[POV: Zora.]
"You can call me Zora, and this here is Adrian. He's the one who taught the foolish me the basics of the sword," I introduced us instead of him, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment.
I needed something to distract myself from his gaze, which felt like it was kissing every inch of my bare body.
'At least that's how it felt when I dived into his eyes, which seemed to see right through me.'
This bastard was too much for me, and what he just said about me learning how to share was absolutely true.
How could I possibly keep something like this disastrous piece of meat all to myself?
How could I possess him when he wasn't even meant to be tied down to a single person? I knew from our time together over the last week that he wasn't someone who liked being confined by such limitations.
He was like a deep ocean; you could see as deep as you wanted when it was calm, but something could easily make it murky enough that not even the surface was visible.
'As a succubus, I knew I wouldn't let go of him for any man—no way.'
To be strong enough to handle me, give me that kind of pleasure... that was definitely something I wasn't sure about.
'Well, men aside, I wouldn't have any problem having a sister-like friend with him. And this kitty seemed like a really cute candidate.'
Her hands were human-like, but she had a dark blue tail that wiggled in the air while she looked at both of us with curiosity.
When I told her he was the one who taught me, her expression and the way she spoke with him changed completely. I could feel that this cat was indeed a girl—just like the one I had been just days ago.
We had no say in when she might want to change that.
The way she hid her boiling desires behind her tough act was something I found amusing and intriguing. A smile crept onto my face, and just as I introduced us and glanced at him, he returned my smile with one of his own.
'Fuck you, bastard…'
'With pleasure, My lady.'
This damn bastard was teasing me again, making the already difficult situation even more complicated.
But this smile conveyed many things this time; he understood what I was thinking and had no problem with what was happening right now.
He would be happy to help any lady in need, so I looked forward to the day this little pussycat would join us in our 'adventures'.
"Let's do our best!" I shouted enthusiastically, and just then, we heard a loud sound from above.
-Booooom.
To our left, something had just fallen from the sky, and through the dust cloud, we could see that it looked like... a giant bird?
"Total-to~!" A melodious flute-like sound rang out as a large owl-like bird emerged from the smoke.
This bird had beautiful, shining green feathers and stood about two meters tall. It looked at each of us one by one and sighed in disbelief before enveloping itself in a dark green light.
-Ooooooooong.
"I can't believe a cat and a crybaby angel would beat me. And... woah~."
This new figure resembled a man with a tall build like Rian's. His finely sculpted body was half-naked, showcasing impressive abs that would make any normal girl swoon—though they couldn't compare to my darling's physique.
This catgirl beside me wore a stoic expression and didn't seem interested in this bird fellow at all.
However, this bird that had just fallen from the sky looked at me with intrigue—a blushing face full of lust, something I was all too accustomed to seeing.
He reacted like any normal person would after seeing my body; his eyes roamed over me with desire.
My lips belonged to one person alone, yet this guy seemed to devour them with his gaze while also observing my chest with great interest.
'Haaa…'
I knew he was a player, but... he also seemed weak—at least weaker than me—so for me, this owl was definitely off-limits.
'He seems nice though.'
'Shut up, Rain.'
He walked closer toward us, his eyes focused solely on me. He wasn't even trying to hide his interest or intentions; his eyes were as green as his hair, and he wore green pants with a white scarf draped around his shoulders.
He appeared to be from the endless sky plains based on his attire, but I didn't know who he was.
Even after spending time here at the academy, my knowledge remained limited to what adventurers knew about these realms.
The previous two people I met were noble beings and purebloods somehow connected to monarchs.
While I appreciated Rian's guidance in bringing me to this beautiful place and showing me such marvelous sights, the arrival of others suggested there was something else happening here too.
From the two purebloods and this bird who seemed familiar with them, it appeared he might also be a pureblood himself.
'Well, whatever it was, I preferred the good angel who turned sad upon witnessing our kiss rather than this guy staring at me so hungrily.'
Thankfully, it didn't last long; just like last time, Rian approached him with... a different demeanor.
"Hello there. You must be Wisely from the Imperial Sky Island. It's a pleasure to meet you," Rian said smoothly but then added sternly, "but please mind how you look at others, you little boy."
His last words were harsh; just hearing them made the green bird break into a cold sweat as he trembled under Rian's intense gaze.
This was pure fear—I knew he wouldn't budge even if I reassured him it was okay.
The green bird fell silent and walked past me and catgirl Miyu toward the angel who mourned quietly in a corner.
Looking at him made me sigh as I shook my head at Rian's approach.
"That was too harsh, don't you think? He looks young… at least don't give him that fierce glare that clearly says: 'You've crossed the line.' Come on~."
My voice was low when saying that but I knew both Miyu and Rian heard it clearly.
"He's like that anyway; he deserved scolding," Miyu replied nonchalantly. "But… wow! Scaring him with just a glare? Impressive~."
As Rian returned to our side, the sun finished rising on the far horizon behind him.
"You didn't like it so I just asked him Nicely. Did I overdo it?"
"Yeah, dummy. He's terrified now."
But that aside, many distinct sounds filled my ears at that very moment: magic circles completing teleportation spells; people flying down from above; some even burrowing up from underground like moles.
-Zaaaaaaa…!
The area became lively as at least twenty others joined us—all looking slightly confused but intrigued by their surroundings.
"What the…"
This gathering consisted of prodigies—everyone here possessed unique strengths or matched those around them in power. The combined strength of these twenty individuals could easily overwhelm some academy teachers.
'But why are they all here?'
I was confused but it seemed like the rest of them, including Rain, were simply looking forward to who comes first and who actually reaches here at this specific moment.
'Wait a minute…!'
Suddenly, I recalled something peculiar about this academy that I yearned so much to join: its reputation for nurturing extraordinary talents and fostering powerful alliances among its students.
Though I had only heard about it, it seems to be true that the 'exams' start even before the start of the official exams.
'Though, what is this all about…?'