The white, soothing aura that had filled the classroom for the past few hours suddenly began to thin, eventually vanishing completely as Bovina lowered her hands. A golden system notification immediately flared before Neko's eyes:
[NOTIFICATION]
[Effect "Sanctuary of the Ancient Scholar" has been deactivated.]
Bovina nodded with satisfaction, adjusting the bell on her collar, which let out a sharp, clean chime in the sudden silence.
"That's it for today as far as the Demonic language is concerned," she announced, glancing at Neko. "Do you have any questions, sweetie?"
Neko slowly shook his head. Thanks to the Sanctuary of the Ancient Scholar domain, comprehending complex grammatical structures and phonetics had come with extraordinary ease. Moreover, Bovina's magic had ensured his member hadn't strained against the bars of the metal cage the entire time, allowing him a rare moment of pure, intellectual focus.
He looked at the golden mark on his hand with deep respect, intending to thank her, when a loud, prolonged growl from his stomach suddenly shattered the quiet. Neko's eyes widened, and he felt a wave of embarrassment flood his cheeks. Bovina arched her eyebrows, then gave a steady smile.
"Well, over seven hours have passed, after all," she noted, amused.
"Seven hours?!" Neko exclaimed, the bell on his tail jingling in shock.
He was completely stunned. Under the influence of the enlightenment aura, he had lost all track of time; he had been so absorbed in his studies that hours had flown by like minutes. It made him realize how powerful and magical this skill was, if it could so effectively sever a person from the outside world.
Bovina's ring glowed faintly, and a bottle of milk with a nipple appeared in her hand. She offered it to Neko, who took it with slight hesitation.
"Why does everyone here have these milk bottles?" he murmured, recalling the bottle from Elene. "This milk is incredibly good, but it's a bit strange..."
He began to drink, feeling the same sweet, creamy flavor on his tongue that he had enjoyed so much the previous evening. Bovina let out a pearly laugh, her gargantuan breasts bouncing cheerfully beneath her tight corset.
"It's because that's milk from my breasts, sweetie," she said nonchalantly.
Neko nearly choked. He violently yanked the nipple from his mouth, coughing and staring at her in disbelief.
"What?!" he gasped.
Bovina waved her hands, smiling with pride. "Did you think ordinary milk could have such a deep and magical flavor? My milk is the only kind in the world that is this delicious and nourishing."
Neko stared at her strangely, seeing how proud she was of her gift. Then his gaze involuntarily drifted lower, toward her monstrously large bust.
No wonder she has such gargantuan breasts if she produces this much milk... he thought, feeling his mind drift back toward lewd associations despite the mark on his hand. With that thought, still slightly dazed, he went back to drinking from the nipple, enjoying the warmth of the fluid filling his stomach.
Bovina watched Neko as he sucked on the nipple with almost reverent focus, consuming her warm, sweet essence. The sight of this "kitten" in a scandalously short skirt and transparent blouse, drinking directly from her, caused a sudden rush of heat to hit her. She felt her own lingerie grow damp, and desire began to pulse in her loins.
Ugh... I'm here to teach, not to play, she scolded herself, though the smile never left her face.
Bovina had a rather specific fetish: it gave her gargantuan pleasure when others consumed her milk. There were plenty of people in the castle who regularly partook of her "gifts," meaning she had to spend at least an hour every day pumping to meet the demand. She scratched her cheek, feeling a slight embarrassment at the thought of her duties as a "supplier."
Well, unless Lady Elizabeth or Lady Selene comes by... then I don't have to worry about excess stock for a month, she thought, an image of the mysterious and predatory Selene appearing in her mind. She sighed softly, almost unable to wait for their next tryst. She looked at Neko and thought that, knowing Selene's tastes, this pink cat would certainly be to her liking. On the other hand... Selene treated "their type of people" in a very specific way, so Neko might not be thrilled by such an acquaintance.
Suddenly, Bovina felt her own nipple beneath the corset begin to leak slightly at the thought. She shook her head violently, casting Selene from her mind. This was no time for such fantasies.
"That's enough for today, sweetie," Bovina said, trying to steady her voice. "It will be evening soon, and you have quite a lot to do at home."
Hearing this, Neko immediately remembered the stack of blank sheets he had to fill with Demonic calligraphy. His face soured slightly, and his cat ears drooped in resignation.
"Our next sessions will mostly consist of language study," Bovina continued, the bell at her bust chiming clearly. "The rest will be taken up by various curiosities about the castle and the world that I'm sure will interest you."
Neko drank the last drop of milk and set the bottle on the desk. Thanks to the aura of knowledge, he felt intellectually sated, and thanks to the milk - physically.
"Thank you for the lesson... and for the milk, Bovina," he said quietly, trying not to look too directly at her bust.
Bovina took the bottle from him, a charming, somewhat silly smile appearing on her lips that didn't fit her rank as a Great Matron at all.
"Come, sweetie," she said, adjusting Neko's skirt, which had again hiked up precariously. "I'll walk you to your room."
***
Bovina stopped before the heavy, ornate doors and pointed to them, the bells at her breasts chiming softly in the deserted corridor.
"This is your room, sweetie," she said gently, looking at Neko.
The kitten, still feeling the chill of his skimpy schoolgirl outfit, nodded, looking at the familiar entrance. However, a fear took root in his heart; he knew that as soon as Bovina left, the saving effect of the mark would fade, and he would again be thrown to the mercy of his own desire, dictated by the [Sex Slave] class. Bovina, seeing his saddened expression and trembling ears, sighed softly.
"Give me your hand for a second," she requested.
When Neko obediently extended his hand, Bovina placed a finger on the golden cow symbol. The mark flared for a moment, then went out abruptly, leaving behind only a pale, almost transparent outline.
"I had to cancel the main power of the seal, sweetie. As I told you, I cannot risk Lady Lilith's wrath by blocking your attributes outside that room," she explained in a whisper, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb. "But... I left you a small 'shard' of my mana. It won't be as strong as before, but it should keep your mind at peace for a little while longer. Think of it as my little gift."
Neko looked at his hand. The mark was faded, flickering uncertainly as if it might fall apart at any moment under the pressure of his own nature, but it was still there. He felt that the rush of heat he so feared was not coming. His mind remained clear, and the painful squeeze of the cage between his legs was suppressed by this remnant of Bovina's power.
"Thank you... Mistress Bovina," he whispered, gratitude welling in his eyes.
The Matron smiled tenderly, patted his head, ruffling the pink hair between his ears, and walked away down the corridor without a word. Neko watched her retreating back and swaying cow tail, feeling that this woman was the only bright spot in this dark castle.
She really is an angel... she risked herself to help me despite Lilith's orders, he thought, clutching the stack of homework in his hand.
With this new dose of hope, Neko pushed the door to his chamber open. However, the moment he crossed the threshold, his entire sense of security evaporated. He froze, the bell on his tail giving a single, terrified jingle as he looked at the female figure in his room - someone he had never seen before.