Chapter 12

“Mirexia, is there something else?” Seeing Mirexia stop him, Winnie had no choice but to halt as well.

This farce had left both of them extremely awkward, so much so that they didn’t know how to face each other.

Winnie felt that what they needed most now was to calm down. They should each go home and rest, perhaps by tomorrow they could forget today’s embarrassment and continue as if nothing had happened.

Hmm, come to think of it, how could Mirexia possibly do such a thing?

Winnie felt that the excuse he had given Mirexia earlier wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

Perhaps there really was some residual poison in her body that hadn’t been completely cleared, affecting her cognition and judgment.

Or maybe the remaining toxins had accumulated in her throat, causing discomfort that made her resort to such actions to feel better.

…No, he felt like he couldn’t keep up this pretense anymore.

“Please wait, don’t leave yet, okay?” Mirexia hesitated, sitting on the sofa with her hands intertwined, her head lowered so that her expression was hidden.

She could have just played dumb and followed the excuse Winnie had given her.

After all, her childhood friend wasn’t the type to gossip and would definitely keep this embarrassing secret for her, just as she would unquestioningly keep the secret of his bloodline for him.

This was the unshakable trust and unspoken understanding between them.

Perhaps the best choice now was for both of them to go home and calm down. But Mirexia felt that if they let this matter continue to ferment, their relationship, while seemingly the same on the surface, would become increasingly unpredictable due to the subtle changes in their hearts.

Mirexia didn’t know why she had stopped Winnie. Her rational mind told her that they should each give the other some space, as Winnie had suggested. But before she knew it, she had already called out to him.

“Well, as you said, there must still be some residual poison in me that hasn’t been completely cleared, which is why…”

“Mm, you don’t need to explain, I understand.” Winnie nodded, giving Mirexia a trusting look. “Don’t worry, next time we’ll find a moment to clear out the remaining poison.”

“Actually, we don’t need to find a moment.” Hearing this, Mirexia fell silent for a moment, still lowering her head, her voice soft and hesitant.

“…Huh?” Winnie tilted his head, thinking he must have misheard. He turned to look at Mirexia sitting on the sofa, her head almost buried in the soft and ample breasts. Her golden twin tails, like exquisite silk, cascaded over her smooth shoulders and the towering peaks of her chest, flowing onto the soft leather sofa.

“What did you say?” Winnie asked, unable to believe what he had heard.

“…” Mirexia remained silent, only clenching her hands tighter.

‘Virtue +60.’

‘Current Virtue: 10064.’

It was too difficult for someone as honest as her to say such a thing a second time.

“I understand.” Letting Mirexia continue in this state of embarrassment might yield more virtue, but Winnie didn’t leave her hanging, making her feel even more awkward and speechless.

If it were Aesphyra, he might have continued to leave her in that state to gain more virtue, but Aesphyra’s thick skin probably wouldn’t have let her fall into such a state of self-shame and rejection.

“Indeed, the residual poison in your body is like a thorn in your flesh. It’s better to remove it as soon as possible, or who knows what trouble it might cause later.” Winnie nodded in agreement.

Only then did Mirexia slightly raise her gaze, though she still didn’t dare to look directly at Winnie, trying her best to appear nonchalant as she looked to the side and added, “Mm, yes, that’s right.”

“But, it doesn’t seem very appropriate now, does it?” Winnie also didn’t dare to look at Mirexia. He was afraid that if he looked at the golden-haired beauty whose face still carried a hint of blush, he would recall the earlier scene, making his blood boil.

After all, he was still a man. With such a stunning beauty before him, if he had no reaction, he wouldn’t be a man anymore. Even if she was his childhood friend, he would still…

As he thought of the earlier scene, her fair, jade-like skin covered in a layer of rosy hue.

By saying this, Winnie was indirectly referring to the trouble his bloodline caused.

“Mm, it’s not very convenient here. How about…” Mirexia frowned slightly, as if seriously considering the matter before concluding, “Tonight, come to my dorm? I live alone there, so no one else will notice.”

“…” Winnie fell silent again.

