First Arc Ends

Maruti blinked, her blank eyes locking with Kaelith's hopeful gaze. After a long, awkward pause, she tilted her head and spoke, her tone completely flat.

"Umm... should I say 'screw you' or something?"

Kaelith froze, both puzzled and shocked. "What? It didn't work?" she thought, her surprise evident. "But this enchantment is strong enough to permanently hypnotize several rank-C awakened at once! What's going on here?"

She furrowed her brows, her expression serious as she tried again, focusing harder this time.

But Maruti remained unaffected. With a sharp, unimpressed look, she pushed Kaelith off her with surprising ease. "Stop playing these childish games. You're supposed to be a grown-up now!" Maruti snapped as she sat up straight.

Kaelith didn't resist. Instead, she stayed lying on the bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling above. A faint flush crept onto her cheeks, betraying her embarrassment over what had just happened.

Maruti, meanwhile, muttered to herself as she stood up hurriedly. "I swear, I'm getting a bad feeling about this girl. I better leave before things get weirder." She made her way quickly to the door, her steps urgent.

But just as her hand reached the door handle, Kaelith's voice broke the silence.

"Do you know how to cook?" she asked softly, her tone surprisingly subdued. "I'm hungry. The academy's locked down while they search for that worm Corin, and the canteen's closed too."

Maruti paused, turning slightly to glance at her. "Cook? Well, my cooking is... better than someone trying for the first time, at least." She laughed a little, thinking out loud. "But now that I think about it, Fable makes the tastiest food. Still don't know where she learned all that from. She'll definitely make the perfect housewife one day. Hehehe..."

Kaelith's gaze sharpened at the mention of this mysterious person. "Who's Fable?"

Maruti slapped her forehead lightly, chuckling. "It's Esdeath. Just a nickname I use for her." She smiled as she turned fully back toward the door. "Anyway, I'll be going now. Take care!" And with that, she left, the door clicking shut behind her, leaving the room in silence.

Kaelith's expression darkened immediately. Her teeth clenched in frustration as a dangerous glint flashed in her eyes.

"Esdeath again," she hissed under her breath, seething with rage. Her fingers curled into fists as she grabbed the hypnotizing artifact and hurled it against the wall. The loud *crack* echoed in the quiet room, a sharp reminder of her anger.

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After subduing Corin, Esdeath quietly returned to the academy as if nothing had happened. Her steps were calm, her face expressionless, betraying none of the chaos that had just occurred.

She moved silently through the academy halls, the faint moonlight spilling through the windows casting her in a serene glow. It was late, and the quietness of the night seemed to match her mood perfectly.

Soon, she reached the dormitory area, her door just a few steps away. Esdeath's thoughts were elsewhere, her mind replaying everything that had unfolded earlier.

But then, out of nowhere, two hands slid from behind her, grabbing her breasts gently but firmly, as if teasing her. It was an intimate touch, the kind a lover might use.

"Your breasts have really grown much bigger!" a soft, romantic voice whispered warmly in her ear.

Esdeath's entire body froze, her face instantly turning red. She quickly turned her head, and her wide eyes met the familiar, radiant face of Lortell Mariette. Her face was glowing, even in the dim light of the night.

"L-Lortell?" Esdeath stammered, her voice unsteady, her cheeks burning.

Lortell let out a soft laugh, her fingers lingering for just a moment before she released Esdeath and stood straight, her smile playful yet dazzling. "Of course, it's me. My dorm room is right next to yours," she said with a teasing tone, as if the situation was completely normal.

Esdeath blinked in surprise, her thoughts racing. She had completely forgotten about the dorm assignments. Of all the coincidences, Lortell's room had to be right next to hers?

"That's… great—I mean, what a coincidence!" Esdeath blurted out, almost unable to contain the excitement in her voice. But as quickly as the excitement bubbled up, her expression turned serious.

*"If Lortell is in the next room, what if she finds out about Selene?"* Esdeath thought, her heart sinking at the possibility. Her mind spun in frustration.

Thankfully, she reminded herself of the academy's protective measures. Investigative magic or essence stones were completely banned in the academy to prevent students from spying on others. The teachers had set up an intricate trap to catch the person behind the mysterious kidnappings—any attempt to investigate would trigger a deadly counterattack, instantly incapacitating the culprit and alerting the staff.

This explained why the teachers themselves hadn't used such methods to find Corin. Removing those measures would take too long, and by then, Corin would have fled.

But Esdeath knew the truth: Corin wasn't fleeing anymore. He was dead.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Esdeath forced a smile. "It's late. I should go to sleep now," she said softly, her tone lighter.

Her warm smile was small, but it caught Lortell off guard. The normally cold and composed Lortell felt something shift in her heart. She reached out suddenly, her hands cupping Esdeath's cheeks gently.

