episode_0128

The gentle melody of music. Children, dressed in suits and dresses, moved around the spacious hall, enjoying the ball. We were in the midst of stepping into the bustling scene.

It was quite a grand banquet. As it was a highly anticipated event, the academy seemed to have put a lot of effort into its preparation. The fresh atmosphere naturally brought a smile to one’s lips.

“Heh heh.” I gazed to the side. Red eyes were looking my way. I offered a faint smile at our shared gaze. A slight playfulness escaped my parted lips. It was a comment about her attire.

“Now that I think about it… this is the first time I’ve seen you in such attire.” “I usually prefer to dress comfortably.” “A dress suits you well, too.” “I’m too old to be flattered by compliments… but I’ll gratefully accept the sentiment.” “Oh, but I was serious.”

The woman shook her head as if to say it was nothing. But for me, it was no empty flattery at all. There was a deep charm in her mature presence.

A curvaceous figure that made it difficult to look away, a black dress that maximized her unique decadent beauty, a cleavage revealed to emphasize her ample size, and finally, her calm, subdued red pupils. Her captivating appearance drew the gazes of everyone around, men and women alike. Especially the remarkable middle and lower parts. It was a good thing my eyes were narrowed. I almost embarrassed myself with a dazed stare.

I forced myself to maintain a calm demeanor and continued speaking. “Did you manage to finish your work well the other day?” “Because I received help.” “I merely handled some basic documents, though…” “That means it was sufficient.” “That’s fortunate.” “Thanks to that, my schedule is flexible. It seems I can accompany you until late.” “Your pleasant words naturally bring a smile to my face.” “More flattery.” “I’m serious this time too.”

Light chatter flowed between us. The woman, who had initially maintained silence in awkwardness, eventually joined in as I actively approached her. My playful laughter playfully poked at her expressionless face. The atmosphere gradually softened between us. We moved side by side. I could feel the students’ attention drawn to us from various places. It must mean she was that strikingly beautiful.

“Young Master…!” “I wondered where you disappeared to, but it seems you were over there.” As we walked toward the center of the hall, other voices came from nearby. It was none other than the companions who hadn’t come with me. It seemed they had all partnered with each other instead of finding new partners. After all, there was no rule at the banquet stating that attendance must be male-female pairs.

Regia and Irene. Charlotte and Elize. Emilia, left alone, I heard had attended with her younger brother. The girls’ dress attire, which I was seeing for the first time, was also new. If they usually gave off the impression of fresh, young children, now it felt as if maturity was slowly blooming in them. I gently stroked their heads in turn. “You all look wonderful.”

The children reacted, each in their own way. Pink, blue, platinum, red, and orange hair each left a remark in turn. The warmth I felt at my fingertips was full of affection. “Ugh… I’m not used to this attire, so, can I really wear such expensive clothes…?” “It’s not like I wore it specifically to show you, but…” “Yeah. Yuda looks good too.” “What’s the point anyway, I’m stuck in a wheelchair.” “…Dresses are certainly uncomfortable. But if you like it, then I like it.”

Especially, The pilot, a commoner, and the fox, a beast-kin from the continent’s frontier, seemed more awkward than usual, perhaps because the dresses felt unfamiliar. Even that awkwardness was endearing. Was it merely for the purpose of showing off their dress attire?

The children exchanged brief greetings and then turned away. They said intervening wouldn’t be fair… Honestly, I had no idea what they meant. I only remembered Rose and the fox glaring fiercely at the Drunkard. Was there some kind of competition going on? Irene even used to whisper such things. “Remember… I’ll be the last one you choose anyway.” A meaningful smile. Seeing that she had secretly bitten my earlobe before passing by, it truly seemed she was full of thoughts of devouring her master. In many ways, I couldn’t shake the feeling of ingratitude.

Anyway, The girls showed their faces for a moment and then disappeared. Selena subtly remarked. “They all have sticky gazes.” “Haha… I apologize on their behalf. There are some particularly sharp-witted individuals among them.” “I don’t mind. It wasn’t bothersome either.” “Thank you for understanding.”

Fortunately, the woman seemed unconcerned. I was now truly intending to focus on the banquet, but this time, someone approached from the faculty side. It was none other than Professor Cadell, whom I had thoroughly crushed in the last confrontation. He offered a light greeting. The recipient of his greeting was, of course, Selena.

“An unexpected face. I didn’t think you’d participate in an event like this.” “Professor Cadell.” “A person who used to act as if they had no interest in the world… what wind blew you out of your research lab?” “I’ll tell you that’s none of your business at all.” “You’re still unpleasant.” “And you’re still petty.” “Ha.”

