A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 147

Grace collapsed due to Kara’s sudden action and was immediately transported for treatment.

As always, the moment she fainted, a protective barrier was generated.

However, just as the description of being transported suggested, she disappeared somewhere the moment the protective barrier was formed.

It seems the protective barrier has a teleport device installed. If that’s the case, she can be transported safely.

Lee Yeonju also returned to the base after Grace was transported. She gave us an awkward smile as a bonus.

Thus, the only ones left were Kara and me. Normally, we would have chatted and played as usual, but this time, it seemed difficult.

“··· ···”

“··· ···”

A dead silence settled between us.

Kara’s face turned bright red as she hung her head low, while I sat next to her, fumbling with my lips.

The sensation still lingered vividly. The feeling of Kara’s lips touching mine. A feeling I had never experienced even on Earth.

At first, I couldn’t quite grasp what had happened, but now it hit me. Kara had definitely kissed me.

And she did it right in front of Grace. At this point, it would be strange if I didn’t understand her feelings.

‘······But since when?’

I fumbled with my lips as I glanced at Kara. She remained silent, firmly pressing her lips together and staring only at the ground.

I had gradually come to realize that Kara held more than just friendly feelings for me. I just wasn’t confident about it.

Living in the forest had dulled my sense of tact, and even on Earth, I couldn’t recall having a similar experience.

Not to mention, someone as beautiful and charming as Kara had no reason to approach me first. It was… refreshing, to say the least.

‘What am I supposed to do in a situation like this······’

Kara must be struggling with her own thoughts, but so am I. If this continues, our relationship will only grow awkward.

Perhaps it’s better to resolve this clearly. But I have no idea how to go about it.

Even though we kissed, it felt more like an impulsive action on Kara’s part. It’s really ambiguous.

“······Sivar.”

As I racked my frozen brain for answers, Kara, who had been staring at the ground, quietly spoke.

When I turned my head, I met Kara’s gaze as she glanced at me sideways. The moment our eyes met, she quickly averted her gaze again.

Soon after, her face flushed red as she mumbled and scratched her head. She seemed just as unsure about what to do.

“That······ thing I just did. Do you know what it means?”

“A peck?”

“······You know it well. Yes, a light kiss is indeed a peck.”

A long, drawn-out silence followed. I had nothing to say, so I remained quiet.

Kara probably hadn’t experienced anything like this before either. I tried to squeeze every bit of knowledge I had about the Soul World.

Even when the player was male instead of female, the affinity itself didn’t change. It was more like being close female friends.

Expressing romantic interest was almost unheard of. Even among female friends, a light kiss was rare.

Perhaps it was a step toward transitioning from a female friend to a girlfriend. Thinking back, I had steadily built up Kara’s affinity.

“······Do you know what it means?”

Kara, who had been silent, cautiously asked again.

After contemplating how to explain, I decided to keep it simple and straightforward. In situations like this, facing it head-on is the best approach.

“Someone you like. Ellie taught me.”

“That’s right. It’s something shared between people who like each other.”

“Kara, do you like me?”

“··· ···”

As I threw out the blunt question, Kara clamped her mouth shut. At the same time, her brown skin flushed so deeply it almost lost its color.

Hearing her confirmation seemed necessary to determine my next steps. To be honest, this was a dilemma for me too.

Someday, when I’ve cleared all the stories in this world, I have to return.

Even though years have passed, I haven’t forgotten my affection for my hometown.

I can’t help but deliberate whether I can pour enough affection into this to abandon that, or if we’ll remain in an ambiguous relationship.

“······It would be a lie to say I dislike you. And it would also be a lie to say I don’t like you.”

“Then?”

“Yes, I like you. That’s the truth.”

Kara confessed her feelings calmly yet confidently. Judging by the smile on her lips, she seemed relieved.

However, even her words were somewhat ambiguous. What could be holding her back to make her say something like that?

Perhaps Kara felt it too, as she lifted her head and looked ahead.

“But you know, a lot of people like you. Especially women.”

“······?”

“Judging by your expression, you really don’t know. Grace just invoked that clause earlier. Ellie and Luna are probably similar.”

Now that she mentioned it, that seemed to be the case. Grace even added a strange clause under the guise of protecting my chastity.

Ellie always indulged me whenever I acted spoiled, even adding that I could come to her anytime.

Luna······ I wasn’t sure. She felt more like a companion, but apparently, others saw it differently.

Of course, that’s just how I felt. From Kara’s perspective, it likely appeared otherwise.

“So, this kind of thing might happen more often in the future. The more the rumors spread, the more proactive they’ll become.”

“What about you, Kara?”

“Your feelings matter more to me. Sivar, have you ever felt love?”

“··· ···”

I avoided her gaze. I didn’t have the courage to meet Kara’s smiling face.

“Even if you haven’t felt it, Ellie taught you, so you probably have a rough idea. But this is something you need to experience directly, not just know.”

“Hmm······”

“As you get used to civilization and develop more intricate human relationships, you’ll naturally come to understand. Maybe not yet, though.”

Kara patted my head as she spoke. Half of what she said was true, and half wasn’t, but I stayed silent.

Isn’t there a saying that the interpretation is better than the dream itself? It’s probably best not to mention that my core is that of a jaded adult.

“So, when you realize it someday, you can make your choice. Among the people who like you, decide who you’ll choose. If you’re torn, choosing all of them is also an option.”

“······Is that okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Even though I’m a princess, it’s more of a title. The Tatars have always elected their chieftains through voting. Even after forming a nation, it’s the same.”

Come to think of it, the political structure of the Tatars is quite refreshing compared to other nations. You could call it democratic.

