CHAPTER 80: BUDDING ROMANCE - ME AND MY TEACHER

Samantha’s legs spread, fist drawn to her waist in a firm stance as she glared at the fallen Lich.

"What did you do this time to attract an Expert-ranked Lich?"

Despite her quip, the Teacher’s eyes quivered in a mix of annoyance and anger. She was against this trip when she knew the proposer was the scheming Saintess.

If not for her link to the Void, she wouldn’t have sensed Mel being pulled into the Dream Realm.

She cast a sympathetic gaze upon her student. "Tell me this isn’t your idea?"

"Nope!" Mel’s face gleamed. "Not one bit! I’m totally innocent!"

The Teacher’s brows knitted together, the over-cheerfulness in Mel’s voice ticking her off the wrong way.

[ Samantha instinctively guessed you knew more than you let on, but decided to let it slide as long as you’re unharmed! ]

[ Samantha Favourability: 0.001 - 5 ]

Woah. It rose back up!

Mel patted the Ka-broom beneath her, watching the Lich scramble to its feet, clutching the Counter tightly.

Samantha called out to her again. "You fought this thing?"

"Mhm."

"Heh." The teacher let out a scoff. "Too weak to have pulled you to this realm... but no matter."

She glanced at the Skull Staff lodged to the ground, the crowned skull oozing a mana eerily familiar to her.

A Telepathy was sent to Mel, unprompted.

’We shall meet again soon, Mel. Atop the glorious sancutary that was one of my allies.’

Then, the fires inside the Skull already dimmed, as if the one behind it was cautious enough to leave without a trace.

The Necromage. Pride’s one of four familiars.

Samantha gritted her teeth, and before she could inquire more from Mel about her old enemy, the Lich’s trembling voice cut through the tension.

"A mere Void user... how dare you intrude upon the Master’s realm..."

Its boney finger grasped at the Skull Staff, hood fluttering as it conjured glowy circles of Summoning.

As expected, the Lich could summon more all along.

Mel hummed in amusement, but jolted as Samantha dashed at the Lich, her rainbow eyes glimmering with a purplish mana that traced arcs in the air.

Just as the Knights’ heads snapped up from the Summoning circles, the teacher’s fist came crashing down at the Lich’s-

An Undead Knight’s shield blocked her blow, the force of her punch denting the metal with a sharp crack.

The Lich ducked behind her minions, tone low yet mocking. "How impolite of you."

"Only a fool will wait till the Undead’s Summoning."

With only a squint in reply, her other fist swung again-

Snap! Bone Shield shattered under the impact, her fist blasting through and slamming into Undead Knight’s helmet.

A sharp crack echoed as her fist pierced straight through the skull like a missile

The moment she retreated her arm, the lich floated upwards as its Knights swung down their swords.

Samantha’s eyes twitched, raising her palm. "Drifter’s Gaze."

In an instant, the World lost its color, washed in shades of grey.

Starlight dimmed, their brilliance drained, as the time itself stuttered... before it slowed to a halt.

Mel’s golden eyes, however, blinked, unsure of why she was still in the frozen time.

She merely observed, couldn’t move a muscle, as Samantha’s hair suddenly turned colorless, yet glowy as if embedded by powers she couldn’t comprehend.

And with her rainbow eyes darting left and right, her fist drove upwards.

One, two, three, four, five skulls cracked, but no further creaking of bone followed before her fist lunged again.

Her punch struck with a hollow splash, as if hitting water.

As the seventh Knight fell, her legs bolted mid-air.

Color flooded back, painting the teacher’s skin pink once more, as her fist smashed into the Lich’s skull suspended in the air.

"What?!"

Samantha rolled her eyes at the Lich’s groan and swung another fist-

Snap! The Lich’s bone cracked as it was sent crashing down, tumbling across the carpet-like ground with a cartoonish flop.

Mel clapped her hands, not just for Samantha’s performance, but also for how the Lich clung to its staff while rolling, as if determined to protect its Master’s precious gift from harm.

Come to think of it, wasn’t it too much for two semi-Witches to bully a poor Expert-ranked Lich?

Just as she teased her enemy inside, the Lich’s defeated voice lingered.

"Filthy... Void users..."

Samantha cracked her neck, her steady steps approaching the Lich. "Better perish back to your Realm, Undead Slave, or at least cough up some useful intel."

The war veteran inside Samantha screamed back, determining it was better to send the Undead back rather than allowing it to play further tricks.

Intel? Undead were the most loyal, souls bound directly to their Master.

Getting information from them was harder than avoiding watching Mel kiss Lila again in the middle of class.

The Lich coiled its body tightly around the staff, as if resigned to its fate.

"Your reliance on the Void... will be your downfall..."

Samantha exhaled slowly, kneeling with her fist drawn back.

"I’ve heard that more times than I can count."

Crack! Skull smashed, as the Lich disappeared into the Dust, returning to the realm it came from.

Whistling softly, Mel hopped down from the ka-broom, her eyes fixed on Samantha’s solemn figure, motionless amid the fading bonfires.

