"I was going to be mess around with you and eventually toss you aside and refuse since I have no business doing anything in exchange for someone's sloppy seconds, but if nothing happened between you and the second prince, then we can actually talk.

"

Xeonith spoke confidently and his other hand started moving – it raised until it was at the height of Burushiitto's chest, and...

...the brown-haired boy reached out for the blond-girls breasts without a speck of hesitation.

"Wh-what...?! N-nooo! What are you doing?! Stop!

"

Burushiitto cried out and hurriedly grabbed his wrist, trying to shove it away, but trying to push off an earth magician – especially a transcended earth magician like Xeonith – would require someone much stronger than a mere healer...

"As I said – you didn't expect to gain my assistance without actually returning the favor – I am going to merely check if that is worth it.

"

The heroine's struggle made no difference to the brown-haired capture target and his palm was about to grope her when...

*THUMP*

"Uwaaah...! What a training it was!

"

"!!!!

"

"!!!!

"

Zoemi burst through the door, stumbling into the classroom swaying on his feet with an absentminded expression – making both Xeonith and Burushiitto flinch and stare at him speechlessly, too shocked by his sudden appearance to let out a sound.

"...uuuugghhh... Huuuh...? This isn't the dormitory...? Where am I...?

"

The black-haired attendant fell over and tumbled on the floor, furrowing his brows, and started climbing back up on his feet using the chairs and a student's desk to prop himself up.

"...hmmm...?

"

Zoemi looked around with a rather pitiful expression...

"AH!

"

Until he spotted the pair staring at him wide-eyed.

"Lord Derizno! By the heavens, it's such an honor to meet you here!

"

"...!

"

The black-haired boy basically roared out, causing the brown-haired capture target to flinch and look towards the door alarmed as if expecting the teacher to show up there at any point.

"...

"

Whit an angry grimace he stepped away from the blond heroine and glared down at the bowing attendant.

"...you... You're the attendant of lady Espine, aren't you? Why are you doing here at this hour and why are you acting like this?

"

Xeonith demanded answers in a strong, domineering voice while making sure that his body covers the blond-haired girl from the black-haired attendant's sight.

"Me? I was training up until this hour and I think that I used just a tiny-tiny bit too much mana...!

"

Zoemi straightened his back – but not fully, and raised his hand putting his index finger and thumb together.

"...mana depletion, I see...

"

The brown-haired boy sighed in realization and proudly raised his head.

"Scram – this is the school building and not the dormitory. You are disturbing my evening.

"

He called out, waving his hand dismissively trying to chase the black-haired boy away – but by doing that, he also ended up showing off the scared heroine...

"Is that so... AH! Miss Burushi is here too?!

"

"...**ing...!

"

Zoemi acted as if he was about to listen to him but then he noticed the blond girl looking anxiously between him and Xeonith and called out as his face brightened up with a dashing smile.

Before Xeonith could react, Zoemi approached them and reached out for Burushiitto.

"Hey! What do you think you are...?!

"

That certainly wasn't to the brown-haired boy's liking and in turn, he reached out to push the black-haired boy away...

"...

"

"...doing... Huh...? What...?! How did you...?!

"

...just for the black-haired boy to sway on his feet again and dive under Xeonith's outstretched arm and put his arm around the blond girl's shoulders.

"...I know you don't want to talk to me, but let's get you out of here first...

"

"!!!!!

"

Zoemi momentarily stop playing suffering the effects of the mana depletion and hurriedly whispered into Burushiitto's ear, causing the girl to flinch and tremble, not daring to raise her head so Xeonith wouldn't realize that the black-haired boy was only acting.

"Miss Burushi! Thank you soooo much for healing me up the other day! You are such a nice person...! Could you be so kind again as to help me return to my room...?

"

Zoemi called out, and the absentminded, and slightly dumb expression returned to his face – and was the expression that the infuriated Xeonith saw.

"Are you deaf?! I told you to leave! Alone! Get away from this commoner!

