Chapter 48: Once In A While

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Once In A While

"Well then, let’s go see what this ghost is about."

Xavier accompanied Allen out of the dorms, making their way toward the southwestern forests.

"Is it just going to be the two of us?" Xavier asked, noting that Allen hadn’t called anyone else from his group of friends.

"Yes. I don’t trust any of them. In case something dangerous happens, I believe you’re strong enough to protect both of us," Allen said.

"So, you invited me to act as your shield?"

"No, no. I genuinely thought you might be interested in ghosts. Turns out I was right."

Xavier still couldn’t tell if Allen was simply using him or actually considered him a friend, but he followed anyway. They entered the forest where the path grew darker. Long, thick branches shadowed them from the moonlight. They walked toward the lake near the outer walls of the academy, surrounded by dense trees.

"Hey, don’t they have beasts in this forest?" Xavier asked.

"Most of them are tamed. They won’t attack you if you just leave them be," Allen replied.

They walked through the silent night, the only sounds their footsteps and the crackle of dry leaves underfoot.

They pushed deeper into the forest when Xavier suddenly grabbed Allen, clamped a hand over his mouth, and pulled him behind a tree.

"Hey, what’s this about?"

"Hush. Be quiet," Xavier whispered. Allen obeyed, seeing the look on Xavier’s face.

A moment later a huge beast that looked like a tiger came into view. It stood over eight feet tall, massive paws leaving deep marks in the ground with every step. Long front fangs jutted from its mouth. Xavier recognized it at once—an oversized saber-toothed tiger, extinct in his previous world.

His instincts were screaming. He called on his magical beast’s ability to sharpen his senses just in time and heard the beast’s footsteps before pulling Allen.

Hiding behind the tree, he watched the creature. The feral fur and sheer size fascinated him, but silence was critical. If it attacked, he didn’t want to be responsible for protecting Allen while fighting something that large.

Just as the beast was about to pass, it halted. It turned and walked straight toward the tree they hid behind. Heavy footsteps grew louder. Then it rounded the trunk and stood right in front of them, lowering its head to stare into their faces.

Xavier felt Allen’s heartbeat hammering against his chest as he kept his hand clamped over Allen’s mouth, but he stayed calm. If it came to it, he could at least get away without major injuries. He stared straight back into the huge beast’s eyes.

It was surreal—huge golden-amber eyes, and fangs nearly as long as his arms.

The beast locked gazes with him and found another pair of sharp, blue, beastly eyes staring back from behind Xavier’s own. It growled once, then stepped back, turned, and continued on its way.

"Xavier, how did you do that?" Allen asked, voice shaking with shock.

"I didn’t do anything. It was just like you said. The beasts leave you alone if you don’t disturb them." Xavier believed it, having no idea what had truly just happened.

They continued more carefully, avoiding further encounters, until the lake finally came into view.

It was beautiful—blue water shimmering under the moonlight, almost magical.

Splash

The sound of water came from the lake. Xavier and Allen ducked behind the bushes; eyes fixed on the source.

"Look, Xavier—it’s true. There’s the ghost, with blood-red hair," Allen whispered, pointing.

But what Xavier saw completely mesmerized him.

A delicate woman’s figure from behind: a plump, soft ass rising just above the water, slim waist flaring into full hips, fair skin glowing under the moonlight and the lake’s reflection. Her back was covered by long, slick, crimson-red hair, wet and clinging to her skin.

The figure turned, revealing a delicate, beautiful face, soft full lips, heavy breasts that swayed gently with the motion, beautiful stiff pink nipples, green eyes, and long pointed ears. It was an elf—a beautiful, naked elf bathing in the lake under the moonlight, water cascading over her soft curves.

Xavier couldn’t understand how anyone could mistake her for a ghost.

He stared silently at her gentle, wet body—the way the water beaded on her heavy tits and ran down the soft plane of her stomach—until her eyes met his. Her delicate hands rose. A small fireball bloomed at her fingertips, then grew larger and larger. Xavier realized too late that it wasn’t growing—it was racing toward them at incredible speed. Before he could move or reactivate his magical beast ability, the fireball slammed into the ground beneath their feet and blasted them backward.

Allen cracked his head against a tree and fell unconscious. Xavier caught himself against another trunk. The bark molded around his body. Wooden cuffs locked around his wrists. Roots coiled around his legs. A layer of bark sealed over his torso, pinning him in place. He could have broken free with raw strength—it was only wood—but he decided against it when he saw the beautiful redhead elf walking toward him.

"Which faction are you from?" the elf shouted, keeping her distance. A thin wet towel clung tightly to her body, wet enough that her erect nipples and pink areolas showed clearly through the translucent fabric, the soft weight of her breasts outlined in full.

"I don’t know about any factions. We’re just freshmen. I’m Xavier Drakenfell, rank 2 of the freshmen." He was confused; he had never heard of factions within the academy.

"Huh! Don’t lie. Why would a couple of freshmen spy on me? You clearly have ill intentions," she sneered.

"We don’t even know who you are. We just came to investigate the rumor about a ghost that appears at the lake at night," Xavier replied.

She frowned. "Are you calling me an ugly ghost on top of spying on me?"

Xavier remained calm "You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve seen, and I keep telling you we weren’t spying on you," The elf fell silent. "And I don’t know about any factions. Believe me."

A blush appeared on her cheeks. "Flattery won’t work on me. And even if I believe you, that still doesn’t explain why a freshman would venture this deep into the forest midnight."

It took a while, but Xavier eventually convinced her. She freed him from the tree’s grip.

"Now that you know there’s no ghost. Don’t let me catch you spying on me again," she said, the wet towel still clinging to every soft curve.

"All right. But I still don’t know who you are."

"I’m Sylvia Zelrath, rank 1 of—"

"Rank one of the fourth years?" Xavier cut her words.

"So you do know me."

"I just know of your name from a friend," he said. "Do you come here often to bathe in the lake?"

"Not often. Just once in a while when I’m free. Why?" Sylvia asked.

"Since you dislike people peeking at you in secret, I figured I should just join you in the lake next time" Xavier said, eyes still lingering on the way the wet cloth hugged her heavy breasts and the soft outline of her body.

Sylvia and Mifias’s uncensored art is available on my discord: .gg/46RzQWVvsR