Ding Dong Dang Dong
The cheerful bell tolling ding dong dang dong echoed throughout the entire academy. Whether in my past life or now, that sound was always the gospel of salvation, sprinkling relief onto my parched soul.
The boring theory classes that dragged on all afternoon—and the even more exhausting covert probing from Class 1's little noble brats—had finally come to an end. The moment the professors slipped out of the classroom, I cracked my stiff neck side to side and cautiously rolled my aching right shoulder.
"Hey, wake up. The bell rang."
"Mmm……."
The silver-haired beast who'd been peacefully snoring with her face buried in my shoulder stirred and lifted her head. Reina sleepily blinked open her heavy purple eyes, rubbing them with her gloved hands.
"……Class is over?"
The terrifying intensity that had nearly made the professors and noble brats piss themselves was nowhere to be seen. Her drowsy mumble was pure 18-year-old high school girl.
I let out a silent sigh of relief inside and switched to the warm, gentle tone of a typical homeroom teacher seeing kids off after school.
"Sleep well? Class ended ages ago! I've been drained all day myself. Let's head back to the dorm, wash up, and rest."
Yeah. Day one was a total shitshow, but if I crash in my dorm bed now, it'll be a perfect clock-out. Time to recharge my last scraps of life force.
I shoved my stationery into my bag with a light heart. But Reina's stretch halted abruptly, her purple eyes flashing wide.
"No way!!"
"Huh? Why?"
A dumb question slipped from my mouth, bloated with dreams of punching out.
Reina shot to her feet, hands on her hips, declaring proudly.
"There's a dessert cafe I wanna go to!"
"……."
"It's our first day! I saw the other kids pairing off after class to hang out. I wanna go too!"
In my head, I heard the walls of my off-duty fortress crumbling.
After wrangling beasts all day in that Class 1 ice rink of a classroom, heading to the royal capital's bustling streets for a date? This was way harsher than forced after-work drinks or night self-study supervision—pure overtime hell.
I pretended not to hear, zipping up my bag with a screech.
"Oh, yeah? Craving sweets, huh. Go enjoy a ton then. I'll head to the dorm first. Just be back before curfew."
I turned to slip away, scheming my escape—right then.
Grab.
"Where do you think you're going."
A small but iron grip clamped my uniform jacket sleeve. I turned to find Reina staring up at me, her eyes instantly turning cold predator.
"Aren't you my 'squire'?"
"……!"
Fact-bomb choking the air from my lungs. Right. My official role was squire—retainer—to this monstrous Astrea ducal lady.
On paper, a fellow first-year baron's son. By contract, I was her hands and feet. Ditching solo was blatant negligence, a breach of academy rules and our deal.
No escape. Realizing this, I drooped my head pathetically at my trapped sleeve.
"Haa…… Lady Reina, please, just a little rest for me……."
Ignoring my desperate plea, she flashed a victor's grin and hooked her arm tight through mine. In the end, I was dragged out of Class 1 like a lamb to slaughter.
The commercial district behind the academy's east wing. True to its imperial and high-noble backing, the dessert cafes lining the street flaunted gold-leaf signs.
Reina hauled me straight into the grandest one—Salon de Lumière, its chandeliers glittering—right to the most private terrace table in the back.
"That, that, and all the displayed ones over there. Bring everything."
Her bold order poured out the second we sat. The impeccably trained server didn't flinch, bowing with polite grace.
"Understood. We'll prepare them right away."
Minutes later, the table was a jaw-dropping spectacle. Chocolate fondue fountain. Three-tier strawberry parfait crowned with sugar sculptures. Towering pastel macarons. An endless stream of desserts piled into a mountain.
A diabolical sugar orgy that screamed pancreas murder and blood sugar spikes just from looking.
"Here, ahh—."
As I gawked queasily at the pile, Reina speared a strawberry cake slathered in whipped cream and shoved it at my mouth.
"Student. I don't really like sweets. Getting older… or maybe just tired, but they upset my stomach. Eat it all yourself."
I leaned back, iron wall up. Her lips pouted.
"I've been holding back all day."
She grumbled like it was the height of injustice.
"Even when those idiots were annoying me, I stayed quiet. Even when that professor geezer woke me, I held it in."
She fixed me with a stare like a giant dog begging for praise.
"You said act like a proper student at school, no incidents. I was so good today."
A girl who could vaporize the academy building on a whim, blushing over simply "behaving" without incident.
"So reward me quick. Listen to me and eat everything I give you."
The cream cake neared my lips again. Her insistent, sticky gaze bored in.
This wasn't feeding dessert—it was a predator marking its property.
Haa. Fine. Staying quiet in that stuffy classroom all day without blowing up is a huge achievement. What can a squire do?
I gave in, opening wide for the cake she offered. The cloying sweetness clogged my mouth, wrinkling my brow, but seeing her swipe the cream from my lips with her thumb and lick it off—satisfied grin and all—I couldn't muster annoyance.
"Good boy. So obedient, my Cadel."
"…Where'd you learn that……."
Face heating, I reached for bitter black tea to soothe my burning gut—then.
Swish.
A faint, chilling sensation grazed my nape. Not the usual noble curiosity or fearful glances from the cafe.
What the—?
My teacup hand froze midair. Goosebumps raced down my spine.
Like a viper in the dark tonguing my vital spot. An unpleasant, creepy surveillance aura.
That K-worker sixth sense from my past life, ghosting the principal sneaking up during slacking. Here, it translated to assassin detection, red-alerting my brain like mad.
Day one, and I've already pissed off someone enough for nighttime ambushes?
My pulse quickened. I sipped tea casually, eyes down.
