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[TSS] Chapter 75 - Impressions
🕑 Added 2025-03-04 07:37:14 +0000 UTC"How dare you!"
Quentin’s voice came out in a shrill squeal, his entire body trembling with rage. Yet Luke stood his ground, jutting out his chin in defiance. If he backed down now, it would undermine the reputation he had built from his duel earlier that day.
"What are you going to do about it?" Luke asked, a small grin forming on his face.
The silence was heavy, the atmosphere thick with tension. All it would take was a spark for the situation to explode.
"Instructor Quentin, I think that’s enough."
A voice rang out, diffusing the rising tension.
A figure stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back. He wore an elegant yet practical robe, his drooping mustache and neatly trimmed goatee lending him a distinguished appearance. But it was his demeanor that stood out the most—an unmistakable aura of a warrior.
"M-Master Hail, what are you talking about?" Quentin spluttered. "This student is way out of line! I recommend he be expelled from the Royal Academy immedi—"
Master Hail placed a firm hand on the effeminate instructor’s shoulder. Instantly, Quentin’s entire body seemed to sink under its weight, his words cut off mid-sentence. Luke noticed the man visibly swallowing his next words.
"I doubt Viscount Drakon’s actions are serious enough to warrant such a punishment, Instructor Quentin," Master Hail said casually.
"Viscount Drakon?"
The instructor’s frown deepened, confusion evident. A few moments passed before his expression shifted to one of pure horror. His gaze snapped back to the mustachioed man.
Master Hail smiled and nodded. "Luke Drakon has been conferred the title of Viscount by His Majesty, King Julius. If you wish to have him expelled, you’ll have to petition the King himself."
At this revelation, the entire room erupted into shocked whispers.
Meanwhile, Luke took in the scene, relishing the look of sheer panic on Instructor Quentin’s face. As a Viscount, he outranked the instructor—a mere baron—by an entire noble tier.
Quentin stammered incoherently before bowing his head and fleeing the hall, his earlier bravado crumbling into nothing.
Luke stifled a laugh and turned to Master Hail, offering a respectful bow. "Thank you for your assistance, Master Hail."
Master Hail waved a dismissive hand. "It was a small matter." Then, leaning in slightly, he added, "I saw your match against Michael Ring. You have great potential with the sword. Would you be interested in some extracurricular training?"
Luke’s eyes widened in surprise. While the system had granted him thirty years of sword proficiency, applying that knowledge in real combat was another matter. Training under Master Hail would only strengthen his skills.
"Thank you, Master Hail. It would be an honor," he replied, bowing once more.
Master Hail nodded approvingly. "Wonderful. Enjoy your meal—I’ll see you tomorrow." With that, he turned on his heel and exited the hall.
Luke smiled to himself. His mood had lifted considerably. Not only had he put the arrogant Instructor Quentin in his place, but he had also secured an opportunity to sharpen his abilities.
[DING]
‘Hmm?’
Luke glanced at the system notification but decided to ignore it for now. Too many eyes were on him in the dining hall, and more importantly, he was starving—he hadn't eaten in over twelve hours.
"Luke… when were you going to tell us that you were made a Viscount by the King?"
Sebastian’s voice carried both wonder and disbelief. His eyes were slightly moist, as if he was getting emotional.
Luke smiled. "I got a little carried away thinking about dinner. Sorry I didn’t tell you guys. But now that the cat’s out of the bag, we won’t have to worry about people like Michael or Instructor Quentin anymore."
"I was hoping you’d kick his ass…" Victoria chimed in, cracking her knuckles. She seemed less surprised by Luke’s newfound nobility than anyone else at the table.
"I can’t believe you’re a Viscount…" Kayson muttered, still staring at Luke in disbelief. "Does that mean I have to call you ‘my Lord’ from now on?"
"Yes." Luke’s expression turned dead serious.
Kayson blinked, stunned. It wasn’t until both Victoria and Sebastian began to laugh that Luke finally cracked, joining in. His friend’s reaction had been too hilarious to resist.
Ignoring the curious stares directed at them, Luke and the others enjoyed a hearty meal—red meat, soup, and some day-old bread for dipping. Yet, despite the delicious food, Luke found himself distracted. Every so often, his gaze wandered toward Victoria, remembering the feeling of her soft curves against him.
As if sensing his eyes on her, she suddenly looked up, catching him in the act.
Luke quickly turned his head, trying his best to appear composed. He failed.
‘How is it that I can confidently face thousands of men in battle, but I become meek in front of Victoria?’
He had heard the phrase "love is just another battlefield," but if that was the case, shouldn’t he have at least some transferable skills?
Shaking his head, Luke forced himself to focus on more pressing matters. Whatever he felt about Victoria would have to wait. For now, she was officially his servant while they remained in the Royal Academy.
Once he had eaten his fill, Luke stood up from the table and bid the others farewell. It had been a long day, and even from here, he could practically hear his bed calling out to him.
"I will accompany you, young master."
Victoria stood up promptly.
Luke froze for a moment but quickly composed himself. When he turned, he saw Kayson and Sebastian smirking at him, wearing identical knowing grins.
He resisted the urge to inflict violence on them and promptly exited the dining hall. Wherever he went, eyes followed, but he ignored them. If anything, the more wary people were of him, the less likely they’d try to target him.
