Nocturne (1)
The dazzling shine of the lights.
The soft melody of the music.
The children, each dressed in suits and dresses, strolled around the spacious hall, enjoying the dance.
We were in the midst of stepping into the boisterous scene.
A banquet quite formally arranged.
It seemed the academy had put in a lot of effort in preparation, befitting an event with high expectations.
The youthful atmosphere naturally brought a smile to one's face.
"Heh heh."
I glanced to the side.
Crimson eyes that happened to be looking this way. I smiled at the end of our meeting gaze.
A hint of playfulness was held within my parted lips.
It was a comment about her attire.
"Come to think of it… I don't think I've ever seen you in this kind of outfit before."
"I usually prefer to dress comfortably."
"You look good in a dress as well."
"I'm past the age of being flattered by compliments… but I'll gratefully accept your sentiment."
"Oh, but I was being sincere."
The lady shook her head as if to say it was enough.
But for me, it was not an empty compliment at all.
The maturity she possessed held a deep charm.
Her curvaceous figure was difficult to look away from, the black dress maximized her unique decadent beauty, the cleavage emphasized her ample size, and lastly, her calmly still red pupils.
Her captivating figure was drawing the attention of those around her, regardless of gender.
Especially the impressive middle and below.
It was a good thing I was squinting.
I almost suffered embarrassment from my dazed gaze.
I tried to appear composed and continued speaking.
"How did your work go the other day?"
"I received help."
"I only processed the basic documents, though…"
"That's what I meant by it being enough."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Thanks to that, my schedule is free. I think I can keep you company until late."
"Your pleasant words naturally bring a smile to my face."
"More flattery."
"This time, I'm being sincere."
Lighthearted small talk went back and forth.
The lady, who was initially silent in awkwardness, eventually joined in as I approached her proactively.
Playful laughter gently poked at her expressionless face.
An atmosphere of gradually melting into each other.
We moved side by side.
I could feel the gazes of the students focusing on us from here and there.
It must be because of her striking beauty.
"Young Master Judas!"
"I wondered where you had disappeared to, so you were over there."
As we walked towards the center of the hall, other voices were heard nearby.
It was none other than the group who hadn't come with us.
Instead of each finding a new partner, they seemed to have attended as pairs with each other.
The banquet rules didn't require attendance by male and female pairs.
Regia and Irene.
Charlotte and Elize.
I heard that Emilia, who was left alone, attended with her younger brother.
The sight of the young girls in dresses was also new.
If they usually felt like fresh children, now it felt like their maturity was starting to blossom.
I stroked their heads in turn.
"You all look very nice."
The children reacted in their own ways.
Pink, blue, platinum blonde, red, and orange hair each left a word behind in order.
The warmth touching my fingertips was filled with pure affection.
"Ugh… I'm not used to this kind of attire, so, um, is it okay for me to wear such expensive clothes…?"
"It's not like I wore it to show you off…"
"Yeah. Judas looks good too."
"What's the point when I'm stuck in a wheelchair anyway."
"…Dresses are definitely uncomfortable. But if you like it, I like it."
Especially.
The Pilot, who came from a commoner background, and the fox, who was a beast-person from the remote borders of the continent, seemed more awkward than usual, perhaps because of the dresses.
Even that awkwardness was endearing.
Was the purpose only to show off their dresses?
The children only exchanged brief greetings before turning away.
They said it wasn't fair to interfere… Frankly, I had no idea what they meant.
I only remembered Rose and Fox glaring fiercely at the drunkard.
It was as if some kind of competition had started.
Irene even whispered such words.
"Remember… you'll end up choosing me in the end anyway."
A meaningful smile.
Seeing her secretly nibble on my earlobe as she passed, she seemed full of thoughts about devouring her master.
In many ways, it felt like ingratitude.
Anyway.
The girls disappeared after briefly showing their faces.
Selena remarked casually.
"They all have very intense gazes."
"Haha… I apologize on their behalf. Some of them are particularly sharp."
"It doesn't bother me. It wasn't unpleasant either."
"Thank you for understanding."
Fortunately, the lady was indifferent.
I was about to really focus on the banquet, but this time, someone from the faculty approached us instead.
It was none other than Professor Kadel, whom I had thoroughly trounced during the inter-class competition.
He greeted us lightly.
The target of his greeting was, of course, Selena.
"An unexpected face. I didn't think you'd participate in an event like this."
"Professor Kadel."
"The person who acted like they had no interest in the world… what wind blew you out of your laboratory?"
"I'd like to tell you that it's none of your concern."
"Still as unpleasant as ever."
"And you're still petty."
"Ha."
The young man never failed to pick a fight.
Didn't he ever get tired of it?
