I stand outside, hidden in a tree, as I surveil Elwin's dorm from the outside. The rough bark digs into my palms as I perch precariously on a thick branch, my white hair tucked carefully under a dark hood.
My heart pounds in my chest as I see Rolo leave Elwin's dorm, her silhouette illuminated by the soft glow of enchanted lanterns lining the path. Relief washes over me in a dizzying wave. They didn't have sex.
"Thank god Rolo is a perma-virgin. She's too much of a coward to fuck on a first date," I mutter under my breath, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
I can't help but think how everything is out of order from the anime. Elwin was supposed to start dating Saria right after the Santa incident. But because I fucked him using that stupid mask, he fell for who he thought was me.
I shake in anger at my inability to just confront him head-on.
As I watch Rolo's retreating form, my fingers push into the bark of the tree. The pain is a welcome distraction from the turmoil in my heart.
Suddenly, a new figure emerges from the shadows, her tall, imposing silhouette unmistakable even in the dim light. Diana Warbringer, her long dark hair cascading down her back like a river of ink, approaches Rolo with purposeful strides. The moonlight catches on her armor, casting eerie reflections across the deserted pathway.
Diana's voice cuts through the night air, sharp and cold as a winter wind. "Good evening, Princess Horseheart."
Rolo stiffens, her shoulders tensing visibly, even from my distant perch. She turns slowly, her crimson eyes gleaming in the moonlight as she faces the towering figure of Diana Warbringer.
"Good evening, Princess Warberinger," Rolo replies, her voice steady despite the undercurrent of tension I can sense from here.
Diana takes a step closer, her armor gleaming ominously in the soft glow of the enchanted lanterns.
"I expect you were kind to my brother," Diana says, her voice deceptively calm. Her hands move to rest on the hilt of her sword, fingers playing idly with the pommel. The gesture, casual as it appears, carries an unmistakable threat.
Rolo bows deeply, her raven hair falling forward to obscure her face. "Nothing happened, Your Highness."
Diana's icy blue eyes narrow, skepticism etched in every line of her face. "That's good to hear," she says, her tone making it clear she's far from convinced. "But I'd still like to confirm that with my contacts inside."
Rolo straightens, a deep sigh escaping her lips. Her crimson eyes meet Diana's unflinching gaze, a flicker of resignation passing across her features. "Then there's something you should hear," she says, her voice nervous.
Diana's reaction is subtle but unmistakable. Her fingers tighten on her sword hilt, knuckles whitening beneath her gauntlets.
"What," Diana commands, the single word carrying the weight of an imperial decree.
Rolo stands her ground, her posture straightening as if preparing for battle. "Prince Elwin... he was quite forward," she begins, choosing her words carefully.
Diana raises her hand abruptly, cutting off Rolo's words. Her face contorts with barely contained rage, her icy blue eyes flashing dangerously in the moonlight.
"Enough," Diana says, her voice low and menacing.
I watch as Rolo takes an involuntary step back, her crimson eyes wide with fear. Even from my perch in the tree, I can see the slight tremor in her hands, the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she struggles to maintain her composure.
Diana's next words send a chill down my spine. "If you break my brother's heart," she says, each syllable dripping with venom, "the Warbringers will wipe Eltar off the map."
Rolo swallows hard, her throat bobbing visibly. "I would never do anything to hurt Elwin," she says, her crimson eyes meeting Diana's icy gaze unflinchingly.
For a moment, Diana says nothing. Her piercing gaze seems to bore into Rolo's soul, searching for any hint of deception.
Finally, Diana gives a curt nod. "Alright," she says, her voice still cold but lacking the earlier fury. "Get out of here then."
Rolo doesn't need to be told twice. With a hasty bow, she turns and hurries down the path, her footsteps echoing in the quiet night. I watch her retreating form until she disappears around a corner, swallowed by the shadows between the pools of lantern light.