Tribal life naturally prioritizes elders, leading to a structure where the chieftain or tribal chief is chosen.

However, the Tatars select the wisest person through voting.

This method continued even after the formation of their nation, evolving into democracy.

“There’s no guarantee I’ll become the next king. My father also told me to live according to where my heart leads.”

“··· ···”

“More than anything······ there’s something I feel sorry for when it comes to you.”

“Sorry?”

What could Kara possibly feel sorry for? Could she be referring to when Hector suddenly challenged me to a duel?

As I tilted my head in confusion, Kara hesitated, her lips trembling. It seemed like something difficult to say.

Then she glanced at me, sighed, and tousled her hair in frustration. It seemed like a rather complicated matter.

“······Never mind. I’ll tell you later. Maybe during the freshman banquet if they serve alcohol? That seems like a good time.”

“Is it something bad?”

“It’s bad. Really bad. To the point where I feel disgusted with myself.”

It seemed to be quite serious. But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t recall anything Kara had done wrong to me.

Most of my memories with Kara were good ones, except for when she beat me up during sparring.

Even that sparring match left no hard feelings over time. We’ve maintained a good relationship since then.

“So, take your time deciding. Let’s just pretend that kiss······ never happened. Got it?”

“Okay.”

“You’re good at answering. Honestly, you’re so cute that I can’t give up on you.”

Kara pinched my cheek, expressing her affection. Come to think of it, even this was a form of expressing her feelings.

Afterward, we spent time chatting about various things. This incident seemed to have strengthened our bond.

However, we didn’t form a contract. She felt sorry for Grace and said she wasn’t confident she could handle me.

“Just take it easy, okay? Try not to break everything. Got it?”

“Okay.”

“Oh, and about the singing······”

“Ebe-be-be.”

I covered my ears and made strange noises. That was something I would pretend not to know.

Although not only Kara but also Lee Yeonju had witnessed my dark history firsthand, that was a problem I could solve slowly.

Kara smirked at my feigned ignorance and then returned to her tasks. There was a lot to do for the Freshman Banquet, but it seemed there might also be some personal matters with Kara.

‘But what did I even do to raise her affinity? I just don’t get it.’

I decided to think it over carefully. Starting with Ellie, of course.

Since I saved Ellie from Manki, her affinity must have naturally increased. That much I could understand.

Grace was the same. If I hadn’t saved her, her chastity would have been violated, and she wouldn’t have been able to face anyone for the rest of her life.

These two were somewhat understandable, but Luna was completely baffling.

To others, it must seem like Luna had feelings for me.

‘Did she talk about me behind my back?’

For now, this was the most plausible explanation. It was something I needed to think about gradually.

It was around the time Kara left, and I was just listening to music. This time, I focused solely on carving without dancing.

“Mr. Sivar! Mr. Sivar, are you here?!”

“?”

“Ah! There you are, Mr. Sivar!”

While I was engrossed in carving, Grace’s urgent voice pierced my ears.

When I raised my head, I saw Grace rushing over in a fluster. Her expression was as urgent as her voice.

“The Red Sun—no, Kara! Where is she?!”

“She left.”

“L-Left? Without making a contract?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah······”

Thud-

Was it because she lost her strength upon hearing that Kara had left? Grace collapsed right where she stood.

Judging by her appearance, she must have rushed over here immediately after reviving. For a mage like her, that must have been quite exhausting.

As I approached the collapsed Grace, I turned my head. I had sensed another presence.

“So this is where you were. I heard music—what’s that about?”

It was Luna. She had come here earlier with Lee Yeonju, but it seemed she had followed in the rush.

While Luna looked around the residence, I first helped Grace up. I even brushed away the strands of hair stuck to her face from sweat.

“Are you okay?”

“Haa······”

At my concern, Grace let out a deep sigh. Then, she slowly raised her head to meet my gaze.

Her once sharp eyes softened slightly, but soon her expression hardened again, returning to its original state.

It was a relief that she seemed to have recovered her energy, but what she did next completely caught me off guard.

Grab-

“Huh?”

“Normally, I’d include this in the contract······!”

Grace grabbed my face with both hands. Just like Kara had done earlier.

As I nervously wondered if my suspicions were correct, Grace pulled my face forcefully toward hers.

Smooch!

Just like Kara, I felt the soft sensation of lips on mine. But Grace was different somehow.

While the kiss itself was fine, it felt more intense, as if she was trying to absorb me. It wasn’t just a simple peck; it was almost like she wanted to devour me.

Thankfully, she didn’t use her tongue. It was just a stronger version of a normal peck.

“She only kissed you there, right? I can do more than that!”

Smooch- Smooch- Smooch!

The problem was that it didn’t stop at just one. After my lips, she moved to my cheeks, jaw, neck, and more, showering my entire face with kisses.

I was so stunned that I couldn’t even think of pushing her away. I just stood there silently.

“Phew······ That should be enough. Now you won’t remember her touch anymore, right?”

“··· ···”

It was too overwhelming. I rubbed my tingling face with my hand.

Just as I was struggling to grasp the situation, I felt someone’s gaze and turned my head. Now that I thought about it, there was a spectator.

“Wow······”

For some reason, Luna was watching with her mouth wide open in awe.

What are you even impressed by?

[Faith Increases!]

I knew it.

******

Meanwhile, from the professors’ perspective······

“Student Luna must be in shock.”

“Indeed. Judging by how her mouth was hanging open······ it seems like the shock was significant.”

“Her grades might drop. But since this is a personal matter, there’s nothing we can do to help.”

They were watching a trashy drama unfold.