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Chapter - 4: Are you strong? Then that means I can bully you, right?
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"So, you're my senpai?" I asked the purple-haired girl sitting on a bench not far from me, while I grabbed drinks from the vending machine for both of us.
Honestly, I was quite surprised to find out because, as rude as it might seem to think, she didn't give off that impression at all: she was short, petite, and looked almost harmless.
Not that I had enough courage to say it out loud, since I still valued my life. I wasn't exaggerating either, considering the spell she had used against that piece of shit whose name I didn't even want to remember was nothing to joke about.
I seriously doubted I could have reacted if I hadn't been completely focused, and even then, I would've struggled; it was extremely fast, almost instantaneous at close range, leaving no room for error.
Truly, magic was incredible.
It didn't surprise me that witches had been known since ancient times as a race living on the border between humans and Yōkai, often described as being in harmony with nature and dwelling deep in the woods, far from human settlements.
Of course, their history hadn't always been peaceful; events like the persecution by the Church or episodes like Salem had made their relationship with the human world complicated—or rather, hated, which would be more accurate.
From what I had read in the bestiaries I managed to find, witches were able to use magic by drawing directly from the power of nature. I couldn't say for certain because I didn't know the precise mechanics, but I knew their race lived in symbiosis with the environment and possessed the ability to channel its energy as if it were their own "magic."
Contrary to many human legends, witches were not exclusively female. From what I knew, they could be both male and female; history had simply distorted reality, turning the term "witch" into something linked almost solely to women.
It wasn't even the first time I'd seen something like this, which is why I had enough information. I had already witnessed Mikogami use a few interesting tricks.From what he explained, he was able to use magic thanks to a contract with someone who had transferred part of their magical power into him, allowing him to perform simple spells without much difficulty.
Moreover, he told me that Western mages attribute great importance to bonds and alliances, unlike those here, who tend to jealously guard their secrets.
"Yes, I'm Yue Ayase, second year," she replied. "You're a new student, right?" she added immediately, curiosity clearly visible in her eyes.
"Yes, exactly," I confirmed, taking the two drinks from the machine and sitting down next to her. "I'm Sieg. Pleased to meet you, though I certainly would have preferred meeting under better circumstances." I handed her the drink and couldn't help but smile noticing how eager she was to take a sip.
"Foreigner?" she asked after drinking, tilting her head slightly with an intrigued look.
"More or less," I replied with a small laugh, shrugging slightly without adding anything else. Honestly, I wasn't the type who liked talking about my past; I couldn't help it, especially when the subject inevitably ended up involving my family. I seriously doubted that would change anytime soon.
I watched her for a few moments, studying her expression, then the question slipped out almost without thinking. "So you're a witch, right? Is it because that bastard took your focus that he managed to put you in such a difficult spot?"
She nodded without hesitation. "He lured me in saying he had a magic book I'd never seen before... As soon as I entered, he attacked me and separated me from my book before I could cast any spells..." A slight pout formed on her lips, clearly annoyed by what had happened.
I nodded in turn, because it made perfect sense: witches draw a large part of their power from their magical equipment, like books or personal catalysts. If they are separated from it, they become much more vulnerable, almost defenseless, and the situation worsens if that equipment is damaged or destroyed.
Without even realizing it, I reached out and gently placed my hand on her head in an instinctive gesture to reassure her. She looked at me with wide eyes, and only then did I realize my mistake: she wasn't my younger sister, but a grown girl. I immediately tried to withdraw my hand.
"Tried" is the right word, because as soon as she sensed my intention to pull back, she pouted harder and forcefully grabbed my forearm, making me jump. I wasn't used to physical contact with a girl I'd just met. Right after, she took my hand and firmly put it back on top of her head. Yue's pout was evident, almost stubborn, but honestly adorable.
With my hand resting on the top of her head, the scene had something strangely tender about it. Honestly, I could have removed it whenever I wanted since I was sure I was physically stronger than her. Yet, I didn't, as I couldn't help but notice how silky her hair was, so I let my fingers slide slowly through the long and surprisingly soft locks.
Her eyes widened even more while her cheeks flushed red, but instead of moving away, she began to press her head slightly against my hand. The pout remained on her lips, even though they trembled slightly as if she were holding back a smile.
Yue surrendered more and more to my touch; the redness on her face almost completely faded, replaced by a satisfied and relaxed expression. It was... nice. A strange calm washed over me as I continued to stroke her head with slow, distracted movements.
A small smile formed on my lips when she moved even closer, practically curling up against my body. I felt surprisingly comfortable as she pressed her head against my chest, as if that simple contact had created a silent balance between us.
