The poll is still open for those of you who are interested. Which of the Familiar of Zero girls would you like to see visit Michael's world?
Cast your votes and let me know! The decision may well shape a major part of the story going forward.
...
Michael and Montmorency show Louise how much she means to them.
Later, having resolved herself to settle the score with Guiche for how he treated her, Montmorency puts the playboy in his place.
Liberation
A gentle touch on my shoulder sparks my senses back to life.
"Huh...? Wha- What's up?"
A second equally gentle touch follows: It rouses me fully from sleep and returns me to the waking world.
A quiet moan escapes my lips as I stretch. The bed's warmth and the sheets' softness wrap around me like a comforting cocoon.
One I could honestly stay in forever. Mornings are utter bollocks.
I blink my vision clear and glance leftways. The covers rustle as Montmorency turns the smallest bit.
She's lying on her side with her back pressed against mine. Her blonde curls are fanned across the pillow.
It isn't her hand that touched me, though, oh no. Girl looks too asleep for it.
Louise, a tiny, tender smile on her lips, lies at my other side.
"Morning, Michael," she utters, rubbing her eyes.
The sunlight streaming through the bedroom windows paints the room with a golden glow. It's a perfect moment, one that feels so incredibly right and peaceful. Louise's gaze lingers on mine, and a sense of warmth and contentment fills the air.
"What's up, hmm?" I ask my pink-haired mistress, my voice still thick and groggy. "You okay?"
Louise nods and hums.
"Mhm. I'm just glad that we could be there for Montmorency last night..."
My eyes flit to the blonde again. Having settled onto a comfy position on her back, her chest rises and falls softly
She looks so peaceful and content that it's hard to believe what almost happened between us last night.
I smile cautiously for the noblewoman and then look back to Louise.
"...It's up to us to make sure she's taken care of, Louise," I whisper, my words soft and heartfelt.
Louise nods in agreement and reaches out to take my hand. Her fingers intertwine with mine and her thumb brushes against the back of my hand.
"It is, and, her being my first real friend here, I'll do everything I can for her," she pledges, her voice small but absolutely resolute.
I cup Louise's cheek and lean in close to her.
"...You really are a good person, Princess."
Louise blushes and her eyes widen with surprise. She looks at me and a timid smile tugs at the corner of her mouth: One so heartfelt and pure.
Here, a moment of silence passes between us. Louise then shifts her gaze to her sleeping friend and back to me. Her expression filling with quiet concern, she speaks.
"...I try. Although, I must make a selfish admission..."
I raise a curious brow and lean close, touching my forehead to Louise's.
"Fire away, love," I encourage the pinkette.
Louise's grip on my hand tightens.
"...I'm glad you held back last night," Louise confesses quietly and thankfully. "With Montmorency, I mean..."
My heart kicks in my chest at Louise's nervy honesty.
"That what snapped you from the love potion's influence?"
Louise nods.
"I-It was, yes," she confirms, her cheeks burning a furious shade of scarlet. "...I-I... I want to be your first here in Tristain, Michael, even if I can't be overall."
My face heats up at her words and I'm lost for what to say, seriously.
So, I kiss her forehead and smile warmly instead. A gesture Louise answers with a gentle hum.
I'll push ahead and ask what's on my mind, since the mood's right between us.
"That because you're my mistress, or-"
Louise, unclasping my hand from her cheek, presses a dainty index to my lips.
"Hush, Michael," she implores tenderly. "...Don't ruin the moment like an idiot."
Her finger leaves my lip, and she replaces it with a loving kiss. It's sweet and soft, a simple press of her lips against mine, but it sends a jolt of electricity through me.
As our lips part, Louise's cheeks flush a deep crimson.
"...Last night, you and Montmorency were about to... well, you know... I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for that yet," she admits, her voice shaky and nervous. "...But, I am sure of something."
Louise's voice drops to a barely audible whisper.
"...If I'm to be wed against my will, then you'll be the one to pluck my innocence."
Louise's words echo in the silence of the room and I feel a surge of emotion rise within me. I'm overwhelmed by a this weird fusion of love, admiration, and a hint of fear.
The fear especially is a little too much.
So, in true me fashion, I mask it with a cheeky smirk.
"...Hey, it's no problem. I mean, you have the sheathe from Tristania..."
Suddenly, Louise's expression turns anxious. Then, shifting her eyes away, she lets out an anxious chuckle.
"...About that, I-I... I'm afraid that I, umm... I'm afraid that I left it behind, Michael..."
A subtle hint of frustration creeps in, but it's quickly overshadowed by the warmth and tenderness of the moment.
"Guess that's it for now, then," I chuckle, shrugging my shoulders.
Louise, her cheeks flushing redder still, shakes her head.
"...It doesn't have to be, Michael..."
The pinkette turns her head to the side and looks clear at the wall, her petite body shuddering with nervousness.
A swirling combination of eagerness and unease bubbles up inside me at Louise's implication.
I mean, I can't deny that I want to take this opportunity, to give her everything I've got without holding back.
But still, her birth and her circumstances... They make doing so really, really risky.