"Why are you so cute?" Lortell murmured, her voice almost tender as she began poking Esdeath's soft cheeks playfully.

Esdeath's blush deepened, the redness spreading from her cheeks down to her neck. Her heart pounded in her chest as Lortell's touch lingered.

"Goodnight!" Esdeath quickly turned around, her heart racing as she strode toward her door. She knew that if she lingered even a moment longer, her emotions would spill out, and she couldn't afford to let that happen.

Reaching the door, she placed her hand on the handle, ready to step inside and escape this growing tension. But then, she hesitated. Her hand froze, and something inside her urged her to look back.

Turning her head slightly, she asked, her voice polite but tinged with curiosity, "Why are you still here?"

Lortell stood casually behind her, her posture relaxed yet confident, as if she had all the time in the world. Her crimson eyes met Esdeath's, gleaming with mischief. "Because I'm coming too," she said matter-of-factly. "That Corin has turned into a wolfman. What if he comes after you? I'll protect you." Her words were spoken with such conviction, leaving no room for argument.

Esdeath blinked, her mind scrambling for an excuse. Before she could respond, Lortell stepped forward, her hand reaching out toward the door handle. "Now stand aside and let me enter first. What if he's already in there?"

Panic surged through Esdeath. Moving instinctively, she spread her arms wide, blocking the door like a human barricade, her posture stiff and awkward. "No need! No need!" she said quickly, her voice almost too loud. "I'm safe, really. There's no need for you to force yourself. And besides, you're just next door anyway! If anything happens, I'll let you know right away!"

Lortell stopped, raising an elegant eyebrow at Esdeath's sudden outburst. "Are you sure?" she asked, her tone skeptical but amused.

"Yes, absolutely sure!" Esdeath nodded quickly, her expression overly earnest as she tried to keep her composure.

But Lortell wasn't convinced. She tilted her head slightly, her long silver white hair cascading over her shoulder, and took a small step closer. Her tall frame loomed over Esdeath, and she bent slightly, bringing her face level with Esdeath's.

Before Esdeath could react, Lortell leaned in, her lips brushing lightly against Esdeath's ear. The closeness sent a shiver down Esdeath's spine, and her breath hitched.

"Do you know you're so beautiful? ," Lortell whispered, her voice low and sultry, every word dripping with warmth and affection. "So beautiful that every night, when I'm in bed, I can't help but think of you."

Esdeath's entire face turned crimson, the blush spreading rapidly as if her body had overheated. Her lips parted, but no words came out. Her heart pounded so loudly she swore Lortell could hear it.

Lortell pulled back just enough to look at her face, her crimson eyes sparkling with amusement. A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "You really are so adorable," she said, her tone light and teasing.

Without giving Esdeath a chance to respond, Lortell straightened up and waved casually. "Well then, goodnight!" she said cheerfully before turning and walking toward her own dorm room.

Esdeath watched, frozen in place, as Lortell disappeared through her door. The hallway felt quiet again, but her heart was anything but. She clutched her chest, trying to calm the rapid beating.

Just as esdeath saw lortell entering, She entred her room too.

As Esdeath stepped into the room, she immediately noticed Selene pacing back and forth like a restless child caught in a dilemma. The small girl's movements were quick and erratic, her hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

The moment Selene caught sight of Esdeath, she froze like a deer in headlights. Without a word, she dashed to the bed, plopped herself down, and sat stiffly, her legs dangling over the edge. Her wide eyes darted around the room, refusing to meet Esdeath's gaze.

Esdeath stood silently by the door, her sharp eyes narrowing. Something felt off. There was an unusual tension in the air, and Selene's frantic energy only added to it.

"I didn't do anything!" Selene blurted out suddenly, her voice high-pitched, almost squeaky, like a guilty child trying too hard to appear innocent. Her expression was a mix of panic and feigned composure, her lips curling into a forced, awkward smile.

Esdeath tilted her head, a skeptical look crossing her face. "What?" she asked, her tone flat but her eyes inquisitive.

Selene quickly shook her head, her silver hair swaying with the motion. "I said... nothing happened!" she stammered, her words stumbling over each other. "Everything is fine! Totally fine! N-normal... everything is normal," she added, her voice trailing off into a nervous whisper.

It was painfully obvious she was lying. Selene's hands gripped the edge of the bed tightly, her knuckles turning white. Her feet kicked lightly against the floor as if trying to distract herself from the weight of her own words.

Esdeath sighed deeply, her lips curving into a bitter, annoyed smile. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, watching Selene's increasingly suspicious behavior. "Something must have happened," she said calmly, her voice carrying a hint of exasperation. "Now, tell me what happened. Don't make me drag it out of you."