《Under Wicked Shadows [A Lewd Progression Fantasy]》 1.1 – Whispers
Calia sat nervously in the carriage, the rhythmic sounds surrounding soothed her thoughts, though only mildly. Rain splattered against the roof, the occasional drop of liquid spilling on her face through the open window. The hooves of the galloping horse were like a beat to a drum. Inside, everyone sat in silence, the tension was palpable, and she was used to it. Yet the real dread lay in where she was going, Veilbrook Magical Academy. She stared at her reflection. Her thick eyebrows made her stand out, never in a good way, even as an orphan. She couldn¡¯t help but yearn for those childhood days. She was poor, hungry, and lonely but she was free. Now she was betrothed to a total stranger¨Cforced to be married to someone she hated. At Least that was 2 years from now. No, right now she needed to worry about getting through this sham of a lifestyle. ¡°Calia,¡± Arabella, her ¡®recent¡¯ foster mother, and matriarch of the family called out to her. ¡°You''re doing that again.¡± She jerked away from her reflection. ¡°I apologize, my lady. I was simply wondering.¡± Arabella, let out a fake cough. ¡°I thought I told you to stop digging around in that head of yours, you''re a lady, not a gentleman. Leave the overthinking for the men.¡± Hilda, her only friend inside the family, and head of the younger maids, glanced at her. There was a smile in her eyes, though her lips remained stationary. She sat comfortably, her hands on her lap, gloved. Legs crossed. The two had a secret they would not share. They were bonded by companionship whether by love or bondage. Both were doomed to serve House Argentum after all. They would be ripped apart for a year until the last semester ended. Then there was hope that they¡¯d briefly reunite, then they would be separated for another year. Then came the complications, marriage to an overweight buffoon she hated. Their relationship would turn much more risky in time. This carriage isn¡¯t taking me to my future. But to a certain hell, I do not want. Such were her thoughts. She lingered on the idea of the youngest son. Hendrickson, he was a whoreson, and an asshole. A womanizer. A failure among his own clan. And yet custom dictates that even undesirable and unsuccessful men in house Argentum, whether with a retainer or a commoner, be engaged in marriage. It just so happened that she was the only suitable option. Originally adopted as a maid, but granted privileges for being gifted in magic. She just happened to be the unfortunate girl. Lady Arabella gave her a cold but calculating look. ¡°Before we part ways, I want you to listen to me,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re to do a 2-year enrollment only, then return to the estate. Nothing more than Control, fundamentals, and refinement. No advanced battle magic. Do not get any liberal ideas while you are here.¡± She nodded. ¡°Of course not, Lady Arabella.¡± Why not. Because if she did, they couldn''t control her. The matriarch leaned forward, her voice sharp. ¡°As for your condition,¡± Hilda stiffened up, turning her face away as if she heard nothing. Calia swallowed, she hated talking about it. It was a sensitive thing. ¡°I do not care how you relieve yourself, but refrain from engaging in any activity with men of any sort. Get pregnant and you¡¯ll do more than regret it. I have to be clear, you understand, don''t you?¡± She nodded. ¡°Good girl,¡± Arabella turned away. The carriage came to a stop, and the driver signaled inside. The academy stood in front of Calia, two massive towering spires, lifted into the air, sigils and runes scribbled on it. The air around here was thick, filled with magic. It sent a shiver down her spine.Stolen novel; please report. The buildings, each one unique from the other were made of marble stone and special bricks. The design was curved and angular. A rare sight. ¡°Hilda, would you be so kind as to help Calia with her luggage, I believe you two have something to say to each other as well. You¡¯ve always been close.¡± Nothing escaped Arabella''s gaze. Hilda nodded. ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± she took Calia¡¯s hand. ¡°Come along then Calia.¡± They stepped out of the carriage. They stepped outside, Calia, bowed politely. Hilda held an umbrella over their heads. She gestured to her matriarch. "Farewell Lady Arabella." Lady Arabella, eyes ever cold stared. She made the worst imitation of a smile, much like that of a predator. ¡°Yes, farewell little Calia, come back in one piece.¡± At Least I won¡¯t have to see you again. You bitch. **** The campus was mostly empty. It seemed most students hadn¡¯t arrived yet. They weren¡¯t specified into what dorm room they were to go to. Calia chose the most comfortable, upstairs, in the corner, where a window resided directly with the forest outside. The rooms were huge, enough to cater to a group of five, and still have space. She stared at Hilda, They were alone up here. Hilda put her bags down. The silence between them lay heavy, she feared what reaction Hilda might have. Then she broke it. ¡°So this is it? A whole year without you and more¡­¡± her voice low, she hated how she sounded, vulnerable. Hilda stepped closer, hands caressing her back. ¡°You¡¯re nineteen, Calia, you¡¯ll survive this place,¡± she whispered, her own voice trembling. Something she rarely showed in front of the family. ¡°You¡¯re much stronger than you think.¡± Calia shook her head. Tears started flowing. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this. And I hate them. I¡¯m gonna hate this place. I¡¯m gonna miss our time together.¡± ¡°I know, but this isn¡¯t the family, it¡¯s the law.¡± Hilda pulled her tiger, her lips touching the temples of her head. ¡°Listen to me Calia, this place might give you what I¡¯ve never had, a chance to escape the family. Arabella can¡¯t control you here, she knows that. You have nothing to lose.¡± They kissed, and Calia clung to Hilda as if she would disappear. ¡°What about you?¡± Calia asked, distraught. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t squander this opportunity, live your life out, you''ll meet someone better here. I¡¯m sure.¡± As they pulled apart, Hilda¡¯s expression shifted, much more concerned. Her eyes peaking at the door. ¡°Listen, this place isn¡¯t what it seems.¡± Calia frowns. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Hilda shook her head¡­ ¡°I never told you, but I too was once enrolled here, before I became a maid. Just listen to me.¡± Calia stared in shock, then why was she forced to be a maid? She grabbed both of Calia¡¯s arms. ¡°Be careful, and do not trust anyone. Keep your head down. Refrain from drawing unnecessary attention. Please." Calia bit her lip. ¡°Where is this coming from?¡± ¡° I can¡¯t say any more. Forgive me Calia, but I must leave you now.¡± **** She watched Hilda leave from the window. Fading in the chorus of the rain. They waved at each other. A final goodbye. Sometimes it felt like they were less illicit lovers and more like platonic soul mates. That connection was gone now. The family wanted her to be obedient. Controlled. Hilda was right, she was out of their grasp she just needed to work for it. She laid her head against the glass window. Now, how was she going to navigate this ordeal? A sudden streak of flame zipped passed her head, exploding into the wall. Leaving a shadowy burned mark on it. It smelled like burned ashes. Her senses were on alert, her magic spiking like touched nerves. Her eyes widened. A girl lay clumsily on the ground, a waving wand in her hand, fumbling and wrongly. ¡°Oh gods, I¡¯m so sorry! Are you okay?