"Provided you... Provided you don't release your seed inside me," Louise whispers, her voice trembling with emotion, "...I'll gladly finish what we began in Tristania."
How am I supposed to answer an offer like that...?
Oh, bloody Hell.
Tristania isn't modern England, just like Kirche so frankly reminded me in the hedge maze.
Even if I don't shoot my load in Louise, the precum might still knock her up.
...And if that happens, it isn't as simple as her just picking up a morning-after pill from the chemist.
Given the ways of this world, and Louise's social status, her getting pregnant to a commoner will probably result in her getting disowned, and me getting my head lopped off by her furious mother-
"...S-Say something, idiot..." Louise, her voice nervy and vulnerable, snaps. Her eyes are trembling.
As I stare into those large and tear-filled eyes of hers, I feel a wave of emotions wash over me - a sense of duty and fear combined
"...Louise, what you're suggesting, it's stupidly risky," I warn, my tone uneasy. "Even if I pull out, you could still get pregnant..."
Louise's face is a mask of uncertainty, but there's also a flicker of something else in her eyes: determination. The kind of determination that comes from someone who has made up their mind and won't be swayed. It's an expression that I've seen on her before, but never in such a serious manner.
I open my mouth, ready to dissuade her, but then I stop. I've seen that look on her face before, and I know that no amount of arguing or reasoning is going to change her mind.
"Michael..." Louise whispers, her voice both pleading and resolute, "...I know the risks. But, this is my choice and... and I don't want my first experience to be forced upon me in an arranged marriage..."
Her words, so frank, send a shiver down my spine. The gravity of the situation hits me like a ton of bricks. Here's this girl, who's been sheltered her whole life, asking me to take her virginity.
I feel a knot of nerves twisting in my gut and my hands jitter for a second.
"...You'd give up everything, your life, your noble status, all for me...?" I ask slowly and carefully.
Louise freezes at my question and her eyes shine with intense contemplation.
After what seems like an eternity, she hangs her head and sighs.
"I... I don't know..." Louise replies with a conflicted undertone. "...All I know is that... That I want you before anyone else here has you, Michael... Or me."
I reach out and cup Louise's chin in my hand, tilting her head up so that our eyes meet. Her gaze burns with fear, desire, and longing. Especially longing.
A longing so intense that it makes my heart pull tight for a moment.
"...I'm content with sharing you, Michael, and I meant that, but..."
The girl takes a breath and shakes her head.
"...I-I'm afraid, afraid that with all of these other girls... g-given that I'm so dainty and unskilled... that I'll just... that I'll just fade into the background..."
The weight of the world hangs in her words, and the sadness in them cuts through me like a knife. T
he pain and vulnerability in her eyes are intense. So intense that my heart aches.
Soon, however, that pain twists into the smallest bit sharpest twinge of frustration.
...Has she taken none of the moments we've shared or the closeness we've formed to heart? Does she really think that I'd just toss her aside?
Does she honestly think so damned little of herself, as well as how deeply I care- How deeply I freaking love her...?!
I take a breath, then shake my head. Louise isn't doing this to hurt me.
She's doing it because she's always been treated like a failure, and that mistreatment has impacted her.
So, to try and reassure my mistress, I'll be open and honest. Totally and completely, about the depth of my feelings for all of the women I've come to know and love in Tristain.
But especially Louise.
...Even if this is the third or fourth time I've done this since we mutually confessed. For goodness sakes... How much longer will it take to ease this girl's worries?
No, no, Mikey. Just think this through with a clear head. You were on the right track a second ago.
Louise is still a teenager, just seventeen. She has so many feelings and emotions to contend with. Plus, harsh family expectations and a lifetime of bullying have scarred her.
...And, despite all of that, this pint-sized mage still utterly, completely adores you.
You, Michael DeSliva. A guy who arguably has as many issues and fears hidden behind that joking smile and sarcastic attitude as she does.
Yep, that about settles it.
I lean close, our foreheads touching and my heart pounding in my chest. My lips brush against Louise's and my breath catches in my throat.
Behind us, Montmorency stirs in bed with a gentle moan.
"...Is everything alright, you two...?" the blonde wonders, sitting upright and touching a hand to my shoulder from behind.
I don't turn to face her. Instead, my gaze stays focused on Louise's pink eyes: Deep pools of feeling that reflect the chaos inside of her.
Montmorency, her hand still on my shoulder, speaks again.
"...Louise?"
Louise, her eyes locked on mine, doesn't respond.
"...When Anna hurt me like she did, I took it so personally," I begin, my voice a low murmur.
I inch back from Louise and lean against the headboard, shifting my eyes to the four-poster's canopy above. With a sigh, I continue.
"...I was twisted up, angry, resentful, so many screwed up emotions, and they followed me everywhere," I explain, my voice wavering with emotion. "Because I feared getting hurt again."
"...Then I was whisked here to Tristain, not by choice, but by you, Louise," I remind my mistress, turning my gaze back on her. "And, after a while, I came to understand the depth of the hurt that you'd faced, and how it had bruised your confidence."
I shift my gaze to Monti, then back to Louise, then to her again.
