The weather was turning grim. The sky overhead was thick with dark clouds, threatening to unleash a downpour any minute. I had to get my stuff before the rain started. Sure, this world's technology is advanced enough to make things like colds and fevers minor inconveniences, but I still didn't want to get drenched in this wretched rain.
I scanned the area, trying to find the entrance, and there it was—a gate guarded by two imposing figures and a lady stationed inside a glass-like chamber. She was young and beautiful, busy stacking some papers.
With a determined stride, I approached the chamber and greeted her. "Hello, miss. I need to enter the Black Forest. Could you grant me entry?"
She paused, looked at me with a blank expression, and then casually said, "Sir, I'm extremely sorry, but due to the weather forecast, the gates are closed today. There's a big storm predicted, so we're not allowing anyone to enter."
She resumed her paperwork like it was nothing.
I glanced up at the sky, the clouds looking like they were about to burst any moment. "Don't fuck with me, you damn Rain God," I muttered under my breath.
This was bad. I didn't have the time to come back another day. Finding that cave had already been a pain in the ass, and I wasn't the kind of protagonist who'd stumble upon it by sheer dumb luck.
Frustrated, I leaned closer to the lady again. "Are you sure I can't enter?"
"No," she replied, not even bothering to look up this time.
"I really need to go. I lost something important in there yesterday."
"Come tomorrow."
"Damn bitch..." I sighed, trying to figure out another way in.
thinking about an idea, an absurd idea popped into my head, which I've seen in novels before. I wonder if it would work. Yes, it's a clichéd concept, but still...
Should I try that? Yeah, maybe I should.
Running a hand through my hair, I adjusted it just right—draping some over my forehead and pushing the rest back. Majestic, if I do say so myself.
With a confident grin, I leaned on the counter and said,
"Hey, miss?"
She glanced up, clearly annoyed. "Yes, sir. What is it now?"
"You know, your appearance is truly captivating. The way you carry yourself radiates elegance and charm. You look absolutely stunning." I finished with a wink.
She didn't even flinch.
"Go home, kid."
My face turned red with embarrassment. *Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why did I even say that?* I cursed internally.
Apparently, good looks don't work on this woman. *What the hell is with this bitch?* I thought, feeling utterly defeated and heartbroken.
What to do, what to do… My brain was already overloaded, and now I was stuck with the problem of getting into the forest. There was only one entrance, and it was guarded. Threatening her? Nah, that was out of the question. No way I'd threaten a lady, especially with those two strong guards standing nearby nah forget that
But then again, what were my options? I didn't have the money to bribe my way in, but maybe… just maybe… I had a gold coin in my pocket. I had to save money, but this was a dire situation. Would she even accept it?
With no better plan, I moved in front of her again, tapping the glass. She looked at me, more annoyed than before.
"What is it now?" she snapped.
I stayed calm, reaching into my pocket, trying not to appear desperate. Maybe this could work? But as I pulled out the gold coin, my student ID slipped out and landed right in front of her.
"Oh, that's mine," I said, reaching for it, but she was quicker. She snatched it up, her eyes widening as she read the name.
She stared at it like she'd just uncovered a treasure map, and I could see sweat forming on her forehead. Her composure broke in an instant.
"You… you?" she stammered.
What?
Wait, wait… Holy crap, why didn't I think of this before? Of course she'd be scared! I'm Akashi Seraphiel from one of the ruling houses! No one in their right mind would want to mess with a ruling house; it could destroy their life. Granted, I had no real authority, but she didn't know that.
Finally, I had a stroke of luck.
With a strong grin, I prepared to speak, but she interrupted, her hands trembling as she asked, "You're from XYSYRS?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm from the prestigious XYSYRS Academy," I replied, confused about why she cared more about that than my name.
"You… you know Sir Samuel?" she asked, her voice shaking.
What the heck? That's what she's concerned about?
Sensing an opportunity, I placed a hand over my eyes, trying to look dramatic.
"Yeah, I know him. We're kinda close," I lied, as casually as I could.
"No way!" she yelled, her voice filled with excitement. "You know Sir Samuel? You *know* him?"
What the heck? Did she just ignore everything else about my name and status?
Not wanting to miss this opportunity, I decided to press her a bit. "You know Samuel too?" I asked, trying my best not to get caught in my lie.
"Of course! Who doesn't know him?" she gushed, completely oblivious to my growing discomfort. "He's such a fine, great man! I mean, his looks—like a charming prince! And those muscles? Honestly, they make even the peak of human fitness look like child's play!"
"Oh, is that so—" I tried to say something, but she was on a roll.
