Kids at Heart: The Sizzling Academy Romance Gossip
Even as an adult, the moment you enroll in the academy, you could call yourself one. You had to pay tuition, earn money while studying, and make all your own judgments and decisions. And since the academy was a choice—something you entered of your own volition—it was basically the point where you were already an adult. With all sorts of races mingling, each with their own lifespans, this had become the flow at some point: the moment you enter the academy, you're an adult.
But even adults, no matter how much time passes or how they grow, always retain that childlike part deep inside. And being an adult doesn't mean you know everything you haven't learned, or that there's any real difference beyond taking responsibility for your own life. That's why there are adults who can't even match a kid with no parents who's desperately struggled to survive and picked up all sorts of skills along the way.
You never know if you'll be the protagonist or a side character in life. You might have talent, but it could amount to nothing. You might be born extraordinary, but it might mean little in the end. Life is so unpredictable, one step ahead is impossible to see—that's why people fight, compete, grow awkward, then make up and become friends again. Those who see the world coldly say people never truly understand each other and live as isolated individuals forever.
But you can empathize, understand, get to know one another, compromise appropriately, and build bonds. A bit of a long intro there—but in the end, even grown-ups are kids at heart, and you shouldn't make snap judgments even if you've been through it yourself. Everyone entering the academy harbors that hope that things can always change.
The hottest time of youth, where countless different lives intersect. Nothing draws as much interest and amusement as someone else's love life during this period.
"Did you have fun last night?"
Revo had run himself ragged, turning to jelly from the potion's side effects. He could've just headed back to the academy like that, but since they were already out, the two of them had gone sightseeing in the city alone.
The first-years, dressed in uniforms and waiting for her to return, swarmed the moment the pair showed up. They plopped down at the cafe without even catching their breath, staring intently to hear what had happened.
"What? It's not booze, just drinks?"
For Beatus, who as a livestock sub-species(?) had only ever faced scorn, this burning curiosity from friends felt strangely novel. They'd always lived like Teto-men, ignoring others' gazes, but being watched like this was embarrassing.
Beatus gulped down the cool drink Wiyu handed over and said worriedly that it didn't matter for themself, but Revo might be too ashamed to lift his head.
But what kind of first-years were they? They'd cooperate to survive any incidents caused by one Wiyu Witchcraft. And while there was a commoner clique, there wasn't really a noble one, so they naturally mixed regardless of titles and got along casually.
Even the top student Ephemera, vicious enough that everyone walked on eggshells around her sharp personality, would call her a friend if asked.
"Ahem, no confession or anything. We just wandered around celebrating the victory, y'know?"
"Hmmm...."
Beatus figured it was less a date and more just tagging along to cheer on their tournament-winning friend. But they were wearing the clothes Revo had worn while crossdressing, and...
Out the window, since it was the weekend and uniforms weren't required—call it vitality(?). There was Revo, unable to contain his happiness, sprinting laps around the field like a maniac.
Look at Revo, who came in second but acted like he'd conquered the world, bounding with joy.
"Whoa... possible."
"What?!"
Some guy dropped a terrifying line, but they say love changes people—he'd gotten... pretty? Usually, it's girls who get prettier, right? Everyone was a bit puzzled, but Revo had a decent base face if you dolled him up.
Dressed in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, tail wagging wildly, he was doing the Revo step, overflowing with bliss. Even though everyone told him to stay outside the cafe for a bit, he didn't question it—just look at how thrilled he was.
No matter what, they had to hear what happened between those two that day. Even if they tried to hide it, the academy rarely participated, but it did this time, and with Wiyu Witchcraft showing up, the footage had spread everywhere long ago.
Everyone had seen Revo's life-defining highlight: crossdressing and declaring he'd win love, racing neck-and-neck with the hero.
Even Beatus thought it was better to spill it all here together.
No one was unaware that Revo, smitten with first love, had been blowing his own savings daily on top-shelf potions and cosmetics.
"Anyway, no confession, so none of that naughty stuff you guys are imagining!"
"Face-riding isn't naughty...?!"
"He didn't even win, though..."
Beatus themself had zero dating experience—heck, no opposite-sex friends before the academy!!
But their first one liked them, and after seeing that fiery determination in the race, of course they'd wander all night post-tournament.
"He just gave me a ride, y'know."
"Info) Male beastkin giving rides is akin to a lord-vassal bond."
"As expected of the top student... knows everything!"
"Even without face-riding, beastkin exchange pheromones... it's like scent-marking for info sharing, common between couples even if not on the face."
"So he rubbed all over, marking 'this male's mine' with his scent?!"
The crowd buzzed.
