Uriel Wayne Daina Alfred
“Ah……”
Waking from a long slumber, Uriel glanced around her surroundings. Darkness had settled in, making it hard to see. She channeled her mana into fire, illuminating the room.
Rain was falling outside.
That smell……
Unable to spritz her usual perfume, her own sweet bodily scent—now turned cloying like incense—lingered faintly in the air. Leaving it like this wouldn't do, so she cracked the window open and interfered with the atmosphere to ventilate the space cleanly.
Only then did the sickly-sweet aroma that had filled the room dissipate, replaced by the earthy scent of the academy's flower beds, soaked by the rain.
Gurgle.
I'm hungry……
She hadn't eaten properly since morning. Still, the professor's office had tea and cookies prepared for light refreshments, so Uriel roused herself, boiled some water, and soon took a bite of a cookie alongside a cup of black tea. The damp, mushy texture was the worst.
Even so, to stave off her hunger, she forced down all seven cookies. She wasn't one for big meals to begin with, so fortunately, a moderate sense of fullness settled over her empty stomach, bringing a languid satisfaction.
“……”
She probably had about fifteen days left.
Once permission came from Count Aslan in the north, the engagement ceremony would follow immediately, and the wedding during the break. His son was attending the academy, after all.
Worrying is…… pointless, I suppose.
Sighing, Uriel rose to her feet. She had always known this day would come as her family wished—postponed from her childhood, but inevitable.
Perhaps it was better to savor this fleeting freedom, now that the name Alfred no longer bound her, if only for the moment.
Swish……
Finishing her thoughts, Uriel undressed. On the fourth floor, no one would see, but even so, embarrassment made her slip into a corner. She transformed her mana into water, enveloping her body.
An elemental mage who could manipulate the atmosphere and convert mana into fire or water—not for nothing had the Alfred elder, Coleone, doted on her as a vessel to bear Brutein's seed.
“P, ha……”
Soon, within the rippling water embracing her form, Uriel began her bath to shake off the sticky dampness clinging to her skin. No moonlight filtered in, so her moving silhouette was shrouded in deep shadow, revealing only hazy outlines—but even so, she looked utterly beautiful.
Like a ballerina performing underwater ballet.
It's too dark……
Not afraid of the rainy darkness or its eerie silence, but feeling a chill nonetheless, Uriel ignited another flame in the air.
Whoosh!
Defying gravity as if in rebellion, her elastic, ample breasts were fully revealed. Her stomach was flat without a trace of excess fat, leading down to voluptuous hips, and between them, a shy inverted triangle of soft, downy pubic hair…… Yes, her form was neither vulgar nor frivolous.
If there was an ideal shape to entice a male for breeding, it was Uriel now. Pure temptation incarnate.
In a sense, one of the world's great beauties.
This is my first time bathing like this……
The sensation was like a slime crawling over her skin, but Uriel steadied her breathing and continued. Once a refreshing cleanliness washed over her, she dispersed the water and blew wind around her body by interfering with the air.
“Hng!”
The weather being what it was, it was cold. She could light more fires around her and dry off with hot air, but knowing that wasn't good for her skin, Uriel shivered and gritted her teeth.
If I'm not careful……
She might catch a cold. With no one to care for her, getting sick would be so frustrating she'd lose her mind.
Once she deemed herself sufficiently dry, Uriel dressed hurriedly and opened the office door. The cold air made her tremble as she dried off, and now her lower abdomen signaled an urgent need to urinate.
“Mm……”
The hallway on the fourth floor of the main building stretched endlessly ahead. The path to the bathroom felt impossibly long. Uriel wasn't particularly scared of the dark, but even she found the current corridor unnervingly foreboding.
A little……
She kindled a faint flame. Lighting it bright enough to illuminate the whole hall would draw the attention of the magic patrol or imperial knights on security duty.
I absolutely don't want to get caught……
If word got out that she'd been kicked out of home and was crashing in her office, the shame would be unbearable.
Clack……
Relying on the tiny flame like a lantern, Uriel walked the dim corridor into the bathroom.
I get how Sis felt now……
As a child, her older sister always took maids to the bathroom at night or woke Uriel to go together. She hadn't understood back then, but now she empathized deeply.
It's empty anyway, so……
Maybe she could leave the door open. Deciding so, Uriel entered the first empty stall, sat, and relaxed.
Trickle……
In the utter silence broken only by rain, the embarrassing sound echoed. With the door open, her shame intensified.
You bastard. You bastard……
This was all because of that man—Ferzen. Clutching her face, Uriel inwardly cursed him profusely, finished up, and hurried back to her office.
