Chapter 65: Selveria
’Swap Mark...’
Without wasting a second, Gray marked a nearby object, ready to escape if the man in front of him made a move.
’...A 2nd-year student, huh?’
He quickly figured out from the emblem, which instead of showing B-1, showed B-2, meaning that he was in his second year.
"I guess the rumors were true," the man said, pulling a dagger from his waist and tossing it into the air.
He caught it by the blade with casual ease, a smirk on his lips.
"The old genius really did make his comeback."
"...Brother? Why did you interrupt our fight?!" Dexter groaned as he looked at the man in front of him in frustration.
"That last move of his was too dangerous for you," the man replied casually, rolling his shoulders like it was nothing.
’So... he’s Frederic F. Oxwarld, the eldest son...’ Gray narrowed his eyes slighly, but as he looked at both of them...
’...They really don’t look like brothers.’
Seeing that they were talking, Gray took the chance to try and slip away from them...
"And where do you think you’re going?"
Fwip!
Frederic snapped forward before swinging his sword at Gray’s back.
"[✧Swap✧]"
Gray’s body flickered, switching places with a nearby vase.
CRACK!
The vase shattered into pieces, scattering across the floor.
Frederic lowered his sword, smiling faintly.
"...A skill that lets you change position with a chosen object, huh? Not bad. Useful, but... not as good as space affinity."
At the same time, his sword was suddenly enveloped by a strange energy, and he swung it at Gray again, not giving him room to breathe.
Gray noticed this immediately.
"Shadowless Sword Art..." He bent down slighly, grabbing the handle of his sword in a reverse weird grip.
"Vanishing Light Step!"
Gray’s body blurred. One second, he was there, crouched low with his sword ready.
The next... gone.
Frederic’s blade carved through empty space, the pressure alone ripping shallow cuts into the floor.
He narrowed his eyes, scanning left, then right.
"...Tch. Slippery."
A faint crunch came from above.
Frederic jerked his head up just in time to see Gray standing calmly on a wooden beam, hands in his pockets as if he hadn’t just dodged a killing strike.
His eyes, which were calm as ever, looked down on him.
"Not bad," Gray said lightly. "But you swing too much strength into the first strike. Makes it easy to read the next one."
"Cocky for someone who ran away instead of trading blows," Frederic smirked at that, almost entertained.
"Ran away?" Gray tilted his head, lips curling faintly. "No. I just don’t waste energy on things I already know the outcome of."
"Stop talking like you’re above us!" Dexter clenched his fists from the side, gripping his twin axes tightly.
He looked ready to pounce, but before he could move, Gray flicked two fingers lazily.
"Bye, losers."
"[✧Swap✧]"
In an instant, his figure vanished, switching places with a rock lying outside the building.
With this, Gray took the long way around, and by the time he reached the academy infirmary, he slipped through the half-open window as though he belonged there.
"My, my... a student crawling in through the window?"
A mature voice reached his ears.
"That’s new."
He looked up and saw her standing there.
She was tall, with a curvy body that the white priest robes couldn’t fully hide.
Her chest was full, her waist was slim, and her long legs showed even through the fabric. Her skin was pale, smooth, and her lips had a dark mole under them that made her look even more seductive.
Her hair was black, long, and straight, falling over her shoulders. Her eyes were sharp, with a faint playful glow as she studied him.
"Well, you see new things every day." Gray didn’t flinch, only exhaled and dropped lazily onto the nearest bed, as if he owned the room.
"Haah..." she sighed, massaging her temples.
"Youngsters these days. Always causing trouble, never caring what state they come back in..."
She leaned closer, her soft hands brushing lightly along his thigh as she checked him over.
The faint scent of lavender clung to her robes, mixing with the warmth of her body leaning in.
"A broken leg, hm? Nothing serious." She hummed, nodding faintly, before bending lower to inspect.
The motion made her breasts sway beneath the thin fabric, her neckline gaping just slightly too wide.
Gray’s eyes instantly flicked down, caught in the sight of the deep valley framed by her robe.
Flick!
Her hand shot up, tapping his forehead with a scolding finger.
"Oy! Keep your eyes away from there!"
Gray smirked, his gaze sliding back up to meet hers without a hint of shame.
"Not my fault. They just... fell into my line of sight."
