The Next Morning
Yuto stirred, the warmth of his bed making it difficult to fully wake up.
As his mind slowly adjusted to consciousness, he became aware of something or, rather, someone pressed against him.
No, two people.
Opening his eyes, he found Ayla clinging to his right side, her ears twitching slightly as she nuzzled against him.
Lilith wrapped herself around his arm on his left, her soft breathing steady.
Yuto let out a slow sigh, staring at the ceiling.
"This is becoming a pattern…"
Carefully, he tried to move, only for Ayla to let out a soft grumble, her tail flicking as she tightened her grip.
Lilith, still half-asleep, shifted closer, mumbling something incoherent under her breath.
Yuto pinched the bridge of his nose.
"How did I end up like this?"
It was too early to deal with this.
With a sigh of resignation, he decided to wake them up instead.
"Ayla. Lilith," he called, his voice low but firm.
Ayla's ears twitched first, and she let out a soft whine before burying her face against his chest.
"Mmm… warm…" she murmured, her tail flicking lazily against his leg.
Lilith stirred soon after.
She stretched like a cat, her arms reaching above her head as she let out a tiny yawn.
"Good morning, Yuto…" she mumbled, not making any effort to move.
"Ayla, time to get up"
She groaned, squeezing him tighter.
"But I just got comfortable…" she muttered.
Lilith, still holding onto his arm, smirked sleepily.
"It's your fault for being so warm, you know"
Yuto let out an exasperated sigh.
"I have things to do today, and I can't exactly do them if I'm stuck like this"
Lilith hummed, clearly amused by his predicament, while Ayla seemed to be debating whether or not she cared.
Eventually, she let out a reluctant huff and released her hold on him, though she remained curled up beside him.
Lilith, on the other hand, stretched one more time before finally sitting up.
"Fine, fine. You're no fun in the mornings"
Freed from their grip, Yuto sat up as well, running a hand through his messy hair.
"We have class soon," he reminded Lilith.
"And I'm not going to be late just because you refuse to get up"
Ayla perked up at the mention of class, her ears twitching.
"Class…" she echoed, looking at him with mild curiosity.
"Do I get to stay with you?"
Yuto glanced at her, then sighed.
"I don't know how that'll work yet, but for now, just follow me"
Lilith smirked.
"Looks like you've got another shadow, Yuto"
He shot her a look before swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get ready"
As he stood up, Ayla and Lilith exchanged glances before following suit, the morning routine about to begin.
He quickly freshened up, splashing cold water on his face to shake off the lingering drowsiness.
As he got dressed, he glanced over to see Lilith lounging lazily on his bed, her eyes filled with amusement.
Ayla, sitting at the edge of the bed, watched him with quiet curiosity.
Unlike before, she had adjusted to wearing clothes, now comfortably dressed in the ones he had given her the night they met.
'I hope Alice won't cause a fuss just because she's wearing my shirt and a pair of Lilith's skirts'
Yuto finished buttoning his shirt and turned to her.
"Did you sleep well?"
Ayla nodded, her ears twitching slightly.
"It was warm," she said simply.
He smiled.
"Good"
Lilith stretched with a satisfied sigh.
"Morning routines are so dull. Wouldn't it be easier if we just stayed in bed?"
Yuto shot her a look.
"You're free to sleep all day, but I have things to do"
Ayla tilted her head.
"Then I'll go with you"
"You don't have to follow me everywhere," he said, though his voice lacked any real protest.
Ayla blinked up at him.
"I want to"
Yuto sighed but couldn't bring himself to say no.
"Alright, let's go"
As they stepped into the hallway, students were already moving toward their classrooms, the usual morning chatter filling the air.
Ayla stayed close to Yuto's side, her eyes scanning the crowd.
Though she had met Alice and Reika the night before, she was still unfamiliar with the academy itself.
Her senses picked up on the many eyes lingering on her, whispers following their steps.
"They're staring," she murmured.
Yuto glanced at her, then shrugged.
"They're just curious"
Ayla frowned slightly.
"Should I do something about it?"
He chuckled.
"No, just ignore them. They'll get used to you"
Lilith smirked.
"Or they won't, and we'll have entertainment for the rest of the semester"
Ayla remained silent but stayed close to Yuto as they walked.
