yemalu

"Is it true you cleared the Dungeon?!"

"Ummm… Yes? I didn\'t do it alone though."

"Wooooww! Big sister Aster is so cool!!"

"I heard there were a lot of scary monsters in the Dungeon, did big sister Aster defeat them too?"

"I… I guess so?"

"Big sister Aster is so brave!"

"Ah, I have sister Odeta to help me get the monster\'s attention of course."

"Big sister Odeta is cool too!"

"Wahahaha! It was nothing for me because I have Sister Aster\'s support!"

As expected, news do travel really fast it seems… We only just completed the Dungeon not two days ago and my classmates in my martial skill class already knew about it.

I wonder where did they even got this piece of news from?

"Alright! That\'s enough from all of you! We\'re starting class now!" Instructor Henry called out from the edge of the field, prompting all of us to assemble in front of him.

One of the students raised up his hand, "Instructor! When can we return to the Dungeon?"

Oh? That\'s quite a surprise. I was sure that these students would have been traumatised by their experience with the Dungeon. Yet, looking at everyone here, they all seemed to be quite looking forward to it?

Don\'t tell me it\'s because they were inspired by me?

Our teacher scoffed, "Hmph, do you all think you\'re even ready for that?"

"Yes, Instructor!!"

"In that case, you\'re in luck because that\'s what we are doing today. We\'ll be resuming your Dungeon test so work together with your team in clearing the dungeon!"

"Yaaayyy!"

… Eh?

Wait a minute, I thought they needed like another month or so to clear the Dungeon first? Why are they opening it up so soon?

I raised my hand, "I thought the Dungeon wasn\'t cleared yet?"

Instructor Henry nodded, "That is correct, student Aster. The whole Dungeon has not been fully cleared but the top five floors have been cleared at least, so we can go there while they work on clearing the rest."

Really? He\'s trusting us to not want to go any deeper than that?

Actually…

"Umm… Instructor… Is it ok if I were to sit this one out today?"

He smirked at me, "Sick of the place after spending an entire week in there, right?"

I nodded.

He shifted his gaze to Odeta who was busy cracking her knuckles.

She immediately raised her hand, "I\'ll go! I want to beat up more monsters!"

Does she have something against the Rats? Otherwise I don\'t know why she seems so intent on beating them at every chance she gets.

Oh well… I feel a little bad for Tika but I really don\'t want to go back there today… At least her party would still have Odeta accompanying them in case anything happens.

While the rest were forming up their parties to go to the Dungeon, I decided that I would do some exploring around the school today.

Even though I\'ve been here for so long, I have not actually gone around to explore the school grounds on my own aside from the library itself.

Then maybe afterwards, I might head to one of the Churches around here to see if I can figure out what that Dungeon clear reward I received was supposed to do.

My wandering brought me to the garden of the school. Since classes were still in session, the place was practically empty and quie--

"Ah… Ahh… That feels good…"

"Unngg… Can you be a little bit gentler… I won\'t be able to hold back my voice…"

…

I snuck towards where I heard the voices to see a pair of students going at it behind some bushes.

What\'s more, it\'s two male Mahuns with one of them being the bottom.

Right… I\'ll just cast [Shadow Wall] and [Shadow Glide] on myself before getting the hell out of there…

Umm… Where was I?

Oh yeah, this place is totally empty and there\'s no one around here at all!

"Have I told you how beautiful you are?"

"Oh my~ You\'re really a charmer~"

Ughh… Now who\'s that?

I turned around to see Lisa and Aaron walking into the garden side by side, the two of them close enough for their shoulders to almost be touching.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot that Lisa was trying to seduce him… I wonder how far did she manage to go?

Still making sure that my spells were in effect, I snuck after them in an attempt to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Aaron was gesturing to the flowers in the garden, "I speak the truth Miss Lisa. Though it may sound like that I\'m just having juvenile fantasies, but I am serious when I say that your beauty puts all these flowers to shame!"

Lisa giggled, "Kukuku~ You really do have a way with your words, Aaron. But you are aware that I am your teacher, right?"

He turned around to face her, "That doesn\'t matter, does it? If our hearts yearn for each other, then nothing of that sort matters! I promise you, I will definitely love you and only you!"

"Oh my… That\'s quite a claim… I\'m not sure what I should say to that…"

He reached down and took her hand in his, "Why not give us a try, Miss Lisa? We can just go out in secret! And then when I graduate, I will ask for your hand in marriage!"

Lisa gasped, "Oh Aaron! This… This doesn\'t seem appropriate! I\'m sure what you\'re feeling is not love but just infatuation for me… You… You don\'t know the real me… What you\'re seeing is just your idealised version of me… I\'m not that great of a person."

He shook his head, "No, I understand you completely, Miss Lisa! I won\'t abandon you like the others! Even if my parents do not accept us, we only need each other!"

She pulled her hands away and turned her back on him, "But if your parents don\'t accept me… We won\'t be able to stay here in peace…"

It was very subtle so I almost missed it, but I noticed that Lisa was wiping her hands on the front part of her shirt discreetly like she was trying to get rid of some dirt.

Aaron of course did not notice it and came forward to hold her shoulders, "Then we\'ll leave here! Let\'s leave this place and travel the world! We\'ll travel to the Council of Free Cities and live there instead! Let\'s go and start a new life together!"

I couldn\'t help but cringe at his words and I\'m pretty sure Lisa had the same thoughts but she managed to stop it from showing on her face.

She turned to look at him, "I don\'t know, Aaron… The two of us… Heading out to the unknown World… Would we even be safe? What if… What if something happens?"

"Don\'t worry! I will protect you with my life!"

Lisa teared up, "I don\'t want anything to happen to you… I… I\'m afraid… Afraid that I would be alone again…"

He pulled her into a hug and from where I was standing, I could see her blanch from the close contact but she stopped herself from pulling away.

Of course, Aaron had no idea this was happening in front of him and he continued, "Leave everything to me, Miss Lisa. I will do everything just so that I can be together with you. I love you so much."

She quickly took a step back from him and looked around them, "Aaron! You can\'t say that out loud! What if someone hears you?"

He reached down and held her hand again, "Does it matter, Miss Lisa? I have already sworn my future to you, you are my one and only soulmate and I dedicate my all to you. Even if others were to know about us, I am prepared to shoulder all the consequences."

Much wow, so touching. Have you ever thought about whether she even wants this to go public you numbnut? I bet the real reason he doesn\'t mind is so that he can show off that he got the supposedly cold and aloof Lisa to fall head over heels for him.

I would know because that\'s what Lisa wanted to do with our relationship before I stopped her, and I\'m not even cold nor aloof.

Lisa looked up at him, "Oh Aaron… What should I do? I don\'t know if I can do this…"

He pulled her in for another hug, "You don\'t need to think about anything, just leave everything to me."

The two of them held each other silently and I decided it\'s high time I get out of there before I get caught, especially since it was nearing midday and the shadows were slowly retreating which would reveal my presence to them.

I figured that Lisa would most likely be calling me to cuck him sooner or later, though I\'m still wondering what made her choose him in the first place?

I highly doubt he was chosen because of his looks or whatever, though I have to admit he does have that pretty boy look.

Oh well, I guess I\'ll ask Lisa when I next get the chance.

In the meantime… I guess I\'ll just go find a Church or something.