“Meeeooowww,” Helena called softly, crouching in front of a thick patch of bushes. Her tone carried a strange mix of gentleness and mischief.
Rustle, Rustle….
Moments later, a white, fluffy cat emerged from the bushes, its fur pristine despite its wild appearance. Helena’s eyes sparkled with joy as she pulled out a small pouch, offering the feline a handful of bread and fish.
The cat, clearly accustomed to her presence, approached without hesitation, rubbing against her legs briefly before settling down to devour the food.
“Oh, how adorable~,” Helena murmured, her voice dripping with affection. She crouched closer, her eyes soft as she watched the cat eat to its heart’s content.
Victor, observing from the corner of a nearby wall, let out a quiet sigh. Shaking his head, he muttered to himself, ‘She’s been sneaking around just to feed a cat? That’s why she stayed here?’
His gaze flicked back toward Helena, who was now cradling the cat in her arms, her face lit up with a pure, childlike happiness.
‘Too cute~’ he thought begrudgingly, shaking his head as he decided to leave her to her moment. He had no intention of ruining something so… peaceful.
Just as Victor disappeared from sight, Helena’s demeanour shifted. She gently stroked the cat’s fur, her fingers moving with practised ease as they brushed past a small, rolled piece of parchment tied to its leg.
Unravelling the paper swiftly, Helena scanned its contents, her eyes widening in surprise.
“…Found you~” she whispered, her tone low and dangerous. Her fingers sparked with a faint glow as she burned the note, scattering its ashes into the wind.
…..
….
Victor returned to the dorm area, a faint smile playing on his lips as he considered asking Helena later about her odd behaviour. The thought amused him, though he couldn’t quite place why her antics had left such a lingering curiosity in his mind.
However, his musings were interrupted when his gaze landed on Ashara, who was standing just outside her dorm, her posture tense, and Her hands fidgeted with uneasiness.
Victor tilted his head, ‘What’s got her so worked up? Does she think I’m about to pull some wild stunt?’
Before he could take a step toward her, a group of girls passed by Ashara, their whispers audible enough to reach him.
“Hey, look at that slut… haha,” one of them said with a nasty snicker.
“Yeah,” another chimed in with indignation, “I told you, didn’t I? Unlike the other elite students, she’s still struggling with her exams. You know what that means, right?”
“Yeah… a slutttttt…” the third one drawled.
The laughter and cruel remarks came to an abrupt halt as Victor appeared before them like a shadow, his expression cold and unreadable. His sudden arrival silenced their giggles, leaving them frozen under his icy gaze.
“Care to explain…. what this ‘slut’ business is all about?” Victor’s voice was calm, almost conversational, but there was a dangerous edge to it that sent shivers down their spines.
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The girls’ faces turned crimson, caught between fear and shyness? One of them stammered, “W-Well… it’s just that… um…”
“Come on”
Another girl quickly chimed in, her voice shaky, “I-It’s just… people are saying she, uh, you know… slept her way into the admissions. And now she’s struggling because she can’t… um… cheat anymore since most of the professors are women.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice dropping to a chilling tone. “So let me get this straight. You’re accusing her of something with no evidence, based on a what? she not writing an exam? And if that’s your logic, what about me? I haven’t written the exam yet either. Does that make me a… what, a man-slut?”
The girls paled as they shook their heads frantically. “N-No, sir! Of course not! We didn’t mean—”
Victor raised a hand, cracking his knuckles audibly. The sound made them flinch.
“And because she’s a succubus, that gives you the right to judge her? Let me make this crystal clear…” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper, yet every word carried a palpable threat. “If I hear even a whisper of this nonsense again, I’ll make sure your lives become… exceedingly unpleasant. Do I make myself clear?”
“YES, SIR! WE’RE SORRY! WE WON’T SAY ANOTHER WORD!” they cried in unison, scrambling away like frightened mice.
Victor watched them flee, his jaw clenched in frustration. He let out a sigh, muttering, “Idiots…” before his expression softened as he turned back to Ashara.
She had clearly noticed the commotion and was now watching him with wide, curious eyes.
