by Brent Tyman
Along the street, ruined shops and broken food stalls had their goods splattered across the cobblestones. It didn’t seem like a full-on invasion was happening, but there was considerable damage in different points of the city.
The city garrison was very much present in the High District, where all the fancy mansions were. Clarissa flashed some kind of identification badge to a guard as we passed, and it wasn’t long before we reached the fabled Academy.
I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it.
The walls were a dull gray, yet it somehow looked more vibrant than the shining white walls of the nearby manors. In terms of size, it was clearly the biggest collection of buildings in the entire city. I couldn’t even see where the Academy buildings ended and while many of them seemed to have five stories to them, each was massive in scope.
No doubt there were pavilions and covered walkways between each one.
“Wow,” I muttered to myself.
Clarissa grinned at me. “Wait till you see the inside. Come on, I’m sure you’re getting tired of hauling Juliana all this way.”
No one besides the garrison in the High District had given me a second look, even with Juliana’s limp form over my shoulder. That was probably because most were too busy running away from the Demons.
“Is it normal for her to be out for this long?”
“Of course, handsome,” Clarissa replied. “She’ll most likely be unconscious until tomorrow.”
That seemed to be a lot worse than the time I had knocked myself out with that Dynamic Healing spell, but Clarissa explained further.
“Draining copious amounts of one’s magic results in these types of recovery times.”
That made a small lick of sense. I’d had little magic to begin with, so I’d expect my recovery to be shorter than someone who’d used up a lot of magic and needed to refill a larger magical reservoir.
Then again, who was I to challenge magical theory? RPG’s could be summed up as click a button and things exploded. I wished I’d had the chance to experience the Virtual Reality ones, but it seemed like it wasn’t meant to be—at least not for me.
Being in an RPG world was the next best thing, anyway.
“Clarissa, the entire Academy is looking for you…” one guard at the gate said before he noticed a limp Juliana on my shoulder.
“Healer! Someone fetch the healer!”
In a matter of seconds, a pack of guards swarmed me and scooped Juliana up before I had the chance to blink. They whisked her away inside and I was left with an immediate sense of loss.
She hadn’t been that heavy to carry and I had grown accustomed to the weight. Her hair had tickled my neck at times, so I guessed that wasn’t a problem I’d have to worry about anymore, at least.
“Looking for little ol’ me? I wonder why?” Clarissa said, throwing a wink at the guard for good measure.
“Everyone’s Clan was contacted and tracking information was shared, to order everyone back to safety, but…”
“Yes, yes. I’m perfectly aware that my parents cannot track me anymore,” Clarissa said. “Were you expecting Juliana as well?”
“Well… Not with you, but her father sent men to fetch her from the city gate.”
Clarissa tsked at that and looked to me.
“Juliana’s father is in the same league as my own. He cares only for the Clan and little else. I’m surprised that they don’t get along better, since they are so alike. He likely saw that Juliana was back in the city and never checked on her again.”
“Huh. No one tried to stop us on the way in,” I said.
“They likely stopped to help out in the city,” Clarissa replied. “The Sovereignty has been quite busy improving relations with the city—like the other major Clans.”
“I’m just glad Juliana is in safe hands. What now?”
“You’re coming in with me, handsome,” Clarissa said, curling her hand around my upper arm.
“Who is this man, Lady Hoganna?” the guard finally asked, looking me over with questioning eyes.
“My guest. Be a dear and put his name on the register, will you?”
“But…”
“Now, please,” Clarissa said more forcefully, her classic smirk in place.
The guard relented and took down my name. He handed me a fancy badge with an even fancier symbol on it—a mansion sitting atop a flat landscape. Apparently, I could produce this badge, and they would let me into the Academy at any time. I didn’t really plan on coming here frequently, but it was a nice gesture on Clarissa’s part.
Once we passed the gate, the Academy stood before us in all its glory. There was a fairly massive courtyard, in front of the larger buildings, with various students milling about.
As I had noted before, everyone was split between the RGB colors for their nations and it was a little surreal to see those who wore green defer to Clarissa when we neared. This would be the one place where her status as heir carried the most weight, so it was to be expected, though still odd to see in person.
Once we entered the Academy proper, I was blown away by the lavish display of wealth. There was a giant fountain just past the entrance, with a giant golden chandelier hanging above it. The walls practically sparkled in color, the gray of the exterior replaced with a shimmering, ocean blue.
“This is the entrance to the Academy. A bit gaudy for my taste,” Clarissa sniffed, “but they have benefitted from centuries of tuition.”
“And it all went into that fountain?” I asked.
She laughed. “Haha, some of the teacher’s accommodations are truly decadent, too. Let me show you the common area before we head to my nation’s wing.”
In all my years, I had never seen such splendor on display, even in RPG’s where the only limits were one’s imagination.
Gold leaf on the walls and heavy, immaculate furniture gleamed in the golden hue hundreds of lanterns emitted.
My mind had slowly drifted back down to reality when we got to the library. I was shocked at the sheer number of books and tomes they displayed on shelves that crowded the room from floor to vaulted ceiling. Rail-guided ladders ran along each shelf to enable one to grab a book from the higher shelves.
