Damn Academy - Chapter 197

[Episode 197] Backstage Maneuvers (13)

The sky over the Eternia campus was clear, not a cloud in sight, and the stars twinkled brightly.

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Despite the late hour, she readily responded to my call.

A small starlight twinkled in front of a bench in the student garden of Eternia.

Hidden in the darkness, pungent smoke spread carried by the wind.

Cecil paced alone in a spot devoid of light, occasionally inhaling her tobacco in a state of anxiety.

She seemed not to have detected my presence yet.

As I approached, she concealed her nervous demeanor and stood still.

“There you are.”

“Were you waiting?”

“No.”

Her body language looked uncomfortable and unnatural.

“Is there a problem?”

“I’m fine. So, what’s the reason for calling me at this hour?”

Cecil’s tone was colder than usual as she brought the tobacco to her lips again.

And she still avoided looking at me.

I didn’t beat around the bush.

“…I need a partner for the ball.”

Cecil exhaled a long breath, smoke curling around her.

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“Do you understand what it means to be a partner?”

I answered honestly.

“No.”

Cecil sighed deeply again and muttered.

“…Fine. I like your candidness… I’ll be your partner.”

“You agree?”

“…Yes. But take this as nothing more than a preliminary agreement. If I change my mind, I may refuse at the ball.”

She didn’t seem against the idea, yet her demeanor remained cold. Could there be another problem?

“Cecil.”

“…”

“I’d like to talk face to face.”

“You’re hiding your face too. Why, isn’t this fair?”

I stepped closer and touched her shoulder.

“Mother!”

Startled, Cecil shook off my hand and stepped hastily away.

“…?”

She then pressed her hands against her chest as if to calm her racing heart, shoulders hunched. I was still talking to her back.

“Don’t suddenly touch me.”

“Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Then will you look at me? It feels like I’m talking to a wall.”

“…Wait.”

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Cecil took a deep breath and turned around. The moonlight revealed her flushed face. She was dressed festively, and unlike her usual self, her hair was adorned with a jewel-encrusted pin. I could sense she was as nervous as I was.

“Didn’t bring any booze today?”

“Shut up! What do you think I am, someone who drinks every day?”

“…”

“Is that all? Just a verbal agreement and nothing more. Isn’t there more… something…?”

“What?”

“More… something, anything.”

“You said it yourself. You might change your mind at the ball.”

“That’s right. Candy, I’m the only choice for you. There’s no one else with a heart as big and beautiful as mine… So why this lack of eagerness?”

“Big and beautiful…?”

“Hmm, I mean, there’s no one but me who’d bother hanging out with someone as ugly as you!”

Understanding her perplexity to some extent, Cecil seemed to expect… the innocent excitement and thrill that other students have when pairing up as partners.

I do plan to take the ball seriously, but I don’t have great expectations for the event itself. Frankly, sometimes the act of dancing feels embarrassing and superfluous.

My aim is to gain experience, to show a mature and refined demeanor in society, not to pursue pleasure or enjoyment.

This pragmatic attitude of mine might be projecting in my words, causing Cecil to feel a bit taken aback.

“Do you want something more?”

Cecil stepped closer, looking up at my mask.

“Being a partner isn’t just about dancing. You have to escort me from the beginning to the end, dine with me, and spend the whole day together.”

“Most of that is doable.”

“It doesn’t end there. You owe me a lot. So, during the ball, I’m going to play with you. For my amusement, I’ll make full use of you, like a slave.”

“Fine. But only for the first part.”
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“What about the second part?”

“I have something to do.”

“What is it?”

Unable to be honest, it was best to leave a cryptic silence.

Cecil’s brow briefly furrowed with irritation, then she regained her composure.

“Whatever. Just remember, playing with me is your first priority.”

I nodded and pulled out a potion bottle from my waist, offering it to her.

“I promise. This is… a gift to commemorate our partnership. I got it in Rigved while thinking of you.”

“Thinking of me? What is it?”

“Want to try?”

She eyed me suspiciously.

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“It’s not something weird, is it? This won’t make my body feel hot and…?”

