Chapter 218 - Nathan and Athena Receive Chocote

  Nathan Evenhart:

  Finally, the st day of school had arrived. Soon, I’d be ba my duchy, where we’d gather to discuss our pns for Nikous Wolves. There would be no intervention from the kingdom, no legal proceedings. We had no crete evidence, only suspis. But we all knew, from the clues, that he was behind everything.

  It was the Goddess of Strategy who deduced it all, and that was more than enough. I might despise Athena, but I ’t deny her intelligence.

  Over these st few months, there was no sign of the third assassin, even after I exposed myself ied pces around the city. All signs poio him giving up, likely under orders from Nikous Wolves. After the failed kidnapping attempt, Nikous probably didn’t want to risk triggering the kingdom’s intervention or raising suspi.

  The penalty for harming a high-ranking noble is clear and unfiving. There’s no meraining. Nikous’s life would be mine, along with his family, his employees, his soldiers, his animals. I would have the right to kill them all. I could, if I wished, wipe out the entire peasant popution of his region. I could evehe rest of my life t Nikous and his men. That’s the price to pay for attag a high noble. No exceptions – child, elder, or beast; all would be at my mercy.

  That’s the legal route…

  But without evidence, we ’t take the case to the kingdom. Kidnapping Nikous and trying to force a fession would be pointless. He’s likely already erased any traces long before the assassins acted. After all, they’d been pnning this for at least two years. Capturing the third assassin, if he was still under tract, was crucial. We also ’t kidnap and torture Nikous to force a fession; the kingdom would never done such methods. A testimony obtaihrough torture would be unreliable, and the kingdom requires solid proof for a crime of this magnitude. After all, it would be too easy for a high o fabricate a charge or eliminate a rival in their owory.

  Although my family owns the nds, we ’t act freely against other nobles due to the agreement my aors made when they joihe Founder’s Empire. Part of the politiobility in my duchy was selected by the kingdom to ensure noble ws are respected.

  For this reason, we won’t approaikous Wolves as the Everhart family. We’ll go as assassins. He’ll meet with an unfortunate “act.”

  Does it t as an act if he falls more thaimes from the top floor of his mansion onto a knife?

  I ughed at the thought.

  "Here!" said a girl, a little nervous.

  "Thank you…" I replied, watg as she hurried off.

  What’s going on with me? Aren't girls only supposed to give chocote to friends on Chocote Day? So why were so many strangers handing me boxes of chocote?

  I tinued walking down the academy hall, careful not to drop the ever-growing pile of boxes I was carrying. For some reason, various girls, their faces red, kept handing me chocotes and then running off.

  I don’t even know these girls…

  I kept walking, still perplexed.

  "Nathan Evenhart…" called a voice from behind me.

  "Yes?" I replied, turning around.

  There stood a shirl with gsses, her face slightly flushed.

  "I'm a third-year…" she said, hesitantly.

  And that means… what? Should I gratute her for that?

  "Here," she said, handing me a box of chocotes, her hands trembling.

  "Thank you…" I said, taking the box.

  "I… I… wao know if you…"

  If I what?

  Before I could ask, she ran off.

  "Wait! At least tell me your name…" I tried to call after her, but she’d already disappeared down the hall.

  I sighed, looking down at the pile of chocotes I was now holding.

  Good grief…

  Everything seems to suggest that these chocotes are intended for something beyond mere friendship.

  So, my face really does attract attention, I guess. Now I uand why High Elves only stay in their own society…

  "Icarus! These chocotes are divine!" Athena excimed, walking beside me down the hall. She’d made a phantom copy of one of the boxes and was dev its tents, looking crazed with every bite.

  "Keep walking down the hall while these girls keep showing up. Don’t even think about heading to the dorm. I want more chocote," she anded.

  I’m not your servant. I ’t just keep accepting chocotes from teenage girls because you want them.

  I tried to ighe goddess, who was eating with exaggerated sounds of delight.

  "Icarus, fuck a normal life! Let's invade a chocote factory, set up a throne inside, and reign over everything," she said excitedly.

  You’re insane! Disappear!

  I kept walking as Athena muttered bizarre theories about how chocote was made.

  I told myself I wao live life as a human… but this situation is kind of funny.