Why was Mirexia the one suggesting this?

“I mean, it’s much more convenient and safer in the dorm.” As if afraid Winnie would misunderstand, Mirexia added an explanation, her face still wearing that serious expression of considering the bigger picture.

“Mm, I understand what you mean.” Winnie indicated that he hadn’t misunderstood Mirexia. “But, Mirexia, you’ve been so busy lately. Is this really okay? Won’t it delay you?”

Winnie knew that with Mirexia’s daily workload, she often had to take work home after hours.

“It’s fine, it won’t take too long.”

“Alright, I’ll help you with your work tonight.” Winnie thought.

He couldn’t do these brain-intensive tasks, but Vanessa could. Since he had decided to give Mirexia a complete way out by going to her place, helping her with her work was a convenient thing to do.

Honestly, Winnie felt that all this trouble was unnecessary, but since Mirexia had said so, he could only attribute it to her strong sense of pride.

Even though both of them knew the truth, she still insisted that it was the residual poison causing her actions, that the poison hadn’t been completely cleared.

In reality, it was holy light. How could the poison not have been completely cleared??

Forget it, he might as well play along with her.

Winnie left the president’s office and found some manual labor he could do, waiting for the student council to finish work.

“Did I keep you waiting long?” In the evening, as the student council members gradually left, Winnie sat in the student council hall, waiting for Mirexia, who had packed up her documents and come down to the first floor.

Mirexia seemed to have composed herself, as her expression had returned to normal, with no trace of the earlier blush.

“No, I just sat down.” Winnie stood up and walked over to Mirexia.

At the front desk, the student council member on duty was shocked to see Mirexia leaving on time. When he saw that she was actually coming to meet Winnie, his jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

What’s going on today? Why is the president leaving on time? Could it be that she’s leaving early for this first-year blue-haired guy??

Is this… a date?!

That can’t be, right? Everyone in Carillian Academy knows how career-focused the president is. How could she possibly go on a date with any man?!

It must be that she has work to discuss.

Yes, that must be it.

But why would she discuss work with a first-year member??

“Classmate, I’ll be taking my work home to handle tonight. Please take care of things here.” Mirexia said to the student on duty.

“Ah, I understand, President. Please go ahead.” The second-year student on duty was momentarily stunned when Mirexia turned to speak to him, quickly regaining his composure and nodding.

“Let’s go.” Mirexia turned back to Winnie.

“Mm.” The two of them walked side by side out of the student council hall.

“Are you hungry?” Mirexia asked.

“Mm.”

“Do you have a restaurant in mind?”

“I’m fine with anything.” Their conversation along the way was rather dull.

The earlier scene still made their interaction somewhat awkward.

Hearing this, Mirexia remained silent, walking ahead to lead the way.

It wasn’t very appropriate to let Winnie choose the restaurant. He usually ate at home, with Shikondell cooking for him, and rarely dined out, partly because he couldn’t afford it.

Tonight, Shikondell would probably have to eat alone again, but she was likely used to it, knowing that Winnie’s student council work kept him busy and sometimes he couldn’t make it home for dinner.

Well, this could be considered student council work, right?

The restaurant Mirexia chose was naturally not an ordinary one. She led Winnie straight to a famous brand steakhouse.

If Winnie remembered correctly, this brand had many chain restaurants across all human nations.

He hadn’t expected there to be a branch in Carillian Academy. The restaurant, decorated like a royal theater, had a distinct style of its own.

Pushing open the glass door that shimmered like liquid gold, the warmth inside the restaurant dispelled the chill on their bodies. The elegant violin music calmed their minds.

“Welcome, Miss Mirexia. Are you dining with someone today?” A waiter in a well-tailored uniform bowed to them.

It seemed Mirexia was a regular here, as even the waiters recognized her.

“Mm, please find us a suitable seat.”

“Understood, please follow me.” The waiter, with a look of understanding, specially led Mirexia and Winnie to a secluded table for two, with a fresh rose in a porcelain vase on the table.

This was the end of the corridor, where no one would disturb them, and no one would see them.