“It’ll make you feel good.”

I opened the cork first and drank. Then I handed it to Cecil.

She hesitated for a moment, torn between doubt and curiosity.

After glancing at me, she cautiously took a sip. Then she exclaimed in shock.

“This is alcohol?”
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***

I removed my mask and tidied my clothes, drinking water continuously just in case any scent of alcohol lingered.

Was it the residual alcohol effect that made me feel this way? I had not given it much thought, but the closer it got to the event, the more nervous I felt.

I’m not even sure of my own feelings. I thought the ball was no big deal, but now, dancing with two seems quite out of the ordinary.
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Luna, with her keen ears, might already be aware of my situation. How am I going to explain this?

I waited for Luna in the deserted Guardian Tree plaza. As the appointed time arrived, a figure with golden hair reaching her thighs walked towards me. It was definitely Luna.

She approached, waving shyly. I returned the gesture, welcoming her.

Luna stood demurely before me and began to speak.

“What’s the matter, coming out at this time of night?”

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“It’s nothing much… Have you yet to find a partner for the ball?”

Luna’s eyes widened in surprise.

“…Yeah.”

I cleared my throat and proceeded.

“Then… would you be my partner for the ball?”

“…”

Luna suddenly bowed her head. I had not expected an immediate answer, but her hesitation dried my mouth.

“…Ah.”

“Yes?”

Her words were soft, lost in the wind.
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When I moved closer, she spoke up a little louder.

“…Okay.”

“…”

“Candy, who… who’s your partner?”

I was momentarily speechless. She asked as if my double dealing was the most natural thing in the world.

It ached inside. There was no point in trying to hide it now; I had to be honest.

“Cecil. We agreed to be together for the first part.”

Luna nodded silently, seemingly understanding my situation. Her silent consent made me feel even more apologetic.

“…It’s okay, I’m really Damian.”

“Yes, it will definitely be fun.”

“Uh… Damian… you smell like grapes.”
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I rubbed the back of my neck, embarrassed. It seemed no matter what I did, I couldn’t erase the scent of the grape wine. I still had a spare bottle at my waist.

I took out a bottle and shook it.

“I need this for… a reason.”

Suddenly, Luna reached out with both hands.

“Me… too.”

“…Hmm?”

Without a word, Luna overlapped her hands with mine and firmly grasped the wine bottle. She pulled with strength.

Without understanding why, the bottle slipped smoothly into Luna’s hands.

“Luna, that’s not juice, what are you…?”

She stepped back, popped the cork, and drank the wine with grave determination as if it were poison.

I had no chance to stop her; it happened in an instant.

“Luna!”

I rushed to take the wine from her, but she held the small bottle tightly in her hands.

Her slender throat quivered slightly as it received the wine.

I could only wipe the wine trickling from the corner of her mouth with my sleeve, shocked.

Luna emptied the bottle in one go and handed it back to me.

“…”

“…”

We fell into silence.

“Luna, are you really okay?”

Luna said with feigned calmness.

“I like… alcohol too. This, this is nothing… nothing big.”

“…”
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It was hard to believe that Luna enjoyed alcohol.

“I should head back to the dorm now…”

Luna turned sharply and started walking away briskly, seemingly fine, but she was heading in the complete opposite direction from her dormitory.

***

After carrying an inebriated Luna back to her dormitory, I returned to the Thorn Garden dormitory myself.

Trisha was unusually silent, sound asleep in her room.

Seizing the quiet moment, I checked the letter that had been soaked in the shadowgrass and dye solution.

It would take about a day for the chemicals to penetrate, so another half-day was needed, but inspecting it now posed no issue.

I brought the beaker into my room and carefully spread the damp letter on a tray.

Looking again, faint letters began to appear on the gray paper.

Indeed, as Sion suspected, there was a message hidden by the Swordmaster.

And I was taken aback by the incomplete sentence that materialized.

It was neither a request nor an invitation, but a unilateral warning.

[…Magic Sword… is targeting the ball.]

A chill ran through me.

The lazy intoxication and sweet tension vanished with that one sentence.