CHAPTER 70: WHO IS RIN’S MOTHER? 1

The sunlight filtered gently through the windows of the west wing classroom, golden rays softening the otherwise intimidating rows of stone desks and towering shelves lined with anatomy scrolls and bottled herbs. Rin stood near the large chalkboard, hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his crisp white coat, his lips pulled into a reluctant frown.

Theron was mid-lecture.

And Rin... was centre stage beside him.

Standing in full view of more than two dozen students.

Every pair of eyes in the room wasn’t on Theron’s flawless handwriting as he scribbled health notes on the board. No, they were all fixed firmly on Rin - specifically, how the crisp material of his coat complemented the subtle flush of pink on his cheeks... or how his crimson eyes twitched with each passing second under the weight of attention.

Rin glanced sideways at the staring students. They weren’t being subtle about it either.

A few were giggling. One omega in the front row was biting the end of his quill and sighing like a fangirl. Another beta leaned to whisper to his friend, eyes trained on Rin like he was the subject of some forbidden fanfiction.

"Why the hell are they staring?" Rin whispered harshly to Theron.

Theron didn’t look at him.

"Because you’re quite dashing," he replied casually, then turned to the class. "Now. As promised, we have our lovely new assistant today...Rin Elric. He’ll help demonstrate today’s lesson."

"Wait... what?" Rin choked. "Demonstrate what?"

Theron handed him a wooden tray.

On it were two... very anatomically accurate models.

A red silicone dildo.

And a clear, pliable orifice.

Rin stared at them.

"You have GOT to be kidding me. I can’t do this,"

"Your only job is to demonstrate to the class Rin. It can’t be that difficult,"

"Yes. Yes, it is,"

Theron didn’t answer. He simply took a small step back, letting the full attention of the classroom settle over Rin like a suffocating blanket.

"Today’s topic," Theron said smoothly, "is physical hygiene. And..." He gestured at Rin. "...my assistant will now demonstrate proper cleaning practices... and safe methods for stimulation toys."

The class went very still. Everyone was waiting for Rin to start. He was like the host of an event, everyone was waiting to see. All eyes were glued on him...

Then...

Snickers.

A cough.

Someone choked on their own spit.

"Is this even legal?" Rin whispered to himself, holding both toys in his shaking hands. "Am I allowed to sue the academy for emotional trauma?"

Theron leaned down with a charming, low smile.

"Just go with it. You’re doing great."

"I haven’t even started!"

But the tray was already taken from him, and the models left in his hands like cursed objects.

"Ugh..." Rin stepped forward, gripping the base of the dildo like it might bite him. "Okay, listen up, you perverts... this is not entertainment."

"Oh sure it is,"

"Nurse Rin is going to teach us well today!"

"We’ll be in your care!"

They teased him as a few students leaned forward eagerly. Another scribbled in their notebook like Rin’s words were gospel.

Rin cleared his throat, ignoring them.

"Step one... wash your hands before any activity." He mimed the motion. "Use soap and water. You’re not handling a sword. You’re handling... something way worse."

Theron grinned from the side, also enjoying the entertainment.

"Step two," Rin said flatly. "Wash the toy. If you’re too lazy to clean it, maybe you shouldn’t be sticking it in yourself or anyone else."

Giggles again.

"Third..." Rin held up the dildo and squinted at the instructions Theron had given to him earlier. "...Don’t use oils. Water-based lubricant is safest. This one is called... uh... ’Glide & Glow’? Who the hell named this?"

Laughter.

Rin turned red and practically slammed the bottle back on the tray.

"And finally..." He looked down at the toy with a mixture of dread and embarrassment. "...If you’re going to use something like this, don’t just shove it in like a barbarian. Prep properly. Be gentle. Or you’ll regret it the next morning."

Theron clapped once.

"Excellent. Any questions?"

"Yes," said a bold student from the back. "Can Nurse Rin demonstrate how not to shove it in like a barbarian?"

Rin dropped the toy immediately.

"Absolutely not! This isn’t a brothel!"

The class erupted with laughter.

Theron lifted a hand to dismiss them and the room gradually began to clear, but not before half a dozen students gave Rin appreciative waves or whispered thank-yous as they left.

Rin was mortified.

He turned to Theron as soon as the last giggling student disappeared.

"You are evil. Do you know that?"

Theron chuckled. "But I’m informative."

"I was going to die from embarrassment."

"I hope you don’t. Not before our next class," Theron said cheerfully, picking up his folder and nodding toward the hallway.

Rin’s jaw dropped. "There’s another one?!"

"Do you think there’s just one class in the academy? Come on Rin, we have a lot of lectures today,"

Later that afternoon...

