17 Chapter 2.4

2nd June.

My 2nd day.

And 14 days left.

Perhaps, I slept enough. My body seems to be feeling well, as if in my usual condition— I recovered from the fatigue I built up yesterday.

Without being particularly aware of it myself, my eyelids open.

After a slight moment of blur on my vision, the sight in front of me looks the same just as yesterday night.

I`m not sure what the exact time is. Maybe it's a little bit late from my usual wake-up schedule, or maybe it's slightly early. Since there isn't any space for sunlight to shine here, the light intensity here always remains the same. It is impossible to tell whether it is day or night here.

I could tell it`s the second day because I know how long I slept, and also because—

—there`s an extra pair of beautiful, sexy, bare-footed legs next to me.

Obviously, when hearing the term ‘sexy’, those legs are no doubt a girl`s.

When I came to realize it, her head was actually leaning on my right shoulder and her fingers were coiled on my right hand (Mine on bottom and hers on top). Plus, with such a romantic atmosphere, it's almost as if I'm taking an afternoon nap with my girlfriend.

Except— I can`t tell who it is from this angle, but there's a high chance it's ‘her’.

So I touch her hair;

Feel her thigh;

And sniffed her.

As careful as possible— not to wake her up.

This smell, this sensation, this coldness… I knew it.

…It`s Kuroyuki Shiroha— my partner, classmate, perhaps a friend, a talented beauty, and possibly, she will be the girl to save me.

‘...Am I dreaming?’

Thinking that— my gaze shifted back to the front. I was staring into space with my thoughts blank as a white sheet.

As far as I can remember, there are only two girls in this world who have ever leaned on my shoulder— and surely you know who they are. I was told that my shoulders are even more comfortable than those custom made pillows.

Of course, I always doubted their words.

But now I`m slightly convinced.

Kuroyuki seems to be sleeping comfortably enough for her to make her ‘purring’ sounds. So cute.

Because of her ice elemental power, her body is colder than a normal human being. Since she coiled her left hand on my right hand, my entire right arm feels so terrifyingly numb. Even if the heating function on my sleeve didn't help much. How long had my right hand been placed in this condition?

Better move my hand away first.

Hmm…?

Though she holds my hand gently, I can't seem to pull my hand out from it.

I then placed both of our hands on my legs, attempting to unlock her hand by pulling her fingers out one-by-one— I ended up kind of hooked up to her fingers.

…So soft. And it's fun to squish.

Is this a genuine cat paw?

PAK!

“…Huh?” I inadvertently muttered.

When I came to my senses, a hand grabbed my face— or rather, I came to my senses because my face was grabbed…

…by Kuroyuki`s right hand.

“…I thought so, you really are a pervert.” She uttered coldly.

CRAK!

“GAAAAHHHHH—! STOP! STOP!” I screamed.

I slapped her hand over and over, hoping for a timeout.

“…………”

Kuroyuki wasn't bothered by my scream and slap at all. Her cold glare looks so eager to squish my head like a tomato.

Her expression frightens me for a moment. It made me desperate to escape from her grip.

Since she couldn`t be bothered by my slapping, I quickly switched my escaping tactic by grabbing her thumb, pulling it. The thumb is her key factor to her grip.

When Kuroyuki sensed that her grip was slowly loosening from my face, she quickly flicked her hand— pushing my hand away from her thumb.

She immediately clenches her right hand into a fist and throws it to my face.

Though it's nothing but a simple, straight punch, yet I know it's powerful enough to knock me unconscious.

Reluctantly, I evaded her punch by bending my neck to the right, dodging it by hairbreadth.

God, the air pressure from her punch is so scary. I barely couldn`t react.

Realizing it didn't hit, Kuroyuki quickly switched her attacking style— from punching to grappling, and she went for my collar before I could react.

This is bad. I can't react in time for twice a row.

Though I'm sure Kuroyuki is faster compared to yesterday, but… the fault lies within me as well.

After resting well enough, I could tell the difference.

My body… can't keep up with her speed. It's getting slower again.

Twisting my collar, locking her hand on it— Kuroyuki lifts me with her arm strength alone, forcing me to stand on my feet. Then she immediately takes her right arm like a shield, pushing me with the power of her legs.