¡± She struggled to get up. Calia didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or to kick her for accidentally assaulting her. She approached, giving her hand. The girl took it. She had short brown hair with messy bangs hanging in front of her face. Green eyes, that reflected the forest outside. She was cute. ¡°Oh, were you crying and... your eyes are all¡­red.¡± Calia wiped her face. ¡°They''re just naturally red, a genetic defect, forget about it.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± the girl gave her wide smile. ¡°Name¡¯s Piper, I¡¯m from a village up north, they sent me here to punish me.¡± Calia giggled. Did that make two of them? ¡°I¡¯m Calia¡­ of house Argentum,¡± she said reluctantly. ¡°Ooh, a noble girl?¡± Calia crossed her arms. ¡°Not quite.¡± ¡°Well, I''m yours to use as you please Your Highness.¡± the girl joked. ¡°Don¡¯t make it weird,¡± Calia said. Or maybe she¡¯d take her up on that offer. ¡°So why were you crying¡­?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± She didn¡¯t answer immediately, staring at the girl. Magic often did amplify the sexual nature of most wizards, witches, and mages. A reason why sex among peers is less taboo in the magical part of society. However, for Calia it was so much worse. She could feel it, her mana flaring, an irritable sensation below her stomach, alluring and sensual. She was going to have a hard time controlling herself here. A pity her condition didn¡¯t come with a manual. 1.2 - SIlenced
As Calia stepped into the classroom, the mana-rich environment immediately caught her attention, amplifying a primal, instinctual pull she had to mana. It was hard to control herself from bursting with magical outrage, it was going to be a few more hours before she¡¯d be able to ease the feeling. The room she stood inside, was your run-of-the-mill classroom, with single desks just spaced wide enough for students not to claw at each other. There was a mirror-like chalkboard on the desk, a crystal next to glowed with sigils every half minute. Distracting, to say the least. One concerning thing that irked her. Several cliques had already formed, a girl with red hair kept glaring at her, like she was an eyesore. A pair of twins beside her, their faces looked as distasteful as she didn¡¯t come here to my friends. Of course, they were objectively beautiful and they looked like nobles. There was no point in rattling her wand so to speak, it would reflect badly on her. And if it reflected badly on her, it reflected badly on the family. Which would be very bad for her. She sat down in the chair, adjusting the bow tie on her uniform, and refitting her socks, as she wiggled her shoes. They were going to get sweaty later on. She did her best to avoid their wandering gazes. Waiting, for this bullshit to start. There were about ten students in the class, and about half were missing, including Piper, the girl she met early. Who spontaneously decided that they were going to be besties, after nearly torching her hair in half with a spell A tallish woman entered, her presence was commanding one. She had dark brown hair and round glasses. But what was most striking for Calia was her ¡®physical features¡¯. Thicc thighs, and an overly large bosom, which cleavage just happens to be revealing. She wondered how many girls here swung the other way, from what she heard, it wasn¡¯t uncommon. The teacher¡¯s gaze lingered on her with unsettling intensity. Calia shivered as she looked her deat in the eye, she stared at her like a wild predator, or¨C was she overthinking things? Then she winked at Calia. Slightly squeezed her neck, it was provocative and it left her rattled. Calia shrank into the chair, swallowing. The teacher kept an eye on her. Something throbbed where no one looked. ¡°Oh, it seems we can¡¯t start official introductions. Half the class hasn''t arrived yet. But you may call me Miralyn.¡± she said disappointedly. ¡°You,¡± she pointed at Calia. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Calia panicked. Why the fuck did she pick me out of everyone here. The class stared at her like she was a mole who had just tunneled out of the ground. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Calia¡­¡± she answered. But Miralyn gave her a disapproving look. Of course, she wanted her ¡®full name¡¯. She coughed. ¡°Argentum.¡± The red-haired girl shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t look like an Argentum. In fact, you look like a com¨C¡± The teacher cut her off. ¡°Ah, ah, ah, let¡¯s leave the heavy banter for later. ¡± The girl scoffed. The two loony pricks of twins, did the same, mocking her with indiscernible noises. Well, Calia, it looks like your academic career is off to a great start. ¡°Come here, Calia.¡± Miralyn summoned her to the front. She got up reluctantly. She handed her a generic wand. With a flick of her fingers, Miralyn cast a spell. Summoning a magical mannequin out of nowhere. ¡°Do you know how to cast a mana bolt?¡± She nodded, it was as basic as walking. ¡°Hit the target please, I¡¯ll systematically work out what magic suits you well.¡± She could blast the target to smithereens if she wanted, but she remembered Hilda¡¯s word not, to draw attention to herself.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Calia raised the wand and then brought it down on the doll. Zapping it, and leaving a small smoking hole inside its interior. ¡°Impressive,¡± Miralyn said. It was not at all impressive, but deliberately toned down and controlled, perhaps the teacher could see that. ¡°I can do better!¡± The red-haired girl called out. Of course, she did. ¡°And you must be¡­¡± ¡°Anora Lichtenfel.¡± Ah, this explains it all. She was from one of the four most prominent families in the country, her ego was rising the day she was born. She needed something to look down upon and Calia happened to be the first thing she saw. Still, it didn¡¯t mean, she was part of the crown families, she could just be some random for all she cared. Calia had one of her intrusive thoughts again if the rules were removed, she¡¯d batter the bitch against the wall, strip her naked, and tie her to a pole. But of course, the ¡®things¡¯ she wanted to do could never come to fruition. Not without losing her sanity and status. ¡°By all means then, Ms. Lictenfel, do¡­demonstrate your prowess to the class.¡± Anora stepped forward, she was regal all things considered, and her fiery hair was something to be jealous of. As they passed one another, she whispered in Calia¡¯s ear. ¡°Brace yourself, you''re gonna have one hell of a year.¡± she bumped her slightly, sending Calia off course, nearly flying into another student''s desk. ¡°Oops.¡± she giggled aloud, playing aloof. We¡¯ll see you fucking whore. Anora¡¯s stance was perfect, strict almost educational. She moved the wand with pristine grace, then effortlessly shot forward the bolt of mana. The dummy exploded and then evaporated in the air. The class erupted in applause. ¡°Very good Anora, perhaps you have what it takes to become a sage.¡± The girl did a cutesy curtsy. Calia turned her frustration to the girl, her pent-up mana flaring. The teacher turned to her in shock but said nothing. Most of the students were oblivious to mana sense, but she knew it since she was a wild orphan, she needed it to get by. Calia caught between anger and a confusing attraction, seethes in silence. The teacher coughed, ¡°Let me go see what happened to the other students.