Chapter 47: The Aftermath

“Mhm~” Selene stirred from her beauty sleep, the faint light of morning slipping through the tavern’s half-drawn curtains.

Her body felt heavy, her muscles aching in ways that were both strange and familiar.

She rolled lazily onto her side, her cheek brushing against the still-warm pillow, but then… as she reached the other side, she instantly noticed that…

It was empty.

Thump!

Her heart gave a small, involuntary lurch. The sheets beside her were rumpled, but the space was strangely cold.

She blinked rapidly, pushing herself up on one elbow.

“Gray…?” Her voice came out softer than she expected.

No answer.

A hollow feeling began to creep into her chest.

She sat up fully, clutching the blanket against her bare skin as if it could shield her from the sudden unease clawing at her ribs.

’Did he… just leave?’

The thought struck sharply as her hands tightened around the fabric.

’No… no, he wouldn’t… right?’

But then another voice, sly and cruel, whispered in her mind: ’Maybe he just wanted you for one night. Maybe that’s all you were to him.’

“Ahaa… haa….”

Her breath quickened.

“N-no… that can’t be it…”

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, ignoring the slight sting in her thighs.

She scanned the small tavern room, hoping to spot him, his boots, his jacket, anything.

But it was empty.

Her chest squeezed tighter, panic rising quickly.

“Gray… where are you…?”

The silence pressed in, thick and suffocating.

Her mind flashed through all the moments from the night before, his hands on her, his voice, his hypnotic eyes, and now the image of him walking away without a word.

“You bastard… you wouldn’t…” Her throat tightened.

But just then…

Click!

The sound of the bathroom door cut through the stillness. She didn’t even notice that it existed, but her head quickly snapped towards it.

Gray stepped out, a towel draped lazily over his shoulders.

Drip… drip…

His black hair was damp, small beads of water sliding down the ridges of his chest.

He wore nothing but his black jeans, the button undone at the top, and his expression shifted from casual to faintly confused when he saw her sitting there, wide-eyed.

“Did something happen?”

Fwoop!

Selene moved instantly.

The blanket slipped from her shoulders as she rushed toward him, the ache in her body forgotten for an instant.

She collided with his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

Thud!

Gray caught her without hesitation, his hands settling gently at her back.

For a moment, she just stayed there, her cheek pressed against the warm skin of his chest, listening to the slow rhythm of his heartbeat.

“I thought… you left…”

Her voice trembled, almost breaking on the last word.

His head tilted slightly, his gaze softening as he looked down at her.

“Selene… I’d never do that to you.”

’…I’d do it more times than I could count… and just did when you passed out,’ he added inwardly.

Her breath caught at his words.

Gray’s hand came up, fingers threading lightly through her hair, the other still resting firm at her waist.

“If I wanted to leave,” he said quietly, “I’d tell you. I don’t disappear without a word.”

The words settled into her, cooling the panic that had been boiling moments before.

She pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, searching for any sign that he was lying and finding none.

Her lips parted, but whatever she was about to say dissolved into a faint, embarrassed huff.

She tried to step back, but then…

“Hah?”

Her knees buckled.

A sharp throb shot up her thighs, the muscles protesting the sudden movement. She gasped softly, steadying herself on his arm.

Gray arched an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching slighly.

“You’re in the early Advanced Realm, yet your legs still give out on you?”

“I-It’s your fault…” Selene flushed, turning her face away.

His smirk deepened.

“Then I’ll take responsibility.”

Without another word, he bent down, sliding an arm under her knees and lifting her effortlessly into his arms.

“Ah?! She let out a quiet gasp, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

Gray carried her back toward the bed before setting her down gently.

“Mhm…”

Selene sank into the sheets, still feeling the lingering ache in her legs.

And then, before she could protest, Gray sat at the edge of the bed, his hand sliding to rest just above her knee.

“You’re tense,” he murmured, his fingers pressing lightly into her skin.

She blinked at him, startled by his actions.

“I’m fine—ahng!”

Her words cut off with a soft gasp as he began to knead the muscles in slow, deliberate motions.

A faint warmth spread from his fingertips, sinking deep into her legs.

He wasn’t just massaging her body as she could feel the subtle flow of mana, moving with precision, coaxing her body into healing.

It could be called a healing massage.

Selene bit her lip, her heartbeat quickening. The warmth spread higher, tingling faintly, leaving her body lighter with each passing second.