"...You, Siesta, Tabitha, Monti, and even Kirche, you've all become very important to me, so much so that I can't stand the idea of being without any of you," I explain, my voice trembling.
I then reach out to Louise and cup her cheek in my hand, my fingers brushing against the softness of her skin.
"...Louise, I'm not going to leave you," I promise, my soft gentle but full of surety. "Or any of the girls I made promises to, not a one of you."
Montmorency, her hand lowering from my shoulder, speaks up again.
"...I heard some of the conversation as I woke, Louise," she reveals, her voice gentle and caring, "...specifically your fear of being forgotten."
Louise's eyes widen and her cheeks blush.
"...Y-You did, Montmorency...?"
Monti nods and then leans her head against my back.
"...I did, and I must say that you are foolish for thinking so little of yourself..."
Wanting not to leave Monti out of this moment, I raise my free arm and loop it around her slim, delicate shoulders.
"Becoming your friend, seeing past such trite things as your lacking magical ability... Well, being forthright with you, it was one of the finest decisions I have ever made," Monti declares, her words soft and sincere.
I fix my gaze on Montmorency and smile warmly, an invitation for her to continue.
The blonde does so with a wide, heartfelt grin.
"Your loyalty is unshakeable, and your heart, Louise, your heart is one of the most beautiful things about you," Monti continues, her eyes shining with admiration. "And that's because, when you give it to someone, you do so with the entirety of your being."
Louise, her eyes wide and sparkling, stares at Monti and me. She's clearly taken aback by Montmorency's words and I can't help but feel warm about that
"...Louise, I can promise you that I won't leave you, either," Montmorency whispers pledges with sincerity. "...Nor will I let you fade, not so long as it's within my power."
Louise's eyes glisten with tears as she looks between us.
"I..."
She shakes her head and looks away, the weight of our words hitting her hard. But, before she can pull away, Monti and I both move closer, our bodies pressing against hers in a comforting embrace.
"You're a good girl, Louise," I tell my mistress kindly, "just embrace it already."
Montmorency, her arm slipping from my shoulder to Louise's, nods and hums warmly.
"Indeed."
Louise, her body still shaking with emotion, looks between us, her eyes wide and filled with tears. The dam finally breaks, and she lets out a sobbing gasp, burying her face in my chest. I can feel the wetness of her tears soaking into my chest, and her body shakes with the force of her sobs.
Monti and I wrap our arms around her, holding her tightly, as she cries.
"Thank you..." she sobs, her voice muffled against my chest. "Thank you..."
I rub circles into Louise's back while Monti gently strokes the pinkette's hair, and we stay there, holding her until her sobs eventually subside.
As Louise pulls back, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand, she looks up at us both, her eyes red and puffy.
"Y-You... You both mean so much to me..." she chokes out, her voice still thick with emotion. "I-I don't know what I'd do without either of you..."
Monti and I share a smile.
"Likewise, Princess, likewise," I agree.
Louise's face flushes red at the nickname, but she can't help but chuckle at my use of it.
"Y-You're such a moron..." she teases, her voice a mix of embarrassment and affection.
I smile at her and give her a reassuring squeeze. Montmorency does the same. Then, we pull back from each other and take a moment to gather ourselves.
"Say, Michael, why do you call Louise that?" Montmorency asks once the dust's settled.
I laugh at the blonde's question and shake my head.
Louise, her emotions gathered, shoots me a warning glare.
"Choose your words carefully, you idiot familiar," she growls, her voice low.
Monti, her curiosity sparked, turns to Louise with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, do tell, Louise. I insist," she teases.
Louise exhales deeply and her cheeks flush a deeper shade of red.
Figure I'll cut in, tease my lovely lady a little. Nothing like earning her wrath to lighten the mood.
"Because I thought she was a spoiled brat when I first arrived," I remark with a teasing smirk. "A real Princess, you know?"
Louise's eyes narrow, and she huffs, her cheeks flushing an even deeper shade of red.
Monti giggles and grins at me, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
"Oh, I see, so it's a term of endearment, then."
I snap my fingers in confirmation.
"Got it in one there, Monti," I reply.
It's here that Louise, glaring daggers at this point, speaks up.
"...Pray tell, Michael, why are you referring to Montmorency as 'Monti', then?"
I pause at this and look between the two girls, then I laugh and shake my head.
Yeah, she's got me there. Okay, time to fight my corner.
"Because-"
"Because I permitted it, Louise, and because Michael is dear to me," Montmorency cuts in, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "My nursemaid gifted me the nickname, you see."
I smile at the blonde's response and nod in agreement.
Louise huffs, her expression one of jealousy. "So that's how it is..."
Monti and I share a soft glance at Louise's bratty side coming out. The blonde then chuckles and places her hand on Louise's small shoulder.
"Goodness, you're rather cute when you get like this, Louise," she remarks with a playful hum.
Louise's cheeks burn a furious shade of red and her mouth hangs open.
"I-I-What?!" she sputters indignantly.
I can't help but grin. She is too freaking cute when flustered.
Before I can speak on it, though, Louise lets out a low growl. She then rests both of her trembling hands on Monti's bare shoulders and gently presses their foreheads together.
