After the shocking and horrifying fountain incident…
I became someone that no one at the Academy would easily mess with.
Because of the strange rumor that if they upset me, I would make them shit their pants right in front of everyone.
After that, Louis stopped appearing in front of me.
I heard that during classes, he would suddenly rush to the restroom or was seen twisting in pain, trying to endure stomach discomfort.
Though I felt a bit sorry for him…
“Are you feeling triumphant?”
At Lily’s sudden question, I smirk and respond.
“Of course.”
Someone had said that revenge has no productive value—it’s merely an act for one’s own satisfaction.
‘…But isn’t this feeling too refreshing?’
Thinking of Louis clutching his stomach in pain made me feel like a weight had been lifted.
Every day since meeting Lily in her cat form has been fresh and new, but today the sky seemed bluer and the weather clearer than ever.
I walked lightly, cradling Lily in her feline form.
It was Saturday.
The happiest of days where all morning classes are done early.
‘Today too, I will be happy…!’
—
“Arthur!”
I wondered why you haven’t come.
“Hello, Reeti.”
“Hi~ hello to the cat too!”
“Meow.”
Lily abruptly turned her head away, but it didn’t phase Reeti, who pulled something out of her pocket again.
“Ta-dah! It’s churu~ something you can’t refuse, right?”
Confidently, Reeti offered the cat treat, but Lily ignored it completely.
“Huh? If you’re a cat, shouldn’t you go crazy and rush towards it?”
Then Reeti quietly whispered to me.
“Could Lily not actually be a cat? Maybe something pretending to be a cat?”
…She’s noticed. Her senses are uncanny.
I had already prepared an answer for these kinds of situations.
“Of course she’s not an ordinary cat. Have you ever seen a cat with this much ability?”
“…No, I haven’t.”
“Lily… eats normal food like we do.”
I couldn’t say that she feeds on life energy.
“Hmm? Then maybe next time I should bring something like grilled chicken skewers instead of cat treats?”
“…”
There seems to be no word like ‘giving up’ in Reeti’s vocabulary.
“Arthur, what are you going to do after the morning classes are over?”
“Uh… I haven’t really thought about it.”
“Then how about-”
“Meoww!!”
“Aaaaah! What’s wrong, kitty?!”
Lily suddenly lunged at Reeti mid-sentence.
“Ah, Arthur! Please stop Lily~!”
Why is Lily suddenly acting like this… hmm?
“Lily, come here.”
“Meow!!”
“She’s not a little kid anymore…”
I grabbed the attacking Lily and held her tightly in my arms, whispering so only she could hear.
“Could it be that you’re jealous, Lily?”
Lily’s movements in my arms froze suddenly.
‘…I guess I was right.’
It seems our outsider friend wants to be with me.
“Sorry, Reeti. I just remembered an appointment.”
“What kind of appointment?”
“I’m spending time with my family.”
“Ah, family is something you can’t ignore.”
Reeti who accepted easily, and Lily who seemed satisfied and purred loudly.
…When Lily turns into a cat, her behavior also takes on characteristics of a cat.
—
After the classes ended and saying goodbye to Reeti (Goodbye Arthur! Enjoy your date with your family!), I returned to the dorm room.
I asked the now-human Lily.
“Lily, is there any place you’d like to go?”
In response, Lily placed her chin in her hand and thought about it.
“Hmm… I don’t really know much about this place…”
Of course not, since you’ve been sticking to me without exploring.
The problem is…
‘I don’t know much either…’
Though I receive a small stipend as a poor commoner, it’s only enough for basic living expenses.
I never had the leisure to go out and explore, so I know as little about this area as anyone.
“…”
“…”
After staring blankly at each other, we decided to at least start moving.
Staying still wouldn’t bring us any ideas.
Since I don’t have any clothes to change into, I decided to go as I was in my uniform.
Anyway, most of the people around the Academy are students, so uniforms are common. But…
“Lily, are you really going to leave dressed like that?”
As always, Lily wore a pitch-black evening dress.