¡± Anora and her clique watched her with mocking eyes, whispering and giggling. But it was fine, the wheel turns as it always does. They were childish, and they would regret it soon. She turned away, she was not going to give the satisfaction of a response. It turns out, the other students had ended up in the wrong class, which was at the opposite end of the hall. Piper had come in jubilant and immediately flopped in a chair next to her. "Miss me?" she asked Calia, who responded with a bright smile. The teacher returned shortly after, and handed out a thick rule book: A few rules were immediately ruled out as ¡°of current importance¡±. They indicated the following in summary explanation: ¡°No unconsented combat between students. No sneaking out past 10 PM. Mandatory attendance. Absences lead to¡­ physical punishment.¡± Calia raised an eyebrow at the word, her mind unhelpfully conjuring up naughty images of being strung up and paddled on her bare butt. Unauthorized duels were forbidden. Healing magic required permits. Unsupervised demon summoning or time travel? Death. Plain and simple. Nobles retained their privileges, but school politics took precedence. And, of course, bullying was prohibited¡ªa rule that felt laughably hypocritical given the environment. ¡°There¡¯s one more unlisted rule, you should take note of. And this applies to you, noble, commoner, or criminal,¡± everyone had her attention. ¡°Open promiscuity and sex are absolutely prohibited. You will be publicly shamed in response to breaking this rule, or even worse. To those who believe your status protects you from punishment. Let me make it clear. Your status as a noble is irrelevant in the eyes of the state, the Academy belongs to the state, and the state is above all.¡± One could argue, that the state was god. If only the state had done enough to protect her childhood. Some giggled, others scoffed at the idea. Piper peaked up, enthusiastically, blushing. ¡°But Ms. Miralyn.¡± there aren¡¯t any men here, why would we have sex?" Calia smiled. Piper was indeed sweet and summer, she¡¯d hate to corrupt her. The teacher gave her a looking stare but didn¡¯t answer. The teacher learned forward. ¡°Let me be clear again regardless of your sexual orientation, Open promiscuity and sex are punishable by public shaming and potential flagellation. We as an institute have a reputation to uphold.¡± The class settled shortly after, and then chaos unfolded. Anora threw a piece of paper at Piper, ¡°What a stupid girl, must be from some backwater up north.¡± Piper got angry, puffing up her chest. ¡°So what!¡¯ She threw back twice as hard. That set off an avalanche. Soon, the room was alive with crumpled notes and stifled laughter. Calia stayed still, watching the chaos swirl. These are supposed to be adults? Perhaps most women weren''t smart. Behavior like this wasn''t tolerated among her personal tutors. Zero tolerance. Then again, she''d never been allowed to leave the eyes of family and the estate. So she never received public schooling. And while the class was distracted. Miralyn''s eyes lingered on Calia, openly licking her lips like she was desert to be swallowed up. No one seemed to notice. Calia tried looking away, but Miralyn¡¯s gaze was hypnotizing. Calia shifted trying to shake the mental images forming in her mind. She imagined her towering over, putting her in a hard-to-get-out position. Then it was over. The illusion was broken. Miralyn casts a [Silence] spell. The class instantly stopped in fright, silence fell, heavy and unnatural. Unable to speak. It was tight, like several ties of magic rope binded your body, and roped your mouth closed. Calia stiffened, in that moment her mana coalesced inside, unable to flow, it took everything not to burst out and explode.
1.3 - Drill Ms. Leonora was a woman with a striking appearance, her eyes piercing and hair vivid blue, unlike Miralyn she didn¡¯t teach with class cohesion but rather demanded discipline and rigid demeanor. Calia, looked away for a brief moment staring into the deep and dark woods that stood outside their campus area. There was something spooky about these woods, like they were being watched at all times and not by ocular constructs. Calia felt a sharp slap on her arm, shocking her. Leonora stood infront of with a condescending stare. ¡°Miss Calia, is the depth of the woods more important than the depth of your education.¡± Calia, sprang upright, rigid, her attention locked on her physical instructor. She tracked the woman as she turned towards piper. Perhaps it did have some depth. Words were everything here. She wouldn¡¯t ignore the possibility. Piper was staring at the skies, her head bobbing like a cute bird looking for food. A slap to the head shook her out of it. She shook her head pretending to be interested in the teacher. Anora laughed at this, giggling openly. However it did not go unpunished. ¡°Something funny, An-or-a?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she openly admitted. ¡°It¡¯s funny to see peasants and pretend nobles get slapped around, I thought this place would be boring for a genius such as myself.¡± Her smirk was wiped when Solokova smacked her face hard enough that it shook like a poorly constructed bed. ¡°Should I remind you¡­Anora that your family¡¯s status means nothing here.¡± Anora growled, in anger. ¡°You¡¯ll get away with that because you come from a powerful family yourself, I¡¯ll let your arrogance slide this once. Leonora Sollokova.¡± The class was tense, even the birds stopped chirping, and no critter or sound was heard of again. Anora slapped her again. ¡°I don¡¯t fear you because I¡¯m a Sollokova, I don¡¯t fear because I am the State, you need to get that through your head girl. You¡¯ll have a hard time at this school pissing off everyone.¡± Anora looked like she wanted to explode, but calmed herself. Smiling. Calia knew a plotter when she saw one. After the afternoon drama, they were paired off in groups of two each. Calia and piper naturally clung to each other. The girl was the only pleasant one so far, it didn¡¯t bother her however her jubilant nature could be a bit too much. They had lagged behind the main group, stalling behind. It was piper¡¯s advice: ¡°Running ahead is only gonna worn us out, we want to be consistent but maintain the pace.¡± ¡°Oh, you know a lot about being a physical Piper?¡± Calia tried teasing. ¡°Of course, my father is a knight in the king''s army, he taught me everything.¡± she said proudly, skipping across teh rough terrain like it was nothing. That would explain how she was able to afford enrolling here, knights were a noble bunch but they could be ¡°extremists¡± when it comes to using magic. Their main goal was defending the kingdom, their second goal was subjugation of rogue and dangerous mages. In which irony laid strong as they were technical mages themselves. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. It would also explain why she was so damn innocent. The two continued to jog at a leisurely pace. Then the forest darkened, and the bushes thickened, and the ground became hard to walk on. Piper sprung up like a rabbit her head turning and into the bushes she ran off. ¡°Wait piper!¡± Calia did her best to stick close to her. One of her teacher¡¯s instructions was not to veer away from a partner, while the forest wasn¡¯t deadly, it reeked of Fae magic. And where fae were, were mischievous tricks. ¡°Shit.