Chapter 279: Chess (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 279: Chess (2)
“Where did that come from all of a sudden?”
“I just got curious.”
For someone who was 'just curious,' she seemed intensely interested in my ideal type.
Does it really matter?
“My ideal type…”
I hadn’t given it serious thought since puberty.
I pondered the question as we walked toward the Class A classroom. By the time we arrived, I had an answer.
“Well, I’d like her to be pretty, obviously. And maybe… I’d like a girl who can take care of me.”
“Someone who takes care of you?”
“I like the feeling of being looked after. Like when you brought me that lunchbox because you were thinking of me.”
“I see…”
Luce’s mood visibly brightened, and a subtle, lovely smirk played on her lips.
“And an audacious woman. Someone unpredictable.”
“That sounds childish. You’d get bored of a woman like that quickly.”
“Huh?”
I had been thinking of Dorothy when I said it, but Luce’s expression hardened instantly. She responded with firm resolve.
“Then what’s your ideal type?” I asked.
“…I don’t have one.”
“That’s boring.”
“I suppose it is.”
If it were anyone else, I would have called them out for lying, but since Luce struggled with social anxiety, it actually made sense.
We ended our monotonous conversation and entered the classroom. I climbed the tiered floor and took a seat in the middle row.
“…?”
For some reason, Luce sat directly behind me.
“Why are you sitting there?”
“I just felt like sitting here today.”
She was usually an eccentric girl, but whenever she acted out of the ordinary, there was always a hidden motive. It felt like she was sitting behind me specifically to observe my every move.
The moment I sat down, I felt a piercing gaze bore into the back of my head.
“Grnnn… mmm?”
Ciel, who had been hugging an incredibly plush pillow since early morning, suddenly bolted upright. It was as if she had a sixth sense for Luce and me sitting down.
Ciel looked our way, her sleepy eyes instantly sharpening with interest. She seemed intrigued, likely imagining all sorts of reasons why Luce would choose the seat behind me.
Kaya glanced at Luce, then focused back on her class preparations. She looked relieved that Luce hadn't sat next to me, assuming she intended to actually focus on the lesson for once.
“Isaac.”
“Yeah—whoa!?”
Suddenly, Luce grabbed my shoulder and yanked me backward. As the back of my head hit her desk, I found myself staring up at her looking down at me.
Luce shoved something into my mouth. A sweet flavor spread across my tongue.
“…What was that?”
“I wanted to give you chocolate.”
“I get that… but don’t you think that was a bit too forceful?”
I chewed the chocolate she’d forced on me.
It felt like a live-action version of that one internet meme—the one where someone grabs a bird by the back of its head and yanks it down to force-feed it.
Luce’s rose-gold hair spilled down, tickling my cheek. She elegantly tucked a stray strand behind her ear, her eyes curving into a gentle crescent.
“Was that audacious enough?” she whispered, her voice uncharacteristically seductive.
“…”
What is she doing now…
“Hey, wait! What do you think you’re doing right now?!”
Kaya jumped to her feet, fuming.
Exactly. What is she doing?
Luce spared Kaya a brief glance before locking eyes with me again, a small smile on her face.
“Don’t ignore me!” Kaya shouted, her face turning a frantic shade of red, but Luce paid her no mind.
“Here we go again… Annoying bitches,” Lisetta muttered from the back. She was lounging insolently with her legs on the desk, chair tilted back, sighing as if she were exhausted by the mere sight of them.
At that moment, the classroom door swung open, and a middle-aged female professor stepped inside.
“Professor Daisy is here.”
Kaya gasped at the professor’s entrance, shot Luce one last glare, and sat down. I quickly pulled my head away from Luce’s desk.
Wait, why is she here?
“I’m seeing quite the spectacle the moment I arrive. You all seem to be wondering why I’m here. Let me explain,” Professor Daisy said, her tone sharp. “Professor Philip Meltron has some personal matters to attend to, so you won’t be seeing him for a while.”
“So, Professor Daisy, will you be teaching us instead…?” Kaya asked.
Professor Daisy nodded.
Oh, that’s actually nice.
She was known for teaching in a fun, engaging way. My biggest regret when leaving Class B was missing out on her lectures. That wasn't to say Professor Philip was a bad teacher, but…
Well, it’s not like I can complain.
In the original Magic Knight of Märchen, the protagonist Ian stayed in Class B until the second semester of his second year.
“By the way, I can’t cover all of the Professor’s classes by myself. Some will be handled by other professors or guest lecturers. And…”
Professor Daisy fixed me with a sharp glare.
“The moment I see anything resembling romantic behavior in my presence, I will deduct points mercilessly. I’ll let that earlier display slide since it’s the first time, but consider yourselves warned.”
For the record, Professor Daisy was a lifelong spinster.
*
During the break, I headed to the library to read, but drowsiness soon began to overtake me. My head nodded, and my eyelids felt like lead.
I was about to close my eyes for just a second when a soft hand touched my forehead.
“…?”
