what Endless was after. She likely wanted to join forces with me to prevent the resurrection of that thing in the western continent. The professorship was a preliminary step — a way to take a closer look at me and build a rapport.

Let's see. A month would fit perfectly before the northern arc begins... I could take it on without too much pressure.

Going to the Academy would mean seeing the heroines more often, which wasn't a bad prospect. And if luck was on my side, I might even expand my faction while I was there.

Having settled on my answer, I was about to give Endless my acceptance — when my eyes met Liliana's.

She looked at me and smiled, a soft crinkle at the corners of her eyes. Whatever choice I made, she would follow. That was what it seemed to say.

Vanessa had mentioned a few days ago that even while staying at the mansion, Liliana's family still wanted her to graduate from the Academy, which had put her in a rather difficult position. In that case, I couldn't forget to look after her as well.

After sharing a long, meaningful look with her, I turned to Endless.

"I'll accept the professorship. However, I have a condition."

"A condition? And what would that be?"

"I'd like you to see to it that Miss Liliana here is able to graduate from the Academy."

"Lord Behirith?"

Liliana's eyes went round. I gave her a small look, then continued.

"She's a first-year student in the Magic Faculty who happened to form a connection with me, and she now works as my aide. As a result, attending the Academy has become rather difficult. I would appreciate it if you, as Headmistress, would use your influence so that she can graduate."

"Liliana Mayflower... the top student of the first-year Magic Faculty. Hmm."

Endless glanced toward Liliana, then folded her arms and sank into thought. Those violently enormous breasts — massive enough to convert even Gandhi himself to a doctrine of aggression — compressed under the pressure of her folded arms. After a brief moment of consideration, she spoke with refreshing candor.

"Very well. If that's what Your Grace wishes, I'll see to it. As for the details — lecture hours, compensation, and so on — just let me know your preferences later and I'll accommodate them fully."

"Excellent. I'll be in your care, then."

"The pleasure is mine. And I nearly forgot to say — as the Guardian Dragon, I thank you for saving the Empire's people. Truly."

Endless shook my hand, her expression more serious than it had been all evening. Come to think of it, this woman had more than a few reasons to be grateful to me. I'd saved Academy students on multiple occasions. I'd rescued the imperial citizens the Magic Tower Master had taken hostage. I'd purged Albireo's faction as it threw the Empire into chaos — and now I was even accepting her offer to teach at the Academy.

I was working this hard for the Empire's peace. At this point, shouldn't the Guardian Dragon be repaying me with her body?

"Hah."

I'd lost my mind. To be thinking something like that. I let out a heavy sigh and shook the thought away.

"Your Grace?"

"It's nothing. In any case, to receive the Guardian Dragon's gratitude is an honor."

"Ah... yes."

Endless answered, looking faintly bewildered, and tilted her head. Damn. For someone as pure as me to be having thoughts this filthy. The libido increase from that trait was truly terrifying.

What's that supposed to mean?

Listen to this girl, talking back to her master. Vowing to punish the insolent Ego Sword later, I pushed down my lust with the mindset of a monk banishing worldly desire.

"Let's depart for the Academy in a week. There's something I need to collect first."

"Ah, wonderful. I'll be in your care until then."

"?"

"Is something the matter?"

"Aren't you returning to the Academy?"

"Oh my. I came to fetch Your Grace, so of course we'll go back together."

She said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Ah, I see. That's the obvious thing, is it. Watching her address me so consistently politely, I'd briefly forgotten she was a willful dragon.

Well, that worked out. Honestly, I'd been a fan of hers to begin with. If we could grow closer over a week of living together, that was actually what I'd hoped for. I gave Endless a slight nod of assent.

If we talk now and then while she's staying at the mansion, we should be able to grow closer.

Shut it.

Cheonryeo's hopeless remark left me faintly dizzy. It was a thought that occurred to me every time this happened: when Dunkel created Cheonryeo, had he perhaps indulged in a few dirty thoughts of his own? Otherwise there was no explaining how this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lust-crazed Ego Sword had come into existence.

They say a daughter takes after her father. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Perhaps Dunkel was a masochistic pervert.

...

I shook my head hard, trying to dislodge the blood-curdling thought. I felt as though I'd uncovered one of Dunkel's unspeakable secrets.

Some time later, Endless was shown to the guest chambers under Vanessa's guidance.

"Mind if I hold your hand for a moment? A truly horrifying thought just occurred to me."

"Ah, yes. You can hold it as long as you like..."

I took Liliana's hand and soothed my frightened heart.

After the conversation had ended, inside the guest chamber of the Divelion Mansion.

"Phew... I was so nervous I thought I'd die. It didn't show, did it?"

Endless — she of the hair and eyes that mirrored the sky — gazed out the window and let out a long breath. If she had to summarize her meeting with the Grand Duke in a single line, it would be this: a shock, from start to finish.

That face, decadent and lethally beautiful. A low, resonant voice that set her heart pounding on sheer instinct. And a strength so vast she couldn't begin to fathom its limits — even standing before him, she could scarcely believe it.

Was he truly human? Could he possibly be a polymorphed dragon, like herself...?

"Hehe. Honestly. My imagination really does run away with me."

Of the dragons remaining on the continent, there were only two, herself included. One of them slept in the west. The idea was an absurd leap of logic.

"Even so, he really is remarkable. To think he even possessed the Heavenly Demon Sword."

During their conversation in the drawing room, that black blade she'd given a few idle taps. It was unmistakably the Heavenly Demon Sword that had thrown the Empire into an uproar years ago. To subdue that infamous cursed blade and make it his own... yes. Her judgment had not been wrong.

A will so steadfast it would not be swept away by demonic energy. A strength so great that even she, the Guardian Dragon, could not guarantee victory if they clashed. With him, she thought, they could succeed in slaying Crasstus — the calamity of the western continent, the Mad Dragon sealed away by the founding emperor.

To slay that creature, I'll need heroes I can trust absolutely. We failed in the previous era, but this time... this time, I can see a real chance.

Luke Stareil, a mere first-year at the Academy, yet already standing at the very peak of Sword Graduate. Grand Duke Behirith, a fully realized Sword Master — no, perhaps even beyond that. If they joined forces with the other heroes as well, they would be able to attempt Crasstus's subjugation in the not-too-distant future.

"Still, I never expected the Grand Duke to be quite so fond of women. How surprising."

Recalling that sticky gaze that had licked over her body the entire time, Endless wrapped both arms around her breasts. Did he think she wouldn't notice? She was the Guardian Dragon of the Empire, I'll have you know. No matter if he was a Sword Master — when a gaze gnawed and sucked at her here and there, over and over like that, of course she would notice.

"And yet, strangely enough... it didn't feel all that unpleasant."

To look upon her — a being whose power all the world feared — as nothing more than a female. How long had it been since anyone had gazed at her that way?

No... in all the long years since the day she was born, was this perhaps the first time?

Of course, for now it was merely curiosity. But perhaps, she thought, that curiosity might only grow from here.

A faint, crescent smile touched Endless's lips. She did not, however, notice that her nipples had grown slightly hard.