Chapter 263: Calm down mydies...???


    ?


    Walking along the now quiet halls of Killian Hall, Seo moved with her usualposed and apathetic expression, her footsteps echoing faintly against the marble floors.


    She held a small satchel close to her chest, its contents clinking lightly with each step.


    Inside were three vials: one filled with a red, glowing liquid, and the other two containing green and pink liquids, their hues vibrant even in the dim light.


    As she nced down at the vials, Seo''s mind wandered back to the enthusiastic instructions given by her personal maid, Lina.


    "Lady Seo, remember, it''s best to push when a man is vulnerable!"


    Lina''s words echoed in her mind, brimming with confidence and determination. Seo had been left somewhat bewildered by the intensity of the advice but had listened nheless.


    "But make sure not to rush it, okay, Lady Seo? Take your time, enjoy hispany, and make him feel cared for and appreciated, as much as you enjoy his presence."


    Seo recalled Lina''s animated gestures and the sincerity in her voice.


    It was clear her maid was fully invested in ensuring Seo''s sess in whatever this... n was. Seo, however, still felt perplexed by much of what Lina had said.


    The advice seemedyered with nuances she didn''t entirely grasp, but since it involved Riley, she was willing to trust Lina''s judgment.


    Her crimson eyes shifted to the vials in her hand as she repeated Lina''s instructions in her head.


    "The red vial first, then the green... andstly, the pink."


    Seo''s brow furrowed slightly as she tried to remember the rationale behind the sequence. Lina had insisted that the order was crucial, especially when it came to the pink vial.


    "And when Riley takes the pink vial," Lina had added with an almost conspiratorial grin, "loosen the top of your dress just a little. Trust me, Lady Seo, it''s all about creating the right atmosphere."


    Seo''s cheeks tinged faintly with warmth at the memory, though her face remained mostly neutral. She wasn''t entirely sure what "creating the right atmosphere" meant, nor why loosening her dress was a necessary step. Still, Lina had spoken with such conviction that Seo had chosen not to question it further.


    "Red first," Seo murmured under her breath, clutching the vial with the glowing liquid tightly. "Then the green... and then..."


    Her fingers brushed the pink vial, and she hesitated, her expression momentarily conflicted. "Things might seem a bit rushed," Lina had said with a sly smile earlier, her voice tinged with yful mischief. "But considering your current position-despite being the one actually closest to him all this time I''m sure you''ll appreciate my efforts once Riley starts making a move. The alchemist did mention the effects aren''t that strong, but idents could always happen... then again, Lady Seo, you''re strong. I''m sure you can handle him if he gets too pushy."


    "What do you mean by that?" Seo had asked, her tone nk but with an undertone of genuine curiosity.


    "It''s nothing, mydy!" Lina had replied, waving her hand dismissively before pushing Seo towards the exit. "Now, go! Make him fall for you so hard this time!"


    "Okay?" Seo had replied hesitantly, her voice barely audible.


    Taking Lina''s advice to heart, Seo now moved stealthily through Killian Hall, her breath held momentarily as she activated her [Shadow Steps] technique.


    Her presence vanished like a flickering shadow, blending seamlessly into the surrounding darkness.


    The technique was so precise that even the faintest noise from her steps dissipated into nothingness.


    As she passed an open hallway, she froze momentarily at the sound of a familiar, exasperated voice.


    "Haaah... kids these days!"


    "This makes it the third case this week...."


    It was the annoyed tone of the dorm master of Killian Hall, a middle-aged woman whose authority in the academy was nearly absolute within these walls.


    Seo instinctively shrank into the shadows, her heart skipping a beat.


    The dorm master''s reputation preceded her-strict and unyielding, especially when it came to enforcing rules.


    Boys and girls entering each other''s dormitory sectors was strictly forbidden, and Seo knew all too well the consequences of being caught.


    She couldn''t help but recall thest time she had faced the dorm master''s wrath.


    It had been a humiliating experience: a stern lecture that left her ears ringing, a temporary restriction on her movements, and a deep sense of shame she couldn''t easily shake off.