Despite my stable foothold, Kuroyuki`s able to push me back because my shoes are sliding backwards. I tried to break free by jumping backwards for some room and side-stepping to the side, but she pulled me back with our connected hands.

Did she do that from her pure instinct…? It seems she didn’t realize that she's still holding my left hand.

By the time I knew it, I was forced to the edge of the branch.

Is she really thinking I would fall to my death from this height? That can't be, this is Kuroyuki we are talking about.

While I was thinking that, Kuroyuki stopped exerting her strength.

“…What… did you do to me…?” Kuroyuki uttered with a cold glare.

When she uttered, I thought she'd let her guard down so I pushed back with both of my hands, hoping to get myself some space.

But it was futile, she's not budging an inch.

Her cold glare is exactly the same as the look when she attacked Nightwalker yesterday, out from suspicion.

…Then I understood resistance is futile. Let's deal with things nicely.

“First things first.” I murmured. “Would you mind stopping holding my hands so passionately…?”

“………!”

Hearing my remark, Kuroyuki`s eyes widened from the surprise.

She then took a quick glance at both of her hands that were tightly holding mine, then stared back at me.

It's as if with a ‘pop’ sound, her face immediately turns blushing red like an apple.

Then she quickly flicks both of my hands away and takes a few steps backwards, holding her hands on her chest with her head hung low, her face still red— avoiding my eye contact as she makes a shy and humiliated look.

…So cute. Her reaction is too terrifyingly cute.

I was expecting a slap or a punch afterwards so I clenched my teeth. But—

—it's as if Kuroyuki realized something, she jumped down.

Come to think of it, this situation looks a little déjà vu.

By the way, Kuroyuki wore a black-laced, sling, sleep dress. She's not wearing a brassiere and the length of her dress merely covered two inches of her thigh— this means even the slightest breeze could reveal her underwear.

Not to mention she jumped from this height too. If there`s someone below here…

Huh?

Realizing something, I jumped.

I suddenly understood, the reason why Kuroyuki is in a hurry—

Passing through the last layer of flowers, I saw a whole bunch of students encircling a person that was sticking at the tree trunk. That person sticking at the trunk is most probably Kuroyuki.

—it's because of her fans.

God, what's with this number? She's really not joking at all.

Luckily there`s still a gap between her and them.

“Hup.”

Timing with time till the impact, I bent on my knees— doing a squat when my foot touches the ground.

THWOOM!

This is a soft-impact landing, doing such would spread the force to the side instead of the ground instead. This way I wouldn't have to injure any unnecessary people and might as well give Kuroyuki a chance to escape as well.

Wah— Hey—!

The people at the front lines were stumbled backwards by the impact, some of them even fell down.

Ah. There`s Kuroyuki.

She's leaning at the trunk, with her hands held defensively on her chest.

Better grab her and run.

“Kuroyuki—”

“…Stay back…!”

Kuroyuki swayed her hand in my direction, as if she was swatting a housefly with her hands.

Tons of sharp, ice spikes suddenly grow from the ground, and it is advancing towards my direction.

Huh? Why is she attacking me…?

I quickly leap several steps backwards together with some of those who were pulled in.

Since I'm currently at Kuroyuki`s left side, I quickly evade to the right afterwards— dodging the rest of the ice spikes. The others that failed to escape were frozen within the ice spikes.

“It's Kuroyuki`s ice spikes! How cool~!”

“She's so awesome!”

Even if it seems to be preposterous getting attacked, Kuroyuki`s fans still praised her. These guys seem to be a bit of a masochist.

The Kuroyuki I knew would definitely freeze them without hesitation.

However, the expression she's making— looks terrified.

This is new to me. I never imagined the headstrong Kuroyuki would`ve had such a weak side.

“…stop… it……”

As she made a nearly soundless, weak scream— Kuroyuki`s right hand swayed from left to right. The way she swayed her hand somehow, looks like she's trying to push others away.

At the same time, countless ice spikes quickly grow from the ground. It's almost as if she made a fence to protect herself.

“……!”

Realizing there's no time for me to jump back or chances to evade to the sides, I decided to leap and step on the spikes, climbing over it to Kuroyuki.

“Hey—! That bastard!”

“Isn't he the new guy…!?”

These people— finally noticed me. I`m actually amazed at how focused they are on Kuroyuki.