"S-Say that again and I'll... I'll..."
Montmorency takes Louise's right hand and smiles sweetly at her. Her cheeks flush a deep shade of red as she speaks.
"You'll do what, exactly, Louise?" Monti presses at an alluring whisper, her lips an inch from Louise's.
Louise's gaze wavers and her breath catches in her throat.
"I-I'll..."
Seeing her friend at a loss, Montmorency winks at me.
Oh yeah, I see where this is going.
Climbing up behind Louise, I press the girl's back to my chest and speak gently into her ear with heart and passion.
"Getting a little hot under the collar, mistress...?"
Louise gasps, her body tensing as she feels my breath against her skin. My lips trail down the side of her neck, stopping to gently kiss the soft flesh just behind her ear.
"M-Michael..." she whimpers, her body trembling.
I spare Monti a cautious look and the blonde nods.
Even so, I'm going to double-check with her.
"...You sure, after last night and all?"
With a second curt nod, Monti leans in close and cups Louise's cheeks in her hands.
"Gladly, yes," she replies, her voice low and tinged with desire. "...And since it is a Sunday, we have no classes."
Her gaze fixed on Louise again, Monti leans in and presses her forehead to the pinkette's this time.
"...What will you do, Louise?" the young woman repeats, her lips curving upward teasingly.
Without hesitation, Louise leans forward and presses her lips to Montmorency's. The two share a deep, passionate kiss, their bodies pressing together in a loving embrace. Monti's hand slides up Louise's side, sending chills through the trembling noblewoman.
My hand traces over Louise's stomach and down to her thigh, and my lips ghost over the girl's slender shoulder.
Montmorency's moans melt into Louise's, and the two women surrender themselves to the heated sensations of the moment. Fingers tangle in hair and legs intertwine as they fully let go and embrace their desires.
And, turned the heck on by a sight so hot, my junk stiffens against Louise's lower back. Throbbing hard, a trickle of precum escapes the engorged head and teases Louise. This leads the girl's thighs to squeeze together in response. A shiver of pleasure then wracks Louise's slender body and her breathing quickens.
"W-wait... if this keeps up..." the dainty mage gasps, her eyes glazed over with desire.
"...Don't think, just feel, Louise," Monti urges at a whisper, pressing her chest to Louise's. "Me, and Michael, it's about time you learn how precious you are to us..."
Seizing the initiative, I slide my hand up Louise's leg, bringing her thighs apart. The wetness of her snatch already soaks into the covers beneath us.
Spurred on, I touch my finger to the folds of her slick mound and rub her swollen clit.
"G-Goddess...!"
Louise arches her back, gasping and bucking her hips as the pleasure sweeps through her body.
I dip my hand, my thumb tracing circles around her entrance before sliding inside. Louise lets out a strangled moan, her eyes rolling back.
"It feels so good..." she gasps, her thighs trembling.
Monti presses her lips to Louise's neck, nibbling and sucking on her sensitive skin as I continue pleasuring her needy snatch. The blonde then trails her hands down Louise's torso, stopping to firmly hold the pinkette's slim waist.
"Shh, just relax..." the girl purrs, her hands massaging her friend's taut belly.
Louise whimpers, her voice escaping in breathy moans as Monti and I tease her body.
"You know, I once did this for Guiche, and the fool didn't apprecia- Oh..."
As Monti reminisces, I press a kiss to the nape of Louise's neck, and, seizing the opportunity, I slip my meat along the pinkette's feminine slit, throbbing at the sensation of her slickness.
"Just because I can't put it in, Princess, doesn't mean I can't tease," I growl in Louise's ear.
"C-Careful, o-or else you're going to make me-"
Letting out a satisfied hum, Monti pecks Louise's cheek and then lowers onto her knees. Like a cat, she slinks nearer until her face hovers over the pinkette's groin and my erect shaft.
On her hands and knees, she reaches a hand between us. She takes a gentle hold of my engorged dick and gives it a playful shake. A few drops of precum ooze from the engorged, exposed head and drip onto the covers.
"Pray, don't think me a harlot for this, both of you," Monti damn-near purrs, her eyes shining with playfulness and mischief.
Then, wasting not another second, the young blonde sticks out her tongue and softly licks my balls, the soft, thin hairs of my sack tickling her. She then starts to let her tongue slide upwards, leaving a shimmering trail of saliva along my throbbing shaft.
A cycle she repeats once. Twice. A third time.
Then, her eyes meeting Louise's, she lets out a sensual giggle.
"Wiggle your hips now, Louise, he's nice and wet for you," the blonde encourages my lover.
I feel Louise's hips wiggle against me, her hot snatch teasing the tip of my meat.
"Fuck..." I hiss through clenched teeth.
Louise's whole body tenses up at my curse. Her thighs tremble against me, too.
"Oh, Goddess..." Louise gasps, her eyes rolling back as my cock glides along her small, sticky opening.
I keep rubbing her clit, and Monti keeps licking me, and the heat of the moment is incredible. I can feel Louise's heart beating like crazy in her chest, and her whole body is shaking with pleasure.
