chapter 263: calm down my ladies...???


    ?


    walking along the now quiet halls of killian hall, seo moved with her usual composed and apathetic expression, her footsteps echoing faintly against the marble floors.


    she held a small satchel close to her chest, its contents clinking lightly with each step.


    inside were three vials: one filled with a red, glowing liquid, and the other two containing green and pink liquids, their hues vibrant even in the dim light.


    as she glanced down at the vials, seo''s mind wandered back to the enthusiastic instructions given by her personal maid, lina.


    "lady seo, remember, it''s best to push when a man is vulnerable!"


    lina''s words echoed in her mind, brimming with confidence and determination. seo had been left somewhat bewildered by the intensity of the advice but had listened nonetheless.


    "but make sure not to rush it, okay, lady seo? take your time, enjoy his company, and make him feel cared for and appreciated, as much as you enjoy his presence."


    seo recalled lina''s animated gestures and the sincerity in her voice.


    it was clear her maid was fully invested in ensuring seo''s success in whatever this... plan was. seo, however, still felt perplexed by much of what lina had said.


    the advice seemed layered with nuances she didn''t entirely grasp, but since it involved riley, she was willing to trust lina''s judgment.


    her crimson eyes shifted to the vials in her hand as she repeated lina''s instructions in her head.


    "the red vial first, then the green... and lastly, the pink."


    seo''s brow furrowed slightly as she tried to remember the rationale behind the sequence. lina had insisted that the order was crucial, especially when it came to the pink vial.


    "and when riley takes the pink vial," lina had added with an almost conspiratorial grin, "loosen the top of your dress just a little. trust me, lady seo, it''s all about creating the right atmosphere."


    seo''s cheeks tinged faintly with warmth at the memory, though her face remained mostly neutral. she wasn''t entirely sure what "creating the right atmosphere" meant, nor why loosening her dress was a necessary step. still, lina had spoken with such conviction that seo had chosen not to question it further.


    "red first," seo murmured under her breath, clutching the vial with the glowing liquid tightly. "then the green... and then..."


    her fingers brushed the pink vial, and she hesitated, her expression momentarily conflicted. "things might seem a bit rushed," lina had said with a sly smile earlier, her voice tinged with playful mischief. "but considering your current position-despite being the one actually closest to him all this time i''m sure you''ll appreciate my efforts once riley starts making a move. the alchemist did mention the effects aren''t that strong, but accidents could always happen... then again, lady seo, you''re strong. i''m sure you can handle him if he gets too pushy."


    "what do you mean by that?" seo had asked, her tone blank but with an undertone of genuine curiosity.


    "it''s nothing, my lady!" lina had replied, waving her hand dismissively before pushing seo towards the exit. "now, go! make him fall for you so hard this time!"


    "okay?" seo had replied hesitantly, her voice barely audible.


    taking lina''s advice to heart, seo now moved stealthily through killian hall, her breath held momentarily as she activated her [shadow steps] technique.


    her presence vanished like a flickering shadow, blending seamlessly into the surrounding darkness.


    the technique was so precise that even the faintest noise from her steps dissipated into nothingness.


    as she passed an open hallway, she froze momentarily at the sound of a familiar, exasperated voice.


    "haaah... kids these days!"


    "this makes it the third case this week...."


    it was the annoyed tone of the dorm master of killian hall, a middle-aged woman whose authority in the academy was nearly absolute within these walls.


    seo instinctively shrank into the shadows, her heart skipping a beat.


    the dorm master''s reputation preceded her-strict and unyielding, especially when it came to enforcing rules.


    boys and girls entering each other''s dormitory sectors was strictly forbidden, and seo knew all too well the consequences of being caught.


    she couldn''t help but recall the last time she had faced the dorm master''s wrath.


    it had been a humiliating experience: a stern lecture that left her ears ringing, a temporary restriction on her movements, and a deep sense of shame she couldn''t easily shake off.


    that scolding had come after one of her late-night escapades to visit riley one time when she was still a first year-something that still made her cheeks warm slightly in embarrassment when she thought about it.


    the dorm master''s steps echoed ominously as she approached seo''s position.


    seo''s fingers tightened around the vials in her hand, and she willed her breathing to steady.


    she didn''t dare move a muscle, not even to brush a stray strand of her crimson hair from her face.


    as the dorm master''s shadow passed by, seo exhaled silently in relief.


    once the footsteps faded entirely, she allowed herself to relax, her grip on the vials loosening just slightly.


