"Class dismissed."
The students packed up their bags, chattering loudly as they filed out for lunch.
Maya didn't move. She lay slumped over her desk, panting, her face a mess of sweat and tears. A small puddle of clear liquid had pooled near her feet.
Alex pulled his hand out.
Schlop.
It was coated in thick, clear nectar. He held it up, inspecting it in the sunlight.
"Messy," he commented.
He reached over, grabbed Maya's tie, and used the silk fabric to wipe his hand clean.
"W-What are you doing...?" Maya gasped weakly, lifting her head. "That's my tie..."
"It's my napkin now," Alex corrected. "Consider it a souvenir."
He stood up, adjusting his uniform. He looked down at the broken, flushed girl who was looking up at him with eyes that held zero defiance and 100% obedience.
"Well," Alex smiled, checking his watch. "You said something about lunch? I'm starving. And after that workout, I bet you are too."
Maya swallowed hard. She looked at her ruined tie, her wet skirt, and then at Alex's confident back.
A shiver of excitement ran through her.
"Yes...," she whispered, too quiet for anyone else to hear, as she shakily stood up to follow him.
****
Here is the improvised Chapter 23.
Chapter 23: Lunch and Libraries
The cafeteria was a war zone of clattering trays and shouting students, but when Alex and Maya walked in, a strange hush fell over the room.
It was a bizarre sight.
Alex, the "fallen noble" who usually ate alone, was walking with his hands in his pockets, looking bored. Trailing a step behind him was Maya, the terror of the First Year class.
Her face was flushed, her hair slightly messy, and she was carrying two trays of food.
They sat at a corner table. Maya placed the tray with the premium steak set in front of Alex, while she took the one with a simple sandwich.
"Here," she mumbled, not meeting his eyes. "I got you the A-Rank lunch."
"Good girl," Alex smiled, picking up his fork.
He looked at her. She was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. The fluids from earlier had dried, making her skirt stick to her thighs, and she was clearly hyper-aware of the scent of sex clinging to her.
"You seem restless," Alex teased, cutting a piece of meat. "Is the seat uncomfortable? Or are you just sticky?"
"Shh!" Maya hissed, looking around frantically. "Someone will hear you!"
"Let them hear," Alex shrugged. He reached under the table.
Maya stiffened.
He didn't do anything lewd this time. He just rested his hand on her knee, his thumb tracing the inside of her thigh.
"Eat," he commanded. "You need your strength. Being my... pet is physically demanding work."
Maya swallowed hard. Her eyes swirled with that confusing mix of shame and arousal. She nodded meekly and took a bite of her sandwich, her face burning as his hand kept her pinned in place.
After lunch, Alex dismissed Maya.
"Go clean yourself up," he told her. "You smell like me. It's distracting."
Maya had scampered off to the dorm showers with a face redder than a tomato, leaving Alex free for the afternoon.
"Right," Alex muttered, checking his schedule. "Free period."
He needed to research Mana Resonance. His internal circuit was only 5% optimized. If he wanted to untangle the rest of that mess without exploding, he needed advanced theory.
He headed to the Great Library.
The library was a cathedral of silence, filled with the scent of old parchment and dust. Rows of bookshelves stretched up to the vaulted ceiling, accessible only by sliding ladders.
Alex wandered into the "Advanced Magical Theory" section. It was deep in the back, where few students went.
[System Notification: Nearby 'Named Character' detected.]
[Opportunity for 'Connection' identified.]
"Oh?"
Alex paused.
He peered down the aisle.
There, standing on a rolling ladder about ten feet up, was a girl.
She was struggling. She was stretching her arm out, trying to reach a heavy, leather-bound tome on the very top shelf.
[Character ID: Elara Vance] [Role: The Bookworm / Future Archmage] [Status: Plot Relevant Support Character]
Alex recognized her. Elara.
In the game, she was the stereotypical "Library Girl." Quiet, shy, wore glasses, and had a braid that rested over her shoulder. But in the late game, she became a terrifyingly powerful mage who unlocked ancient forbidden spells.
Right now, though, she was just a girl with a very short skirt on a very high ladder.
"Hnnng..." Elara strained, standing on her tiptoes.
Because she was stretching, her skirt rode up.
"Nice view," Alex appreciated.
From his angle, he had a front-row seat to her long legs encased in black knee-socks. The bit of thigh between the socks and the skirt—the Zettai Ryouiki—was pale and soft. As she stretched, he caught a glimpse of simple white panties with a small blue bow.
"Just a... little... more..." Elara grunted.
She lunged for the book. Her fingers grazed the spine.
But she slipped.
"Ah!"
The heavy book tipped over. It fell from the shelf, plummeting straight toward her face.
"Kyaa!"
She lost her balance, her foot slipping off the rung.
Alex moved.
He didn't use magic. He used his upgraded Reflexes.
He dashed forward, catching the falling book with one hand and catching the falling girl with the other.
THUD.
He caught her bridal style.
"Oof."
Elara squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the impact of the floor. When it didn't come, she slowly opened her eyes.
She found herself staring up at a handsome face, her body pressed against a firm chest.
"Careful there," Alex smiled, using his 'Charm' stat to its fullest potential. "Knowledge is heavy, but you shouldn't let it crush you."
Elara blinked. Her thick glasses were slightly askew. Her face went from pale to crimson in 0.5 seconds.
"I... I..." She stammered, looking at his face, then down at his arm holding her thighs.
She realized their position. His hand was firmly gripping her soft, thick thighs right below her skirt. Her chest was pressed against his.
"A-Are you okay?" Alex asked, not letting go. In fact, he gave her thigh a subtle squeeze. Soft. She spends all day sitting and reading, so she's soft everywhere.
"Y-Yes!" Elara squeaked. "P-Please put me down!"
Alex gently set her on her feet. She stumbled slightly, fixing her glasses and clutching her chest.
"T-Thank you," she whispered, looking at the floor. "I... I needed that book for my thesis on Mana Resonance."
"Mana Resonance?" Alex raised an eyebrow. "What a coincidence. I'm researching the same thing."
Elara's head snapped up. Her shy demeanor vanished for a split second, replaced by academic curiosity.
"You are? But... that's third-year material. And you're..." She glanced at his uniform. "A first-year?"
"I'm a fast learner," Alex said smoothly, handing her the book he had caught. "Maybe we can help each other? I have the raw data, but I could use a partner who understands the theory."
He stepped closer, invading her personal space just a little.
"I'm Alex."
Elara hugged the book to her chest, her face flushing again at his proximity. She looked at him—really looked at him. He didn't look like the other loud, annoying boys. He looked... intense.
"I'm... Elara," she whispered.
[System Notification: Connection Established.] [Elara Vance Interest Level: 15/100 (Curiosity/Embarrassment)] [Lust Points: +10]
Alex grinned internally.
Hook, line, and sinker.
"Well, Elara," Alex said, leaning against the bookshelf and trapping her slightly. "Since I saved your life... surely you have some time to tutor me?"