Lucifer's slit pupils contracted to their limit.

The cruel grin on his face froze at once, replaced by utter shock and disbelief.

"What?!"

The cry burst from his throat.

This was completely beyond his comprehension!

His magic… had been forcibly halted?

No— not halted!

It had been… frozen?!

In the instant his mind reeled—

A voice, calm and ripple‑less like a ghost's whisper, sounded a mere step behind him.

"You're very bold."

The words were quiet, yet they pierced the congealed air, an ice awl boring into Lucifer's eardrums.

"Your Demon King lives so cautiously in this world he even pays for the air‑conditioning in installments, never daring the slightest misstep," the voice added, laced with faint mockery.

"And you—"

It paused.

A terror like the weight of the heavens crashing down enveloped Lucifer in a heartbeat.

"—actually dare to stand before me and release this… trash?"

Every drop of blood in Lucifer's body froze.

He jerked—almost mechanically—twisting his neck to face the speaker.

Less than a metre behind him, a figure in an ordinary Academy City boys' uniform hovered in mid‑air.

Black hair, black eyes, a young, striking face—seemingly harmless.

Yet those eyes, deep as the cosmos, regarded him coolly, like a god gazing at an ant trying to shake a tree.

It was—Rei Ao.

…

A short while earlier

A lazy, faintly suggestive hush filled the teachers' office.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the blinds, slicing the polished floor into alternating bands of light and shadow.

Hiratsuka Shizuka—the "Iron‑Fist" language teacher and student‑affairs advisor, famed for her forthright personality—was showing a rare, feminine side.

She was pinned between her office chair and a broad, solid embrace.

Her pricey women's blazer lay casually over the chair back; two buttons of her white blouse were undone, revealing a delicate collarbone and a teasing hint of snowy skin.

Her cheeks were flushed crimson.

The sharp glint in her eyes had turned hazy.

She panted softly, lips a little swollen.

"R‑Rei Ao…"

Her voice quivered, half‑scolding, half‑coquettish.

"The break is only ten minutes—y‑you over‑energised brat…"

"Heh."

Rei Ao chuckled low.

Instead of letting go, he rested his chin against her soft red hair,

drawing a deep breath.

His nose filled with the scent of her shampoo, mingled with the faint tobacco and mature feminine aroma unique to her.

"Shizuka‑nee always smells… so good."

His lazy, magnetic voice sent warm breath skimming her ear, raising goose‑bumps on her sensitive skin.

"S‑stop that!"

Her face burned still hotter.

Her words were stern, but her body leaned back, pressing closer into his arms.

She grumbled, yet inwardly savoured the feeling of being cherished and needed.

Just as Rei Ao was about to continue, he suddenly froze.

The deep eyes that had brimmed with tenderness turned razor‑sharp in an instant,

his gaze piercing the office wall toward the distant sky.

A chill, unseen yet hair‑raising, flashed around him.

"What's wrong?"

Hiratsuka sensed the change at once, snapping out of the haze.

Rei Ao released her and straightened,

the lazy smile gone, replaced by detached scrutiny.

"A blind little bug has wandered onto my turf to make trouble."

Though his tone was calm, Hiratsuka felt invisible pressure.

She frowned. "Need help?"

Instinctively she clenched her fist.

"Just a small pest."

He waved carelessly—as trivial as shooing a fly.

Bending down, he pressed a swift, forceful kiss to her slightly swollen lips.

"Wait for me."

Before the words had faded,

his figure flickered like a glitching TV screen—

then, with a soft whoosh, vanished completely.

No spatial ripple, no energy wave, as though he had never existed.

The office was left with only Hiratsuka Shizuka,

and the lingering, uniquely Rei Ao scent… and a trace of heat.

She stood dazed for a few seconds,

then touched her still‑tingling lips.

Feeling the warmth of that kiss, the blush that had just subsided crept back up.

Flustered, she tidied her rumpled blouse and tousled hair, trying to regain her usual authoritative look.

Just as she fastened the last button, the office door was rapped.

Knock knock!

"Hiratsuka-sensei? Are you in? It's about the venue schedule for next week's sports festival—"

A clear, pleasant voice called, and the door opened.

Kirisu Mafuyu entered with a stack of documents. Her gaze habitually swept the room—

and froze.

The distinctive, forceful aura lingering in the air—unmistakably Rei Ao's—was not unfamiliar to her.

She could even pick out Hiratsuka's scent entwined within it.

Her eyes moved to Hiratsuka—though tidied, the slightly mussed hair, excessively flushed cheeks, faintly moist lips, and the atmosphere that had not wholly dispersed…

Kirisu pushed up her glasses; the glance behind the lenses was scalpel‑sharp, dissecting what had occurred with near‑perfect accuracy.

"A‑hem…"

Hiratsuka coughed awkwardly,

trying to hide her discomposure.

"Ah—Kirisu-sensei.

The sports‑festival venue files, right? Just leave them on my desk; I'll look them over later."

"O‑okay…"

The awkwardness thickened between them.

Kirisu placed the files silently, yet her eyes lingered on Hiratsuka, carrying a trace of inquiry—and, unbeknownst to her, the faintest tinge of jealousy.

I'm a teacher too… why doesn't Rei Ao‑kun ever seek me out?

~~~

Patreon(.)com/Bleam

— Currently You can Read 220+ Chapters Ahead of Others!