Chapter 1:
An Order from My Master
IT HAD BEEN A FEW DAYS since I’d freed my master from her chains and brought her home. Olivia had fortified her body with skills, but she hadn’t moved for two hundred years, and the Death Chains had been draining her energy the whole time. I was a little worried about her. It didn’t seem like she’d fully regained her strength, and sometimes moving seemed to cause her pain. That said, she was in excellent spirits and fit right in with the Stardias. She’d become another member of the family, just like Tigerson.
“Open up, future husband,” she said, feeding me a slice of apple.
Our family store, Stardian Rarities, was doing so well that our meals were becoming more lavish.
“You’re embarrassing me,” I said. “We’re not getting married. I mean…there’s a bit of an age difference.”
“Age is just a number. And five hundred years is nothing, as far as I’m concerned.”
I was pretty sure she was the only one who felt that way. Olivia pouted, stuffing her face with apples. She’d gorged herself on meat and vegetables first thing in the morning too. She had a skill that allowed her to live without eating, but she still seemed to derive great pleasure from it.
“Come on, Tigerbun,” she said. “Back me up!”
<Son, not bun! Tigerson! Are you even trying?!>
Olivia wasn’t listening. My father was sitting across from her, and his face was something else. His gaze kept flitting about, like a teenage boy stealing glances at his crush—only he kept looking at her chest. His behavior didn’t go unnoticed. My mother and Alice knew him too well. They both glared icy daggers at him.
“Honey, could you buy some rope and bring it to me later?” my mother asked. “Meet me in front of a big tree in an empty park.”
“Huh? That sounds vaguely terrifying…”
She smiled calmly as she spoke, but then, my mother’s smile never faltered—not even when she was enraged. That’s what made her so scary. My father cowered like a mouse, and Alice smiled.
“No need to worry, Father, you can leave the store in our capable hands. And Brother dearest can serve as head of the household in your stead.”
“Can you stop talking like I’m about to die? You know I’d never consider killing myself.”
“Kill yourself? Oh, darling, I’m the one who’ll be killing you.”
He shuddered and gave me a pleading look.
I’m sorry, Father, I can’t help you, I’m distracted by how hot my soup is! I could have sworn I heard someone mutter the words “you cold-blooded traitor,” but maybe it was just the wind.
When I was ready to leave, my master followed me to the front door.
“Come home soon, okay? I just don’t know what I’ll do with myself…” she teased, pushing her breasts together.
Honestly, now that she was free from those chains, I didn’t think I could stop her from doing whatever she wanted.
“Just don’t dig around my room, please.”
“I would never! Cross my heart and hope to die!”
The look on her face made me sure she was crossing her fingers behind her back. I’d had a feeling that might happen, so I’d already hidden some of my more private possessions.
“Also,” I said, “please let me know if you need anything.”
“A house, then.”
“Maybe ‘anything’ was the wrong word.”
“I’m serious! I can’t stay here forever. I mean, your house is nice and all, but it’s tiny.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
Olivia was sleeping in the living room with Tigerson, and there wasn’t really much space to breathe anymore. I had offered her my room, but she had refused unless I agreed to sleep with her. And that seemed like a slightly…no, a very dangerous proposition. I was confident that the moment I fell asleep, she’d start “investigating” my body or something.
And besides, I had money to spare, so I promised I’d look for somewhere else for her to stay. I stepped out into the street at the perfect time to catch a certain girl running by. I wasn’t sure what drew my attention more: her bouncing breasts or her cheery smile. Either way, Emma was as cute as ever.
“How’s the view?” she asked.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You haven’t heard it before?! It’s like super popular with the girls lately.”
We set off together, and I asked her why. Emma snorted. “I know you’re looking at my boobs, dummy.”
Sorry, I’m so sorry!
“Hey, Noir, let’s give it our all this semester.”
“We better. I hear it’s a lot harder than the first.”
Vocational schools typically had a lot of events during the second semester, and the Hero Academy was no exception. Things were going to get busy. After all, the whole point was to train us to become heroes, so it couldn’t be all fun and games. I’d heard we also had a long history of competition with other schools. Whenever an event rolled around, each school sent their best students to represent them, although that was all I knew.
I wanted to get better at adventuring too. I was currently B-Rank, but I wanted to make it to S-Rank and become completely indispensable to the guild, just like my master Olivia.
We arrived at school and entered the S-Class classroom. Lelia waved at us as we came in. She’d moved up from A-Class over the summer.
“How’s the view, Noir?”
“Huh?! I-I swear I’m looking at your eyes.” I swear!
Leila gave me a quizzical look. “Maybe it isn’t the best greeting after all. The other girls encouraged me to say it.”
She was such a trusting person. She’d probably just taken them at their word without realizing. Emma leaned over to whisper in Leila’s ear, and her face went bright red.
“I-I-I didn’t mean it like that! I don’t think you would be leering at girls first thing in the morning, Noir.”
I smiled awkwardly and bobbed my head in a vague not-quite-nod, not-quite-sulk. I hoped that someday, I’d become the kind of man who didn’t leer at girls…but then again, I was my father’s son. That day might well never come.
At that moment, the door flew open, and an exhausted-looking Ms. Elena strode in, carrying a wooden sword on her shoulder. Everyone took their seats like well-trained dogs. Including me, of course. If anything, I was probably the fastest.
“So anyway, boys…how’s the view?”
I guess even the teachers had heard about it. Several of the boys stared nervously straight down at their desks.
“I hope you’re all ready to work after your break. We’ve got a bunch of annoying events coming up. Personally, I’m not very excited, but I am your teacher. Back when I was a merc, I could just force my way through pointless tasks, but not anymore. I’m gettin’ paid too much for that here, and the only thing you can really trust is money.”
Was she, uh, doing okay?
The class listened to her intently, anxious to know what the future held.