With his new title as Viscount, he technically outranked every other student at the Royal Academy. However, that didn’t mean he could act with complete impunity.
Most of these students had powerful backing—Earls, Marquesses, even Dukes. As long as he didn’t step too far out of line, there shouldn’t be any major issues.
After stepping into his room, Luke had almost forgotten that Victoria was still following closely behind him. That was, until he felt a pair of soft hands tug at his robe—nearly making him jump out of his skin.
"W-What are you doing!?" Luke stammered, jerking away from her touch.
Victoria tilted her head innocently. "I am helping you undress, young master. Is that not part of a servant’s duties?"
Hearing this—and seeing her expression so devoid of ulterior motives—Luke suddenly felt embarrassed for making such a big deal out of it. After all, if she wasn’t uncomfortable with it, why should he be?
Clearing his throat, he gave a small nod. "Very well. Please assist me, then." Turning around, he allowed her to continue.
It was an odd sensation, having someone else undress him—especially knowing that someone was a woman. His mind began to wander, drifting into uncharted territory filled with thoughts he had never considered before.
As the robe slipped from his shoulders, her soft hands found the tense muscles in his back and began to knead them gently. The sensation was heavenly, threatening to pull him into a dangerous trance.
Just as he was about to lose himself in the feeling, he froze.
"That will be enough." His voice came out softer than he had intended.
"Yes, young master." Her voice was calm and composed.
Luke let out a breath, his thoughts in turmoil.
‘That was close…’
Glancing briefly at Victoria, he made his way to the large four-poster bed and settled in. But even as he lay there, his heart still raced, his skin tingling where her hands had touched him.
Taking deep, measured breaths, he tried to regain his composure.
‘Is it just my teenage hormones?’
Back on Earth, he hadn't had much interaction with women, but he had always assumed he could maintain control in a situation like this. The fact that he had barely resisted Victoria’s touch was… concerning.
Powerful men throughout history had brought about their own downfall for lesser temptations. Time and time again, women had been at the center of legendary conflicts, entire nations thrown into chaos over so-called "world-toppling beauties."
Now, for the first time, Luke understood what that phrase truly meant.
And unfortunately for him—Victoria fit the description all too well.
‘I need to learn to control myself.’
If he let his emotions dictate his actions, he could end up just another victim of such folly. It might not be Victoria, but one day, he could meet another woman who could exploit such a weakness.
But then… an idea struck him.
‘What if I use Victoria as a whetstone?’
In theory, it made sense. If he acclimated himself to her presence—learned to remain unaffected by her beauty—he could eventually steel himself against such temptations entirely.
‘Is that possible?’
The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
And just like that, his unease began to settle.
‘I’ll be spending plenty of time with Victoria from now on. As long as I can resist her charms and keep my emotions in check, it should get easier with time.’
That was what he told himself, at least.
The candlelight flickered out, plunging the room into darkness. Luke let out a small sigh of relief and adjusted himself on the bed.
‘I’ll start my exposure therapy tomorrow. But for now, let’s see what that system notification was about.’
Just as he was about to call up the system, he felt the covers shift.
A moment later, something soft and warm pressed against him, sending a shiver up his spine.
"Goodnight, young master."
Luke’s entire body went rigid. His mind raced, completely frozen in shock.
For a split second, he swore he could hear his teenage hormones cheering in victory. But that was probably just his imagination.
It took him several long minutes before he could formulate a coherent thought.
"V-Victoria… what are you doing?" His voice came out in a shaky whisper.
No response.
The only sound was her rhythmic breathing, her sweet breath brushing against his exposed skin.
‘T-This is fine, right?’
His heart pounded against his ribcage.
‘Exposure therapy… what better way to start than this… right?’
He shifted slightly, only to realize—
Soft.
Warm.
And dangerously close.
A thin layer of fabric was all that separated him from Victoria’s soft and surprisingly large peaks.
Luke stopped breathing. His blood circulation changed almost immediately, and soon, there wasn’t nearly enough of it reaching his brain. His thoughts turned sluggish, barely coherent.
For what felt like an eternity, he remained perfectly still, his body locked in place.
‘I need to think about something else… anything else.’
‘System. Help me.’
Summoning every ounce of willpower he had left, Luke forced his system to open. A translucent window appeared before him, its familiar text hovering in the air like a lifeline.
User: Luke Drakon
Title: Viscount
Subordinates: 2
Stats:
Ambition: C+
Charisma: A
Intelligence: B-
Prowess: B+
Zeal: F
Loyalty: G
Additional notes: Appointed as a Viscount by King Julius for meritorious deeds. An accomplished General and sound tactician. Is scared of women
Luke’s lips twitched.
His Charisma had risen to A, and his Prowess had seen a solid increase as well. That much was good news.
But then…
His eyes landed on the last note.
His expression darkened.
‘I am not scared of women!’ He screamed inwardly.
As if the universe itself had decided to test his claim, Victoria shifted in her sleep, draping a leg over him.
Luke flinched.
‘…’
Comments
leeroycgna
Yes, all in order to grow stronger... right?
AHPMoogle
Exposure therapy... right... 😏
