A Teacher’s Lesson

“To be willing to abandon ethics, law, and even your own life for him… Your love has already reached such a profound, absolute depth. Do you truly need to ask a stranger for permission?”

Anne’s voice was soft, a gentle whisper that slid into Elka’s ear like a serpent. “Don’t you just need to follow your own heart?”

“Follow… my heart?” Elka murmured, her expression lost and confused. “Miss Anne, do you mean… I should give up? Just like I said before?”

“Oh? Is that what your heart is truly telling you?”

“Yes… of… of course.”

“Is it really?”

Anne suddenly leaned in, her face just inches from Elka’s. Her gaze was like a searchlight, piercing through Elka’s clear, innocent eyes and into the very depths of her soul, as if to drag all her ugly, hidden secrets into the harsh light of day.

Elka suddenly panicked, feeling like a grub squirming in the darkness, suddenly exposed to the burning sun. The defensive walls she had so carefully built around her heart were being torn down, brick by brick. Without the comforting protection of darkness, what filthy, disgusting things would be revealed?

“Wait, Miss Anne, I…”

“Answer my question.”

Anne leaned in even closer. Elka could feel the warmth of her breath, feel the delicate brush of their eyelashes, and feel those eyes that seemed to see through everything, violently yanking the ugliest, most forbidden thoughts from the deepest, darkest corners of her heart.

“Do you really… want to give up, Elka?”

“I…”

Do I really want to give up?

Am I really willing to stand by and watch them be happy together?

Do I really…

…

Like hell I am.

I don’t want to give up at all.

If Rod ends up with someone other than me, I’ll go mad with jealousy.

Especially that b*tch. I wish she would just die.

…

“It seems you understand now.”

Anne released Elka. Seeing the completely different, and much more interesting, light in Elka’s eyes, she smiled in deep satisfaction.

“Love is something you must fight for yourself,” she purred. “How could you possibly give up?”

“But… I still don’t know what to do.” Elka grabbed Anne’s hands like a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood, her voice full of a sincere, desperate plea. “Miss Anne, no, Master. From now on, you are my master. Can you teach me what to do? How can I win Rod’s heart?!”

“Isn’t it simple? A person’s heart and their body are inextricably linked. They are two sides of the same coin.” Anne reached out and tapped Elka’s chest with a delicate finger. “So, if you want to win the heart of the one you love, you must first obtain his body. It may not happen overnight; it may take a long, long time.”

“Obtain… his body…”

Elka’s heart skipped a beat. She had, perhaps, had this dark, forbidden thought long, long ago, but…

“B-but Rod is so strong, and I…”

“That spell you used earlier was quite good.”

“What?”

“Charm Magic.” Anne cupped her cheek, a look of genuine, almost tragic regret on her face. “It is a pity that I am not skilled in magic. Otherwise, I would certainly have learned it.” With a spell like that, I wouldn’t have had to go to all the trouble of drugging him.

“Charm Magic…”

Elka’s breathing grew heavy. That’s right. If the Charm Magic had worked on a Dominator-class magical beast, then on a person… or on Rod…

“But…” Elka swallowed hard, her conscience fighting a losing battle. “That’s not right, is it?”

“It is not,” Anne smiled faintly, her eyes glittering. “But have you already forgotten what you said? For the sake of love, you are willing to disregard even your  life, ethics, and the law. Do you still care about such trivial things?”

“Ah.”

That’s right.

For the sake of love, I can abandon everything. Do I still care about something so small?

It’s just… using it on Rod a little bit, right?

Perhaps the reason I learned this spell so easily, so naturally, was for this very day.

Perhaps, deep down, my heart has been… rotten, all along.

“I understand. I understand now!”

Even as she realized the corrupted, twisted nature of her own heart, a bright, new, and terrifyingly clear light shone in Elka’s eyes. “Thank you, Master! I know exactly what to do now.”

“Mm. That is good,” Anne nodded, pleased with her new disciple.

“But, I have one last question.” Elka asked, her expression deadly serious. “What if Rod is stubborn and refuses to accept my love? Charm Magic has a time limit, and I’m only good at support magic. If he really tries to run, I might not be able to stop him.”

“Hehe. Since you have called me ‘Master,’ allow me to impart your first, and most important, lesson.” Anne leaned in close to Elka’s ear and whispered, her voice as gentle and sweet as a summer breeze, “No matter how powerful a man is, my dear, once you’ve broken his arms and his legs and put a sturdy collar around his neck, he becomes nothing more than a little house dog that only knows how to bark for you.”

…

Anne was gone. The rain had stopped.

Elka stood alone on the shore, looking down at the lake’s surface. The water now reflected her image with a perfect, mirror-like clarity. Her smile was sweet, her features lovely. The earlier frustration and turmoil was gone from her face, and her eyes were as clear and calm as the lake itself.

“As expected of my Master. She has truly enlightened me.”

“Why did I never realize it before? This is the real me.”

Elka touched her own cheek. It felt as if something fundamental about her had changed, and yet, nothing had changed at all. But in any case, her mind was clear, and she felt a great, liberating sense of relief.

She knew what she had to do.

“I wonder what kind of person could capture my Master’s heart.”

“But now is not the time for that.”

She turned away from the lake.

“It’s time to go back. Rod is waiting for me.”

…

Tonight, in a romantic setting for just the two of them, she would confess her love.

And if she failed…

Hehe. She would not fail.

…

Screech.

The heavy metal gate of the cell opened with a grating sound that set one’s teeth on edge.

Anne walked into the cell, bringing with her the fresh, clean scent of rain.

“I have returned, Young Master.”

“You’re finally back.”

Ewan’s eyes fluttered open. He tried to hide the soul-deep exhaustion within them as he complained, his voice a pathetic croak, “Any longer and I would have died.”

“Oh, my. Has the Young Master finally been moved by my devotion and decided to give his body and soul to me?” Anne said, her face full of deep, theatrical emotion, her cheeks flushing. “In that case, please give me a loving kiss first, Young Master.”

“I was about to die of starvation! Starvation!”

“Tsk.”

Anne’s expression instantly returned to its usual placid state, making Ewan marvel at how quickly she could change her face.

“Here, Young Master. The fish you requested.”

Anne opened the food container, and a fragrant, mouth-watering aroma instantly filled the small, dreary cell. Perhaps because he had been hungry for so long, even Ewan, who was used to the finest delicacies in the world, couldn’t help but feel his mouth water.

“It is prepared steamed and grilled. Which would the Young Master like to have first?”

“Steamed, please.”

“Then, ahhh—”

“Ahhh—”

The fish was placed in his mouth, its fresh, tender texture instantly delighting his senses. Although he had an ulterior motive, he had to admit, this fish was incredibly, transcendently delicious.

“Be careful of the bones, Young Master.”

“I know, I’m not a child. How could I possibly… ah.”

“What is it?”

“…I think I have a fishbone stuck in my throat.”

“Is that so? Then it can’t be helped.”

Anne suddenly crawled toward him like a little cat, a strange glint in her eyes.

“Hey? Anne, what are you doing?”

“I want to kiss you, Young Master.”

“Now?” Ewan’s eyes widened.

“Did you not say you have a fishbone stuck in your throat? I was thinking that while we kiss, I could pinch your nose and inhale sharply. With my lung capacity, it is highly probable that I could suck the fishbone right out of your esophagus.”

“Hey? Wait, that won’t work, will it?!”

“…”

“Um… actually, I was just joking.”

“…”

“Are you serious?! Anne, no! That will kill me! Mmph…!”