Chapter 179: Chapter 179: The Unexpected Night

The door creaked open with a groan, and a faint layer of dust danced in the air as Noel stepped inside.

His room in the Class S dorms looked exactly like he left it—only now it had gained the scent of wood, parchment… and neglect.

Two months.

That’s how long it had been since he last stepped foot in here. Between the missions, the Holy Capital, and the aftermath, he’d barely had time to remember this place existed.

He sighed, rolled up his sleeves, and grabbed a cloth from the drawer. “Let’s get this over with.”

Shelves coated in dust. The desk slightly cluttered with notes. His bed still made, though a thin film of grime had gathered on the frame. He swept, wiped, folded, reorganized.

On the bed, Noir lay curled in her pup form—peaceful, silent, her fur rising with every slow breath.

As he passed her, he adjusted the sheets gently.

His thoughts drifted to the cafeteria earlier, where he’d sat with Marcus and Roberto. The three of them had laughed, joked, talked about relationships… normal things, for once.

’Marcus is really going to do it,’ Noel thought. ’Confess to Clara. Honestly, I didn’t think he had it in him.’

He smirked faintly.

’That’s way ahead of the timeline in the novel. In the original story, those two spent thirty damn Chapters blushing just from holding hands. Then another thirty for a kiss on the cheek. I hated that slow-burn nonsense.’

He stood up, stretched, and looked around.

Clean. At last.

And now he was sweating.

“Shower time,” he muttered.

The water ran warm over Noel’s skin, washing away the dust and the fatigue of the day.

He leaned back against the tiled wall, closing his eyes as the steam filled the small bathing room. His blond hair clung slightly to his forehead, damp and heavy. After a few minutes under the stream, he turned it off and slid into the bathwater, letting out a quiet exhale as his body sank into the heat.

It felt good.

A quiet moment—rare these days.

He rested his head back and let his thoughts wander.

’Too much happened today… first Nicolas, then Roberto and Marcus… and now this training camp incoming.’

His fingers drifted lazily across the surface of the water.

’At least Marcus is finally moving forward. If he confesses to Clara, that’ll be one less couple to drag for another fifty Chapters. I swear, I don’t miss that part of the story at all.’

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Then—

Knock. Knock.

His eyes snapped open.

“…Seriously?”

He waited. Maybe it was someone knocking on a different room.

Knock. Knock.

Nope. Definitely his door.

He sighed, stepped out of the bath, and grabbed a towel. Wrapping it securely around his waist, he shook his hair once, water droplets sliding down his shoulders.

’Who the hell is knocking at this hour?’

He made his way to the door, still drying his hair with one hand.

And opened it.

The door swung open—

—and Noel froze.

Standing before him were Elyra and Elena.

Elyra wore a sleek crimson dress that matched the late summer warmth, her black hair neatly braided over one shoulder, grey eyes cool but slightly glazed. Elena stood beside her, platinum-blonde hair down for once, flowing freely against the soft green of her dress. Her amber eyes were red around the edges, and her cheeks were flushed.

Both were clearly tipsy.

Both were staring.

And Noel… was in nothing but a towel.

His eyes widened. “What—”

He instinctively tried to close the door.

Too late.

Elyra slid her foot between the door and frame like a seasoned pro.

The door jerked, halted halfway.

“Wait—hold on—what are you doing?” Noel asked, half-panicked.

The two girls didn’t answer. Instead, they stepped inside like it was their own room.

Noel stumbled backward, slipping slightly on the smooth floor and landing unceremoniously on his rear.

“Ow—dammit—what is going on!?”

Elyra calmly reached back and closed the door behind them with a quiet click.

On the bed, Noir perked her head up.

Then promptly vanished into Noel’s shadow.

’Coward,’ Noel thought briefly, scrambling to his feet.

Elena wobbled a bit as she stepped forward. Her expression shifted between determined and pouty, her pointed ears redder than usual.

And then she spoke.

“I should’ve been first…” Elena mumbled, her voice thick with wine and frustration.

Noel blinked, still holding onto the edge of his towel. “Ah… so this is what this is about.”

He looked over at Elyra. “What did you do?”

Elyra raised both hands innocently. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Seriously?”

“She drank the wine. I just watched.”

Elena wobbled again, stepping closer. Her amber eyes were glassy, but the emotion behind them was clear—guilt, longing, something that had been bottled up far too long.

“You know it doesn’t matter, right?” she whispered.

Noel opened his mouth to respond, but he didn’t get the chance.

Elena leaned forward—and kissed him.

It wasn’t a short, shy kiss.

It was passionate, clumsy, and way too long.

Noel’s eyes widened in shock, but her arms were already around his neck, pulling him down slightly. Her lips pressed against his with no hesitation.

’She’s… really drunk,’ Noel thought. ’But this is definitely a kiss… and not a light one either.’

He didn’t push her away, just let her lean into it, unsure if moving would make things worse.

When the kiss finally ended, Elena swayed… and collapsed into his arms.

Noel caught her, blinking twice.

Then sighed.

“Of course.”

He gently picked her up, walked over to the bed, and laid her down carefully. Noir shifted deeper into the shadow under the bed.

Elyra watched the whole thing with unreadable eyes.

Then, she smiled faintly.

As Noel turned away from the bed, he found Elyra standing just a few steps in front of him.

Her arms were crossed, but her posture was relaxed—graceful, confident, entirely unaffected by the fact that he was still only wearing a towel.

She tilted her head. “Now it’s my turn.”

“…What?”

She stepped closer, eyes narrowing with a hint of mischief. “You didn’t think I’d let her steal the moment, did you?”

Before he could respond, Elyra rose on her toes and kissed him.

Unlike Elena’s kiss, this one was slower—less desperate, more deliberate. Warm lips, a soft sigh, and just the faintest taste of wine.

It only lasted a few seconds.

But it left Noel equally stunned.

When Elyra pulled back, she didn’t say anything right away. She simply turned, walked to the bed, and laid down next to Elena, who was already asleep with one hand resting lightly over Noir’s shadowy outline.

Elyra adjusted the covers and looked over her shoulder.

She patted the empty space in the middle.

“Tap, tap.”

Noel rubbed the back of his neck, still trying to process everything. “…At least let me put on some clothes first.”

“Fine,” Elyra said, smirking as she curled up beside Elena. “But don’t take too long. It’s warm.”

Noel stepped into the bathroom, heart still thumping against his ribs.

He looked at himself in the mirror.

Hair damp. Face flushed. A towel wrapped around his waist and two girls asleep in his bed.

He exhaled, long and slow. “What is my life…”

He dried off properly and pulled on his usual dark sleepwear—comfortable and loose. When he stepped back into the room, the air felt quieter, more intimate.

Elyra and Elena were already fast asleep.

Elena was curled slightly toward the center of the bed, her platinum hair splayed across the pillow. Elyra lay calmly on her back, arms tucked under her head, her braid resting across her chest.

Noel looked around for an alternative.

There was none.

The room was tidy. No couch. No floor mat. There was a chair, but that wasn’t an option because Noir just occupied it.

He stood there for a moment, shoulders slouched in silent surrender.

Then, carefully, he slid under the covers.

Between them.

The mattress dipped slightly on either side. He could feel the warmth of their bodies—one on each arm—and the soft rhythm of their breathing.

He stared at the ceiling for a while.

’How am I supposed to sleep like this…?’

He turned his head, glanced at Elena.

Then at Elyra.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

The night deepened.

And Noel, surrounded by chaos and peace alike, finally closed his eyes.

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