Then, suddenly, she looked up at me and moved like a flash; her lips brushed mine for a brief instant, so fast that I didn't even have time to fully enjoy the kiss before she pulled away immediately.
"What was that for, senpai?" I couldn't help but ask, still surprised, as I watched her jump up without even looking at me. From my position, however, I could clearly see her ears turning red.
"F-for saving me..." she muttered, grabbing the book with both hands and clutching it to her chest before walking away without looking back. I followed her with my eyes until her figure disappeared from sight, a spontaneous smile forming on my lips.
Only then did I remember the time: if I didn't move immediately, I'd be late for the first class. I paused for a moment to think back to Yue and that moment; the contact, though brief and innocent, had left a strange impression on my mind.
It wasn't a bad feeling; I even touched my lips as if to remember the softness of the kiss. After one last look in the direction she had gone, I stood up, ready to head out, trying to shake off those thoughts and focus on school.
Walking rapidly through the corridors—since the school was very large—I tried to orient myself to find my class, finally arriving at my destination a few minutes later without any problems.
"Excuse me for being late." I calmly opened the door to my new classroom, immediately drawing everyone's attention. "I got a bit held up while exploring the school," I noted, seeing some curious looks and others slightly surprised, but I wasn't intimidated as I closed the door behind me with a firm step.
Most of the students were still busy with the entrance ceremony, so I took the opportunity to look around calmly. My tone, however, clearly betrayed that I wasn't actually that sorry.
"Oh, it's not a problem," the teacher said with a light laugh, beckoning me to enter. "Please, sit down. I am Shizuka Nekonome, your new teacher." Her eyes scanned me slowly from bottom to top, lingering without much discretion on a certain lower area. "My ~ what a handsome boy~~."
I didn't think much of it and replied naturally: "Thanks. I'd say I'm lucky to have such a beautiful woman as my teacher." In reality, I was just responding in kind, but I wasn't lying; it was hard to ignore a young woman with feline features, like cat ears and a long striped tail, dressed in teacher's clothes.
She wore a very tight, slightly unbuttoned white shirt that highlighted her ample breasts over an orange top underneath, paired with a tight black miniskirt that emphasized the curves of her hips. Her flirtatious expression, completed by red glasses and visible small canines, gave her a mischievous and seductive air that was hard to ignore.
"Oh~, thank you~~" Shizuka murmured, visibly satisfied with the compliment, perhaps a bit too much for my taste. But as long as she seemed okay with it, I didn't see a problem. Various comments and murmurs came from the rest of the class, which I ignored completely, focusing instead on finding a free seat.
"Sieg! We're in the same class~~~!" I didn't even have time to react when a literally wild Moka pounced on me, wrapping her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist with disarming enthusiasm, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The classroom exploded.
"Who the fuck is this guy!?"
"What kind of relationship does he have with her!?"
"Our beautiful girl!!"
"We should kill him!!"
I clearly felt a wave of murderous intent sweep across the room. It wasn't just anger or jealousy; some were openly violent intentions coming from several boys at their desks.
Fortunately, not all of them.
The girls, on the other hand, watched the scene with mixed emotions: curiosity, envy, evident discomfort, and some even fear, as if the atmosphere had suddenly become heavy and oppressive.
My gaze met that of one of the more disturbing students. Among all the comments being thrown at me, he stood out as the most dangerous; at least he didn't hide his Yoki, and my instincts made that painfully clear.
He was probably the one with the worst intentions toward me. From his gaze, I realized he was staring at Moka with a shady smile, slowly running his tongue over his lips in a disgusting gesture.
In that moment, I understood one thing very clearly: that day, someone wanted to die. And honestly, I had no problem obliging, given that I knew very well I would enjoy it.
"Did I miss something important?" I asked, putting Moka back in her place while she continued to squirm in my arms, unable to stay still, clearly thrilled to be in my class. I couldn't help but notice: she was truly different from any monster I had ever met—though to be fair, I hadn't met many, and most had tried to kill or eat me.
"Oh no," Nekonome-sensei replied calmly, "I was just explaining the basic rules of this academy. In particular, you'll have to learn to coexist with humans in the best way possible." She paused briefly, letting silence fall over the room, then continued: "For this reason, you will live here assuming sealed human forms. It is absolutely not permitted to reveal your true monstrous nature to other students, nor to transform, as this is a fundamental rule of the school. Clear?"
I nodded slowly. "Oh... honestly, they seem like fairly reasonable rules." I had to admit it, since apparently not all teachers were destined for the same fate as that bastard.