Of course, the outfit contrasted beautifully with Lily’s pale skin and suited her well, but…
Even so, it was slightly too flashy for everyday wear.
“How about this?”
Lily’s hair writhed and changed shape.
The colors mixed and formed into an outfit that was very familiar to me.
“…It’s a uniform.”
The uniform of the female students of the Academy.
Certainly, I had seen many female students wear it and become accustomed to it, but…
“What do you think?”
What do I think? You want me to actually say this?
“Amazing.”
Indeed, the neatly tailored uniform was somewhat exaggerated, fitting Lily’s curves perfectly, and the black stockings visible under the skirt were a perfect match for someone with Lily’s superior figure.
“Hohoho, am I stealing your heart?”
I have already fallen for you long ago, but still…
“Yes, I’ve fallen for you.”
The Lily in her evening gown exuded an air of mature elegance, while the Lily in her uniform had a serene charm that could pass for a senior student.
I couldn’t help but fall for Lily again, presenting a completely different kind of allure.
Satisfied with my answer, Lily smiled brightly and extended her hand to me.
“Shall we go then?”
Holding her hand, I smiled back.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
—
On a Saturday like today, after the morning classes end, many students flood the streets for late lunch.
Most Academy students are children of wealthy nobility.
Naturally, businesses targeting them sprang up around the Academy, gradually forming the largest marketplace of the Magic Empire.
Among the bustling crowd, we gripped each other’s hands tighter so we wouldn’t lose each other.
“Let’s grab lunch first. Is there anything you want to eat?”
Looking around, all we saw were fancy restaurants with dazzling signs.
Through the windows, I saw students in the same uniforms, but to me, the world beyond that window seemed completely different.
“Let’s visit somewhere else first.”
But as I turned to go, Lily’s tightly held hand didn’t move, forcing me to stop as well.
“…Lily?”
“Let’s eat here.”
The place Lily pointed was the largest, most dazzling, and thus the most expensive restaurant on this street.
“It doesn’t have to be somewhere expensive—”
“Money is no concern. I can take care of everything.”
Oh, it seems my attempts to act natural were noticed.
“But—”
“Arthur, do you want to take me to a cheap restaurant?”
“…”
When you put it that way, I’m out of arguments.
Lily led me by the hand into the restaurant.
“Welcome, customers. Oh my, you are Academy students, aren’t you?”
The front desk employee greeted us.
“Normally, we have a dress code for entry, but since you both are in Academy uniforms, you may enter.”
“I would like to have a meal here.”
“The payment is in advance. The price list is here—”
Suddenly, Lily reached out her hand in front of the female staff.
Bewildered by its significance, the staff looked on as Lily stretched out her hand.
“Is this enough?”
In Lily’s hand was a jewelry decoration that shone brighter than the restaurant’s own sign.
The gemstones in various colors scattered light in all directions as they reflected the magical lights.
“Uh… sir, we only accept cash—”
Someone cut off the employee’s rejection.
“Aiyee, sir. This person is still new to the job. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.”
An older employee emerged from behind the female staff.
The employee carefully inspected the jewelry and nodded.
“This jewelry is worth far more than your meal here. We’ll give you the change.”
“That’s fine. You keep it. Just bring us delicious food.”
“I’ll let the chef know to give their utmost effort.”
Seeing the employee bow deeply, the jewelry was clearly worth a fortune.
“Lily. Isn’t this a bit too expensive? I mean, for a meal…”
In response, Lily casually replied,
“I have countless amounts of jewelry like this.”
…Ah, that’s right, she’s an outsider.
The employee guided us to a small room.
Looking at the paper attached to the door, I saw that it had a soundproofing enchantment.
“Your food will come out shortly.”
With a bow, the employee left the room.
I was intrigued by being in such a room.
“Yes, it’s extremely…”
I had never imagined I’d ever come to a place like this.
I have a vague memory of observing from a distance and then returning to the Academy to eat school food.
“Thank you, Lily, for bringing me to a place like this.”
