Chapter 134: Innocently Adorable

- Abelis Academy City, The Noble’s Gaze - Rose's POV –

It took quite a bit longer than expected to actually find something that fit Urz, in fact it actually didn’t exist, and they had to quickly let out one of their largest sizes to fit her frankly bizarre body type. I honestly didn’t know if her “size” was a genetic fluke or if all female Kappa’s looked like her and it was too awkward to ask.

Either way we decided to get the shy muffin a full set so that she’d never run out as long as the were regularly washed. As someone that was from a rich family, I’d been curious how those without personal maids to take care of cleaning got along and, according to Urz she cleaned her room and did laundry 1-2 times a week as needed and just tidied up the rest of the week. Even Argent piped in about how she had to do the same since, while her family was rich, they’d forced her to take care of herself while away from home. Something about being a military family and her needing to be self-reliant.

As a former poor person, I took her living situation into account and helped her purchase enough to make it a full week without needing to wash. I was even able to do something I’d always wanted to but had never been close enough to someone to actually accomplish (Karen doesn’t count!), I paid for everything without asking! And, best of all, it was only a portion of my allowance, at least according to Annabelle. Truth be told I’d never reached my supposed limit and, because of how they doted on me, had a sneaking suspicion that Momma and Papa hadn’t actually limited me in any way.

Regardless though, with the main issue out of the way next was to find a store that specialized in swimwear.

And find a place we did.

[The Noble’s Gaze. When you need that little extra to draw their gaze? Huh, that seems a little suggestive.] – Rose

[That’s perfect! I’m not sure whose gaze we’ll be drawing but I hope they’re hot!] – Veronica

[A-Are we sure this is the best place? Some of their display items are a bit… <gulp> …revealing?] – Malaise

[That’s the only way to be! Swimsuits HAVE to be revealing! Otherwise, what’s the point?] – Karen

[S-So little fabric. P-People wear these?] – Urz

[Some even enjoy it!] – Karen

[That’s because it feels so good to be stared a- OW! Again?!?] – Veronica

[Heh. Didn’t work.] - Karen

If you could call what we found actual clothing. With so little fabric most of the swimsuits on display were basically strings. The sort of thing you’d see on Miami Five-O or Beachwatch. 1 Hawaii Five-O and Baywatch, although if I remember correctly, they never got “quite” that daring. I was only like 11 when it ended so I only barely remember it. My dad liked both (cause of course he did), so we had them on quite frequently.

Seemingly having had enough of our perverted duo’s shenanigans even Karen got the typical book treatment. Unfortunately to no effect though.

[No! The answer is no! Back at home the only swimsuits in stores were these types of things but now that we’re not in the capital of horny Succubi we’ll get some normal swimsuits!] – Malaise

[Ara Ara? Quite the adorable group you youngsters are. Are you looking for swimsuits?] – Sexy Female Clerk

[N-N-No ma’am, we were just leaving. T-These types of clothes aren’t for us.] – Malaise

[Oh, come on! “I” want em!] – Veronica

[Seconded!] - Karen

[Nonsense, I know just the type of swimsuits your little group is looking for. Come with me.] – Sexy Female Clerk

[YES!!!] – Veronica and Karen

Red-faced and stuttering I watched in disbelief as our cute, glasses wearing, fox-eared nerd got nearly dragged by the much older salesperson, the two perverts happily following after. Too late to actually save anyone the rest of us shrugged and followed after. It’s not like we’d be forced to buy anything after all.

- Abelis Academy City, The Noble’s Gaze - Rose's POV –

Luckily it seemed that the store had more to it than initially met the eye. Past the front area with the eye-catching, but nothing else, swimsuits, was several sections of completely normal water wear. They even had a fairly sizable kids’ section almost entirely filled with one pieces and frilly monstrosities that I had absolutely no interest in wearing! Don’t look at me like that!

[Wait they’re normal?] – Malaise

[Aww, they’re normal?!?] – Veronica

[Kahahahaha!] – Karen

[So, they had swimsuits other than those strings on display? Oh, this is cute!] – Argent

[T-These are normal?!?] – Urz

[…Frilly.] – Shade

[Ah! Young Miss, this would look adorable on you.] - Annabelle

[Of course, we had other things for sale. I could never live with myself if cute, young things like you were forced into such shameless clothing. Leave that for when you’re older.] – Surprisingly Sensible Clerk

[But I want one of the other ones!!!] – Veronica

Just as surprised as I was, the rest of the group had… mixed reactions. Or should I say that a particular subset had two types of reactions.

[No means no Ver! Buy something that won’t fall off at the slightest breeze! Some of us can’t afford to get distracted while swimming! Do you have any idea how hard it would be to keep my eyes off o- U-Umm nothing nevermind!] – Malaise

[….!] – Veronica

[Oh? Ohohohohoho?!? What’s this what’s this?] – Karen

[N-Nothing! I just felt a little hot all of a sudden! I-I’m going to go try this on!] – Veronica

[Ah wait come back! Let me bask in the cuteness for a little longer!] – Karen

Instantly sending both of the involved party into blushing silence I was in awe of the adorable accidently admission from the one I’d never in a thousand years have expected to crack so quickly. Sure, it was pretty obvious that the two were closer than just being friends but at such an awkward age it was always difficult to express your feelings clearly. And nothing could have been more clear as our blushing Succubus acted her age for once. Much to the amusement of a certain impromptu cupid.

