Chapter 2.1

“So… what you’re saying is that someone wrote a strange novel about Flora and Noah?”

“Yes, and I think something like this certainly deserves some kind of punishment.” I fervently nodded my head as the teacher, with an exhausted face, rubbed her forehead.

My emotionally clenched fists were not enough to win her over to my side and I trembled with frustration.

I wasn’t even comfortable opening up like this, but I needed to say something to someone about that strange book. I had to suck it up and really push myself to read through that whole story. Even the deepest of intimate scenes between the two main characters were described in vivid detail.

It goes without saying that having to read such scenes really placed me in a horrible mood, but to see myself written into the story with such a pathetic role like that… That really was the icing on the cake.

Hmph, this person definitely made it into my blacklist for the very shameful reason that they would go out of their way to write such bizarre nonsense about their fellow schoolmates.

“You have to see it for yourself. It’s written about some of the other students at this school. I mean, how dare they write such, such…!” I then clenched my stomach and almost screamed out the rest of the sentence, “… sexually perverted delusion!”

“You’re serious?”

“Yes! It’s really low-class stuff. You need to have a look at it for yourself.”

The teacher opened up the book and adjusted the glasses over her dull eyes.

“I don’t see anything.” I heard her say in a perplexed tone of voice.

“Huh?”

I was taken aback by the teacher’s unexpected comment. I rubbed my eyes and looked down once again at the open pages of the book. It was unmistakable; that cruel joke of a story written in that teasingly elegant font which I saw yesterday was clearly imprinted on the pages before me.

I don’t get it… What’s going on here?

I was feeling flustered. I gulped and opened my mouth again to speak.

“Maybe the book is… enchanted with some kind of magic?”

It was strange; I didn’t sense any magical energy from it.

I tilted my head and furrowed my brow out of confusion. It had to be magic.

After all, if you wrote a story like that, you’d be stupid not to put any kind of protection on it.

It could be that there was some kind of glitch or error with the magical seal casting on

the book. That would be an explanation as to why I was the only one able to see the writing.

Yeah, that’s it. Nice try, my friend.

“Oh alright, Kate. I know you’re not the type who’d make up stuff like this for no reason.”

The teacher skimmed through the pages here and there. She then took a small device and began inspecting the book with it.

Seeing as the two students being portrayed in such a way in this book were the children of socially high-ranking parents, I got the feeling that the teacher came to the decision to inspect the book using this tool for this very reason rather than for my own sake.

Honestly, I wasn’t the courageous type, but if I could trace the magic back to the one who enchanted the book and track that person down, it would be a shining moment for me. I gritted my teeth out of anticipation. The teacher finished her inspection and handed the scarlet-covered book back over to me.

“Isn’t that funny? The book hasn’t been enchanted with any sort of magic at all.”

“What? But that can’t be right,” I replied with a dumbfounded expression on my face.

“Kate.”

“Th-that just doesn’t make any sense! It’s all written right here, clear as day! ‘Noah kissed Flora’s glossy pink lips passionately before slowly licking up the side of her smooth face with his warm and moist tongue.’”

“Katelin!”

The teacher removed her glasses and glared at me in disgust through her wrinkly old eyes.

“Get out.”

“…Yes, ma’am.”

Holding the book, I got up and left the room. I immediately closed the door behind me and leaned up against it in despair.

With a confused and frustrated look on my face, I grabbed my hair and tied it back. My head was spinning in circles and I felt light-headed and dizzy.

Have I really fallen off the deep end just two weeks before the start of the exams?

***

<<Miss Katelin Blair, I am Elijah Saleen of the Tower of Magic.

We would like to thank you for choosing the Tower of Magic’s curse detection service. This message is to inform you that the notebook that you have sent to us was not found to be enchanted with any sort of preservation magic or waterproofing spell.

Did you perhaps send us the wrong item by accident?

If so, to avoid an additional service fee, please send us the correct item within two days of the date posted on this message and we will gladly analyze it for any enchantments.

Your notebook has been sent back to you.>>