Rin slumped into the cafeteria seat like a ghost, his sandwich limp in his hand, completely untouched. He just wanted the earth to swallow him whole. Or to vanish into another dimension where dildos didn’t exist.

Across from him, Theron delicately sipped a glass of orange juice.

"What’s with the look, Rin?"

"Please, refrain from speaking to me, Head Doctor!"

"I see... You’re still horrified by the cute demonstrations," Theron rubbed his chin. "Smile. You were adorable,"

"I’m going to have nightmares for the rest of my life," Rin muttered.

"Oh, you’re not" he said. Rin rolled his eyes, staring at the ceiling.

Silence stretched between them.

Then, softly, Theron said, "...Did your heat come earlier than expected?"

Rin froze.

His eyes darted back to Theron.

"W-What? How did you know?"

Theron didn’t answer right away. He set his glass down and folded his hands.

"I can smell pheromones. Even if you’ve showered, it still clings to your skin." His voice lowered. "You were with someone, weren’t you?"

Rin’s throat dried. He looked away.

"I-I mean... yeah. But I passed out. Nothing really happened."

"Really?" Theron’s voice was neutral, but his eyes were stormy.

"Really," Rin repeated, fidgeting with the edge of his sandwich. "I just... slept through it. I was unconscious."

Theron relaxed visibly, but the tension didn’t leave entirely. He wasn’t sure but he could perceive Evan Vortellion’s Pheromones on Rin and someone else’s Pheromones. Rin was with someone else. He picked someone else, not him.

He lifted his head and laid his cold eyes on Rin’s small hands. His long lashes, soft jaw and his lips that were stained with ketchup.

Then, without thinking, he leaned across the table and gently wiped the ketchup from Rin’s lower lip with his thumb. Before Rin could react, Theron pressed a light kiss right where the ketchup had been.

It was brief and soft.

The cafeteria fell silent. All eyes were on them.

Elna dropped her tray at the sight of them. One of the nurses gasped. A spoon clattered to the ground.

Rin blinked.

"Wh-What the hell was that?!"

Theron smiled like it was nothing.

"You had ketchup on your lip. So I helped you wipe it off..."

"With your mouth?!"

"Hmm? Did I?"

"You kissed me! In public!"

"I did?"

Rin stood abruptly, grabbing his coat and sandwich.

"Okay. That’s it. I’m out of here."

"Huh? Wait! Rin!" Theron tried to call him back, finally realising that Rin was upset with it. He didn’t know it was a big deal since he had kissed Rin before.

Rin had turned and marched out of the cafeteria, leaving a stunned silence behind.

Theron sat alone for a moment, then sighed deeply, resting his chin on his hand.

"I knew it. That wasn’t just any Alpha’s scent. That was really the Duke. And... a stranger. And finally... Lucien’s."

He exhaled sharply, standing up and rubbing his temple.

"They’re circling him like dogs... But I’d better apologise to Rin later. I just wanted to find out whose scents were on him,"

That evening...

Rin collapsed into his bed like a broken puppet.

"Ughh... I can’t believe today... I just can’t..."

Niblet yipped from the corner, leapt onto the mattress, and curled up beside him. Rin let out a long breath, pulled off his coat, and lay flat with his arms stretched over his head.

"Crazy morning... insane afternoon... and now..." He sighed and sat up, looking around. Lucien was absent from his room.

"I guess I’ll have to sleep alone today..." He muttered.

Niblet barked loudly close to him, annoyed at the discrimination.

"My bad! I’m not alone. I have you!"

He got up slowly, took a long hot shower, and came back with wet hair clinging to his cheeks.

He shut the door before anyone barged in.

And then... He sat on the bed, exhaling deeply.

"Zepharion?" He called. "Can you come out now?"

Dark shadow energy arose from the ground, and the Zeph appeared. Rin smiled, seeing Zeph. He remembered Zeph helping him with his heat then, but for some reason, he didn’t feel different when he was with Zeph. Maybe because Zeph wasn’t after him like Lucien and his pervert of a father.

"You’ve recovered," Zepharion said gently. "I’m glad."

"More or less," Rin muttered. "Hey... Zeph. Can I ask something?"

"Of course. Go ahead, Master,"

Rin looked up, eyes serious.

"My mother... You promised to tell me everything about her. Can you tell me now?"

Zepharion smiled.

"I will tell you everything, Master. About your mother... who she really is... and why you carry more than just her blood."

"Is? Does that mean she’s alive?"

"She brought you here... Have you forgotten?" He turned and looked at the drawer in Rin’s room. The one that hasn’t been opened ever since Rin got here. "I see... That’s the reason, huh?"