It was right after Isaac successfully cast the 7-star ice spell [Icebolt] and fainted.
Professor Fernando Frost left in a carriage, and Aria told Luce to “sleep and co to my lab tomorrow morning” before she left.
Left alone with Isaac, Luce summoned Thunderbird Galia after breathing so evening air. It was to carry Isaac.
“Heave-ho…”
Luce, along with the Thunderbird carrying Isaac, took the elevator down to the 14th floor.
There were accommodations. Normally, towers had separate dormitories, but this place was unique in that it was inside the tower itself.
“Here, Galia.”
Luce and the Thunderbird entered the room Aria had told them about. It was their first ti actually staying in the room, having only used the bathroom up until now. Luce had wanted to stay by Isaac’s side, so she had been taking naps in the lab where he was.
The room was pretty snug with only one bed. Although Luce sensed Aria’s impure intention, she didn’t feel particularly displeased.
“Careful.”
Luce laid Isaac, who was carried by the Thunderbird, onto the bed.
Silence ensued. Luce leaned over and stared closely at Isaac, who was sound asleep.
He had a strong scent. It was a rare opportunity. Luce closed her eyes and breathed in Isaac’s scent, a satisfied smile spread across her lips.
[You must be exhausted, Isaac.]
“Skipping sleep, als, and showers to focus on devising the construction for [Icebolt]...”
Luce was amazed by Isaac’s stamina.
“Your clothes… should be in here.”
Luce took the magic pouch from Isaac and searched inside. It contained a change of clothes.
While at it, she sneakily looked for any cloaks of disguise… but she couldn’t find any.
The Thunderbird gently lifted Isaac’s upper body with his beak. Luce then removed his top and laid it across a desk chair.
Soon, Luce was srized as if ti had stopped.
Isaac’s body. His muscles were distinctly visible, his veins pulsing. Though it wasn’t very noticeable when he was clothed, seeing his unexpectedly well-defined physique made her involuntarily swallow.
Heat rose to her head, and the corners of her mouth twitched involuntarily. She vividly realized her biological reactions as a woman at the sight of Isaac’s bare body.
Luce’s hand reached for Isaac’s upper body as if her instincts had taken control over her body.
Soon, she regained her senses and stopped her own hand with the other.
She couldn’t just foolishly stare at Isaac’s naked body. After changing his top, she laid him back down and carefully removed his pants as well.
Sneaking a glance toward Isaac’s groin, Luce nodded and blushed, deliberately averting her gaze from his underwear as she put on new pants for him.
Finally, after covering him with a blanket, Luce looked at him lovingly again.
Then, she lifted the blanket, slid inside, and embraced him.
[…!]
The Thunderbird’s eyes widened.
He couldn’t believe it and reversed his summoning. He didn’t want to disturb the two.
“Galia?”
Luce didn’t understand why the Thunderbird had reversed his summons, but it didn’t matter anyway since his role was done.
“Hmm.”
For now, she just wanted to enjoy the sensation of lying next to Isaac.
Isaac’s body odor was fragrant. She felt a warmth that made her want to stay like that indefinitely, but at the sa ti, her heartbeat sped up with excitent.
It was as if her instincts were cheering.
“Why are you so cute…?”
Luce whispered softly, her head resting on the sa pillow as Isaac’s. Just looking at him made her smile. She felt overjoyed.
Luce had seen Isaac’s efforts closely in the Hegel Tower. She rejoiced in his achievents as if they were her own.
However, she harbored a fundantal question.
Why is he working so hard?
Luce speculated that Isaac’s effort might be tied to the reason why the Naless Hero, Greung, hid his identity.
She had long suspected, almost with certainty, that Isaac was Greung.
Then, why was there a discrepancy in power between Isaac and Greung?
It didn’t make sense that Isaac was working this hard just to conceal his identity. So she ca up with another hypothesis…
What if Greung can only unleash his true power under certain conditions?
It seed far-fetched initially, but now it seed worth considering since it would resolve the contradiction.
For example, like a fairy bestowing mystical powers, it might be possible to grant conditional strength through a contract.
Even if it wasn’t a fairy, there might exist beings of similar stature.
If that hypothesis was true, what could be the conditions for Isaac’s abilities?
Great strength… limited to demons…
…As Luce pondered, the thought only grew stronger. What kind of ridiculous ability was that?
Greung was undoubtedly a mysterious being. However, there was a strong possibility that he was an academy student wearing a cloak of disguise… Assuming that was true, he would seem like a normal student at first glance.
Until the Grand Festival incident, Luce was aware of Isaac’s plan.
Given that Greung had always been running to hide his identity, standing atop the clock tower and having the white dragon draw attention would be sothing he’d definitely avoid.
In other words, it must have been intentional.
To hide his identity.
The only person who would benefit from Greung appearing elsewhere was Isaac, who had fought with the Priestess.
A scholar believed that “if Isaac was the Naless Hero, he wouldn’t have been injured and fainted during his fight against the Priestess.”
Luce had been convinced that Isaac was Greung since the end-of-sester evaluation incident last year.
She was the only one who felt that Greung’s hands and Isaac’s were similar.
So, what could be the reason why Greung would hide his identity? Probably because revealing it would lead to troubleso consequences.