When they reached their classroom, Alice and Reika were already inside, waiting.
Alice immediately noticed them, her gaze flickering toward Ayla before settling on Yuto.
"You're late," she noted.
"We're not," Yuto replied, unfazed.
Reika glanced up from her book, giving Ayla a once-over before returning to the pages.
"You brought her along?"
"She's staying with me," Yuto said simply.
Alice sighed, crossing her arms.
"I guess that was expected"
She looked at Ayla more closely, then at Yuto.
"You're taking care of her, aren't you?"
Yuto nodded.
"I have too"
Alice pursed her lips but didn't argue. Instead, she gave Ayla a small nod.
"Then… I hope you're settling in well."
Ayla blinked at the sudden kindness before nodding back.
"I am"
Reika, not one for unnecessary words, merely added, "As long as she doesn't cause trouble, I don't mind"
Lilith grinned.
"Oh, she won't. But Yuto? He might"
Yuto sighed.
"Why am I the problem?"
Alice shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Because you always are.
He couldn't help but chuckle.
"I guess I am"
The bell rang, which meant that class was going to start soon.
He offered Ayla his seat, but she declined, stating that she needed to stand in case of an emergency.
Not even 2 minutes had passed when the inevitable happened.
A student Yuto didn't even recognize stood up, his chair scraping against the floor.
He was tall, with an air of self-importance, and from the way he carried himself, he was likely from a noble family.
"I can't just stand by and watch this any longer," he announced, his voice loud enough to silence the chatter around him.
Yuto, who had been resting his chin on his palm, slowly glanced up, already feeling a headache coming.
"Watch what?"
The student pointed at Ayla, who was seated beside Yuto.
(She had taken the seat because of Lilith.)
"This girl! She follows you around like a servant—no, like a slave! Are you forcing her to serve you?"
The room fell into a hushed silence, all eyes shifting between the two.
Some students exchanged amused glances, while others, particularly those from noble backgrounds, seemed to take the accusation seriously.
Ayla, however, didn't react.
She simply blinked at the student, tilting her head slightly.
"...Slave?"
The noble continued, ignoring her confusion.
"It's disgraceful! A true noble should never abuse their power like this"
He turned his gaze back to Yuto, his eyes burning with self-righteous determination.
"I challenge you! If I win, you release her from whatever control you have over her!"
Yuto sighed heavily, rubbing his temples.
"You've got the wrong idea—"
Before he could finish, they moved, stepping toward him with a hand outstretched, likely to grab his uniform or make some kind of dramatic point.
He never got the chance.
The moment he was within arm's reach, Ayla moved.
Faster than anyone could react, her hand shot out, gripping him by his collar.
With one smooth motion, she lifted him off the ground and hurled him backward as if he weighed nothing.
CRASH!
They slammed into the wall with a force that shook the room, his body crumpling to the floor with a groan.
Dust and debris settled as gasps filled the air.
Ayla remained seated, completely unfazed, as she brushed off her hands like she had just swatted a fly.
Yuto exhaled through his nose.
"Could've warned me first"
"I didn't like the way he was looking at you," Ayla said simply.
Lilith, who had been watching the scene unfold with great amusement, burst into laughter.
"Oh, I like her"
Alice facepalmed.
"Yuto, this is going to cause problems"
Reika, ever the calm one, merely turned a page in her book.
"It already has"
They groaned from the floor, barely managing to lift their head.
"W-What the hell was that…?"
Yuto leaned back in his chair.
"Like I was trying to say before you went on your little hero act, Ayla follows me because she wants to"
He glanced at her.
"Right?"
Ayla nodded.
"Of course"
The noble paled, realizing the ridiculousness of his assumption.
Some students stifled laughter, while others whispered among themselves about the sheer strength Ayla had just displayed.
The professor, who had been observing the situation with a tired expression, finally spoke up.
"If you're done with the theatrics, can we start class now?"
Yuto sighed.
"Finally"
Ayla, satisfied, turned her attention to Yuto as if nothing had happened.
The noble, meanwhile, remained on the floor, groaning in pain.
An Hour Later
As the final bell rang, signaling the end of class, students hurriedly packed their things and started filing out of the room.