And then, as Louise's juices start to leak out onto my shaft, I feel the pressure building inside of me. My balls tighten and I know I'm close.
"...Monti," I gasp, my voice straining with pleasure. "...Might have to stop soon."
The blonde girl looks up at me and smiles. Then, she gently squeezes my cock between her breasts, sending a jolt of pleasure through my body.
"Worry not, Michael, I'll gladly swallow," she informs me with a sultry wink. "As a good noblewoman should..."
My eyes shoot wide and shock ripples through me.
Is this the same prim and proper Montmorency?!
This is so freaking hot.
Monti grins up at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Twice I allowed Guiche to see this side of me, and twice he barely so much as thanked me for it," she confesses, her voice tinged with a hint of frustration. "But you, Michael, I gladly do this for you here, today... Because you are so forthright and kind."
I smile down at Monti and squeeze her shoulder.
I then turn my attention back to Louise, whose hips are gyrating against my junk with wild abandon. She's so wet and so turned on that her juices are soaking through the sheets.
"M-Michael..." she whimpers, her voice heavy with pleasure. "I-I'm so close..."
I smirk and lean down to kiss her neck, my lips brushing against her soft skin.
"Me too, Princess," I halfway moan.
Louise's breathing quickens and her body tenses, her hips bucking against me.
"Please don't stop..." she pleads in a ragged breath.
Montmorency giggles and smiles up at us both, her hands still massaging my shaft.
"How cute, the both of you," she coos. "Now, come for us, Louise, please..."
Louise lets out a gasp, her body shaking as her orgasm hits. I feel her juices gush onto my aching meat.
Monti leans forward and presses her lips to Louise's spot, sucking and licking the swollen bud. Louise cries out, her back arching as the waves of pleasure roll over her.
I grit my teeth, the pressure building inside of me until I can't hold back any longer.
"M-Monti, oh shit...!"
I let out a groan as the first spurt of cum shoots out of my dick and lands right in the middle of Montmorency's face. The girl yelps in surprise, but quickly recovers and opens her mouth, catching the second and third spurts of my sticky load right on her tongue.
She gives my shaft a few more quick strokes before leaning down and wrapping her lips around my head, sucking out the last few drops of my milk.
As I watch the blonde lick my dick clean, I can't help but feel a rush of affection for her. She's so kind and caring, and she's been so good to Louise, as well as to me.
I lean down and press a kiss to the top of her head, my fingers entangling in her blonde hair. She looks up at me, her cheeks flushed with pleasure and a playful grin on her lips.
"Goodness, Michael, you taste delightful..."
Louise, sweaty and sprawled against my clammy chest, lets out a shallow grunt and cracks a half smile.
"...You're... You're such a pervert, Montmorency..."
The blonde hums in response and wipes the splattering of spooge off of her cheek with the tip of her index finger, before sucking it off with a playful pop. She then gives Louise an agreeable hum.
"As is my right behind closed doors, dear."
With a mischievous grin, Monti then places her hands on Louise's knees and slides them down the pinkette's thighs. Then, she presses her lips to Louise's stomach in a tender kiss.
I gently grip Montmorency's shoulders while she's busy with Louise.
Inching back from Louise's soft skin with a wet smack of her lips, Montmorency eyes me with heat and longing.
"...Do you intend to satisfy me, sir?" she asks teasingly, batting her lashes.
"Oh yeah, Monti," I reply with a drawn-out hum, "damned right I do-"
The Academy's morning bell rings out across the grounds, snapping me from the moment.
"Which one's that again, Louise?"
The girl turns to me and lets out a groan.
"...First breakfast bell," she replies, her voice flat with resignation.
Montmorency, releasing her lips from Louise's skin with a gentle smack, sighs contentedly.
"Meaning you both should wait for the first-year flurry to subside, and then return to your room," she advises, her voice calm and even.
Sighing gently, I touch a hand to Monti's cheek.
"...We'll have us time when you're next free, alright? Don't want you thinking I'm selfish at all, not after everything you did just now."
Cupping my hand in hers for a second, Montmorency smiles tenderly.
"Michael, dear, if what Kirche told me of your attentiveness to those you cherish holds true, then I shall eagerly await our next encounter."
I nod.
Montmorency then lets out a naughty giggle.
"Have my ministrations left you adequately satisfied, good sir?" she asks with a cheeky undertone.
I smirk and caress the girl's cheek with my thumb. Her old school way of talking's lovely, so artsy and easy on the ears.
"Oh yeah, I'm beyond pleased-"
Louise clears her throat abruptly and cuddles into me. "Anyway..." the girl interjects all too loudly, "I'll probably skip breakfast and have Seista bring us something from the kitchens, anyway. Michael and I have to speak with Headmaster Osmond."
I laugh nervously at Louise's abrupt cut in. Then I pause for a moment to think with my brain so hazy from all the passion.
Why are we heading to Osmond's- Oh, yeah, mine and Louise's mission in Lenore. She has to request leave for it.
Montmorency looks between us and then nods.
"Very well."
She then sits up and stretches, her arms extending over her head. With a playful wink, she stands up and then bends over, scooping up her discarded black panties.
