The next day, I woke up with Eliza sleeping in my embrace. Before sleeping, I made sure to clean ourselves with <Purification> so we didn't feel uncomfortable.
Eliza looked confused at first, blinking while looking at my face. Her body moved, crushing her naked boobs on my side.
However, once she gathered her thoughts, she immediately raised her body while covering her important part and blushed.
"You stupid! Look away, dummy!"
Her flushed face was so cute that I pulled her onto me and kissed her.
Due to surprise, she tried to resist a little, but once my tongue invaded her mouth and I sucked hers, she became meek at once and closed her eyes, enjoying it. Too easy.
Once she got into the mood, she forgot about everything else and even her surroundings. That was why she was oblivious to a wet sound that rang last night from the door.
Saying surprising was probably wrong as I already knew she often peeped on us using <Clairvoyance>. But to think she would be that brave and masturbate in the hallway while watching me have sex with Eliza. Madam Vivian was such an interesting individual.
Backing away, Eliza smiled at me and gave me another peck.
"Chu… Hmn… Morning, Arthur."
"Morning, Eliza." I smiled back at her and caressed her cheek. Her head moved to seek more warmth from my hand. "Let's get going to the Academy, shall we?"
"You're going today?" She asked me in a surprised tone. "Really?"
"Yeah." I nodded, raising my body. I looked at her in the eyes and continued, "The headmistress asked me to show my face, you know? According to her, there is also an announcement today that I need to hear."
"An announcement?" Eliza tilted her head cutely.
"You will know later."
After making Eliza curious, I got off the bed and took a shower. She didn't follow me and chose to take a bath on the first floor after getting dressed.
We went out together afterward in our uniform. Vivian eyes as she saw us off looked normal, but I could see a shred of guilt in them. I just waved my hand at her, pretending not to notice anything from last night. Only then did she smile widely and wave her hand back.
It had been a few days since I went to the Academy. I walked past a familiar path while being watched with respect by many students we passed by.
"Hehehe, it's just like before, right? But I don't wait near the gate but go together with you this time."
Eliza giggled as she skipped happily by my side. I was holding her back because I didn't bring one, and she looked like a girl who just went to high school for the first time with high spirits.
"You will trip if you skip around like that."
"No way… I am not that clumsy, you know? Rather, you should do something about those people. They are looking at you intensely, you know?"
"I know." I shrugged my shoulders. "It's hard to be popular. Many girls are coming for me."
My childhood friend stopped and looked at me in disbelief. Then she pursed her lips, pouting, and huffed.
"I don't want to know about that!"
As expected of a tsundere. Their mood changed as fast as flipping their hand. One time she was just happy, and then they suddenly got jealous and got mad.
To handle this, I just approached her and showed some affection, like patting her head or holding her hand. She became cheerful again, and we arrived at the Royal Academy in no time.
"What's happening there?"
When we arrived, Eliza noticed a group of students making a crowd, surrounding a tall board near the Academy building's entrance. She pointed at them, and I looked over there.
From the look of it, the announcement that Alesia talked about might have already been posted on that board. It was still morning, an hour before the first class, but many students had already arrived and surrounded the board.
Heightening my senses, I tried to pick up what they were talking about as I was also curious about the announcement, to see whether it was just about the tournament or there was something more, but I didn't want to join the crowd.
"Annual Tournament?"
"It's held by 6 Academies at once? How?"
"The announcement said the final of the tournament this time will be attended by not only the King and Pope but also a Duke from the Sin Kingdom."
"Why? Aren't they… bad guys?"
"We don't know. Probably they wanted to see the new Paladin. We have had no big war for 4 years already, so it might be possible if they want to talk about peace."
"But…"
A lot of information entered my ears at once as curious eyes landed on me. They looked like they were both surprised I was here today and wanted to ask about the announcement. Unfortunately for them, I didn't know anything.
Heck, Alesia didn't even say anything to me and just asked me to win. Just as I expected from her, probably. She asked me to show off and won because of this.
'Someone from the Sin Kingdom will come to the Annual Tournament.'
Since the incident in Lima Port City and Tristan being stranded in this world, I had long since cared about the events and just thought of this world as having a separate will and fate from the Sins Paradise game.
However, it didn't stop me from being surprised that someone from the Sin Kingdom came here just for this tournament. And it was not just someone, but a Duke on top of that.
'What's going on?'
Anyway, this was so strange. I just knew that it was Alesia who arranged this and somehow made it work.
I looked toward the roof and noticed the headmistress standing there, holding a long wooden staff. Emilia stood behind her like an assistant; her face looked rather tired, and she had bags under her eyes.
What did she see? What was her plan?
The smirk on the headmistress' face faded quickly as she turned around and left.
"Arthur."
I felt a tug in my sleeve and turned around, greeted by Eliza's worried face.
"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.
"I am fine."
Right. I didn't need to worry too much about this.
Alesia's interest was only this Academy and nurturing the next generation. And I should just focus on what I needed and wanted to do.
What worried me was what the Princess would do after knowing a Duke from the Sin Kingdom would attend the final of the tournament.
It should be fine because King Cassius would also be present at that time. But knowing that Princess, anything could happen. I bet she would also be willing to sell the Virtue Kingdom to the Sin Kingdom if that meant she could get ahold of what she wanted, her father.
Smiling gently, I extended my hand toward Eliza's and held it gently. Her lips rose into a smile as a commotion happened around us. Girls squealed, and boys looked at me with jealous gazes.
Ignoring them, I spoke to her, "Let's go."
"Un." She nodded her head, and we entered the building to attend our first class.
And today, for some reason, Princess Carissa didn't attend the class for the first time.
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