Chapter 32: The Way To A Man's Heart

Alicarde hurried back to campus, the sheer amount of work ahead of him weighed heavily on his mind. The pressure was immense, and after Elizalina had run him through what "academic style" truly meant, he couldn't help but mutter curses under his breath aimed at Malefica.

'And I would have cursed her if she wasn't such a beautiful witch,' he thought, smirking slightly at the irony.

He was in the elevator heading down to the garage, the smooth hum of the machinery doing little to calm his restless thoughts.

Behind him, Argint leaned against the wall, her eyes fixed on him. They had just finished a brutal training session half an hour earlier, and despite the quick shower he had taken, he still felt the phantom ache of his muscles.

As he stepped out of the elevator, he was caught off guard when Argint grabbed him, pulling him into a tight embrace, rubbing herself all over him. Her sudden closeness made his heart skip a beat.

"What the hell, Argint... the... the hell do you think you're doing?" he stammered, trying to push her away, though his efforts were half-hearted.

She didn't seem to care about his protests. Her icy glare locked onto his eyes, making him feel like he was in trouble.

"Do not get any of that weird smell on you again. I have no idea what kind of creepy thing you touched, but do not do it again," Argint warned, her tone as cold as ever.

"This is harassment," Alicarde retorted, trying to sound indignant, though secretly, he didn't mind the attention.

"Don't do it again, or else." Argint's fist balled up, the threat in her voice unmistakable.

Alicarde looked at her in confusion. "How the hell am I supposed to avoid touching something I don't even remember touching, you nutjob?"

Argint didn't bother responding. She just turned back to the elevator and left him standing alone in the garage, as if her only reason for following him had been to deliver that cryptic warning.

Shaking his head, Alicarde made his way to one of the sleek luxury cars lined up in the garage. His mind was elsewhere as he drove off, thoughts of the impending workload mingling with the lingering sensation of Argint's embrace.

He was headed to campus, where he planned to meet up with Elizalina for some help with his case study analysis.

He arrived at the faculty and made his way to the faculty library, seeking the kind of research materials he couldn't easily find online. The library was a treasure trove of up-to-date books, and he quickly found one that seemed promising. Settling into a quiet corner, he waited for Elizalina to arrive.

She didn't keep him waiting long. Two minutes later, she appeared, her silver hair catching the light as she approached him.

"Good morning… Alicarde," she greeted softly, her voice almost a whisper.

She paused for a moment, her nose twitching slightly as if she smelled something unusual. Before Alicarde could ask, she stumbled, tripping and falling—right into his lap. Thanks to his superhuman reflexes, he managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

Elizalina's legs seemed to give out from under her, and she clung to him, her face buried in his chest. Alicarde felt a strange mix of amusement and concern as he gently helped her back to her feet.

"Still as clumsy as always, I see. Morning, Elly," he teased, a small smile playing on his lips.

Her cheeks flushed a deep red at his words.

"I… I sincerely apologize for my gracelessness," she stammered, clearly embarrassed by her own clumsiness.

Alicarde chuckled, waving off her apology.

"Nah, we're cool. I don't really mind it."

Elizalina quickly composed herself and sat down beside him, pulling out several books and research materials from her bag.

"Well then, shall we begin our work?" she asked, her tone becoming serious and refined.

Alicarde had done some preliminary reading on Hawthorn, but the challenge was translating his thoughts into a coherent academic paper.

The sheer length required—twenty thousand words—only added to the daunting task. As they dug into the discussion, he found himself appreciating Elizalina's enthusiasm. Her passion for the subject was infectious, and for once, Alicarde felt a genuine connection with someone outside of his usual circle.

They spent the next hour discussing the subject of the paper, the intricacies of Hawthorn's settings, and the subjects involved in the original research. Elizalina's insights were invaluable, making the assignment seem less like a chore and more like an engaging challenge.

After their discussion, they attended several classes together, a routine that had become familiar over the past few days. Elizalina's clumsiness persisted, but Alicarde was always there to catch her before she could hurt herself. Over time, she stopped feeling embarrassed by it, and even started calling him her "hero" in a playful tone.

Not everyone was as fond of Elizalina as Alicarde was, though. Anne, for instance, had made her feelings clear with a cryptic comment about "woman's intuition," leaving Alicarde puzzled and slightly concerned about the tension between his two friends.

As the day drew to a close, Alicarde returned home, only to find Argint waiting for him with a menacing glare. Her eyes flashed with malice as she approached him, once again rubbing herself all over him under the pretense of removing a "stink" that only she seemed to notice.

Alicarde's heart sank. 'Dang it, is this going to be my life now?' he wondered if this was some strange werewolf ritual or display of affection.

But he quickly dismissed the idea, considering how often she left him battered and bruised after their training sessions, it seemed unlikely.

"Except if she was a sadist," Alicarde muttered to himself as he headed to his room.

The next day, he was once again hanging out with Elizalina. They had made significant progress on the paper, though most of the credit went to her. She did the heavy lifting while he typed away, trying to keep up with her rapid-fire ideas.

Occasionally, Anne would pitch in, offering suggestions that helped clarify some of the more complex points.

Their time together hadn't gone unnoticed, and the attention from other students—especially the guys—was anything but friendly. Alicarde could feel the glares and hear the whispered insults as they walked across campus.

He was curious about Elizalina's social life, and in a moment of what he later realized was idiocy, he asked if one of the guys glaring at them was her boyfriend.

The poor girl turned completely red, her usual poise crumbling.

"I… I do not speak with boys often, much less have a boyfriend. Such a thing would be most difficult for me, considering my circumstances," she confessed, her voice trembling slightly.