    That scolding hade after one of herte-night escapades to visit Riley one time when she was still a first year-something that still made her cheeks warm slightly in embarrassment when she thought about it.


    The dorm master''s steps echoed ominously as she approached Seo''s position.


    Seo''s fingers tightened around the vials in her hand, and she willed her breathing to steady.


    She didn''t dare move a muscle, not even to brush a stray strand of her crimson hair from her face.


    As the dorm master''s shadow passed by, Seo exhaled silently in relief.


    Once the footsteps faded entirely, she allowed herself to rx, her grip on the vials loosening just slightly.


    ''That was close....'' she murmured under her breath, her expression remainingposed despite the slight flutter in her chest.


    Finally arriving at Riley''s room, Seo stopped in front of therge, looming door, her heart beating slightly faster than usual.


    A tensity crept over her, a feeling she had never experienced before in this familiar hallway.


    If before she didn''t mind-or even think twice about-walking into Riley''s space, this time was different.


    There was an unease bubbling within her, a subtle difference she couldn''t quite ce or understand.


    Her crimson eyes flicked to the door handle before ncing down the empty corridor.


    Should she knock? It seemed like the polite thing to do, but the memory of Riley''s clearly sick


    state from the day before gave her pause.


    What if he was asleep? Would it be right to disturb him in that state?


    Her fingers hovered hesitantly over the wood.


    Then... should I sneak in again likest time?


    The thought crossed her mind, but it brought with it an immediate wave of reluctance.


    Sneaking into Riley''s room had been her go-to method in the past, climbing up to his balcony with the practiced ease of someone used to bending rules.


    But thest time she had done so, Riley had scolded her thoroughly, his expression more disappointed than angry.


    It wasn''t a lecture she wanted to repeat-especially not now.


    Her gaze shifted to the intricate runes etched into the doorframe, glowing faintly with magic.


    She knew the protections ced on it were formidable; the door wouldn''t budge unless Riley willed it or deactivated the enchantments himself.


    She could break it, of course-her strength and abilities made that much clear-but doing so would not only alert the dorm master but also bring trouble crashing down on both of them.


    ''I don''t want to disturb Riley...'' she thought, biting her lip softly.


    Yet, turning back didn''t feel like an option either.


    She imagined Lina''s disappointed face if she returned now, empty-handed and without


    taking any action.


    But beyond that, there was a more personal reason driving her forward.


    Seo couldn''t deny the uncertainty and confusion she felttely-emotions that swirled in her


    chest whenever she saw Rileyughing or interacting with other girls.


    She had thoughting here today would give her rity, but even now, standing at his


    doorstep, she wasn''t sure what she was hoping to confirm.


    Seo sighed deeply, her shoulders rising and falling with a mix of resignation and determination as she took a hesitant step forward.


    With her free arm, she raised her hand, preparing to knock. But just as her knuckles were about


    to connect with the door-


    "Oya~ Oya~?"


    A sudden, mischievous voice cut through the silence, halting her in her tracks.


    Seo''s crimson eyes widened slightly as arge cat''s head materialized through the solid


    wooden door, phasing through it as if it were nothing but smoke.


    It''s now emerald-green eyes gleamed with amusement, and an unnervingly wide grin stretched across its face from ear to ear.


    A floating cat head, radiating an aura of whimsy and chaos-the most recognizable familiar


    in the entire academy.


    Seo''s lips parted slightly, her brows knitting together as she immediately recognized the troublesome creature before her.


    "Cheshire?" she mumbled quietly, her voice tinged with confusion as her mind scrambled to understand why Riley''s familiar was here now.


    The cat chuckled, its bodyless head floatingzily in the air as its grin grew even wider. "Well, isn''t this a delightful surprise~? I always knew Riley had a knack for inviting the unexpected and chaotic into his life, but this... oh my, are the gods conspiring for entertainment today~?


    Just what kind of sins did hemit in his past life to deserve such divine meddling, I


    wonder?"


    "What are you talking about?" Seo asked tly, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly.


    Cheshire''s grin didn''t falter as it floated closer to her, tilting its head to one side with exaggerated curiosity.