“I always wanted to ensure you eat the best food. Well, not the absolute best, but close enough.”
…We’d have to go to the royal court to find somewhere better. Lily seems dissatisfied with something.
The appetizers were soon served, featuring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
“Do you drink?”
“I’ve tried it once.”
I once saved up money to buy a cheap bottle of liquor.
Because I felt both physically and mentally drained, I wanted to find some comfort in alcohol.
However, despite drinking an entire bottle, I felt nothing but the unpleasant taste of alcohol, making my mood worse than before.
Having spent my money and only made myself feel worse, I vowed never to drink again.
But…
“Come on, have a drink.”
The glass handed to me by Lily was impossible to refuse.
As Lily held her own glass and stared at me intensely,
‘Could she really be suggesting a toast?’
It seemed like the right thing to do.
Hesitantly, I began to speak.
“To celebrate… our first outing outside. Cheers.”
Ugh…almost said date.
We’re not even officially dating yet.
Lily raised her glass.
“Cheers.”
As I drank the glass, a delightful sweetness filled my mouth first.
Then the bittersweet taste of alcohol followed.
Compared to the cheap stuff I had before, this was clearly high-quality liquor.
The flavor was on a completely different level.
“Another glass?”
“…Just one more…”
—
The food that came next was undoubtedly the most lavish and sophisticated cuisine I’ve ever tasted.
The dishes were akin to masterpieces of art, and I happily deliberated on what to eat first.
The meat was a dream with an explosion of juices with every bite, and the accompanying vegetables were perfectly cooked, preserving their texture.
“Do you like it?”
“Mmm… yes!”
“Eat more.”
Lily only sipped the appetizer, barely touching the food.
Her action slightly troubled me, so I picked a piece of meat and offered it.
“Lily. Ah~”
At this, Lily looked momentarily surprised, then smiled and opened her mouth.
“Ah~”
I fed her the piece of meat. She closed her mouth tightly and began to chew, revealing an absolutely adorable expression.
But her chubby cheeks were just too adorable.
Without thinking,
-Cheek kiss
I gave her a light peck on the cheek.
Then Lily grumbled softly.
“You should kiss my lips, not my cheeks…”
But those puffed cheeks were simply irresistible.
During the rest of the meal, I occasionally fed Lily food.
Perhaps feeling embarrassed about only receiving food, Lily also began to feed me.
However,
“Is it tasty?”
“Yes.”
“How about this?”
“Yes.”
“Are you really enjoying it?”
“Yes.”
Each time she offered food, she asked how I liked it.
At first, I thought she was merely curious about my satisfaction…
“Hmmn…”
But with every affirmative answer, Lily’s eyes narrowed a little.
“What… What did I do wrong?”
It felt like the atmosphere during a moment of being caught reading erotica.
“Tasty, isn’t it… So… Right…”
It was a tone that seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
‘What? What is wrong?’
I couldn’t figure it out at all.
Just as the awkward meal continued,
“Is it tasty?”
“…Yes.”
“How tasty is it?”
At that moment, a sudden realization hit me.
“…It’s tasty but…”
“But?”
I looked Lily in the eye and answered clearly.
“Lily’s cooked meals are even tastier.”
A brief moment of silence passed.
“Really?”
Lily’s short reply.
Although she didn’t show it explicitly, I instinctively knew that Lily’s mood had improved.
‘Phew… I guess I gave the right answer.’
After that, Lily didn’t ask for my opinion every time she offered me food.
She simply watched me chew and swallow with a gentle smile.
Amidst the peaceful continuation of our meal, Lily’s forehead suddenly furrowed.
And I soon understood why.
“…!!…!……!!”
We could hear voices from outside.
They were so loud that they managed to penetrate the soundproofing.
The voices were getting closer.
And then,
-Bang!
The door was rudely flung open with a loud noise.
“Who do you think you are to take over my suite……..oh?”
The person who barged in yelling was none other than…
“…Louis?”
Upon seeing me, Louis’s face went pale.