"Actually, Louise, I have a small request," Monti says as she slips her legs into her undergarments.
Louise, her eyes half-lidded with post-orgasmic bliss, hums curiously.
"Go on."
"Should you be alright with it, and should Michael want to, of course, I'd very much like for he and I to go courting in Lenore," Monti explains. "When time allows for it between classes, of course."
Okay, I won't lie, the old-timey way she referred to it as "courting" just then was kinda sweet.
Louise, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink, turns to me.
For a moment she looks conflicted, her eyes darting from me to Monti.
Then, after a few moments, she exhales softly and gives a little smile.
"That would be alright with me, so long as Michael wants to," Louise replies, her voice warm.
My heart skips a beat at Louise's acceptance.
It's nice to see her opening up and letting a little bit of her green-eyed monster go.
"Lovely," Monti chimes, flashing me a smile. "Michael...?"
I nod and flash the blonde a grin.
"Of course, sweetheart," I reply, giving a thumbs up. "I promised you dates, so dates you'll get."
Montmorency blushes and giggles, clasping her hands together excitedly.
"Wonderful!" she squeals.
Then, with a contented sigh, she steps away from the bed and walks over to her dresser with a spring in her step.
I look Monti over for a second and then snap my attention back to Louise. The girl is looking up at me with a mixture of contentment and curiosity.
"What is it, Princess?" I ask, stroking her cheek.
Louise blushes and shrugs.
"I... I just..."
She sighs and shakes her head.
"...You really are special, Michael."
At this, I lean close and peck Louise's cheek.
"Wouldn't be without you either, Princess."
Having now slipped on a fresh school shirt, Montmorency spritzes some perfume into the air before stepping through it, filling her clothes with a floral scent.
My mind wanders back to last night. To Guiche and his love potion antics.
"Hey, Monti," I speak up, getting the girl's attention. "About Guiche..."
The girl's body seems to tense at the mention of her ex.
"...Do not fret over him, Michael, dear," she replies. Turning to face me now in her clean school shirt and black panties, her blue eyes shine with strength. "I shall put that scoundrel in his place perfectly fine."
The way she looks right now, so calm and self-confident. Good on you, Monti, good on you.
I grin at her confidence and nod.
"Oh, judging by the look you have there, I'm sure you will."
Montmorency grins at me.
"I will, trust me. You and Louise need only worry about your errands with Headmaster Osmond today."
Here, Monti's smile becomes sly and she titters cheekily.
"Speaking of which, I should hope you two do not intend to lie naked on my bed all day."
Both Louise and I blush at this and then begin hurriedly getting dressed.
Having liberally applied perfume and donned yesterday's uniform until the washroom becomes free for the female students, Louise places the parchment detailing her secret mission onto Headmaster Osmond's desk.
She then folds her arms behind her back and takes a few steps in reverse to stand with Michael.
"As you can see, Headmaster Osmond, Michael and I have orders from Princess Henrietta," Louise explains with just a hint of formality. "With this in mind, I'd like to request a leave from my studies."
The headmaster takes the parchment in hand and unfolds it. He hums as his eyes scan the words written upon it.
"A corrupt tax collector plaguing Lenore's commonfolk, eh?" he murmurs. "I had no idea."
Louise nods.
"Neither did I, sir. Her Highness told me during our visit to Tristania," she replies.
Osmond hums and strokes his beard.
"Well then, in light of your orders, I'm afraid I cannot refuse. I will grant you temporary leave from your classes until this matter is dealt with, Miss Valière."
Louise's cheeks flush with pride.
"Thank you, sir. I shall take my leave at once."
With a brief bow, the pinkette turns and makes to leave. Michael, however, remains at Osmond's side, his hands tucked into his pockets.
The headmaster arches a curious eyebrow.
"Something else on your mind, Mr. DeSilva?"
Michael shrugs.
"Eh, just... Wondering about something," the blonde answers.
Osmond, his expression now inquisitive, leans back in his chair.
"Wondering about what, Mr. DeSilva?"
Michael turns to the headmaster, a serious expression on his face.
"Fouquet. Word reached you that she escaped from Tristania Palace's tower, I'm guessing?"
Osmond nods slowly.
"Indeed it did. And I must admit, the news does not sit well with me."
Michael hums.
"Knowing her as well as you did, given she posed as your secretary, what do you think her next move would be?"
Osmond sighs.
"I'm afraid that I don't know, Michael," he admits. "Her motivations are unclear. And that worries me."
Michael nods. His brow furrows and his gaze shifts to the floor. His expression grows distant as if lost in thought.
Then, after a moment, he shakes his head and looks back up at the headmaster.
"You and me both, Headmaster. Anyway, thanks."
Osmond nods.
"Of course, Mr. DeSilva. If there is anything else I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask."
Michael nods and turns and joins Louise by the door. The blonde familiar then pauses, open it up for her, and waits for her to step through.
"After you, Louise."
"Thank you, Michael," Louise says with a smile as she passes him. He smiles back, a look of affection on his face, and closes the door behind him.
Out in the hall with him now, Louise raises a curious brow.
