NOVPUBRaegar watched Valentina's smile grow as she responded. ''How could I know that little boy who was my first dance would be my student in Drakenwood twelve years later?''
''Is that a bad thing?'' he said, smirking. ''Devils are constantly invading the real world, who else is better to help you than me?''
The older woman was shocked but soon agreednodding. ''Yes, you are certainly skilled at killing the fiends.''
''They are actively targeting me thanks to being a Devil Killer,'' he revealed with a confident expression. ''I promise one day I will invade their realm and kill so many of them that they have to think twice about attacking Sylvara again.''
When Valentina heard this, her eyes widened before she questioned impatiently. ''Where did you hear that from?''
''A Devil said it when they attacked Yuki and Mother,'' he answered while scratching his head. ''I killed the fiend, but now they hunt me, which is fun. I hope it doesn't happen when I'm with my friends.''
She giggled at his words. ''Don't you mean girlfriends? I've seen the way you look at each other.''
Raegar shook his head. ''Yes, they're pretty, but we're friends for now. The closest woman that comes close to being my girlfriend is Yuki.''
''You and she are lovers?'' Valentina inquired with wide eyes.
''Well, not just yet, she's waiting until after I come of age,'' he answered. ''It doesn't bother me, though, because I'm happy growing stronger right now.''
Raegar noticed the professor's expression change as she whispered. ''So you like older women?''
He chuckled at her question but nodded in agreement before teasing the mature beauty. ''Yes, I do. I like all kinds of women. Why are you interested?''
Valentina's cheeks went red as she playfully pushed him. ''Shut up you little shit, like I'd have a relationship with a student, it's unheard of.''
Just then, she spun on his heels and pointed. ''And I know you touched my bum on purpose now you've said that.''
Raegar's eyes sparkled with fake indignation, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. ''Alright, fine, I may have brushed against your rather impressive ass, purely by accident, of course,'' he teased, his grin widening as he added, ''And I must say, it was quite the pleasant surprise.''
Valentina's jaw dropped, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, utterly flustered by his brazen admission. Before she could muster a retort, Raegar stepped closer, his presence commanding and warm, his tall frame looming just enough to make her heart skip.
He leaned in, his breath a soft caress against her ear, his lips so close they nearly grazed her skin. ''That said,'' he murmured, his voice low and laced with a teasing promise. ''I'm not opposed to seeing where things could lead.''
Valentina's face flushed red, the heat creeping up her neck as his words sank in, her composure unraveling under his gaze. Her embarrassment only deepened when Raegar, with a roguish glint in his eye, pressed a kiss to her cheek, the contact sending a jolt through her.
Without a backward glance, he sauntered out of the classroom, his confident stride unfazed by the professor's mortified expression or the stunned silence he left in his wake. Once outside, he spotted Zahara and Selene.
When the two girls saw him, they beamed before the blonde curiously asked. ''What are you so happy about?''
''Nothing,'' he answered, choosing not to tell them about Valentina just yet.
Raegar shook his head and spoke. ''Let's go to the library, there are some books I want to read and Selene is coming.''
Zahara turned to the Demoness, who was nodding. ''Yes, I want to see why they interest Rae so much,'' she revealed.
Following that, the three of them went to enter the nearby hall but were stopped by a group of noble girls who were watching Zahara. The pompous leader strutted forward, eyeing the blonde with a sneer that could curdle milk.
''Tell me, peasant,'' she spat, ''Why's a nobody like you sniffing around the Vaelthorne Family? You're not even cute enough to pull that off.''
Zahara blinked, tilting her head. ''Uh… okay?'' she replied.
Raegar's face darkened, his fists clenching as he took a step toward the leader, clearly ready to rearrange the girl's smug features. But before he could swing, Selene's hand shot out, grabbing his arm.
''Whoa, Rae, pump the brakes!'' she barked, her voice laced with amusement.
He froze, turning to her, baffled, one eyebrow arched as if to say. ''Why the hell not?''
