Reincarnated as the Weakest Shadow Queen in the Academy-Chapter 48: Uh Oh

Melisra POV

The item box faded into a puff of smoke. Tiny crosses of sparkles emerged at its wake, decorations to a fairy-tale transformation.

It soon materialised. Ciel let out a light gasp as she clutched on the thin rod of wood, stretching till the other end met a patch of lush, healthy straws.

’A broom?’

Ciel tilted her head, then a system panel explained.

[ Item: Broom-star, Rare Grade ]

[ Description: A flying broom that could change its size at will. Transition to Umbra Grade is possible upon level 20 ]

"It’s..."

On the other side, Melisrs’s eyes beamed. This was the most excited Ciel had seen her yet.

"Holy hell! Oh my god!" The pink-haired witch covered her lips, tone drifting till it almost became a squeal.

Melisra then coughed twice, calming herself. "Hm... little Ciel? What magic is this?"

Ciel could only shake her head. "I’ve no idea. I just did it out of instinct."

"Heh..." Melisra squinted hard. She didn’t believe a word, but Ciel could mean no harm, which meant...

As the pink-haired witch’s eyes met the principal’s glare, it told her everything.

Melisra and Summer have been partners for a long time. Some might say they were even the closest, despite their frequent disagreement.

Thus, both knew each other’s temperament quite well. And Melisra judged fairly.

Summer was extremely protective of Ciel. Naturally, an outsider like her couldn’t be involved too deeply.

Ciel must have received information on her end to keep some secrets. Unless Melisra herself probed, nothing else would come up.

But judging by the former shadebeast’s vulnerable state, the experienced witch had another answer.

’The stubborn dragon probably wanted Ciel to keep a distance from everyone, everyone that Summer herself didn’t trust.’

Mostly to protect Ciel, but Melisra suspected something worse, ominous, even.

The pink-haired witch nodded to herself. "Well then, I’ll speak out some observations from myself here."

Back to the item box phenomenon. Ciel’s eyes glimmered, the round black beads carrying an innocent curiosity.

A flicker of a frown crossed Summer’s face, caught only by Melisra on the other side.

"When the box opened," Melisra raised a finger at her white eyes. "Some sparkles came out, right? Strangely, it carried traces of Mana one typically found in a Queen."

And then, all lives were lost from Ciel’s eyes.

"Queen?" Ciel’s emotion was calm, like a peaceful sea before an all-consuming flood.

"Queen." Melisra raised a brow. She noticed something, but that’s precisely why she would stay silent.

Unless she wanted her life cut short by Summer here.

"Concept-defying, illogical, and beings that enslaved mana," Melisra smirked. "Something tells me your parasite, too, had an undeniable connection to a Queen."

Ciel’s look darkened.

She had expected the worst, got the worst, and was still disappointed at the worst in her own terms.

How selfish of her. She wished Miss Dragon would scold her now.

"Ciel?"

Summer’s call of her name was a tender, solemn hush.

It snapped Ciel out briefly. The former shadebeast then hugged the broom, shifting carefully in Summer’s arms.

Her System may be tied to a Queen, but that was fine for now.

If worst came to pass, Miss Dragon would kill her.

She promised.

Ciel allowed herself this consolidation. The illusion of one comforted her, pressing the beast inside forward when the human refused.

Up above her, Melisra just watched as the dragon’s gaze grew an all-consuming dark.

It was as if a terrifying roar was held inside. Part of it was restrained, the other part possessive.

How childish. The pink-haired witch just sighed to herself.

—-------

Convincing Ciel to head for her lecture, Melisra decided to have a little chat with Summer.

Her first advice was straightforward.

"So you want to fuck your own student?"

"No."

Summer’s flat denial was almost instant. Melisra groaned, her back resting on one of the liquid containers.

Behind the glass wall floated a detached arm, its sleeve crumpled. Its fingers clung strangely to a violin, never letting go as if another life ordered from beyond the grave.

Treating the arm as a mere decoration, the pink-haired witch mocked. "Summer. I’ve known you before you were even born. Tell me straight that no personal feelings were involved, yeah? Yeah?"

"..."

Summer turned her head in silence.

Melisra’s lips pursed.

Admitting intimacy was difficult for a long-time being, and Melisra had yet to find an exception.

Some emotions dulled with age and experience. Some had gotten too hurt until all tears of joy or sadness had drained.

In the case of Summer, it was neither.

Because the Dragon had held onto her hatred for Shadebeast. For an entire four hundred years, since her entire kind was annihilated.