¡± The girl was gone, who knows where. Calia chased after, but struggled to move under the thick underbrush. She already lost her sense of direction, but she didn¡¯t panic. She closed her eyes. Using her [Mana sense] there was a flicker of a sense up ahead, but it was hazy. The forest was powerful, too powerful like it had a life of its own. She followed it and then her eyes snapped open. There were two students, both part of her class. Lunette, a blond, petite but fair all things considered, and Runa, black haired and built like a model. Both attached to each other their bodies entwined as they started kissing each other with passion. Their fingers explored all over their bodies. Calia realized the magic she had felt had come from them. She froze, eyes gluing to the pair. Lunette pulled herself back, adjusting her ponytail before their tongues resumed their dance. She couldn¡¯t help but stare, who wouldn¡¯t. It was a pity, that she couldn¡¯t just join, however it would be tantamount to social suicide. The teacher made it known that her ravens were scrying the field. She peaked a little closer. They started stripping off their uniforms. Runa¡¯s panty¡¯s left her legs she moaned aloud as lunette started to finger fuck her against the tree. Her big titties flopping up and down, large and suckable. Calia started to develop a throbbing sensation, the mana that flowed inside of her, it wanted out. Movement behind her shook her. Piper bursted out of the bushes, scaring Calia out of her trance state. ¡°um¡­I saw a bat flying away from the forest.¡± she said dumbfoundedly. ¡°I thought, hey what if that was a vampire.¡± Calia stared at her like she committed fraud. The girl shrugged uncomfortably, giggling at her in her silly innocence. Then she saw the scene in front of her. Their classmates were in the process of scissoring the other. Their bodies rubbing together legs in the air, Runa licked all the way up Lunette¡¯s thigh¡¯s to the sole of her foot. Piper looked like she was about to scream, her face reddish and blushing. Calia held her hand over her mouth. ¡°We should probably move before the teacher catches them.¡± Calia said, half frustrated. ¡°Is that what girl-on-girl sex looks like?¡± She was curious. Calia dragged her away. Forget innocence now, it was shattered on day one. As they jogged through the bushes, her eye caught sight of one of the black birds entering the forest. She made eye contact with it, but kept on moving. Nearly having to force Piper to run, because it looks like she wanted to catch the bloody raven. Surprisingly, they had come second shortly after the scene. The twins, Kara and Kam, had gotten there before them. Their faces were a lot more relaxed without anora-bitch around to command them. Typical. The teacher briefly glanced at Calia, a look that said. That both knew more than they let on, but neither said anything. Calia ignored her, let her eyes wander a bit, Piper''s well built thighs were sweating, what she would do to fondle her, and lick the sweat off. She shook her head once her self-control stirred, it was only a few hours, then a week¡¯s worth of calmness at least. She knew she needed to focus on everything else, like deciding how she was going to escape the Argentum family. Anora arrived shortly with her partner, Rhiannon, another noble girl, shortly after. She gave her a nasty look as they arrived out of breath. She said nothing, beyond pitting on the ground. Calia still didn¡¯t understand what the fuck her problem was. But she promised herself to find out soon enough. Eventually most of everyone arrived, except the two. Probably lost in the forest. Leonora told them to stay put and pursued. Judging by her jog she already knew where they were. It was a good thing she didn¡¯t give into temptation, she just dodged a round from a black powered gun. Still, it looked like fun. 1.4 - Bark Word did spread quickly among her peers, about what Runa and Lunette could have possibly been doing so long in those woods behind them. Calia, of course, didn¡¯t utter a word. Lest eyes turn on her as well. The two were however eventually punished for, ¡°failing to pertain to Academy standard.¡± and ¡°excessive misconduct.¡± The truth was they, were caught scissor fucking. She still recalled the scene in her head. Their flushed faces, hair tangled and dangling mid-act, dirt smearing their skirts whilst getting each other off. It was a nice sight, yet a tad bit disturbing. There was something about the air of the school that reeked of ¡°devious energy.¡± Like the walls had eyes and trees had ears, and something was driving a sexual madness around. Why else would Miralyn single out this issue? She personally suspected a fae or a trickster, unless the Academy did it themselves. A memory flickered in her head, not too long ago. She had walked in on Lady Arabella whilst she was being entertained by a concubine. Her reward: strapped and lashed bare butt by Hilda as per Arabella¡¯s orders, it was humiliation, but she found it arousing, only because Hilda did it. Perhaps more such adventures waited here. If she did have to be honest she was fascinated by the dread and curiosity she felt at this foreign place. The school may as well have been possessed by ¡®something¡¯, she¡¯d have to learn how to make [wards] soon. So she doesn''t catch a trickster goblin or something. Or maybe she was overthinking it. Piper shook her out of her thoughts, whilst they headed back to their classroom, offering her sip out of her personal water cup. She obliged. Making the girl smile. Shortly after the rain started drizzling again The rest of the early day was a dull one. At Least for her. A monotonous account of the academy¡¯s history, and a review of its more intense rules. Such as casting a [morph spell] on someone, would result in a higher level spell being used as punishment. [Burning Foot] for example and [Dominate] would have you running like a wild chicken on hot cobblestones. The rules were old, it was archaic, it was stupid. After that, they were let out early to make accommodations to their own rooms. As the noise faded away, Calia¡¯s thoughts just kept drifting around. In-groups and outgroups. Who to avoid, who to murder in their sleep, who to fuck. (because she was horny.) The Noble-born girls were the most unpleasant, the running drill served as a nice reality check, that their statuses will only go so far as financial resources here. Yet their arrogant attitudes would persist. And though she is one, by technicality, she despised their spoiled bratty behaviors. Calia got up from her desk, no point in waiting around here. Her urges were rising and soon she¡¯d have to quell it for better or worse, or she¡¯d pounce on someone like a wild panthera. She fled to her dorm. Piper followed her like a lost critter. **** The pair stood together in the dorm room for the first time. Calia was a bit disappointed with its plainness. The room was expansive though, which left many possibilities for transforming it with time. Maybe a pastel color on the wall, a bookshelf for studies, and some trinkets tucked into corners. She had enough of an allowance to make it happen. The perks of being an adopted and rich ¡®retainer¡¯ so to speak. The tall arched windows pointed directly at the oppressive woods outside, first thing is first some curtains. The furnishing that was there was minimal too. Four queen-sized beds, and two wardrobes lined up at the wall. Piper''s mouth hung like a fishing line. ¡°Do you see this..it¡¯s massive.!¡± she exclaimed, full of joy. She started jogging around, her fingers trailing across the cream-pale walls and touching the bedpost obnoxiously. ¡°Look at the windows! And all of this space! I can roll anywhere I want! She threw her bag on the farthest bed, staking it as her own. Calia dropped a sweat. Didn¡¯t she enter the room this morning? Why was she amazed now? Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°It¡¯s really not all that much.¡± She stepped aside as Piper quickly assaulted her with a pillow. ¡°Are you kidding?¡± she shouted. Her fingers were tearing at her hair.¡°My room back home was eight times smaller.¡± ¡°Don''t make it give you ten times the ego.