Even though he was clearly defeated last time, he couldn't help but initiate an attack out of the blue.
I wondered if I should step in, but the lady stopped me.
It was as if she wanted to avoid unnecessary emotional expenditure.
"That leisure of yours won't last much longer."
"……."
"A cataclysm is just around the corner."
A mumble, barely audible.
Leaving behind the incomprehensible sentence, Kadel gave a meaningful smile.
His eyes were filled with ominousness in every way.
"Student Judas… let's meet separately sometime. There's something I'd like to discuss with you personally."
Something to discuss.
With a sense of unease, I nodded.
"I won't deliberately avoid it."
"Excellent."
That was all he had to say, and the young man turned his back to us.
With a final word as he left.
"Then, I hope you have a pleasant time."
His back view receded.
The lady was staring at his retreating figure with lifeless eyes.
Only heavy silence settled between her lips.
Was she about to get lost in thought again?
Before her consciousness could drift away, I pulled on her clasped hand and whispered.
I infused my voice with a hint of huskiness.
It was to grab her attention.
"Please focus."
"Student Judas?"
"Didn't you say you would keep me company? To be distracted while leaving your partner alone, I couldn't be more disappointed."
"Coming from a man who was just surrounded by women… I think that's a rather unconvincing story."
"Is that so?"
I laughed out loud.
Our gazes, which had been crossing in the air, soon met fully.
"It's all the same to me."
Just then, music began to play.
As if to announce the official start of the banquet, the melody emanating from the instruments gradually filled the hall.
The surrounding students paired up and blended into the scenery.
The dancing proceeded smoothly.
Snake and the drunkard were also moving their bodies.
"I'll lead."
"As you wish."
The first song was a gentle one.
The distance between us narrowed.
The breath I exhaled following his lead reached her, and a sweet fragrance lingered sticky at the tip of my nose.
Reason grew hazy, and the gap between the two of us narrowed further.
Until our hearts were almost touching.
It felt as if even the beating of our hearts would continue to be shared.
We took even steps.
""……""
The children were nothing but fresh.
Perhaps it was the charm of maturity that stood out like a thorn among them.
As we continued to dance, I could feel gazes focusing on us.
Most of them were filled with admiration or desire.
We continued to flow without stopping.
Swoosh.
The waltz continued with his hand on my waist.
The slow rhythm also picked up speed.
The lady, who had been following my movements, let out a soft breath and a word.
"Indeed… dancing is difficult."
It was strange.
I had expected her to be quite good at it, but her movements were frequently shaky.
Perhaps it was because she was wearing heels that her balance was precarious.
Could it be that it had been a long time?
She had repeatedly stated that she disliked people, so it seemed possible that she had little experience with banquets themselves.
Her feet in high heels were struggling to keep up with the increasingly fast tempo.
Her steps faltered clumsily.
I noticed belatedly and reached out to support her waist.
But it was already too late.
"Ugh…!"
In the process of regaining her balance, she had twisted her ankle.
Selena was about to fall over.
Thanks to my support, she avoided that situation, but she had to hold onto me to stay standing.
The sticky warmth of our bodies pressed together didn't easily dissipate and seeped into us.
A soft groan reached my ears.
Was she expressing the pain in her ankle?
Trying to keep up with the dance with her clumsy skills must have been quite difficult.
I supported her and assessed the situation.
'Her ankle… it seems like she twisted it badly.'
At this rate, we wouldn't be able to continue with the banquet.
Treating her injured ankle was the priority.
It seemed like I needed to examine the exact condition.
Since gazes were still focused on us from around, I decided to head out of the hall for now.
I asked the lady.
"Master."
"……."
"Can you walk on your own?"
"……I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
I shook my head.
It was I who lacked consideration.
I had assumed she would be skilled at dancing.
But it seemed she was unfamiliar with dancing, let alone banquets, uncomfortable dresses, and high-heeled shoes.
It was as if she was experiencing all of this for the first time.
"I'll take responsibility."
"Pardon?"
I carefully held the lady.
Then, without any hesitation, I lifted her up. I placed her slender body directly into my arms.
It was the position commonly known as the 'princess carry' in the world.
Her red pupils, which had always been calm, widened greatly for the first time.
She looked flustered.
"J-Judas… Student?"
"Shhh."
Selena, unusually, stammered.
I smiled as if telling her not to say anything, and then silently started walking towards the outside of the hall.
The surrounding children had even stopped dancing and were watching us.
Their eyes were all filled with fascination.
""……""
"Excuse us for a moment."
Regardless of their reactions.
I crossed the banquet hall.
The eyes of the students followed us.
And so, until we completely left that space, the children watched our departing figures.
The sight of the snake carrying the drunkard in her arms.
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