Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Helen's Survey
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"Um... What brings you here?"
I glanced at the attendants standing behind her before asking her directly.
Bringing attendants meant she was visiting officially as a lady of the Silvesta family.
She wasn't here for revenge or anything.
"You told me to come back in a week."
"Ah."
Right.
After Helen Silvesta's illusion magic test ended, I'd said something to her.
-Come back in a week. We'll do the survey then. Until then, reflect deeply on your desires, Helen.
So today was the day.
"You're here all the way to my shop as Lady Silvesta?"
I looked at her attendants.
Two knights, five maids, and ten soldiers.
Plus the shiny silver carriage she must have ridden in on.
Coming to a small shop in the imperial capital with that kind of entourage.
They said Marquis Silvesta wielded more power and wealth than most dukes in the empire.
'Even coming to a place like this, she has to show off like that.'
Enviable.
Some of us can barely pay rent and have to do part-time gigs.
"Yeah. I told you, didn't I? That I'd come as Lady Silvesta. What, did you forget?"
"No way."
I'd forgotten.
Of course, I'd already prepared the survey list for her, but if I'd remembered properly, I wouldn't have been watching Nanako videos.
'Good thing there was an error.'
Otherwise, I'd have run out of mana and been screwed.
"Come on in."
I was opening the shop door to let Helen in when—
"Miss, it's best if you don't enter a suspicious place like this."
It was the knight whose gaze had been hostile since I first opened the door.
The man in gleaming silver armor, emblazoned with the Silvesta Knight Order's emblem, approached me warily.
"It's a shop rife with shady rumors. They even say the owner sold his soul to a demon."
What?
Did rumors like that spread about our shop?
Sold my soul to a demon?
All I did was use illusion magic to entertain people.
And none of you even came.
This is unfair.
"Who knows what that man might do to you, miss. It's better if you turn back now..."
His glare was as murderous as if I were his sworn enemy.
Anyone would think I'd done something to Helen.
'Well, I kinda did.'
Just didn't have sex, but I'd seen plenty of her in compromising positions.
Even put my dick between those tits.
'That stings a bit.'
If Helen turned back now, I couldn't say anything.
What could I do?
Anyone hearing those slanderous rumors would react like that.
But Helen's response was unexpected.
"Who gave you permission to butt in?"
"Miss?"
Helen glared at the knight who'd wedged himself between us.
"I told you, didn't I? You're just for show. Do you think I, blessed by spirits, need protection from regular knights?"
Her voice snapping at the knight was as cold as a north wind.
"Miss, I just..."
"If you're gonna talk about loyalty, shut up. Interfering in my business is disloyalty enough for a mere hanger-on like you."
Brutal.
I shrugged sympathetically at the knight.
I'd been there.
Your miss has a bit of a temper, huh?
I get it.
But maybe my intent got lost in translation, because the knight's glare burned even hotter.
Man, people complain even when you try to be nice.
"I'm sorry."
"Then get lost."
Helen waved him off dismissively.
"There's no place for you here anyway. Go back to the mansion until I summon you with spirits. Or kill time at a nearby restaurant."
"But miss, we..."
"Didn't you hear me? I don't need the likes of you."
The knight clenched his fist, but he had no words to throw back at Helen.
"Understood."
Unable to defy her, the knight bowed and retreated.
His dejected back as he walked away reminded me of an employee slinking off after a dressing-down from the boss. Kinda pitiful.
Should've known when to read the room and bail.
As I watched the Silvesta attendants depart, Helen tugged at my sleeve.
"What are you doing? Let's go in."
"You're okay sending them away like that? This is official business for Lady Silvesta."
"Yep."
"I figured they'd at least beat me up."
Helen's face twisted at my words.
As if I'd said something ridiculous.
"What? Why would I? Because of that illusion where you humiliated me?"
"Of course. Lady Silvesta threw such a fit back then."
Her face flushed slightly as she stared at me, then turned away sharply.
"...I was mad at first, but then I realized it wasn't real. And no loser like that could actually do it to me in reality. Dad wouldn't abandon me over it either."
Tougher mentality than I thought.
"I see. Then you didn't have to come privately?"
"My pride wouldn't allow it."
"Your pride?"
"Yeah. I had to show the dignity of Silvesta once, so you'd treat me properly."
That won't change the illusions.
Noble ladies' hearts are a mystery.
"Got it. Let's do the survey then. Like I said last time, just write your desires honestly, Lady Silvesta. There'll be lots of questions, so answer them all truthfully."
I was pulling out the custom survey sheet for Helen when—
"Why do you keep calling me Lady Silvesta?"
"Pardon?"
"Last time you called me by name. Why switch to Lady Silvesta now?"