[Young Miss, how about this one? The color black has always complimented your hair perfectly and these frills are absolutely adorable.] – Annabelle

[…?!] – Everyone Else

[What?] – Annabelle

[Read the room!] – Everyone Else

[Kahahahahahahaha!] – Karen

[Pfft, hahaha!] – Rose

[Hahahaha!] – Everyone Else

[What’d I miss?] – Annabelle

Caught off guard by the only uninterested party we all stared at her in shock, her face showing confusion at why I wasn’t responding to her. All the while Karen kept cackling like a maniac that was trying to win against a Hyena. Luckily laughter is infectious though and the rest of the dam broke a moment later.

- Abelis Academy City, Magical Theory 101 Classroom, Next Day - Rose's POV –

The rest of the shopping trip proceeded pretty much without developments, except for a much more quiet Succubus that is. It’s not often that I think about how young my friends are, what with how mature “most” of them are and how outwardly lewd a certain young deviant is, but last night was one of those times. I’ve seen how “touchy” Veronica can get, her knowledge of intimate actions and acts is far beyond her actual age. Now this probably has something to do with her culture, I’m told that Succubus culture in general is extremely free about physical relationships with some of the more traditional cities even generally being okay with public nudity, although it’s not as common as Veronica would have other people believe. Regardless though they still had laws and protections for minors when it came to those types of actions although only against predators rather than those of the same age. Malaise, someone who had been childhood friends with Veronica since basically the moment they were born, had filled me in on a lot of the seemingly strange actions of someone acting far beyond their actual age.

And when you got right down to it that’s really what it was, an act. Despite her seeming confidence with lewd acts Veronica was, for all intents and purposes, still completely pure. No real experience and only word of mouth to go on. And, while she rarely showed it, her lack of resistance to real relationships showed in full last night. Although the result was adorable so no complaints would be heard from me. It did make me wonder how aware Malaise was of the effect her words had on Veronica though? I’m sure she realized that her words were the cause of Veronica’s sudden departure but at her age I was mostly a conscious mass of self-doubt and nervousness. Her interpretation of the events might not be the most accurate to be honest.

Unfortunately, I never found a good opportunity to bring the event up with either party before we had to go to bed. As second years we’d be taking our first non-general classes starting in the morning and I had already chosen a few that interested me. Ironically one of the ones I’d chosen was also the one that the old man had taken over for a previous teacher.

[Good morning class, I’m sure some of you are wondering who I am and what happened to the previous teacher. In answer to your first question, I am a former S-Class Adventurer codename Manic Blade. You can either call me that, Sensei, Teacher, or Mr. MB. As for the answer to your second question? I have no idea. Didn’t bother to check what happened to the scrub that I replaced. His work was shoddy anyway so I wouldn’t have cared regardless. Ahem. With that out of the way, any questions?] – Gil

[…Let’s go with- you, in the back there.] – Gil

[Were you really a S-Class adventurer? I’ve never heard of you before?] – Rude Boy

[I’m not surprised. My heyday was well before your lifetime and even your parents were probably too young to remember me. But regardless yes, I was. Even teamed up with the pipsqu- I mean Lolianne Sensei. Although she went by a different name back then.] – Gil

This isn’t the first time I’d heard about the supposed “failing” of the magical theory being taught to us in school and apparently the person responsible was the previous teacher of this specific class. Even Lolianne had been forced to have the same curriculum when the teacher in question had complained that students coming out of her class weren’t prepared for his lesson plans. As a result, he’d probably been fired when a “proper” teacher was hired. Although calling Gilgamesh a proper teacher was probably going a bit far in my opinion. Regardless though the class went by in much the same way with classmates asking about Gilgamesh’s life, where he’d come from, etc. I noticed about halfway through though that a large amount of it was faked, probably a cover story for his current lifetime. The pointed look he gave me when I questioned him with my eyes told me enough to not interrupt but apparently Karen hadn’t thought that my previous punishment of the man had been enough as she yelled a question over someone already asking the old man something.

[What’s your real name Sensei?] – Karen

[None of your business, next question.] – Gil

[What’s yo-] – Same Rude Boy

[Does someone have a different question?] – Gil

[Why do you have a fake name?] – Related? Rude Girl

[How about a question that “doesn’t” have to do with my name? Anyone? No? Okay in that case I’ll assign homework.] – Gil

[UGH!!!] – Entire Class

[Don’t UGH me, this times just an evaluation on your knowledge on an individual level. I already have the average from the tests everyone took but I need to know where to start for those of you actually in this class.] – Gil

Seemingly tired of answering questions, and also likely trying to avoid the already asked one Gilgamesh immediately ignored all of the desperately raised hands. Acting as if they didn’t exist, he announced the homework we’d all have to do before the next class in a few days. The collective groan that reverberated through the classroom loud enough to be heard several classes over. Ones where they had no homework, presumably.

[Okay, now that you’ve all gotten a copy of the homework be sure to have it finished when we next meet. Ah, while it is technically not graded it IS what I will be using to determine your average knowledge as a class. If you lot don’t finish it on purpose you’ll spend the next year going through the most boring class content I can come up with. You’ll still technically be able to learn the material but I’ll make it as excruciating as I possibly can. Food for thought. Now leave you brats!] – Gil

With those words the bell sounded, letting us know it was time for our next class. The timing such that it was like Gilgamesh had planned for it to end this way. Although knowing him it was a complete coincidence and he’d had no such thing planned. The whole thing made me wonder how useful Malaise would be for studying though since the curriculum had changed so much, also made me curious about what the old man was doing to the so-called higher-level class since they’d gone through a whole year of the previous teacher’s instruction. Oh well, questions for another time, I guess.