At the canteen, the trays appeared to be made of gold—or at least painted in gold leaf—and I honestly couldn’t fathom why.
“Ah, Clarissa,” a familiar voice called and we turned to see Lady Kotobara, the teacher I had seen in the Dungeon. She walked up to us.
“I wish to congratulate you on your results, these past few days. I would have done so sooner, if you didn’t scurry off the moment class ended.”
Somehow, a stern reprimand wormed its way in between the lines, and the woman cast her eyes suspiciously at me before recognition dawned on her.
Oh great…
“Why thank you, Lady Kotobara. I’m thrilled everyone here sees my vast potential,” Clarissa grinned, amused.
She was enjoying this a bit too much.
“I hope the nasty business in the city hasn’t inconvenienced you. I hear the Demon threat will be dealt with soon,” Lady Kotobara said.
I wanted to laugh right then, as inconvenienced was probably not the right word for what we’d gone through, but Clarissa beat me to it.
“Haha. Alex and I had a small skirmish with some ferals, but he dispatched them with manly precision.”
“Do you have to say manly all the time?” I groaned, rolling my eyes.
“Of course, handsome, that’s how it was,” she grinned back at me.
“I… see…” Lady Kotobara said, her eyes narrowed in thought. “Is this not the same Alex who Juliana was seen with? Pray tell what is he doing here in the Academy?”
“He’s my guest,” Clarissa said simply.
After a moment of silence, Lady Kotobara crossed her arms. Her eyebrow arched dangerously.
“I had thought Juliana to be shrewd, but I may have underestimated Hogannan pride. Perhaps Juliana will be more forthcoming.”
“I wish you luck, but she’s currently with the healers—recovering from magical exhaustion and poisoning,” Clarissa quipped before leading me away.
I looked back to see Lady Kotobara still watching us, a stupefied expression on her face before it went blank and then hardened as she turned away.
“Jeez, Juliana was right,” I said, and Clarissa raised an eyebrow at me. “You do love attention.”
“Haha,” Clarissa laughed. “Right now, there’s only one type of attention I want, handsome.”
She winked at me as we headed towards the section of the Academy that held the Hoganna wing of dorms. I didn’t get to see much of it, other than a single, massive hallway since Clarissa’s dorm was close to the wing’s entrance.
Everyone here in green looked at me with questioning gazes and hushed whispers buzzed behind us as Clarissa led me to her dorm. When I thought of dorms, I imagined a small room with tables, chairs, wardrobes and beds—either classic bunk beds or single beds on either wall, with some small furniture in between. Nothing fancy, but functional.
The Academy clearly didn’t roll like that.
Clarissa’s room was lit by gaudy chandeliers, with green walls that seemed to soak up any available sunlight. Her bed was ten times bigger than the one I had at the inn. Underneath a fluffy mattress, there were stacked enough shoes to last twenty lifetimes.
“Jeez, Clarissa, I knew you had it good, but my inn room feels like a world away from this.”
“Hmm? My room at the mansion has water that runs from a hot spring. I much prefer that to these golden chandeliers,” she replied, waving a hand at the massive light fixtures.
“And did you carry all these shoes with you from back home too?” I asked.
“Naturally! Well… my servants did…”
Of course they did.
“Here Alex, come sit beside me,” she said, as she stepped forward and sat on the huge bed.
Calling the bed plush was an understatement, and I practically sank into it. If my butt could purr, it just might, after all this comfort. Clarissa immediately began to stroke her fingertips along my arm as she scooted in close.
“What do you think of the Academy?” she asked.
“It’s gaudy and one heck of a spectacle, but nice all around. Having all those green uniformed students bow to you was the most surprising part, though.”
“Haha, they will do anything to get in my good graces. I will be their leader in the future, after all. Well, after my father.”
“Which is also surreal to me. Never thought I would be hanging out with such high nobility,” I grinned.
“Oh?” Clarissa grinned back. “I hope we will be doing a lot more than simply ‘hanging out’, handsome.”
Clarissa leaned in to kiss me. Her fingers running along my arm felt intoxicating. My mind whirled and I hardly knew what to do next!
Normally, RPG’s had dialogue boxes with a heart option or something like that one clicked to advance the romance. I either needed to say something savvy or make a move. Having admired the woman’s amazing assets for so long, my eyes latched onto them.
Now seemed like a good time to just go for it. My hand reached out for those shapely globes of hers and Clarissa laughed, interrupting our kiss before pulling back slightly.
“I can’t believe this is finally happening, handsome. I thought you would give in sooner,” she breathed.
“I mean, it doesn’t take a genius to know why you led me here,” I retorted, my grin widening.
“I assure you good sir,” Clarissa said with mock seriousness in her voice. “I have only the purest of intensions.”
My fingers gently squeezed one of her breasts through her dress as I leaned back in to resume our interrupted kiss. “As do I,” I murmured.
A few minutes later and we were in a race to see who could take their clothes off the fastest. Clarissa pretty much ripped her dress off, exposing her bountiful breasts in all their glory. They were just as big, and even nicer than advertised.
Maybe even bigger.
