Affectionate Acts Due to a Deal
Affectionate Acts Due to a Deal
".....Alright. I'll make the deal."
"I see."
Even though I said I'd make the deal, he showed a lukewarm reaction for some reason.
Just as I was wondering why he was acting like that, he himself began to state the reason.
"I didn't expect you to accept the offer so easily."
"What?"
He made the offer himself, but now he's saying something like that, it was truly absurd.
What on earth is the problem that he's reacting like that?
Did he want me to glare and get annoyed?
"If you're so disappointed, let's just forget about it. If you're done, get out."
Honestly, men hitting on me was just extremely annoying, but it wasn't something I'd pay a price to ask for.
Because Jerad's proposed price didn't seem that inconvenient, I simply accepted.
So, even though I knew it was a disadvantage for me, I only gave in just once, but if the reaction I get back is disappointment, there's no need for me to make the deal.
"Don't be too upset."
"............What kind of bullshit is that again?"
What the hell does this bastard want?
Whenever I talk to this guy, I sometimes think that our contexts never align at all.
"I just, hoped that you weren't too easy of a woman."
"............If I'm an easy bitch, what can you do about it?"
As expected, Jerad's reaction was so obvious it was visible.
Even if it's a contractual relationship, he's one of those so-called "harem-lovers" who wants the woman he's claimed to have no interaction with other men.
Doesn't he know that he's already rumored to be a crazy scoundrel who's been sleeping around with commoner female students in the academy?
It's clearly a contractual relationship, and there's no clause about cheating on each other or having to engage in public displays of affection.
Yet, seeing him try to tie me down like that, he probably wants to bind me like that Mark bastard.
My appearance and figure were hard to find even in this world where a beautification mod was installed.
"I'll be heading back now."
"I wish you'd just get lost."
Jerad glanced at my expression, then immediately turned around.
And just before leaving—
"Look forward to it, I've thought of a way to satisfy your perverted tastes and at the same time, get rid of other guys' advances."
Saying that, he closed the front door and left.
"..................."
How can he be so rude and have such a shitty way of speaking?
I felt that my personality had mellowed out a lot recently, but today, it felt like my old personality was returning.
"............Crazy bastard."
As I had probably expected, it didn't seem like it would end with just showing off or boasting to his acquaintances.
Did I make the deal for nothing?
I was slightly, just very slightly, uneasy.
What kind of crazy method did that bastard come up with to speak so confidently?
Honestly, whatever it is, as long as Master-nim doesn't hear about it.
It's not like I intended to make such close and deep friendships like Mari here at the Magic Academy.
##
The next day.
"Ah."
I habitually ended up coming to the usual place.
The identity of that place was the entrance right before entering the academy.
If you ask why coming here was a habit, it was because this was the promised place where I always met Lady Ehiton before going into the classroom for lessons.
As soon as I realized that, I immediately went inside the building.
Anyway, since Lady Ehiton and I were nothing to each other now, there was no need to wait.
Lady Ehiton wasn't even there in the first place.
And on that day, someone was watching from behind, holding their breath.
##
-Thump.
'Hmm.....'
As I entered the classroom for the first lesson, countless gazes turned towards me.
It wasn't something I particularly needed to care about, so I lightly ignored them and looked around for a place to sit.
Where should I sit?
Normally, I would have sat right next to Lady Ehiton, who always came in with me, but now, sitting next to her would be a bit awkward, wouldn't it?
As I looked around, I found a seat that wasn't too far and was appropriately separated from other students.
Fearing someone might take it, just as I was about to quickly walk over and sit down—
"Let's go together, Lunia."
Suddenly, someone spoke to me from behind.
The voice was familiar enough that I knew who it was without being told.
'.....Sigh, fine. That was part of the contract, so I have to endure it.'
I was briefly fed up with Jerad's actions, which never let me rest for even a single day, but as soon as I recalled the terms of the deal I'd discussed with Jerad yesterday, I didn't say anything.
So I started walking again, and soon Jerad walked beside me. And at that moment, he put his arm around my shoulder—
-Grab!
"Hngh?!"
Suddenly, this crazy bastard grabbed my chest.
"W-what are you doing.....!"
It wasn't just the two of us, and with most of the students watching, he was groping my chest.
Only then did I realize.
Just before Jerad left yesterday, what he meant by a way to satisfy my perverted tastes and get rid of men's advances.
'T-this is all he's going to do.....!'
I tried to push his hand away with all my might, but whether I was weak or Jerad was strong, his forearm didn't budge an inch.
All the surrounding gazes began to gather.
Some men looked at Jerad with envious eyes, and some men began to stare at my chest with eyes that clearly suggested it would feel good to touch.
Was that what he meant?
That solving my perverted tastes meant doing such lewd acts in front of others.
".....Haa."
'So this is why he made the deal to pretend to be my boyfriend in front of others.'
And my shock didn't end there.
I thought he would stop groping my chest once we got to our seats, but Jerad stubbornly followed me to my seat and kept his hand on my shoulder.
Just then, at the classroom entrance, Lady Ehiton, who seemed to have just arrived, began to appear.
Lady Ehiton, who would normally have smiled and greeted me, saw Jerad's arm resting on my shoulder, and flinched as if startled.
'.....Ugh. T-this might be a bit embarrassing.....'
To think I had to show this side of myself to Lady Ehiton of all people.
".................."
But Lady Ehiton, perhaps remembering what I had done to her, couldn't readily speak to me.
As the awkward standoff lengthened a bit, Jerad suddenly put strength into the arm draped over my shoulder and pulled me closer,
-Thud.
Without any resistance, I ended up falling into Jerad's embrace.
The feeling that it was an action to show off his female, like a male animal, was probably not a mistake.
At that moment, Lady Ehiton's eyebrows furrowed sharply.
And Jerad didn't stop there,
-Squeeze!
"Hngh?!"
As he squeezed my chest as if wringing it, the sudden sensation made a moan escape my lips without my realizing it.
I tried to cover my mouth as quickly as possible, but everyone in this classroom must have already heard it.
Spilled water cannot be picked up, and whether it was because of the Book of Oaths, or because my mind went blank in this situation, I don't know, but I couldn't resist Jerad's touch until the end.
At that, Lady Ehiton's expression completely turned into one of shock.
What did that expression mean?
Shock that I was doing something so lewd in such a public place?
Or perhaps a sense of betrayal that I, who hated Jerad so much, had somehow allowed him to touch my body?
At Lady Ehiton's expression and gaze, I ultimately couldn't bear it and turned my face away.
I couldn't sit in the seat I wanted, and ended up being dragged to the very back of the classroom, following Jerad.
And just before Jerad took me away, he said something to Lady Ehiton. The content was—
"Thank you, Ehiton b*tch—no, Lady Ehiton. Thanks to you, Lunia has become so obedient. Kukuk."
What Jerad said wasn't entirely accurate, but his tone subtly hid the truth.
To fully unpack Jerad's words, it meant that thanks to Lady Ehiton's action of pushing me away, I made a deal with him to stop men from hitting on me, and as a result of that deal, I started acting obediently.
Since the truth was so subtly twisted, I couldn't deny it.
There was Jerad's intervention, and I had also turned my face away, so in the end, I couldn't face Lady Ehiton's expression until the very end.
What would Lady Ehiton's expression have been like?
I, who had betrayed her trust, had ended up like that with a man I hated, so would she have worn an expression of relief or schadenfreude?
Or would she have looked at me with disgust, for using my body like a commodity as a woman?
Amidst all that, if there was one thing for sure, it was how humiliating the students' lustful gazes, looking down at me, were.
It was certain that my body was aroused by their gazes.