¡± She really is a country bumpkin it seems. Piper paid no mind to her remark, then her shoes slipped away and she started jumping from bed to bed, demonstrating great athletic ability before settling on one under the window. ¡°You know I feel this is a bit too fancy for me, I¡¯m practically a queen now,¡± she said, hands on her hips as she stood on the bed, she threw her socks off surveying the space. She lifted her head and narrowed her eyes. Then played out her own personal drama. ¡°You filthy peasants, kneel before me like the dogs you are. I am the one who holds the reign and the crown.¡± She motioned to her non-existent audience, mocking them. She really should be careful, such a declaration could be considered heretical, especially among the old families. The door was closed behind them, they were alone and Calia had a filthy idea. To Piper¡¯s surprise, Calia¨Cmad as she was¨Cdropped to her knees, eyes locking with Piper¡¯s. She started barking. ¡°Woof-woof.¡± she crawled forward. ¡°Yes, my queen what can this dog do for you?¡± There was a playful and teasing hint behind Calia¡¯s words, Piper froze. Then crawled backward, and her grin disappeared. Then she swallowed. She shifted against the foot of the bed like she was trapped with a mad animal. The tension in the room thickened. Calia kept her pose, as composed as she could manage, waiting for Piper¡¯s command. Piper cleared her throat, laughing nervously, as her feet shifted. ¡°Um, you can get up now, I was only playing pretend,¡± she said, unsure of how to proceed. ¡°Jeez, Calia you can be weird sometimes.¡± Calia smiled, they only met today, She was going to have Piper under her thumb soon enough. ¡°But you started it, I was only playing along?¡± she whispered. The door burst open with a loud bang! Then two girls stepped inside, making Piper and Calia Jolt out of their strange moment. The girls stared in horror and disbelief. The short-haired redhead adjusted her glasses. Closing her eyes, she couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. ¡°I knew I should''ve picked another room,¡± she uttered. The blonde with long delicate hair, put a hand over her mouth, pale cheeks flushed. ¡°Yana, this was supposed to be one of the better rooms! How naughty.¡± ¡°There are at least two half-vacant rooms halfway down the hall,¡± Yana said, agitated and stressed she glared at Calia with disdain, who was still in her fetal position. The blond stepped forward, only to be blocked by Yana¡¯s hands. ¡°But this room has the best view! We can¡¯t just leave let''s negotiate with these perverts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a pervert!¡± Piper panicked, jumping off the bed and running barefoot towards the new occupants. ¡°I¡¯m as sweet and innocent as honey.¡± ¡°Nope, let''s leave.¡± Yana snapped, slamming the door. Calia¡¯s face burned red, and for the first in a long time, she felt shame. She scrambled to her feet, then as straight as a pencil marched to the door. She opened it bowing her head like she was caught in a crime. Piper who stood next to the door, looked at her first friend with horror and embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the misunderstanding,¡± Calia started. ¡°We were practicing drama.¡± Yana spat on the ground. ¡°Yet it¡¯s the first day of the semester, how strange.¡± Calia folded her hands together. ¡°W-were practicing in advance¡­¡± she giggled. Piper slapped her forehead. Then changed her demeanor to be as sweet and airheaded as she usually was. ¡°Hey, um. Welcome to your room. I¡¯m Piper.¡± she put her hands out. Yana stared at her petite feet. ¡°How unmodest, where are your shoes, or socks at least.¡± Piper started sweating. ¡°As I thought, you were participating in some weird fetish play. This can¡¯t go unreported.¡± Piper jumped at her, pulling her by the arm, struggling to fit her inside. ¡°Please, please, please, please. It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± The girl called Yana took a step backward let out a deep breath and sighed. The blond stepped inside, eyes relaxed. She introduced herself. ¡°I¡¯m Sylphie, from the great forest in the east.¡± she bowed formally. Calia met her formality by bowing in return. There were little pokey bits of pale skin sticking out of her hair. An elf!? ¡°It¡¯s n-nice to meet you,¡± Calia said, her embarrassment slowly fading. ¡°You¡¯re a¡­¡± ¡°High elf, but a half-elf to be specific,¡± she said with a half-smile. Calia nodded her head up and down, her lewd thoughts already speculating. On what an elf¡¯s privates looked like. Yana coughed in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Yana, but you¡¯ve already heard that. I¡¯m going to be clear. 1. I do not mingle, I came here to become a sage. 2. Your interests and activities do not interest me so don¡¯t involve me.¡± Piper was a little down at her words. Calia didn''t believe, a sage was practically a god among men and women. This girl was way in over her head. ¡°If you''re going to be perverted.¡± Her attention lingered on Calia. Eyes glinting under the glasses. ¡°Do it elsewhere.¡± Yana threw her bag on a vacant bed. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse I¡¯m going to spend the rest of the day decorating my part of the room, so I¡¯m going to make a quick stop to the town down the hill, to buy some bedding and decorations. ¡°There¡¯s a town?¡± piper squeaked. ¡°I don¡¯t have money though,¡± Calia whispered in her ear, lips an inch away from nibbling. ¡°I can buy you something.¡± the girl¡¯s eye flashed with glee. Already forgetting, that social capital was heavy in the world of witchery and magic. She might regret it. Sylphie frowned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we collectively decide how to arrange the room?¡± Yana looked like she wanted to chew her head off. Calia decided that it sounded like a good idea. After all else, their room would look like a circus. ¡°I agree, we can go together, curfew is like 8 hours away. And we got nothing better to do.¡± Calia concurred. Yana settled. ¡°Fine, but..¡± she raised her wand in the air. ¡°If any of you misbehave or try and ruin my social standing. I will toast your asses with a [Fireball]" ¡°Kinky,¡± Calia replied. Yana blushed and Sylphia did her best to keep her at bay. The tall elven girl holding Yana like a midget to refrain her from going berserk. They settled down after a while, preparing to go as a group. Piper was unable to sit still so she ran down the hallway, hoping to find fun elsewhere. Yana did something else in the bathroom. It left Sylphia and Calia staring at each other. Sylphia approached her, making sure no one was looking. Calia was a little frightened, not because of Xenophobia but because elves seemed so alien to her. Sylphia stopped in front of her. Holding her by the shoulders, sending a shiver down Calia¡¯s body. Sylphia came even closer, her breath tingling her skin. Lips parting, saliva glistening in her mouth. ¡°You have [Lilith¡¯s Kiss],¡± she murmured to her. ¡° You poor cursed thing.¡± Calia¡¯s mind was sent reeling. The teachers she understood knowning. But this Elf? She came out of nowhere. Her thoughts raced. If she knew, that meant she was magically attuned. She didn¡¯t belong among her peers. She was much older then. Elves grew really old, like faeries and devils did. What was she doing here? ¡°It¡¯s not so bad,¡± Calia said nervously, voice shaky. ¡°I can control it.¡± Sylphia¡¯s head tilted, golden blond hair spilling over her shoulder. Eyes heavy. ¡°Can you really¡­? I doubt it, you''re leaking¡­¡± Calia blinked, half spooked, by the Faerie-like creature in front of her, then stood up, and walked away. Sylphia didn''t follow, just stared. 