## Chapter 96 – No. 25. Uninvited Guest #1
As No. 25 voiced his agreement, Row burst into a radiant smile.
Her pure smile, which made anyone who saw it feel good, caused No. 25 to blush, twist his fingers, and smile faintly.
Row stood up and, looking towards the entrance of the central building, began to speak.
“Then, I’ll go and complete the admission procedures, so look around for a bit. It’s much bigger than you think, so don’t go too far…”
Row finished speaking and, without giving No. 25 a chance to reply, immediately started walking towards the building.
No. 25 wanted to follow her, but he stopped and became lost in thought.
He couldn’t keep living by just following other people around.
Once he entered the academy, Row wouldn’t be there. Even when that time came, would he keep looking for Row and just follow her around?
It was time to break free from their shadows.
No. 25 sat back down and blankly stared at Row’s receding figure, growing smaller and smaller.
He had made a grand resolution, but he didn’t know what to do when he was alone.
All No. 25 could do alone was hunt monsters; that was it.
Sitting on the bench, all No. 25 could do was pointlessly poke the ground with the toe of his shoe, killing time.
Occasionally, he would lift his gaze to look at the students.
Among the people wearing stylish uniforms, he felt ashamed of himself in his stained white shirt and shabby coat that was no different from rags.
Five minutes, ten minutes passed, but there was no sign of Row returning.
The suspicion that was slowly rising within him gradually spread to No. 25’s limbs.
At that moment, three women wearing navy and white uniforms approached No. 25, who was sitting alone on the bench with a gloomy expression.
The woman who seemed to be the leader of the group, the only one wearing a white uniform, stepped forward and naturally spoke to No. 25.
“Hey, are you alone?”
No. 25 raised his head to look at the owner of the strong voice that clearly resonated in his ears.
Her luxurious silver hair, straight as a ruler, contained a vibrant pink hue towards the ends.
Snow-white skin resembling a snowfield, neatly trimmed thin eyebrows. Eyes that shone blue, receiving the sunlight like sapphires, and the corners of her eyes were raised like a cat, but conversely, her aura was gentle.
Compared to the women No. 25 had encountered so far, she was a bit on the smaller side, but her ample chest, protruding proudly above her uniform, made its presence known.
Above all, the firm flesh, slightly bulging out from under the socks that reached up to her thighs under the shortened skirt, and the smoothly extended calves revealed below, the shapely legs created by the harmony of the two gave off a sense of health that one couldn’t believe was made by humans.
Everything from her actions to the way she spoke indicated that she was a refined person who had received a proper education.
No. 25 felt a bit uneasy about her, as she seemed to have lived a life so different from his own.
Still, he couldn’t ignore someone who was speaking to him in such a friendly manner.
After a long silence, No. 25 finally answered briefly.
“…Yes.”
The first outsider he had seen since leaving District 2 was dazzlingly beautiful, and No. 25’s voice trembled automatically.
She rested her slender, beautiful fingers, so delicate they seemed like they were made of glass, on her chin and appeared to be deep in thought.
Even the corners of her lips, slightly curved downwards with melancholy, were beautiful.
She stared straight into No. 25’s eyes, then rolled her eyes, scanning his attire from top to bottom, and cautiously opened her mouth.
“Really? You’re not wearing a uniform, so you don’t seem like a student… Are you perhaps an incoming student? No, the entrance ceremony already ended last month… If not, are you lost? If you’re okay with it, would you like me to guide you?”
Her voice sounded only kind, but No. 25 knew better than anyone that a terrible darkness lurked behind indiscriminate kindness without expecting anything in return. As far as No. 25 knew, there were only four women in this Demon World that he could trust.
No. 25 avoided her gaze, which felt like it could pierce through him, and barely answered in a hesitant manner.
“Ah… I, I’m waiting for someone…”
He was already half resigned.
Saying this wouldn’t do any good.
Soon, his wrist would be grabbed, and he would be dragged to a secluded place and harassed.
But contrary to No. 25’s expectations, the woman in front of him laughed cheerfully.
“Really? Then there’s nothing I can do. Since you’re a student of the academy, we’ll run into each other someday, so let’s meet again then. Oh, my name is Claire. What’s yours?”
“I’m 2…”
No. 25, who was about to reveal his name in response to Claire’s question, paused and tightly shut his lips.
Could he really use the name No. 25 here?
It was the first name he ever had, so it was a name he couldn’t easily discard, but it was definitely an inappropriate name to use at the academy.
There was also the risk of revealing his identity or past.
Claire’s expression began to be tinged with doubt.
If he dragged it out any longer, he might be mistaken for a strange person.
The real name his parents had given him, which only Row could call, flashed through No. 25’s mind.
“Ryu… I’m Ryu.”
“Ryu Ryu? That’s a unique name. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing a lot of you in the future. Well, see you later.”
Claire changed No. 25’s name as she pleased and didn’t even give him a chance to correct her properly.
Only the lingering scent of perfume, reminiscent of a summer breeze, remained in her place as she left with strides so wide they were refreshing.
He had never met a woman like her before.
Until now, he had thought that all women except for Asel, Charlotte, Hilda, and Row were the kind who approached him with interest only in his body.
But Claire was genuinely treating No. 25 with pure goodwill.
He couldn’t easily accept that fact.
As No. 25 was savoring the moment of his first encounter with Claire, he saw Row coming out of the building in the distance, approaching with slow steps.
He was starting to get tired of spending time alone. No. 25, feeling glad, ran to meet her.
Row naturally embraced No. 25, who was approaching her, stroked his head, and asked in a loving voice.
“Did you wait long?”
No. 25 shook his head and then, with a trembling heart, hurriedly asked her.