She watched as the teacher hesitated briefly before lifting her leg and stomping down hard on the crowned Skull Staff, splintering it into pieces

The Dream Realm cracked apart, shards of starlight falling like a rain of scattered jewels.

Then Samantha glanced back, her piercing rainbow eyes locking onto Mel.

As the teacher strode towards her, Mel thought of various excuses for how she was pulled into this Realm.

The war veteran wasn’t easily swayed, and no matter how hard Mel tried, shrugging it off would be difficult-

Plop.

A confusion flashed through Mel’s face as she peeked at Samantha, patting her.

Samantha’s eyes closed briefly, as if searching for something

With a sigh of relief once again, Samantha muttered. "No residual mana... good. That Necromage didn’t do much to you."

Mel fought back a tremble, her expression softening at the teacher’s concern.

Ultimately, the Witch of Gluttony was more concerned with her students than with answers.

She chuckled before inquiring. "Necromage? What’s that?"

Samantha tilted her head, visibly exasperated, as if finally accepting that Mel wasn’t even trying to hide that she knew something.

Her hand smoothed over Mel’s hair as she shrugged. "Nothing worth your concern. But just one thing."

A sharp glint crossed her eyes as she stated. "Whatever she said, don’t listen to her. She may have threatened you, but I ensure no harm will be done to you or those you care about."

When she grasped that Mel had been kidnapped to the Dream Realm, she immediately informed the Royal and Holy Knights to check on Heima Village and the orphanage where Mel resided, ensuring no Cultists’ threats from within.

Surprisingly, the places were squeaky clean, as if someone had already cleaned up before them.

Imagining a certain Saintess, who used Mel as bait, held suspicion; she frowned as a faint blush crept up Mel’s cheeks.

With a quivering voice, Mel chuckled with a tease. "I would’ve felt safer with a hug, Miss Samantha."

The teacher raised a brow, a look of indifferent amusement spreading over her features.

Eying Mel’s foxy smile, she now knew the tease was intentional, perhaps spurring her sense of duty as a teacher for the need to calm her student.

Seeing there was no harm done, she relented with a light embrace, her arms tightening gently around Mel’s back.

Mel returned the hug with more strength. "Thanks, Miss Samantha."

A flicker of warmth stirred within the teacher’s chest as Mel’s skin pressed softly against hers, her cheek nuzzling just beneath the shoulder.

Star-glitters continued to fall softly around them, glowing with a serenity Samantha couldn’t quite name.

She pulled back slightly, meeting Mel’s sincere, jewel-like eyes.

The faint blush still lingered, painting a quiet stroke of gratitude across a heart the teacher wasn’t ready to accept.

Cute.

A compliment slipped through Samantha’s mind as she took a deep breath.

The Dream Realm continued to crack around them, further pushing them back towards the real world.

Mel smirked as she felt herself returning. "See you then."

Samantha nodded, her rainbow eyes softening just a fraction. "Try not to be alone when in trouble next time, alright?"

With a giggle, Mel’s fingers tugged at Samantha’s shirt. "Will we hug again if I do?"

"I don’t close distance with someone that reckless, Kid."

Samantha patted Mel again. "So, stay sharp."

As Mel blinked with the Realm shattering around her, a shuddering smile curved her lips.

She didn’t rejected the offer.

The Witch of Lust clutched her chest, feeling her heartbeat thunder within.

[ Gluttony was attracted to you, even for a slight moment! ]

[ Gluttony favourability: 5 - 9 ]

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As Mel was pulled back to the real World, she first felt the soft mattress underneath her back.

She glanced beside her at Lila, curled beneath the sheet. Her bare skin was marked with bite scars - unspoken badges of possession.

Her breath hitched as her mind reeled from what felt like a long, strange dream.

[ Good evening, Mel! About 12 Hours have passed since you were asleep and kidnapped inside the Dream Realm. And... sorry for using you as a bait again.]

"No worries, Partner. I got something out of it in the end, so it’s fine."

She stretched as she asked. "Then, what happened when I was asleep? What is my purpose as a bait? And how exactly is it related to the Spies onboard?"

[ About that, I-uh... ]

"Hm?"

Mel blinked in confusion. "What is it?"

[ It seems that Saria was coming to check on you because of a certain ruckus outside. ]

"Heh?"

Mel froze as she glanced at the naked Lila beside her, then at herself.

"Uh... another time?"

[ She’s rushing in right now... ]

Oh...

And with a sudden that caught a breath of Mel’s, the door was slammed open.

"Mel! Are you-oh..."

Mel’s golden eyes locked with Saria’s, now out of her caged helmet and armour, wearing a standard robe with a sword at her waist.

Saria’s expression fell as Mel’s smile strained under the pressure.

Except for Lila’s soft giggle, which seemed to ease the tension.

"Hehe. Mel... so naughty..."

Uh-thanks, Lila...

The Witch of Lust chuckled a little, before moving the sheet to cover up Lila’s bare shoulder.