1.5 - Milk The Girls had only gotten around to the town of Maplethistle by six in the evening. Maplethistle itself radiated with a comfortable warmth, you couldn¡¯t find anywhere else. Lanterns lit the town around the moment they arrived, Purple lilac trees bloomed under the setting sun, and the smell of fresh wood burning and meat being cooked was refreshing. Against their better judgment, they¡¯ve decided to cling to the uniforms, despite their skin becoming damp from the day¡¯s heat. Yana however was the only one who stuck with her blazer. Calia wondered if she was too shy to show some skin. The girl was very reserved but didn''t hold the typical arrogance you''d expect from Calia¡¯s eyes occasionally drifted to Sylphia, the elf¡¯s gaze was predatory, looking at her the same way a dragon would at gold. Her sneaking advances weren¡¯t exactly subtle. Yana had noticed the tension and rolled her eyes in annoyance. I f she had to be true to herself, Sylphia seemed very much like a threat of sorts. She didn''t trust her. It would be best to keep an eye on her. It seemed most students had brought an exorbitant amount of luggage with them, which put the four of them on a matching quest. Half an hour of walking had them stumbling into a home essentials shop. ¡°Hearths and threads.¡± Their purchases hadn¡¯t taken long, they kept things simple but tasteful. Every one of them chose a different color bed sheet, some pillows, a curtain, and a carpet for the spartan bathroom. Piper of course had no allowance to be able to afford it, bar some gold coins she¡¯d have to live off. Calia kept her promise, Piper had excused herself but promised to make up for it in the future. She¡¯d better. Yana had ordered a bedside table and when asked how she¡¯d liked it delivered. She demonstrated a [Inventory] spell. Tucking it away somewhere with the whoosh of her wand somewhere between this reality and the next. ¡°So Yana, what happens if you run out of mana?¡± Piper has asked with her wayward curiosity. ¡°Hopefully it would never happen, as I take care of my mana reserves. But if it did, however. The item would either be suspended within extradimensional space or it would explode near a similar axis I isolated it from. If it survived, I¡¯d simply retrieve it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Piper asked, perplexed. Sylphia stepped in, acting like she was a caveman. ¡°Mana disappear from small lady,¡± she started with an apelike pose, Yana was immediately irritated by this display. ¡°Desk goes boom or desk freeze like frozen popsicle, If desk not go boom, small lady retrieve with more mana.¡± ¡°Oh, I get it now,¡± Piper said. Looking into the air as if she¡¯d discovered an epiphany. Yana clicked her tongue. Sylphia giggled. Calia knew she wasn¡¯t really dumb, just devoid of the academic rhetoric that nobles held. ¡°Wait, frozen popsicles,¡± the girl started. ¡°Frozen treats, ice cream, cakes, and chocolate.¡± Her face was delighted with joy. Her eyes narrowed on Calia and then grew big as apples. ¡°Calia, you said you get me something nice, well¡­¡± her hands folded together and she crept closer, her face twice as cute as before. Calia folded her arms. She turned her head away. ¡°Hmmm, maybe not¡­you know those bedding goods were expensive, even my own allowance is limited¡­¡± There was an opportunity here, a psychological play to be made. Piper had naturally skirted her when they met, but she wanted the girl to be completely under her thumb. Her reaction earlier wasn¡¯t satisfactory enough, she wanted to train her in a sense for her eventual needs. ¡°Please, I want ice cream, I want chocolate, I want sugar cakes.¡± she raised a voice, drawing stares from the staff of the shop. Better to calm her then. ¡°Okay, buuuutttt¡­ only if you do me a little favor later.¡± Yana gave her a disgusted look. She didn¡¯t care, she had her own games to play at this academy for her future. Someone like Piper would make a nice ally and ¡®friend.¡¯ Affluent or not, her father was a knight, it was an instant connection with the king''s court. She needs to play the winning hand. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Anything, I promise.¡± her eyes grew abnormally large, which made it doubly cute. ¡°Ok.¡± Yana let out a nasty grunt, ¡°You know Piper, extracurricular activities are an easy way to make some money. Don¡¯t let Calia manipulate you.¡± Piper pretended not to hear her. Sylphia kept giggling. The elf girl found everything amusing it seemed. They moved out once again, stumbling from street to street. Enjoying the scenery along the way, what irked her the most were the inhabitants of the town. There were mostly women, the occasional man popping up only after a while. It seemed a bit odd, though the academy was a woman¡¯s institution, the town was something else entirely. There was something sinister at work here. Their stroll came to an end when they smelled the hot scent of warm sugar and honey. A glowing board illustrated the name of the small shop. Called Pelrunea¡¯s Sweets. The owner sat inside, smoking a long pipe, which sent out pink sparkling smog into the air. She was a mature but voluptuous woman, there were silver streaks in her dark hair, lips were pink with some gloss. Very light on makeup. Calia wagered her in her early forties. Still beautiful. The first thing she noticed was her face, and the second thing was her massive breasts. Milf spotted ¡°Good evening, how can I help you girls.¡± she waved, coughing. ¡°Pel-ru-nea?¡± The woman nodded. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°We are hoping to buy some sweets,¡± Calia said with a genuine smile. ¡°Choose your pick.¡± the woman responds nonchalantly. The woman gestured to an array of confections. Their was everything from pies to cakes to tarts to teas, ¡®to special herbs.¡¯ Calia thought it would best to buy something like a cake, so everyone could celeberate the occasion. Piper had a different idea. The girl¡¯s eyes locked on a glossy sweetcake. She leaned forward. ¡°Piper! Don¡¯t lean in too close, let the lady bag it then wait.¡± Yana called out to no avail. ¡°SWEEEETCAKES!!!¡± Piper leaned over the counter, frantically jumping, despite warnings from the others, she impulsively bit into the nearest fruitcake. Chomping down on it. ¡°Piper!¡± Yana shouted. Hands-on her temples, she fell to the ground. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good at all,¡± Sylvia said. Calia shook her head. ¡°How amusing, and yet ill-mannered,¡± Pelrunea said. ¡°You!¡± she pointed at Piper, the girl stared at the woman with the tenacity of a stray cat. ¡°[Morph] into a [Frog] A ray of light shot out of the wand. Piper¡¯s body shrunk and slowly started to lose her humanoid features, her hands becoming webbed and her eyes wide, her hair went baldlike. She disappeared under her own clothing. The girls stared in horror, there was a moment of silence, then, came a croak. The frog sprinted, and ran away from the woman, she leaped under Calia¡¯s skirt tickling her, squeezing into her shirt, and disappearing between her breasts. Yana and Sylphia were on their knees, they started begging without uttering a word. Calia stepped forward, plugging the frog girl from her breasts. Voice dripping with flair, she¡¯d noticed something intriguing as the chaos occurred, beneath the cleavage of Pelrunea''s breasts, there were thin white veins, glowing like cave lights. An illness. A rare illness, many took advantage of. She cleared her throat. ¡°Ahem, I¡¯ll pay for that of course.¡± ¡°You better. Or I¡¯ll be cooking four frogs tonight.