Selene's lips curled into a devilish grin, her yellow eyes glinting. ''A handsome boy like you shouldn't be throwing punches at a so-called girl like this, she might infect you with some sort of disease,'' she said, giggling.
Then, in a flash, she moved forward with the confidence of someone who knew she was about to steal the show. Her hand cracked across the leader's face in a resounding slap that echoed through the courtyard like a thunderclap.
The girl stumbled back, clutching her cheek, her ego more bruised than her skin, while the Demoness beamed like she'd just won a prize. ''But us girls?'' she said, winking at Zahara. ''Oh, we can throw hands all day.''
Selene moved against and slammed her fist into the bully's stomach as she spun and kicked a boy in the jaw who tried to move forward. She grabbed the leader by the throat and lifted her.
''If you ever try to bully my best friend again, I will make sure you'll pay tenfold,'' she warned with a wicked expression that scared the girl.
Just then, Professor Morris stepped into the hall and demanded. ''What's going on here?''
Raegar looked at the older woman as Selene innocently explained. ''They were bullying Zahara and Rae, I beat them up because bullies don't stop unless they get hurt, which I helped.''
The professor looked at them before scolding the three.
***
(Minutes before Selene beat up the bullies)
Valentina watched Raegar leave the classroom, her face was bright red thanks to his surprise kiss. She shook her head mumbling. ''What a playboy but I didn't dislike it, maybe I could go see him tonight?''
That's when she remembered that he was at the bottom of the Western Tower, causing her to think. 'I'll just sneak in, no one will see me. Especially not Silas Riverhold, he cannot see through my Aether.'
Following that, she prepared for the year two class only to hear a yelp prompting her to walk outside, only to see Selene Bloodrose holding a girl named Daisy Northwood in the air by her neck, which shocked her.
'What's the hell happened? He just left the class,' she thought while looking at the handsome white-haired boy.
Valentina noticed he was giving her a knowing smile, prompting her to end this as quickly as possible before she messed up. ''Come on, stop this silliness already, Selene let Daisy go and Miss Northwood, I suggest you stop bullying other students or you'll be expelled.''
She watched the Demoness shove the noble girl to the ground before fleeing down the corridor with her group. Once they were out of sight, she turned to the three younger students and cautioned.
''Be cautious if you fight back. Depending on which professor sees, you could get in trouble,'' she warned.
Raegar nodded as he started dragging the two giggling girls toward the library, causing her to smile. ''Stupid Blackwood, always finding trouble.''
She shook her head and stepped back into her class, and organized lessons for tomorrow. By the time she was finished, the sun had set, allowing her to sneak into the Western Dragon Tower.
As Valentina neared the building, she spotted academy guards patrolling the grounds and quickly cast her spell. The Tier Seven Aether cloaked the blonde, rendering her invisible to most onlookers.
Moments later, she crept toward the boy's tower under the cover of her Tier Seven Aether spell, her form shimmering into near-invisibility. The heavy oak door creaked slightly as she slipped inside, her heart pounding.
The common room sprawled before her, bathed in the warm glow of a crackling fireplace. A handful of students lounged about, some sprawled on plush armchairs, others hunched over a card game, their laughter echoing off the stone walls.
Her eyes darted to Professor Riverhold. His silver-streaked hair glinted in the firelight, and his sharp gaze swept the area, forcing Valentina to press herself against the wall. She held her breath, the Aether's faint hum tingling against her skin.
'Please don't get caught,' she thought while keeping an eye on the older man.
As the professor passed, she edged forward, her boots silent on the woven rug. A massive boy, broad as a barrel, loomed ahead, sprawled across a sofa with a book balanced on his chest.
Beside him, a black-haired boy fidgeted with a quill, ink staining his fingers as he muttered about a missed assignment. Valentina sidestepped them, her shoulder brushing the giant boy's arm, but the Aether held firm; no one noticed.
