Chapter 11 “ liora altia ” part 2
A few quiet minutes passed in the garden.
Liora Altia had finally calmed down.
Nox secretly glanced at her.
She’s just sitting there playing with the kitty… Compared to Scarlet, she’s ridiculously shy and timd, he thought.
Liora peeked at him nervously, hugging the cat.
“U-Um… why are you skipping class? You’re a special admission. If the Headmaster finds out, you’ll get into trouble…”
Nox shrugged.
“No need to worry. She can’t punish me unless I get caught.”
Then he pointed at the cat.
“More importantly… isn’t hiding a pet more dangerous?”
Liora stiffened.
She hugged the cat tighter and looked away.
“What should I do…?” she whispered.
Nox sighed internally.
‘If she gets caught… well, I can ask Headmaster Velmira to make an exception. It’s just a cat, not a monster.’he thought
“Liora,” he said calmly, “if you ever get caught, just call me.”
Liora blinked, then suddenly lifted the cat right to his face.
“Meow. L-Like… are you saying you’re some kind of noble? Kitty says this,” she said dramatically.
Nox froze.
‘Yeah, noble or not… all nobles have sharp tongues.’
“Okay, okay, Kitty.” He raised both hands. “But still—call me. I know the Headmaster. If you get caught, I’ll try to help.”
Liora laughed softly. “Okay… thank you.”
Her voice was small, shy, and happy.
Nox turned red for a moment.
He’s so kind… she thought.
The boys in my class always make fun of me… Big Sister would be happy if she knew I made a friend.
Then she froze.
Wait! She told me not to go near any boys… she’ll get angry! But Nox called me his friend… what do I do?!
Nox watched her expression twist into something resembling a stressed old woman.
What is she even thinking about now…?
He cleared his throat.
“Well, Liora. You’re a first-year too, right? Just… in a different class?”
“Yes! I’m in another first-year classroom. That’s why we didn’t meet until now,” she replied quickly.
Then she muttered to herself in a low voice, “You’re too good… too kind… I hope you don’t end up hating me like the others…”
Nox heard enough.
“Let’s eat together next time,” he said. “I’ll introduce you to one more person. Or… you could say he’s my troublesome roommate.”
Liora blinked. “R-roommate? But… what if they don’t like me because I’m… illegitimate…”
Her voice shrank to a whisper.
Nox reached over and patted her head.
“Relax.”
She froze, ears turning bright red.
Then—
“D-Don’t pat me like Kitty!” she yelped, slapping his hand away.
Her whole face was red.
“I-I idiot… y-you know some girls don’t like being touched!”
She looked away, mumbling,
“Especially… when it’s gentle like that…”
Nox didn’t hear the last part.
“Sorry. I thought you liked head pats like Kitty. Also, you were thinking so hard you looked like an old man.”
He exaggeratedly stroked his imaginary beard. “Kids these days don’t appreciate me…”
Liora burst into laughter.
“Gross! Are all boys like you?”
Nox smirked.
Her mood changes so fast… She overthinks too much. I wonder what happened to her.
A few minutes later, the kitten wandered off.
Liora waved frantically.
“Kitty! Don’t go too far! And don’t climb the tree!”
Nox stared. “Are you Kitty’s mother?”
She punched his arm. “So what?! I’m worried about her!”
Then she grabbed his hand suddenly.
“And don’t you think it’s time to go to class?”
Nox blinked. “Class? Liora, listen—I was skipping, remember—”
“Shut up,” she said, dragging him forward.
“I told you, skipping classes is bad! Let’s go together. There’s a joint lecture!”
Nox stared at her dramatic voice.
She just wants to go to class with me… But why me? I finally escaped those three idiots… Not again…!
He internally screamed while being pulled along.
They walked together, hands still joined.
After a few more steps, Liora suddenly realized it.
She froze.
‘W-Why am I holding his hand?! No, no—It’s normal between friends, right? Right?! He won’t hate me, right?! Big Sister, help meeee…’she thought
Nox sighed.
Not again…
After a few minutes Nox stood at the front gate of the joint lecture hall.
The class was open to anyone, though it seemed to mostly attract third-year students.
Board of History & Monsterology… by Professor Eldric Thornveil.
He squinted at the sign.
“Why history? Liora… can’t I just go check on Kitty? Maybe she got lost,” he muttered.