I swore that they defied gravity with their plumpness. That was all I noticed as my mouth latched onto one.
She cooed her encouragement, and I just knew that tonight was going to be a good night. Perhaps one of my best nights in this world.
I just hoped the walls between the dorms here were thick enough…
16
I vaguely heard the sound of a door either being smashed to bits or crashing into the wall as I struggled to surface from a wonderful dream. A yawn escaped me, and I reflexively tried to stretch out my arm before learning that I couldn’t.
There was a weight on me, and it was only when I saw Clarissa’s blonde locks on my chest that memories of last night flashed through my mind. It had been one heck of a night; Clarissa was insatiable. How she managed to pack that much stamina into those luscious curves, I would never understand.
“Clarissa Vos Hoganna!” a familiar voice screeched. “Get up this instant!”
I turned to see Juliana standing in the doorway. The door had indeed been knocked off its hinges.
“Hmm, later Alex, dearie,” Clarissa muttered sleepily, holding onto me tightly while nuzzling my chest.
That dark aura appeared around Juliana again, and I could feel the light in the room suddenly dim in response. My eyes grew wide, and I shifted slightly, trying to ease Clarissa off my chest.
Jeez, Juliana was scary when she got this way.
“Calm down, would you Juliana,” Clarissa suddenly said as she raised her head slightly from my chest. “If you get jealous over every suitor moving on to another woman, you will age far too quickly.”
“Alex isn’t a suitor,” Juliana snapped back, that aura depleting rapidly as she visibly calmed down.
“Then what’s the issue?”
“It’s, uhh… but…,” Juliana hissed like a kettle about to boil before turning on a growing crowd of Hogannan students trying to look past her and into Clarissa’s room.
“We desire privacy. Clan matters,” Juliana growled before shutting the ruined door in their faces.
“Juliana, I’m glad you’re okay. I was worried about you. Are you alright?” I asked and she let out a sigh as she came over to the bed.
“Yes. Well, sort of…” Juliana said as she cast a curious eye on the bedsheets before gently sitting on the edge of the mattress next to me.
“I was terrified when I woke up, thinking you had perished. Then, I learned that Clarissa Vos Hoganna had taken you to her room for the night and… well…” She glanced at the doorway with a grimace. “Sorry about the door.”
“Excuse me, isn’t it my door?” Clarissa questioned as she finally got up from my chest. I caught a nice glimpse of side boob as she raised the covers with her.
“Clarissa, would you please let us talk alone?” Juliana asked and after yawning for a moment, the blonde acquiesced.
“Fine, I need to prep for the day anyway,” Clarissa said. She moved to get up, but not before leaning into me for a quick kiss.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I said finally. “I had planned to see you later today, after…”
“Are you…” she asked, motioning to my body, and I laughed.
“Nah, I’m actually decent under here,” I said, removing the covers and sitting next to Juliana so that we were eye level. “Clarissa was the one who wanted to forgo any clothes.”
“We did rip my dress apart, handsome,” Clarissa called out from the bathroom.
“I’m sure she has as many dresses as shoes,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.
Juliana laughed and then her face turned a tad serious.
“Would you please let me know what happened? All I can remember is you dispatching the second Demon before everything went black as night.”
I told Juliana what had happened after she passed out, mentioning the damage to the city and the Demons who had run amok.
“I do wish we could have helped out more, but Clarissa mentioned that Demons were strong
and I didn’t want a repeat of our battle on the fifth floor, especially with you unconscious,” I said.
“Which I thank you for, yet again. You saved my life a second time, Alex,” Juliana smiled. “But yes, Demons are a job for our fathers to take care of. I imagine mine was putting them all to the sword. Actually…”
Juliana’s eyes went distant and I knew she was likely checking through her Clan Messages.
“Yes, he was, with only a mild interest in my whereabouts.” She snorted. “So typical of him.”
“What was up with those Demons?” I asked, remembering what they had said. “Are there Demons living in the city? I swear I saw one being apprehended by the guard who looked pretty civilized.”
“Yes, Demons and their hybrid offspring, Demonkin, live in the city. As far as I knew, though, they are just as normal as any other race,” Juliana answered.
“They threw out a few names as well. Someone called Demona, and another one talked about ‘the Overlord’. Sounds like a fancy title, but it could mean something,” I said, my mind spinning.
Thanks to a lifetime of anime, manga, and more RPG stories than you could shake a stick at, my mind wondered what this might mean for this world. If Demons were running amok here and in the Dungeon, did that mean the same thing was happening everywhere else?
While a cool premise, I wished I was strong enough to take them on without a high chance of getting seriously injured, or even dying.
“Karl would know,” Juliana said. “And the Clan messages mention that a host of Demons in the city have been killed, along with most of the Demonkin. The rest have been captured and are awaiting judgement. Let’s go visit Karl and see if he has any further insight.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I agreed. It would be nice to see Karl and the rest of Juliana’s retinue. I was unsure how Daiver would feel about me, though.
I took a few minutes to equip all of my armor again, having to search for a few pieces that Clarissa had thrown about last night.
One of my bracers was tangled in the chandelier and a pauldron had somehow landed underneath three pairs of her shoes.