"Why the question concerning Fouquet, hmm?" the dainty mage asks.
Michael gives a little shrug.
"Well, after what happened in Tristania, first with the way Felix manipulated Elisa, and Fouquet being busted out in the middle of all that crap, I can't help being concerned," he reasons.
Louise's brow furrows in thought.
"Do you worry we haven't seen the last of her?" she poses carefully, clutching Michael's hand.
Her familiar, ever the sort to lighten the mood when things become tense, cracks a grin and gives her small hand a supportive squeeze.
"I'm more worried about Guiche's ego when Montmorency's done with him, to be fair."
Louise, not expecting that, snorts and giggles.
Michael, chuckling at her infectious laughter, leans in close.
"Love it when you laugh, girl."
Louise's cheeks flush a deep shade of pink and the two share a short, tender peck.
Guiche stands tall and proud in the Academy courtyard with his rose wand held close to his chest.
Having had a maid send a note to his darling Montmorency, he awaits the blonde's arrival.
The effects of the love potion will have worn off and his beloved will see the error of her judgement, surely. Leaving a man such as he, a son of the purest noble blood is nought but pure folly, after all."
"That old apothecary surely spoke in jest when he warned of the potion's effects," Guiche murmurs, a confident grin on his face. "Montmorency will forgive me for my misdeeds. We will walk into the sunset together and live happily ever after, surely."
Guiche's mind begins to wander as he imagines the scene in his head. He sees Montmorency walking toward him, her beautiful blonde hair blowing in the wind and her blue eyes sparkling with love.
"I'm sorry, Guiche. You're right, I was foolish for leaving you. I see now that we are destined to be together forever," she would say.
Guiche would then take her in his arms and kiss her passionately. They would be so in love that nothing would be able to keep them apart. Least of all that uncouth foreigner, Michael.
And so, Guiche sits himself upon the Academy's frontmost steps and waits.
And waits.
But, as the sun creeps below the walls, an hour passes, and his darling still has not shown.
And just as the boy lets out a disgruntled huff, the clacking of shoes against stone steps draws his attention.
"Hello, Guiche," Montmorency calls out with a disdainful undertone.
Guiche turns and beams at the girl whom he will soon reignite his love.
"Ah, there you are, dearest. The sky is beautiful this evening-"
Montmorency raises a hand to silence him and strides past. She then takes her place at the bottom of the stone staircase, arms folded behind her back, and dons a deep frown.
Guiche, sure beyond all reason that she is simply playing coy, rises and follows her.
"Dearest? Why the cold shoulder?"
A brow raised, Guiche stops at his partner's side.
She takes a step a large, measured step backwards and her eyes narrow.
"Why the cold shoulder?!" Monti sneers with an emphatic gasp, her voice becoming louder. "My wine, you spiked it with a love potion, you knave."
Guiche tenses as guilt drips into him.
Still, he doesn't falter.
"My sweet darling, t'was but a foolish flutter on my part, an indisputable misdeed. One that I am sure, given the happenings that doubtless transpired between yourself that that boorish Michael, has reignited your love for me," the well-dressed noble proclaims, his hand placed upon his breast.
Montmorency, her countenance remaining flat, gestures scathingly at Guiche.
"Oh, it ignited something within me, indeed it did," she hisses venomously.
Her hands fall to her side and she tilts her head back, allowing her to look down her nose at the object of her ire.
Which oh so intensely shatters Guiche's heart, sending a terrible prickling numbness into his chest.
Montmorency's brows arch dangerously.
"...I hate you, Guiche de Gramont," the girl seethes.
An icy numb sensation gripping his chest, Guiche's eyes shoot wide and then sink to his shoes.
"Y-you what...?"
Guiche, certain he had misheard, begins to step toward his now ex, his step faltering.
Montmorency remains unmoved, however, and does not break eye contact even as he stares despondently at her.
"I utterly detest you, and that which you did to me last night," she hisses, her words scathing and spiteful. "And, if anything, it made the truth of my innermost feelings all the more apparent."
Montmorency, clutching a hand to her chest, shakes her head.
"... I don't love you anymore, Guiche. Rather, I have the strength to finally tell you in no uncertain terms just how undeserving you are of all the love and forgiveness I showered you with."
His heart racing, Guiche manages to stumble over and kneels at Monti's feet. The sting of his shame and pain pierces him like a dagger.
"Dearest..." he pleads, reaching up to take hold of her skirts. "...This must be another jest..."
Montmorency pulls back and fixes her former lover with a glare so cold it causes him a shudder.
"...My heart belongs to Michael and Louise," she utters with a vehement certainty. "...And I would move the world for either of them after the love, the kindness they have shown me of late."
Anger, disgust and heartache swirl together within Guiche, all equally desperate to dominate his addled, panicked state.
"B-But Louise is a-"
Montmorency wrenches Guiche's hand from the hem of her dress skirt and shoves him back with the tips of her fingers. She then glowers down at the crumpled boy and shakes her head.
"Her being a woman matters not, just as Michael not being of our world doesn't, either," she utters with quiet contempt. "I love both of them more than my pride as a noblewoman."