Who's it? After me? Or watching the walking nuke beside me?
The silver teaspoon's convex back faintly reflected the terrace view. Narrow dark alley across from the cafe, beyond chandelier glow.
In those thick shadows, blending perfectly, someone lurked, watching us.
Damn, it's real. Not killing intent—trained spy vibes. First day variety show much?
I itched to chase and demand why, but that'd make the beast inhaling strawberry cream across from me aura-blast the alley to oblivion.
No, no. Day one murder? Expulsion's the least—shortens my lifespan. Play dumb. I'm just an extra squire. Know nothing…….
I desperately rolled my eyes for a natural exit excuse—then.
"Cadel."
A low, chilling voice pierced my thoughts. I whipped around, startled. Reina, who'd been purring happily over cake, now stared through me. Fork frozen midair, her purple eyes darkened ominously.
"……Wh-what? More you want? Just say, I'll order it all. You're paying anyway."
I bluffed nonchalance with an awkward grin, but her brow furrowed fiercer.
"Where are you looking."
"Huh? Oh, just admiring the terrace landscaping. Empire's got killer garden tech."
"Liar. You've been glancing around, avoiding my face."
Shit, she noticed?
World's strongest indeed. Her beast instincts sniffed out my surveillance scan.
I swallowed cold sweat, scrambling excuses to keep her from aura-ing the alley.
"No, it's just that alley over there seems weird……."
"Annoying."
"……Huh?"
"We're on a date alone, and you're not looking at me—where the hell are you staring?"
Clink! Fork slammed down rough. I froze.
This beast didn't give a damn about "sensing danger and staying vigilant." Even dozens of assassins would be pesky bugs to her.
Her rage? Solely that my gaze wasn't all on her. Pathetic, blind obsession.
"H-hey, calm down. People are staring."
"Let 'em. Why are you embarrassed?"
Reina bolted up, circled the table, and—not to the side seat—hopped straight onto my lap, plopping down on the velvet sofa.
"……Are you insane?! What the hell are you—mmph!"
I freaked, shoving her waist. Her hands clamped my cheeks. Faces inches apart.
Her unreal beautiful 18-year-old features filled my view. Sweet cream breath and dizzying scent hit hard.
My soul was a weary mid-30s salaryman, but this body? Raging 17-year-old hormones.
Heart pounded wildly in my ears, against my will.
Calm down, body! She's a student! My charge! Cross the line here, and she'll suck my last 1% life force—death by exhaustion!!
I clung to reason desperately, but she tilted her head, pressing closer, cheeks still gripped.
"Look at me only, Cadel."
Her drowsy, sticky whisper tickled my ear. My panicked face reflected in her deep purple eyes.
"No distractions. My eyes only, my voice only."
Gloved hand yanked my tie rough. Breath caught.
She snatched a long chocolate-coated stick pastry from the table, nipping one end between her plump red lips.
Then yanked my tie, shoving the other end into my mouth.
"Eat."
"……Mmph?!"
Snap! Crisp break rang. Faces neared, breaths mingling hazardously.
Lips brushed past crumbs—her hot, soft touch paralyzing my nerves.
This straight-charge beast, what the fuck outdoors!!
Too shocked to blink, I crunched the invading pastry instinctively. Mouth tingling sweet, but taste wasn't the point.
Nobles' gasping "gasp"s and shocked stares stabbed my skin.
Reina pulled back, eyes crinkling in delight. Her bewitching, obsessive smile froze me—couldn't shove her off, face burning.
"That's it. Eat only what I give."
Finally satisfied, she beamed, hugging my neck tight. Silver hair tickled my cheek; her heartbeat thrummed through my chest.
In that maddening temptation—
Swish.
The cold, mechanical gaze on my nape vanished like a lie.
"……Gone."
Confirming the creepy stare fully ebbed away, I slumped against the backrest, exhaling long.
Tension melted, muscles loosening—then.
"Gone? I didn't finish my desserts—we leaving already?"
Reina, nuzzling my chest, tilted her head. Chocolate still stained her lips; her dizzying scent wafted with each breath.
Survival instincts faded, and 17-year-old hormones surged wildly into the void.
……Shit! Gasp!
I sucked in air. Her soft curves and heavy warmth plastered on my lap, arms around my waist.
Earlier, all focus on the assassin vibe—I'd ignored it. Now relaxed, this healthy young body reacted instinctively, violently to the pressed schoolgirl.
Heart hammered ears; heat flooded my face.
Aaah! Calm down, body! She's a student! Real danger's the nuke in my arms I neglected chasing shadows!
Stay longer, and my lower half would defy teacher authority, standing tall like a delinquent—disaster.
Pale from the horrifying coup below my gut, I yelled desperately.
"Hey, off! Get down now!"
I shoved her shoulders frantically, scooting my butt back. But she clung tighter, pouting.
"Whyy. You were fine earlier."
"J-just! M-my leg's numb! Blood flow! And outside, huh? Mixed company in public—not right! Back to your seat!"
"No. Wanna stay hugged. But Cadel, your ears are super red suddenly."
"Not! Hot, it's hot! Please get off!!"
Fatigue secondary, I thrashed pathetically against my exploding heart and boiling hormones.
A K-teacher's tearful battle to dislodge this lethal lapweight.
Amid dozens of gaping nobles in that suffocating terrace center.
They mistook me for a Mastermind, the one pulling the strings and masterfully taming the Ducal Lady.
Reality? Stinky male teacher flailing to hide 17-year-old instincts, versus straight-beast predator exploiting gaps—in a fierce, sweet flesh war melting sweetly into dusk.