Chapter 17: There’s never a moment of calm (2)

I didn’t understand the situation that had suddenly erupted.

I was using the break to shake off some exhaustion, but when I opened my eyes, I found a bold girl practically pressing her chest into my face.

I lifted my head slightly to see who it was. Blonde pigtails and heart-shaped eyes.

A beautiful girl with a voluptuous figure, radiating a vibrant health almost as impressive as that of the headmistress, Media. The short school skirt and knee-high black socks highlighted her appeal.

Rachel of Muira, from the family of the Saint of the Spear. A formidable heroine in Miracle Blessing M and fourth-ranked in the academy.

‘Why is she here?’ I instinctively wondered. We had no point of contact, but when I opened my eyes, there was Rachel, two buttons undone and a seductive smile, staring straight at me.

I blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, but it was real. The scent of fabric softener filled my nose, and if I leaned just a bit closer, my face would be buried in her chest.

When my expression showed a hint of confusion, Rachel tilted her head at a coquettish angle and spoke. Her blonde, glossy hair brushed her shoulder.

“Are you awake?”

“What?”

“They say guys pitch a tent in the mornings, don’t they?”

“…”

“Or… could it be because of me?”

Rachel brought a hand to her lips, letting out a sultry, teasing voice. Chloe, who was sitting next to me, narrowed her eyes in irritation.

“Excuse me, but who are you?”

Chloe stared at her with a burning gaze. Rachel glanced at her dismissively and let out a mocking laugh.

Patting Chloe’s head as if speaking to a child, she said condescendingly.

“Little girl, don’t interrupt when adults are talking.”

“…”

Chloe’s eyes lost their sparkle, growing cold.

“Rachel! What are you doing in another class?”

“What’s the problem, Miss Abel? I’m just saying hello, aren’t I?”

Abel, who had been standing behind her, tried to stop her, but Rachel didn’t budge. It almost looked pathetic, with Abel struggling to pull her away.

Abel was ranked two spots above Rachel, but as a member of a family of spear-wielding warriors, Rachel’s physical strength far surpassed Abel’s.

I remembered the motto of the Saint of the Spear’s family being something like, “With overwhelming strength, technique is unnecessary.” In Miracle Blessing M, the characters from the Saint of the Spear’s family were always powerhouse types, with all their stat points pumped into strength.

And here in front of me, the heir of that family, the niece of the Saint of the Spear, Rachel de Muira, winked at me, ignoring Abel’s attempts to restrain her.

‘What are they doing here?’

While watching Rachel and Abel argue, wearing a blank expression for a moment, I felt a cold, sharp sensation at my side. I shifted my gaze slightly. Goosebumps spread all over my body, and I immediately looked straight ahead again.

‘I’m screwed.’

Chloe had turned to look at Rachel with a blank expression. Her red eyes were dull, unfocused. And most concerning of all, she was holding a box cutter in her right hand.

I knew this would happen. Chloe was clearly in that mode. It seemed she’d lost control.

My eyes darted nervously from side to side. If I didn’t defuse this situation soon, we’d have a knife fight in the classroom in no time.

Before I could say anything, Rachel, who was still struggling against Abel, looked Chloe up and down. Then, she covered her mouth with her hand and let out a mocking laugh. Chloe frowned. They both looked like they’d lost it.

“Little girl, you shouldn’t play with dangerous toys.”

Chloe tilted her head at an odd angle. Ignoring her, Rachel shrugged, putting her hands on her hips, and continued speaking. Her nonchalant tone made Abel press her temples, muttering to herself.

“Kid, having a flat chest doesn’t mean you have to be narrow-minded, you know?”

Rachel puffed out her chest, flaunting her curves.

“Die, bitch.”

The sound of the box cutter sliding forward accompanied Chloe’s swift stab. A small scream could be heard.

They were way too close. Chloe was fast already, but now she was sharper and quicker than ever. A yandere on the rise… she could be deadly at any moment.

Crrsh!

““!””

‘Did she grab her arm?’

With a calm expression, Rachel had caught Chloe’s wrist and lifted it in the air. Her grip was so strong that Chloe’s hand holding the cutter turned red almost instantly.

Chloe tried to struggle, but Rachel quickly grabbed her other wrist. It didn’t look like a typical girl fight—it was more like an MMA showdown.

“Little girl, you’re slow.”

Rachel looked at Chloe with cold eyes. But Chloe’s eyes still burned with fury. Rachel, as if taunting her, loosened her grip on Chloe’s wrist slightly before tightening it again.

Crack—the sound of flesh compressing. Chloe let out a small whimper of pain.

“Urgh…”

“Rachel, stop!”

With a serious expression, Abel stepped between them. Rachel let out a soft sigh and released Chloe’s wrist, almost tossing her aside.

Chloe’s small frame flew toward the blackboard. However, she twisted in mid-air and landed gracefully, as if she’d rolled into the move. Some people let out gasps.

