"Hmm?"

After walking out of the training grounds, Moen suddenly stopped on the small path covered with fallen phoenix tree leaves.

His gaze, carrying a hint of puzzlement, swept around.

It was class time now, so there were no other students on the path.

The surroundings were eerily quiet; only the rustling sound of the wind passing through the leaves could be heard.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"But why do I feel like someone is watching me?"

Moen couldn't help but frown.

That faint yet unsettling feeling of being observed was like the venomous gaze of a snake in the shadows, subtly hissing its tongue at him.

"Could it be that some pervert is stalking me?"

Moen shivered in unease.

"But didn't Coren get caught already?"

Thinking about this, Moen dared not linger any longer. He shook his head and quickly left the area.

---

During class hours, the library was sparsely populated.

"Eh? Junior?"

Anna, the senior student, was dressed in a librarian's black uniform and long skirt. Her silky hair was braided into a plait that gracefully draped over her shoulder, making her seem like a gentle, neighborly elder sister.

However, when her gaze fell on Moen, the crescent-shaped curve of her eyes betrayed a trace of mischievous charm.

"What brings you here at this time? Aren't you supposed to be in class?

Could it be..."

Anna rested her hands on the desk, leaning forward halfway. Her fragrant breath lingered in the air as she chuckled softly:

"Did you skip class just to come and see me?"

"I..."

Moen, oppressed by Anna's imposing aura, instinctively leaned back, but his gaze couldn't stop sneaking downward.

Large.

Tall.

Imposing.

From this angle, looking up gave him a full view of the grand majesty of those twin peaks. It even seemed like he could catch glimpses of the unfathomable chasm beneath the taut fabric of her shirt.

"Junior."

Noticing Moen's wandering eyes, Anna's tone carried a playful reproach.

With a finger, she gently tilted Moen's head upward, forcing his gaze away.

"Being pervy is not okay, you know."

"That's nonsense! I wasn't doing anything!"

Moen's cheeks reddened as he retorted vehemently.

"You..."

Anna stood up straight, crossing her arms and sighing lightly:

"This librarian uniform already counts as the most conservative one in the entire academy, and even then, your wandering eyes managed to focus on the wrong thing. Junior, just how hopeless are you?"

"Well, it's not my fault senior is so beautiful and has such a perfect figure," Moen chuckled awkwardly.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Anna smiled charmingly, then lowered her head to resume the task she'd been working on before Moen arrived—sorting the books in front of her.

"So, why are you here?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm asking about what you said earlier."

"Oh."

Moen snapped back to his senses and immediately struck a stylish pose, leaning against the nearby wall and casually ruffling his bangs:

"Just as senior said, I came here specifically to see you."

"Really?"

Anna raised an eyebrow and cast a meaningful glance at the item Moen was holding in his other hand.

"You came to see me, and yet you brought a gift? Hmm, let me see... 'Introduction to Magic Basics'? Oh my, Junior Moen truly is impressive. How did you know that this book happens to be my favorite? So much so that, even though I don't need to study this subject, I've leafed through it dozens of times lately."

"Uh..."

Moen awkwardly hid the textbook behind his back, laughing nervously: "Senior, you must be mistaken. There's no way I would be so shameless as to interrupt you during work hours."

"Oh, is that so?"

Anna raised an eyebrow mischievously:

"If I was mistaken, then please, Moen, feel free to go about your business. It's class time, the library is almost empty, you're free to do whatever you like. Just... don't disturb my work, okay?"

Anna patted the neatly arranged stack of books in front of her and smirked venomously:

"After all, this *is* work time."

"I was wrong, Master Anna!"

Moen immediately clasped his hands in a gesture of surrender:

"I am but a shameless scoundrel. Please, forget everything I said earlier and educate me thoroughly!"

"That's better, my dear scoundrel junior."

Anna chuckled softly; her laughter caused her delicate frame to quiver slightly, making Moen's heart tremble in response.

"Alright then, let's go."

Anna finished arranging the books and pushed open the small cabinet door behind the counter.

"Huh?"

Watching Anna step out of her post so straightforwardly, Moen was momentarily confused. He blinked and said:

"Leaving your position like this—is that really okay?"

"Relax. I’m not leaving the library. All we need is a spot where we can still see the counter, and besides..."

Anna grinned slyly and fixed her gaze on Moen:

"At this time of day, aside from Junior Moen here, who seems to be skipping class, who else would come to the library?"

"...Yeah, true."

Moen let his eyes roam across the library; aside from a few upperclassmen silently poring over resources, there really wasn't anyone else.

---

After settling down near the library's counter with Senior Anna, Moen’s bittersweet study session began once again.

Complex knowledge was broken down by Anna, who was adept at teaching, into manageable bits that Moen could easily absorb, filling his mind with new insights. Moen could clearly sense his progress.

However, his enjoyment wasn't solely derived from the content of the session.

Whenever he lifted his gaze and saw Anna's captivating expression as she immersed herself in teaching, Moen couldn't help but wish that time would slow down—slow down even more.

If only moments like this could last forever...

"Junior, you smell like a woman."

During a pause after explaining one section in the lesson, Anna casually remarked while flipping through the book in her hands.

"Uh...!"

Moen, who had just been lost in a beautiful daydream, froze at once.

"Do... do I?"

"This scent—I caught a whiff of it before."

Anna placed the book down, her expression tinged with subtle curiosity.

"It was when I visited you in the infirmary. It's the student council president, isn't it?"

Oh no, after that incident, he *did* end up having close contact with thirty other guys too—how could she still tell?

"My sense of smell has always been sharp, you know." Anna smiled, as if she were reading his thoughts.

"So, is it?"

"...Yes."

"Meaning you saw that student council president before coming here?"

"Ah... Yes."

Moen answered stiffly.

Why was he feeling an oddly guilty vibe, like a philanderer caught in the act?

He hadn't done anything wrong!

No, I need to...

Just as Moen began concocting something to defuse the awkward tension, Anna leaned closer, resting her chin on her hand.

A fragrant scent filled Moen’s nose, enveloping him.

"Speaking of which, Junior is quite the renowned playboy in the academy."

"I’ve already explained many times—those are just rumors," Moen replied helplessly.

"True. But Moen Junior does tend to hang around with the academy's famous girls, doesn’t he?"

"Do I?"

Moen scratched his cheek.

Girls? He hadn't felt especially drawn to them, although there were plenty of male students eyeing his physique...

However, why was Senior suddenly bringing this up now...?

"Alright, let me ask you something..."

Anna suddenly flicked her hair behind her shoulder, her gaze brimming with tenderness, barely containing hidden depths. She asked softly:

"Do you have a crush on anyone, Junior?"

"...What?"

Anna's words were so clear and abrupt that it felt like a skilled boxer had delivered a direct blow to the core of Moen's being, shaking him to the core.

Moen's eyes widened as he reflexively glanced around.

At some point, all the other people in the library had left. Now, it was only the two of them.

An overwhelming silence encased them.

Wait, wait, wait.

This setting.

This atmosphere.

For Senior to suddenly ask such a question—

Could she possibly be...

---