Chapter 163
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Falling Flowers (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"...Haa."
Bianca tossed out a comment just as I covered my mouth to stifle a yawn.
"You look tired."
"I had nightmares and couldn't sleep well..."
Even if it was just a dream, it was hard to fall back asleep after witnessing that mother-daughter catfight without any mental preparation.
"Hmm... really?"
Bianca smirked like she'd discovered something amusing.
"What could have gotten our Eugene so worked up that he even had nightmares?"
"..."
Bianca seemed thrilled at the chance to tease me after so long.
...But it wasn't that kind of nightmare, and she clearly had the wrong idea.
"Ehehe, turns out Eugene's a scaredy-cat~."
Still, seeing her so delighted over something like this made me not want to correct her misunderstanding.
"How about it, Eugene? Want this big sis to hold your hand?"
Bianca extended her hand with a weird expression.
She probably thought it looked mature, but to me, she just looked like a kid playing grown-up.
"No, I'm fine."
"...Hmph, not like I was gonna hold it anyway."
A little jab back, and she immediately pouted, huffing through her nose.
"Tch, why hasn't that lewd saintess shown up yet?!"
Then she grumbled about the innocent saintess.
"There's still some time left."
"How many minutes? What if she got lost or something?"
It's been weeks since enrolling at Carnea, so surely not... but...
With Lilith, anything was possible.
'No way, right?'
Over the past week, I'd indulged in Melphisa's dirty play, milking with the school nurse, petting with Bianca, SM with Lucia, and nude walks with Vivian. Before I knew it, the day I'd promised Lilith had arrived.
'A week was short, yeah...'
I knew even with Lilith's talents, a week was tight for purifying the 'tentacle'.
'...If only we'd found the host.'
If we'd located the host of the 'Resurrected Corruption' from the tomb, we could've taken more time. But I wanted to eliminate the uncertainty as soon as possible.
"...Or maybe she's scared of the tomb and ran off."
"No way."
Anything else, maybe, but not that.
Where ignorance is bliss... well, not exactly, but I'd never seen the saintess afraid of that sort of thing.
Parthenon had a graveyard several times bigger than Carnea's, and Lilith was the one who prayed there the most.
"Then why isn't she here?! It's really time now!"
"She'll come soon. Just hold on a bit longer, senpai. Got it?"
I patted Bianca's head to calm her down.
"Tch, don't treat me like a kid."
"Yes, yes."
"I said don't pat my head!"
"Wasn't this what you told me not to do?"
"Keep patting my head, just don't treat me like a kid!"
A chuckle escaped at her spoiled antics.
It was a tough condition, but if that's what Bianca wanted, what could I do?
"Yes, I'll take good care of you, Senpai."
"Yeah... that's more like it."
As I stroked her head for a bit, her mood improved, and she suddenly hooked her arm through mine.
"...Senpai?"
"What, so?"
She'd linked arms but stared straight ahead, embarrassed, words tumbling out fast.
"What if someone sees?"
"...What's wrong with that? Let 'em!"
"Rumors will spread."
"Hmph, fine by me."
I couldn't fathom what was so great about that.
As I looked at her face again, Bianca blushed slightly and said,
"It's so I can brag that you're my guy!"
"..."
"I might not say it, but you have no idea how much I wanna show off."
It was such a cute line, I wanted to hug her right then.
But scandals like that were off-limits for me now.
"Senpai..."
"Forget it! Don't say it! I know! That's why we're doing this at dawn! By the tomb! In secret! Tch, other girls get to hold hands and date..."
"Sorry..."
At my sincere apology, she stuck out her lip and huffed.
"Hmph, if you're sorry, then let's go in without the lewd saintess. You said there's nothing much anyway."
Bianca hinted expectantly, but I shook my head firmly.
"No."
"Why! Why not!"
"We need to prepare for any contingencies."
As Bianca said, even if we found the 'host' now, there'd be no real threat.
'...Worst case, a fake boss shows up.'
Objectively, a fake boss was upper-mid level monster tier.
Not easy by any means, but not a threat if Bianca and I teamed up.
'Still...'
The wolf's memory flashed back.
Back then, I'd been overconfident, thinking I had everything under control.