    ''that was close....'' she murmured under her breath, her expression remaining composed despite the slight flutter in her chest.


    finally arriving at riley''s room, seo stopped in front of the large, looming door, her heart beating slightly faster than usual.


    a tensity crept over her, a feeling she had never experienced before in this familiar hallway.


    if before she didn''t mind-or even think twice about-walking into riley''s space, this time was different.


    it was as if the familiar were sizing her up, deciding what to do next.


    "ah, but you are ever so serious, aren''t you?" cheshire finally said, its tone dripping with


    exaggerated exasperation. "let me guess, you''re here for riley again~? well, of course, you are. isn''t that just your specialty~?"


    cheshire tilted its floating head, the mischievous gleam in its emerald-green eyes intensifying as if a particularly devilish idea had taken root in its mind.


    it floated silently for a moment, almost contemplative, before its grin widened with renewed


    delight. "hehehe... master might scold me for this later," cheshire mused, chuckling to itself, "but oh well! what''s life without a little chaos, right? can''t have fun if you don''t live in the moment~!"


    its words were half-muttered, more for its own amusement than anyone else''s, but seo caught the playful undertone laced with a hint of something deeper-something dangerous. cheshire''s grin faltered for a fleeting moment as its eyes narrowed sharply, glancing off into the distance as if perceiving something far beyond the confines of the dormitory hall. "that blank of a queen... always meddling at the worst possible times. tch, just when things


    were about to get interesting. i guess i''ll just have to watch through the mushroom records later," it muttered, exasperation dripping from its voice.


    then, without warning, cheshire''s focus snapped back to seo, the playful glint in its eyes reigniting with full force. "make sure to make it fun, okay~?"


    before seo could even question what was happening, the floating cat head gave a dramatic


    sigh and-


    swoosh!


    out of nowhere, a pair of hands appeared, eerily human-like but covered in fur that matched cheshire''s smoky form.


    they floated in midair, unattached to any body, adding an extra layer of surrealness to the


    moment.


    "now then, off you go~!" cheshire exclaimed, its grin as wide as ever. with a theatrical snap


    of its disembodied fingers, the world around seo shifted in an instant.


    a rush of wind.


    a swirl of colors.


    by the time seo realized what had happened, she was no longer standing in the quiet hallway


    outside riley''s room.


    instead, she found herself in an entirely different place, a world unfamiliar yet strangely


    vivid.


    "ah, mama! you''re here as well~!!"


    a sweet, excited voice rang out, breaking through seo''s dazed thoughts.


    before she could even react, a small figure came rushing toward her, wrapping her tightly in a


    hug.


    ''mama?''


    seo''s mind reeled with confusion, her crimson eyes widening as she instinctively looked


    down.


    the child clinging to her was impossibly beautiful, with golden hair that shimmered like sunlight and radiant crimson eyes that bore an uncanny resemblance to her own.


    before she could gather her thoughts, seo''s gaze shifted, catching sight of the others around


    her.


    two familiar faces stood nearby, their expressions unreadable but their gazes cold, sharp,


    and full of suspicion.


    it was as if seo had been dropped into the middle of a war zone disguised as a peaceful


    setting, the tension palpable despite the child''s joyous embrace.


    ''what... is going on?''


    unbeknownst to everyone involved, the young girl''s whimsical smile was hidden beneath the


    warmth of her embrace.


    her small arms tightened around seo as if seeking comfort, but the glimmer in her crimson


    eyes betrayed something far more deliberate.


    the child''s face, pressed against seo''s side, was carefully angled away from the others.


    her expression softened into one of pure innocence, but just before she buried her cheek completely against seo, she gave a quick, mischievous wink to the only young man standing among the group.