As Rolo's footsteps fade into the distance, I turn my attention back to Diana. The imposing figure of the eldest Warbringer princess stands motionless for a long moment, her gaze fixed on the spot where Rolo disappeared.
Suddenly, Diana begins to pace, her long strides eating up the ground in front of Elwin's dorm. Her movements are agitated, lacking the fluid grace she usually possesses. Her hand repeatedly reaches for the hilt of her sword, only to fall away again, as if she's fighting some internal battle.
I watch, fascinated, as the mask of the cold, ruthless warrior princess slips away, revealing a glimpse of the worried sister beneath. Diana's brow is furrowed, her lips moving silently as if rehearsing some speech.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity of restless pacing, Diana comes to a stop. She stands facing Elwin's dorm, her shoulders slumped in a posture of defeat. I've never seen her adopt before. The night breeze plays with her long dark hair, sending tendrils dancing around her face.
"I'll address the Christmas issue another day," she says to herself. Her voice sounds brave but it's like that of a child trying to stare down their mother knowing they're in the wrong.
With a final glance at Elwin's window, Diana turns and walks away, her armored footsteps echoing softly in the night. I watch her retreating form until she, too, is swallowed by the shadows, leaving the path in front of Elwin's dorm deserted.
A smile spreads across my face, hidden beneath the mask I've already slipped on. Finally, my chance to see Elwin again. My heart races with anticipation, a heady mixture of excitement and nervousness coursing through my veins.
I adjust the mask, feeling the magic within it take hold. My white hair darkens to a midnight black, cascading down my back in silken waves. I blink, knowing that my eyes have changed from their usual golden hue to a deep, smoldering crimson.
I scale the wall of Elwin's dorm. My fingers find tiny crevices in the stonework, my toes gripping the rough surface with preternatural strength.
As I reach the window, my fingers finding footing on the narrow ledge, I peer inside, my heart pounding with anticipation. The sight that greets me makes my breath catch in my throat.
Elwin reclines on his bed, illuminated by the soft glow of enchanted candles. His chestnut hair is tousled, falling across his forehead in a way that makes my fingers itch to run through it. His eyes are closed, long lashes casting shadows on his flushed cheeks. His lips are parted slightly, soft pants and barely audible moans escaping them.
But it's the movement of his hand that truly captures my attention. Elwin's fingers are wrapped around his length, moving in long, firm strokes. His back arches slightly off the bed with each upward motion, his free hand fisting in the silken sheets beneath him.
I feel heat rising to my cheeks, my body responding instinctively to the erotic sight before me. Sweat beads on my brow, my heart racing as I imagine joining him, replacing his hand with my own or perhaps my mouth.
Shaking off the lustful thoughts, I refocus on my original plan. I reach for the window latch, intending to jimmy it open as I did the other night. But as my fingers near the metal, they encounter an invisible barrier. A shimmering field of energy ripples at my touch, sending a tingling sensation up my arm.
Frowning, I pull back and take a closer look. Now that I'm paying attention, I can see the faint outline of magical wards surrounding not just this window but all the windows of Elwin's dorm. The barriers pulse with a soft, otherworldly light, barely visible unless you know to look for it.
I squint at the barriers, my mind racing to make sense of what I'm seeing. These aren't the simple wards I expected, the kind any competent mage could conjure. No, these are intricate, layered defenses that shimmer with complex magical signatures.
My brow furrows in confusion. This level of magical protection is far beyond anything I've encountered before. Only someone of immense magical skill and authority could create such intricate defenses. But who would go to such lengths to protect Elwin's dorm?
Lost in my analysis of the wards, I almost miss the soft sound from below. A quiet "Ahem" drifts up from the ground, startling me from my focused state.
I glance down, my eyes widening in shock as I spot the imposing figure of the Drow Headmistress standing directly beneath me. Her stern gaze is fixed on me, one eyebrow raised in a silent question.
The surprise causes me to lose my precarious grip on the stonework. I feel my fingers slip, my body suddenly airborne as I plummet towards the unforgiving ground below. My heart leaps into my throat, a scream building that I barely manage to suppress.
