Chapter 89 - Caught Red-Handed
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When I opened my eyes, pure darkness engulfed before me. Except for some reason, I can clearly see my body at my point of view. Bewildered, I began to look around me but unfortunately, there was nothing except for me, at a place in complete darkness—a void.
But as soon as I blinked my eyes, suddenly, I was standing in a centerstage of the tournament. The audiences in their seat screamed in excitement. And in front of me—
"?!?!?!"
In front of me was Davis—who was sternly looking at me with his sword pierced into my stomach. I didn't feel any pain, but for a strange reason, I can't seem to breathe anymore, falling into my knees as Davis coldly looks at me in pity.
"No hard feelings." Davis curtly said.
Davis pulled out his sword into my stomach which I then fall on the ground. Once again, I was back at the void. But this time, there was someone in front of me. Known by his crimson hair, this guy looks at me in mockery, coupled with his mouth that's grinning wickedly that only a worst person can make—it was me.
"What a pure disgrace. And you assumed that you will become the strongest? Don't joke with me!"
Sai Crimsonheart who was in front of me showered me in mockery. I just stood there as I watch him, completely deadpan. I was unable to say anything, but deep down, there is one feeling that swelling up inside me—it was frustration.
"What now, huh?! You lose! You proudly boast your knowledge in game then lose to someone who still hasn't yet in his best? What pure disgrace!"
"..."
The sole emotion inside me is starting to build up and felt like it was about to eat me whole. The reason is, I can't deny the truth that the other me is saying. Was Davis really just strong or was there something I currently lacked at that moment? It's really frustrating!
But then, because of those negative emotions that overflew from me I—
"—?!"
I immediately woke-up, flabbergasted as my heart pounds heavily. After realization, I breathe a sigh of relief and glance at the ceiling I'm overly familiar with.
"Just a dream, huh..." I mused.
But for me to get such a dream, I must be really that frustrated inside. It's been a while, but such thought is still hunting me to this day. Not to mention my current reputation at the Academy all because of that strange phenomenon that even I don't have any knowledge about.
I let another sigh and slowly rose my body from the bed. It was of that time that I realize that there are someone beside me: the white haired one wearing a white sleeveless dress, has my arm firmly pressed against her chest while the black haired one wearing a black tank top coupled with shorts was also doing the same.
All the frustrations and negative emotions that's raging inside me instantly vanished as I realize the heavenly situation I'm in. Now that I realized, I'm pretty pent up since I still haven't release all of the pressure that happened and accumulated inside me yet...
L-Luna wouldn't mind, right? Such intrusive thoughts dwell inside my mind. Even my Excalibur who should have been timid since earlier was still raging strong. Man, I'm really "frustrated", am I? Just not in a same manner that a normal person thinks of.
"Hey, it's morning." I gently tapped the shoulders of the girls who was sleeping beside me. "Wake-up you two."
The two both moaned in unison. The first one to rose her body out of the bed was the girl on the left of mine. With her very long hair that had turned beautifully into a pearl white, she puffs out her two mountains unintentionally as she stretch her arms up high, slowly opening her blue eyes and looked at me with a smile.
"Morning, Luna," I greeted.
"Good morning, Master."
The latter one on my right rose into the bed slowly after. She had a long straight black hair mixed with red inside it. She also took a long stretch and slowly opened her eyes that resembles a blood moon and shifted her face into me, still half-asleep.
"Morning, Akari." I greeted once again.
"Nh, Good morning, Aruji-sama..."
There's of course a main reason why I woke the two up. The main reason being that this morning is the time the girls wake-up in order to go to Academy, while the other one is...
"Just right on time... Master, I—Eh?!" Luna who saw a bulge in front of me expressed her surprise. "M-Master, that's..."
I didn't respond to her. Instead, I gestured her with a strained smile. I'm really awkward in this sort of thing so I hope she grasp the faint signal.
"M-Master, d-do you want to do it right now?" Luna shyly asked, then turned to Akari who was still half-asleep. "B-but Akari is here..."
"C-can we?"
"Uhm..." Luna paused as if to resolve herself, then shyly nodded. "If you don't mind then I..."
My heart starts to beat faster as time went on, and so is Luna. Luna went and sat on the floor while I shifted my body to her. But as Luna was about to unsheathe the Excalibur under its scabbard, Akari suddenly came crawling beside me.
"Woah! Akari?!"
"Ah, are you two going to do it?" Akari nonchalantly asked.
Luna and I became even more flustered in Akari's frank question. I shot a look at Luna as a gesture for her to answer the question instead.
"Ahaha... I-It seems like Master is hurting here so..."
