The Principal's Drunken Seduction
Principal Catherine's drunken antics didn't end even inside the restaurant. Food and drinks were served immediately upon sitting down, without even ordering. And amid it all, the principal's drink was alcohol. Akademy 20-year vintage.
'Why drink alcohol when you're out with a student?' Stella was dumbfounded. It might be the restaurant's standard menu, but that would mean if she hadn't come, Ian would have been pounding shots with him alone. There was a saying that women grow ugly when they age without a partner—Stella was learning it firsthand. Behold. The fox crossing her legs, twisting her body slightly to flaunt her toned figure, sipping her drink while scattering pheromones toward Ian. Tsk. She clicked her tongue without realizing it, only then noticing she had crossed her own legs and folded her arms.
'...Why am I like this?' She had no relationship with Ian—just ordinary friends, rivals, nothing more. So why was she reacting so hypersensitively to another woman flirting with him? Even she herself couldn't understand the reason.
And while she was lost in such carelessness, the principal's vixen act activated once more.
"What's wrong? Do you want some?"
"Yeah, I'm curious."
"Then have a taste."
With those words, the principal handed Ian the glass she had been drinking from. Ian, oblivious, took it without a second thought. He had probably never tasted such liquor before; his clumsy imitation of the principal looked innocently pure.
"Ah."
"...?"
But when he tilted the glass and brought his lips to the exact spot where the principal's mouth had been, Stella couldn't hold back a sigh. No, idiot? Or pervert? There's lipstick right there. Why drink from the same spot? How could he not notice?
Ian, unaware of her feelings, foolishly offered the glass to her as he spoke.
"What? You want some too?"
"No... that's not it."
But he, oblivious to her heart, foolishly looked to the principal. With her permission, Ian passed the glass to Stella. It was awkward to refuse, so Stella accepted it and stared intently at the champagne fizzing in the glass.
'...She drank from here.' A bit of the principal's lipstick remained, but Ian's lips had touched it too. If she endured the principal's filth, it would be like kissing Ian. Stella carefully turned the glass and pressed her lips to that spot. Even as the sparkling champagne flowed down her throat, she felt nothing. Only the texture of the glass where Ian's lips had been and his gaze upon her registered.
"...It tastes bad."
"Really?"
As she handed the glass back to the principal, the woman realized what Stella had done and let out a soft chuckle, a faint smile playing on her lips. Feeling her face inexplicably flush, Stella turned away and silently picked at the salad in front of her.
How much time passed? Ian suddenly stood up.
"Gotta hit the bathroom for a sec."
As he rose, a heavy silence fell over the table. Well, if she had any conscience, she wouldn't have the shamelessness to speak first.
"Principal."
"Uh, yes? What is it?"
So Stella would start the conversation. She would expose the woman's ugly, vulgar, lascivious true nature.
"Why hasn't the principal ever gotten married?"
"Haha, at my age, no one good comes chasing after me."
The principal was a super-elite talent who had entered via recommendation like Noah, summoning a 4-star summon. Many nobles had pursued her, but none truly loved her. She didn't expect a fairy-tale prince on a white horse, but she longed for genuine love and had postponed marriage under the pretext of the war with the demon race. She became the head of a prestigious marquisate and the honorable principal of the academy... but that very status kept her from meeting anyone who truly loved her.
"Heh, so that's why you're targeting someone a decade younger?"
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
"You came dressed like that so blatantly, and you don't know?"
Watching the principal make excuses in her bizarre commoner-noble hybrid speech—befitting her plebeian origins—Stella could see right through to the woman's core. Girls dream of princes on white horses in their youth. But as they age and build their foundations, they start preferring young, cute heroes over princes. Princes? She could snag one anytime—that confidence warped her tastes into something twisted. Ian had the handsome looks, the baronial background she could manipulate, and the talent to summon a 3-star summon on his own. He must have seemed like a boy straight out of her fantasies.
Even so.
"People should find someone on their level."
"—Are you saying I'm lacking?"
"No, Principal, you're not lacking. But..."
Ian was just too special. He knew the secret to leveling up that others didn't, and he'd generously handed over his heirloom to Noah, even summoning a 3-star summon for her. He insisted it was coincidence, but anyone who believed that would be a fool.
And there was an even bigger difference.
"The age gap is too much."
"...Haven't you heard that love knows no age?"
"Do you love Ian, Principal?"
At that, the principal clamped her mouth shut. It wasn't something a principal should say from the podium. Just as I thought, Stella thought, moistening her lips with the fresh fruit juice before her as she eyed the principal.
"You're just lonely right now, Principal. You've been alone too long. It's a temporary delusion."
"... "
The principal couldn't retort and just sipped her drink. Of course—her years of living with an empty side had been far too long.