Whispers about Ayla's overwhelming display of strength still floated around, but no one dared to approach Yuto about it, especially not after seeing how effortlessly Ayla had tossed the noble across the room.
Yuto stretched in his seat, about to stand up when Professor Hideo's voice cut through the chatter.
"Akimitsu. Stay behind"
He clicked his tongue in annoyance but nodded, slumping back into his chair as the others left.
Alice, Reika, Ayla, and Lilith lingered for a moment, but he waved them off.
"It's fine, I'll catch up"
Lilith smirked.
"Don't let the old man bully you too much"
Reika gave him a knowing glance but said nothing, while Alice hesitated before finally leaving with the others.
Although Ayla had to be dragged out by Lilith and Reika.
Now alone with Professor Hideo, Yuto leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head.
"So… what's up?"
They sighed, rubbing his temples as he leaned against his desk.
"I ignored what happened today because of the favor you did for me. But let's be clear, that little stunt caused quite the stir"
Yuto raised an eyebrow.
"Did it? I thought nobles getting thrown into walls was normal around here"
Hideo shot him a flat look.
"You really don't care, do you?"
"Not particularly"
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.
"Listen, Yuto. You're strong, and clearly, those around you are as well. But flaunting that strength, whether intentional or not, it puts a target on your back"
"That noble's family? They're not going to let this slide. They'll take this as an insult"
Yuto frowned slightly.
"So what? He challenged me, and he lost. That's how it works around here"
"I know that, and you know that. But this academy is filled with nobles who don't play fair"
Hideo's expression grew serious.
"You've already got people watching you because of your connection to Duke Astoria's daughter, now you're making enemies without even trying"
Yuto sighed, rubbing the back of his head.
"So, what do you want me to do? Apologize? Not happening"
Hideo shook his head.
"No, I wouldn't expect that from you anyway"
He studied Yuto for a moment before continuing, "Just... be careful. If you're not watching your back, you will find a knife in it"
Yuto smirked.
"Then I'll just break the knife"
Hideo gave him an exasperated look before muttering, "You are impossible"
Standing up, Yuto slung his bag over his shoulder.
"If that's all, I'll be going"
He nodded, though his expression remained troubled.
"Yuto"
He stopped at the door, glancing back.
"I don't know what your goal is at this academy, but whatever it is, don't get too caught up in noble affairs. They're messier than you think"
Yuto didn't respond.
He simply gave a lazy wave before walking out the door.
As he stepped into the hallway, Ayla was waiting for him, tail swaying slightly as she perked up at his arrival.
"Did he scold you?"
Yuto shrugged.
"Something like that"
As they walked through the halls, they soon met up with Lilith, Alice, and Reika, who had been waiting for him just outside their next class.
Alice gave him a curious look.
"What did Professor Hideo want?"
"Just the usual warning about nobles being a pain," Yuto replied with a shrug.
Reika adjusted her glasses.
"He's not wrong. You're already making enemies without trying"
Lilith grinned.
"Which makes things so much more entertaining"
Yuto rolled his eyes before turning his attention forward.
"Anyway, we've got training class next"
Ayla perked up.
"Training?"
"It's combat practice," Yuto explained.
"It's where students learn how to fight properly"
Ayla tilted her head.
"I already know how to fight"
Lilith chuckled.
"Oh, trust me, we know"
As they opened the door and arrived at the training grounds, the atmosphere was already intense.
Students were lining up, stretching, and preparing for the session ahead.
Unlike regular classes, this one demanded both physical and magical prowess.
Which, of course, made it Yuto and Alice's favorite class.
At the center of it all stood Professor Kurogane.
A middle-aged man with a muscular build.
He was known for being strict, though more than that, he had a bit of an ego problem.
"Alright, listen up!" he barked, silencing the murmuring students.
"Today, we're going to focus on real combat applications. You've been learning techniques, but that's useless if you can't apply them in an actual fight!"
Yuto stood with his arms crossed, listening with mild interest.
However, as Kurogane's gaze swept the crowd, it locked onto him with an intensity that was hard to ignore.
"Since we have… talented individuals among us," Kurogane began, his lips curling slightly in distaste, "let's have a demonstration. Akimitsu!"
