The Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy

Upon saying those words, Vivian's lips curved into a playful smile as she tip-toed closer, her soft hands resting on my shoulders.

Her head tilted naturally, and she leaned in, closing the distance between us.

Her golden eyes glowed faintly under the soft moonlight, filled with amusement—and something else I couldn't quite place.

For a moment, time seemed to slow, and all I could hear was the faint sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

Her face was so close now, her warm breath brushing against my cheek, and I could feel the atmosphere shift slightly.

The teasing look in her eyes softened into something gentler, and my face instinctively grew warm.

She was really going to do it.

Vivian was actually going to kiss me.

And yet...

The mood was already ruined.

Not to mention...

I couldn't ignore the thought of someone spotting us.

The professor—my professor—and me, her student, sharing a kiss in the middle of the capital's main street?

Just imagining the rumors that would spread made my head hurt.

But the way she looked at me… the faint glow in her golden eyes, the gentle curve of her lips, the warmth radiating from her—it made it impossible to think clearly.

Before things could escalate, I did the only thing I could think of.

I gently but firmly placed my hands on her shoulders and pushed her back just enough to create some distance between us.

"What are you—?" Vivian blinked at me, startled, her playful expression faltering for a moment.

Ah.

Who am I kidding?

From the tip of my fingers, a flow of mana was injected into the ground, raising an invisible barrier around us.

It wasn't a high-level barrier, but enough to make sure people wouldn't pry into us.

"Uh...?"

Vivian's brows furrowed slightly in confusion, but before she could question me, I acted again.

Sliding my hands down to her slender waist, I pulled her closer.

Rustle.

The soft fabric of her dress brushed against my fingers as she stumbled forward, her body pressing lightly against mine.

Her lips parted in surprise, but I didn't hesitate.

I leaned in, closing the distance, and pressed my lips to hers.

Mmh~!

The faintest sound escaped her, a soft noise of surprise and delight.

Her lips were warm, soft, and tasted faintly sweet, like honey and the faint bitterness of wine.

"Ahmn..."

For a heartbeat, she tensed against me as her breath hitched audibly.

Then she melted into me.

Her hands slid up from my shoulders, fingertips brushing against my neck before settling into my hair.

Her luscious red lips pressed back against mine, and I could directly feel her smile—playful, teasing, yet impossibly soft.

Chuu~, smack, smack~

The sound of our lips meeting and parting filled the quiet space of the barrier, mingling with the faint flowing sound of magic in the air.

Vivian tilted her head slightly, deepening the kiss.

Her breath mingled with mine, warm and uneven, and the sensation sent a shiver down my spine.

My hands tightened on her waist instinctively, pulling her closer until there was no space left between us.

She shifted against me, her lips moving body as her fingers tangled in my hair, tugging lightly as if to pull me even closer.

Mmph...!

A soft, breathy sound escaped her, and the warmth of it against my skin left me utterly undone.

The kiss deepened naturally, growing bolder with every passing second.

Her lips parted slightly, and I followed instinctively, the faint brush of her tongue against mine sending a jolt of heat through me.

Shlick~ 

The faint, wet sound of the kiss was intoxicating, amplified by the quiet that surrounded us.

Her hands slid down to my chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt. With a soft rustle, she pushed me gently back, guiding me until my back pressed against the barrier.

"Ah…"

I let out a quiet gasp as the coldness of the barrier met my skin, but Vivian didn't give me time to recover.

She leaned in again, capturing my lips with a fierceness that made me lose my breath.

Smack, churuu... chuu~~

The sounds of our kiss grew louder, more urgent, as her body pressed fully against mine.

Her lips left mine briefly, trailing soft, lingering kisses along my jawline.

Nnh, churup~!

I couldn't stop the faint sound that escaped me as her lips brushed the sensitive spot just below my ear.

"Professor... I guess you really are a predator..." 

Hearing my words, Vivian chuckled softly.

"You only noticed that now?"

And immediately, her lips returned to mine.

Her body pressed closer, her curves molding perfectly against mine.

Mmph!

Her breath hitched again, her hands sliding down my chest before wrapping lightly around my waist.

The faint sound of her humming in contentment as she kissed me made my chest tighten.

Smack, mmph, shlick~~

But unfortunately, as much as I wanted to continue kissing her, I had promised Lumi that I'd get back before midnight.

"Gah..."

Our lips parted away, leaving a small bridge of saliva between them. Her lust-filled eyes met mine as her hands slowly reached into my shirt and started unbuttoning it.

"Vivian, let's stop now."

Instead of slapping her hand away or something like that, I decided to be direct.

Her hand that was unbuttoning my shirt paused slightly before it was retracted. Her lustful smile had also faltered a lot as she kept her head low.

"Why... Do you not like me after all this?"

"Mhm? Did you say anything?"

I was so focused on her actions that I didn't catch her words.

"Nothing!"

Her eyes finally met mine as a soft smile splattered over her face. Then, she stepped back over to me, slipping her arm through mine once more before I could protest.