"Didn't you hate it?"
I'd seen it in the illusion.
How she treated those who dared call her by name.
She took more pride in being a Silvesta than anyone.
Only family called her by name, she'd said.
'Back then, I called her by name to make the illusion feel more real.'
No need now.
"It's fine if it's you, teacher."
"..."
I'm fine?
"You're a skilled mage. Even the top professors at the academy seemed laughable, but your magic never gave that vibe. I actually felt a wall."
Helen crossed her arms, eyeing me.
"Feel proud. You're the only teacher I've acknowledged."
Wait, her way of addressing me changed.
"You're calling me teacher now."
"I'm... acknowledging you, in my way. Can't keep calling you 'you' forever."
Her face burned bright red.
Maybe because it was her first time acknowledging someone.
Shy lady.
"Understood. Then I'll call you Miss Helen from now on."
"Good."
"Alright, Miss Helen. Time for the survey. Just write your desires honestly. You've shown all sides already—what's there to be shy about?"
I handed her the sheet.
"Hmph, so you think I don't know?"
Helen took the sheet, read the first line, and let out a shriek.
"Hey! Are you insane?"
Back to 'you' from teacher.
"What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? You ask that after seeing this question?"
She pointed furiously at the first line of the survey.
-Are you a virgin? (Yes / No)
"Asking a noble lady if she's a virgin right off the bat! How rude..."
Her face beet red, she couldn't finish.
More bashful than expected.
"I told you. You have to be honest about your desires."
"Y-You pervert!"
After experiencing Max's illusion magic and returning to the mansion, Helen Silvesta was lost in thought.
"What should I do?"
She, the lady of Silvesta, had made a fool of herself in front of a man.
Multiple times.
Of course, it was all her own doing.
First, she'd gone to exploit Yuris's weakness and gotten outmaneuvered.
Next, to figure out why Max had visited her academy.
Neither went as planned; she'd been toyed with by Max both times.
But it hadn't felt bad.
'It actually felt good.'
A first for her.
Helen, the refined noble lady, was a pure virgin who'd never been with a man.
So it stuck deep in her mind.
Max looking down at her.
His thick fingers.
His broad chest, unlike hers.
Hot lips.
And that grotesque, erect manhood.
It should have been that loser Aisen tormenting her in the illusion, but the image burned into Helen's mind was Max's.
"Haa, haa."
Max's words about being honest with her desires.
-Reflect on your desires until you come next time.
That command to revisit her desires lingered in her head.
As soon as she recalled it, the humiliations flooded back.
Max pinning her down.
He held a switch.
-You're a poor student. Can't even get this right.
Poor student? Me?
'Teacher...'
No.
I'm a genius.
The top acknowledged by the entire academy.
Even Professor Simond, the best spirit summoner.
My father cherishes me most.
I'm a genius.
A genius.
-You got zero out of twenty.
No.
Impossible.
I just want to crush you someday.
-Did you come to me to show this off?
-To flaunt your pathetic scores as a failing student?
No.
I was going to crack the illusion magic somehow...
I wanted to win.
No one could stand above her—that ironclad ego drove Helen Silvesta.
Always praised, always admired.
So she desperately wanted to beat Max.
Unravel his magic's secrets.
He was the first man to make her feel a wall, despite her genius in every field.
She wanted to stand above him and declare it.
Max, I beat you.
Not like those other pathetic professors.
She had to.
-Even this easy question wrong? Looks like Miss Helen needs remedial lessons.
His words echoing in her mind made her body tremble.
Each dismissive remark fueled her pleasure like a catalyst.
Her lower belly heated up.
Her womb pounded like it had a heartbeat.
"Teacher..."
Squish, squish.
She realized her crotch was soaked.
Her hand slipped into her panties.
"Teach this failing student."
She confronted her desires for the first time.
A week later, facing Max again.
"Lady Silvesta?"
His sudden formality irked her for some reason.
That's why she'd snapped at the knight.
Truth be told, bringing attendants wasn't to demand she be seen as Lady Silvesta.
The butler had insisted after her recent private outings.
But suddenly putting up a wall like this.
Last time he'd used her name.
"Feel proud. You're the only teacher I've acknowledged."
"Understood. Then I'll call you Miss Helen from now on."
"Good."
Hearing her name again brought strange relief.
'He does what I say.'
Today felt like things would go smoothly.
Of course.
-Are you a virgin? (Yes / No)
Her face flushed at the question again.
"You pervert!"
Ranting at Max, she secretly circled 'Yes'.
"I-It's for the survey! Don't get the wrong idea!"
Blushing furiously, Helen continued the survey.
And confronted her desires once more.