Chapter 3 - Wise Academy Life
Chapter 3 - Wise Academy Life
"Commander Klaus-nim!"
"Call me Professor, Cadet Cecily. I told you to be careful with your titles."
"I'm sorry! Professor Klaus!"
"Why did you call me? Is there something you're curious about?"
"Of course! There's so much! It's not just one or two things I want to ask...."
"Sit down first."
Klaus guided Cecily to his office and offered her a seat.
If it were any other cadet, being personally taken aside by a professor might be perceived as strange, but Cecily had already been beaten up by Klaus twice.
At this point, wouldn't anyone think he was trying to tell her to stop, out of apology or concern?
That's how others at the Academy would interpret it.
"You're just so strong. You were back then, but even more so today. As expected of the Devil of the South... Ah, sorry. I heard you dislike that title."
"Since you know that well, I would appreciate it if you were a bit more careful."
Cecily answered that with a vigorous "Yes!"
If Natasha was a feisty stray cat, and Yulia was a haughty house cat that at least allowed you to pet her, it would be better to view Cecily as a puppy who is just happy about everything.
"Um, so, Professor Klaus. Why did you ask to see me?"
"Why do you think I asked to see Cadet Cecily privately?"
"I don't know."
"Wouldn't it be better to think about it before answering that you don't know?"
"Hmm... I don't know!"
Yeah, of course she'd answer like that.
Just because she's the youngest daughter, you raised her too delicately, you damn Leblanc family head.
The only fortunate part is that she wasn't raised to be hopelessly spoiled.
She was a woman who could fully blossom her talent if someone excellent was by her side to guide her.
These were things he had already experienced, but it was a situation that made him sigh every time he saw it.
Klaus scratched his forehead, interlaced his fingers, and threw a question at her.
"Why do you keep attacking me? If Cadet Cecily were an idiot or lacking in some way, I'd understand, but after that one clash, you should know there's a huge difference in skill."
"Yes. Of course I know. Do you really think I'm doing this to try and beat Commander... no, Professor Klaus? Of course not. I just wanted to experience more. It was the first time our Demon Race ever rated a human so highly."
"Hmm."
"On top of that, you're the one who led the Mera Battle to victory and thwarted the Demon Race's final gambit, even after being kept in check and betrayed so many times. I'm sorry to those who participated in that battle, but I truly respect you, Professor."
It was a phrase he had heard many times, yet it felt strange every time he heard it.
He was clearly the person who had engaged in that massive bloodbath with the Demon Race, slaughtering countless demon soldiers and commanders; he was someone who could literally be called a devil without any exaggeration.
Yet, the fact that those very demons were admiring or respecting him was something he could never quite grasp.
If it were him, he would be gnashing his teeth, cutting off his head, and taking revenge for his race! He would have acted like that.
Sometimes, they were a race that was just as incomprehensible as humans.
'...I have no room to talk since I made them that way.'
Klaus, who had let out a groan at Cecily's words, tapped the table lightly.
"That doesn't mean you need to keep picking reckless fights. Now that you know what you're lacking, you just need to fill those gaps quickly. It seems Cadet Cecily is taking other lectures as well."
"Yes. For now, I'm taking the swordsmanship lecture. I heard Professor Klaus is very good with a sword. I want to become a demon who is as good with a sword as you, Professor."
"...Ah, right."
It was quite absurd when he first encountered a Cecily like this.
A demon showing affection with sparkling eyes in front of the worst enemy in demon history.
Furthermore, the Leblanc family she belonged to was a place that had suffered many casualties at the hands of Klaus.
Yet, if the youngest daughter of that family showed such behavior, it was naturally strange and he couldn't help but be suspicious.
"You'll have to work hard. Because in one month, Cadet Cecily's opponent will be none other than me."
"Yes?"
"Didn't I explain earlier? That the opponent you faced today will be your next opponent. And that whoever defeats that opponent will receive extra points."
"Uh... you definitely said that. But if that happens...."
"For Cadet Cecily, it will be nearly impossible. So, I will consider it a win if Cadet Cecily grows to the point where I can specifically acknowledge her."
"Yes? I don't need anything like that. Just being able to fight you, Professor, is an honor."
Take it when it's offered, you woman.
While others are trying to get better scores by any means necessary to brag, saying, "I competed against the continent's best and got such excellent grades!"
"More than that, does that mean... you'll be my practice partner before then too?"
"That will be the case. But will you be okay with that? This time, I don't intend to just hit you with a wooden sword. I'll probably push you until your whole body aches. I plan to strike your stomach and spank your butt."
"Stomach, stomach? Butt?"
Cecily reacted immediately to Klaus's words.
Following the stomach she was hit squarely in when she first faced him, and the butt she was soundly spanked on with a wooden sword today, she began to smile suddenly while touching those spots.
"...."
This woman is already starting to go crazy.
It's fine to reveal that ridiculous tendency, but let's not go hard from the start.
He hadn't left the Academy yet, nor had he established a connection with the Leblanc family, so if rumors started spreading that he was bullying a cadet, his image would take a huge hit.
"Cadet Cecily!"
"Ah, yes, y-yes!"
"Focus. Just like in the sparring match earlier, your focus keeps breaking. If you keep that up, you might end up getting hit a lot and it could hurt quite a bit."
Cecily nodded at Klaus's words.
However, rather than showing a negative reaction to the words about being hit or hurting, she looked like she was actually looking forward to it.
'If I don't say it here, that woman will say it first. What should I do? It doesn't really matter, but this creates another branching point later. What should I do?'
After pondering for a moment, he finally made a decision.
This time, he decided to give Cecily a bit more decision-making power and sat still, looking at her.