Before I knew it, Luce had approached me with the stealth of an assassin. She gently pushed my head back and placed her hand on the desk to act as a pillow.
…What is this now?
“I’ll be your hand-pillow.”
I was familiar with arm-pillows, but a hand-pillow was a first.
“Lullaby, lullaby…” Luce whispered sweetly, gently patting my back.
“…What are you doing?”
“You look sleepy, Isaac.”
“Isn’t it usually an arm-pillow? No, that’s not even the point…”
“Do you have a problem with Luce’s hand-pillow?”
I shifted my gaze slightly. I could feel the other students stealing glances at us. That was enough to wake me up completely.
Is she trying to 'take care' of me?
Just like the chocolate earlier, it seemed she had reinterpreted my 'ideal type' in her own unique way.
I gently pushed her hand away and sat up. Luce tilted her head, pulling her hand back from the desk.
“Thanks. It was very effective at waking me up.”
“…”
Luce squinted and puffed out her cheeks, clearly annoyed. Her attempt at being considerate hadn't gone as planned.
Finding the expression cute, I poked her cheek, and air hissed out of her mouth like a deflating pufferfish.
At lunchtime, Luce suggested we eat on a bench outside instead of the cafeteria.
I spotted Eve hiding behind a tree, creepily spying on us. She seemed hesitant to approach because Luce was there.
I’ll have to find her later when I have a moment.
“I’ll feed you. Open wide.”
“…”
Luce insisted on feeding me herself. When I told her I could eat on my own, she pouted so intensely that I eventually gave in and accepted the food she offered.
Later, after I finished my business in the men’s restroom…
“Did everything go well?”
Luce was leaning against the wall right by the entrance, waiting for me.
Passing students gave her incredibly strange looks. The boys exiting the restroom after me jumped in surprise when they saw her, scurrying away while casting wary glances back.
“You were in there for quite a while. That’s not good for your health. If you take this, you’ll feel better… Isaac?”
“…”
I was at a loss for words. I simply didn't have the mental capacity to respond. She was very clearly trying to emulate my ideal type, but the execution was… something else.
“Uh, thanks…”
Luce smiled, looking thoroughly satisfied with herself.
*
Back in the Class A classroom, just before the final period began, I could feel Luce’s intense gaze on my back.
Luce, who usually felt repulsed by others, didn't know how to treat friends or lovers properly because she had spent her life avoiding relationships.
In the past, she acted like a lover, which was already a handful.
Now that she was certain of her feelings, she was doting on me to the point of making me uncomfortable. Her social immaturity was on full display.
Even if I like being taken care of, this is way too much…
Anything excessive inevitably becomes a burden.
If someone like Luce had acted this way back when I was in high school, I might have confessed to her on the spot. But in my current situation, it only added more weight to my shoulders.
“Isaac, are you uncomfortable?”
“No, why?”
“You look like you are.”
She was eerily perceptive about things like that.
Just before class started, the door opened, and two adults entered.
“…?”
One was Professor Daisy, and the other was a man I had never seen before.
He was a man with neatly groomed brown hair, wearing a pristine robe. His flawless white skin and playful smile were striking, but his mouth was unusually wide—to the point of exaggeration, it looked like it could reach his ears.
“…”
The moment I saw him, I held my breath.
“Say hello. This is Ronzainus Holland, a guest instructor invited to teach here. He is quite capable. He will be substituting for Professor Philip Meltron’s 'Magic Circle Analysis' class for the time being. And if any of you get ideas just because he’s handsome, I won’t let it slide.”
Professor Daisy introduced the man with a solemn tone.
Instructor Ron stepped forward, his eyes scanning the Class A students, eventually landing on me. He walked to the side of the podium, flashing a confident smile.
“Nice to meet you, top students of the Empire.”
Ron greeted us with an air of arrogance, raising both arms slightly.
“Consider it an honor to meet me. I will be drilling the complex theories of strategic law analysis into your heads. If you follow my lessons, I guarantee you will achieve the best possible results.”
The Class A students glared at him. Even Ciel, who had been dozing off, lifted her head to join the collective stare.
The students in Class A were all monsters of talent. They attended classes to receive a systematic education from professors who were masters of theory, but in terms of raw combat, they were already powerhouses. No professor usually dared to be this arrogant in front of them.
Ron’s attitude felt jarringly out of place.
“And, Ice Sovereign…”
Instructor Ron stopped walking. His gaze locked onto mine.
“Given the circumstances, I can address you casually, right?”
I simply nodded. Ron climbed the steps and approached my desk.
“I don’t know why someone like you is attending an academy like this… but let’s try to get along for a while, shall we?”
“…”
Ron extended his hand. I looked into his eyes for a moment before responding.
“Yes… it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
I offered a polite smile and shook his hand.
[Lv: 0]
[Race: Heavenly Being]
[Elements: Light, Immortality]
[Danger Level: ?]
[Psychology: [ ■■■ ]]
We shook hands, a perfectly ordinary gesture masking a terrifying reality.