While Winnie was still curious whether the artwork and paintings on the wall were fakes, a faint blush crossed Mirexia’s face, barely noticeable under the wine-red lighting.

As a frequent visitor, she knew the significance of this particular seat.

Though she had been here many times, she had never sat here before, as this was the special seat reserved for couples dining here.

And those who could afford to eat here were mostly young masters and misses from wealthy families, big clients who deserved special treatment.

Mirexia seemed to be focusing intently on the menu, but in reality, her gaze kept stealing glances at the blue-haired young man across the table.

“What’s wrong?” Winnie asked, noticing that Mirexia hadn’t ordered after holding the menu for a while.

“Nothing, what would you like to eat?”

“Me? It’s fine, order what you like. What you like is what I like.” Winnie, still pondering whether the painting on the wall next to their table was a fake, absentmindedly replied.

Hearing this, Mirexia’s fingers trembled slightly.

‘Virtue +40.’

‘Current Virtue: 10104.’

Then, she noticed the painting Winnie was looking at.

It depicted a couple being intimate.

Why was he staring at that painting so intently? Could he… be misunderstanding something??

Did he think she had deliberately asked the waiter to seat them here??

Mirexia thought anxiously.

‘Virtue +50.’

‘Current Virtue: 10154.’

Mirexia’s mind was filled with various chaotic thoughts, while Winnie was thinking:

It must be a fake, right? But it’s a high-quality replica, must have cost a lot. Or maybe it’s an original.

Well, he had no expertise in art, just curious.

Huh? What’s going on? My virtue just increased again? I haven’t done anything, have I?

Winnie was completely baffled, wondering if the virtue system had malfunctioned.

“Then, two Holy Shield steak sets, with blueberry iced drinks and desserts. Is that okay?” Mirexia seemed to have thought long and hard before making her choice, but in reality, her mind wasn’t on the menu at all. She had only ordered to avoid dragging it out any longer.

“Mm, that’s fine.” Winnie had no objections. He wasn’t picky; he was an omnivore, eating anything edible.

After handing the menu to the waiter, the atmosphere between them once again fell into silence.

Now, both of them had their own thoughts, and Mirexia’s mind was in turmoil.

Although she had sat across from Winnie and dined together before, for some reason, the atmosphere back then was nothing compared to now.

Sitting across from Winnie at a table filled with such an ambiguous atmosphere, her thoughts were running wild like a runaway horse.

If it had been before, even sitting in such a place, she wouldn’t have had these thoughts.

But now…

Mirexia was also confused, not understanding why she had changed so much recently, especially when facing Winnie.

The pressures from work, studies, and training left her with no personal time, and Mirexia had almost gotten used to such a life.

But after the series of events with Winnie, their relationship had rapidly warmed, almost returning to the carefree state of their childhood.

Especially after her interaction with Vanessa in the president’s office, Mirexia felt as if a switch she had never noticed before had been flipped in her body.

Such actions seemed to provide an outlet for the stress she had no way to release, leaving her feeling refreshed and invigorated.

People under prolonged stress without an outlet can develop psychological issues.

To cope, the body automatically develops some peculiar ways to relieve stress based on individual dispositions.

Her body instinctively sought to release the long-accumulated stress, like pus in a wound that couldn’t be expelled, growing more harmful over time.

But now, the abscess had been punctured, and the pus finally found an outlet, allowing it to be expelled.

As the pus and dead blood were released, the host, who had been suffering for years, felt a sense of relief, as if reborn.

That feeling was addictive.

What Mirexia was thinking, Winnie had no idea. His gaze fell on the tables around them, watching the glistening, fatty steaks, his mouth watering.

This was indeed a famous steakhouse, using only the best cuts from top ranches. One bite and the rich, tender beef flavor would fill your mouth…

He had never been to such a high-end steakhouse before!

But with his back turned, and Mirexia pretending to look elsewhere, not daring to look directly at him, she didn’t notice his expression.

Mirexia couldn’t help but wonder if Winnie was feeling the same way, unsure how to face her, so he pretended to be indifferent and looked away.