Fear became tangible for everyone who witnessed the menacing spirit of the cat, that made their breath suck in. No one can even comprehend the events that transpired right before their eyes. The perturbing mood of the aftermath has been suffocating.
Instructor Sienna looks at me with her eyes slightly squinting halfway, but then immediately transitions into her normal look. So, without saying a word, I left them.
"Why's everyone looks pale?" I heard Erik who just woke up from his nap.
Strangely enough, their fear directed at me didn't affect me in any way as I'm feeling stale. I don't understand the reason, yet I'm getting the idea or the root of it. Back when I'm still at the guild, people are wary of me or particularly scared of me considering my reputation of mercilessly defeating people who challenges me. I mean, I only break their bones...
At the adventurer guild, an adventurer can challenge another adventurer in a mock duel to test or challenge themselves. However, as usual, I'm the type of guy who doesn't hold back on anything especially to the people who just want to impress themselves to my woman. I don't hold a grudge or anything, but it's also a way to solidify an image. People who flaunt their status to me are peculiar, that makes me want to beat the shit out of them.
Yet, now, it's different. Unlike the previous instance of fear, now, it's just straight fear of what's inside me or basically me. I can't say for sure, but the way they looked at me earlier would say otherwise. Especially, Lars, my roommate of mine had a complexion after witnessing it. But hey, perhaps they were just surprised and it's not fear. I hope so.
Now, I wonder how this simple yet chaotic situation that I got myself would turn into? As Instructor Sienna reminded me, people with authority are already wary of my existence. In short, I'm already on the edge of the cliff once I set foot in here. And, it's one of the reasons why I don't want to put myself in the spotlight because every move I make will be monitored thoroughly.
The odd behavior from Tsuki was also something I need to worry about. It's my first time seeing her acting like that. She chose to go out of her own volition with the intention of attacking Adal.
"Haaah... It's my only second day, yet I'm already piling some future problems."
Mindlessly wandering around I stumble across a group of men who are working out at the side of the fountain, swinging their sword in a firm manner as their arms don't waver. Also, they're wearing blue training suits, a complete contrast to my black training suit. Then walking further away, I saw students training or running around.
I sit beneath a tree, shading myself from the blazing sun. I pulled my student identification card.
[Name] Claude Weiss
[Age] 19
[Status] Student
[Spirit Rank] X
[Class] F
[Spirit Attribute] Fire
[Mana Capacity] Null
[Points] 82
"82, huh? I wonder what job I can do besides the dungeons?" I smack my head against the tree. "Haah..."
"Aaaaaah—!"
"Who?"
In front of me, a familiar bunny woman had her face eating the dirt. While taking her time recovering, her bunny ears are perking up, so as a connoisseur of fluff things in the world. I grab it without her permission which she jumps high in the air. "Nooo! Not again!"
As she descends, her feet was already pointing towards me, but I block it with no problem and even greet her. "Good morning, Rinna."
"Tsk! At least, let me punch you one time! You've been touching my ears without my consent! There's always a price to pay! Claude Weiss!"
"Isn't that too harsh? Punching someone is bad, bunny. What about this? I'll let you touch me just like what I did to your ears, and that way, we're in equivalent exchange. Everything in my body." I smiled at Rinna.
"Hm, that's true... To get back at you, I also need to do the same..." Then her eyes scan my head to toe and end up at my crotch. "...Shameless! You're taking advantage of the situation again!"
"Huh? What are you saying? I only said anything in my body like my ears. I'm particularly saying you can touch mine, down here. Have some shame, will ya'? That's your own mind going wild, so don't blame it on me."
"I can't even refute to it, tsk!"
"So, what are you doing here? You've been following me for quite some time now."
"Before that, stop patting my head!"
Rinna was in between my legs, all locked up while I'm patting and stroking her hair, avoiding her tempting ears. "Why not? You seem to be enjoying it." Her ears are close together, facing slightly backward and pointing outwards—or in short, she's not even putting up a fight because her arms were freely open to push me away, but she's letting it be.
