After seeing Nila off, Seth walked home. He thought about that boy with bloodshot eyes—he'd been knocked out with a single punch, but he was clearly under some unpleasant influence. If he hadn't been there, what would he have done to Nila?
"Hey, Hero, why do you look so pensive?" "You've vanquished evil and saved the princess. The kingdom will be forever grateful to you."
"Don't joke around—if I hadn't been there, something could've happened to her. Aphrodite's blessing says I'll never be NTR'd, but it doesn't say your loved ones won't get hurt," Seth sighed. "Besides, how does that even work?"
-Okay, yeah, something really could've happened to you, but it didn't because you were here—though even if you hadn't been, it might not have happened. That guy who identified himself as the kid's older brother saved the day. You're overthinking it.
"That's the problem with us humans—what can you do? We either overthink things or don't think at all; there's no middle ground."
-Don't stress out so quickly—things like this happen to almost everyone sometimes. People who want to get you a credit card, people who want you to fill out surveys, A homeless person approaches you and asks for money. Or you take a wrong turn and a dog chases you—it happens to even the best of us. Believe me, those four things I mentioned aren't much different from this guy. Look at the bright side: when she got into trouble, who did she call?
"Me? What do you mean?"
-Don't you think a girl as outgoing and fun as her would have called someone else? Or why did she call a regular person instead of the police? Because she thought you were more trustworthy than the police? I don't think so—she was probably too panicked to think straight. So, would it have been better if the police had come? Yeah, maybe, but most likely not. They'd have just put her in a police car and escorted her home, and then she'd be followed again the next day. She couldn't call the police every time, and how long would the police listen to a girl with no evidence? Eventually, there'd come a day when they just couldn't catch up. But you put an end to this stalking situation once and for all by knocking him out with a single punch, my friend.
"Okay, what you're saying is true, but don't you think it was a bit of luck?"
-Yeah, maybe you were a little lucky. If the kid had had a gun, he might have shot and killed both of you right there, but he didn't. And that's how you passed Nila's test, too.
"Nila's test?"
-Yeah. Ever since what happened in the bathroom a week ago, you've been waiting for her to test you, haven't you? So, even if it wasn't official, you most likely passed the test without even taking it.
"Let's hope everything turns out as positive as you say it will."
________________________________________
*Beep Beep Beep*
*Beep Beep Beep*
*Beep Beep Beep*
Seth woke up to the ear-piercing sound of the alarm.
And suddenly, he realized just how considerate Hades—who usually woke him up gently—was, and that he wasn't here right now.
"For someone who lives in a place that never even sees the sun, you're way too good at waking up early." *Yawn* "Well, I guess that's how it goes when you have an underworld to run."
Seth washed his face, had a quick breakfast, brushed his teeth, put on his uniform, combed his hair, and rushed out of his apartment. On the way, he called out to Hadese a few times but got no reply. He was still yawning as he waited at the red light.
"Oh, my savior, didn't you sleep well?"
"Huh? Yeah, a little. Good morning, Ni—"
Nila wasn't wearing her usual uniform—which looked like it had come from a tailor and whose jacket alone violated three of the school's dress code rules. Instead, her white blouse, black jacket, and skirt were plain and neatly ironed; there weren't even the small, permitted accessories she usually wore. Her skirt wasn't as short as usual. Black tights covered her legs. And the buttons on her jacket were fastened, hugging her chest—except that it might have been one size too small for her. It was neat and in compliance with the rules.
"....."
"Did you lose your tongue, my hero?"
Seth composed himself. "I was just caught off guard. It's not really your style—not that I'm saying it's bad; it actually looks impressive on you."
"Thanks for the kind words. This was my spare uniform; I hadn't needed it until today, but I've grown a bit since I got it. Some parts are really noticeable, aren't they?" Nila lifted her breasts with her hands. They were definitely cramped inside that jacket.
"Ahem." Seth tried to look away, but his eyes betrayed him. "You're the only person who could look this provocative even in the most ordinary uniform."
"Heh," Nila smiled. She looked at herself. "After everything that happened last night, I didn't feel like bothering with makeup or getting dressed when I woke up this morning, so I tried a different style." She spun around. "I'd even say I kind of like it, but my own style is still my favorite—don't get too used to this."
"Don't worry, you look good either way."
Nila blushed a little. "Are you just being polite, or do you really like it?"
"Why would I lie to you? Like I said, you look beautiful either way. In fact, for someone like you—who usually doesn't care much about showing skin, or even prefers—to suddenly dress like this… it's even a bit seductive. If it's not too gross, you're like a beautiful, unattainable secretary who can solve any problem for someone very important."
Nila laughed but then put on a fake serious expression. "Huh, of course—natural sex appeal is something not everyone has."
"So is arrogance."
"Arrogance has to be earned." She slipped her arm through Seth's and pressed her breasts against him. "Now stop talking so much and let's walk—I don't want to be late dressed this properly."
