Inter-Year Tournament Preparations
"...From now on, you can stay here."
"..."
Lucille stared quietly at Iri.
...Meaning they'd be living together in this mansion from now on...
'...This is awkward.'
It was way too awkward.
To Lucille, Iri really did look like a fairy. Mysterious blue hair and blue eyes. And with her floating around in pajamas... honestly, it was hard to approach her.
...Was it that distinctive languid aura of hers?
But she soon shook her head.
'...Doesn't matter anyway.'
She just needed to get along with Iri well enough. At least enough not to cause trouble for Aren, her contractor and savior.
'...I'll live here from now on and slowly repay the favor.'
It hadn't even been a full day since they met, but she'd already received so much from him in that time. Freedom from those horrific experiments, and on top of that, a comfortable home to live in.
It was a debt she could spend her whole life repaying and still not cover.
With that, she clenched her fist alone.
'I need to become someone... no, a spirit who can help him.'
She had to successfully handle the organization management he'd asked her to take on. There was no overall blueprint yet, no new name for the group... but what mattered was that, for the first time, she'd been given a purpose in life after spending her whole existence locked in a cage.
"...I'll make it happen."
She'd create an organization solely for Aren.
That was the price of her salvation.
...As she steeled her resolve alone, the other children—who had also been Red Moon test subjects like her—approached.
"...Sis. We're gonna live here from now on...?"
"Yeah."
"No more people who hurt us?"
"Nope."
"...For real...?"
"For real."
There were none. No one would ever hurt them again.
In fact, their status had flipped in an instant with the existing Red Moon members.
"...From now on, just stay here. Pick a room, eat your fill, sleep, play, and dream about the future."
"We can do that?"
"Yeah. Our contractor... no, he gave permission."
"You mean that handsome big bro from earlier...?"
"Yeah. He saved us."
Lucille said as she stroked the girl's head.
Then she looked at the other kids behind her.
"Everyone, remember this. Someday, we have to repay him."
And so, the seeds of a certain loyal guard that would one day shake the entire continent beyond the Empire were sown.
Back at the Academy, Aren ran into Lydia before long.
"Huh...? Where've you been, Aren? I didn't see you all day today..."
A mix of delight and curiosity in her voice. Aren pulled her into a tight embrace.
Suddenly swept into Aren's arms, Lydia panicked hard.
"There were so many things today, Lydia..."
"What happened?"
"Yeah..."
He buried his face in the nape of her neck. He could feel her skin quiver as his hot breath touched it.
As Lydia flustered over his sudden move, she soon hugged him back.
"Was today tough?"
"Yeah... a lot happened."
He'd checked on Adelia's spirit, purged all the cultists around the capital, gotten ambushed by assassins—and on top of that, subjugated their organization. Oh, and he'd picked up a spirit girl as spoils of war(?), too.
Believe all that crammed into one day?
But Lydia didn't question it. She just gently stroked the head of the guy buried in her neck.
"Mmm... I see. Then forget everything and just stay in my arms for now, okay?"
...!
"Lydia... are you an angel?"
"Huh...?"
Lydia tilted her head, utterly baffled.
But Aren didn't care.
"You really know how to drive me crazy."
Right then, he hugged her even tighter and ramped up the skinship.
Burying his face in her embrace, inhaling her scent from her neck, giving it a little lick. Or sliding his hand down to cup her ass.
It was going way beyond simple fatigue-relief petting, but... so what?
Aren, savoring her body. Lydia, thrilled by her favorite guy's touch.
Neither hated it one bit.
Tingling from his mouth on her neck, Lydia let out a moan-laced voice.
"Hee-hee... Aren, you're such a baby today."
"...You're the one who made me this way, Lydia."
"...Is that so?"
"Yeah."
"Then... wanna stay like this a bit longer?"
"...Sounds good."
.
.
.
.
About ten minutes later, the two finally pulled apart.
Lydia's face was flushed, her breaths coming in excited pants.
"Ahem... Um, Lydia. Do you know where Veronica is right now?"
"Veronica? Hmm... probably in the clubroom with Sara-senpai."
"Got it."
Sara-senpai in the clubroom, huh...
As he pondered briefly, Lydia asked,
"You going to see her?"