Nothing could go wrong, everything would go as planned.
...And I paid the price for my hubris.
'No arrogance.'
"Always 'what ifs'... Fine, we'll wait then."
Disappointed we couldn't go together, her lips puffed out hugely.
I couldn't help but chuckle, and now she glared with narrowed eyes.
"What? Why laugh at me!"
"'Cause senpai pouting is cute."
"Hah, what're you on about suddenly!"
Snorting, Bianca declared,
"I've always been cute."
"..."
"Why no response."
"...Wonder when the saintess'll show."
"Why no answer!!"
Not getting the reaction she wanted, her face flushed as she charged at me.
"Kidding. Kidding. Of course senpai's cute."
"Tch... annoying... fine. Go play with those big-titted girls then."
She turned away, arms crossed, so I nodded.
"Was planning to after this. Sadly, senpai doesn't qualify size-wise."
"...You little shit, seriously... even when I try not to curse."
As she ground her teeth, I quickly spread my arms.
"Come on, Bianca, hug me."
"No! Don't wanna! Not hugging!"
"You said one tease equals one hug."
"Yeah, but not now!!"
She threw a tantrum, so I sighed.
"Sigh, fine... Hug me now, or I won't hug after teasing anymore."
"What?! No way!"
Tantrum for tantrum.
I squeezed my eyes shut like her and yelled,
"Argh, whatever! If you don't hug me now, I'll die, so come hug me quick!"
"...You... jerk..."
Unable to resist my nonsense, she approached and hugged me.
Feeling her warmth in my arms, I whispered,
"Bianca."
"...What."
"Once this is over, with me..."
About to ask her on a date, I froze in shock.
'...This is a death flag, isn't it?'
I'd wondered why novels and movies had such cliché death flags, but now it slipped out naturally.
"...With you... what..."
Oblivious, she gazed up expectantly.
"...I mean..."
"...Yeah... tell me."
"...Yes!.. Please tell us!"
"...?"
"...?"
We turned at the sudden voice. The saintess stared with gleaming curiosity.
"Wh-what! Say something when you arrive!"
"Ah! Should I? Lilith has arrived here!"
"Not now, idiot!"
Bianca stomped the ground in fury.
"B-but you two looked like you were prepping to mate. Didn't wanna interrupt..."
"M-mate prep?! Are you insane?!"
"Books say hugging is the prelude to mating between man and woman? See, Senpai Bianca's ready for mating too..."
Lilith suddenly lifted Bianca's skirt, prompting a shriek as she swatted her hand away.
"What are you doing?!"
"...O-ow... it hurts..."
"I hit you so it'd hurt! Why lift someone else's skirt?!"
"...To check if she's wet."
"That's the problem, you crazy bitch!"
The quiet tomb erupted the moment the saintess arrived.
I wedged between the bickering pair.
"Calm down, Bianca. And Saintess."
"Yes, Teacher."
"You brought the tentacle?"
"...Yes."
She cautiously opened the box, revealing the tentacle transformed from black to white.
But...
"Purification isn't fully complete, huh?"
"...Sorry, Teacher."
Lilith bowed her head.
About 70% purified from the remaining black.
This level dropped the risk from 'certain death' to 'very high chance of death' on use.
About two weeks until the 'Resurrected Corruption's' revival.
Time was getting tight to find and modify the host.
I stroked my chin, deep in thought.
Finish purifying the tentacle completely first, then find the host?
Or find the host first, then purify?
Both had pros and cons; hard to decide.
'Hmm...'
After much deliberation, I decided.
"No, good work, Saintess. We'll call it here for today and continue next time."
"Yes, thank you. Um... Teacher, when will you remove the chastity belt?"
To her question, I smiled brightly.
"Once purification's fully done."
"Th-that's... too mean."
She staggered back in shock, but unlocking it now would mean she'd masturbate all day and neglect purification.
"Saintess... want the belt off? Finish work first."
At my firm words, she bowed her head.
"...Yes, Teacher. Find the demonic energy, right?"
"Yes."
"Understood... Lilith will begin."
She clasped her hands in prayer, then opened her eyes.
"...Found it. It's that way."