Chapter Text
The day's lesson had ended, but for some reason, his heart felt empty. He did not know what was influencing him, but all these feelings felt foreign and peculiar.
On the way back, instead of being picked up by his private chauffeur, Deculein decided to walk. This action was clearly out of character for someone so aristocratic and rigid. However, to suppress his unreasonable anxiety, he chose to enjoy the evening breeze.
The wind blew across his face, feeling a bit dirty as it carried street dust. Yet, Deculein did not stop his pace until he arrived near the city pond, which was as vast as a small lake.
Around the pond, rows of long benches were lined up. Deculein decided to rest his feet for a moment and sat on one of the wooden benches there. While he was enjoying the evening scenery, a stray cat walked up to him.
"Meow..." The animal's voice sounded soft, as if it were begging to be petted. With a slightly trembling hand, Deculein intended to shoo the creature away. His perfectionist nature and obsession with cleanliness made him absolutely despise shedding animal fur.
However, the cat defied him. With one light leap, it landed right on Deculein's lap. The Professor was startled. His entire body suddenly went stiff as a doll, trapped between a sense of discomfort and a reluctance to act harshly.
In the end, Deculein's defense crumbled. His long fingers slowly moved, stroking the cat's soft fur. Unconsciously, a faint smile, which was very rarely seen, etched itself onto his face.
"Wow, I didn't expect someone like Deculein to be able to smile so softly," said a familiar voice with a mocking tone.
A blonde man stood not far from there, with a arrogant smirk clearly displayed on his face.