“Yes, how did it go?”
Instead of answering, Row shook the small piece of paper in her left hand as if to show it off. It was shaking back and forth, and the letters written on the paper were too small to see the contents properly, but a large red seal was stamped on it.
“Originally, it’s against the rules to accept new students after the entrance ceremony. So, it might take some time, but you’ll be contacted by District 1 soon.”
No. 25 stepped away from Row’s embrace and then took the paper from her hand, slowly reading the contents written inside.
He didn’t understand it well because difficult words were written, but one phrase that seemed to be particularly emphasized caught No. 25’s eye.
「……Therefore, we hereby permit the above student to enter this academy through a special admission.」
Permit admission.
The moment he saw those words, his eyes widened on their own, and his hands trembled.
There was no turning back now.
A result obtained by his own choice.
Next time, he had to come alone.
A strange emotion, as if fear and anticipation were mixed in exactly half, lingered in his heart.
“Let’s go back for now.”
Saying that, Row had already split the space, opened the same purple door as before, and was waiting for No. 25.
No. 25, holding Row’s hand reaching out to him, pushed himself into the space she had created with familiar steps.
●
After returning to the gray tower, the two, as if they had made a promise, ended with only one round of sex as always and began to do their own things.
No. 25, still unable to believe that he was entering the academy, lay in bed and turned the pages of a book written about magic with trembling hands, while Row sat at her desk, making something with her hands.
It wasn’t that their lust and emotions had cooled, but they had to distinguish between public and private matters. Right now, there were mountains of things more important than sex.
Row, still moving her hands at the desk, didn’t even glance at No. 25 behind her and said.
“Building relationships with people at the academy will be a good opportunity for you too. In many ways.”
No. 25 also turned the pages of his book and answered briefly.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Yes, if you work hard, a good reward might come your way.”
At the word reward, No. 25 closed his book and asked back.
“Reward?”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Row made a bright expression and, holding something in her hand, opened her mouth in a proud tone.
“I’ve finished making it.”
The thing she had been making all along since finishing their round of sex, he had been getting curious about it. When he heard that she had finished making it, No. 25 stretched his neck upwards and asked.
“What is that?”
Row pushed her chair back and stood up, sitting on the edge of the bed where No. 25 was lying.
Row raised the hand holding the object above No. 25’s head and stopped just before putting something around his neck.
She casually asked No. 25, who was making a puzzled expression.
“Are you going to let me put it on you this time?”
A playful tone, and the only decoration hanging on the wall where Row’s desk was touching, a flower crown, came into view.
He remembered the time in the forest when he had ruthlessly destroyed the flower crown that Row had painstakingly made for him.
No. 25 avoided Row’s eyes and spoke in a guilty tone.
“I, I’m sorry about that time.”
“I’m just kidding. Come closer.”
No. 25 leaned his head forward until his face touched Row’s chest and obediently waited for the gift she had made.
With a clattering sound, a black string hung down.
When he slightly shifted his gaze downwards, he saw a feather ornament harmoniously mixed with gold and black at the end of the black string.
No. 25 held the ornament in his hand and asked Row, who was looking at him with satisfaction.
“Is this the reward you were talking about earlier?”
“No, this is an admission gift that I wanted to give you.”
The ornament, which sparkled beautifully as it received light each time the angle was slightly changed, caught his eye. The feathers at the end seemed to be made of jewels or unknown minerals, but when he stroked them with his fingers, he even felt a slightly soft texture.
For No. 25, who liked to wear small accessories such as rings and necklaces, it was the perfect gift, and he looked at the necklace with a bright smile and expressed his gratitude.
“Thank you.”
“Wear it all the time, even when you sleep, when you wash, when you eat… even when you go to the academy.”
He was planning to do so without being told.
No. 25 stretched and got out of bed, starting to put on the clothes scattered on the floor.
Row, still sitting on the bed, looked at No. 25 putting on his clothes with a puzzled look.
It wasn’t time to eat yet, and there was no reason for him to be putting on his clothes.
Finally, No. 25, who had finished putting on his clothes, said to Row.
“Can I go to the forest for a bit? I want to get some fresh air…”
Row nodded and readily answered.
“It’s fine, but come back before the sun sets.”
No. 25 bowed his head and then immediately came out of the tower.
After having a relationship with Row, a lot had changed.
For example, his range of activity had increased a lot, provided that he didn’t go outside District 2 like now. Before, Row would immediately come looking for him if he went even a little far on his own.
No. 25 entered the depths of the forest with a light heart, thinking that he could finally explore the forest alone.
Even as he moved, he occasionally shifted his gaze to the necklace Row had given him, and each time, his comfortable mood doubled.
Gray trees that had lost their life, filling the dark forest, he couldn’t feel the vitality that he could get from other ordinary forests, but his mind was calmed when he stood in the center of the silent forest where not even the sound of birds could be heard.
While walking through the forest, No. 25’s sight caught a small light.
‘Is it a monster?’
He had also caught a few monsters that emitted light from their bodies to lure prey.
The kind that hunted in that way usually had combat power that was embarrassing to even call them monsters.
He didn’t have any weapons with him, but it would be enough to deal with them just by using the basic magic he had learned from Row.
No. 25 held his breath and carefully moved towards the place where the light was shining.
As he approached the light, the trees became so dense that he couldn’t see even an inch ahead.
Even No. 25, who prided himself on having lived in District 2 for quite a while, was seeing such a place for the first time.
The light was gradually getting closer.
The densely packed trees were also slowly disappearing.
What was finally revealed was a small clearing filled only with stumps.
But the identity of the light that had lured No. 25 was not a monster.
Light was leaking from inside a shabby, old tent.
