"Our bathwater is ready," Sesil informed me, her hand gently caressing my cheek. "Let us go, my love..."
I carried her into the bathroom, slowly removing her clothing. Afterwards, we washed each other's bodies thoroughly. I wanted to offer special care to this precious woman I adored. I felt as though my long-dead heart, which had lost all sensation, was finally stirring back to life.
I realised I was capable of falling in love once more. "Thank you, Sesil..."
"What brings this on, my love..." Sesil replied, enjoying the gentle sensation of my hands scrubbing her skin.
"I finally understand what love feels like again..." I whispered bashfully. "Please become my first wife in the future..."
"Of course..." Sesil answered. "I cannot wait to register for future tournaments alongside you, my instructor, and conquer them all."
As we soaked together in the bathtub, an intense warmth bloomed within my chest. Wrapping my arms around her front, I played gently with her chest while pressing repeated kisses against the nape of her neck.
The capacity for affection that had been extinguished by military training was reviving completely. I began to feel like a normal human being again, rather than a mindless killing machine manufactured by the state. The internal engine responsible for loving another person was operating once more.
This comforting warmth made me realise I was no longer a puppet. Thoughts of building a real family in the future drifted into my mind. The relentless military propaganda urging me to lay down my life for the nation was gradually evaporating from my thoughts.
Still, the conditioned instinct driving my absolute loyalty to the royal family lingered in my mind.
Upon finishing our bath, we dried our bodies. I helped Sesil dry her hair using a hairdryer, gently combing through the strands until they were perfectly neat. Afterwards, Sesil took the comb to carefully style my hair in return.
"Yogiri, in any relationship, there will inevitably be times when I make mistakes... considering how gentle and nearly perfect you are, you never scold me when I mess up... I want you to promise to be completely honest with me whenever I make a mistake, please tell me directly..." Sesil requested while styling my hair.
"I promise, my love..." I responded. "The same goes for me, please never hesitate to scold me whenever I fall short."
Holding hands, we walked toward Sesil's bedroom, leaving the automated cleaning robot to tidy up the adjacent suite. I immediately lay down beside her, gazing at her with deep affection before gently lifting the hem of her oversized sleep t-shirt.
She was not wearing a bra, offering me a perfect opportunity to play with her breasts. Sesil remained focused on her phone screen, murmuring, "Be patient, my love... I am currently replying to congratulations messages from our teammates..."
Her chest felt exceptionally soft and supple.
I felt Sesil typing with one hand while using her free hand to gently stroke my hair. "There, there, my sweet Yogiri..."
I subsequently began suckling her nipple gently, focusing on drawing her into a romantic mood. Men truly were simple creatures when it came to such desires, an undeniable truth. Once she finished responding to her teammates, I shared a slow kiss with her. Following our usual routine, I inquired about her day, listening to what she had experienced throughout the afternoon.
After hearing her thoughts, I offered thoughtful feedback and advice. Viper 6 had once remarked that I was an excellent listener, and I finally understood what my mentor meant. Having poured her heart out, Sesil showered my neck with repeated, tender kisses.
"Yogiri belongs entirely to me first, I am definitely number one," she whispered softly. My partner proceeded to give me a gentle nursing handjob, concluding the act as I released inside her mouth.
Afterwards, we drifted off to sleep, preparing ourselves for the next day. As it turned out, my excessive worrying proved completely unnecessary during the upper bracket finals, where Sesil delivered another breathtaking performance, wrapping up a two-to-zero victory in just nine minutes.
Her opponent, Sereiya, was utterly overwhelmed by Sesil's hyper-aggressive playstyle from matches one and two, which denied Sereiya any opportunity to establish a defence or execute a counterattack. This super-aggressive combat style suited Sesil exceptionally well.
Once the second match concluded, I waited for her in our usual spot, holding a warm towel and her water bottle. Sesil was dripping with sweat, her spirit burning with intense energy.
"Instructor!" Sesil shouted, running toward me.
"Nice work, you set another lightning-fast record," I said, wiping away her sweat with the warm towel.
I cleaned her face thoroughly before offering a gentle scalp massage.
"Getting a massage from you like this feels heavenly, Yogiri..." Sesil praised my touch.
"Hey, remember to address me as Instructor while we are out here," I reminded her softly. "We need to protect the secret behind your strength."
"Right, I forgot," Sesil smiled, stretching her limbs.
I draped a towel over her shoulders, gently massaging her upper back. Sesil closed her eyes, savouring the massage during the brief intermission between matches. She hummed a quiet melody as I worked through her muscles, swinging her feet playfully while seated on the bench inside the dressing room.
"I cannot wait to secure the final victory so we can indulge in intimate moments again..." Sesil whispered close to me.
As her rest period concluded, the third match commenced. Just like before, Sesil opened with an aggressive onslaught. However, a noticeable transformation occurred with her weapon, her spear altered its physical shape entirely. While I could not fully grasp the mechanism, the spear seemed to harmonise completely with Sesil's intent.
Sereiya blocked Sesil's spear swings repeatedly, attempting to create wind clones to divert her attacks. Sesil countered by summoning a swirling vortex of wind magic around her body, her eyes scanning the field to pinpoint the real target among the illusions.
"You had better forfeit now, because I have no intention of losing..." Sesil declared, her expression burning with fierce determination. She relentlessly dismantled dozens of Sereiya's wind clones without pausing for breath.
Ultimately, the upper bracket finals reached an unexpected conclusion when Sereiya submitted. Her opponent's mental resolve crumbled entirely under Sesil's relentless assault. Throwing down her weapon, Sereiya requested a formal forfeit, which was promptly granted after watching her clones get tossed around like ragdolls by Sesil's furious attacks.