Anyways, I decided to ignore them and continue to move forward by stepping on her spikes.

Kuroyuki— my partner, is my priority.

“Oi…! Kuroyuki—”

“…Don't… Don't come near me…!” Kuroyuki said with a shaky voice.

I shouted, but she didn't realize it's me— even though she's looking at my direction with her teary eyes.

Her hand then switches to my direction as if it's pushing a big, heavy object— an extremely large ice boulder suddenly appeared out of thin air, moving towards my direction.

…Wow. With this size, it could probably crush me 50 times over.

There's no way for me to dodge it. The ice spikes standing in the way were crushed by this thing.

Although those at the back are annoying, they would probably get injured badly if they were crushed by this thing.

With a stomp, I crushed the ice spike I'm standing on, getting myself to a lower point of the boulder.

Then I reached out my hands, absorbing the impact and directed the boulder`s direction with a light jump higher than the spikes, pushing it upwards.

“Hah…!”

Then I added a kick from below, sending the boulder to fly over those guys, landing it at an empty place.

It's quite absurd for a human to send such a huge boulder flying, so obviously everyone was shocked.

“……!”

Obviously, including Kuroyuki— which she gasped.

That expression— good. She finally realized I`m here.

I gently landed on the ice spike, then leaped myself to Kuroyuki.

This time, she did not attack.

“Phew, finally made it.” I inadvertently mumbled. “Are you alright—”

“…………”

Kuroyuki did not answer— she ran to me instead.

When I looked at her closely, her teary expression surprised me.

…then I understood.

I reached out my arms, catching the incoming Kuroyuki— where she looked at me with eyes of hope.

“…thank… you… thank you……” She said pitifully.

Saying none, I let her teary face bury on my right shoulder. Her hands are grabbing my blazer, and they are trembling with fear. She's like a poor rabbit, trying to hide from its predator— in this case, her fans.

To let her feel comfortable, I place one hand behind her head and one hand around her waist, cradling her.

Then the crowd starts to roar with anger.

“H-Hey—! Get lost! Stay away from our princess…!”

“Yeah! You even stole her rank!”

“It doesn't matter! Kuroyuki will always be number one!”

“““““Yeah!!!”””””

Geez, they are so annoying.

“…Hold your skirt, Kuroyuki. We are getting out of here.” I whispered to her ear.

“…………”

She nods silently, with her face still sticking on my shoulder.

I placed my hands on her back and below her knees, carrying her like a princess. Kuroyuki quickly fixed her skirt with her hand, covering her panties from the surrounding people.

“O-Oi! Don`t touch Kuroyuki! Put her down!”

“H-Hey! Don't take Kuroyuki for yourself!”

Voices of protest from behind the spikes grow larger. Some of them even pulled out a portable sword— trying to cut through Kuroyuki`s ice spikes.

What`s with their problem…?

Anyways, when I carried Kuroyuki— I was expecting her to be embarrassed. But yet she`s not showing any sign of it nor the slightest excitement because she's still burying her head on my blazer.

Then—

PAK!

—Kuroyuki snapped her fingers.

Hearing this, I quickly lowered my head. Hoping that her snowflakes wouldn't get into my eyes when it explodes.

BOOM!

Ah— Wah— Kyaa—!

Hah, there`s lots of screams.

It took less than a second for the surrounding to turn cold.

White mists surrounded the area, but not us. It's almost like we had an invisible barrier protecting us.

Looks like Kuroyuki controlled her snowflakes from engulfing us.

Alright, time to escape.

“Grab tight.” I said.

“…N.”

Her fingers clenched tighter on my blazer.

Pouring some strength into my legs, I jumped upwards— charging out from the pool of mist.

The moment I was high enough, I took a quick glance on my surroundings.

It's safe. None of her fans got out yet.

Using the trunk as a platform, I kicked myself out from her mist`s coverage area.

“Hup.”

I continued to run after I landed.

“There he is! That bastard`s taking Kuroyuki away! Get him!”

Hah. Trying to chase me? I may be weaker now, but you can't outrun me even with magic enhancement. I could easily run a hundred meters in just 3 seconds.

………………

After several minutes…

I reached the ‘White Mansion’, and am now on my way to the lift.

Kuroyuki seems fine now.

By the way, she is still on my hands.

“…put me down.” She said.

…Such cruel words.