"That's the plan, yeah."
She fiddled with her hair, looking shy.
"Mind if I tag along? I... wanna spend more time with you."
Her eyes full of expectation.
But Aren turned her down.
"No."
"...Huh?"
Her pupils shook at the unexpected refusal. He leaned in close to her ear.
"...Go back to the dorm, wash up right away, and wait for me. I'll come to your room later."
...
"......Oh."
Her face turned beet red as the meaning sank in.
A short whisper slipped from her lips.
"...Okay."
After sending Lydia back to the dorms, Aren headed to the clubroom.
'Wonder what they're up to.'
It was evening now, the sunset glowing. Two women sticking around the clubroom this late... maybe they were having a classy tea time or something. He muttered the joke to himself—and surprisingly, he nailed it.
"Oh? Junior?"
"...You."
The two, each holding teacups, looked at Aren, who they hadn't seen in a while.
"Having tea time here?"
"Hehe. Thought it'd be nice to have a cup with Veronica after so long."
"Makes sense. You two have known each other since you were kids, right?"
Aren slid naturally into the seat between Veronica and Sara.
"Got any for me?"
"Of course~."
Sara smiled warmly, got up, and went to brew him some tea.
Now it was just Aren and Veronica left at the table.
She sipped her tea quietly.
"Veronica."
"...What."
"The inter-year tournament's coming up soon, right?"
She froze.
"...Yeah."
"So Duke Adel Adler will probably show up to watch, huh?"
"...Probably. Though he might not. My father's... a wastrel, after all."
Even talking about her own dad, she didn't hold back.
It showed just how much she despised Duke Adel Adler.
"Either way, there's a chance he'll come."
"...Yeah."
Imagining the Duke showing up to spectate, her face stiffened slightly.
"That's why I'm thinking we restart training tomorrow. Like we promised, remember?"
Aren would help Veronica, and she'd break free from her suffocating family.
That was their deal.
"...Yeah. I remember."
She nodded slowly.
Aren patted her waist playfully.
She flinched and shot him a sharp glare.
"...Don't. This is the clubroom."
"So if it wasn't the clubroom, it'd be okay?"
Like the private training grounds, or a dorm room.
Veronica's face flushed a bit at his murmur.
But she quickly schooled her expression back to cool detachment.
"...I'm saying know your time and place. You're not some animal in heat. We're just... under contract, after all."
"Contract, huh... I hope the day comes when it's not just a contract anymore."
Maybe that day would come sooner than expected.
He wrapped his arm slyly around her waist, stroking the line like he might slip his hand under her clothes.
But...
"...Enough. I'm an idiot for even talking to you."
She stood, slapping his hand away.
"...Same time as last time, private training grounds?"
"That's right, but you're leaving already?"
"Yes."
With that, she left the clubroom.
Her back looked cold at a glance.
But look closer, and her ear tips were red.
'God, she's cute.'
Taming a slightly feral kitten? Not bad at all.
As he chuckled to himself, Sara approached with his teacup.
"What'd you say to make Veronica bolt like that, junior?"
"Nothing much. Just talked about the inter-year tournament."
"The inter-year tournament... yeah, it's coming up soon."
She slid the teacup toward him with a playful smile.
"Looks like you and I will be enemies~."
True. Sara-senpai was a second-year.
"Oh dear. If we face off, I won't hold back, so watch out?"
"What, you planning to hurt me?"
"Not hurt, just... get a little rough."
"Rough, huh..."
Sara trailed her finger along his forearm.
Then she flashed a seductive smile.
"I prefer being treated preciously, you know."
"Hmm... like this?"
Aren chuckled and pulled her waist close.
She let out a playful squeal, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Kyaa? Too rough, junior~"
"Oops. Maybe senpai's just too delicate?"
"Hehe. That's a nice thing to say. But women like it gentler, okay? Otherwise, no popularity for you, junior."
"Dunno..."
Aren thought of Lydia.
"Seems some girls like it rough no matter what."
"......Oh my."
Sensing something in his tone, Sara's cheeks tinted pink.
She murmured softly.
"...Still, I like gentle. Though... with you, junior, a little rough might be okay?"
"........."