Chapter 267: Angry

"Ah, it’s snowing."

He didn’t know how long he had been tormented in the sea of flowers, but when Muen stepped out of the Grand Clocktower, he just happened to see the first snowflake drift down from the blank white sky.

Winter had arrived.

Muen suddenly felt a little sentimental.

Unknowingly, he had already gone through three seasonal changes here. It didn’t sound like much time, but to Muen it always felt as if a lifetime had passed.

"Come to think of it, I haven’t gone to class normally in a long while."

In front of the Grand Clocktower, students full of youthful energy passed by. When they saw Muen standing there, their eyes always showed a flicker of surprise.

But the fear and disgust he used to see in them was gone. What remained was only the odd surprise of seeing someone who had vanished for so long suddenly reappear.

There was even a bold first-year girl who came up with a grin and joked, "Senior Muen, you’ve been gone so long, did you go off to flirt with another super battleship again?"

"What do you think?" Muen blinked and teased ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ back.

"I heard your engagement ceremony with the Student Council President already has a set date. And you’re still out here picking flowers. Aren’t you afraid of being punished by the President?"

"Would she dare?"

Muen straightened his face. "Do you even know who calls the shots in the Campbell family?"

"Heehee, I recorded that. I’m going to tell the President."

"Don’t, don’t, don’t..."

"..."

After a bit of banter, Muen gave up on the idea of going to class right now.

He had already skipped so many times—one more day wouldn’t make a difference.

Besides, ever since he became Teacher Meladomir’s disciple, the professors at the Academy seemed to tacitly accept his long-term truancy.

Truly, having a big thigh to cling to was wonderful. Before, just to take a single month off, he had to wrestle with Teacher Kaide endlessly.

"Anyway, I’ll go relax first."

After being tormented over and over again in the sea of flowers by Teacher Meladomir with that Mercury Well, even though his body’s injuries and exhaustion had completely recovered, his mind still needed a proper chance to unwind.

Balance between work and rest was the key to maximizing efficiency.

As for how to relax...

Muen’s eyes flicked sideways toward a junior girl.

"Junior, do you know anyone who’s skilled with plant magic?"

...

...

Ancient Potions Classroom.

In the quiet classroom, a rhythmic knock suddenly sounded at the door.

"Little rabbit, little rabbit, open the door, the big bad wolf is here."

"..."

"Hm? Little white rabbit isn’t here?"

The classroom door was suddenly pushed open, and a golden head poked in.

Muen turned his gaze and saw Anna, sitting quietly by the window.

She was in the same seat she often occupied, resting her chin on one hand, watching silently as the snow drifted outside.

The silver Academy uniform traced her devilishly perfect curves. Beneath the light-red pleated skirt, two long legs wrapped in black stockings were crossed, then dangled naturally from the desk, her polished leather shoes gently tapping the floor.

She seemed to be humming some tune, marking the rhythm with her feet.

"Huh? Didn’t you hear me?"

Muen blinked, raised his voice, and called out:

"Little white rabbit? Senior?"

Anna still didn’t turn her head, as if she hadn’t even noticed another person had entered the classroom.

"Not right..."

Muen immediately sensed something was wrong, and his expression grew serious.

He crept inside on tiptoe, hooked the door shut with his foot, then locked it.

After that, he scurried right up to Anna.

"Senior?"

"..."

"My dear senior?"

"..."

"My dearest, dearest Anna-senior?"

"..."

"Ara ara... don’t tell me, you’re angry?"

Muen bent down, trying to catch a glimpse of Anna’s eyes.

But she kept her face turned to the window, refusing to look at him no matter what.

He could only see her profile.

The beauty mark at the corner of her eye still lent her that hint of seductive charm. Her flawless, exquisite face was full of composure, not showing the slightest shift of emotion.

But she was absolutely angry.

"That’s strange, I don’t think I’ve done anything that would make Senior angry."

Muen scratched his head, baffled.

He had been suffering in the sea of flowers all this time—there was no way he had done something to upset her.

Could it be she was angry simply because he hadn’t come to see her these past few days?

Since when had Senior become so clingy?

"Senior, you really won’t talk to me at all?"

"..." Still no response.

"You can ignore me, but..."

Muen leaned a little closer, softening his tone.

"Surely you can’t ignore this bouquet I worked so hard to find for you in this desolate winter—the most beautiful flowers in the entire Academy?"

With that, a bouquet suddenly appeared in Muen’s hand from behind his back.

The crimson petals were vivid and tender, made all the more striking by the snowy backdrop outside. A faint fragrance spread out, twining together with Anna’s own subtle scent, dangerously tugging at the heart.

Perhaps drawn by the flowers, Anna finally turned her head.

"The most beautiful flowers in the Academy?"

She lowered her face slightly, a faint smile rising on her perfect lips.

"Yes, yes, the most beautiful flowers!"

Seeing the ice break, Muen was overjoyed, hurrying to speak:

"Senior, look—the Academy is blanketed in white. Where else could I find such fine blossoms? I really had to put in the effort, from—"

"But since they’re the most beautiful flowers, why didn’t you give them to your fiancée, the one you’re about to be engaged to? Why bring them to me?"

Her smile never wavered.

Muen’s face froze stiff.

"Se... Senior?"

He stared blankly at the girl before him, who gave off no trace of menace, yet still made his teeth chatter.

"You... you’re not still mad about that day, are you?"

"That day? I have no idea what day you’re talking about, Muen."

Anna brushed back a strand of hair and laughed softly.

"Do you mean the day you were dragged off by that princess? How could that make me angry? Would I really get upset over something so trivial?"

As if!

Of course she was angry!

Muen trembled and quickly explained:

"Senior, listen to me. At the time, there was nothing I could do. You know how forceful Celicia is—I wasn’t her match. I couldn’t help being dragged off by her!"

"Is that so? That does make sense. After all, my junior is so weak, it’s only natural he’d get hauled off by someone stronger."

Her words shifted suddenly, her voice lowering into his ear.

"But if strength didn’t matter... and junior had the chance to choose again..."

Hearing the soft whisper beside him, watching the red lips opening and closing before his eyes, Muen’s own widened in horror.

That sense of death, once more, roared through his skull.

No.

No way.

He couldn’t let her finish, or he would be dragged into another one of those terrifying death-questions!

"If junior had the chance to choose again, would he—mmph!"

Anna’s question was cut short.

Because Muen suddenly leaned in and fiercely pressed his lips against his senior’s, sealing her mouth that was softer than any flower.