Chapter 122 The Calm Before The Storm II



"Caught you, ghost!"

Zio caught the girl's wrist with force, trying to pull her over. But she struggled, and they ended up falling on the cold road snow. Though Zio saw it coming, he was only able to react when they were falling, dropping his arms to the side so that he didn't fall on top of the girl just to avoid awkwardness even though he believed she was a ghost.

But why could he grab and feel the softness of her skin when he caught her? That was a question he asked himself the moment that happened.

"Did you just call me a ghost…? How mean…"

The girl, Zia, sniffed. Tears streaming down her eyes. Her 'miserable', 'defenseless' appearance while laying on the road caught Zio off guard. Her uniform collar loosened, revealing her sleek, fair neck.

'Ah…'

Bewitched by Zia's miserable impression, Zio couldn't help but stare at her wonderingly.

'Why…'

Slowly, he brought his gaze down to her beautiful neck. At that moment, the throbbing headache he hadn't felt for a long time was returning, disabling him from thinking rationally.

'She is just a ghost but why…'

His heart raced as his gaze lingered on her neck prolonged.

'I must be crazy…'

Confusion clouded his mind as he questioned himself.

'To think that I…'

Despite the throbbing headache that he felt at the moment, his trembling hand reached out to touch Zia's neck, almost as if driven by an external force. Then when his fingers brushed against her skin, he felt a warmth in her body that contradicted his belief that she was a ghost.

'You're a ghost, but you're warm. What are you exactly, Zia?'

That was the first time he touched someone of the opposite sex intimately. Not to mention that he did that in the middle of the main road where people usually walked to enter or leave the cafeteria.

Succumbing to his desire, he brought his face close toward Zia's neck. But at that moment, someone's voice called out his name.

"Zio Varrez?"

Startled, Zio quickly pulled away from the girl and turned his head toward the source of the voice. It was a white-haired girl with clear blue eyes and heavily blanketed under the thick layers of warm jackets, Ayano Fuyuki, standing a few meters away with a puzzled expression on her face.

"I… I…" Zio stammered, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"What are you doing crawling like that?"

Zio shook her head and hands in denial.

"No, no, listen. I just wanted my candy back, nothing more. I didn't do anything to her…"

Raising her eyebrow, Ayano surveyed him and the surrounding ground questionably, seemingly looking for someone Zio had referred.

"Umm… Sorry but, what do you mean by you didn't do anything to her? I… don't seem to find anyone besides you."

True to her words, the girl that Zio had a small problem with had disappeared, leaving no trace even though she was falling on the snow-covered road. The stolen candy that was initially in her hand was suddenly in his hand, untouched.

'I'm confused… What is she actually…'

Putting all the rising thoughts away, Zio rose to his feet, calmly brushing the snow clumped on his coat.

"Haha… I'm just kidding! Actually, I just want to know what the snow taste like!"

Being stared at strangely by Ayano, Zio slowly took a step back and when he was far enough from her, he turned around and ran away while waving his hand.

"Zio Varrez! Where are you going?"

"I forgot something in my room, haha. See you later!"

Watching as the boy disappeared from her sight, Ayano scanned the ground where Zio had tried to 'taste' the snow. With a quick motion, she pulled a paper doll embedded with Japanese calligraphy, pinching it between her index and middle finger.

"Hayate."

Golden white light enveloped the paper doll as soon as Ayano muttered. Engulfed in the glittering light, the paper doll shrunk into a sphere and shove itself to the ground, transforming into a Shiba Inu biting a Tanto in its mouth.

"Ohimesama!"

"Hayate, do you smell an evil spirit around here?" Said Ayano in Japanese.

Hayate, the loyal Shiba Inu shikigami, sniffed the air and began to explore the area with its keen senses. After a few moments, it returned to Ayano with a confident smile.

"Ohimesama, don't worry! There's no evil spirit around here!"

"Hmm, I thought so. Then, was Zio Varrez really wanting to taste the snow?"

