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Join the ServerThat evening, within the knight dormitories of Holy Hall Academy.
Hearing footsteps approaching from outside her door, Alice Liddell swiftly gathered her homework from the desk. She tucked it into her bag, stowed it in the locker, and then, with practiced ease, picked up the novel she had strategically placed nearby, pretending to engross herself in its pages.
The room was situated at the corridor’s very end, meaning only its residents would ever approach. Thus, Alice Liddell knew it was Jeanne Decker returning. She meticulously ensured Jeanne Decker would not see anything she had written, remembering that Jeanne Decker had seen her handwriting during their time at Southwest Saint Academy.
****
Moments later, Jeanne Decker pushed the door open.
“Senior Jeanne, is your training finished for today?” Alice Liddell asked, her face lighting up with a smile.
“Yes,” Jeanne Decker replied, unbuckling her sword and hanging it on the rack. “Have you already finished your homework?”
“Yes,” Alice Liddell nodded. “There wasn’t much assigned on the first day.”
“I drew some water for the bath this afternoon; you can go ahead and wash up,” Jeanne Decker said, pointing to the small room in the corner.
“It’s fine, I can wait a bit. I’ve just reached a really exciting part,” Alice Liddell answered composedly, shifting her gaze back to her book.
Part of the reason she had agreed to Jeanne Decker’s suggestion to share a room was that Alice Liddell had lived with Queen Isola for a time. She believed she had grown accustomed to sharing a room with another girl. Therefore, sharing with Jeanne Decker didn’t make her particularly nervous—it was a minor situation, nothing to worry about.
Then, she heard Jeanne Decker declare, “Alright, I’ll go first then.”
No sooner had the words left her lips than Alice Liddell heard the rustle of clothes being tossed onto a bed.
“Hm?” Alice Liddell instinctively looked up, only to see Jeanne Decker, her back to her, already having shed her top, revealing a sculpted and strong back. Then, Jeanne Decker’s hands moved to her waistband.
Alice Liddell froze for a moment, her eyes instantly darting back to the pages of her book.
In that brief instant, her inner self was locked in a fierce battle. Her ‘instinctive self’ whispered, ‘You definitely want to look; it’s not like she’ll lose a limb if you do.’ Meanwhile, her ‘rational self’ meticulously analyzed, ‘You must remain calm. Everything will be fine as long as your true identity isn’t exposed.’
‘Wait, why are these two thoughts inexplicably agreeing?’
Alice Liddell took a deep breath, quickly regaining her composure.
Jeanne Decker had only invited her to share a room out of concern. Considering their past friendship, to exploit her friend’s kindness for such an unwilling act of voyeurism would be utterly detestable.
She realized her considerations hadn’t been thorough enough. When she lived with Queen Isola, Queen Isola knew her true background and would naturally maintain some distance to avoid awkwardness. However, Jeanne Decker had no idea of Alice Liddell’s original gender and would not be mindful of such things.
It was up to her to maintain her boundaries and simply be careful.
Alice Liddell refocused her attention on the book. The sound of splashing water emanated from the bathroom, and then, quite suddenly, she heard Jeanne Decker call out from inside, “Ah, pardon me, Miss Liddell, I forgot my towel! My hair’s already wet again. Could you please hand me one?”
Alice Liddell’s eye twitched, and she clutched her book tightly.
‘I’ve just managed to calm myself down; please don’t cause trouble, alright?’
But she could only respond, “Alright. Where is your towel?”
“It’s in the small box on my table.”
“Okay.” Alice Liddell walked over and opened the small box, finding neatly folded personal garments, socks, and several towels.
‘As expected of Jeanne Decker, even these minor details are meticulously organized.’
This was Alice Liddell’s first thought.
‘Her taste in underwear is quite good.’
This was Alice Liddell’s second thought.
She randomly pulled out a towel, carefully closed the box, and then walked to the bathroom door, ready to hand the towel to Jeanne Decker.
“I’ve got it.”
“Thank you.”
In the next second, the door swung completely open. Jeanne Decker leaned out directly, reaching for the towel in Alice Liddell’s hand.
Alice Liddell was genuinely startled. The moment the door opened, she quickly looked up at the ceiling.
She had expected Jeanne Decker to only open a crack. After all, even when facing someone of the same s*x, most people wouldn’t casually expose their entire body.
However, it now seemed that Jeanne Decker, having spent time in military camps, was quite uninhibited in this regard.
“What’s wrong? Is there something up there?” Jeanne Decker, having received the towel, didn’t retreat. Instead, she became curious about Alice Liddell’s sudden upward gaze.
She leaned a little closer to Alice Liddell, also looking up to follow her line of sight.
‘Don’t come any closer!’ Alice Liddell screamed internally, feeling their proximity.
Fortunately, directly above their heads on the ceiling, a gecko appeared.
“It’s a gecko. They eat mosquitoes and bugs; just leave it be. If you’re afraid, I can catch it and put it outside,” Jeanne Decker said.
“No, it’s fine!” Alice Liddell responded softly.
“Alright, I’m sorry to have troubled you.”
Jeanne Decker returned to the bathroom without a second thought. Alice Liddell stood by the door, letting out a sigh of relief.
However, she immediately heard Jeanne Decker’s voice again: “Ah, I forgot the soap!”
‘That’s enough!’ Alice Liddell yelled loudly in her mind.
****
A quarter of an hour later, Jeanne Decker emerged from the bathroom, drying her hair while wearing pajamas. She glanced at Alice Liddell, who was lying on her bed.
“Are you not reading your book anymore?” Jeanne Decker asked casually.
‘Suddenly, I feel a little tired.’ Alice Liddell lay with her hands clasped over her stomach, her expression so serene it was as if she were about to be buried.
“What is it? Well, then, wash up and rest early.”
Jeanne Decker did not say anything, but she cared deeply.
*Knock, knock.*
The door was suddenly knocked upon. Jeanne Decker and Alice Liddell exchanged a glance, a look of confusion on their faces.
“Hello, Miss Decker, I’m Susan. I apologize for the late hour, but there’s a rather urgent matter I need to discuss with you. Are you available?”
A woman’s voice drifted from outside the door. It was one of the academy’s guard knights.
Jeanne Decker quietly explained to Alice Liddell, then strode to the door. “Yes, I’m coming.”
The door opened, revealing a female knight in full armor. She removed her helmet, holding it in her arms, and nodded to Jeanne Decker.
“Good evening, Miss Decker.”
“Hello. What’s the situation?” Jeanne Decker nodded back.
“It’s like this: I was on night watch at the main gate today, and this child suddenly came looking for you… For the details, I’ll let her explain.”
The female knight stepped aside. It was then that Jeanne Decker and Alice Liddell noticed another person standing behind her. This person was smaller than the knight and, for some reason, was nervously hunching their shoulders, causing them to be completely obscured by the knight.
“Leah?”
Jeanne Decker immediately recognized the person the knight had brought: Leah, a student from the external college’s law department, and the younger sister of Martha, who sold pancakes outside the academy. “What’s wrong with you?”
She realized Leah was in a very distressed state. Not only was her body hunched, but her face was as pale as paper. The sleeve on her left arm was rolled up, revealing a bandaged upper arm, clearly indicating a recent dressing.
“Senior…”
The moment she saw Jeanne Decker, tears immediately streamed from Leah’s eyes. She lunged at Jeanne Decker, clutching her sleeve tightly, and cried out, “Please, save my sister!”
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, I’m a Vengeful Spirit, But I Just Want a Peaceful Life is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : I’m a Vengeful Spirit, But I Just Want a Peaceful Life
