Academy of Desire: The diva and the cake

In the fantastic world of Aethoria, within the kingdom of Veridia, at the prestigious Saint Aethelgard Academy, a performance was taking place on the auditorium stage, usually reserved for solemn speeches or classical recitals.

"♪♫♬ ♩♪"

The person responsible for such an event, singing on stage, was the mermaid princess, known for her great gift for singing, and famous for her elegant yet passionate demeanor. She used to sing only hymns to the gods with dedication and devotion; however, now that very same Coral Nereide was singing cheerfully in front of a crowd with a joyful smile.

On stage, the once-revered mermaid princess and student council secretary moved with a lightness that bordered on the eccentric, wearing a fluffy idol outfit, adorned with ribbons and bows that caught the light. This attire accentuated her slender and voluptuous figure, contrasting with her former flowing silk garments and the ceremonial ornaments of her traditional attire, which she considered sacred. But not only her clothing had changed; even her appearance had transformed. Her long blue hair, which used to cascade like a majestic wave, had been tied into two puffy twin pigtails, a hairstyle that contrasted with the innate elegance of the original Coral, bringing her closer to the image of a "cute" idol, as if attempting to deny the seriousness and rigidity that once defined her aura.

"Shine, my star, shine endlessly???!"

Her voice, the celestial gift that once intoned hymns to the gods, flowed through the air, but the lyrics were now saccharine sweet, catchy melodies full of innocence. The sweet and playful tune flooded every corner of the auditorium as she sang with a radiant smile, executing an energetic choreography that included surprising spins and jumps for someone of her former dignified bearing.

"Is that really... Coral?"

Among the crowd, the murmur of astonishment was palpable.

The students watched her with a mix of bewilderment and fascination, whispering to each other, still disbelieving of the drastic transformation before them. Others, however, already captivated by the catchy rhythm and the "new" Coral's unexpected exuberance, applauded enthusiastically, feeling swept away by her fresh and vibrant energy. However, what they didn't know was that deep within Coral's eyes, a spark of twisted pleasure glowed, projected by the man who now controlled Coral Nereide's body.

(Yes, this is life. My Coral-chan is crushing it! Who needs boring hymns to the gods when you can have an idol concert with cute and adorable moves? It's the superior culture, what people really want. The plebs don't even know what's good for them! Win, Coral-chan, win!)

The soul of the man who now inhabited Coral Nereide's body belonged to a man with an obsession for idols and adorable feminine clothing, who had suffered his entire life from being born with a body that was the antithesis of everything he desired.

(It's as if a mysterious fairy godmother granted my greatest wish to have a beautiful body! Not that ugly, graceless thing I got. Now I am a goddess of beauty, and I'm going to dress and style myself however I want!)

For the man's soul, Coral Nereide's body was a revelation, a blessing that must have been granted by some kind of pious being who had mercy on his existence, as he continued to move the body with an agility that was both graceful and scandalously inappropriate for the original Coral everyone knew.

"........."

Finally, when the last note of the catchy melody faded, an expectant silence fell over the auditorium before erupting into a deafening ovation. The students, intoxicated by the unexpected performance, shouted cheers and threw improvised flowers onto the stage. "Coral" gave an exaggerated bow, her fluffy pigtails bouncing with the movement.

"Oh, my dear fans! Your support is my greatest treasure! I promise to keep filling your days with joy and color with my songs. Please, keep believing in me, in our Coral-chan!"

At those words, the audience responded with even greater fervor, with shouts like "Coral-chan! We love you!" resounding throughout the venue. With a final radiant smile and a theatrical gesture, the now idol exited the stage, leaving behind an ecstatic crowd and hearts beating to the rhythm of her catchy song.

"Gufufu~♪"

With surprising agility for someone in such a voluminous outfit, "Coral" made her way through the corridors until she reached the stairs leading to the academy's rooftop. The cool evening air greeted her as she approached the edge, with her gaze lost in the horizon. However, she quickly noticed she wasn't alone. In a secluded corner, under the shade, a silver-haired boy dressed entirely in black was performing repetitive movements with two frying pans. His face was a mask of indifference as he alternated strikes and blocks with surprising precision, as if practicing a strange form of culinary swordsmanship.

"Hellooo! What a surprise to find someone else up here!"

"Coral" said, approaching with an overly sweet tone and a forced smile on her face.

"....."

However, contrary to "Coral's" expectations, who hoped for some reaction—be it surprise, embarrassment, or even just interest—the boy simply continued his mechanical movements as if he were "oblivious" to the world around him, which irritated the soul of the man inside Coral.

"How peculiar! What are you doing training with those… curious swords?"

Yet, ignoring the irritation within her, "Coral" continued to force a friendly smile as she leaned towards him, her eyes gleaming with a mix of lecherous curiosity and a need for attention, at which point the boy finally noticed her.

"........"

Only to then continue his frying pan training moments later, completely ignoring the presence of the exuberant idol beside him.

"I'm busy right now."

He said in brief words with a flat, emotionless voice, without stopping his frying pan movements. At this attitude, a nervous twitch appeared in "Coral's" eye, influenced by the man's soul, as her smile tightened.

(How dare he ignore this adorable body?! Everyone should be drooling over my Coral-chan! This face is a gift! The old Coral was so… boring. Who wanted to see that marble statue face? This sweetness, this expressiveness is a thousand times better! I am better! So… why is he ignoring me?!)

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

"Coral" insisted, her voice rising slightly as her sweet tone began to crack more and more, moving her hips exaggeratedly.

"Look at me! I'm the sensation of the moment! Everyone loves me!"

"Coral" shouted only to again be met with the same monotone response:

"I'm busy right now."

Which the boy kept repeating monotonously, performing a particularly quick spin with one of the frying pans, absorbed in his kind of "training." After the continuous back-and-forth, the man's soul's patience finally ran out, and with his lower lip trembling, the facade of sweetness crumbled, revealing the frustration and resentment within him.

(This arrogant brat! Doesn't he know who I am now? All my hard work to turn this boring princess into a dazzling idol and he doesn't even look at me! He's disrespecting me and this temple of beauty I've created! What audacity!)

His face, now contorted into an expression of disgust that strongly contrasted with the adorable image he projected moments earlier, was the very representation of his current turbulent mood.

"What do you think you are, you piece of—?!"

Finally, he began to sputter, his voice taking on a harsher, more threatening, almost viscous quality, until the silver-haired boy stopped his movements, fixing his expressionless eyes on "Coral's" face for a moment before speaking.

"Nothing is going to interrupt my virtual training session so..."

The boy said with a casual calm, pulling a wedding cake out of nowhere and launching it directly into "Coral's" face, splattering the cake across her.

"I won't get involved, and besides, I kept my promise to rub something in someone's face."

With that, without another word, the boy simply walked away, disappearing through the rooftop door as expressionless as he had arrived.

"..............."

"Coral" stood there, stunned and with her eyes covered in cream, feeling the burning humiliation and frustration.

(What the hell just happened?! Who does that jerk think he is?!)

The man's mind, using "Coral's" brilliant brain, struggled to process the insult he had received, and his inflated pride from the recent ovation refused to accept it. He roughly wiped the cream from his eyes and, with a voice distorted by contempt and rage, shouted down the hallway where the boy had disappeared:

"This isn't over, idiot! You'll pay for this! And then, yes, you'll pay attention to me!"

In that way, the echo of his threat resonated on the lonely rooftop.