Beatus's face turned tomato-red watching their first-year friends inflate and exaggerate wildly, chugging their drink to cool off without a word.
Meanwhile, the top student mentioned it, and the greatsword dummy started sniffing, tail wagging—said Revo smelled different. Zeke, being beastkin(?) too, waved her hands saying she'd marked her territory so hard her nose hurt.
Anyway, didn't they at least hold hands? And lick faces too...! Well, that's common beastkin affection, so whatever.
But ditching all their friends to drag a beat-up boy around all day—what'd they do?
"First, he was hurt, so I wiped him with some wool and gave it to him. Then his clothes were cute but dirty, so I bought new ones."
"<Underwear?? No way you changed that too?!>"
"Not that... but I did buy some!"
What? Not just scent-marking her guy, but buying and making him wear her underwear too?
She'd always had that bold, manly streak, but starting off this aggressive?!
"No side dishes needed for noodles—this is it."
The first-years in the cafe erupted in cheers. The repeating students, unable to join, watched enviously from outside, the mood heating up.
Then they just sat in the park holding hands and chatting. Ate at a restaurant, had dessert... praises for his efforts, repaying gifts received so far.
A perfect first-date story straight out of a romance novel—no, textbook material. The girls screamed bloody murder.
The boys couldn't contain their excitement either—shy, almost girly Revo turning into a blazing inferno of passion for his crush.
"But Revo didn't confess? So he's getting stolen?"
"<No human heart? After that story??>"
"Nah, the flow screams he will."
She could be so innocently dumb sometimes. It really hit home that she was born a witch, of the Witchcraft family.
That barely concealed psychopath vibe in every other word...
"So I told Revo to confess while he's at it!"
"<You crazy bitch!!>"
Everyone agreed with the Grand Duke.
What's the difference between that and shoving someone off a cliff mid-good momentum, yelling "you can fly"?
Forcing them into a couple now wasn't impossible, but shouldn't there be gradual steps?
Beatus sensed Revo was building affection since he hadn't confessed yesterday.
But hyped up, overflowing with confidence from a nudge, he confesses? The boys' faces screamed "doomed."
The girls froze too, watching flushed, grinning Revo burst through the cafe door.
"U-um! Beatus— I, I!"
He's totally confessing..!! This idiot's too hyped, gonna ruin perfectly cooked rice!!
Ephemera and a few others reached for weapons, ready to knock him out if needed.
But Beatus smiled awkwardly yet not unpleasantly and spoke first.
Crash—!!
Thick glasses slid across the hallway floor. Boys clutched the nosebleeding, wall-slumped, unconscious Revo, wailing.
Too strong...!! Bishoujo charm attack...!!
"This is succubus allure...?! Scary, scary!"
To blurt that unconsciously!!
The girls admired the perfect counter-timing, eyes sparkling—gotta use that succubus talent later.
"Ah, youth."
A second-year senior quietly watched the noisy cafe from afar.
She'd come to check if the overnight outing meant her purity was gone. Purity intact, just reeking of fresh love—she grinned, feeling rewarded for her own hard work.
Just a year apart, but to a second-year, first-years were adorable little things. She must've looked the same to her seniors back then. Good memories.
Pluwitch Academy
In Pluwitch Academy, no scum exists to steal others' lovers. Punks using drugs, hypnosis, or threats don't survive.
Today was for beating down the second-years planning to hassle cute underclassmen over the tournament buzz, thinking a succubus would be easy prey... treating her like a sex organ without mercy.
"Pure love knight, heading out!"
"Mommy Devolution, my dating or fiancée stuff is burdensome, but others' romances are so fun... How was yours? Hmm..."
Aris Witchcraft reading her daughter's letter today. She could picture academy life just from these.
"...What's a good word besides rape or violation? Exploitation or seizure...? Same difference."
"...S-so, your husband did exist?"
"All but the dead ones are alive."
"...Multiple dads?? Don't tell me you don't know who...!"
Thinking of her actions, the aide freaked—the lady seemed the type to do whatever.
But Aris shook her head; she hadn't roughed anyone up like that.
"Just picked the best traits and mixed 'em. My love was pure, in a way? They probably didn't even notice being fleeced."
"???"
"They don't even know they have kids."
She'd thought joining the hero party and adventuring won hearts. But the empress's inhuman side made the aide gasp every time.
So, she fell in love with unknowns, cherry-picked traits from multiples, and mixed... her kid's a coordinator, and they don't even know.
"...N-no hero or imperial genes mixed in, right?? "
"....."
"...Right?? "
The aide recalled the hero party was all guys except the empress and shuddered. No way—that family tree would be a mutt's nightmare!!