Chapter 19: One in the Afternoon
“Dean Wormer is such…” “...lecturer for Lumen is so weird.” “Jaosh have you…” “...so tired.”
Back in Kashiwa Hall again and heading up its crowded marble stairs after giving “see you later” kisses and gropes to the girls. Squeezing T&A is a good way to check if it's ripe enough for picking.
A sea of student uniforms with a sprinkling of servant attire flows around me.
Oh, and thank god for “schedule conflicts” and “fuck yous.” Use enough of them? Don’t have to get happy with the stabby to get out of things.
In this case, avoiding a sit down with princess whoever from empire wherever for urgent whatever.
At least, during my lunch break. Did cave in for a “dinner date.”
Sigh.
Yeah, the harem lobbied for it. Yes, I let them get away with too much. But in my defense? I get laid a lot. Like, alot a lot. They work hard for the money, shot.
Which isn’t counting all the other stuff they do too.
So… Feels, sort of, like they’ve earned, kind of, a spot on the bridge of this S.S. Titanic.
And who knows. With their help? Maybe I won’t run into any icebergs.
This is Stormgarde, after all. This is where the heirs to the sort of rich and famous go to wheel and deal with other heirs to other sort of rich and famous.
Probably be kind of silly if I refuse to do likewise on my own home turf. So to speak.
“...marriage negotiations already?” “...father is just a baron…” “Already saw exam for…”
Forgot how “chatty” spoiled kids can be. Ugh… Calgon take me away. Or at least stab needles into my ears.
“What is that country girl…” “...Lady Selova will tolerate no…” “...Conrad is so dreamy.”
Yep, there is even an otome game going on. At least that is what I think they are called.
Some prince whatshisface from one of the larger northern kingdoms is here with his buddies. As is his fiance and her clique. And guess who is also here?
Bingo! The daughter of minor rural noble’s heroine who will through various fortuitous encounters and trials? Capture the prince and friends' hearts.
Seriously, I may hurl.
At least my sanctuary is near.
Think I mentioned it already but the Stormgarde school day is broken up into six “periods.” Thanks to my student slash teacher dash researcher hyphen researchie status? The rules and requirements other students have to follow? Don’t apply, as much, to me.
Letting me designate my first period as an “elective” for physical training. And my fourth for astral training.
Room 152. Remodeled to serve as the Recovery Magic Research Group’s lab. Though its also used to investigate half-deads. Plus fertility restoration spells. And of course serves as my personal cultivation location to expand and purify my mana reservoir.
And is where I shoot Isekai ER.
The word “sanctuary” has even more meaning now that school is back in session. Since many cannot attend anymore due to class schedules.
Yes!
Some relative peace and quiet. Of course it can’t go all my way. While Odaline, Simone, Blue, Hitomi, and Frosty, aren’t here? Frankie, Red, Lili, Lula, and Mila, are.
Yes I still checked their T&A for freshness after lunch. Didn’t want to seem unfair.
Besides us there will be some actual science geeks. Though I guess in this world you call them magic geeks. Who are going through the mountain of data I transcribed from my mental grimoire of [Recovery Magic].
Poor bastards have not made much progress. [Recovery Magic] is ridiculously complex and mana hungry compared to the other schools. Using multiple magic languages for even the simplest spells.
Really strains their brains. One guy even passed out not too long ago while staring at the magic circle for [Embrace of Hygieia].
Now the goal is to simplify the incantations and lower the mana cost while saving most of the spell’s effectiveness. This could save so many lives.
Enter the former storage room, now combo foyer guard station, for 152 with my entourage. See Black Harts and the mysterious Stormgarde Maids Militant standing watch.
No White Rose knights this time, thank the maker. Shouldn’t be since both heinie-nesses are also in one class or another.
Asked lamer saruman once how many battle maids Stormgarde had. He outright refused to answer the question. Apparently they are another reform that dates back to Sayo.
Not sure what the big deal is. Are they homunculi or something?
“...is impossible!”
The inner door opens, after our identities are confirmed, and an angry woman’s voice comes bellowing out of it.
Fuck…
This is my “me” time. Can’t have my me time if there is a psycho bitch going, well, psycho.
“Lady Heccia, I have seen the effects in action.” From some beleaguered sounding dude. “The data is accurate.”
Heccia… Heccia? Where do I know that name? He… cc… ia… Hmm… Its on the tip of my dick…
Whoops, fell off. Must be somewhere down my trousers now. And I don’t care enough to look. Welp. Might as well help poor researcher guy out.
Walking through the inner door I see some pissed off chick in a teacher uniform pointing at a chalkboard and waving her arms about. That section of board is devoted to half-dreads.
“Then your data is wrong or you were tricked! Its impossible for mana to be used that way!”
She looks kind of famili- oh.
Fuck me…
Slutty teach from Umbra I.
She looks significantly less slutty now that she is in uniform and not throwing [Charm Magic] around. Still acting like a bitch though.
Other researchers are starting to get pissed. Don’t see any deans. Probably why she feels comfortable shooting off her mouth and trying to browbeat people.
Well in for a penny, in for a pound.
“Then how does it work.”
I interrupt slutty teach’s tirade.
She continues ranting without even turning around.
“Obviously that idiot hero must have a [Charm Magic] cheat. No matter.” Her hand waves towards the other filled boards. “Once he is tamed proper-”
She finally turns to continue her womansplaining and whatever she was going to say dies on her tongue as she suddenly pales.
“Once, I’m, tamed?”
Lecturer Heccia really did not expect to see me here. So her mouth flaps for a bit before recovering. Really want to know which walking corpse cleared her for my sanctuary.