The young man, as always, picked a fight. Doesn’t he ever get tired of it? Even though he was clearly crushed last time, it seemed he couldn’t resist initiating an argument out of nowhere. I wondered if I should step in, but the woman stopped me. It seemed she wanted to avoid unnecessary emotional exhaustion.

“Such leisure will soon come to an end.” “…” “Because a great upheaval is just around the corner.” A barely audible murmur. Behind the incomprehensible sentence, Cadell gave a meaningful smile. His eyes were filled with an ominous glint.

“Student Yuda… let’s meet separately next time. I have something personal to tell you.” Something to tell me. Feeling uneasy, I still nodded. “I won’t deliberately avoid it.” “Good.”

Was that all he had to say? The young man turned his back on us. With a final remark. “Then, I hope you have a pleasant time.” His back receded into the distance. The woman watched him with lifeless eyes. Only a heavy silence settled between her lips. Was she about to fall into thought again?

Before her consciousness drifted away, I pulled on her clasped hand and whispered. My voice carried a subtle depth. It was to capture her attention. “Please focus on me.” “Student Yuda?” “Didn’t you say you’d accompany me? To be distracted when you have a partner, it couldn’t be more disappointing.” “For a man who was just surrounded by women… I think that argument lacks a bit of credibility.” “Is that so?”

I laughed aloud. Our gazes, intersecting in the air, soon met fully. “It doesn’t matter anyway.”

Just then, music began to play. Perhaps signaling the official start of the banquet, the melodies emanating from the instruments gradually filled the hall. The surrounding students, each with a partner, blended into the scene. The dance continued smoothly. The serpent and the Drunkard also began to move.

“I’ll lead.” “As you wish.” At first, it was a gentle tune. The distance between us closed. My exhaled breath reached her, and her sweet scent lingered stickily at my nose. As reason faded, the gap between the two of us narrowed further. Until our hearts nearly touched. It felt as if even our heartbeats would be shared. We continued to step neatly.

“…” The children were simply fresh and innocent. Was it perhaps due to the charm of maturity, which stood out like a thorn among them? As we continued to dance, I could feel gazes concentrating on us. Most were admiration or desire. We flowed on without stopping.

*Swish.* The waltz continued with my hand on her waist. The slow rhythm also picked up speed. The woman, who had been following my movements, eventually let out a faint breath and a remark. “Indeed… dancing is difficult.”

It was strange. I had expected her to dance quite well, but her movements often faltered. Perhaps because of her shoes, her balance was precarious. Was it her first time in a while? Since she had repeatedly stated that she disliked people, it seemed plausible that she had little experience with banquets themselves. Her feet, balanced on high heels, gradually failed to keep up with the accelerating tempo. Her unsteady, stumbling steps. I noticed belatedly and reached out to steady her waist, but it was already too late. “Ugh…!”

She had sprained her ankle while trying to regain her balance. Selena nearly fell. Thanks to me catching her, that situation was avoided, but to stand, we had to embrace each other. Our clinging body heat permeated, unable to easily separate. A low moan was heard. Was she complaining of ankle pain? It seemed continuing to dance with clumsy skill had been quite difficult.

I assessed the situation while supporting her. ‘Her ankle… seems properly sprained.’ At this rate, we couldn’t continue the banquet. Treating her injured ankle was the priority. It seemed I needed to check her exact condition. Since gazes from around were still focused on us, I decided we should head out of the hall for now. I asked the woman. “Teacher-nim.” “…” “Can you walk on your own?” “…I’m sorry.” “It’s nothing.” I shook my head. It was my lack of consideration. I had thought she would be skilled at dancing. But it seemed she wasn’t accustomed to dancing, or banquets, or even restrictive dresses, or high-heeled shoes. As if she was encountering all of this for the first time.

“I’ll take responsibility.” “Huh?” I carefully held the woman. Then, without hesitation, I lifted her. Her slender body rested in my arms. It was a pose commonly known as a ‘princess carry’. Her usually calm red eyes widened for the first time. She looked flustered. “S-Student Yuda…?” “Shh.”

Selena rarely stammered. I smiled as if telling her not to say anything, then silently walked out of the hall. The surrounding children had even stopped dancing and were watching us. All of them had fascinated eyes. “…” “Excuse us for a moment.” Regardless. I crossed the banquet hall. The students’ eyes followed us. Until we had completely exited the space, the children watched our retreating figures. The sight of the serpent embracing the Drunkard as they left.