“What happened?” she asked, stepping closer, her voice tinged with concern as her gaze flicked toward the retreating girls.
Victor shrugged nonchalantly, flashing her a grin, “Oh, nothing important. Just some overenthusiastic fans who needed a reminder to behave.”
Ashara blinked, her brows furrowing slightly, but she decided not to press further as Victor gestured for her to move. “Anyway, let’s go,” he said casually.
Ashara hesitated, her nervousness returning as she glanced around. “I don’t think the dorm manager will let you in,” she murmured, her voice soft but laced with uncertainty. After a pause, she added, almost hopefully, “W-Why don’t we… stay somewhere else?”
Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. Before she could respond, he stepped forward and swept her into his arms effortlessly.
“Wait! W-What are you—!”
“Relax,” Victor said calmly, holding her securely as her startled gaze locked with his. “Just close your eyes and trust me.”
She barely had time to protest before a surge of energy enveloped them. When she opened her eyes again, they were no longer outside the dorm but standing inside the corridor of her building.
“T-Teleportation?” she stammered, her voice filled with disbelief.
Victor smirked, gently setting her down. “See? Problem solved.”
Ashara looked around, still processing the sudden shift in location. Her cheeks flushed as she glanced back at him. “Y-You could’ve warned me…” she muttered. Then, realizing she was still standing close, she stepped back hurriedly.
“Hahaha…” Victor chuckled, unable to contain his amusement. “You’re like a startled kitten.”
[+400 AP]
Ashara coughed, trying to regain her composure, and gestured toward her room. She paused at the door, her hand hovering over the doorknob as her expression shifted to one of apprehension.
Victor noticed her hesitation. “Hmm? What’s wrong?”
Ashara bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly. “Promise me you won’t ask about what you see inside… okay?” Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears, making her plea almost heartbreaking.
Victor’s curiosity was piqued, but he nodded seriously. “I promise. I won’t ask a thing.”
“Promise?”
“Absolutely,” he affirmed, his expression sincere.
After a moment of lingering uncertainty, Ashara took a deep breath and opened the door. Victor followed her in, his eyes widening slightly at the sight before him. The room was divided down the middle.
One side was a whimsical haven of fluffy toys, pastel colours, and girlish charm…. The other was starkly different, adorned with dangerous weapons, provocative outfits, and an array of… adult ‘toys.’
“What in the…?” Victor murmured, momentarily stunned.
Ashara’s cheeks burned crimson, but she said nothing.
Victor, true to his word, kept his questions to himself, though his thoughts raced. ‘Damn… those toys. Is she into… that? Or is this just the Nightfire side of her?’ His gaze flitted between the contrasting halves of the room, noting the fluffy teddy bears on one side and the menacing gear on the other.
‘Ashara… Nightfire… So, they’re both part of her,’ Victor thought, nodding inwardly as understanding dawned. ‘She’s been juggling these identities all along.’
“A-Ahem?” Ashara’s embarrassed cough snapped him back to reality. Her cheeks were still red as she motioned awkwardly for him to sit down. “S-Sit already.”
Victor chuckled and nodded, settling into a chair. “I’ve got to say… I like your style,” he teased with a grin.
[+500 AP]
Ashara’s face flushed even deeper but then,
[+10 AP]
His eyebrows lifted slightly, ‘Nightfire… listening in? Interesting…’ he mused, suppressing a smirk.
Ashara sat beside him, her posture still stiff with nervousness, but Victor simply opened a packet of snacks and began teaching her, his tone calm and patient.
“You need to fill out this section like this…” he explained, guiding her through the exam strategy.
Ashara blinked, surprised by his approach. She had braced herself for something completely different, but instead, he was focused on genuinely helping her. Her initial wariness faded as she became engrossed in his words, jotting down notes and absorbing his advice.
Minutes turned into hours as they worked together, and by the time they finished, Ashara stretched with a tired but contented sigh, “Yaaaahh… I think I’m ready now,” she said, her smile bright with newfound confidence. “You’re really good at teaching, you know.”
Victor shrugged nonchalantly, crunching on a handful of snacks. “It’s nothing,” he said, though a small, satisfied smile tugged at his lips.