"

The brown-haired boy growled furiously and his body shone with the brown light of the earth enchantments as he swung his arms with the clear intention of knocking the black-haired boy out – or at least brutally shoving him away from the blond girl.

"Whoaa there...!

"

"!!!!!

"

Zoemi activated his shadows enchantment – which were completely invisible in the already dimly lit classroom – and bent his body to the side, dodging the attack by the skin of his teeth all while pulling the terrified heroine together with him.

"Oh dear, oh no... I am so sorry – I cannot keep my balance – I must have used up more mana than I initially thought...!

"

"...you little...!

"

Zoemi shook his head and bowed down to the furious Xeonith while sounding very apologetic but keeping Burushiitto out of the brown-haired capture target's reach.

"Lord Derizno – I wouldn't dare to ask you to spare some of your precious time on helping me, so I will trouble miss Burushi...

"

Zoemi perfectly faked stumbling forward right in time to avoid Xeonith reaching his hand for him – again – and dragged his feet forward pulling the scared blond heroine with him despite Xeonith's attempts at stopping them.

"H-how are you...?

"

*WHOOOSH*

"!!!

"

The continuous – supposedly - miraculous dodges that followed were enough to make Buru**to let out a quiet gasp while staring at the black-haired boy wobbled and fell to the side avoiding a straight-up punch empowered by the earth enchantment...

...the sound that it made piercing through the air was proof enough of how devastating it would be if it actually landed.

"...huh...? Lord Derizno...? Do you want to help me too?

"

Zoemi ended up awkwardly skulking forward before he looked over his shoulder with surprise and asked glancing at the brown light shining brightly in the dimly lit classroom.

"Thank you very much, but please don't worry about some lower noble like myself – using magic at this hour might get you in trouble with the teachers...

"

"...!

"

Zoemi pointed out the obvious glow that the physical augmentation was producing – which caused the infuriated Xeonith to freeze in place in a realization.

"Goodnight, lord Derizno.

"

Zoemi didn't hesitate and barged out of the classroom...

"....pardon me for a moment...

"

"...eh...?

"

The moment that They disappeared from Xeonith's side Zoemi muttered to Burushiitto and lifted her up merely by her shoulder before rushing through the hallway as fast as he could, aiming to get to the corner as fast as possible...

"Hey! Stop right there!

"

"!!!!

"

Zoemi stopped the mad charge just as he heard Xeonith following them out of the classroom – the back-haired boy felt the blond heroine tremble, but his objective was completed.

He and Buru**to were about to turn the corner while Xeonith merely went through the door...

With that in mind, Zoemi straightened his back, staring at the empty hallway, and reached out his hand.

"Teacher Rokiana! Hello!

"

"?!?!

"

The black-haired boy called out cheerfully, stunning the confused girl by his side – who most certainly couldn't follow on the boy's plan.

"...!

"

But that was okay too – after all the person who the trick was aimed for got fooled perfectly.

"...**...!

"

Xeonith cursed under his breath and turned around and dashed the opposite way from the commoner girl and the attendant boy, evacuating immediately.

"...whew...

"

Zoemi looked back – making sure that the brown-haired capture target was really gone, and once he did, he let go of the blond-haired girl and stepped aside before breathing out in relief while crouching down.

"W-were you stalking me...?!

"

"...huh...?

"

The black-haired attendant really wasn't expecting words of gratitude as helping out in a situation like that was simply something he felt right to do – but he most certainly did not expect the accusatory words spoken in the terrified tone by Burushiitto.

"What? No! I was returning from the headmaster's office and... Huh...?

"

Zoemi raised his head and shook his head in disbelief – but he realized that he was speaking to the heroine's back as she started running away from him, glancing back a few times with a terrified expression as if she expected the black-haired boy to start following her immediately.

"...no, seriously, what...?

"

Zoemi blinked a few times in confusion and then looked around as if expecting someone to come up to him and explain the blond girl's behavior....