“You’re using mana…?” she whispered.

“Speeds up the recovery. You’ll be fine in a few minutes.” Gray gave a quiet hum, not breaking his focus.

The tension bled out of her completely, her earlier embarrassment melting into a drowsy calm.

True to his word, after only a few minutes, the soreness was gone as if it had never existed. Gray’s hands stilled, his thumb brushing absently against her skin before he drew back.

Selene exhaled, flexing her legs experimentally.

“It’s… completely gone…”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he glanced toward the small desk in the corner, where a battered clock ticked softly.

His mouth curved into a grin.

“What…?” Selene blinked at the sudden shift in his expression.

Her question died as he looked back at her, the grin still in place.

“Our classes start in fifteen minutes, by the way.”

Her eyes widened, the words sinking in like a splash of cold water.

“You—!” She sat up too quickly, almost toppling forward.

“Why didn’t you say that sooner?!”

“You looked comfortable. Didn’t want to ruin the moment.” Gray leaned back slightly, watching her flail with a faint smile.

“You… ugh! You’re impossible!” Selene groaned, scrambling to grab the nearest piece of clothing.

Gray, in stark contrast, simply grabbed the white shirt from his student uniform, sliding it on with a lazy motion and buttoning it halfway before stretching like they had all the time in the world.

“You’re way too calm for someone who made us late,” she shot at him, hopping on one leg to pull on her skirt.

“We’re not late,” Gray said, lips quirking faintly.

“Yet.”

She gave him a sharp glare, which only seemed to amuse him more.

Within moments, she was tugging on her boots, still fixing her collar as they stepped out of the room.

Gray followed at an unhurried pace, running a hand through his slightly damp black hair.

The corridor was still quiet at this hour.

They made their way down the tavern stairs, Selene keeping her focus straight ahead, too busy replaying her earlier panic to notice the two young women coming from the opposite hallway.

Gray did notice.

The same two girls from the night before.

They glanced at him and instantly recognized him, as he had given them an unforgettable night.

Heat crept into their cheeks, their lips parting ever so slightly.

Gray smirked slighly, winking at them.

“Hehehe…”

The reaction was immediate: a small, embarrassed laugh from one, and a shy glance away from the other.

Selene kept walking, oblivious.

Once outside, the morning air was crisp, and the academy’s tall spires loomed ahead.

They crossed the courtyard, the sound of Selene’s boots quick against the stone while Gray’s steps stayed casual.

They arrived at the tall oak doors of Class AB-1.

Selene exhaled sharply, expecting to slip in just before the bell, only for Gray to tap the clock hanging above the archway.

She looked up.

Three minutes early.

“See? We reached just in time.” Gray’s grin widened.

“You dragged me into a panic for nothing…” Selene narrowed her eyes at him.

Hearing her words, he leaned closer, smiling playfully:

“It’s cute when you panic.”

Her cheeks flared red instantly.

“Shut up—!”

Gray chuckled at her pouting, brushing past her into the classroom.

“Better hurry, before someone thinks I made you late on purpose.”

“Hmph!”

Selene huffed, following him in, though she suspected from his tone that he absolutely would do that, just for the fun of it.

But just as she stepped inside…

“Selene!”

A loud voice rang across the classroom before she even took three steps in.

Her heart jumped as she turned toward the sound.

There, in the fourth row, sat her boyfriend, straight-backed, smiling warmly, one hand raised to wave her over.

The faint blush on her cheeks drained instantly. Her body stiffened, the playful fluster from moments ago replaced by something heavier.

Almost on instinct, her gaze glanced to the side, toward Gray.

It was as if she wanted to explain herself without words. That it wasn’t what it looked like. That she wasn’t…

But Gray didn’t even glance her way.

His expression remained unreadable as he walked past the desks, straight to the far end of the classroom.

The eleventh seat from the front, right beside the window.

It was an enviable spot, bright, with a full view of the academy courtyard beyond. And of course, like every seat in Class AB-1, it wasn’t random.

It was based on your student rank, and since Aestrea was the eleventh place, of course, he sat there.

Curiously, just a meter or two in front of him would be Cassandra’s seat, to which she still hadn’t arrived.

Selene lingered near the door for too long, clutching her books, watching Gray slide into his chair without sparing her so much as a glance.

“Selene?” Her boyfriend’s voice called her again, softer this time.

She forced a small smile, walking toward the seat beside him.

But her mind wasn’t on him.

Not at all.

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