Yuto blinked.
"Huh?"
Kurogane smirked.
"Since you seem to attract a lot of attention from the girls in class, let's see if you can back up all that popularity with real skill"
Alice sighed.
"Here we go…"
Lilith grinned.
"This'll be good"
Reika adjusted her glasses.
"Unsurprising"
Ayla, however, frowned slightly.
"How dare this puny human–"
Luckily, Alice managed to cover her mouth before Ayla said something stupid.
Yuto exhaled through his nose, stepping forward.
"Fine. If this is what you want, I won't hold back"
The students around them stirred with excitement.
After all, it wasn't every day that a professor directly challenged a student.
Kurogane cracked his knuckles.
"Let's see if you're all talk"
Yuto smirked.
"Don't regret this"
They took their positions in the sparring ring.
Kurogane cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders.
"I won't go easy on you, Akimitsu"
Yuto simply smirked.
"Didn't ask you to"
Their expression twitched slightly at the blatant confidence, but he said nothing.
Instead, he took a stance, magic flaring around his fists.
The moment the signal was given, Kurogane lunged forward, his fist crackling with energy as he aimed a straight punch at Yuto's gut.
Yuto didn't move.
He simply tilted his body slightly, letting the punch graze past him effortlessly.
Before Kurogane could react, Yuto struck.
A simple, sharp jab to the stomach.
WHAM!
Kurogane's eyes widened as the air was forcefully knocked out of his lungs.
He staggered back, clutching his stomach as he coughed violently.
The students gasped.
"What the—?"
"Did he just—?"
Kurogane gritted his teeth, forcing himself to recover.
His pride wouldn't allow him to lose so easily.
With a growl, he summoned a magic barrier around himself before dashing toward Yuto again, aiming a spinning kick reinforced with mana.
Yuto sighed.
He stepped forward.
The moment Kurogane's leg swung toward him, Yuto grabbed his ankle mid-spin, stopping the attack dead in its tracks.
The professor barely had time to process what was happening before—
CRACK!
Yuto twisted his grip and slammed Kurogane into the ground with brutal efficiency.
Dust kicked up as the professor groaned in pain, struggling to push himself up.
But Yuto wasn't done.
Before Kurogane could react, he planted a foot against his back, pinning him down with ease.
"You were saying?" Yuto asked, his voice calm yet dripping with slight anger.
The crowd was silent.
No one dared to speak as they watched their instructor, one of the academy's most respected combat trainers, being completely and utterly dominated by a student.
Lilith whistled.
"Well, that was embarrassing"
Alice pinched the bridge of her nose.
"This is going to be a problem"
Reika simply muttered, "As expected"
Ayla, however, was watching with quiet approval.
Kurogane gritted his teeth, his face red with both rage and humiliation.
"D-Damn you—!"
Yuto applied a bit more pressure with his foot, making the professor wince.
"Know your place," Yuto said coldly.
"You wanted a fight, and you lost. Don't start something you can't finish"
Kurogane trembled beneath him, but he couldn't argue.
He had been defeated, no, humiliated in front of the entire class.
After a few more moments of silence, Yuto finally lifted his foot and stepped back, allowing the professor to scramble to his feet.
Kurogane shot him a glare, but it lacked any real fire.
He knew he had lost.
"…Class dismissed," he muttered bitterly before storming off, his pride in shambles.
As soon as he left, the students erupted into whispers.
"That was insane…"
"I didn't think Akimitsu was that strong…"
"He made the professor look like a joke…"
"He is a prodigy"
Yuto stretched his arms, yawning slightly.
"Well, that was boring"
Lilith laughed.
"You just curb-stomped a professor and called it boring?"
Alice sighed.
"Now you're definitely going to have more people after you"
Reika adjusted her glasses.
"Not just nobles. Teachers too"
Ayla looked up at Yuto.
"You didn't even try, did you?"
Yuto smirked.
"Not really"
She nodded in approval.
"Good"
As the students slowly dispersed, Yuto sighed.
"Alright, let's go eat. I'm starving!"
The Cafeteria
The scent of freshly cooked food filled the air: grilled meat, steaming rice, baked bread, and sweet pastries lined up in trays for students to grab at their leisure.
