I Became The Academy Necromancer
Chapter 353: Side Story - A Tender Moment

“Is anyone hereeeee?!”

The voice coming from outside clearly belonged to a man who was completely unknown to me.

Was there anyone who would come looking for us?

“…”

However, I didn’t have the luxury to dwell on that thought for long.

Erica right beside me was still pouting and refused to move aside.

“Again?”

And Findenai, who had experienced something similar before, growled in frustration, clearly unable to tolerate it any longer.

“Huff.”

“Even if I try to hold back, I just can’t.”

And even though I called out to her urgently, Findenai was unable to contain her rising anger and eventually started moving.

Thud, thud, thud.

Heavy footsteps echoed.

If I were to leave her alone like this, she might actually grab her halberd once more and go on a rampage against the people outside.

“Findenai!”

Trying to physically restrain her from leaving, I hurriedly wrapped my arms around her from behind.

However, instead of resisting, she came to a sudden halt, as if she felt something different.

Whatever the reason, at least she stopped. The rage that had been surging within her began to subside gradually.

Worried that she might shake off my hands and storm outside, I quickly turned to Erica.

“I’ll leave it to you.”

Though she didn’t even try to hide her displeasure, Erica was still much better at controlling her emotions compared to Findenai.

[Someone’s outside.]

At the urging of the Dark Spiritualist, Erica finally walked past me and Findenai, stepping out of the study. And as she did, she made sure to jab me in the side in protest.

[What were you doing that took you so long?]

“Just something. What about Saintess Stella?”

[She’s preparing for defense.]

“……Hm? Defense?”

The outside was noisy, but only the sound of Findenai’s breathing filled the air inside the study.

Her breath was gradually turning rough from excitement.

Fortunately, my hands could at least serve to confine her.

“Are you feeling calmer now?”

I asked just in case, but Findenai tried to rush outside again immediately, forcing me to tighten my grip.

“Alright, alright. I won’t let go, so just calm down.”

For now, I had no choice but to hold onto her to prevent her from going on a rampage.

After all, the last time this happened, even when she was finally stopped, she showed no signs of being overpowered, even against an elite enemy force.

“Why does this always happen to me?”

As she clenched her teeth in frustration like a child, I could only let out a sigh.

“It’s just a coincidence. And it’s not like I agreed to it in the first place.”

I thought I should be relieved instead, but Findenai turned her head sharply and glared at me.

“Do you hate it?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I asked if you hate doing it with me.”

Pressured to give a proper answer, I sighed and carefully applied some strength to make her sit down.

Worried she might run off, I intended to restrain her. However, since I was hugging her from behind, I naturally had to sit as well.

“I don’t hate it.”

“Why do you always answer like that?”

Now that she had calmed down a bit, she leaned back against me subtly. Then, she placed her hands over mine, locking them in place.

“…I also like it.”

“Heh… hehe.”

Seemingly pleased with my answer, Findenai let out a foolish laugh.

Had her mood improved a bit?

The tension that had been gripping her body softened, and her breathing stabilized into a comfortable rhythm.

“Ok, I’ve calmed down now. Let’s go see what kind of people have come.”

After saying that she was fine now, Findenai slowly tried to stand up.

However, I didn’t let her go, holding her down with force.

“Huh?!”

Startled, she fell back into my arms. With my fingers still laced together over her stomach, I rested my head on her shoulder.

“M-Master Bastard?!”

Upon hearing her voice crack slightly, I couldn’t help but smile at how cute it sounded.

“Just a little longer.”

Like a whining child, I surprised myself upon making such an uncharacteristic request.

But she was my maid, wasn’t she? She should at least be able to tolerate a little of her master’s selfishness.

“Let’s stay like this for just a little longer.”

Holding her tightly, I could feel the warmth of her body fill me with a strange sense of comfort.

And amidst this peaceful silence, the steady rhythm of Findenai’s heartbeat echoed in my ears, soothing my mind.

“Good grief.”

Though she let out an exasperated chuckle, she didn’t pull away.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly and planted a soft kiss on my cheek.

“Master Bastard, are you a spoiled child?”

“Well, if that’s how you want to see it.”

“You should at least react when I tease you.”

Even as she said that, the corners of Findenai’s lips curled into a smile. I could feel her warm breath and soft lips brush against my cheek.

But despite the closeness of our bodies, there was no sense of heated desire—just a quiet, tender warmth, like a lazy afternoon.

Perhaps this was what they meant by platonic love.

“Is it really okay for us to stay like this?”

She was asking if it was fine for the owner of the house to remain here when someone was waiting outside.

However, rather than implying we should head out immediately, it sounded more like a playful request for an excuse to remain like this longer.

It should be fine, right?

“Erica and Stella can handle it. They’re not like you.”