But instead of the bone-crushing impact I expect, I feel myself slowing. The air around me thickens, becoming almost gelatinous. I watch in amazement as the ground approaches at a leisurely pace, as if I'm sinking through water rather than falling through air.
With a gentle touch, my feet make contact with the soft grass. The Headmistress lowers her hand, the faint glow of magic fading from her fingertips. Her spell dissipates, leaving me standing before her, my heart still racing from the near fall.
She sighs with judgemental eyes, the sound carrying a weight of centuries. Her deep purple eyes seem to glow with an inner light, cutting through the darkness and straight into my soul.
"What, pray tell, are you doing at Prince Warbringer's dorm so late at night, Ms. Hero?" the Headmistress asks, her voice tinged with a hint of exasperation.
I feel a flash of annoyance surge through me. The ease with which she saw through my disguise is unsettling, a stark reminder of the vast gulf in power and experience between us. The magical mask I wear suddenly feels childish and inadequate in the face of her ancient wisdom.
Swallowing my frustration, I straighten my posture, trying to project an air of confidence I don't quite feel.
"I was worried about someone snooping on the prince," I say, my voice steady despite the nervous flutter in my stomach. "So I decided to come check it out, just in case."
The words hang in the air between us, sounding hollow and unconvincing even to my own ears. The Headmistress's expression doesn't change, her ageless face a mask of calm skepticism.
She raises one elegant eyebrow, the simple gesture somehow more devastating than any verbal rebuke. "Then why the disguise and skulking around?" she asks, her tone making it clear she's not fooled for a moment.
I can't help but think to myself how ultimately, no matter what I do right now, I'm untouchable for her. She knows she needs me to achieve her ultimate goal in life: to defeat the demon queen. I am the hero, after all.
"Well, what about you, Headmistress?" I say, injecting a note of challenge into my voice. "I don't think the Warbringers would have enlisted the Archmage to put up barriers around their cherished prince's dorm."
"How else would I stop little horny birds from getting to the prince?" she says, her voice laced with exasperation.
Her casual dismissal of my actions ignites a fire in my chest. Anger surges through me, hot and fierce. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" I spit out, my voice rising in volume and pitch.
The Headmistress frowns, her silver brows drawing together in a look of stern disapproval.
"Octavia," she says, her voice low and serious, "as of tonight this prince is spoken for."
Before I can respond, a sound drifts down from above, cutting through the tension between us. Elwin's voice, breathy and filled with passion, carries clearly in the still night air. A long, drawn-out moan of pleasure echoes off the stone walls of the dorm.
The Headmistress's eyes widen slightly, a faint blush creeping across her obsidian cheeks. For a moment, she looks almost human, caught off guard by the intimate sounds from above. She clears her throat, evidently flustered.
"Let's call it here, okay?" the Headmistress says, her melodic voice tinged with a hint of discomfort. "Don't come back here. Leave him alone, and I won't tattle. Yes?"
As if on cue, another moan drifts down from Elwin's window, louder and more passionate than before. I feel heat rising to my cheeks, my body responding instinctively to the erotic sounds. A shiver runs down my spine, a mixture of excitement and frustration coursing through me.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.
"Fine," I sigh, the word heavy with resignation.
'I'm not in the mood to piss off the most powerful mage in the world right now.'
The Headmistress nods, satisfaction flashing briefly in her deep purple eyes. But as I turn to leave, something nags at the back of my mind. A sense of unease that I can't quite shake.
I pause, my gaze drifting back to the Headmistress. Theres something in her eyes, something that just doesn't sit right with me.
'Compared to the anime, we are way off the fucking track right now.'
'Is this because I fucked Elwin?'
I sigh as I walk away from Elwin's dorm. My mind racing
I clench my fists at my sides, determination surging through me. I have to get stronger as soon as possible.
'I have to start killing my rivals off before anyone else thinks of touching his purity.'