Yuto, hands in his pockets, strolled in with his usual nonchalant attitude, followed closely by Alice, Lilith, Reika, and Ayla.
The moment they stepped inside, whispers spread like wildfire.
"That's him..."
"He destroyed Professor Kurogane like it was nothing..."
"Did you see the way he slammed him down? That was terrifying..."
"I swear, one of these days I'm going to beat him"
"I heard he has a little sister just as strong"
Yuto ignored them all.
His focus was singular: food.
Grabbing a tray, he loaded it with an absurd amount of meat: grilled steak, roasted chicken, even a rack of ribs.
Alongside that, a bowl of ramen and a large cup of Coke.
Alice sighed, already expecting this.
"You're going to eat all of that?"
Yuto gave her a deadpan look.
"Of course"
Lilith laughed.
"He just humiliated a professor. Let the man eat"
Reika adjusted her glasses.
"He does have a high metabolism, given his abilities"
Ayla, standing beside Yuto, grabbed her own plate, mirroring him by stacking a ridiculous amount of meat onto her tray.
Lilith raised a brow.
"Uh, Ayla, are you sure you can eat all that?"
Ayla blinked, looking at her tray, then at Yuto's.
She simply nodded.
"If Yuto eats this much, then I will too"
Alice rubbed her temples.
"That's not how it works…"
Yuto just smirked.
"Let her eat what she wants, not like she's going to die from it"
With their trays full, they found a table near the back, away from most of the staring students.
As Yuto dug into his food, Alice poked at her grilled meat while watching him.
"You know, after what happened, you're going to have more problems, Yuto"
Yuto, between bites, shrugged.
"Not my problem. Most of my fights started because they picked the fight"
Reika nodded.
"True. But the noble students won't like that you humiliated a professor, especially one who favors them"
Lilith grinned.
"Oh, I hope they try something. Watching Yuto crush arrogant nobles is my favorite pastime"
Yuto sighed.
"I just want to eat in peace"
Ayla, chewing on a piece of steak, looked at him.
"If they challenge you, will you fight again?"
Yuto took a sip of his Coke before answering.
"If they disrespect me? Yeah. I don't take disrespect"
Alice groaned.
"We're never going to have a peaceful school life, are we?"
Lilith smirked.
"Did we ever?"
As the group continued eating, a shadow loomed over their table.
A student with an expensive-looking uniform and an arrogant smirk stood before them, arms crossed.
Yuto sighed, already annoyed.
'For one bloody fucking second can they let me eat?'
"Yuto Akimitsu," the noble sneered.
"You think you're hot shit after beating a professor?"
Yuto took another bite of his food, not even looking up.
"Not really, so we're done now?"
The noble's eye twitched.
"You've humiliated one of our academy's finest instructors. That won't stand. I, Marcus von Drach, challenge you to a duel!"
Yuto let out a long sigh, setting down his chopsticks.
"Bro," he said, voice utterly uninterested.
"I'm trying to eat, so can you just fuck off?"
Marcus von Drach's smirk faltered slightly at Yuto's complete disregard.
"You dare to shoo me away!" he snapped, slamming his hand on the table.
Yuto, still seated, calmly reached for his Coke, took a sip, and set it down before finally looking up at him.
"You done?" he asked, his tone as flat as ever.
Marcus gritted his teeth.
"Are you a coward? You humiliated a professor and now refuse a duel?!"
Lilith chuckled, resting her chin in her palm.
"Oh, this is going to be fun"
Alice sighed.
"Another one? Can we at least finish lunch first?"
Ayla, still eating, glanced at Marcus, unimpressed.
"He's annoying!"
Reika adjusted her glasses.
"He's from the Drach family. Their lineage prides itself on producing powerful warriors. This challenge isn't surprising"
Yuto exhaled through his nose.
"Alright, listen, Marcus—" he dragged the name out like it physically pained him to say it.
"If I accept this duel, it'll be a one-sided beatdown, just like earlier. Are you sure you want that?"
Marcus scoffed.
"Hah! Arrogant words. But we'll see who gets beaten down!"
Yuto pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Fine. Let's get this over with"
Lilith grinned.
"Ooooh, lunchtime entertainment!"
Marcus grinned, stepping back.