I saved you, shouldn`t you say ‘thank you for saving me, please carry me a little longer~’ or even ‘I will give you a kiss as thanks~’?

When making choices like these, I believe my little sis— Restia could do a better job than her.

Ugh… it seems she knows what I`m thinking.

“Maybe until I reach your room. You are bare-footed after all.”

“…I will crack your head.”

“Yes ma`am.”

When I slowly moved my hands to place her down, her smooth thigh slipped on my hand— which my hand is slipping towards her plump butt.

Though she managed to move herself away from my hand, my fingers accidentally hooked her skirt for a moment, revealing her panties.

…Oh. Black lace.

Obviously, Kuroyuki is aware of it.

“…N……!”

She groans as she quickly turns to face me, pressing her skirt down with her hands. One at the back and one at the front.

She glared at me with an extremely discomfit look.

…Wow. This is new to me.

I accidentally saw a girl`s panties and this is the first time the girl`s looking at me with an embarrassed look. Those two at my home would prefer to get themselves naked— if I don't force them, they won't wear their clothes and even their underwear, and they will gladly show me their assets.

Anyways, I accidentally saw Kuroyuki`s panties, so what should I say?

When I accidentally saw Restia`s panties and she`s aware of it, she told me to say ‘show me more’.

When I accidentally saw Ruby's panties and she's aware of it, she told me to say ‘I want to mate with you’.

…let's go for the obvious choice.

“…Sorry.”

I apologized without being particularly attentive to her skirt. I looked at her eyes to avoid the awareness.

But then—

“…did you see?”

“……………………”

—Kuroyuki`s question stunned me for a moment.

What!? Isn't this supposed to be Step Two?

First, I saw her panties.

Second, she`s aware of it and she would ask if I saw it.

Third, I answer and either receive a slap or a kiss.

The end.

Damn, as expected of Kuroyuki— common sense doesn't apply to her.

Now then, what should I answer…?

To such a question, my only choice is ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

‘No’ is definitely not an answer. She definitely knew I saw it clearly and it`s no use to play dumb.

So my only choice is ‘yes’. But if I say ‘yes’, she will definitely beat the crap out of me. This means I need to add something else behind the answer but what is it? I apologized, so it's clear she's not looking for an apology, or she didn't intend to accept the apology from the beginning.

Or maybe…

“Ugh……” I groaned. “Fine. Just do it…” I said unwillingly.

SLAP!

“Huh…? That's it?”

Although I expected a slap on my face, she's not hitting as hard as I expected. It's A light slap.

“…I would`ve crushed your head if you answered instead of accepting the punishment.”

“Crush my head? That`s murder!”

BAM (The sound of me being tripped)

PAK (The sound of Kuroyuki`s hand smacking on my face)

CRAKCRAKCRAK (The sound of my skull getting squeezed)

“ARGHHHHHHH!!? DO YOU REALLY NEED TO GO TO SUCH AN EXTENT?!!” I protested as I struggled myself against her grip.

Gah, it`s off...!

Kuroyuki is now sitting on my stomach. I`m preventing her from grabbing my face again by stopping her right hand with my left.

“…You should be grateful even if I killed you. You are the only guy who has ever seen my undergarments.”

…She even remembers I`ve seen her in her brassiere.

“……I wouldn't want to get myself killed by two piece of cloth.”

“…It's my undergarments.”

“Okay, I don't want to get myself killed by your undergarments.”

“…You have no idea how many tried to take my up-skirt pic.”

Actually I do. Those people earlier might have taken a few.

“Then wear shorts.” I said.

“…Why should I because of them?”

“You were scared, aren't you?”

“…………!”

Kuroyuki`s eyes narrowed.

…I was right. Her expression tells me I was spot on.

Kuroyuki fears the crowds, she's fine with a few people but she's not good with the crowd.

Perhaps this is her trauma— possibly, one of the trauma. Her friend may have saved her but he hadn't fixed her trauma entirely.

Kuroyuki then raised her left hand.

…It's not a joke. She's going to punch me for real.

BAM!

Bending my neck to the right, I dodged her punch by hairbreadth.

Ow, my left ear…! Is my eardrum ruptured?

Her powerful punch buried her fist into the floor deep enough till her wrist.

