Because Love Subjugates (2)
"....Hmph, with that kind of marking, there's no room to slip in."
In the skies above the park, thick with a ticklish, intimate atmosphere, a small bat with red eyes fluttered about.
Elise had opened one eye she'd kept closed, staring fixedly at the scene below for a long while.
....I want to ruin it all.
Far off in the distance, the boy who was late for their appointment came running, so she quickly schooled her expression and waved cheerfully.
"....Huff, huff.... Sorry. I was the one who asked you out, and then...."
"No, it's fine. I was just enjoying a rather amusing spectacle, so I wasn't bored."
They say people can't speak properly when they're too flustered. That was my state right now.
....This is insane.
I'd only come out to get some advice for an assignment. I never imagined I'd run into Ariel out of nowhere and hear that absurd bombshell declaration.... It was completely beyond anything I'd expected.
"Your face looks like it's about to burst, Leon. Did you just come from seeing your girlfriend or something?"
"......Pardon?"
At Lady Elise's sudden words, I stammered in confusion. Our encounters since the first day of school had evolved into casual chats—though for some reason, she was always unusually friendly toward me.
"....Ah, no. It's a misunderstanding.... I just ran into a friend on the way...."
"....Hmph, I see...."
....He's already hers, marked and collared.
Men were such foolish, simple creatures—swayed by a bit of sweet talk, their hearts tilting in a single day.
Elise kept her smile as she clapped her hands.
"It's getting too late, so I'll explain the theory lecture next time."
"....Ah, okay."
If he's already leashed as hers, one way is to shatter him while he's still bound. With Emilia staying so passive too.... Rather than all-out war with Lady Ariel.... For now, she'd settle for grasping one weakness.
"Leon. Would you come a little closer to me for a moment?"
"....Pardon?"
Her red eyes flushed deeper as she slowly met Leon's gaze. The Raymond family's red eyes, born once every century, enabled chantless magic as naturally as breathing.
"Mark of Death"
"Curse of Disease"
⟨ Worst and Strongest Curse ⟩
The most vile and powerful curse magic created by her mother, Raymond Eve, who had lived as a vengeful demon. It would leave him unable to use magic for a while, but.... To uncover Emilia's schemes, she'd decided to lay low for now. Soon, students dissatisfied with the point system would submit a joint petition anyway.
"....Um, Lady Elise. It's past curfew now.... Is something wrong....?"
"Nothing at all."
Elise gave a soft smile, unfurled her parasol, and stood.
"....Are you perhaps angry....?"
"Oh, surely not?"
As she walked toward her private dorm, she glanced back with a friendly wave.
"Next time we meet, I won't be so nice~?"
....She hates me now. I was an hour late for our appointment, so maybe it's deserved....
I dazedly got to my feet and checked today's schedule. It had already been two weeks since I entered the academy.
Today.... Swordsmanship department practical with mock spars in the morning, and magic department theory in the afternoon.
"Macbeth. After afternoon class, wanna spar with me instead?"
"....Huh? What's that out of nowhere."
Macbeth mumbled sleepily, fumbling for his glasses as he asked back.
"....Well, our assignment was How to Gain the Upper Hand Against Mages. Gotta spar to figure it out, right?"
"Eh, that's easy. Buy me breakfast instead."
"......"
As I glared daggers, Macbeth kept excusing himself.
"Hey, you and Kyle haven't spent hardly any points so far. You've still got over two hundred left, right?"
"That's on you guys for blowing it all on artifacts and junk."
"....I've saved a ton compared to others. Some kids are starving starting today."
"Joking. I'll buy."
The crisis had emerged a week ago. Students who'd splurged on artifacts realized too late they couldn't earn points without midterms or assignments in two months—unless they were the bizarre hunter-types butchering game in the academy's little forest.
The nobles who'd run dry were begging for scraps, scraping by in poverty.
"Karma. Tsk, Leon. Mind if I tag along? Noble ladies were begging me for a meal."
"....Buy your own."
Lloyd always slept in late, so the three of us—dressed sloppily in academy uniforms—headed for the cafeteria. Kyle, who opened the door first, froze awkwardly.
"....Uh, hey...."
"?"
At Kyle's odd reaction, I shoved him aside and peeked out.
"......."
It was Ariel. She stood there fidgeting shyly, but her words were bold.
"I've been waiting, Leon."
"....."