But this time, none of us said anything.

We started walking again, our pace was slow as we made our way back toward the more crowded parts of the capital.
The streets were still quiet, but the lanterns burned warmly overhead, casting long shadows behind us.

The night was calm, the air cool, and the earlier commotion or our hot moment felt like it had happened a lifetime ago.

"Hey..."

Vivian said softly, breaking the silence.
Her voice was unusually gentle, almost hesitant.
"Yeah?"

"Did you have fun tonight?"

I turned my head slightly, looking down at her.
She wasn't teasing this time.
Her expression was sincere, her golden eyes watching me carefully as if waiting for my answer.
I paused for a moment, but then quickly smiled.
"Yeah, I definitely did."
Vivian's lips curved into a genuine smile.
"Good."

We walked in silence for a little longer, the quiet night settling comfortably between us.

I didn't mind it, though.

For all her teasing, Vivian's presence was… easy.

Warm, even.

Eventually, she broke the quiet again.

"Next time, though…"

"Next time?"

She grinned, back to her usual self.

"Of course! You don't think this is going to be our only date, do you?"

"You're already planning another?"

"Naturally. A lady like me requires several dates to feel satisfied."

"You're unbelievable," I said again, though I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

Vivian only winked in response, her arm holding mine a little tighter as we continued walking through the moonlit streets of the capital.

Somehow, I had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time I let her drag me into something like this.

And soon enough, we reached the hotel.

As we reached the front of the hotel, Vivian let go of my arm, her usual playful smile returning as she turned to face me.

"Well, here we are."

Vivian spoke, brushing a strand of her red hair behind her ear.

"Yeah. Tonight was really... fun." I licked my lips, emphasizing the last part.

"Fun, huh? I'll take that as a compliment," she teased, her golden eyes glinting under the warm glow of the lanterns.

There was a pause, and I scratched the back of my neck, feeling a bit awkward now that the night was ending.

Then, a thought crossed my mind.

"Hey, Vivian?"

"Mhm?" she tilted her head with a curious gaze.

"What do slimes like?"

Vivian blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question.

"Slimes?"

I nodded.

She tapped her chin, pretending to think for a moment before responding swiftly.

"Sweet things. Like sugar cubes. Or honey."

Her answer came so quickly, so confidently, that I couldn't help but chuckle.

Without thinking, I leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

Smack!

Her eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, she stood there completely frozen. I stepped back, grinning as I waved over my shoulder.

"Thanks. Have a good night, Vivian!"

I turned and jogged into the hotel, leaving her standing there in stunned silence.

"…What just happened?" she mumbled to herself, her hand brushing her lips.

A moment later, the realization hit her, and her face turned bright red.

"H-he caught me off guard!" she whispered, her voice rising slightly with embarrassment and disbelief.

"He—!"

Vivian's legs wobbled, and she staggered slightly before catching herself, her lips twitching between a pout and a smile.

"Unbelievable… That little—!"

Meanwhile, inside the hotel, I wasted no time. I went straight to a nearby vending machine and grabbed a small jar of honey and some sugar cubes.

Then, I hurried up the stairs to my room.

The moment I opened the door, Lumi came flying at me.

Whoosh!

"Master!"

She squealed softly, her small slime body glowing faintly as she launched herself into my arms.

"Kugh—! Lumi!"

I caught her, stumbling slightly from the impact.

She giggled, her voice high and bubbly.

"You're back! I missed you!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm back."

I replied, patting her squishy surface.

"And guess what I got for you?"

As soon as she heard my words, her eyes widened, sparkling with excitement.

"For me? What is it? What is it?!"

I held up the jar of honey and the sugar cubes, and Lumi's entire body jiggled with joy.

"Yay! Sweets!"

She immediately tried to grab the jar, but I held it just out of reach.

"Hold on, Lumi. Let's get you settled first," I said, setting her down on the table.

Lumi bounced up and down with enthusiasm.

"Hurry, Master! I'm so hungry!"

I opened the jar of honey and poured a small amount onto a plate, placing a sugar cube next to it.

Lumi didn't hesitate.

Slurp! Slurp!

She devoured the honey and sugar with such delight that I couldn't help but laugh.

"This is so good!" Lumi chirped, her body glowing even brighter.

"Thank you, Master! You're the best!"

"Yeah, yeah."

I smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

The events of the night finally started to catch up with me, and I let out a tired sigh.

Lumi noticed and hopped over, landing beside me with a small bounce.

"Master, are you okay?"

She asked, tilting her little slime head.

"Yeah, just a little bit tired."

I replied, giving her a small smile before adding:

"It's been a long day."

She snuggled against my side, her soft, cool body pressing gently against me.

"Don't worry, Master. Lumi's here!"

I chuckled, resting a hand on her head.

"Yeah, I know."

As I sat there with Lumi happily glowing beside me, I couldn't help but think back to Professor Vivian and her teasing smile.

Tonight had been… fun, to say the least.