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The "Elf Who Loves Collecting Magic" mentioned a Demon King—that had to be Frieren, the elven mage from Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.
The "Elegant Gem Mage" was currently prepping a summoning ritual and bemoaning the cost of her materials. That unmistakable tsundere bite and the obsession with gems? No doubt about it: Tohsaka Rin from the Fate series. Given her financial panic, the Fifth Holy Grail War hadn't even started yet; she was likely bankrupting herself just to prepare for summoning Archer.
Then there was the "Half-Elf of the Frozen Forest" with a spirit companion named Puck. That was Emilia from Re:Zero. Since she was still sequestered in the Elior Forest, it meant Subaru hadn't been summoned yet, and the Royal Selection was still a distant dream.
As for the bloodthirsty "General of Ice" who had just crushed the Northern Tribes and lived for interrogation? That was Esdeath, the terrifyingly powerful, ultra-sadistic general from Akame ga Kill!
Good grief, Lucian thought. This group is stacked. It was a collection of world-class powerhouses and magical geniuses, all of whom were currently in the "early game" of their respective stories. The potential was limitless.
Steeling his nerves, Lucian typed out his first message.
[Genius Teacher Who Hunts Ghosts Part-Time]: "Hello, everyone. My name is Lucian. I'm just an ordinary math teacher."
[Elegant Gem Mage]: "An 'ordinary' math teacher? No one who manages to bypass world laws to join this group is 'ordinary.' Newbie, you're being a bit too modest."
[Half-Elf of the Frozen Forest]: "She's right! Our new member is very humble."
Lucian smiled to himself. He wasn't in any rush to drop spoilers or start brown-nosed networking. There would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, he had a much more immediate mess to clean up in the real world.
He withdrew his focus from the interface and returned to his surroundings.
Across the table, Yukino Yukinoshita was gracefully setting down her spoon. The plate of fragrant five-ingredient fried rice had been polished clean. Despite her best efforts to remain stoic, the lingering look of culinary bliss on her face was impossible to hide.
"I've finished. Thank you for the meal, Teacher Lucian," Yukino said, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin. She had regained her usual poise and dignified air. Even though she was currently wearing nothing but an oversized men's white dress shirt—effectively "commando" underneath—her upbringing wouldn't allow her to be a free-loader.
She pressed her hands against the table, preparing to stand and clear the dishes. "As a thank you, please allow me to do the washing..."
But before she could finish the sentence, she had barely made it halfway up when she gasped.
"Ah—!"
Yukino's elegant brows knit together in a sharp wince. She bit her lower lip hard. The adrenaline of the meal had worn off, and the moment she moved, a searing wave of soreness and localized pain radiated from her inner thighs. It was the unmistakable, dull ache left behind by hours of... intense physical exertion.
Her legs buckled instantly. Losing her balance, she pitched forward, the porcelain plate slipping from her grasp.
"Careful!"
Lucian moved with lightning reflexes. One arm swept around her slender waist to steady her, while his other hand caught the falling plate mid-air.
Yukino collapsed into his arms, her cheek pressing against the warmth of his chest. As their bodies collided, the scent of his pheromones washed over her again, causing her to shiver involuntarily.
"Are you okay?" Lucian asked, his voice laced with concern.
"I... I'm fine. Just a sudden cramp," Yukino stammered. Her face turned a deep crimson, and she refused to meet his eyes, hiding behind a clumsy excuse.
Sora, who had been watching the entire drama unfold from the sidelines, didn't miss a beat. Seeing this beautiful woman unable to even stand, clinging weakly to her brother, Sora felt a twinge of jealousy—but she knew better than to pick a fight now.
"Hmph."
Sora hopped off her chair and snatched the plate from Lucian's hand.
"Alright, alright, stop being an eyesore. Idiot brother, go help her to the room so she can rest. At this rate, people are going to think you're running a torture chamber for high school girls. I'll handle the dishes."
Lucian blinked, staring at his sister in genuine shock. His "little sister" was a hardcore bro-con who usually wouldn't lift a finger to help with chores, yet here she was, voluntarily taking over the housework. Behind her annoyed tone, there was a clear, albeit stubborn, streak of kindness.
"Thanks, Sora. I appreciate it."
"Don't get the wrong idea! I just don't want my limited-edition Gothic Lolita dress to get ruined by some accident!" Sora huffed, stomping her foot before scurrying into the kitchen with the dishes.
Lucian half-carried, half-supported Yukino as they made their way back to the bedroom.
The moment they crossed the threshold, Yukino pulled away as if she'd been electrocuted. She retreated to the corner of the room, clutching the hem of the shirt tightly, looking utterly lost.
Lucian kept his voice gentle. "Yukinoshita, the delivery with your clothes should be here in about half an hour. You should lie down and rest until then. You're exhausted."
At the mention of the word "bed," Yukino flinched.
She turned her head, her gaze falling on the large double bed. The sheets were a chaotic wreck, the duvet tossed aside in a heap. And right in the center was a glaring, damp stain—an indelible mark of the hours she had spent losing her mind during their frantic "detox" session. In the dim light of the bedroom, the moisture seemed to catch the glow, mocking her.
Yukino's face felt like it was on fire. Her eyes welled up with a mix of humiliation and lingering shock.
"What is it?" Lucian asked. He followed her gaze to the bed and immediately stiffened.
The "battlefield" was, indeed, too much to look at.
As Lucian scrambled for a way to break the suffocating silence, he felt a light tug on his sleeve. Yukino was looking down, her long black hair veiling her burning cheeks. In a voice so small it was barely a whisper, she spoke.
"Teacher Lucian... could you... please change the sheets?"
She shivered, her voice cracking. "There's... there's too much water on them..."
"....."