¡± Pelrunea teased. Calia didn''t know if she was serious or not, she seemed like a force to be reckoned with. Yana turned away, embarrassed, staring out of the shop and into the streets. In the end, Calia had ended up buying more than a couple of sweets, she bought several sweetcakes for Piper alone. Sylphia didn¡¯t want much, stating she kept a rigid diet to maintain her figure and it was far from her cheat day, though she agreed to eat some of the cake Calia wanted to buy. Yana had reluctantly taken a chocolate bar Calia had bought, blushing at the gesture but turning stone cold shortly after. Piper had to redress, after Pelrunea reversed the spell, in full view of everyone, especially to Calia¡¯s delight. She chased her friends away after the debacle, Piper was the first to go, nibbling on her sweet cake, Yana left not wanting to endure more embarrassment. But Sylphia stalled, and Calia really didn¡¯t like that, she was nosey. Too nosey. But she left after Calia frowned at her. There was something Calia wanted to ask this woman. ¡°Is there a reason you hurried your friends away?¡± the woman questioned, huffing her pipe. Calia looked at the pipe and observed her lungs. ¡°What, you want to try some of this, it¡¯s [faerie glitter] mixed with [moonweed]. Numbs the pain¡­¡± Calia shook her head. Then as politely as possible made inquiries. ¡°I have a question Miss Pelrunea, if you don''t mind¡± ¡°Ask away, though you''re being an unnaturally nosey girl? Calia nodded. ¡°[Mysticamastia], do you have it?¡± Pelrunea raised her head. ¡°It¡¯s rude to ask a woman something so personal, especially when it¡¯s such a hurtful thing.¡± The woman put her pipe down. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± she pleaded. ¡°I have a sickness myself. My adoptive mother used to give me milk from women with [Mysticamastia], it eased my ¡®pain¡¯. I was wondering if you are selling¨C¡± ¡°My Breastmilk?¡± she said amused. ¡°No. Get out!¡± ¡°Wait a minute¨C¡± The Wand pointed at her and magical energy flew from it. ¡°[Banish]¡± An invisible force propelled Calia Out of the shop. The doors and the windows closed like a poltergeist commanded it. She stumped her head against the road pavement. Making her head spin in circles. Her roommates were staring at her in confusion. ¡°It''s a good thing I carried the cake,¡± Yana said, frowning. ¡°What did you do now?¡± Calia sighed. ¡°Nothing much, I was asking for some guidance, I may have pissed her off, but let''s just go back to the dorm.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Sylphia said. Cutting any unnecessary talk short. That was disappointing, but she knew she''d be back, there was a panacea under her nose, she needed to provide the right leverage and Pelrunea would cave. She''d be back in a few days. Calia wiped the dust off her, her attention shifting below her waist, things were getting more intense by the second. She half considered ditching her newfound friends and then creeping into some bush, and relieve herself. How long could she bear this overbearing feeling, this throbbing, pulsating experience, it was becoming too much. 1.6 Relief ????????????? Back at the dorm, as the sun started to set, the girls worked together to redecorate the room. Calia felt a flicker of satisfaction as Piper nibbled on her sweet cake like an ecstatic little pet. Yana even let go of her rough exterior and smiled a bit. Sylphia, who pretended to be a silly jester, eased into the moment. Night came, and Calia stayed up late, watching the girls in the hallway return to each of their dormitory rooms, watching with attentive focus and curiosity. There could be many opportunities here, and she wasn¡¯t going to spoil them by rotting away her time. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. She closed the door to the dorm room. As the room went quiet, and the door was locked. She was wide awake, under a warm blanket, watching and listening, making sure that each and every one of her room members was asleep. She started sweating, there was no point in delaying the inevitable, after a day of not attending to it, the pain would start, best to get it over with. [Lilith¡¯s kiss] woke, it drew her strength, directing it to below her waist. She double-checked, she couldn¡¯t risk getting caught. There were consequences, and she didn¡¯t know if these girls were trustworthy yet. There were only soft gentle snores coming from their beds, Piper was the loudest.
Cue sex scene. 1.7 - Empathy When Calia woke, she found Sylphia to be missing from her bed. Piper lay sprawled over her, suffocating her with her belly, Calia pushed the girl off her face, rolled over, she sat up. Her limbs strained and her head groggy. She wasn¡¯t butt naked anymore. Her clothes were properly refitted, it could only have been Sylphia, she must have recloth her body after what happened the previous night. Her cheeks flushed slightly red, whilst Sylphia wasn¡¯t her first in the bed, being given assisted masturbation by a tall elf was a very novel and strange experience. Her nipples were slightly sore, how long was she suckling on her? At any rate, she should keep it private, Yana most certainly wouldn¡¯t approve. Did Yana even notice? There was no fallout that woke her. So she guessed everything was fine. Piper, who was still in deep sleep, lay in undisturbable comfort. Her oversized t-shirt nearly went past her loose shorts. To Calia she looked like a cute, bubbly pet she¡¯d just adopted. She had a strange urge to start nibbling her cute face. But she refrained. Shaking her, stretching, she walked away from the bedroom. The other two were completely absent. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. A sense of satisfactory pleasure washed over Calia, despite being laggy and feeling lazy, she felt relieved. Her body felt strangely in tune, by now the pressure in her crotch would start building again, and yet it didn¡¯t there was no sensual irradiation plaguing her. She brushed her finger below her clothes, stimulating the area around her clitoris. Nothing, not even irritation, she felt perfectly at ease... Definitely, the elves work, she¡¯d inquire later as to what exactly she did. She opened the bathroom door, it was quite spacious and generous, with one big bathtub and two showers. One of the shower curtains was lifted, and a girl''s petite feet stuck out as the water fell from the shower apparatus. Sylphia resided in the large bathtub, the foamy and soapy water, covered her bare breasts. She smiled at Calia but said nothing. As if pretending nothing had happened the night before. Calia didn¡¯t dare ask her. That was enough curiosity for the moment. Calia knew the elf knew more than she let on, if she did indeed hold a secret to taming her [Lilith¡¯s kiss] she needed to spill. She undresses herself, throwing her clothing into a little basket at the edge of the room. As Calia undressed, she saw Yana¡¯s face peek out of the shower, briefly ogling at her, then blushing. She hid her face again. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any manners, Calia? The bathroom is preoccupied. At least cover your breasts before you get in the tub or the shower.¡± Yana scolded her. ¡°We''re all girls here aren¡¯t we,¡± Calia asked. ¡°What¡¯s the problem.¡± Yana scoffed. ¡°The problem is I¡¯m not comfortable with it. Sylphia understand my boundaries why can¡¯t you.¡± This girl was ridiculous. ¡°It¡¯s a communal bathroom, you should totally get used to it by tomorrow. You are a noble aren¡¯t you, so a servant has never dressed you before?¡± Yana scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m fully capable of dressing myself, my heritage is irrelevant Ms. Argentum, some of us, grow up differently.¡± ¡°But Sylphia¡¯s completely naked in the tub. Do you shy your eyes from her?¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°I did before, now shut up or I¡¯ll smite you!