As they dragged Nila Seth along, they arrived at the school's entrance. The entrance, with the school's crest hanging above it, and the architecture as a whole, resembled a castle standing in the middle of the city in all its grandeur, just as always. But today, chaos reigned in front of the castle. Police cars were swarming around the school. In a police car near the entrance, however, there was an unexpected face. At first, it was hard to believe, but there was no doubt about it. With dark circles under his eyes and hair that fell to his shoulders and blended into his beard, it was the man who introducing himself as big brother of the stalker had caused trouble yesterday—the one who had slung his brother like a bag over his shoulder and walked away. Unlike his hunched posture the day before, today he stood tall and strong, planting his feet firmly on the ground. In contrast to his appearance, he was wearing a well-maintained police uniform and was currently having coffee with his partner, who was wearing a bulletproof vest.
"Sir, you need to tidy up your hair. If the division chief sees you like this, you'll get scolded again."
The man rubbed his temples. "I know, I know—I was going to take care of it yesterday, but so much happened. I didn't have time—Oh."
At that moment, the three of them locked eyes.
Nila's eyes widened. In disbelief, she covered her mouth with her hand. "What do you mean, you're a cop? And a high-ranking one at that?"
Without wasting a moment, Seth spoke up this time. "Well, in that case, I'm curious—who's the family's black sheep, you or your brother? I mean, maybe you've been a proud crime family for a long time, and you decided to become a cop—Aw, aw, aw, aw."
Nila pinched the arm she was holding Seth by. "Watch your mouth!"
The police officer didn't seem to care. "No problem, no problem—that's actually a good question, and the answer is…" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, but his partner stopped him before he could open it.
"Sir, we're on duty and in a school zone—do I need to remind you?"
"Sorry, sorry—my mistake, you're right," he said, putting the pack back in his pocket as he turned to Seth and Nila.
"So you two go to school here, then?"
Seth chimed in curiously, "Yes, and why are you here?"
"Well, lately a gang has been trying to sell drugs in the school zone."
"SIR!"
"What's the big deal? As if they wouldn't find out anyway. Did you forget that rumors spread faster than the wind at school, or do you think they'll not find out eventually—it just happened a little faster?"
Nila was taken aback again. "Drugs? Right here? At our school?"
The police officer took a sip of his coffee. "Well, not exactly right here—it's school-wide—but yes, your school seems to be the main focus. The city's best school must be an easy target. That's why we're out in full force today—investigating, asking questions, and checking on students. If we find anything on any of them, we'll ask where they got it, but so far, nothing's turned up."
After a moment of silence, Nila spoke up. "If anyone's involved, it's most likely the upperclassmen. You should question them."
"You might be right, young lady, but don't worry—we'll find out eventually. Starting today, my partner and I will be patrolling the area. If you find or hear anything, please don't hesitate to report it to us. We'll probably be seeing each other often. My name is Clark, and my partner is Joseph." Clark bowed his head. "And please accept my apology once again for the trouble my brother caused you."
As Clark apologized sincerely, Nila raised her hand. "It's no problem—it's not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for."
Seth looked at Clark thoughtfully. "You're apologizing a lot on your brother's behalf, aren't you?"
"...Unfortunately, anyway, go inside now—don't be late, and stay safe."
The two walked off arm in arm, leaving the police behind. Just as Clark had said, they were both searched at the door, but nothing was found. From the entrance all the way to the classroom door, two things remained the same. People were talking about the police search, and others were turning to look twice at Nila's new style—and the same thing happened inside the classroom. When Nila walked in, everyone—Lucy in particular—stared at her as if they'd seen an alien.
"Lucyyyyyy, good morning. How are you? Did I get in trouble with the cops?"
It was all too obvious that Lucy was struggling not to laugh. "Who are you, and what did you do to my best friend?" It was meant to be an innocent joke. But Nila took it a little personally.
She looked first at Lucy, then at the class staring intently at her, and spoke loudly, "WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? CAN'T I DRESS ACCORDING TO THE RULES?" Everyone turned back to their work
Lucy jumped to her feet immediately. "Nila, that's not what I meant—I—"
"Pfffff—hahahaHahaha I was just joking, Lucy." Nila hugged Lucy tightly; the sight of their breasts pressing against each other was quite a sight to behold.
"Do you really think I'd get mad at you for something like this? I'm fully aware it's completely opposite to my usual style."
Seth came up behind them and crossed his arms. "If you normalize people seeing your stomach on an ordinary day, of course people are going to react like this."
"RUDE!" She slapped Seth's arm.
"Well, it's not a lie, is it?"
Nila glared at him. "That doesn't mean you have to say it right to my face." She hit his arm again, this time harder.
"AH, help! I'm being abused!"
As some giggles rippled through the classroom, Lucy tilted her head to the side and looked on with a puzzled expression.
"Since when have you two gotten so close?"
Just as Nila was about to land another punch, she lowered her hand. "Oh, us? We've been talking a lot lately and realized we have a lot in common. Plus, he saved me from a tough situation—I'll tell you about it after school."
"But—"
Lucy's words were cut short when the teacher slammed the door open. "All right, all right, sit down. Things have already dragged on because of this police investigation, so I'll get straight to the point.... Nila, this is the first time since the start of the semester I've seen you without your jacket tied around your waist—did you catch a cold? Did a rock fall on your head or something? If you're not feeling well, you can go to the infirmary!"
Laughter erupted from the classroom again, but the only one not laughing was Nila. "Ha ha, very funny. Sorry, but you're a little late with that joke. You should've come earlier."
"Oh, what a shame. Now sit down."
As everyone pulled out their thin textbooks, there was one person whose mind was far from the lesson.
'What do Seth and Nila have in common?'