My first day of class was over, containing no emotions worth remembering. I never finished college, on the contrary, I ended up launching coaching courses in the past and made a fortune before starting my career as an investor, so this place holds little attraction for me except for the fact that I'm inside a game.
I wish I could interact with the other characters more normally, but as has been demonstrated, Aubrey is terrible at hiding arrogance. I also wish I had more flexibility in interacting with my other elf colleagues, but except for Elandor, all the others actively avoid me because of that haughty gaze that this body instinctively adopts.
I don't have as much power as I'd like, but at least being able to restrain a comment or two gives me some security. As long as I don't interact with the director or anything like that, everything will be fine.
The bell chimes, signaling the end of class.
"That's all for today, class. Remember to review the material in your books, it will be important for this week's exams."
"Hah, seriously? Exams on the very first week?"
"Quiet! If you complain, I'll make sure to make the exam harder!"
Of course, since this is not a common place, there are extreme changes like these. I don't need to care, since it's not like they're going to fail the daughter of the Lillaccuria clan just because she missed a little test... Ah, damn it, I'm starting to think like Aubrey, that's dangerous.
I rise from the chair, without waiting for Elandor or Mirelle to keep pace. I would much rather be alone now, lying in a comfortable bed and sleeping until the next day.
I walk through the open doors of the classroom and continue down the corridor, until footsteps emerge behind me, following me even after leaving the Institute building. How do I know someone is chasing me? Simple, elves have sharp senses for hearing, no wonder our ears are pointed, so I can tell someone is following me.
The perfume arrives before the sound of the footsteps. An intense floral note, delicate, but with that warm hint of spice that betrays too much personality for someone shy. I don't even need to look back to know that the pursuer is a girl, but it's not Mirelle, because the scent is different.
I keep walking to the outer wing of the Institute, passing through the stone arch that leads to the dormitories. The campus is wide, tree-lined, perfect for someone who thinks they can follow me unnoticed. How naive.
When I'm far enough from curious eyes, I raise my hand and make gestures to communicate with the spirits. The ground trembles softly, vines sprout and snake through the grass, grabbing ankles and climbing up the legs of the pursuer behind me.
I turn my body with all the pomp of an overly confident antagonist.
"Did you really think you could follow me without me noticing?"
The delivery is impeccable. My posture? Irreproachable. My expression? Pure threat. Everything was perfect to scare some trashy secondary character, but I didn't expect someone else to be trapped.
"...Lysette?!"
The villain aura collapses as quickly as it rose. I take two hasty steps toward her.
"What... why are you following me? I could have accidentally hurt you!"
Lysette, with her legs immobilized by the vines, raises her eyes to me. There is no anger, only an uncomfortable mixture of regret and nervousness, but there are definitely drops of fear because she was immobilized so quickly.
"I... I wanted to apologize for what happened in the bathhouse" she says, trying to maintain her dignity despite the situation. "Could you, um... release my legs? It's a bit tight."
I snap my fingers and the vines loosen, sliding back into the soil. Lysette takes a deep breath.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have been so invasive. In truth... I didn't even know what was happening to you at that moment. I just... acted without thinking."
She lowers her gaze, her hands coming together in a hesitant gesture.
"I didn't want you to be left with the wrong impression of me, I'm not like that! I just... wanted to apologize."
Lysette rubs her still-sensitive shins, and I sigh, crossing my arms. Her apology is so... genuine. I hate to admit that it drains the strength from my haughty pose, because I have a soft spot for honest people.
"I accept your apology" I reply, keeping my chin raised. "As long as you don't use those impulses to take advantage of me in a state of fragility, it's fine."
"I'll try. I promise."
Her posture holds no pretense, which leaves me with another uncomfortable feeling. Why, exactly, did she do that in the bathhouse? What kind of... impulse would justify such boldness? I mean, you don't advance on an elf just because she has a penis. Something isn't adding up.
I watch her out of the corner of my eye.What moved you so much, Lysette?
I avoid the question, it's better we keep this matter quiet and buried seven feet under. Aubrey's arrogant instinct wants to pressure her, but I restrain it. Interrogating someone when they are emotionally exposed is useless.
We walk along the cobblestone path, side by side. She slows her pace to match mine, and I let her. A gentle breeze passes between the trees on campus, pulling a few golden leaves through the air.
"Are you calmer now?" Lysette ventures.
"As calm as someone who just trapped another person in vines can be."
We talk about Institute trivialities, about the professor who talks while spitting syllables and the refectory that insists on serving watery soup. She comments something about her new dorm room, I mention, with my natural arrogance, how deplorable the acoustics of the walls are there.
For a few minutes, the tension disappears. When we reach the dormitory fork, we stop.
"So... I'll see you tomorrow?" Lysette asks, fiddling with the handful of brown hair that insists on falling over her eye.
"Evidently. I have no intention of avoiding anyone over such a... trivial incident."
Lysette's expression blooms into happiness, I think she is calmer now regarding the forgiveness over that bathhouse scene. I give a minimal nod, showing no latent emotion.
And then we separate.
I enter my room. The sunflower graces me with its appearance swaying in the middle of the room. My eyes immediately fall on the scroll and book on the desk, two parts of a curse that I need to gather the courage to look at.
It's because of the scroll that what happened with Lysette occurred, and I haven't seriously investigated it. I think it's time to treat this situation with more seriousness.
I close my room door with a click. Time to study.