There’s the ego coming back in her eyes.
“W-why yes. Of c-course! You’re just a child!” Now she’s getting some momentum. “I know about your world. Those your age are still years from being adults.” Excuse me? “S-so y-you must be t-tamed! Controlled! It i-is for your own good!!!”
By the end she’s about screeching. May not want to read the room? But its pretty clearly telling her, “fuck off and die.”
Sadly she’s committed herself now, so keeps digging.
“You like that stupid foriegn girl, don’t you? Be a good pet and I’ll train her too. You’ll both be happier being my toys!” What a maniacal smile. “[Major Influence] [Greater Control] [Suppression Aura]!”
Holy crap. A triple cast? That puts her way up the skill scale, mage-wise. Big spells too considering how much mana just burned. And one of them is even an AoE. Impressive.
All around the room people are dropping to their knees. Acting like someone has dropped a ton of bricks on their souls.
So was this her plan? Drop me with [Charm Magic]? No, got to be more. Oh. Bet she was going to use [Slavery Magic] next. Pretty good plan. Would hobble just about anyone.
Besides me.
Even if I didn’t have an ocean of mana that drowns pretty much any astral manipulating effect. Even if I didn’t have an astral body that was like steel after all my cultivating. Even then, she’s still wasting her time.
Why?
Because its not just me in here anymore. There are hundreds of minds sharing my mindscape. Hundreds of spirits within my astral skin. And one of them is a fucking dragon!
Now that isn’t to say I feel nothing. I do. Feel all three intents do their damndest to sink claws deep into my astral form. Also sense all three completely fail to find any traction. Any grip. Sliding off me like an oiled up hooker across a sheet of plastic.
“That’s strike two, bitch.”
Don’t take my eyes off her but see the rest of my entourage through the shadows.
The Black Harts have dropped to their knees like the researchers. As has Lula and Mila. Though Mila has only fallen to one knee. Frankie, Red, and Lili are completely unaffected. Which I suspect has to do with their wedding rings linking them to me.
The Militant Maids? Standing tall. Not a flicker. Nor a twitch. Like they couldn’t care less about the impressive magic show slutty teach is putting on.
Really should figure out what they are, at some point. Got other things to deal with right now though. Like Miss Heccia starting to panic.
“W-wha? No no no no no no…” Points at me as her eyes get big. “Why are you still standing?! This is what daddy did! Shackled that bitch! I f-followed his instructions. You have t-to obey! K-kill those heroes!”
Put on my sympathy face and use calming voice number three.
“Hey, hey, shhh. Relax. Its okay. You failed.” Even smile for her. “Everything you’ve lived for? Everything you’ve dreamed of? All gone now. Isn’t that great?”
Apparently Miss Heccia is not aware of silver linings.
“No no, this cannot be right.” Grabs her hair and gets a desperate look. “What are you!”
“The Beast.”
“W-wha?”
“Somethin’ wrong with your ears? No? Bitch, I’m the Beast. The fuckin’ reaper.” Why am I speaking with an irish accent? “The bloody angel of death. The right hand of god and the left hand of satan. And I will, as sure as you mum’s saggy tits, end you.”
Slutty teach is in full panic mode now and suddenly bolts to my right. Bet she’s aiming for the door. No way I’m letting her leave though. Good, been a while since Sanctity got blood on her bla-
*shing* *slich*
Before I can even grab the hilt of my super sword, there is a quiet sound of metal on metal. Then something wet, soft, and juicy, being sliced through.
*gahk*
Heccia’s outstanding reflexes save her as she leaps backward and collides into the wall. Well, almost saves her.
A hand is on her throat and I can see blood start pouring through its fingers. Next to me, Red now has her sword drawn. Resting at her side as a couple of deep red drops slide down its edge.
*cholk*
Slutty teach seems to not know what just happened. Her white shirt and cleavage is being stained crimson, more and more.
Eyes turn sharp as her fingers start moving. Runecasting? Difficult to do if your fingers are not very flexible.
*shlurkch*
Four of Heccia’s fingers fall to the ground as Red’s sword again moves so fast it can barely be seen. The sound is a bit different this time. Hotter. Burning even.
A haze of heat rises from my knight-wife’s hair and a molten glow is visible in her sword’s blade. [Fire School]. Red looks down at slutty teach with utter scorn.
“Aquecian sow. You threatened my husband and the gift he gave my womb. Die, and may your next life be filled with misery and suffering.”
*shlurkch*
Heccia’s attempt to let go of her throat and cast with that now blood soaked hand? Meets the same fate for its fingers. Chopped off with the wounds burnt closed.
Can see the neck now. A superb cut through the jugulars. Red don’t fuck around.
The new teacher of Umbra for Stormgarde appears, somewhat, lost. Her back is still against the wall and she slides down it. Stopping when her butt meets the floor.
Walk over and sit down in front of her. Meet her eyes.
This reminds me of one of Denzel’s flicks.
Speak calmly as she stares at me and her breathing begins to struggle.
“Your heart’s beating three times its normal rate because you’re losing so much blood. In about thirty seconds your body is going to shut down and you’ll suffocate. Umeka, the girl your father broke and abused? Her life’s going to go on. Your life is going to end, right here, on this dirty floor.”
*gahk*
Lecturer Heccia Lieben Parbiepus’s eyes look at me. Pleading. Probably knows I could save her. If I choose too. Can almost see the different promises she is trying to communicate. If I save her.
“But don’t fret. Your corpse won’t go to waste. I already have several ideas on what to do with it.”
Right before the light leaves those eyes, an expression of horror comes over her face.
…
Huh.
Maybe she didn’t hear me?