    "Oh, nothing at all~ nothing at all~! Just a bit of idle musing, my dear. But now that you''re here, the gods must be practically begging me to have a bit of fun, wouldn''t you agree~?" Seo''s brows furrowed further as her confusion deepened. She stared at Cheshire quietly, her expression unreadable but her thoughts swirling in an attempt to keep up with his


    nonsensical chatter.


    "...?"


    The cat, however, seemed unfazed by her silence, its grin remaining firmly in ce. After a moment, Cheshire''s vibrant green eyes fixed on her directly, the yful glint in them reced by something far sharper-calcted, almost.


    It was as if the familiar were sizing her up, deciding what to do next.


    "Ah, but you are ever so serious, aren''t you?" Cheshire finally said, its tone dripping with


    exaggerated exasperation. "Let me guess, you''re here for Riley again~? Well, of course, you are. Isn''t that just your specialty~?"


    Cheshire tilted its floating head, the mischievous gleam in its emerald-green eyes intensifying as if a particrly devilish idea had taken root in its mind.


    It floated silently for a moment, almost contemtive, before its grin widened with renewed


    delight. "Hehehe... Master might scold me for thister," Cheshire mused, chuckling to itself, "but oh well! What''s life without a little chaos, right? Can''t have fun if you don''t live in the moment~!"


    Its words were half-muttered, more for its own amusement than anyone else''s, but Seo caught the yful undertoneced with a hint of something deeper-something dangerous. Cheshire''s grin faltered for a fleeting moment as its eyes narrowed sharply, ncing off into the distance as if perceiving something far beyond the confines of the dormitory hall. "That nk of a queen... always meddling at the worst possible times. Tch, just when things


    were about to get interesting. I guess I''ll just have to watch through the mushroom recordster," it muttered, exasperation dripping from its voice.


    Then, without warning, Cheshire''s focus snapped back to Seo, the yful glint in its eyes reigniting with full force. "Make sure to make it fun, okay~?"


    Before Seo could even question what was happening, the floating cat head gave a dramatic


    sigh and-


    Swoosh!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Out of nowhere, a pair of hands appeared, eerily human-like but covered in fur that matched Cheshire''s smoky form.


    They floated in midair, unattached to any body, adding an extrayer of surrealness to the


    moment.


    "Now then, off you go~!" Cheshire eximed, its grin as wide as ever. With a theatrical snap


    of its disembodied fingers, the world around Seo shifted in an instant.


    A rush of wind.


    A swirl of colors.


    By the time Seo realized what had happened, she was no longer standing in the quiet hallway


    outside Riley''s room.


    Instead, she found herself in an entirely different ce, a world unfamiliar yet strangely


    vivid.


    "Ah, Mama! You''re here as well~!!"


    A sweet, excited voice rang out, breaking through Seo''s dazed thoughts.


    Before she could even react, a small figure came rushing toward her, wrapping her tightly in a


    hug.


    ''Mama?''


    Seo''s mind reeled with confusion, her crimson eyes widening as she instinctively looked


    down.


    The child clinging to her was impossibly beautiful, with golden hair that shimmered like sunlight and radiant crimson eyes that bore an uncanny resemnce to her own.


    Before she could gather her thoughts, Seo''s gaze shifted, catching sight of the others around


    her.


    Two familiar faces stood nearby, their expressions unreadable but their gazes cold, sharp,


    and full of suspicion.


    It was as if Seo had been dropped into the middle of a war zone disguised as a peaceful


    setting, the tension palpable despite the child''s joyous embrace.


    ''What... is going on?''


    Unbeknownst to everyone involved, the young girl''s whimsical smile was hidden beneath the


    warmth of her embrace.


    Her small arms tightened around Seo as if seekingfort, but the glimmer in her crimson


    eyes betrayed something far more deliberate.


    The child''s face, pressed against Seo''s side, was carefully angled away from the others.


    Her expression softened into one of pure innocence, but just before she buried her cheekpletely against Seo, she gave a quick, mischievous wink to the only young man standing among the group.