“Haven’t smoked lately?”
A female student casually asked Mei, who was unwrapping a lollipop. For a moment, she didn’t respond, then mumbled while popping the candy into her mouth.
“They say smokers have a distinct smell.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“Well, you wouldn’t, since you smoke too.”
“Is that so?”
Daniel’s disgusted expression from when he told her to quit smoking flashed in her mind. Truthfully, the reason she stopped was simple.
She didn’t want to see that disgusted look again.
The reason was simple: it was just scary.
When he frowned or showed discomfort, she would instinctively get nervous.
“So annoying.”
She hated feeling like a small animal in front of him, but at least the only scary thing was Daniel.
“Ugh, I should quit too. It’s just expensive and really bad for my health. Did you hear about Demalico? He bought some shady stuff since he didn’t have money and ended up hallucinating for three days in the dorm?”
“Stupid idiot. I told him not to smoke if he couldn’t afford it.”
As a student, she wasn’t supposed to smoke, but tobacco was originally a luxury item for nobles.
Of course, they were nobles too, but still students. They weren’t financially secure enough to buy cigarettes and smoked handmade ones sold by thugs in alleyways instead.
But this was dangerous as they often added drugs to increase addiction or sold extremely harmful substances at low prices.
The stories of women becoming infertile after smoking cheap cigarettes couldn’t just be dismissed as urban legends; they were real.
At least Mei was smoking quality stuff from an expensive source but had now switched to lollipops.
“This is tastier and probably healthier.”
Making excuses, Mei picked up a stick and walked away.
Aios Academy was so vast that delinquent students had plenty of hideouts, and this was just one of them.
It was a classroom used for mobile lessons but hardly utilized. Upon opening the door, around ten students were gathered.
“Hmm? It’s Mei?”
“Why are they here?”
“They said they got beaten by Fenil, heh heh.”
“Why’d they act all tough then?”
As the students behind Mei frowned and were about to say something, Mei raised her hand to stop them and slowly pointed her stick at a male student at the center of the group.
Beldament from Class D.
He was the leader of another delinquent gang in the third year, known for his exceptional fist-fighting skills, so the students followed him, even though his family wasn’t anything special.
And he was the first target Mei had chosen.
“I’m going to hit Fenil, and you guys are coming with me.”
When Mei firmly stated this as if there was no room for negotiation, Beldament raised his hand and replied.
“Shut up, seriously. The senior told you all to back off because he couldn’t be bothered to deal with you.”
“Backing off is bull. You were just too scared to do anything.”
With a scoff, Mei interrupted him. Beldament crumpled his face and jumped right in front of Mei.
“This crazy girl thinks she can get away with this just because she has the dean’s backing!”
Startled by Beldament suddenly approaching, Mei’s gang was taken aback, but Mei didn’t flinch.
Blam!
She swiftly kicked him right in the most important area. Naturally, Beldament bent over, clutching himself.
Crack!
Then, she slammed her stick on his temple, and he fell in a ridiculous pose.
“Do you think I can’t fight just because I focus on magic?”
Of course, she was already panting heavily, but as Mei stepped over the fainted Beldament, she declared to her gang.
“Go catch those guys!”
Three days had passed since they’d been beaten by Fenil Leiros.
Mei had thrown down the gauntlet.
*
“Not bad at all.”
Watching from outside the window, I grinned as Mei wrestled with the rival gang.
Just in case, I had given her a few tips on weak points that could help in a simple fight, and she used them perfectly.
As a guy, it was a little surprising.
I had offered to help after hearing she got hurt by Fenil, but she stubbornly refused.
She had told me, with some annoyance, to just leave her alone, so I trusted her judgment.
“Well, she knows what she’s doing.”
Lunchtime was about to begin, so I headed to the cafeteria. Tana and Eve said they would save a spot, so while I just ordered some food and headed to the table, Ares and his entourage slithered by.
They moved in a straight line like ducklings following their mother.
Ares ignored my existence, but the fish behind him greeted me with subtle smiles and nods.
Especially Sen, who made a goofy face and played around.
Lastly, Hayun, who walked at the very back, looked at me, took a deep breath, and then.
Wink.
She smiled.
As I passed by her, I responded.
“30 points.”
“……Your score is too low.”
“Your smile is so bland it leaves me thirsty.”
Hayun shot me a glare and walked off.
From that day on, for three days, whenever Hayun saw me, she practiced her smile, but she didn’t get any better.
Today was the D-DAY for the confession operation, and with her smile like that, it seemed the cold ambiance wouldn’t turn around.
*
Late at night.
Holding a warm cup of tea, I was bored and took a sip.
I had brought some tea leaves from the town and brewed them for the first time in a while; surprisingly, it was comforting and tasted pretty decent.
‘Maybe I should start a stall next to the café?’
