'I'd say that went well.' After returning from the cafeteria, he patted himself on the back mentally. Pointing out her uniform to get her alone was a better alternative than finding another excuse, especially with the lack of time.
It's not like there isn't a dress code at the school so, on the surface, nothing he did was out of the ordinary.
He was now on his way to the SDC office to wait for Fallene. Maybe he'll get an update on how everything's going? He could sense the janitor, who acted as a double agent, moving around in the first level basement at this very moment so things must be going well.
If he does end up leaking information, Morwenne would know as she has someone on the inside that she couldn't contact as freely as the other three.
"Oh, Al." when he turned a corner, he ran into Celeste who was walking with a few of her friends, "Perfect timing to run into you as I wanted to speak with you."
"?" After letting her friends know she'll meet them at their spot, she pulled him away to a quiet corner.
"Firstly, I need to confirm something with you." She sounded quite cold as she spoke.
Arnold straightened instinctively.
"Do you have any intention of sleeping with my mother?"
"…"
…
"…What kind of opening line is that?!"
As she was continuing to stare at him, he responded in the end, "No, I have no romantic feelings for your mother as the marriage is just a means to protect your household and the two of you. If you have a better alternative, I'd like to hear it but I don't intend on fighting the entire criminal underworld."
"Good." she harrumphed.
He sighed.
"Now that we're alone, I wanted to talk to you about our relationship as well." Since he doesn't want to delay telling her this, he brought it up.
"?" she was taken aback, as if she didn't expect him to bring it up. He's never been willing to talk about it, after all. Not even when she basically threw herself at him in her underwear. Or when she asked him out on "outings".
"…I'm sorry for pushing you away. I just couldn't find any romantic attraction to the woman I saw as an older sister growing up. It was never because you aren't beautiful or reliable since you're the perfect woman any man could ever ask for. It was just fear of losing the relationship we always had. I was scared I might even begin to see you as disposable as the women I've been with throughout the years. Maybe deep down I wanted to be with you as well and just forced myself to resist giving in to your charms."
"…" she blinked blankly a few times before a big smile surfaced on her face, "That's not fair, you know… Making me fall for you even harder."
"H-Huh?" before he could even blink, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.
"Does this mean you finally accept me?"
"Uhm, Ms. Celeste."
"Hm?"
"Is that a knife pressing against my back?" he felt something sharp there as her hug tightened. No, there were several sharp objects poking him.
"Oh no, my nails are just a bit too long~"
"T-Then why does it feel like you want to stab me with them?" he could feel them digging into his skin but failing to puncture it since his skin is so durable.
"It's nothing, Al. Truly, nothing at all. It's not like years of carefully planned seduction attempts are suddenly flashing before my eyes—me buying prettier nightwear, me strategically 'forgetting' to lock doors, me boldly presenting myself to you in ways that would have killed lesser men on the spot—only for you to nod politely and tell me to 'dress warmly' before leaving. Not at all. I'm certainly not reliving every humiliating second of those moments and wondering how exactly I managed to lose to your sense of familial affection. No, no, why would that bother me? If anything, I should be proud. Do you know how difficult it is for a woman to expose that much dignity and have absolutely none of it acknowledged? It takes talent, Al. Years of dedication. I practically pioneered a new form of self-inflicted emotional torture, ahahaha!"
'I-I don't think I need to check her [Condition]…'
After a while of cackling to herself, she let him go but didn't face him. Instead, she wiped her face a few times with her back turned.
Taking a deep breath, she continued, "…I'm jealous of Denise. She gets to have your family since she has the right blood but I will never have that. I suppose I sympathize with Victoria for a bit as she's been trying as well from what I heard from your mother."
"Oh…" no wonder she always drained him dry until he could only shoot blanks. She was trying to get pregnant.
"Your son is doing well." Though she smiled, it didn't reach her eyes, "Full of energy and probably excited to see his real father for the first time."
"…That's good. Celeste, about the others…"
"Oh, yes… Most the girls I've tracked down lied about having your child, only the humans, that is. I heard you've been with Elves as well? Unsurprisingly, they remained silent about your relationship with them. Maybe they did have your children but find it shameful they slept with a human or they are more honest than us humans?"
Knowing Elves, they probably have some strong contraception that can kill the sperm of even a dragonkin even if one did fall pregnant.
That being said, it's not exactly confirmed if regular Elves can have his children. But he'll definitely do a bit of digging to determine who Denise's ancestors are.
"Denise said that she will only allow her son to come over if she comes as well."
"She doesn't want me alone with him which I understand. So it's fine with me. I was thinking of planning a family outing anyway." Celeste's face turned sour for a second at hearing this.
"Hmm, those swimmers of yours sure hate me, hm?" she muttered something he thought was best to ignore.
Ms. Celeste, what do you mean by that?
-Answer: Celeste von Penston most likely secretly extracted Player Arnold's—
"Thanks for doing all that." he pretended he didn't see that system window.
"No need for thanks. Now that their lies have been uncovered, what do you plan on doing to them?"
"I'll sort that out later. I have a lot on my mind at the moment."
He can't just shove things aside he's busy with just because something new came up. He'll handle the SDC mission then focus on other things.
"Okay. I won't ask but I hope it's nothing dangerous." She caressed his cheek, "At least let me know if there's some cosmic being you have to fight next time. Not knowing what you're going through always makes me anxious."
"You'll be the first to know."
After hugging him one last time, she said she had to go so the two parted ways. He was about to continue on to the office but saw someone unexpected approach him from the other end of the hall.
It was Elna pushing a wheelchair-bound Adavire, who was whispering something to herself as if hyping herself up.
If she wasn't his subordinate's ward, he would've just ignored her but he waited for her while idly standing there so that he can hear about her condition. If treatment can't happen today, he'll have to step in to force them as Adavire is a seventh-year student who has to get back to school immediately.
Elna suddenly stopped pushing the wheelchair then walked towards him, "…Greetings, Sir Arnold. The Young Lady requested to see you, if that's okay with you."
Before he could say anything, she went back but continued walking until she was a distance outside earshot but still able to see Adavire.
Shrugging, he walked over to her.
"You should've stayed at the temple."
She opened her eyes hearing his voice and a determined expression appeared on her face. Those strange words in her condition status still haven't changed. He's curious what she's so determined about.
Maybe growing stronger to kill the tribe that imprisoned her? Adavire doesn't go through any breakthrough during the School Arc, but maybe her awakening can be triggered. He's using the demons to trigger Luke's, after all so he knows better than anyone that awakenings can be forced to happen.
The only real difference would be the type of trigger.
He already knows Luke's trigger but what's Adavire's?
Her class hasn't changed to [Holy Paladin] yet and her stats are still the same as before. This means a near-death experience won't be enough.
"My treatment is scheduled for this afternoon so I thought I'd move around for a bit. Stretch my legs."
'W-Was… Was that a joke?' he couldn't even tell since her face was so serious. This woman is way too stoic to be cracking jokes.
"…The whole academy is talking about you. Just from a few groups of students we passed by, I heard your name flying around. The Hero who saved the continent." Her fingers fidgeted as her gazed went to the scenery outside, "You are still the same Arnold, right?"
"?" confused why she was asking this, he raised an eyebrow.
"…I have something to ask you, if you are still the cruel, calculating tyrant you always were."
'Hey now…'
Before he could respond with a comeback, she looked up at him with a strange fire in her eyes.
"Is my… way of living… wrong?"