“No way! We’re taking this lecture,” Liora scolded, thrusting a book into his hands. “Follow me.”
Reluctantly, Nox stepped inside. The hall was packed with students.
Why the heck are all of you interested in history? Go learn how to change a diaper first, he thought bitterly.
Suddenly, a familiar hand patted his back.
“Nox! Where were you this whole time?” Alber’s voice carried a mixture of relief and irritation.
“I was slacking off… skipping class,” Nox admitted lazily.
Alber groaned he feels Betrayed “traitor… Next time, call me, at least. Because of you, Sisbell annoyed me all morning.”
He shook Nox left and right.
“Yeah, sure… I don’t want to hear it, your couple Argument” Nox muttered.
The usual argument started.
“How many times do I have to say we aren’t a couple?” Sisbell shouted, her cheeks turning crimson.
“Yeah, sure you’re not,” Nox muttered under his breath.
“Where the heck did you go? Skipping class already? Do you know how long we waited for you?” Sisbell snapped.
Nox ignored her. Alber gave him a sharp look. Handle her for me, he mouthed.
“Why me?” Alber whispered back.
At that moment, Scarlet entered. Her gaze immediately found him.
Next to him, Liora quietly stood, looking nervous.
Scarlet’s sharp eyes narrowed. “I see… skipping class for a girl, Sir Nox? I didn’t expect that from you.”
Liora fidgeted, clearly intimidated by Scarlet’s presence.
“Lady Scarlet,” Nox said calmly, “don’t you think judging someone without hearing them first is inappropriate for a noble?”
Scarlet smiled, a little frightening in her intensity. “So… can you explain why you’re with this beautiful lady and skipping class? Isn’t it bad manners?”
Liora stammered between them. “…I… I just thought same it wasn’t good to skip class, so I brought him here…”
All three—Sisbell, Alber, Scarlet—looked at her, wide-eyed at how loudly she spoke.
How cute… some of the other students thought.
Scarlet crossed her arms, expression softening slightly.
“Yes, Lady, I understand. He normally ignores everyone and avoids me a lot.”
Liora nodded nervously. “Yeah… and he talks like an old man in class.”
Scarlet smirked. “And he’s always unfocused with Alber too.”
Suddenly, Alber patted Nox’s shoulder.
“Let’s go sit. I think they’ll talk until class starts.”
Nox glanced at Alber. “I see… but why the heck is the topic me?”
He noticed Scarlet and Liora chatting quietly together. Sisbell stood beside them.
Alber and Nox moved to take their seats.
After a few minutes, Sisbell sat beside Alber.
“By the way, do we really need to listen to this lecture?” she whispered. “History and Monsterology… sounds boring.”
Scarlet tilted her head. “I think it’s interesting,” she said, glancing at Alber.
Nox and Alber exchanged a glance. “History is boring. Why do we even need to learn about monsters?” they muttered together.
Sisbell groaned. “Wow… you two really don’t look excited.”
“I came here because you dragged me,” Alber said, slamming his head on the desk.
Nox smirked. “I came here because Liora dragged me.”
“Where did you even meet her?” Alber asked.
“She’s timid and shy,” Sisbell whispered. “First time I’ve seen a noble like her. She’s from another class… and a special admission.”
Nox looked at them both. “You two know a lot about the school.”
“We’re from a duchy,” Alber said. “We need to know everything.”
“And we’re also part of a noble faction,” Sisbell added. “So yeah, we need to know these things.”
After a few minutes, students settled into their seats. Scarlet on his left, Liora on his right.
‘Why the heck are they both sitting here? ’Nox thought.
‘Liora, I get… she’s my friend. But Scarlet… why are she staring at me like that? Did I offend her somehow?’
Scarlet spoke softly. “Sir Nox, I hope you never skip class again to meet a girl.”
Nox flinched. “Lady Scarlet… it was unexpected. Things just happened.”
She looked away, face tense.
“I understand… but skipping class just to make friends? It’s childish,” she said, her words hitting him right in the chest.
“Lady Scarlet, I understand. But it’s none of your business whom I become friends with. We’re just seatmates,” Nox replied.
Scarlet clenched her fists and looked away.
‘Yeah, we aren’t close… but still… seeing him with someone else annoys me, somehow ’she thought, flipping open her book.
Nox observed both Scarlet and Liora quietly.
They weren’t hostile to each other.
Good… at least there’s peace for now, he thought, leaning back in his seat.
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