CHAPTER 75: A NEW BOND CANDIDATE

Chapter 75: A New Bond Candidate

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Arios kept his face neutral as he walked out of the alchemy classroom with Lucy by his side. The glowing blue text of the system prompt still lingered in the corner of his vision, fading only after a few blinks.

[New Bond Candidate: Mage Amelia Identified.]

[Compatibility: 100%]

It was... absurd.

He pressed his lips together, hiding his reaction. Beside him, Lucy stretched her arms with a dramatic groan. "Alchemy is impossible. I swear I’m going to fail this class. Why do they make us grind leaves when I could just, I don’t know, buy medicine?"

"You passed today," Arios said, his tone was flat, but his words made Lucy brighten up instantly.

"Hehe, true! But only because you basically carried me. Still counts." She grinned, walking ahead toward the dorm corridor. "Come on, let’s go get something sweet before final hours. My brain really needs some sugar."

"Go ahead," Arios replied. "I’ll catch up."

Lucy waved as she walked off toward the path that led to the campus cafeteria. The crowd of students thinned out around him, leaving Arios alone in the hallway. He leaned against the wall, his notebook tucked under one arm.

The system’s words slowly replayed in his mind.

Mage Amelia.

She’s a lecturer, a battle-hardened medic for that matter and with cultivation clearly far above mine... and now the system thinks she’s a Bond Candidate?

He slowly rubbed his temples. The system had already forced him into strange situations with people around his age— from freaky bond requirements that required him to receive a hand job, to rewarding him if he fucked a girl using every hole she had.

But this? Amelia wasn’t just older— she was a teacher, it could land her in serious trouble for violating academy rules.

He could still picture her standing at the front of the class in partial armor, voice steady as she told them sloppy work killed. She didn’t smile often, but when she did, there was a calm assurance in it. A woman used to seeing death and refusing to let it win.

"...This is insane," he muttered under his breath. "So I get to truly fuck a MILF?"

A passing second-year gave him a strange look before moving on, Arios just ignored it.

The system’s note flashed again in his thoughts:

[Requirements: Physical touch only (MILF PRIME SEDUCTION)]

Arios covered his face with one hand. What kind of ridiculous system is this? But the cultivation boost.

But as much as he wanted to dismiss it, the system had never been wrong. Every Bond Candidate so far had offered him real advantages. If Amelia’s compatibility was truly 100%, then ignoring this might mean turning away from an enormous opportunity.

Still, she was a teacher and a respected one. Someone with battlefield experience. Making even casual contact with her would not be easy.

He exhaled slowly, forcing his expression back to calm. "One step at a time. Don’t overthink it."

He flipped open his notebook and glanced at his notes from class. Precise handwriting filled the pages — diagrams of extraction techniques, measurements for stabilization, observations of Elisa and Javier’s attempts.

No matter what the system threw at him, Arios had decided something: he would keep learning. Every lesson mattered. Every detail mattered, more than ever.

He closed the book and slipped it under his arm. The faint smell of Silverleaf still lingered on his hands.

Bond Candidates or not... I’ll make use of everything I can, and fuck every girl I should.

From down the hall, Lucy’s voice echoed faintly, as she called out to him.

"Arios! Hurry up! If you’re too slow, I’m eating all the cake myself!"

Arios let out a small smile, Lucy always found ways to cheer him up. The week had been sober following everything that happened, but after fucking both Lucy and Liza, his starting to get his edge back.

"...Coming."

He pushed the thoughts of Amelia to the back of his mind for now, following the sound of Lucy’s laughter as the last of the evening sunlight spilled through the academy windows.

The system had introduced a new piece on the board. But for Arios, it was just another part of the game.

For now.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

After the lesson with Mage Amelia, the students of Class 1-D poured out into the hallways, chatter already filling the air. Most were either groaning about how hard healing alchemy was or boasting about how their salve had turned out. The smell of herbs still clung faintly to their uniforms as they walked.

Lucy stretched her arms high above her head and yawned. "Finally, fresh air. I thought I was going to suffocate in that room."

"You were barely grinding herbs," Arios said, carrying his notebook under one arm.

"I was grinding my sanity away," Lucy muttered dramatically, though her smile returned quickly. "Still, I did better than I thought. That counts as a win."

The group made their way toward the main courtyard where the evening sun was spilling through the academy gardens. Flowers swayed lightly in the breeze, and a handful of other students lounged around the benches or the fountain. It was the kind of calm that only came when tests and duels weren’t hanging over everyone’s head.

Elisa passed by them, silent as usual, her bag slung neatly over her shoulder. She didn’t even glance their way. Javier followed behind a short distance later, muttering curses under his breath while his friend halfheartedly listened. Lucy just rolled her eyes.

"That guy’s going to explode someday. Hopefully not near us."

Arios gave no response, only jotting something down in his notebook again.

Lucy leaned closer. "Are you still writing? We’re done with class."

"Observations are never done," Arios said simply. He was doing it to pass the time, as he wanted the day to get over already.

She pouted but didn’t push it any further.

Instead, her eyes lit up suddenly. "Wait, that reminds me! There’s something I wanted to try. Come on."

Before Arios could ask, she grabbed his sleeve and tugged him toward the academy’s café, a small but popular spot tucked near the student market. It had glass windows that let in the warm glow of sunlight, and the smell of baked goods and roasted beans wafted out as soon as they stepped in.

The bell above the door chimed. Several students were already seated, enjoying tea, coffee, or pastries. The atmosphere was light, friendly, almost as if the café was separate from the strict rules of the academy itself.

Lucy guided Arios straight to the counter. "Two slices of the strawberry shortcake, please!" she told the barista without hesitation.

"You’ve been waiting to order that, haven’t you?" Arios said.

Lucy grinned. "I read the café menu last week. Everyone said their strawberry cake is the best in the entire campus. We have to try it."

The barista quickly plated two neat slices, each topped with a swirl of cream and a glossy red strawberry. Lucy carried the tray over to a table by the window and practically bounced into her seat. Arios sat across from her, calm as ever.

Lucy clasped her hands like she was about to pray. "Behold... perfection." She picked up her fork and sliced off a bite, closing her eyes as soon as she tasted it.

"Mmm— so sweet! The cream just melts, and the sponge is so soft— Arios, you have to try this."

She pointed her fork at him like it was a command. Arios’ expression remained unchanged as he slowly cut a small piece from his own plate and tasted it.

"...It’s fine."

Lucy gasped. "Fine?! This is art in fuckin edible form. This is the kind of cake people write love songs about."

"Then maybe you should write one," Arios said, taking another cake bite.

She nearly choked laughing. "You’re fucking impossible."

"Hey, Arios," Lucy called out to him. "You know what would go well with this cake?"

"I don’t know... Maybe some iced tea?" Arios replied.

"No dummy," Lucy said. "That sweet cum of yours would sweeten this even more."

Fuck, this girl is about to make me literally hard right now.

Still, the cake seemed to brighten her mood even more. She kicked her legs lightly under the table as they ate, humming to herself. For a few minutes, there were no duels, no lessons, no tests. Just cake, sunshine, and the simple comfort of sharing it with someone.

When she finished her slice, Lucy leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "Worth every point. We should do this again sometime."

Arios dropped his spoon at last, finally giving her his full attention. "Maybe."

"That’s basically a yes from you," Lucy teased, smiling wider.

Outside the window, the academy’s courtyard bustled on, but at their little table, time felt slower and lighter. Arios didn’t admit it out loud, but the quiet sweetness of the moment lingered with him longer than the taste of the cake itself.