Twisted Development (4)
“...You’re back.”
It was quite late by the time I finally made it back to the dormitory. And the reason? Undoubtedly Professor Adria, who was thoroughly drunk.
Especially since she’d shot down my perfectly reasonable suggestion to use a detoxification spell and sober up right away.
“Master, you’re home!”
“Yeah...”
She’d insisted on savoring the buzz, throwing a little tantrum that dragged things out even longer...
“Haa...”
Which meant I’d ended up going out of my way to escort the clingy professor all the way home—a hassle I didn’t need.
“Welcome back! You’re a bit late, aren’t you?”
By then, the moon hung high in the sky, marking the depth of night.
“You must be tired. If you have any luggage, let me take it.”
As I stepped through the entrance, Eily greeted me at the door with a beaming smile, like a loyal dog awaiting its owner.
“Uh, yeah... Things just ran a little late.”
“It’s fine! Let me take your coat... Huh?”
But her welcoming smile faded in an instant. As she took my outer coat, she wrinkled her nose.
“Sniff sniff... Hmm... Master...?”
With a suspicious look, like a detective examining clues, she sniffed the scent on my clothes.
“Did you stop by a tavern...?”
So she’d noticed the smell after all? She’d zeroed in on it immediately. Carrying Adria around like that must’ve soaked my clothes in booze.
“Yeah, ran into an acquaintance by chance. Just had the one drink.”
I answered honestly. No reason to lie.
“I... I see...?”
But for some reason, at the mention of the tavern, Eily’s pupils trembled faintly, as if in shock.
“Urgh...”
What was that expression? A mix of rage and sorrow... pure indignation. Her shoulders even shook at the thought of me meeting someone at a bar.
“Eily?”
“Y-Yes...!”
I called her name as she seemed lost in thought, dazed. She snapped to attention with a start, lifting her head.
“Ah... R-Right! You must be tired. I’ve drawn a bath for you!”
The awkward air didn’t last. She flashed her usual bright smile and pointed toward the bath, saying the water was ready.
“Perfect timing. I’ll bathe and hit the hay early tonight.”
“Yes! I’ll prepare a change of clothes too!”
The unease from moments ago vanished like a lie. Maybe it was just my imagination? But no—those expressions had been all too vivid.
...Weird.
A strange feeling lingered ironically in my mind, nagging at me all the way to the bathroom.
… …
“Ahh...”
“Master? Is the temperature alright?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
A moment later, as Arnold slipped into the bath, Eily checked on him from beyond the door.
“Understood.”
Relieved by his satisfied voice, she stepped away from the bathroom.
“...”
Now that his gaze couldn’t reach her...
“Haa...”
She picked up the outer clothes he’d discarded.
“Snnniff...”
Without a hint of hesitation—no, in her frantic state, too caught up to even realize how embarrassing it was—she buried her face in Arnold’s clothes.
“Haa...”
Sniffing boldly once more, Eily’s eyes soon filled with hatred.
“Ngh...!”
“Ahh, Master...”
Of course. His clothes reeked not just of alcohol, but of someone else’s scent entirely.
“As I thought...”
Not his, not hers—a third party’s. And Eily realized it belonged to a woman.
“You met a woman.”
Arnold had only said it was an acquaintance. But the sweet, subtle fragrance wasn’t masculine.
“...!”
Instinct kicking in, she ground her teeth silently. She couldn’t contain her fury.
Her master, heading to a tavern at night with some unknown woman... It was a nightmare scenario for her.
“...I hate it.”
But in the end, Eily could only torment herself alone. She had no right to interfere.
Whoever Arnold met, whoever he ended up with... she was just a mere maid. The thought crushed her.
“It hurts...”
Yet the disgust screaming in her heart was an undeniable black lump. Like an incurable disease—something she couldn’t ignore or deny, only suffer through. It plunged her deeper into despair.
“Master...”
Eily called his name wistfully, slowly gazing up at the ceiling. Desperation mingled with faint resentment in her eyes.
“Am I... not fit to be your maid?”
Even as she berated herself pathetically for her unbearable jealousy... she continued her lonely monologue, one that would never reach him.
“Arnold! Today’s the day~ Aren’t you excited?!”
On a day when academy life still felt unfamiliar, Varis’s eyes sparkled with anticipation for the welcome party ahead.
“Sure is.”
“What’s with that half-hearted response!”
For others, it was just a glamorous party to look forward to. But for me, it was a hurdle to clear, tension simmering inside.
“Got something to think over first.”
“Hmm~ Alright?”