"If you're lonely, just say so. I can introduce you to plenty of decent-looking nobles."
"...Thank you."
With that, Catherine downed her champagne in one go and ordered two more from the waiter. Two? Before Stella could question it, Ian returned from the bathroom, wiping his hands with a napkin. Catherine grabbed a fresh glass and dragged her chair right up to Ian's side. Leaning in so close she was practically glued to him, she offered him the champagne and spoke.
"Ian, how was the liquor?"
"Yeah, it was... pretty good, actually. But why are you clinging like this...? Are you drunk?"
"Haha, no way. You think I'd get drunk off one glass? Ah, have more. I ordered extras."
As she spoke, Catherine pressed her body fully against him, rubbing against Ian and blatantly exposing her cleavage. It was a posture anyone could see as openly seducing him. Whether Ian realized it or not, he glanced sideways at her and downed his champagne.
'That bitch.' Stella glared at the principal. Their eyes met. Clear mockery shone in the woman's gaze.
"Come on, drink up."
"...Sure, whatever."
I downed the liquor the principal pushed at me and glanced at her. Even if I didn't want to look, her revealing outfit combined with her leaning posture made her skin impossible to ignore. This body of hers was flaunting its youthful vigor with just that much... I crossed my legs and subtly turned away to avoid detection.
But the principal invaded the space, gripping my thigh. This was dangerous. I pried her hand off and gently pushed her back.
"Principal? This is a bit..."
"...Do you hate me too?"
"Huh?"
The principal suddenly teared up, launching into melodrama.
"Because I'm old... an old hag... less attractive, unmarried spinster... Is that why you hate me?"
"No, that's not—"
She's drunk. Wasted. I knew exactly how to handle someone sloshed like this.
"Of course not. You're very attractive, Principal."
"Catherine."
"...Pardon?"
"Call me Catherine. Or can't you?"
My actual age was older than hers... But she looked early twenties, so calling her "sis" felt awkward. Taking it as refusal, she started panting like she might cry any second.
"S-sis!"
"...My name."
"Catherine... sis..."
Something inside me shattered. My pride. But my defenses kicked in quick.
'Fine, whatever. Pretty guys get called "oppa" by women all the time, right?' Some even call elementary kids "hubby." Compared to that, "sis" for her wasn't so bad.
"Hehe, yes. I'm your sis, Ian..."
Catherine giggled happily and downed her drink. Not satisfied, she snatched my glass and finished it too. Eventually, after much boozing, the principal passed out cold, leaving me in a real pickle supporting her.
"What do we do?"
I couldn't pay—the food bill was beyond me—and I had no idea where she lived. Looking troubled at Stella, she sighed deeply several times before speaking.
"The bill? Use the principal's card or whatever."
"...Card?"
"Credit card. Check her pockets?"
I eyed the principal, but her outfit had no obvious pockets. Rummaging her body was out of the question... As I pondered, Stella went to the principal's seat, picked up the bag on the floor, and pulled out a card.
"Here."
"Ah..."
It was there. Chastising myself for nearly becoming a sex offender, I called the waiter and settled the bill. Handing the card back after, the only issue left was the dead-weight principal who couldn't even move.
"Take her to your room..."
"No way."
"...My room's too cramped for guests anyway."
And even if it weren't, putting the principal there was huge trouble. Rumors of a male student alone overnight with the female principal? I might survive, but she'd be done for—maybe even fired. The academy belonged to the Empire, and the emperor appointed principals...
"Just drop her in the principal's office."
"Principal's office?"
Come to think of it, I'd seen her changing there before. Probably had a bedroom for overwork. Deciding that was most logical, I headed to school with Stella.
"I'll head out first."
"Huh? Yeah, see ya."
Upon arriving at school, Stella—pouting over who-knows-what—went back to the dorm alone. Left solo, I hauled the heavy principal up to her office. Heart pounding fearing we'd run into someone, we reached it—only to hit another snag.
"Door's locked."
Of course. The office held all the academy's vital documents; couldn't leave it open.
Then, the supposedly blackout-drunk principal fumbled in her bag and pulled out a key.
"Ugh..."
"...Principal?"
"Hng... this..."
Handing it over so naturally, I half-suspected she was faking it.
'Nah, why would she?'
I unlocked the door and entered. Cool air lingered inside. I tossed her on the sofa, found a blanket, and approached.
"Principal, sleeping like that will make you ca—!"
In that instant, she yanked me hard. Caught off-guard, I tumbled in. Squish. Face buried in soft cleavage, I cautiously looked up at Catherine.
"...Won't you stay and sleep?"
Clearly sober, Catherine gazed down at me with those words.