Ayano cocked her head slightly as she pondered.

"Tasting snow, Ohimesama?!"

The shikigami barked, its tail wagging left and right excitedly.

In response to the dog's cute behavior, Ayano chuckled. 

Everyone often looked at Ayano with respect because of how polite she was to people. Courtesy and manners were the first things her family had taught her, following them was knowledge. 

Those three aspects were deeply ingrained in her upbringing as a Princess of the family and she must show that side of her to other people, but when it came to her shikigami companions and someone she trust, she allowed herself to be more relaxed and playful around them.

She knelt down and gently patted Hayate's head.

"Haha. No, Hayate, you can't eat snow."

Hayate tilted its head, confused by Ayano's statement. Its fluffy ears perked up as it tried to understand.

"But… Ohimesama, you allowed that human to taste the snow, but not me?"

Ayano smiled and shook her head.

"Umm… Let's just say that he is unique… He's always full of surprises and curious about everything as if he was a 10."

The shikigami wagged its tail slowly and curiously. Meanwhile, Ayano chuckled and stood up, patting off the snow from her warm coat.

"It's good to talk to you, Hayate. But, I'm afraid I must go, someone is waiting for me."

Hayate barked softly before he was enveloped in the golden white light and transformed into a paper doll.

Retrieving the paper doll as it was flying slowly toward her, Ayano continued her way to the cafeteria. As she walked, she couldn't help but wonder about Zio's strange behavior, but for now, she decided to let it go and simply enjoy the peaceful winter night with her fellow students waiting right behind the door of the cafeteria.

***

The next morning...

Chirp—!

The sound of birds chirping in the morning tingled harmoniously in the air, waking up anyone who heard them. But, it was actually the sound of footsteps stomping throughout the corridor that was the one waking them up.

Ember had already woken up even before sunrise, immersing herself in the world of books on the fluffy sofa. By the time she finished reading more or less 100 books in under 3 hours, the stomping footsteps rumbled on the corridor just right outside her room.

Since her roommate was returning to her home and would be back at the start of the second semester, she was alone in her room right now.

Feeling curious about what happened outside, she stood and covered herself who was currently wearing a nightgown in a thick black blanket with no motives.

Opening the door, she stepped outside and peeked in the direction where the members of the council student wearing blue cloaks were crowded. Some first-year students didn't return to their homes peeking from the opening of their doors.

At first, she had no idea why her seniors were surrounding the room several blocks away from hers, but once she looked at the student council group chat on her Nova Watch, she knew why.

[I have received a report that a sexual scandal occurred in room 255 of the first-year dormitory. Any available council members who stayed in the academy, please take care of it as soon as possible!]

"Ember!"

After she finished reading it, she heard someone calling out to her. Turning her head toward the source of the voice, he found Zio walking in the corridor neatly dressed in his casual outfit.

Ember froze, opening her eyes wide as she saw Zio approaching her from the lift direction. She quickly adjusted the blanket around her and greeted him with a slightly surprised but friendly smile.

"Do you have any idea what's going on over there?"

Zio asked, gesturing toward the crowd of blue-coaked council members.

"A scandal occurred."

She glanced back at the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of any developments or discussion taking place. The seriousness of the situation weighed heavily on her mind, but as a student council member, she knew she had a responsibility to help her senior members.

The problem was that she didn't wear proper clothes. Under the thick blanket covering her body, she was only wearing a nightgown that exposed her bare, beautiful skin. Even right now she was trying to hold on to the blanket as tight as possible so it wouldn't loosen.

"Hee. Must be the aftermath of yesterday's party."

Ember cast a gaze on him for a while.

"Maybe."

Noticing the dark lines underlining his eyes, Ember sighed.

"Do you not sleep last night?"

Surprised by the sudden question, Zio perked his eyes up while his lip pressed tightly.

"Hmm? I sleep… for two hours. Why do you ask?"