As Varis had mentioned, the academy was hosting a freshman welcome party that evening. In the game, it was a rare early event—memorable, and one that triggered a chain of heroine events with Elisha.
“Looking forward to it in more ways than one.”
“Right?! I’m gonna make tons of new friends!”
Of course, I had countermeasures ready, and a rough plan to hand the event off to Varis.
“Hm? Arnold... and Varis? You two seem close.”
Mid-conversation with Varis, a stern voice cut between us.
“Professor?”
“Ah, hello...!”
It was Professor Adria. Separate from the event—this was about her.
“Friendships matter in academy life.”
She didn’t seem to remember the tavern incident. If she did, even she’d show some sign.
“But class is about to start. Back to the lecture hall.”
Instead, she eyed us sharply and composed as ever. Probably blacked out... I thought cautiously.
“Yes.”
“Got it...!”
Honestly, better for me that way. As long as I didn’t have to worry.
Varis and I obeyed her stern command, heading quietly to class.
…
“Hm...”
Once Arnold was gone, Adria lingered alone in the hall, watching his retreating figure.
“...He’s gone.”
Confirming it, she slipped away to a quiet spot, leaning against the wall.
“Hoo...”
She rubbed her dry face, covering it with both hands.
“Ugh... What do I do...”
Her ears flushed crimson as she hid an expression no one else could see.
“I said all that to my own student...!”
“Arnold must know...! Eek...”
She’d gritted her teeth and played it cool in front of him, but Adria remembered everything vividly. Whining about her age and begging a freshman for marriage? Mortifying.
“If word gets out... Aah... I’ll never get married...”
She exuded a fragility she’d never show others—clutching her pounding chest like a vulnerable girl, not the strict, fearsome professor.
“Is this it, Master?”
“If the directions are right, yeah—that building.”
As the sun set and night fell, a luxurious hall outside the academy buzzed with arrivals.
“I see some familiar faces, so it must be!”
They’d rented the whole place for the party. Its exterior evoked a mythical temple.
“Hey! Arnold!”
Arriving with Eily, I bumped into Varis right outside the entrance.
“Varis? That outfit...”
“Heh~ Overdid it? But it’s a fancy spot, so I figured dress sharp.”
He’d ditched his usual simple clothes for a black suit. Personally, it didn’t suit his innocent vibe at all—the formal look clashed.
“Here, take this.”
Merging with Varis early was lucky. Time to enact the plan.
“What’s this?? Hmm... ‘Premium Purification Potion’?”
I handed him the potion I’d prepped—for Elisha, just in case.
“Listen up from here.”
As I’d said before, this event involved Vieka Lemoliona, Elisha’s rival, and her scheme. A side-villain in the story, Vieka harbored deep inferiority toward Elisha, driven to nasty acts by jealousy.
At this party, she’d spiked a drink with an aphrodisiac to humiliate Elisha publicly.
Without intervention, Elisha drinks it, acts lewd, and gets scorned by all. The potion was my counter—if she ingested it, purify with this.
“Uh, yeah? What’s going on...?”
Of course, this was backup. The real plan was elsewhere.
“Can you do exactly what I say later?”
“Vieka, everything ready?”
Just before the party kicked off, Vieka and her friends whispered scheming words in a secluded spot.
“Of course. Hired a waiter to wait outside~ Just mix this aphrodisiac into a drink and hand it over naturally.”
In a private room no one else could enter, the noble ladies giggled maliciously over their plot.
“Heh heh heh...”
Vieka, who despised Elisha most, grinned wickedly, lips nearly splitting.
“No hitches?”
“Why would there be? Tell the clueless waiter to deliver a drink, done.”
Vieka chuckled, imagining Elisha drugged and debauched.
As the main event began and lights dimmed, the dean’s welcome speech started. Guests would soon call for drinks—then send her waiter to Elisha.
Post-speech toast, lights up, and everyone sees Elisha moaning lewdly.
“Heh heh heh... Can’t wait!”
“Gonna be hilarious.”
“Honestly, Elisha’s always strutting like she owns the place—gets on my nerves.”
The ladies mocked her impending humiliation with vile laughs.
“Welcome, all new students.”
Time passed, and as hoped, the dean’s speech echoed from outside.
“Starting now.”
“Perfect...”
At the dean’s voice, Vieka cracked the door. Lights had indeed dimmed; the event underway.
““...””
Everyone silently focused on the stage.
“Yeah, it’s go time. Now—”
Speeches end with toasts, so drinks appeared. Vieka mixed aphrodisiac into hers swiftly.
“Waiter? Could you give this to that blonde girl over there?”