"Right?" Nekonome-sensei intervened with a slight smile, though something sharper was felt beneath. Then she tilted her head slightly toward one of the desks. "Too bad your new classmate already opposed all this, since according to him, it would be much better to eat the weaker and more insignificant humans."
Those words chilled my blood. I felt my eyes narrow—an instinctive reflex—while my jaw clenched so hard I feared I might grind my teeth. I inhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm.
"Really?" I finally said, my tone far too calm. "Well... I understand why some people love to torment those weaker than them... It's a pathetic way to feel better about themselves."
"What did you say, you bastard?!" the guy in question growled. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, not even wearing the school uniform, jumping up all at once while his desk screeched violently against the floor. He stood in front of me, his face contorted with rage and wounded pride.
I looked him up and down without taking a step back. "What's wrong? Besides being weak, are you also deaf?"
"I'm weak?!" he snapped, his voice breaking with fury, his body shaking like a spring ready to snap.
I tilted my head slightly, staring into his eyes with a cold, emotionless look. "Isn't it true?" I was taller, broader, more solid than him, and while blind, hysterical rage boiled in his eyes, there was absolutely nothing in mine.
"B-bastard, I'll kill you—" I didn't even give him time to finish that pathetic threat. I called upon a little trick I had learned from Mikogami, channeling my Yōki not into my muscles, but into my very presence.
I let the energy spread, thick and oppressive, warping the air around me. It was the same method that, according to stories, ancient monsters used to terrify entire human villages—not with brute force, but with pure fear.
His body froze mid-step, his eyes widened, and the color drained from his face. Most likely without even realizing it, he began to step back slowly, moving away from me as his breathing became shorter and irregular, sweat lining his temples. I felt his instincts screaming at him to run away, but I certainly wasn't going to let the chance slip to put him in his place and teach him that some of his ideas about humans needed to be revised if he didn't want to die.
"Know your place, bastard." I gave him a decisive kick to the torso. Consequently, his body lifted off the ground as if it weighed nothing and was hurled backward, flying several meters before slamming against the classroom door. It was honestly more fun than expected to see the wood explode in a rain of splinters as his body crashed through it, leaving behind only silence and dust hanging in the air.
I ignored the murmurs of my other classmates, and especially certain scents I clearly perceived—a mix of nervousness and excitement—as I walked through the destroyed door.
"B-bastard!" he growled from the floor, coughing repeatedly as he tried to catch his breath. I had to admit, he had good physical traits—probably the only thing allowing him to stay conscious after a hit like that, though of course, I wasn't using all my strength.
He tried to get up, swaying, while I approached him with slow, deliberate steps, looking down at him. "You're finished... I'll destroy you—" I didn't give him time to finish the sentence or the threat.
I grabbed his head with one hand and squeezed, clearly feeling the bones of his skull groan under the pressure of my fingers. They weren't breaking yet, but they were dangerously close if I decided to apply more force.
"What a coincidence, you know..." I said, unable to hold back a cold smile while he struggled desperately to free himself from my grip. "I also like to make fun of the weak." As I spoke those words, I tightened my grip even more, making it clear I would have no mercy. "Especially when I see a fool who loves to dominate others." His resistance began to fail, his breathing became irregular, his face flushed with exhaustion and frustration. "In those cases, I really like to ridicule them."
I leaned slightly toward him, just enough so that only he could hear me. "So, what do you say?" I whispered, curving my lips into a thin smile. "I think I'm more than capable of doing it to you too, don't you think?"
"Enough, stop it, Sieg." Moka's voice suddenly intervened, firm but laced with concern. "I don't want to see you fight like this..." Something in her words, or perhaps the tone she used, made me stop abruptly, realizing how different the situation looked under her gaze.
Then I looked down at that piece of shit again and realized he had passed out, his body lying motionless on the floor. I couldn't help but feel unsatisfied, almost wishing to mess with him a bit more.
I sighed softly. "Fine..." I muttered to myself. "I don't really want to kill anyone. I hope he's learned his lesson, one way or another." Saying those words made the tension melt away slowly, as if an invisible weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
Moka stared at me for a moment, then her face lit up with a sincere, almost relieved smile. Without even thinking twice, she suddenly approached and hugged me, clinging to me with enthusiasm, pressing her body against mine. Her warm chest pressed against my torso, and for an instant, everything else disappeared as I struggled uselessly to ignore the softness of her large tets that I felt clearly against me.
It wasn't a bad feeling at all; on the contrary, it was strangely comforting, as if that embrace managed to dissolve and take away all remaining tension. Honestly, I could already imagine myself getting used to moments like this.
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