I carefully slid out of bed, making sure not to make any noise that might wake Leon. As I stood, I noticed that I wasn’t entirely nude; I still had my panties on. I tiptoed to the closet, opened it quietly, and grabbed some clothes. Quickly, I pulled them on. He might have seen me naked last night when he helped clean up after I vomited, but the thought of being seen like that still made my cheeks burn with embarrassment.
From behind me, I heard Leon groan as he began to stir awake.
Thankfully, I was fully dressed now.
“You finally awake?” I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, still feeling groggy myself. “Want some coffee or something?”
Leon blinked, his eyes still heavy with sleep.
“Sure,” he replied with a faint smile.
***
“You’ve really dug deep into this, huh?” Leon remarked, his gaze fixed on the chart filled with information I had meticulously compiled about the cult. The chart detailed sightings, descriptions of key figures, and maps pinpointing their recent activities.
The information detailing how he had saved Charlotte was prominently displayed.
“You can’t look at that,” I cautioned him while busy preparing our coffee.
“Why not?”
“I still can’t read your mind,” I said. “For all I know, you could be an enemy.”
“Surely, you wouldn’t drink with an enemy or share a bed with one.”
“T-That was just…” I stuttered, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. “You have to forget about that. And what I said last night, forget about it too!”
“You know, there’s no way I can forget something that steamy, even if I have to work hard for it.”
“How about I kick you in the head so you won’t remember it permanently?”
“That’s just violence, Professor.”
Ugh. That was embarrassing. I can’t believe I said some embarrassing things last night. Honestly, those words slipped out because I was too drunk to think clearly. If I’d been sober, they wouldn’t have even crossed my mind. I got caught up in the moment, and being tipsy only intensified those feelings.
“Anyway, I won’t be your enemy, Professor. I have one goal: to annihilate the cult. They’re the filth of this kingdom,” he declared. “If we let them roam freely, this kingdom will collapse, and countless will suffer. After what that cult did to me, I won’t stand for it.”
“Is that why you saved Charlotte Sierra?” I inquired.
“You should pay more attention to her, Professor,” he retorted. “She might hold the key to this seemingly unsolvable problem.”
“Hmm? Charlotte Sierra? Why?”
“Don’t you think it’s strange that after being silent on kidnappings for years, they suddenly come back and go straight for Charlotte Sierra? And then, after failing, they didn’t attempt to snatch anyone else. Doesn’t that clearly show they’re after Charlotte Sierra specifically?”
“You might be onto something,” I replied. “But it’s still not concrete proof.”
I picked up two steaming cups of coffee, one in each hand, and approached him, offering one.
“I don’t think we should throw around accusations without any proof. Maybe I’ll dig deeper into her background since you brought it up, but she’s not my top priority,” I said.
“You’re right,” he agreed. “But if you hit a dead end in this operation, come talk to me, Professor. I may not be powerful, but I’m damn good at gathering information. I can dig deep in the underground.”
“The underground? You’ve been there?”
“That’s where people hungry for information dwell, Professor. It’s where those who know everything and trade secrets thrive,” he explained knowingly.
The underground society is a den of criminals. It’s the criminal underworld, where the lowest of the low thrive. I haven’t set foot there myself, but from what I’ve heard, death is a daily occurrence. Killing and dying are so commonplace that stumbling upon a dead body on the streets doesn’t even raise an eyebrow. People there are used to hauling corpses and disposing of them like it’s routine. I can’t believe Leon would venture into such a dangerous place.
“Leon, don’t go back there,” I pleaded. “As easy as it might be to gather information, it’s just as easy to end up dead.”
“There’s no other way to gather intel on the Eclipse except from the underground, Professor.”
He was spot-on. All the crucial leads I’ve pieced together have come from those shady underground sources. Without them, my investigation would have hit a dead end.
“I’m not about to give up hunting the cult just because you say so, Professor,” he retorted.