There didn’t seem to be a single normal girl in this academy. At this point, all I wanted was to escape.

Rachel resumed her playful expression. She approached and pressed herself against my side. A soft sensation brushed against my elbow, sending a jolt of pleasure through me. It’d be impossible to get up before the next class.

“Your name is Kang Geom-Ma, right?”

When I didn’t respond, Rachel’s heart-shaped eyes narrowed. Her mouth twisted into an ambiguous smile.

“Is that girl your girlfriend?”

“No.”

I answered firmly, and Chloe, who was one or two meters away, glanced sideways at me. Her eyes seemed filled with complex thoughts. The sharp box cutter in her hand made me uncomfortable.

But no, that wasn’t true.

“She’s a friend.”

“Heh.”

That was the best answer I could give. Rachel let out a drawn-out, mocking “heh.” With her chin resting on her hand, she nodded slightly.

Her heart-shaped eyes were difficult to read.

Between the unbuttoned collar of her shirt, the soft curve of her collarbone was visible.

When she turned her gaze away, I found myself meeting Abel’s.

She jolted and backed away. In the midst of all this, I’d forgotten she was still here.

“Why did you come here?”

“They said Miss Abel was interested in you, so I came to take a look.”

“When did I say that?!”

“Huh? Then, wasn’t that why we came?”

“Rachel, you dragged me here!”

“But you followed along without protest, so I thought you wanted to come!”

When Abel yelled, the stares around us turned to her. With a slight movement of her lips, Abel composed her expression, then crossed her arms and remained silent.

The students’ gazes were still fixed on us. She probably realized that if she kept talking, she’d only make things worse for herself.

The Wolf Class, and many other classes, were filled with boys who’d come just to see Abel and Rachel.

All I wanted was to avoid those intense stares. I was already worn out from yesterday, and this situation was only making things worse.

But even so, it seemed Abel had something to say. Or maybe she’d just lost the right moment to leave.

I sighed deeply and rested my head on the history book. My teenage body never seemed to get enough sleep.

“If it’s not important, leave.”

Rachel’s chin slipped from her hand. She opened her eyes in surprise, then burst out laughing. Abel also seemed taken aback.

“You’re a funny guy!”

Without saying a word, I turned to face the other way. I didn’t know what was so funny, but I had no energy to humor her. My life at the academy was already complicated enough.

Rachel pressed her chest against my arm, whispering in a seductive tone that tickled my ear.

“I like funny guys.”

“That’s nice. I’m not funny.”

Rachel chuckled, holding her stomach. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically with her laughter. Even trying to pull away, her chest felt like a magnet stuck to me.

“How about we watch Netfrix in my room after class?”

‘Bitch.’

“Get away from Geom-Ma right now!”

Chloe, who had come back to her senses, shouted, her face flushed red.

“Haha! She calls him Geom-Ma!”

Ignoring Chloe, who was glaring at her with hostility, Rachel looked at Abel.

Abel’s eyes sparkled as if she might pull out a sword at any moment. Rachel sighed and shook her skirt before standing up.

“It was a pleasure, Kang Geom-Ma. We’ll see each other soon!”

“Don’t come.”

“Haha, how cold you are!”

I covered my face with one hand and responded coolly. Just thinking about getting entangled with Rachel gave me a headache.

Rachel glanced at Chloe, who looked like a demon with her red eyes, and then said goodbye as she took Abel by the arm.

Before leaving, Abel narrowed her eyes and looked at me. Her long lashes lowered, covering half her eyes. Her lips moved a couple of times, but then she followed Rachel out.

When the two left, the stares of the other students landed on me. Eyes full of resentment. Without meaning to, I’d apparently become the enemy of all the boys in the academy.

* * *

Hallway of the teacher’s building, on the way to the Star Class.

‘I didn’t expect him to be that intense…’

Having a cold attitude was one thing, but there was something hidden in his dark, shadowed eyes that put overwhelming pressure on anyone who looked at him.

Just meeting his gaze, I felt as if my head had been sliced off. The fear I felt for the first time in ages made my teeth chatter slightly.

It was clear he was different from the pretentious, shallow students I’d encountered since entering the academy.

The family of the Saint of the Spear had a tradition of engaging with outstanding warriors. From Rachel’s perspective, Kang Geom-Ma was an incredibly tempting prospect. She murmured quietly to herself.

‘Kang Geom-Ma…’

His somewhat brusque attitude, his aloof behavior, and those eyes filled with a sense of decay. No wonder Abel, the so-called “invincible empress” among the academy boys, was curious about him.

As they were about to reach the door of the Star Class, Rachel stopped and turned toward Abel, who sighed with her arms crossed. With a mischievous smile, Rachel apologized.

“Miss Abel, I’m sorry.”

“…Ha, if you’re talking about that fuss earlier, don’t apologize to me. Apologize to the students in the Wolf Class.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“…Then, what?”

Rachel winked with a smile.

“I can’t give up on Kang Geom-Ma.”