  "There you are, my friend," said Edmund, appearing suddenly.

  "So, you’re also carrying a mountain of chocotes?" I asked, notig he was holding several boxes.

  He ughed.

  "Ah, the perks of our faces. I mentioned my pns for a sed wife, but I wouldn’t mind having over ten," he said, chug.

  Edmund and I headed to the dorm. Oable in the living room, there was an impressive amount of chocote boxes.

  "Here, boys," said Alice, appearing and handing each of us another box.

  "Thank you," we both said.

  I noticed most of the boxes oable were Alice’s.

  "Because I’m part of the royal family, I have to give chocotes to everyone in our css to show that I’m friendly with everyone," she expined.

  Soon after, anirl appeared.

  "H-here!" Melina said, handing me a box of chocotes and then ao Edmund.

  Just as I was about to say something, Alice spoke first.

  "That amount of boxes you two have is unusual," she remarked, eyeing the growing stacks. "Could they have been given with… other iions?"

  Edmund ughed.

  "Of course."

  He says that so casually…

  "HERE!" a shout from behind made me turn. It was the wolf girl.

  "Thyra is giving chocote to her friend," she said, handing me a box.

  "Thank you, Thyra."

  She smiled, clearly pleased with herself.

  "Thyra ate half the box to make sure it was tasty," she added.

  What? You ate those chocotes?

  "Don't worry. Thyra opehe others to make sure they were the same, then licked the ers to seal them back up."

  Yeah… I’m definitely ing those chocotes.

  "And mine?" Edmund asked, curious.

  Are you seriously sideriing licked chocotes? You have straastes…

  "Thyra isn’t your friend," she said ftly before walking off.

  Edmund and I exged gnces and burst into ughter.

  "I thought I got along with everyone…" he murmured.

  "Don’t worry, it’s just Thyra. She’s… a little crazy," Melina said, trying to reassure him.

  As I reached my apartment door, I heard another voice call out to me.

  "Nathan!" Syvis approached with a box of chocotes in hand.

  She tossed the box in my dire, but before I could catch it, a viended from her hand and pulled the box back to her.

  "Hahaha," she ughed, ing closer. "Thyra taught me that trick."

  I think Thyra might be a terrible influen a future queen…

  "Here. Thanks for being my friend," she teased, finally handihe box. "The academy’s fourth top entrant that no one knows about."

  "Thanks," I said, appreciating the joke.

  Edmund appeared beside me, receiving a box from Syvis as well.

  Just as I was about to open the apartment door, Kiepped out, looking a little flustered.

  "Nathan…" She met my eyes. "Here… thank you for being my friend and always supp me."

  She handed me a box of chocotes, then looked into my eyes for a moment before quickly gng away, clearly nervous.

  "And mine?" Edmund asked, suddenly at my side.

  I saw Kiurn bright red.

  "Sorry… I only bought one box. I only have one guy friend…" she said, obviously embarrassed.

  I g Edmund and chuckled.

  "Tough luck, my friend," I teased, heading into the apartment.

  I rushed to set my boxes o table, when suddenly, a familiar figure darted out from the bedroom.

  "What’s all this?" Cyl asked, her curiosity piqued.

  "Chocotes that I received. Want to try some?" I offered.

  She she boxes, sidering.

  "Sure."

  Kiurned, closing the apartment door behind her.

  "I don’t know if I’ll be going to the restaurant with you guys," she said hesitantly.

  "That’s fine. Are you heading straight to the mansion?" I asked.

  She looked at me, l her gaze.

  "I don’t think I’ll be going back to the duchy… for a while," she admitted, sounding a bit mencholic.

  "But why? I thought you’d already stabilized your bestial form."

  Kinue looked at me, smiling, though her eyes shimmered with uears.

  "It’s just temporary… I have some things to figure out internally…"

  I uand. I also have some things to work out.

  "That’s alright. But still, everyone misses you there. You’re part of our family," I said, hoping to fort her.

  She sighed softly.

  "I’ll think about it…" she replied. "Now, I’m going to talk to Professor Adrihna. I’ll see you ter…"

  With that, she left the apartment.

  "Nathan," Chloe’s voice called out as she emerged from her room.

  "There’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about for a long time…" she said, looking at me seriously.