Teasingly, I implied that unlike Findenai, who got riled up the moment she was interrupted, they were far more rational.

“Oh, is that so?”

Findenai twisted her body playfully to face me directly.

And just like before, she bit my neck teasingly.

It really felt like I was raising a wolf.

Her white hair tickled my skin, but instead of the usual scent of tobacco, the natural fragrance of her body felt strangely alluring.

We simply embraced each other, feeling the presence of the other without needing anything more.

“It’s a shame.”

Findenai voiced her thoughts honestly.

“Because we can’t have intercourse?”

“Do you think I’m in constant heat like you?”

Still kissing the nape of my neck, she replied with a bitter tone.

“Not in this artificial body—I want to be with the real you.”

“…”

“To be honest… I had already given up.”

Quietly, she laid bare her emotions. This wasn’t like her, but the depth of her contemplation was clear.

“You achieved the great feat of saving the continent, and if you could at least survive even through this artificial body, I believed that would be enough.”

Many sacrifices had been made. And among them was my own body.

“In the end, I get to be with you like this, right? That was enough for me. Wishing for more would make me a greedy bitch, right?”

Was that really true?

Feeling an odd sense of admiration, I stroked her hair gently, and she rubbed her cheek against me, enjoying it.

“However, when I saw Stella with a mental body today… I started hoping again.”

“…”

“It felt like she was actually alive. Not some stiff artificial body without warmth.”

“…”

“She can eat, drink, breathe, and feel. Just watching that made me anxious.”

“Findenai…”

“I wish I could destroy this artificial body that’s separating us right now… and that you could be just like her.”

Perhaps because she was envisioning that future, her voice grew lighter, carrying traces of laughter.

“Ah… that would be so wonderful.”

Findenai often spoke lightly, but her sincerity this time was undeniable.

And I could feel an overwhelming urge to make her wish a reality.

“I’ll make it happen.”

As I stroked her hair again, I patted her back in reassurance.

As if telling her to wait just a little longer.

As if asking her to endure just a bit more.

As I caressed her gently, Findenai slowly curled up, burrowing into my embrace.

It was a warm, tender moment.

The sunlight streaming through the window, neither too bright nor too dim, cast a soft glow over the study.

The scent of old paper from the bookshelves mixed with the natural fragrance of the woman in my arms, settling somewhere between reason and emotion.

It was simply because we were together.

In a relationship that was difficult to describe, coincidental events and timing had aligned perfectly.

Though we longed for more, just being close like this felt enough.

As if someone had cast a spell to make this moment eternal, we simply sat in silence, holding onto each other, afraid that the slightest noise might break the enchantment.

But of course.

The brief fairy tale moment in our daily life had to come to an end, and we would have to return to reality.

[What is it?]

And it was the indifferent voice of the Dark Spiritualist that broke it.

“Ah, damn.”

Perhaps feeling she had been interrupted once again, Findenai buried her face deeper into my chest and tightened her grip around my waist.

It was her way of telling me to handle it somehow, but unfortunately, that wasn’t an option.

[What is going on? I came to look for you since you didn’t come out even after so long, but why is the atmosphere like this?]

“Then don’t ruin the mood, you titty bitch!”

Clearly disappointed, Findenai yelled at the Dark Spiritualist. It was all fine, but I would have preferred if she didn’t do that while pressed against me—it made my whole body vibrate.

The Dark Spiritualist sighed in exasperation at Findenai.

[Do you even know how dire things were outside? Some officials from the Bureau had come, accusing us of manufacturing drugs inside the house and looking for any excuse to make trouble! Stella had to go through so much just to handle them!]

“The Bureau?”

The memory of the blue-haired woman from the Bureau surfaced—someone I had met in Iceburn Village.

A woman who upheld her belief in justice with unwavering conviction.

“I need to check it out.”

Findenai pouted when I pushed her shoulders to stand up.

Amused by her uncharacteristic display of cute acts, I simply smiled and was about to step outside.

[It’s already taken care of.]

However, the Dark Spiritualist crossed her arms and grumbled.

“How?”

Did Erica reveal her true identity?

Since the Clark Republic was practically a vassal state of the Griffin Kingdom, they wouldn’t dare to act recklessly if a major figure from our side was involved.

[How else? In situations like these, you call in a higher-up to sort things out.]

“A higher-up?”

Just as I tilted my head in confusion, I heard a commotion coming from outside—hurried footsteps approaching.

Just from that alone, I could already guess the identity of the guest who had arrived, and realizing that I was unexpectedly welcoming them made me feel lighter at heart.

Thud!

The study door burst open.

“Big brother Shinwoo!”

“Professoorr!”

Princess Eleanor Luden Griffin and Aria Rias beamed brightly as they announced our reunion.

***

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