"Besides, I was an outcast in my hometown. The other girls were unkind to me, and I had no friends…"

Alicarde felt a pang of sympathy. He wasn't exactly a social butterfly either, having failed to make any close male friends since his arrival on campus.

Most of the guys had already formed tight-knit groups, and while he could try to ingratiate himself, he didn't see the point.

"But you aren't alone now. I… I think we're friends," Alicarde said earnestly, hoping to lift her spirits.

Elizalina's eyes lit up, and she smiled—a genuine, sweet smile that warmed his heart.

"Truly? You… you consider me a friend? That… that pleases me greatly."

Alicarde couldn't help but feel protective of her. Who wouldn't, when faced with that vulnerable look in her eyes?

The rest of the day passed quickly as they walked together through the university grounds. At one point, Alicarde accidentally bumped into a man dressed in a long coat and hat, his white hair peeking out from under the brim.

The man wore dark glasses, obscuring his eyes, but Alicarde could still smell the faint scent of ethanol and antiseptic clinging to his clothes—something he had noticed more frequently lately.

"Sorry about that, sir. Are you okay?" Alicarde apologized, but the man simply nodded and walked away, leaving Alicarde to wonder about the strange increase in medical scents around him.

Later, after parting ways with Elizalina, Alicarde found Anne and spent the rest of the evening bantering with her. But when he returned home, Argint was there again, glaring at him with the same intensity as before, before aggressively rubbing herself all over him, claiming he had picked up a bad stench.

Alicarde cursed inwardly.

'Is this going to be my life now?' he thought, unable to shake the feeling that Argint's behavior was becoming more aggressive and possessive. He briefly entertained the idea that it might be mating season for werewolves, but quickly dismissed it, not wanting to risk her wrath by voicing such a thought.

The days flew by quickly, and as Alicarde spent more time with Elizalina, their bond only deepened. He found himself relying on her more, especially for his assignment, which they eventually completed together.

They had become close friends, meeting up almost every day, even when they didn't have classes. They explored the city, watched movies, and enjoyed each other's company. The more Alicarde thought about it, the more it felt like they were dating.

Elizalina's klutziness persisted, leading to frequent and sometimes awkward physical contact. Alicarde didn't mind, though, in fact, he was growing used to it. It reminded him of his interactions with Argint, whose new habit of rubbing herself on him had become more aggressive.

Every morning and evening, Argint would press her body against his, claiming that he had a bad stench she needed to get rid of. Alicarde wondered if it was mating season for werewolves, but he didn't dare voice the thought, not when he had seen what she was capable of when angry.

The rumors of missing people had grown, spreading through the college and even the city. Everyone was talking about it, though there was no mention of it in the mainstream media. Alicarde shrugged it off as just rumors, but the unease lingered in the back of his mind.

One day, as Elizalina arrived to meet him, she reached out and held his hand. From a distance, they almost seemed like a couple. She explained that holding his hand helped her maintain her balance, and Alicarde didn't mind at all.

Why would he? Only a sociopath would reject holding hands with the most beautiful girl in their university. Elizalina, with her long, flowing silver hair and gentle demeanor, was the epitome of grace and beauty. Her soft hand in his felt natural, almost comforting, as they walked together through the campus.

As they strolled, Alicarde heard a voice from the crowd. "Who the hell is that bastard?"

Another guy chimed in, his tone filled with disdain. "I don't give a rat's ass who he is. A girl like her is way out of his league."

"Probably some rich prick who thinks he can buy her affection."

"Bet he doesn't even know how to treat a girl like that. Pathetic."

"Look at him, thinking he's hot shit just because he's with her."

"He's got to be compensating for something."

"Maybe he's just her lapdog, following her around like a lost puppy."

"Must be nice having daddy's money to throw around. That's probably all he's got going for him."

'Shows what they know, I actually have sugar mommy Carrisa's money instead' Alicarde mused

The insults grew more vulgar, but Alicarde didn't let them get to him. If he stooped to their level, he'd end up wrecking them, and that wouldn't help anyone.

Elizalina, however, wasn't as composed. She let go of his hand and marched over to the group of foul-mouthed guys.

"How dare you speak of him in such a manner? None of you know anything about Alicarde, so you have no right to speak ill of him. I demand that you cease this insolence at once," she declared, her voice stern and refined, though her hands trembled slightly.

The guys shrunk back, taken aback by her outburst, but one, emboldened by the dazed looks of his friends, sneered.

"What the hell? Shut the hell up, princess."

Alicarde could sense Elizalina's surprise and instinctively pushed her aside before she could respond, causing her to yelp as she lost her balance.

He caught her effortlessly, his reflexes honed from his battles, and steadied her before turning his attention to the guy who had spoken.

He walked over to the guy, his eyes narrowing in anger. The guy's friends moved closer, their eyes glazed over as if they were in some sort of trance.

Alicarde's irritation boiled over. His eyes flashed a brief violet glow, and he unleashed his fear ability.

A dark, insidious aura radiated from his body, seeping into the minds of the group. Their bodies froze, paralyzed by the sheer terror that gripped them. Their eyes welled up with involuntary tears as Alicarde's presence bore down on them like a monstrous shadow, suffocating them with an overwhelming sense of dread.

The guy who had spoken earlier began to tremble uncontrollably, his bravado shattered by the invisible force crushing his spirit. Alicarde stared him down, his gaze cold and menacing, until the guy and his friends could do nothing but stand there, paralyzed by fear, their minds screaming for them to flee but their bodies unable to obey.