"The training grounds. Fifteen minutes"
Yuto waved him off.
"Yeah, yeah. Now get lost. I'm eating"
Marcus huffed but turned on his heel and left, likely to brag about the duel to his friends.
Yuto picked up his chopsticks again and resumed eating.
Alice groaned.
"Why do you always get into these situations?"
Yuto shrugged.
"Not my fault people like losing to me"
Lilith laughed.
"I love that attitude"
Ayla tilted her head.
"Are you going to hurt him badly?"
Yuto smirked.
"Depends on how annoying he is"
Reika sighed.
"I suppose we should finish eating. We have a fight to watch"
As they continued their meal, the entire cafeteria buzzed with excitement.
Another duel had been set.
And everyone knew how it would end.
Fifteen Minutes Later
The training grounds were packed with students eager to witness the duel between Yuto and Marcus.
The air was thick with anticipation, whispers spreading like wildfire.
"Marcus is strong, right?"
"Yeah, but… Yuto crushed a professor this morning. This might not end well"
"I heard Marcus is one of the top noble fighters"
"Well, let's see if that matters"
"Bets anyone?"
Yuto arrived, stretching his arms lazily as he stepped onto the field.
Lilith, Alice, Ayla, and Reika took their spots near the edge, all watching with varying degrees of interest.
Alice sighed.
"I can already tell this is going to be ridiculous"
Lilith smirked.
"Oh, I hope so"
Ayla's ears twitched.
"Yuto will win"
Reika adjusted her glasses.
"Obviously"
Marcus stood on the opposite side, rolling his shoulders.
He was clad in his family's signature dueling attire, a dark red combat uniform with silver embroidery.
His blade, a finely crafted longsword, gleamed under the sun.
"I'll make sure you regret your arrogance," Marcus sneered.
Yuto exhaled.
"Yeah, yeah. Are we starting or what?"
The duel's officiator, an upperclassman, stepped forward.
"This is a sanctioned duel. The fight ends when one party is unable to continue or yields!"
Marcus pointed his blade at Yuto.
"You won't even get the chance to yield"
Yuto cracked his knuckles.
"I wasn't planning to"
"Begin!"
Marcus lunged forward the moment the word was spoken, his sword flashing through the air with impressive speed.
But Yuto shrugged.
With a single step, he sidestepped the strike, his movements smooth and effortless.
Marcus swung again.
Faster, more aggressive.
Yuto leaned back, letting the blade pass inches from his face before twisting to the side.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"He's dodging everything…"
"No wasted movement… He's not even trying!"
Marcus growled, frustration clear in his eyes.
"Stop dodging and fight me, coward!"
Yuto sighed.
"You sure?"
Marcus thrust forward, aiming straight for Yuto's chest.
Yuto caught the blade between his fingers.
The crowd fell silent.
"What—?!" Marcus's eyes widened in horror as Yuto stopped his attack like it was nothing.
Then, before Marcus could react—
BAM!
Yuto's fist buried into his gut.
Marcus's body lifted off the ground.
CRACK!
In one fluid motion, Yuto grabbed his collar and slammed him into the dirt, shaking the ground.
Marcus coughed violently, the air forced from his lungs as the pain hit all at once.
The crowd went wild.
"Holy—"
"It's over already?!"
"He got destroyed!"
"Here's the 50 I owe"
Yuto knelt beside him, his voice calm but cold.
"I warned you"
Marcus wheezed, trying to move, but his body refused to respond.
Yuto stood up, dusting off his uniform.
"Next time, think before you run your mouth"
The upperclassman blinked, stunned, before raising his hand.
"Winner—Yuto Akimitsu!"
The students cheered and murmured, all talking about Yuto's overwhelming victory.
Lilith whistled.
"That was brutal"
Alice facepalmed.
"That was overkill"
Ayla nodded in satisfaction.
"It was deserved"
Reika closed her book.
"Expected outcome"
Yuto stretched.
"Alright, I'm going back to lunch"
As he walked off, the stunned crowd parted for him, their whispers following.
"A villain"
"Nay a monster in human flesh"
"Does he have a girlfriend?"
They all turned to the girl, who had no shame in asking.
Yuto is strong; that was the thought they all shared.