If her hypothesis that Greung’s power was conditional held true, the reason might be…
Revealing his identity could put him in danger since he’s weak normally.
There might be soone at the academy who would harm him if his identity was revealed. The basis for this though was the existence of the “informant”.
Greung might have been concious of the informant.
However, it didn’t explain how he knew when and where the demons would appear in advance.
Luce’s theories were all hypothetical in the first place, so there was still a lot of mystery about Greung.
What was certain was that Greung had to be the person before her eyes. All Luce needed was a smoking gun.
Luce tapped Isaac’s cheek lightly.
In doing so, she found him incredibly lovely and charming. It made her realize that she had romantic feelings for the boy.
“...Haa.”
Then, Luce hardened her expression and pulled her hand away from him.
A vague feeling of dread ca over her.
Regardless of the circumstances, she and Isaac were rely friends. Even if she confessed to him, there was no guarantee that it would lead to a romantic relationship.
The worst thing that could happen was that Isaac would start avoiding her.
Isaac was decisive and not the type to take advantage of soone’s affection for him.
If the only person she had opened her heart to beca distant, especially if that person was her first love… the re thought made Luce’s heart ache.
Yet, staying passive made her uneasy about other girls. If a bitch like Dorothy snatched Isaac away while she hesitated, she’d be writhing in agony, tears of blood streaming down her face.
Luce wished for Isaac to only look at her. Sotis, she even fantasized about locking him in a large birdcage and making him look only at her.
However… that would break the promise she had made with Isaac.
Luce held up her left hand and stared at the ring on her ring finger. It was a symbol of their promise, a commitnt to achieve their dreams together and live side by side.
It felt like a proposal, and Luce always felt happy whenever she looked at the ring.
In the end, she had to push aside the childish fantasy of caging Isaac.
Luce lowered her arm and looked at Isaac again.
“Isaac, you have to stay by my side forever and ever, okay? If you leave … I might just break.”
Luce muttered to herself. Because the future she envisioned for herself included Isaac, and she couldn’t imagine a future without him.
And then.
Suddenly, Isaac broke out in a cold sweat and gasped for air. He looked distressed.
“Isaac? What’s wrong?”
Luce was startled, sitting up abruptly and asking worriedly. However, Isaac remained asleep.
Is he having a nightmare?
Given how he usually gave up sleep to train, it seed cruel for him to have nightmares when he finally got to sleep.
Luce laid back down, pulling Isaac’s head into her embrace. She whispered reassuring words, gently stroking his head.
Don’t worry, I’m here.
It’s okay. Isaac, it’s okay…
“...Go to sleep?”
Shaking out her mories, Luce looked towards the bed. Isaac, wrapped in a bathrobe, was fast asleep.
Luce chuckled softly and placed her teacup on the desk. She put the shade on the lamp, causing the room to be enveloped in darkness with nothing but the moonlight shining through the window.
Climbing into the bed next to Isaac, Luce pulled the blanket over them, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She wanted to take one last look at his face.
Once she could see Isaac, Luce smiled gently.
“Goodnight, Isaac.”
There was a rustling sound. The covers rustled as Luce hugged Isaac.
Thinking there might not be another chance like this, Luce kissed Isaac’s cheek.
Then, she closed her eyes. Luce could finally give in to the drowsiness that had overtaken her.
* * *
The light was blinding.
The bright ceiling ca into view when I woke up. It was morning.
I was so amazed that I spaced out for a while. It had been a long ti since I’d slept so soundly.
I turned my head to the side. Luce was asleep, hugging like a teddy bear, breathing softly. She must have fallen asleep while holding to keep from having nightmares.
So pretty.
Thanks to her, I seed to had slept peacefully.
I turned towards Luce and gently stroked her hair.
Today was the day we would depart from the Hegel Magic Tower.
After washing up and getting dressed, Luce and I headed to the top floor and went inside the lab.
Aria Lilias, dressed in her wizard robe, welcod us.
“Good morning, Tower Master!”
“We’ll conduct individual interviews right now.”
“...What?”
What’s with the sudden individual interviews?
“Isaac, you go in first.”
“Ah, yes.”
Aria led to a door on the opposite side of the entrance. Since it was an individual session, Aria told Luce to wait outside.
There was an office behind the door at the back of the lab. Aria closed the door and walked towards the bookshelf.
What’s this individual interview for? Am I going to receive feedback or sothing?
Aria walked over to a desk piled with docunts. She sat down and looked at with her usual droopy eyes.
“Isaac.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t expect you to grasp [Icebolt] so quickly. There’s nothing more I can teach you. Any further instruction would only hinder your talent.”
Aria began on a positive note.
It felt like a warm conclusion and my mood brightened.
I adjusted my glasses before replying with a smile.
“That’s not true, your guidance as the Tower Master has been a great help since the beginning. I’m grateful, thanks to you—”
“Well, those are just a bunch of empty words.”
“Pardon?”
“This room is completely soundproof, so don’t worry. I’ll ask you straight up, so listen carefully.”
The morning breeze fluttered the curtains.
After a brief silence.
Aria looked in the eye and asked calmly.
“Tell why you’re hiding your identity, Naless /genesisforsaken
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