Lexa woke slowly, stretching beneath the warm blankets.
Legendary-tier beings could endure far more than ordinary people, but they still experienced exhaustion. Cold remained cold. Heat remained heat. Skills could help them adapt, but maintaining those abilities constantly was unnecessary.
So Lexa enjoyed the comfort while she could. It had been several days since everyone returned from the Combat Mountains.
She hadn't seen Dante or Vexion very often during that time.
'Knowing Vexion she's probably refusing to leave the room.'
Occasionally, Lexa ordered food for the two of them. Vexion would emerge soon afterward, cheeks flushed as she accepted the meal before quickly disappearing back into the room she shared with Dante.
Lexa smiled to herself. After showering and dressing, she briefly considered her recent training sessions with Amber and Elric.
Their progress had been satisfying. The training had been brutal—as usual—but both had improved considerably. Unfortunately, Lexa had nearly exhausted her Academy Points.
When she mentioned the problem to Dante, he had simply told her there was no reason to return to the Combat Mountains for the time being.
Then...He disappeared into his room with a quiet chuckle.
Lexa had not seen much of him since.
"Vexion is lucky. She found a perverted, shameless man who somehow treats her selfishness like something worth encouraging."
After finishing her morning routine, Lexa entered the enormous living room. Her eyes wandered across the unfamiliar walls.
She still hadn't explored everything within the residence. Curious, she approached a small mechanical panel embedded beside one of the walls.
She pressed a button. A massive holographic projection immediately appeared.
Lexa blinked.
Then smiled.
She sat down.
...
That was how Lexa discovered soap operas.
And movies.
And academy entertainment. And an unreasonable number of dramatic stories involving people making terrible decisions. She also discovered that the academy recorded battles from the combat arenas.
Unfortunately...
Accessing most of the recordings required more than five hundred Academy Points. Since she was nearly out of points, Lexa settled for ordinary movies and soap operas instead.
Several hours passed. Eventually, the barrier surrounding the three-story residence reacted.
A quiet notification echoed throughout the mansion. Someone was waiting outside. Lexa lowered the volume before opening the entrance.
Moments later... Amber and Elric entered. The two joined her in the living room. Elric glanced around.
"Where is Master?"
His gaze shifted toward the upper floors.
"Is he and Vexion still..."
Amber's cheeks reddened slightly.
Lexa didn't bother looking away from the projection.
"Yep."
Amber hesitated.
"...Are you fine with that?"
Lexa slowly turned.
"Fine with what?"
"With them being so... busy together..."
Amber awkwardly gestured around the room.
"...and leaving you alone?"
Lexa stared at her.
Then a grin appeared.
"You think I want to join them?"
Elric immediately began laughing.
Amber froze.
"I...That's not what I meant."
Lexa continued staring.
Amber's embarrassment only increased.
"Do you and Vexion..."
She hesitated.
"...take turns?"
That was enough. Lexa burst into laughter. The sound was so contagious that Elric eventually joined her.
Amber frowned. Only then did she realize she had misunderstood something.
Elric gently patted his cousin's head.
"Lexa and Master aren't like that."
Amber looked toward him.
"How do you know?"
"Lady Lexa is certainly beautiful."
"She rivals Vexion. Some people might even consider her more beautiful. "
"She has a completely different kind of elegance."
Elric nodded.
"I agree."
"Lady Lexa and Vexion are probably the most beautiful women I've ever seen. But it's obvious Lexa views Master differently."
He glanced toward her.
"More like her lord and an incredibly annoying younger brother."
Lexa's laughter slowly faded.
She couldn't help nodding. He's perceptive. He's spent less than a month with us and already understands that much. Master really did choose well when he recruited him.
Finally, Lexa spoke.
"That's fairly accurate."
She leaned back into the sofa.
"There was a time when Master was nearly my height."
"I thought he would eventually grow into a handsome and charming man."
She sighed dramatically.
"Unfortunately...That dream was destroyed the longer I spent around him."
Amber smiled.
"And now?"
Lexa considered the question. "Master is intelligent. He's handsome. He's powerful."
She paused.
"But his personality..."
Several memories surfaced.
Dante openly staring at her whenever she wore a nightgown.
Dante making shameless comments during completely serious conversations.
Dante somehow finding ways to touch both her and Vexion while pretending nothing unusual was happening.
Lexa rubbed her forehead.
"He's an annoying, perverted younger brother. Keeping both him and Vexion under control has become one of my responsibilities."
She glanced toward the upper floors.
"They're both intelligent. Yet somehow...they're unbelievably stupid at the same time."
Amber laughed. Elric nodded in agreement.
"Master is certainly interesting. Intelligent and perverted are probably his two most obvious qualities. Outside his appearance and strength."
Amber smiled. That is true. Master says whatever he wants regardless of how it sounds. Almost simultaneously...
Bing.
A notification appeared across the holographic projection.
Lexa frowned.
The message had connected directly to her academy bracelet.
She raised her wrist.
A transparent screen appeared.
After reading the notification...
Lexa smiled.
[To all provisional students.]
[Midvest Academy congratulates you on the time you have spent within our institution.]
[Having passed the previous selection criteria, you were granted the opportunity to explore the academy and experience the world that exists beyond your previous understanding.]
[We hope this period has revealed both the scale of the world and the purpose of Midvest Academy.]
[Our objective is not merely to prepare students.]
[It is to cultivate individuals capable of influencing the history of the Everworld itself.]
[With that said...]
[The time has come.]
[The final selection examination will begin in three days.]
[This examination will determine which provisional students become official students of Midvest Academy...]
[...and which will be required to leave.]
[Please consult your academy bracelets for the examination details.]
The room became quiet. Amber and Elric immediately checked their own bracelets.
Before either could speak... Lexa looked toward the staircase.
Dante had appeared. His usual carefree smile rested upon his face. One hand remained inside his pocket. The other rested behind Vexion, not around her waist, it wasn't really difficult to guess where.
Vexion stood beside him with the happiest expression Lexa had ever seen. Her cheeks remained lightly flushed. Faint exhaustion showed in her eyes.
Yet somehow... That only made her radiant smile appear brighter. Dante casually squeezed her backside to which she responded with a delighted Vexion giggle.
The two slowly descended the stairs.
Dante took his usual seat.
Vexion immediately settled onto his lap.
Nobody reacted. Everyone had already accepted that Dante's lap was Vexion's preferred seat. She adjusted herself comfortably as if searching for something on his lap before leaning back against his chest.
Her expression was filled with quiet happiness.
Dante rested one arm around her waist.
Then... He looked toward the academy notification floating above Lexa's bracelet. A grin slowly spread across his face.
"So... The academy finally decided to stop letting us enjoy ourselves."