And soon, the demon woman opened her mouth with a cautious air.
"Um, Professor Klaus."
"You mean you want to spar again, even if it's just one more time."
"Eh, wha? H-how did you know?"
"Maybe it's because I've fought so many demons, but I can see exactly what you're going to say."
"Yes? Really? Is that true? Wow?! Commander, no, Professor, really?!?!"
It was obviously a lie, obviously bullshit.
But that wasn't what was important to Cecily right now.
It was important that our Devil of the South, the hero of the Continental War, was that amazing.
"More than that, do you really want to do that? I'm sorry, but when I say I'll go easy, I'm not the type who actually goes easy. You saw that one professor get crippled right away, didn't you?"
"That was actually a natural consequence. How dare a human piece of trash be so rude to you, Professor."
"...I'm human too."
"Ah, that's right. B-but! You're different from those stupid human nobles! That's right, honestly, there's even talk like that. That you should have been born a demon, Professor! If that had happened, regardless of the war's outcome, the Demon Race would have had a legendary hero!"
That legendary hero has already decided to stay by the Demon King's side.
And later, I plan to work hard on handling your monarch from behind the scenes.
"Anyway! I'm fine. You can hit my stomach like last time, or spank my butt like today! I can work hard! I'll work even harder! So, Professor, don't worry and just go ahead and scold me hard!"
"Do you want to be treated like that so much?"
"N-no, I don't?! I just want to fight the great hero more!"
Klaus smiled involuntarily at Cecily's shout.
The Western Alliance he actually saved, especially the human bastards, are desperate to tear him apart.
Whether it's the Empire or the Kingdom, the bastards with the noble title are all trying to belittle him, struggling to dismiss the Southern victory as just a victory won because the Southern Army was good.
Yet, the demons who were his opponents were acknowledging, admiring, and respecting Klaus.
'It's a sight I can't get used to, even after seeing it so many times.'
If he followed his heart, he'd strip her right here and spank that plump butt of hers.
Cecily had the best "hand feel" when hitting, and there was no woman who could beat her in terms of the reactions she showed.
It was normal to scream in pain, but seeing that black-haired beauty whining that it felt good and begging to be hit more was enough to set even non-existent sadistic tendencies ablaze.
But at least not today; very unfortunately, there is a prior appointment today.
"Well, since you say that, my resolve is renewed as well. Fine. I will spar with you whenever I have time, just as you wish. But there will be no going easy on you, and no holding back on the pain. I will push you hard, and in the end, I will trample you quite miserably."
"Yes! I don't care. You can do whatever you want, Professor, it doesn't bother me at all!"
Cecily nodded vigorously, smiling happily as if she were actually glad.
If the Leblanc family head saw his youngest daughter acting like that, what kind of reaction would he show?
Would he praise her for being a true demon, showing no fear or hesitation to fight now that she had to, or would he scream, asking why his daughter was like that?
'Well, it doesn't matter. Either way, that man will die at Yulia's hands or at Cecily's hands, one of the two.'
It's a world where things that can be changed and things that cannot coexist, which is truly funny.
Even if he was the author who created this world, even if he was Klaus who had experienced everything through dozens of regressions, there were definitely some things that could not be changed.
The most certain of those was the fact that the Second Continental War would eventually break out and the Demon Race would win.
Among the many other miscellaneous things, one was that the head of the Leblanc family, to which Cecily belonged, would die standing on the side of Yulia's uncle and opposing Yulia.
That is exactly where the branching point divides.
If he gives up on Cecily, she and her father will die at Yulia's hands.
And the Leblanc family will be completely destroyed by the Demon King's hands.
Conversely, if he takes Cecily, she will kill her own father with her own hands.
The Leblanc family will be able to maintain the family by receiving immunity due to Cecily's contribution.
'Honestly, I don't care if the Leblanc family falls or not. To me, only Cecily, this woman, matters.'
She is a woman who is definitely fun to tease; the way she whines that she likes it no matter how much he teases her makes a person go crazy, to the point where he has seriously wondered if he has sadistic tendencies.
In conclusion, it's just that Cecily is amazing, or in other words, she is a crazy woman herself.
Should I call her a siren who makes any man have no choice but to tease her?
There was something absolutely irresistible about the scene where she would show such a bright smile and active demeanor, only to cling to him in bed, begging him to mess her body up.
"Then I'll be going now! Commander Klaus... no, Professor!"
"...Go ahead, Cadet Cecily."
After sending Cecily out of the office—who even performed a military salute, where on earth did she learn that?—Klaus left the room and began to walk down the hallway.
"For your information, there are still many lectures left, so there are many eyes watching."
"...."
"So, trying to seduce me here is a loss for both me and you, Natasha."
Then, a fairy woman slowly reveals herself from a pillar next to the hallway.
Seeing that she hadn't changed her clothes yet, it seemed she had been wandering around here after the combat magic lecture ended, waiting for Klaus to come out of the room.
"What did you talk about with that demon woman?"
"Are you jealous, by any chance?"
"That's not what we agreed on. If you do this...."
"Don't worry. Cadet Cecily is just my ardent follower."
"A follower? A demon woman who is neither human nor part of the Western Alliance?"
"That noble fairy of yours masturbated right in front of me just to seduce a human man, so is it really that strange for a demon to follow me?"
Natasha's face turns red with shame and embarrassment at Klaus's words.
Of course, that's probably not all; she might even be getting aroused without realizing it.
"Tonight."
"Tonight?"
"...Please come to my room."
"To your room? Why?"
"D-don't play dumb. You shameless person."
Natasha turns her head away as if the very act of saying it hurts her pride.
But true to her nature of being unable to lie well, a blush was rising on both her cheeks.