"And don't even get me started on his voice—it's like velvet, smooth and deep, the kind that could make you melt on the spot. The way he carries himself, so confident yet humble, like he doesn't even realize how incredibly perfect he is! Every time he smiles, it's like the world just gets a little brighter, you know? And those eyes...ugh, I swear, my heart skips a beat just thinking about it! How could anyone resist? He's basically a living, breathing fairy tale come to life, and I'm just here, completely mesmerized by every single thing he does..."
I stared at her, dumbfounded, as she continued her never-ending gush of admiration. She finally stopped, her eyes still sparkling like a kid in a candy store.
Damn, glazing at the highest level.
"So, what's your connection to Sir Samuel?" she asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Hmm, we have a deep relationship," I said, trying to keep my grin from turning into a laugh.
"Deep relationship?" she echoed, eyes widening even further.
"Yeah," I grinned, leaning in just a little.
Her eyes went wide with shock. "Are you telling me that Sir Samuel is into—"
"Okay, stop!" I cut her off before her imagination ran any wilder. "That's not what I meant."
She blinked, confused, as I clarified, "We have a student-master relationship. I'm his...loving pupil."
"Student-master? You're trained by Sir Samuel?" She looked at me in awe. "But I heard he never takes personal pupils. Never, ever!"
"Yeah, you might be right, but I'm built different," I said casually, trying to sound cool.
She once again looked at me from head to toe, trying to scan every inch of my body, as if examining a piece of masterpiece sculpture.
"Wow... You really must be his pupil!" she suddenly exclaimed, eyes practically shining.
"And what makes you say that?" I asked, curious.
"Your aura—it's so weak that it's almost non-existent. But now that I know you're his pupil, it must mean he's trained you in hiding your aura to perfection!" she said, nodding sagely.
I flinched at her words, but nodded along. She was complimenting me, sure, but each word felt like a bullet to my pride.
Anyway, with the best opportunity in front of me, I decided to ask again. "So...can I go to the forest now?" I asked, hoping to finally get permission.
But she was still stuck on her words. "Sorry, boy, but that's still not possible."
I stared at her for a moment, then turned my head down and started to walk away, looking at the ground. As I moved, I casually dropped the words, "It's a shame, really. Master Samuel isn't dating anyone. Wasting his youth like that...truly sad."
I couldn't see behind me, but I could definitely sense her flinch at that. The silence was golden.
"But I do have his email," I added nonchalantly. "Maybe if I give it to the right person, a flower might bloom."
As I walked away, pretending to be disinterested, I could feel her eyes burning holes in my back. Just as I anticipated, I heard a voice call out, "W-Wait!"
A devilish grin spread across my face, but I kept it hidden as I turned back slightly. "Yes? What is it?"
"About that email," she hesitated, "could you give it to me?"
I put on an air of indifference. "No."
She flinched but didn't back down. "Don't say that! You want your master to be happy, right? It's the least you could do."
"Go to work, woman," I replied flatly.
Her patience was clearly being tested, but she forced a smile. "How about we make a deal?"
"A deal?" I asked, feigning interest. "What kind of deal?"
"You want to enter the forest, don't you?" she said, leaning in.
"Yes."
"I'll let you enter the forest," she offered, "but in exchange, you have to give me that email. How about that?"
I pretended to mull it over, rubbing my chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, is this deal really worth it?" I mused aloud.
Her face turned pale. She knew this was probably her only chance to get her hands on Sir Samuel's email. I let her squirm a bit longer before finally nodding.
"Okay, that's fine, I guess," I replied, acting as though I was doing her a huge favor.
Her eyes lit up. "For real?"
"Yeah, for real."
"Alright, come with me," she said, leading me to the gate. After ordering the guards to step aside, she turned to me again. "This is very against the rules, but I'm letting you go. However, there's one condition."
"What condition?" I asked.
"You can't come back until tomorrow morning."
"Hmm, that's troublesome. Why not?" I inquired.
"The officials have ordered that all ways back in are closed until tomorrow. So yeah, you'll have to survive out there. But don't worry, it's not like there are any demonic beasts that'll hunt you at night," she said, trying to reassure me.
I nodded, pretending to be unfazed. I'd already expected something like this, and I knew it would take a while to find that cave anyway. Everything was going according to plan.
Turning my back to her, I crossed the gate without a second glance. "See you tomorrow," I called out over my shoulder.
"Yeah, take care, boy! And don't forget about the deal—I'll be waiting!" she reminded me.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered.
"Seriously, I'm even staying up all night here, just to get Sir Samuel's email!" she shouted after me.
"Email my ass," I muttered under my breath as I started moving deeper into the forest, not bothering to look back. As if I actually had anything like that.