296 Another Problem
What a pain.
Lost in thought, I toyed with my fork, contemplating Harvey's earlier caution. The last thing I wanted was to provoke any professor, save for Gamir Teraquin. Yet, somehow, I found myself at odds with Celeste's father over a trivial matter. I had hardly touched his daughter, merely assisting her to her bed, for heaven's sake.
Melfina should have supported me and clarified the situation to him. Why did she feel the need to disclose it in the first place? Was it some kind of vengeance move for my role in the destruction of her city? But considering her age, four times mine, how could she harbor such petty sentiments?
"Amael, you'll shatter your plate if you keep at it," Sephira interjected from across the table.
"Right," I acknowledged, halting my actions and twirling my fork in the spaghetti before taking a bite.
"You seem off, Amael. Did you fail the exam?" Sirius inquired.
I shook my head. "No, it's not that."
My gaze then shifted to John, who maintained an unusual silence. His face bore signs of a slight bruise, and despite the anger simmering beneath the surface, he managed to mask it with a calm demeanor.
It was likely a consequence of the troubles within his peculiar class. Although he presently responded with composure, it seemed only a matter of time before he reached a breaking point.
Regardless, he had made it clear he didn't want my assistance.
What grated on me were the stares and jeers from the lesser nobles of his class, even during our meals. Sirius and Sephira noticed it too, but they refrained from reacting.
Harassment, bullying, physical altercations—these were the trademarks of Alvara's class. Several students had abandoned the Academy due to their relentless targeting. John, however, proved to be an exception, displaying remarkable resilience over the past two months. It was undoubtedly a novelty for them. While they might persist, there was no chance John would leave the Academy on their account. Instead, he would continue to irk them, potentially reaching a dangerous tipping point where they might attempt to forcefully eliminate him.
Observing Sephira, I noticed a subtle tremor she attempted to conceal. I was certain that unwelcome gazes were directed her way, given Alvara's disdain for her. Despite the animosity, Sephira was still part of Alvara's family, so the hostility was tempered.
Fortunately, she had support.
With composed demeanor, Sirius gently took Sephira's hand, soothing her emotions. She offered a shy smile and resumed her meal.
What a harmonious couple.
Layla would have undoubtedly lifted my spirits if she were present.
John, too, needed to confess his feelings to Amelia for a much-needed source of moral support.
[<He would undoubtedly be angrier if he could read your mind right now.>]
'I'm doing it for his own good.'
[<And to spare yourself from his incessant talk about Layla.>]
'Well, that's a big part of it.'
Caught red-handed.
-Thud!
Out of nowhere, something struck John's head before landing on his plate.
A half-eaten apple.
"Ahahah!"
"Serves you right for that half!"
"Look at his face, lol!"
"..." John remained silent, but the tension in the air indicated he was on the verge of snapping, his fists clenched.
"John," I calmly called out to him.
"Fuck off, Edward," he cursed me before attempting to stand, but...
"Don't you have any shame!"
We both turned to see Amelia standing up, striding toward the table responsible for this farce. It was populated by high-ranking noble elves.
"Are you all children? Throwing food like children? Is this the behavior befitting a noble from Sancta Vedelia's most prestigious academy?" she reprimanded with a stern gaze.
The elves remained silent, faces contorted, unable to retort to Amelia, a prominent noble.
"Why bother defending a nobody from a third-rate country, Amelia?" Adrian Dolphis, her twin brother, sneered from his chair, annoyance etched across his face as he glared at his sister. "Shut up and eat instead of sullying our House."
Seated with his friends, they laughed while observing John and Amelia. Adrian's companions were distinct from Alvara's group, belonging to his own circle.
Despite sharing the same class, Adrian kept his distance from Alvara and Lykhor. While they maintained a certain level of separation due to their status as Great Nobles, their shared disdain for Halves and commoners could be seen as a distant partnership.
"Don't give me orders, Adrian," Amelia shot back, fixing him with a defiant glare before returning to her seat.
Adrian chuckled and resumed his meal, undeterred. John, however, cast a glance at Amelia, clicked his tongue, and left with his plate.
Impressive.
While I had initially teased John about Amelia to dissuade him from his sis-con tendencies, it seemed they were a well-matched pair. John wasn't indifferent to her, that much was clear.
After finishing my meal, I left Sirius and Sephira to their own devices, allowing them to enjoy some uninterrupted time together. My knack for being a wingman hadn't faded.
Putting away my plate, I turned my attention to Victor's table. As always, he was surrounded by his harem—Celeste, Cylien, and Selene.
"Huh?" My eyes widened as I noticed a small vial peeking out of Selene's skirt pocket, containing a pinkish liquid.
A forgotten detail from the game suddenly flashed in my mind. I recognized that pink vial.
It was a love potion.
Damn it.
Closing my eyes, I struggled to recall the events. Selene had managed to get Victor to drink it, resulting in a very, very eventful night for Victor and Selene.
To put it bluntly, they had engaged in intimate activities.
But Victor harbored no genuine affection for Selene, and following the incident, regaining his senses and realizing he had lost his virginity, he would vehemently sever ties with Selene. This turn of events would likely push Selene down the path of the villainess, and I had no time to deal with the complications of that narrative arc.
I needed to get rid of that vial.
The pressing question was whether Selene intended to use it today. Fuck it.
I couldn't afford to let her unleash its effects on Victor.
How could I discreetly steal it from her?
Lost in thought, I stood frozen in place. Approaching her out of the blue wasn't an option. The optimal choice would be to inform Victor directly, but that could only infuriate Selene, potentially prompting her to take more drastic actions.
Perhaps I could convince her? Uncertain…
For the time being, my priority was to dispose of the vial and buy myself some time. Given the potency of the potion, obtaining another one would not be an easy task for Selene in the short term.
She proved to be even more troublesome than Layla.
Had Layla possessed such a potion, she might have...
Recollections of that night in prison, where I narrowly avoided losing my virginity, flashed through my mind. I shook my head, dismissing the thought.
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