"Do you want me to stop?"
"No, keep going!"
"Okay... So, what are you doing? Don't tell me, you did all of that just to get my attention since you knew how much I adore your ears?"
"No! Why would I do that?! I'm only permitting head pats and nothing more! Ears are still forbidden!"
"What a bummer. I'm quite curious how you let me pat you, but you won't let me touch your ears."
"They're two different things"
"How so?"
"Stop blabbering and do your job."
'When did this become my job?'
When did I even get close to this woman? She's getting chummy with me. The last time we've seen each other was about 3 years ago, and I still remember my odd interaction with her, plus I can't forget that day. We only spent a few days together before her dad picks her up, and after that, there's nothing until recently. In my memories, the time I spent on her is only about touching her ears and spoiling her. Then she'll get aggressive.
"Hehehe~" Rinna giggles.
'Another tsundere? Well, at least, Stephanie became more honest to herself while Adelle is just a straight idiot.'
As soon I stopped patting, Rinna became aggressive once again. "Keep patting!" She took my hands and placed them over to her head. "I will forgive you if you keep patting!"
"Okay..."
"Hehehehe~ Daddy doesn't pet Rinna's head anymore~ Feels so good~ Mmmmhm♥ I'm a good girl~ Pat, pat, pat♥"
'Excuse me?'
Despite her odd behavior, I can't deny how cute Rinna looks right now. I'm dying of her cuteness. It's so cute! What's more, she's also in the same class alongside Adelle and Lily. This means she knows the dormitory! However, I'm not allowed to enter since I'm a male, so I can just ask for their class location for later.
"Rinna, can you tell me where's your class? You're an S-class, right?"
"Hm~? Here~ Princess Lily requested me to give this to you. Mhmm~ Keep continuing, don't stop." Rinna gives me a piece of paper. On the piece of paper, there's a map and a letter written to it. At first, I thought there would be some sort of magical thing about their class, but it's just on another building across mine.
"Thanks, I need to go now."
"Huh?! Noo, my reward—!"
I teleport back somewhere in the forest, to see Instructor Sienna waiting for me. "You really do appear out of nowhere, as what I've read about you. Do you use teleportation or speed? I didn't see a single trace of you coming here."
It made me awe in shock. "Instructor Sienna?!" 'Where did she come from?! I'm just going back in tracks of our run from earlier, but I didn't expect her.'
"Don't worry, you're not in trouble or anything. Instead, I'm here to give you my gratitude for solving the problem earlier, as it would escalate if it weren't for your spirit's interference. Although, at the same time, I'm here to give you a reminder that you better stay low or don't cause trouble. As I stated before, those people are not here to give you a good life, especially since you're a moving disaster for our academy. We can't afford to destroy our founder's work for you."
This again...
"I understand. I'll refrain from doing unnecessary attention that will alert the higher officials of the academy."
"Good, because even your Master can't save you from here. We don't do special consideration. And, I do hope you to go along with your classmates, Claude Weiss."
Instructor Sienna bid farewell as she left me, mulling over her words.
"Their wariness to me is exceedingly surprising, despite the history and the talent of people residing in here. And, special consideration? Really now?"
Once I got back to my own dorm, to proceed over to my next class. Erik and Lars were already dressed upon my arrival. Lars' complexion didn't change one bit. Contrastingly, Erik's face was in bliss.
"Lars? Are you okay?" Erik voiced out his concern to the pale-looking Lars.
"No, I'm fine... I'm just still in shock... The cute kid became a scary-looking cat... Deceptive appearances are frightening... I thought it's just a cute cat, but... The world is such a scary place."
"Huh?"
"Huh?" 'What the heck is he talking about? Am I hearing things or what? That's all? What? Seriously, Lars?' I stare at Lars with a deadpan face.