To pull out such a punch, she needs to use the strength of her back and legs. As such, she needs to lean forward and raise her hips— doing such gave me space to escape from her.

So I flicked her hand and pushed my body backwards quickly with both of my hands.

Just when I got on my feet as quickly as possible, Kuroyuki pulled out her fist. The way she glared at me— was those anger that burns deep from the heart. If you were to interpret in words, then ‘you are dead’ is a rather suitable one.

I know because I saw it once.

The only way to calm her anger is to let her hit me. But—

—Kuroyuki swayed, or rather, pushed her hand at my direction, summoning thick, large, ice spikes from the floor, from the walls and from the ceiling, inching closer to me every second.

Yeah, right. No matter how I look at it… This is impossible.

I did not hesitate and quickly sprint across the hallway to the end, entering the emergency stairs. I took a leap, three kicks on the wall, launching myself to the 1st floor.

Right when I just exit the emergency door…

“…You can't escape.”

…Ah. She came out from the lift.

And now she's running after me.

Luckily, after the door— my room is just on the left hallway. So I quickly sprinted, charged into my room, then closed and locked the door just in time.

She could've just broken the door, but I know she won`t. Because she didn't hurt anyone, even if she`s drowned in fear.

When I activated my screen and checked the security camera outside my room, Kuroyuki was already gone.

“…Phew…”

I sighed a heave of enlightenment and minimized the screen.

Although the fault is hers, I can't blame her entirely. Perhaps I should blame myself for not being considerate of her feelings, of her trauma.

But, I don`t understand.

What causes her trauma to make her fear people so much…?

…I guess I should not pry into it further. Despite how much I wanted to help her, the way I am right now can't even wipe my own ass.

Now then, welcome to my room.

The White Mansion`s dormitory room is only exclusive for the special students. It is the best dormitory room that the Imperial Knight`s Academy is able to provide.

The sumptuousness status in each room is determined by the student`s ranking, the higher you get, the more luxurious dormitory room you were able to live in. But even so, when comparing the highest ranking S class against the special students, you could say that the special student`s room is more like a presidential suite in a six-star hotel.

Huh. There's even a three-dimensional system—

CHAKA.

A door opened.

Not the entrance door, but the door on the right side…

“…even if you surrender I won't forgive you.”

“H-Hey…! Don't simply barge into my room! Have you ever heard of privacy…!?”

If I was correct, our rooms were connected by that door. Judging from the sound and the way she entered so swiftly, the door used is the old-model type that requires it to be opened manually.

I stuck myself onto the wall, sliding my back further away from Kuroyuki as she slowly approached me.

“…this will be your graveyard.”

Her tone of declaration does not show any ounce of concern to my life. Looks like words can't reach her. If that's the case, I will just have to result in violence!

“…Foolish.” Kuroyuki uttered.

Before I knew it, Kuroyuki immediately closed our distance within a time even shorter than the blink of an eye.

Her right hand is just right in front of my eyes.

Another grip!?

No, two of her fingers extended. Crap, it`s eye-poking…!

I straighten my legs, moving my face upwards to avoid her eye-poke.

“Ow…!”

Her fingers poked my face. But—

“AHHHHHHHHHH!!! MY EYES?!!!” I cried.

—she froze my eyes…!

I wanted to clear the ice with my hands, but Kuroyuki pinned both of my hands on the wall.

With my vision loss, I quickly rely on my other senses.

But damn, she's so fragrant…!

“…freeze.” She whispered.

Her ice starts to freeze me from her hands.

“C-C-Cold, cold, cold…!”

In less than a second, my whole body except my head was locked inside her ice. The coldness made me lose the senses on my skin from feeling anything.

I struggled— trying to break free with my strength, but I could feel she kept freezing my body over and over.

“Enough with the freezing! Just hit me already!” I shouted out from the frustration.

“…Shhh…” She shushed me by placing her finger on my lips.

What are you even trying to do…!?

BAM!

“Huh?”

That seems to be the sound of a door slamming shut.

What did she do to me…? I don't feel any different.

When I realized that her ice isn't wrapping my body anymore, I hurriedly tear off the ice on my eyes.

After a while, I got my vision back and quickly scanned the room. Kuroyuki is gone, and the door to her room is frozen up.

…must be her work.

I feel fine. There`s no pain or whatsoever.

Whatever, I`m going to take a shower.