“I can’t stop you there, but you’ve gotta tread carefully. Danger lurks in those depths, you know? Our deaths aren’t written in the stars; we never know when it’s coming. You could bite the dust today or right after this conversation. That’s why I’m urging you to stay vigilant.”
“Well, I’m not planning to die anytime soon, so I’ll just trust your advice.”
“Good,” I grinned at him. “I don’t want to lose my first protege before I’ve had a chance to teach him something. If it comes to it, I’d rather you meet your end at my hands.”
“That’s violence again, Professor.”
After we finished our coffee, Leon finally decided to leave my place. Before he walked out, he said to me,
“Professor, I think it would be more beneficial if we teamed up. It’s too risky to go solo, especially with so many Eclipse members out there. What do you say?”
I pondered his suggestion. Working together with Leon to take down the cult did seem advantageous. It would increase our safety and leverage our combined understanding of how to handle them. Plus, knowing I had someone like Leon watching my back bolstered my confidence, especially now that the cult was aware of my investigation. But accepting his proposal wasn’t easy. Leon was still young, six years my junior. If I put him in danger or, worst-case scenario, got him killed, it would haunt me forever. Moreover, it was my duty as an agent to protect citizens from the shadows. Bringing him into this would only expose him to danger.
While I pondered over this, Leon reassured, “Don’t worry about me, Professor.”
His reassurance instantly eased the lingering worry in my chest. Even though his words weren’t entirely comforting, somehow, my fears of him ending up dead lessened, no, disappeared completely. I couldn’t explain it, but I felt like I could trust him.
“Okay,” I nodded, “I’m in, Leon. Let’s do this.”
“Sure thing,” he replied with determination.
Despite my reservations, I knew hesitating wouldn’t get us anywhere. It felt like stepping into the unknown, but standing still wasn’t an option either. Sometimes, you had to take a risk to make any headway.
***
Leon’s POV
I left Professor Rose’s place, stepping out into the open air, when the familiar chime of metal echoed through my mind. Checking my mental checklist, I noted that I had successfully completed two out of the ten requirements needed to fully dominate her. The first was sharing a drink with her, and the second was gaining her agreement to assist in her investigation of the Eclipse. With each step, I was slowly gaining control over her. The third requirement didn’t seem overly challenging, but it remained out of reach for the moment.
Now that I’m collaborating with Professor Rose, I’ll feed her as much intel about the cult as I can, but I’ll hold back enough to keep crucial details hidden. It’s crucial she doesn’t discover Sesillian’s role as the cult leader too soon, because I need to use him to gain dominance over Charlotte. If Sesillian gets exposed prematurely, I’ll lose my opportunity to dominate Charlotte completely.
Just like how it would be impossible for me to dominate Artemis if she loses her virginity early on, not having been deflowered right before her mother, dominating Charlotte would also be out of reach without Sesillian.
I had to handle this situation with utmost care.
“Now then…” I muttered as I checked my phone. Artemis had just sent me a message. “I guess it’s time for me to make my next move on her.”
***
Irene’s POV
I walked along the path to Rose’s house, feeling uneasy. I’d messaged her several times but got no response, which had me worried. I had breakfast and something to ease a potential hangover ready for her.
Rose had a knack for pushing things to the limit; she could drink herself into oblivion without a second thought. She had a reputation for letting loose, and it wouldn’t be unlike her to end up in a brawl. She had a quick temper, the kind that could result in broken bones for anyone who crossed her. I’d known her since our first year at the academy, witnessing firsthand how she could escalate from zero to a hospital visit in no time. It wouldn’t be out of character for her to end up in a brawl last night, possibly sending someone to the hospital.
As I approached her house, what—or rather, who—emerged from it shocked me. I knew him well. He had consumed my thoughts for months, a man I couldn’t forget. Yes, he was the one I slept once, the one who took my innocence and then never thought of me again. Now, he was leaving my best friend’s house.
