Chapter 45: The Secret Chamber
45 Chapter 45: The Secret Chamber
Yuki woke up with a start, surprised to find herself in Sam's bed. "What am I doing here? How did I get here?" she wondered aloud.
Her face flushed a deep red as a particular thought crossed her mind, just as Sam entered the room.
"Hey, sorry, did I wake you?" Sam asked, smiling warmly.
"No, I was already awake... How did I get here?" Yuki asked, her expression puzzled.
"Well, you were sleepwalking and ended up in my room. You wouldn't go back to your own bed, so I let you stay in mine," Sam explained, taking a seat beside her.
"Sleepwalking? I've never done that before... How long has this been happening?" Yuki asked, still confused.
"I think today was the first time," Sam replied, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Do you have any idea why you were sleepwalking?"
Yuki shook her head, indicating she had no clue.
"Maybe Lucy's theory wasn't so far-fetched after all," Sam thought to himself. "It's alright, sleepwalking is usually nothing to worry about."
Yuki gazed at Sam's face for a few moments, her blush deepening as she became more aware of her surroundings: his room, his bed, and their proximity.
The same thought from earlier reappeared, making her heart race.
"Don't worry, nothing inappropriate happened," Sam reassured her with a gentle smile.
"We didn't?" Yuki asked, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and something else.
"Nope, you have nothing to worry about," Sam said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I wasn't worried..." Yuki murmured, grabbing his arm and moving closer until their shoulders pressed together.
"We can... if you want."
Sam gazed at Yuki, noticing the blush on her cheeks and her deep, nervous breaths.
He couldn't help but admire how beautiful she was, her presence making his heart beat faster.
He ran his fingers through her soft, silky hair, feeling the warmth of her skin.
mHer pink lips looked especially inviting, and the blush on her cheeks gave her an angelic appearance that stirred feelings within him he had never experienced before.
He placed his hand gently on her chin, letting her rest her face against him, feeling the warmth radiating from her.
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"You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met... but we can't do this. We need to take things slow," Sam said, gently caressing her face.
"Hmm..." Yuki was disappointed, but she tried her best not to show it, even though she knew Sam could sense her emotions. Still, she thought it wouldn't hurt to try.
Sam sensed her disappointment and could only sigh in response.
He was supposed to be the one taking the lead, but it seemed their relationship dynamics were reversed, with the girls being the proactive ones.
"But..." Sam muttered, before surprising Yuki by bringing his lips closer to hers.
He pressed his lips against hers in a simple yet memorable kiss, without the use of tongues.
It was a moment that would linger in both their memories.
The kiss lasted for a few seconds before Sam let go, but his hand remained on her beautiful face.
"Was it good?" Sam asked with a light smile.
"I-It was..." Yuki touched her lips as her smile widened.
Then she jumped into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
"That's good... It was my first time kissing a girl, so I wasn't sure if I did it right," Sam said, sighing.
Yuki let go of him and looked into his stunning blue eyes. "W-Why did you choose me to be your first? Surely the other two wanted to be your first kiss."
"Well..." Sam paused, gathering his thoughts.
"You are the first woman I've met who is my age and whom I genuinely like. I haven't told you this before, but during the entrance exam, when we were hunting together, I developed a crush on you."
"You, Isabelle, and Lucy... all of you are unique and special in your own ways, and I love you all. But you are the first girl who made me want to pursue a relationship," Sam said, gently brushing her short white hair.
"It makes me so happy that I was your first kiss," Yuki said, still snuggled against his chest.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, enjoying the quiet intimacy.
"By the way, Lucy is going to live with us from now on," Sam said.
"Is that so... That didn't take long," Yuki replied.
At that moment, another figure entered the room—a woman with long, elegant golden hair and eyes that reminded Sam of emeralds.
"Did I interrupt?" Isabelle asked, grinning while side-eyeing Yuki with a smug expression.
"No, you didn't. I was just about to call you guys to see if you were interested in exploring something with me," Sam said, pulling Isabelle closer and holding her hands.
"Where are we going? Are we leaving the academy?" Yuki inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"It's somewhere inside the academy. I found something unusual while scanning the academy for anomalies using magic," Sam explained.
"Why were you scanning the academy using magic?" Yuki asked, clearly puzzled.
"It's nothing major... Lucy will fill you in on the details," Sam said.
He then went on his way, and the girls approached Lucy to hear about Sam's magical exploration earlier that morning, when he used his magic to detect irregularities throughout the academy.
After freshening up, Sam led the girls stealthily to the back of the arena.
The area was secluded, with only a few trees, bushes, and rocks—an overlooked and rarely visited spot.
"This place is full of bugs... I hate bugs," Lucy complained, her expression dissatisfied.
She glanced at Sam, noticing his eyes glowing with magical circles in his pupils.
"When I was analyzing the academy with my top-notch analytical magic, I discovered a cubic structure beneath the arena, right under this spot," Sam said as the magical circles in his pupils vanished.
"Whatever is under this arena attracts an incredible amount of natural energy. I believe it might be the source that collects and distributes energy to the magic protecting the academy," he continued. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
"How do we enter this place? I don't see a door," Lucy said, touching the arena wall randomly, hoping to trigger a hidden passage by pressing an inconspicuous brick.
"Well, even if it isn't the source of the magic, it has to be something important; otherwise, it wouldn't be buried under the arena. There has to be a way in... we just have to find it," Sam said, his eyes narrowing as he noticed a peculiar marking on the edge of what seemed like a normal brick.
Sam brushed off the dirt on the marking, revealing an insignia: the image of an infernal bird with three blazing tails soaring through the sky.
"I recognize this insignia... it's the symbol of the Tachibana Clan," Sam muttered.
"Your grandmother Hana's clan, right?" Isabelle asked.
The girls were well-acquainted with Sam's grandparents.
During their visits to Sam's home, they had grown close to Hana.
She was sweet and always cared about them and their relationship with her grandson.
Hana Tachibana was the best, sweetest, and most caring grandmother one could ask for.
They loved her, and she wasn't opposed to them being together with Sam.
"Actually, I'm also a part of the Tachibana clan now. I awakened the Tachibana bloodline, remember?" Sam displayed a small smile.
"I'm also Sam Tachibana."
"Why is the Tachibana clan's symbol on that brick?" Isabelle asked.
"Well, the founder of the academy was from the Tachibana clan. It wouldn't be unusual to find their symbol on parts of the academy," Lucy replied.
"It's not just the symbol... it's the specific brick it's etched on. Why would anyone leave a mark on this particular brick?" Sam wondered aloud as he touched the insignia, but nothing happened.
At that moment, three figures appeared beside them.
"What are you four doing here?" Following the voice, Sam and the girls turned to see the principal, the vice-principal, and Trainer Austin, who had probably informed the principal about their presence.
"We were just exploring, Grandpa. How did you even know we were here? Are you stalking us?" Lucy asked, crossing her arms.
"First of all, granddaughter, I'm your grandfather, and you have to listen to what I say. Secondly, I'm not stalking you. I just asked Austin to make sure the four of you were okay," Principal Agor replied.
"So, answer me when I ask: what are you guys doing here?" Agor asked with a dissatisfied expression.
"Principal Agor, I brought them here with me. When I was analyzing the academy for abnormalities, I found that something was hidden beneath the arena right here," Sam said with a stern expression.
When Agor heard this, a realization appeared on his mind.
.
.
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[A/N: If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider supporting it with a few Power Stones. And if you absolutely loved it, you can even contribute a Golden Ticket. Your support means a lot to me! Thank you very much! - Arigato! 🙏]