She handed it to the loitering hire.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Clueless, he placed it on his tray and glided gracefully toward Elisha.
“Yes...! Just like that...!”
Vieka watched lecherously, eyes gleaming with venom and glee.
“Excuse me—”
He finally addressed her softly...
“If you need a drink, this one...”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Elisha reached unsuspectingly for the polite offer.
“Yes...!!”
Vieka smirked in near-victory—
“Ah... Oops...! Sorry!”
An unexpected intruder crashed the scene.
“...?! Who’s that kid...!”
As Elisha went to take it, a boy “tripped” dramatically into the waiter.
“Wh-What?! Who’s that yellow-haired punk?”
“No idea! But this ruins it!”
Intentional or not, the male student toppled the waiter. Everyone gasped.
Clink!—
The glass and its spiked contents spilled across the floor.
“Vieka! What now?!”
“I don’t know...! We were so close— who interferes?!”
Fuming at their collapsed scheme, they scowled. How? It should’ve been flawless. Vieka bit her lip.
Creak!—
“Huh?”
But the slightly ajar door flew open from outside.
“There you are. Been looking for you.”
Light spilled from the room, revealing another man. Black hair, eyes full of malice—sharp to outsiders.
“Wh... Who?”
Vieka and her crew squinted suspiciously. A stranger claiming to seek them?
Click!—
But he shoved them back wordlessly, slamming and locking the door. No witnesses but them.
“Eek!! Who do you think you are?! How dare you push me?!”
Outraged by the aggression, Vieka snapped. But he stared coldly down without reply.
“Know who I am? Wanna end up ugly?!”
Irritated, she thrust her arm, tracing a spell. A magic circle formed at her fingertips, blue sparks flying.
Grab!—
“Ack?!”
He seized her arm hard. Just gripping crushed bone-pain; she groaned as the circle fizzled.
“You... tried slipping something to Elisha, right?”
He knew their secret—untold to anyone.
“Wh... What...? How...”
Vieka stammered, feigning ignorance in panic.
Squeeze!—
“Guh... Aaaah!”
The grip tightened. Tears welled from agony.
“Haa...”
Sighing pitifully, he blocked the door—their only exit—and pronounced judgment.
“Time to fix those hands.”
“Hii... Hiiik...?!”
With terrifying pressure and hostility, he advanced slowly, instilling fear—
In the dim hall, the dean’s speech still droning on...
“Y-You okay?”
Elisha fretted over the suddenly fallen boy.
“Ow... Huh? Me? I’m fine!”
His energetic personality shone from the first word; he nodded vigorously.
“This...”
Then Elisha paled at the spilled drink.
“No way—”
Too dark to notice before... but the color was off. Pink forcibly mixed in, unnatural hue. And a dizzying, pungent drug scent assaulted her nose.
“...!”
She grasped it instantly. Someone spiked it via the waiter—deliberately. And intuition screamed it wasn’t good.
“That jerk...!”
One name came naturally; she spat bitterly. Disgusted by the vile ploy to humiliate her.
“Vieka... I won’t let her get away!”
Teeth chattering at her nemesis.
“Uh... You okay? You look pale...”
But the accidental hero spoke up. Elisha shelved her rage, softening with gratitude.
“Yeah, thanks to you. Appreciate it.”
“Huh? For what?”
“Ah... I mean, I owe you. Mind sharing your name?”
“Sure. Varis. Call me that.”
She thanked him, asking his name.
“Varis... You saved me. How can I repay you?”
“Eh, really? No need to thank me.”
Varis shook his head casually, like it was nothing.
“I just tripped...”
“Still, you helped me.”
Elisha persisted gratefully.
“Ahaha... Alright then. But actually, I was just following orders from this guy ‘Arnold’—”
“Wh... What?!”
But then... an unexpected name slipped from Varis’s lips, twisting her expression.
“Huh? You know Arnold? See, he was watching you. Said if anyone suspicious approached, fake a trip and crash into them hard...”
Arnold—
“Th... That true...?”
Not thrilled, Elisha recoiled.
“Yeah? We were together earlier, but he had somewhere to go. Said you’d be safe if you did that...”
“Making someone flop around to ‘save’ me~”
Varis grumbled lightly about Arnold’s silly instruction.
But unlike his calm, Elisha’s mood flipped.
“So Arnold... ultimately...”
Her mind reeled in chaos, hand raking through her hair.
“...”
Stunned silent, lost in thought awhile.
“No way... For real?”
Finally accepting the unbelievable reality, she murmured to herself.
“Arnold saved me again...?”