"You little smartass..." she muttered, though the corner of her lips twitched as if she was amused more than angry.
"Aaahh..."
Her scolding faded into a faint exhale as she pressed her palms together.
A warm light bloomed between her hands, soft and golden, before she placed them gently over his leg.
Phew~
The moment the healing glow spread, Gray whistled faintly.
"Mmh... warm hands. You sure you’re just a priestess, not a masseuse?"
"Shut it. You’re lucky I don’t charge extra for annoying mouths." Her brow twitched, though she kept her focus on the spell.
Gray leaned back on his elbows, smirking lazily.
"If you charged, I’d pay. Don’t worry. I’m a generous man when it comes to beautiful women with dangerous moles."
Her eyes flicked up, meeting his with a flat glare.
"Dangerous?"
"That mole under your lip. It makes you look like you’ll either heal me... or eat me alive." He tilted his head toward her lips, his own smile curling wider.
The faintest shade of pink touched her cheeks before she quickly looked back down at his leg.
"Cocky brat..."
When she spoke again, her voice lowered, lilting just enough to test him.
"You know, with that sharp tongue of yours... one day, someone might tie you down just to shut you up."
Gray’s grin spread instantly.
He leaned back on his elbows, letting his eyes glide slowly up her figure before locking on her gaze.
"Oh? Careful saying things like that, Priestess. Sounds less like a warning and more like a fantasy."
Her hands paused mid-heal, heat flaring on her face.
"Tch—! That’s not what I meant."
"Sure it isn’t," he teased with a faint smile.
"Though I wouldn’t mind letting you try, if it helps you sleep at night."
She narrowed her eyes, but her ears had turned bright red.
"...Incorrigible."
Gray simply chuckled at her words.
Then, leaning back lazily against the pillow, he tilted his head just enough for his bangs to shadow part of his gaze.
"...At least tell me your name." His lips curled into a small smile.
For a moment, she hesitated.
"Selvaria."
"...Selvaria." His smile widened faintly as he repeated her name.
"That’s a beautiful name."
She blinked, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity in his voice.
"...Is that so?"
"Mhm." He shifted slightly on the bed, his eyes never leaving hers.
"It rolls off the tongue with elegance, like it belongs to someone who carries both fire and grace. Not soft... but not harsh either. Balanced, just like you."
Selvaria froze mid-motion, then let out the faintest scoff, though her lips curled up slighly.
"...You really don’t know when to quit, do you?"
"Not when a beautiful lady like you is in front of me," Gray added instantly, not even giving her room to breathe.
Selvaria sighed through her nose, trying to keep her composure as she focused on mending his leg.
"So... this church," Gray drawled, tilting his head lazily, "you’re bound to it, right? Oaths, vows, all that?"
Her eyes flicked up suspiciously.
"Yes... what of it?"
He smirked faintly.
"Can priestesses still have relationships?"
Her hands paused ever so slightly before she nodded, though her face gave nothing away.
"...They can."
But then, almost as if the words slipped out against her will, she added quietly,
"I’m already thirty-one years old, and no man has actually made me fall in love. What makes you think a little boy like you will?"
Gray raised an eyebrow at her words.
"...I’m only interested in your body."
Selvaria’s face flared crimson instantly.
"You damned brat!"
Her hand clenched around his thigh, not the injured part, but enough to make him wince.
"Oi—careful with that, priestess," Gray hissed through his teeth.
"At least I’m sincere about it!"
"So?!"
"So?!" she shot back, flustered, cheeks burning. "You think that’s something you just say to a woman straight to her face?!"
"...Only to the ones I want."
Selvaria’s mouth opened, then closed again, her composure cracking for the first time as her breath caught in her throat.
"Pfft...!"
Gray couldn’t hold himself anymore and started laughing.
Selvaria’s eyes shot daggers at him, her mouth opening as if to scold him again, but she quickly shook her head.
"Lord, forgive me..." she muttered, cheeks still pink, before returning to her work, pressing her hands gently over his leg.
As soon as she said those words, Gray’s laughter died immediately as his eyes turned cold.
He looked to the side... and seeing the faint outline, he smiled lightly.
Gray didn’t have any interest in Selveria... but Selene was still resting in the infirmary.
So, would he waste this chance to make her jealous?
No...
He would never let an opportunity like this slip.