¡± she screeched. Calia flinched, slowly getting to the shower. Playing with the valves. Sylphia giggled behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t slip and fall¡± It may have been a jest, but Sylphia couldn¡¯t help but feel ominous at the statement. ¡°I...I won¡¯t,¡± Calia answered. **** Piper bounced like a wild hare as she dragged Calia out of the dormitory. ¡°Come on Calia, we need to get breakfast together. You can¡¯t say no!¡± Calia sighed but didn¡¯t protest. Yana and Sylphia had already left for class an hour early, barring her from pressing Yana for any answers about the strange devilry she might have performed last night. She¡¯d been receptive, and caring. Not asking for anything in return bar fondling her nipples with her mouth. That did feel good Inside the cafeteria, a handful of students were present for the morning rush¨C silverware clinked against porcelain, and cups were stirred. The air smelled like freshly baked bread and expensive chicory. Food was practically free, of course, if you didn¡¯t go over a certain limit. The educational fees were quite expensive if you were a commoner. Calia had hoped for something simple and nutritious. Bacon hard crisped, and boiled eggs, with a large cup of sweetened green tea to quench her morning thirst. She was never particularly hungry mornings. Piper being Piper, had gone way overboard. Her tray was piled with dozens of creamy croissants drizzling next to syrup drench pancakes. A mountain of cream on the side. Piper was ready to spend what little she had on it. But Calia stepped in knowing it was an illiterate financial decision. ¡°You¡¯re paying again? Are you sure? Piper had asked cautiously. ¡°Sure, but¡­you owe me, remember that.¡± Piper displayed her puppy-dog eyes. ¡°You mean it, you¡¯d do that for me.¡± ¡°Sure but say it.¡± Calia leaned in with a smirk. ¡°You owe me.¡± ¡°You owe me,¡± Piper said cheeky. Callia rolled her eyes. ¡°No, you owe me.¡± ¡°You owe me?¡± she repeated, now a bit confused. ¡°Wait¨C¡± Calia stopped her from speaking. The girl followed her to sit, tilting her head behind. Her airheadedness can be contagious sometimes, she supposed that¡¯s what she found loveable about her. They sat near a quiet table near the window in the corner of the chamber. Sunlight strode in, reflecting off kitchenware. Her tea was left untouched. She looked outside, a murder of bloody crows was patrolling the academy, ever watching. She wondered how she was going to approach this year. Her quiet thoughts were interrupted when Piper¡¯s cheery voice broke through. She barely had time to protest. ¡°Say aaah!¡± Calia hesitated. ¡°What are you¨C¡± ¡°Open up silly.¡± Piper buzzed. She let her mouth open. ¡°Aaahh¡­¡± Piper stuck it passed her lip, and Calia bit down, it was sugary and sweet. Good, too good in fact for her stomach. Piper returned to her plate attacking the pancakes with ferocious tenacity, it was a sight to behold. How her little frame was able to consume so much. Piper was adorable, no questions about it. Her bubbly energy brightened Calia¡¯s in every way possible. But Calia was not so innocent as her friend¨C the girl''s affection sparked something in her¨Csomething she desired. Cuddly comfort, Hilda had been there for her when she needed to but they were a ways off, by a few years. Something lured Piper to her and she didn¡¯t want that trail of fate to disappear. She had the selfish desire, to mold Piper into something more naughty, like Hilda had done the previous year for her.. She didn¡¯t know if Piper even liked women, it was a matter of desire. Whether it was a result of her upbringing she could only wonder, Hilda had been subservient to Arabella, and when no one was looking, she had been submissive to Hilda. Oh, Hilda. She wouldn¡¯t be touched by her anytime soon. She missed her. Calia veered her mind away from that sorrow. ¡°So, Piper¡± Calia asked, taking a sip out of her cup. ¡°Why are you here? Why not follow in your father¡¯s footsteps¡ªor even walk the path of a templar?¡± In their nation, it''s expected for a child to follow in the footsteps of a parent. Piper paused and then pouted. ¡®I told you before. I was sent here for punishment, sort of I guess.¡± she frowned and looked down, licking the syrup off her thumb. ¡°People in my village thought I was a nuisance, or a devil even. They really don¡¯t like magic¨Cgot scared of it. My father insisted I come here. Said it would be good for me. Like penal school but with spells.¡± ¡°Penal school?¡± Piper looked uncomfortable. She didn¡¯t answer. Calia put her cup down, watching Piper. ¡°And your mother. What¡¯s her opinion?¡± Her cheerful demeanor disappeared entirely, and Calia was so scared that seh opened a ticking bomb, she regretted asking. ¡°She¡¯s dead. Died when I was born. My father always said I have her energy, whatever that means.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Calia said quietly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± Then she opened up herself, adding. ¡°I never knew my mother, either. My birth mother, I mean. Legally speaking, Arabella is my mother, but... she¡¯s never treated me like one.¡± Piper¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wait¨Cso you¡¯re not a noble at all. You¡¯re adopted?¡± ¡°Well, actually I kind of am, just not from the Argentum family, I don¡¯t remember much about those days, but our estate was burned down. I can¡¯t really recall it clearly, everything is so hazy. I was a wild orphan for a while, until the Argentum adopted me, bar one condition.¡± Piper listened attentively. ¡°When I become of age, I¡¯m supposed to marry one of her sons. ¡± Piper jerked. Scrunching her nose in disgust. ¡°That¡¯s kinda¡­gross.¡± Calia laughed bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s an old custom, and that was last year, the only reason I¡¯m not betrothed to a fat slob of a son of hers is because the law sent me here. Nineteen, mandatory magical education and conscription thanks to the National Defense Act. ¡± Her mouth fell open, ¡°Wait¡­does that mean when you¡¯re done here?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have to marry Piggy,¡± she said flatly and distastefully. ¡°That¡¯s so messed up!¡± she exclaimed. Stabbing the last of her pancakes, like it committed a crime. Piper was left speechless. ¡°Then just marry someone else.¡± Calia giggled, amazed by how naive and earnest Piper was. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± she said voice tight. ¡°¡°I...I can¡¯t do that. I would be breaking noble custom. ¡°So run away,¡± Piper suggested, eyes vulnerable. ¡°That¡¯s just the thing,¡± she said. ¡°My good friend¨CHilda¨Csuggested I use this place to do just that.¡± The table fell silent and Calia was tense, she¡¯d never shared such a thing with anyone but Hilda. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll get you out of it, somehow¡­¡± her eyes blazed with determination. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± she said her voice cracking. If only there was a flicker of hope. ¡°I¡¯m not¡± she shot back. ¡°I¡¯ll write a letter to my father, and he¡¯ll tell the king. And then the king will make the argentums back off!¡± Calia dropped a sweat, dumbfounded. Piper¡¯s simplicity and innocence felt like a dream, the type you¡¯d smoke out of a pipe. She let out a soft humorless laugh. Piper might just be mad enough to actually write the letter. ¡°That¡¯s nice but no.¡± Piper crossed her arms, her expression stubborn. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± she said confidently. Calia sank her shoulders, she had more pressing things to worry about, such as why her magical libido was completely suppressed.