"I see," Akari faintly nodded as to understand, then sat beside me. "Want me to help?"
"Wha—?!"
"Nuh—?!"
Did I hear that right?! Both Luna and I quickly looked at Akari with our eyes fully wide in shock. Akari on the other hand looked at us as if it was the most normal thing.
T-the two of them... If it's possible then I—
"Wakey-wakey! It's time for school!"
"—?!?!?!"
Suddenly, a blonde half-elf, fox demi-human, and a red-haired girl wearing their loungewear came barging in the room in order to wake us up. It wasn't in a form of a nuisance but the 3 just quickly went in with a surprise. Luna and I tried to immediately act but it was too late.
"Oh, so this is how you greet each other in the morning..." The red-haired girl with a poised demeanor said so. "I didn't know you were this close."
"It's not, Astra." The orange fox demi-human retorted. "Lily, you shouldn't do that. Sai wasn't feeling good last night so we should have gone quietly instead."
"Don't think too much of it, Seia." The blonde half-elf nonchalantly remarked. "Sai won't get furious over something—?!"
""...""
""...""
With the exception of Akari, all of us looked against each other, jaw dropped. I—who was caught red-handed accepted my fate and slowly glance up into the ceiling in capitulation. I have nothing to say...
* * *
Thanks to Astra accepting our invitation, Astra is now currently living in the Helianthus Villa. Sadly, Astra didn't carry anything but herself. As you know, her things were tragically burned completely by her own family. So, in the meantime, Astra is using Lily's clothing and just like the rest of them, she'll be sleeping with the girls.
You know, sometimes I worry about their privacy. But it seems that they don't really mind showing their personal things to each other, which is strange but... I don't know.
""...""
All of us was on the dining room, eating our breakfast in awkward silent. We're all already prepared and was just taking our morning fill before going to the Academy. From the tense surrounding the area, there is a lone outcast who was the only one with the nerve to make a conversation.
"I just had my first day here and there's already fun things happening." Astra—who doesn't know how to read the room nonchalantly blurted out her remark. "Now that I realized it, you were quite the guy, Sai. Honestly, living with these popular girls in the Academy... The boys will probably die out of jealousy if they know how you live your life right now."
"For sure." I frankly replied as I eat my food in a deadpan manner.
To be honest, I'm just making a front. And the awkward silence is just becoming worst at time goes by. That's why Asta, I'm begging you, please don't talk anymore...!
"Speaking of Academy, Sai, your reputation is currently in tatters, right?" Astra earnestly asked. "I doubt you'll mind it too much but what do you plan to do next?"
Well... I've been thinking about it since before the Tournament. I'm supposed to set it next after we head back from the 『Jungle』 if not for the fact that the Tournament went earlier than I expected.
"Let's see..."
I began to tell them what's on my mind. I plan to take an absent for a few days but for a big reason. First, just as Bellatrix had asked me, I plan to take Lemuen and the others with me but only if they want to. The reason is, I'd like to farm some 『Boss』 and craft some stronger weapons for us, since some of our current equipment were barely able to survive on the 『Chaos Mode』. It's not like our weapons were weak, but in order to survive, you've got to have the best option in you.
The thing is, I had actually thought of going early from the 『Aerial Enclave』—which is a strange biome that's floating from the sky, but as expected—
"We're still too weak to engage and plan to get into the 『Aerial Enclave』. So, for now, I plan to go at the 『Artic』 from the north." I explained.
"The Artic, huh..." Pondering, Astra wore a conflicted expression.
"Is something wrong?"
"No. It's just that, remember when you heard a loud shriek? You guys were all away that time but after a few days, the Empire had announced an international warning about the turmoil happening all over the world." Astra explained. "I think it's about the sudden appearance of monsters that even the frontliners were barely able to fend off."
With the exception of Astra, the rest of us shot a look into each other. I see, I finally get the reason of her concern.
"Well, I'm sure it won't be a walk in a park, but I can manage about it." I replied, as I rose into my seat. "Since we're all done and all, shall we head out then?"
"I like your confidence, but shouldn't you think properly about this?" Astra exclaimed, taking all the plates and putting it on the sink.
"I had already planned this before long, so you don't have to worry too much about it."
"Hm, if you say so..."
After cleaning the table, all of us had left the Villa. But before Luna had left the door, I pulled her closer to me and whispered something through her ear.
"Let's do it later."
"...Y-yes."
Luna meekly nodded as flush slowly crept up her face. I shot her a smile and patted her head and quickly walk towards the girls. Luna on the other hand, walk slowly behind us, facing her face on the ground.
Regardless, I should take a visit from the Student Council Room and talk to Bellatrix about my plan.