“Ah……”
Returning, she belatedly realized she hadn't locked the door.
Whatever……
No one would arrive earlier than her. She could lock it come morning.
Sleep……
Lying on the sofa, Uriel closed her eyes. She had just woken and bathed, so sleep evaded her, but she persisted. Messing up her schedule would only bring needless hardship.
* * * * *
Knock knock.
“……”
Knock knock.
“……”
Knock knock.
Rustle……
“Mm……”
The rhythmic knocking roused Uriel from sleep on the sofa. Rain still fell outside. Her body felt heavy, like a waterlogged towel.
“Nng……”
Struggling upright, she let out a weary groan laced with fatigue. A slight chill hung over her, but she couldn't tell if it was from the uncomfortable bed or an actual cold.
Knock knock.
“Shit……”
Suppressing a curse at the irritating knocks, Uriel turned to check the clock.
“……”
8:25 a.m. With a lecture today, drowsiness fled in an instant. She hastily smoothed her disheveled hair and opened the door.
“……”
He was tall. Uriel naturally looked up.
Silver-tinged gray hair, blue eyes. A handsome young man—no, too mature for "boy," better called a man.
“Good morning, Professor Uriel.”
“Who……”
“I'm Gerard Ren Millane Aslan.”
“Ah……”
Hearing "Aslan," Uriel instantly realized who he was.
“I heard from the elder late last night and came right away.”
“……”
“You might be hungry, so I brought some fresh bread. Have it for breakfast.”
Uriel eyed the basket of warm, nutty-scented loaves he proffered, her expression uneasy.
Childish……
Guessing her grandfather Coleone's intentions, Uriel sighed inwardly repeatedly.
“And……it's not grand, but there's a mansion suitable for living. I stay in the dorms, but if you need a place immediately, I can tell you the location.”
“That……”
“Call me Gerard, casually.”
“Fine, Gerard…… This is so sudden, I don't know how to react. I don't know what Grandpa told you, but doing this at the academy feels a bit uncomfortable.”
Uriel rubbed her temple and shook her head. That's when she noticed his blue eyes rudely scanning her from chest to toe, lingering lewdly.
……
Her mood soured sharply, but realizing it stemmed from her unventilated bodily scent wafting from the room, she subtly covered her chest with her hand.
“Sorry. I heard the story, but……”
He'd even mentioned the scent? Uriel frowned.
“Professor.”
“Yes……”
“If it's inconvenient, I can visit after lectures end this afternoon. How about dinner together, to talk?”
“Just……go for now.”
A throbbing headache hit.
“Understood. And the bread……”
*No thanks.* She almost said it, but spotting Ferzen approaching with Euphemia, Uriel bit her lip and snatched the basket.
“I'll eat it well.”
Slam!
The door shut.
It was his first direct encounter with Alfred's second daughter—Uriel—and her seductive scent lingered in his mind as Gerard turned away. Though brief, the aftertaste was profound.
Wondering if even a trace clung to his clothes, he lifted his sleeve to his nose……
Thud.
“Ah……”
Facing Ferzen head-on, he flashed a perfect smile and bowed politely.
“Good morning. A fine morning, Professor Ferzen.”
“……I don't recall seeing you in the main building.”
“I'm Gerard Ren Millane Aslan.”
Aslan, Aslan…… The northern count's son? Ferzen smirked.
Only two knew Ruerg was leveraging Brutein to meddle north: the Ernes Emperor and Princess Elizabeth.
Even if aware, would he greet like this? Publicly, it was just Brutein cleaning up a personal mess; few knew the details.
“Gerard…… Yes, I hope you have a good morning too.”
“Yes. Thank you. If time allows someday, I'd love to invite you both to my mansion for a fine meal.”
“A meal, you say……”
“Yes.”
Euphemia looked surprised beside him, but Ferzen stared at Gerard impassively.
“Lectures will start soon. If you'll excuse me.”
Ferzen turned to watch Gerard pass by.
“Someone wants to welcome you warmly…… That's unexpected……”
“……”
“Ah…… I-I didn't mean it badly……”
“It was ill-intentioned.”
“Well……”
“But you hit the mark.”
As Euphemia said, he'd never extended such kindness to warrant private hospitality.
That 'thank you' earlier might not have been mere courtesy, but genuine gratitude.
An Aslan expressing thanks to him…… spelled trouble.
Knowing the issue, correcting it was the proper course.
The meal invitation…… I'll take it up then.
Whether the welcome remained then was another question.