Kyle's face twisted, but Macbeth's lit up with malicious romantic glee. He shoved me, muttering ominously, then slammed the door shut.
....That bastard—
I yanked at the door, but it was locked tight.
Ariel stepped lightly to my side.
".....Wanna grab food? As top student, I've got meal vouchers from the professors."
"......"
I hesitated, then slowly nodded.
"....Who the hell is that guy....?"
"Ugh, I'm starving.... I want a proper meal too...."
"....Why is Lady Ariel eating with a commoner like him?"
Entering the cafeteria with her made it clear just how famous she was here. Heir to the Saint Ducal House, first in succession. Known as the empire's greatest beauty with her cold, aloof speech. She topped the polls among male students and held power rivaling the crown prince.
And right now....
".....W-Wanna try it?"
She was holding a spoon to my lips.
I'd just asked what wyvern wing stew tasted like out of curiosity.
".....W-Wait a sec."
Face burning, I whispered urgently, trying to hide it.
"P-Put it down, please."
"...If you don't like it, just say so. I'll keep going."
"....."
No, it's not that I hate it.... But this is public. And feeding someone—that's something even close lovers don't do.
Still, Lady Ariel maintained her signature blank expression.
Though her ear tips were beet red.... I felt like I was losing something here. She always attacked so casually, leaving me just taking it. It irked me.
....She definitely blushed before. But with no emotional swings, it feels like I'm the only one suffering.
Thankfully, we separated in the lecture hall. I felt glances now and then.... But honestly, it felt good.
".....Hey, you loving this?"
"Huh?"
The lecture droned on, but we were in the back, so Kyle whispered.
"....Loving it, you idiot. Lady's buying meals, straight-up confessing—must be paradise."
"....Not really. I don't know what to do, so I'm just going with it...."
"......."
".....Sigh, what did this guy save in a past life to get this lucky...."
"....You, the boy keep whispering to the student next to you?"
It was Elvin. His dark elf hand—inky black—pinched Kyle's earlobe with a grin.
"....Yeah, you. Don't turn, don't duck. Yes, you."
"....T-Teacher, that's not—"
"Whole class, twenty penalty points each. Head to the training grounds with your personal swords properly maintained."
Morning classes always ended with personal maintenance time. "Sword polishing freely".... but really rest time for napping and chatting.
I'd clashed blades with Kyle for ages, so exhausted, I lay collapsed.
"....Yo, I'm heading out. Wanna shower."
"Huh? Not eating together—"
"....."
At my words, Kyle kicked my butt with a scowl and bolted. I tried chasing but my muscles screamed, so I flopped back onto the blue grass.
That guy's stamina is no joke.
Should hit the dorm for a quick bath then lunch, but it was such a hassle. I stiffly scooped soup, even sipping demurely.
With Kyle or Lloyd, I'd chug from the bowl carefree.... This was definitely awkward.
Mid-thought—the blinding sunlight frowning my brow vanished under a shadow.
".....Ah, there you are."
".....Yeah."
Ariel peered down at me upside-down, expressionless as ever.
....Weird. She only blushed before—face never changed.
".....Sh-Should we head to the dorm? I'm soaked all over...."
Ariel's eyes darted, avoiding mine. Looking up at her was stunning—sweat-damp black hair and shining eyes made her even more beautiful.
Thump—
....Damn it. Annoying.
If she wanted me to like her, she made me do just that. Yet she stared unshaken. It grated.
"....In public, could you hold back a bit? It's really embarrassing."
".....If Leon hates it, I'll stop."
"......."
No retort. I was the one silently accepting it. Arguably worse.
".....Lady Ariel."
"......?"
At my call, she jerked her knee from my head and looked.
"Mind giving me your hand?"
"....H-Hand? Why...."
Despite her words, she slowly extended it toward my chest. I sat up, watching her face intently.
".....Um. Gonna keep staring?"
"......"
Still the same. Eyes quivered faintly, lips twitched—but her usual face.
I gripped her hand.
".....!!"
Slowly, I interlaced our fingers one by one. Interlocking revealed her body burned hot.
....Her hand was scorching.
".....St-Stop...."
She whipped her head side to side, then faced me pleadingly. Eyes squeezed shut, lips parted.
"....It's embarrassing, st-stop...."
"...Yeah. Embarrassing, right? Me too."
I disentwined our hands and slowly stood.
"....So, please restrain yourself. ....It's fine when we're alone."