The Academy’s Ankle Reaper – Chapter 313

As Atlas entered the room and disappeared from sight, Shaara, who was being dragged along by Carmel’s hand, shook off her grip.

“Wait… you’re being too rough!”

Realizing just how tightly she had been held, Shaara glared at Carmel while rubbing her reddened hand.

“Oh dear, I didn’t mean to hold on that tightly. I guess I went overboard.”

Though she said sorry, there was not a hint of genuine remorse in her voice.

I was filled with anger at the fact that she had to resort to such methods to forcibly separate me from Atlas.

“… I wish you wouldn’t interfere.”

“Being unreasonable is a nuisance to Atlas.”

“Only those who are prepared can seize opportunities when they arise.”

“That person is more delicate than you think, so if you don’t maintain proper boundaries, you’ll end up disliked.”

Here comes another one of those remarks.

Shaara was annoyed by her attitude as if she knew Atlas better than anyone else.

It was true that Carmel had spent far more time with Atlas, but knowing that still didn’t sit well with her.

That laid-back demeanor of hers, trying to teach me from a high ground, was grating on my nerves.

Despite claiming to be friendly with Atlas, seeing her made a surge of anger rise from deep within me.

Carmel, seemingly charmed by Shaara’s reaction, wore a relaxed smile.

“Still, I really mean it when I say we should bathe together. Please guide me.”

I’m still baffled by her intentions.

—

The bathroom in Prigia’s castle was smaller compared to the large bathhouse at the Academy.

After all, the only ones who would use this space were Prigia’s direct descendants, so it made sense that it would be smaller compared to a bathhouse made for dozens of people.

Even though it was small, it would still astonish ordinary serfs.

The luxurious bathroom was delicately decorated by artisans, and the sound of fabric sliding filled the space.

“Who would have thought I would end up staying at Prigia’s castle during my lifetime? But hey, we get a chance to build a friendship, so isn’t that a good thing?”

“If it’s uncomfortable, you can go back as you wish.”

“Not a chance. If I leave now, you’d collapse right here, and I’d have to care for you.”

Despite feeling humiliated, I couldn’t argue back.

Carmel, being the saintess with the best understanding of Shaara’s current condition, had a point.

Now that Shaara was separated from Atlas, without the constant flow of holy power from her, she would likely collapse any moment.

“… I appreciate it.”

“Helping my sister in distress is also a form of parental love; it’s only natural for me to do so.”

Surrounded by maids, the heir of Prigia, Shaara, and the saintess Carmel were slowly having their clothes removed layer by layer.

Nobles often wear clothing that can be difficult to remove alone, so both dressing and undressing require the help of attendants.

At the Academy, all such practices were prohibited, so naturally, Shaara was used to wearing outfits she could manage by herself—until today.

Today, however, her party dress was being skillfully dismantled, while the outfit enveloping Carmel took considerable time as everyone was sweating profusely trying to get it off.

“Hmm.”

Shaara furtively stole glances at Carmel as her garments were peeled away one layer at a time.

There was nothing wrong with looking openly, yet being in front of Carmel made her feel oddly cautious.

Standing next to the petite Shaara, the difference in size was stark against Carmel.

Shaara had never really been dissatisfied with her body, but standing side by side like this made her increasingly self-conscious.

As the thick layers of formal attire came off, Carmel’s curvaceous form began to be revealed more and more.

Though they were both women, Shaara couldn’t help but gulp at the sight of such a different body, unable to tear her eyes away for reasons she didn’t quite understand.

And she wasn’t the only one.

The maids assisting with the undressing of the saintess were blushing as they watched Carmel’s garments come off.

Using fine oils, it seemed as though:

‘How could the saintess have such a scandalous form?’

Those words, unable to be spoken aloud, lingered in their minds.

With a head-sized bust, a tiny waist, and hips that curvaceously flowed like an hourglass… it was hard to call the saintess a paragon of virtue.

What on earth could possibly lead to such a body?

Perhaps because she always covered her skin, her pale complexion was marbled like a marble statue, resembling a work of art made by sculptors.

It began to make sense why she wrapped herself in such heavy garments.

If she didn’t hide that body, people would refer to her as a ‘saintess’ in name only.

Despite that, Shaara’s gaze remained glued to Carmel’s figure.

At first, she was only stealing glances, but now her head was completely turned, unabashedly staring, while Carmel looked down with a smile—yet Shaara, who had already become captivated, was oblivious.

‘Does Atlas like that kind of body as well?’

Shaara suddenly recalled the women who were close to Atlas.

She didn’t need to think too hard.

Given that Atlas surrounded himself with people adept at physical activities, starting with the gigantic Lucia, they all boasted very robust physiques.

Comparing those athletic types with herself, who was small and delicate, was nothing short of laughable.

In that moment, one silver-haired woman of similar height to Shaara popped into her mind.

‘…She seems not to care much.’

Though it was only one person, Casey was someone very close to Atlas.

Naturally, the relationship Shaara imagined wasn’t what it truly was, but that didn’t matter.

What mattered was that they were indeed very close.

On average, there were certainly more who stood above her, but this thought had little to do with rational judgment; it was all about emotion.

“Excuse me, but what about the veil…?”

One of the maids hesitantly pointed out the veil covering Carmel’s face.

While they had taken care of everything else, they hesitated to touch the piece of fabric obscuring her face.

There held deep significance in covering one’s face.

“I will take care of this, so please focus on the headpiece.”

“Understood.”

With that, Shaara’s hand rose toward the veil covering Carmel’s face.

Shaara had never seen the saintess’s bare face.

While ordinary nuns didn’t, the saintess always went around wearing a veil, so only a handful of people had seen her true face.

There were various speculations as to why she covered her face.

Some said she had been scarred in a childhood accident, while others claimed she was so stunning that everyone fell for her beauty; some even suggested that as the closest being to God, she shouldn’t show her face to anyone else. Still, the true reason remained a mystery.

What kind of extraordinary beauty was hidden under all those wraps?

At a glance, her neck down showed flawless, smooth skin, which made the widespread rumors of scarring seem absurd.

If she had scars severe enough to warrant a veil, there would likely be marks remaining below the neck, yet the skin that peeked through the veil was spotless.

“Shall we proceed then?”

As the veil lifted, every piece of clothing draped over the saintess vanished.

Returning to the primal state without a single thread, the saintess radiated an otherworldly glow.

“U-uh, wow…”

It was truly jaw-dropping.

Shaara had already found the saintess resembling a goddess, but the naked form of the saintess evoked feelings of holiness.

Though Shaara had believed she was quite attractive herself, she felt utterly insignificant standing before the saintess and berated herself inwardly.

The pink hair that could only be born from beings chosen by the divine elevated her beauty to an entirely different dimension.

Before revealing her face, Shaara hadn’t anticipated this degree of beauty, but seeing the saintess’s face made her feel strangely odd.

‘W-why am I feeling this way?’

All the animosity Shaara had harbored towards the saintess began to melt away like snow.

In its place, an inexplicable fondness for the saintess began to rapidly grow—not only for Shaara but for everyone present in the changing room.

As the saintess merely smiled down at those gazing at her in awe, she exuded nothing but a benevolent aura.