As the reality of his betrayal finally dawns on Guiche, the blonde boy draws back and bows his head, releasing a lamenting cry.
"How could... B-But I'm a purebred," he mutters through sobs. "A p-purebred noble!"
Montmorency lets out a small, sad, knowing sigh.
"Your status matters not," she informs the young man with a pittying undertone.
Guiche practically scrunches his eyes shut and shudders with rageful astonishment.
H-He is of the finest breeding. His place in this world is a blessing, a God-given right..!
"Since Louise's familiar arrived here, in our world, I have come to care slightly less about such things," Montmorency continues with self-assurance.
Bewildered, Guiche opens his eyes and chokes out a pained exhale.
His beloved then looks upon him with a pitying stare and gives she gives a faint, disappointed shake of her head. She then turns and begins walking away.
Watching, his hands scrunched tightly, Guiche's acute fury bubbles over.
To think that Montmorency de Montmorency, a girl of such standing and grace... has been tainted beyond reproach. That her morality has crumbled to the point where she is willing to behave like some dirty peasant. Nay, worse, a harlot without self-respect or pride!
And to think that a de Gramont has been rejected for some fiend of low birthright- No, a filthy foreigner!
Snarling, Guiche pours all of his hatred into his next words.
"You... Y-You vulgar creature... B-Being used as commoner's whore...!"
Stopping deadly still, Montmorency turns her head to face him over her shoulder.
"...What was that, Guiche?" she growls.
A second passes in silence between the two. Five. Ten. Fifteen.
Then, her eyes narrowing, Montmorency twirls around to face her former lover. Robin, the girl's tiny frog familiar, materialises on her shoulder thereafter, his eyes narrowed.
Enraged, Guiche's beloved brings out her wand from within her cloak's inner pocket and grips it with a shuddering hand.
Guiche, an icy pang of terror coursing through him, shudders and raises his hands in surrender.
"Err... Erm... I merely mean that, since Louise's familiar arrived, you are..."
Overhead, the evening sky darkens and thunderous black clouds begin swirling above the Academy.
Sweat breaking out upon his forehead, the formerly haughty Guiche falters.
"No, Monmon, wait...!"
Ignoring him, Montmorency aims her wand squarely at the nobleman and enters into an incantation.
"Oh wise and noble water spirit, bestow thy grace unto my humble self in these turbulent times. Cleanse my soul with your sublime torrent and wash away this wicked trifle!"
Having charged the spell for just a few seconds, Montmorency raises her voice and furious waters swirl into being at her wand's tip.
"Celestial Falls!"
A second later, the ball of shimmering blue and white spins toward the ground. It sends a great rush of liquid spiralling in her wake and strikes hard upon the ground with the force of a heavy spring shower.
Guiche, crying out and stumbling back as the droplets knock against him, slips and flops down onto the ground.
Soaking wet and defeated, he looks up at his now ex-girlfriend with remorseful blue eyes.
"M-My Monti..."
Likely alerted by the sound of Montmorency's casting, a small crowd of students begin gathering at the entranceway steps. Several are chattering and laughing.
"So it is true, Montmorency really is finished with Guiche," a small, red-headed first-year observes, her voice carrying easily for all to hear.
Another first-year, a petite blonde girl with inquisitive golden eyes, smiles wide and nods.
"Yep, she's finished with him, alright."
"I used to think he was so dashing and strong," a bespectacled brunette sighs sadly. "Now I see how pathetic he really is..."
Guiche, his humiliation thoroughly complete, stumbles to his feet, his clothes and hair soaking wet.
"Goodness, see what you've done!" he cries, giving an exaggerated point to his drenched attire. "You've ruined a fine set of silken clothes! What do you have to say for yourself, Montmorency?"
Silence.
As the cold wind and freezing raindrops sting the blonde youth's chaffed skin, his words are lost to the wind, and their audience' gazes drift from him to his ex, and the frog perched upon her shoulder.
Steeling herself, Montmorency lowers her wand and fixes him with a fierce, damning glare.
"Nothing at all," she quietly replies. "Farewell, Guiche. And please, never speak to me again."
Tucking her wand back into her cloak's pocket, the blonde reaches a hand out to caress her tiny companion. The tiny green frog croaks and leans his head happily into her gentle touch.
"Come now, Robin. To our room, quickly."
Turning her back to Guiche, Montmorency pushes the crowd and makes for the main building. L
Rejected and brokenhearted, all that Guiche can do in the face of the aftermath is fall to his knees and let the tears fall freely down his cheeks. For in that moment, the noble boy sees nothing. Hears nothing.
...Except for Michael DeSliva.
Staring at him. Smiling with that smug, confident smirk of his.
...Laughing at his expense.
Guiche feels his ire flare, and he quickly begins wiping the water from his cheeks.
"You... It's all your fault..."
Rising to his feet, Guiche sneers. He then turns his back and runs headlong for the Academy's gates.
"...I'll never forgive you, you bastard...!" the blonde boy growls as he breaks into a sprint. His legs soon carry him from the school's grounds and onto the Lenore-bound road.
To be continued...
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