She could see Ciel already struggling with her own emotions. As an educator, she didn’t want the baggage known as ’Summer’ drag her down.

Just as she was about to scold Summer-

"My feeling was more of an obsession."

"Pardon?"

A confession by Summer? In her day and age?

What a worthy day to commemorate!

Melisra sprang and clapped. "Isn’t that equivalent to affection anyway? Congrats!"

Summer groaned, drawn and tired. "What are you trying to point out anyway?"

"Hm?" Melisra’s finger found her chin, belatedly. "I was... wondering if you’re going to be a burden to Ciel rather than-"

"Ciel was mine. I will do with her as I please."

"O-okay..."

Scratch it. If worry were a meter, then Melisra’s meter could be raised and flown out of space now.

"Besides, Ciel was not the type to hesitate in combat." Summer folded her arms. "You also monitored the mimic exam. Did you not see her killing her own kin without a bat of an eye?"

"If you’re going to be like Kruella..." Melisra scowled. "I’m going to be a little mad, Summer."

Waves stirred in the containers surrounding them. Melisra, shrouded in a white aura of rage, glared with an untold obsession.

Summer didn’t flinch. Just stated. "Killing Queens and shadebeasts were not of Ciel’s own wish, but her peace won’t come unless they die so that she will do it."

The dragon’s hand clenched tight into her dress sleeve, her knuckles cackling, trembling with restrained rage.

Summer recalled her oath, when she first established the academy.

"The academy’s purpose was always not for defending yourself against shadebeasts, but to kill shadebeasts. Surviving was very different from the act of hunting itself, and we would want the students go down fighting."

She strode with careful, somber steps towards Melisra.

The pink-haired witch gave way, frowning as her shroud disspaited, confused at the Dragon’s temper.

Summer’s condition was off. Her teeth were grinding. Her green eyes were bloodshot red. Her body was rigid as if resisting the urge to lash out.

Her palm met the glass wall, which held the sleeved arm from earlier.

"This arm," Summer murmured. "Cost the lives of ten students from last year."

The Principal continued. "The only reason I allow Ciel to live is for the possibility that she will make a great shadehunter, so that it will never come to...this. My obsession with her was as simple as that."

The tremor in her voice told a different story. Melisra didn’t point out, unsure if Summer’s denial will do any good.

If the witch had to comment, she would claim age had only dulled Summer’s wisdom.

Two things solely defined the dragon.

A duty to kill shadebeasts, born of pure hatred.

A protectiveness for her own student, born of pure grief.

Ciel met both criteria, which made Summer stubborn.

She sighed. "Well then, how about you initiate more intimate, lovey-dovey moments with her then?"

So, she decided on a reverse-psychology approach.

"Hm?" Summer raised a brow. "Do not be up for any trick."

"No no no, I’m serious."

The catlike, mischievous smirk crept up at Melisra’s lips. She was totally genuine.

Two girls kissing and whatnot. She loved it too much, even if it made her single-status depressing.

"Picture this," Melisra dismissed her own feeling as she continued. "Ciel, when she was not fighting, was always searching for a deep connection herself. Now, you were the closest one."

Summer nodded. However, her fingers began to crackle in irritation. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The pink-haired witch, cherishing her life, quickly spoke. "I’m not telling you to, like, emotionally manipulate her. I’m trying to say you can comfort her more often."

"Comfort?"

This time, Summer’s voice raised slightly in interest.

"Like hug her and stuff?" Melisra contemplated, her palm sliding against her chin like a great appraiser. "You enjoy it too, don’t you? Then just do as usual, but intensify it just a little."

The principal froze, and the air went cold with her.

"Uh..." Melisra’s shoulders hung. "Did I... say something wrong? I mean, just a little kiss or two would be great. Ciel would like it and be more motivated to kill her kind, and-"

"I understand."

"Hm?!"

Melisra actually squealed. Summer understood what?!

As if spring arrived in the room, Summer’s strange condition shattered away for a refreshing, almost enlightened look.

The dragon looked in the distance, her eyes flat, but the burning eagerness within was unmistakable.

"You’re right," Summer answered. "Ciel is mine. Just a possession, and she also liked it as well."

The principal did not smile, yet in Melisra’s mind the evilest grin was etched upon her face.

"So," the possessive dragon concluded. "Why shouldn’t I enjoy her?"

"Uh-uh..."

How the hell did it come to this?! She only wanted to budge her a little!

Melisra screamed inside, yet no help came. Not that anyone was powerful enough to stop Summer.