As I chuckled while waiting, a girl with black hair sat gingerly on the window ledge on the fourth floor of the dorm.
“What’s she up to…?”
I was taken aback and almost sprinted over, but the girl had already jumped down. She unsheathed a sword tied at her waist, stirring up a strange wind, and landed safely.
“……”
“What? You were already out?”
Noticing my blank stare, Hayun asked cryptically.
“Impressive, right?”
“Your swordsmanship is simply fascinating.”
I hadn’t felt any magic at all; what was the principle behind it? I praised myself for managing to convince her to teach me swordsmanship.
“Let’s hurry and go confession. You can start teaching me swordsmanship tomorrow, right?”
“I can, but I won’t be able to use it like this.”
“Well, that’s up to you.”
She mentioned only teaching the basics, but in the end, everything starts from those basics. Once I get a rough outline, I can modify it for my use.
As I handed her the tea, she took a sip and was taken aback.
“What? It’s really good?”
“Right? I sweetened it myself.”
“Really?”
Hayun, who was very interested in tea, was about to ask something more, but I cut her off.
“Let’s hurry. The guards are patrolling outside.”
“……Okay.”
She looked a bit pouty, but nonetheless, we set out to finish the confession operation.
Hayun was having a bit of difficulty moving due to her unique outfit.
Her garments made of soft, luxurious fabric were quite different from what we wore, reminiscent of what I read about Eastern countries in books.
As we neared the large tree that was our meeting place, I slowly stopped and met Hayun’s gaze.
“Smile?”
Wink.
“Yeah, 20 points.”
“Your points dropped from before?”
“I gave you 20 because Tana helped you and your outfit looks nice.”
She seemed a bit nervous since her smile had deteriorated from when I saw her in the cafeteria earlier today. But now, I didn’t care about her smile.
Just like her outfit suited her perfectly.
She had expressions that suited her better, and I didn’t want to forcefully break that.
“Do I look too stiff?”
“……That’s your charm.”
I smiled at her anxiousness. She looked a bit shocked that I would say something like that.
“I’m sorry for forcing you to smile. I realized just now that you have a look and expression that suits you while seeing you in that outfit.”
“……”
Under the massive tree, I spotted Ares waiting at our promised meeting spot. He had come out at this late hour due to Hayun’s request.
I wanted to encourage her, so I grabbed her shoulder and said.
“Even if you get rejected, it doesn’t mean you’re lacking. It’s just he’s not good enough.”
“……”
“You’re looking your best now, so I hope you can beautifully wrap up a not-so-great first love memory.”
The end of first love often comes with tears and regrets.
It was the only advice I could give, as I blamed myself for procrastinating, eventually dulling cherished memories over time.
“So that one day far in the future, all you remember is how incredibly beautiful you were.”
“……Got it, I’ll go.”
After gathering her resolve, Hayun nodded slightly, turned, and headed off, leaving her sword with me.
I waved her goodbye as she walked away.
‘Is this what it feels like to raise a daughter?’
It felt like watching a grown-up daughter.
This wasn’t just a simple confession to Ares or an end to a first love for her. It symbolized her determination to break free from her family’s constraints.
Her courage to break through her own walls seemed genuinely cool to me.
‘Time to go.’
I didn’t need to witness the confession itself, so I attempted to turn away, but at that moment, I felt a strange energy.
I almost drew the sword Hayun had handed me but saw a familiar face emerge from the darkness.
“Rin?”
I sheathed the sword that I had slightly drawn, but the atmosphere felt strange. It was like looking at Rin, who had once been the master of the Army…
“……!”
I intended to draw the sword, but due to a slight delay in my judgment, Rin grabbed my wrist.
However, I could easily break free if I wanted to.
At least, that’s what I thought.
“Gah!”
Rin’s grip was stronger than I anticipated, but it wasn’t just that.
I could have easily pushed her away, yet with her almost touching me, dizziness hit me hard, and sharp pain surged from my heart.
In the end, unable to draw my sword, I fell back due to Rin’s force, and she ended up sitting on me.
‘Damn…… it!’
I never expected this to happen.
Of course, I knew she could induce hallucinations, headaches, and dizziness, but I thought it wouldn’t have a significant effect.
But when Rin genuinely charged at me, the symptoms became severe.
Despite my strength clearly surpassing hers, my hands trembled, making it impossible to apply force, while Rin held both my wrists down to the ground.
I was perfectly restrained.
‘Am I going to die like this?’
So meaningless?
The more I struggled to find a way out, the more intense the pain in my heart grew, and my breathing became erratic.
Even if my heart didn’t acknowledge it, my mind recognized that I had ten years left to realize my carelessness. Suddenly, I heard Rin’s strange voice.
“I won’t hold back anymore.”
“Gah! Gah!”
“Bon appétit.”
As Rin slowly opened her mouth, she leaned in towards me.
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