While the ending felt somewhat anticlimactic, it granted Sesil and me valuable extra time to prepare for the grand finals. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, and upon checking the news feeds on my device, headlines regarding the miraculous resurgence of Sesil Ernburg flooded every inter-academy magic tournament website.
This time, Sesil genuinely enjoyed her victory, waving warmly to the spectators in the stands before walking over to where I stood waiting. The moment we stepped into the private changing room, I immediately began pampering her with a thorough massage.
"Sesil, brilliant work once again. We have secured our ticket to the grand finals, so do not forget our agreement," I told her. "However, you went completely all-out out there, so keep your stamina reserves in mind."
"Instructor, for this post-match session, I want to handle the interview myself, but I need you to accompany me..." Sesil requested with absolute seriousness. "I want to confront and overcome my fear of media attention..."
"As long as you stand by my side, I can face the journalists and conquer my anxiety," Sesil assured me. We subsequently proceeded together to interview grand final qualifiers.
Seated at the post-match press conference table, Sesil held my hand tightly beneath the desk while fielding questions from journalists and media representatives. I directed the straightforward questions toward her.
"Miss Sesil, how does it feel to return to tournament victory after your performance in last year's event?" a reporter asked.
"Naturally, I am overjoyed, primarily because I found an exceptional instructor. Thanks to his innovative training methods, I feel fully capable of claiming victory in this maiden tournament," Sesil answered, squeezing my hand firmly under the table. "My instructor never gave up on me when I experienced setbacks, allowing me to embrace defeat comfortably so I could overcome my mental blocks..."
"Regarding your next objective, do you plan to pursue Grade 1 competitions or enter lower-tier events?" another journalist inquired.
"Looking ahead, I will evaluate my options carefully, though I am aiming for the title of Mighty Wind Magician if possible," Sesil replied. "I feel that title aligns with my current capabilities, though I might pursue the Wind Mage Triple Tiara later on."
"Is there any possibility you will enter mixed-gender competitions in the future?" a reporter pressed further.
"No, I intend to compete exclusively in the women's division for now," Sesil answered, offering a graceful smile to the cameras. "As a female competitor, I am not convinced my strength matches male mages. Perhaps in the future, if I gain the confidence to surpass male spellcasters, I may consider mixed events. Presently, I wish to carry forward the legacy of my aunt, Selia Ernburg, completing the Triple Tiara she was forced to abandon due to her military service. After that, I might explore mixed competitions during my third year."
Following a few additional standard questions, Sesil politely requested to conclude her session, leaving me behind to address the remaining press inquiries. I ended up receiving immense spotlight coverage, with several articles featuring my name explicitly.
Wrapping up the press conference, I exited the media room, only to be approached by a group of male fans holding banners identifying themselves as Sesil's primary support club. It seemed Sesil had officially established a dedicated fanbase, composed primarily of male supporters alongside a few female admirers.
Given Sesil's stunning appearance and undeniable talent, her popularity among male fans was entirely expected. Anyone would be captivated by her presence. However, I remained the only person privileged to witness her true self, while her fans could only admire her from afar.
"Thank you so much for helping Miss Sesil achieve victory again!" they called out.
After spending some time engaging politely with her fans, I returned to our hotel suite. Unlocking the door, I found Sesil waiting for me with a radiant smile illuminating her face.
"Grand finals!" Sesil cheered, embracing me instantly before closing and locking the suite door. "Unfortunately, I will not be able to dodge the post-match interview following the grand finals."
"As long as I am with you, I can handle anything," Sesil said, releasing her embrace.
We shared another slow French kiss. Sesil had grown noticeably more assertive during her period of physical abstinence, her hands wandering playfully across my chest. Lifting her into my arms, I carried her to our bed, kissing her deeply to reward her outstanding tournament performance.
I hovered over her, sharing passionate kisses until our saliva blended together.
"Tomorrow, if I win, it will be my turn to drain you completely, Instructor," Sesil murmured with deep affection. "I am going to unleash every bit of my desire and leave my Yogiri completely exhausted."
I simply smiled, switching on the television to monitor the lower bracket semifinal match, which was set to lead directly into the lower bracket finals. Sesil was guaranteed to face either a rematch against Sereiya or a rematch against Iclima Eyes.
Both competitors were currently clashing in the lower bracket finals. Visible signs of exhaustion were evident on both Sereiya and Iclima. Sereiya possessed a slight stamina advantage due to her earlier forfeit, which had allowed her to drop down to the lower bracket finals with reduced exertion. Meanwhile, Iclima had just emerged from a gruelling four-to-three victory in the lower bracket semifinals.
Securing the upper bracket spot offered an undeniable advantage for tomorrow's grand finals. We enjoyed extended rest while analysing our potential opponents' strategies directly from their lower bracket battle.
Sesil observed the initial match between Iclima and Sereiya intently, her hand holding onto my free left hand while I lay beside her compiling tactical data.
Neither competitor demonstrated any significant changes in their core combat styles, allowing me to conclude that extensive tactical adjustments would be unnecessary. Nevertheless, given that this was the grand finals, there remained a possibility that our opponent might reveal a hidden surprise.
Recognising that this match determined her final opponent, Sesil remained entirely focused on her analysis. When I offered her lunch, she ate while keeping her eyes fixed on the television screen.
The series between Iclima and Sereiya proved intensely competitive, shifting from a one-to-zero lead to a one-to-one tie, with individual matches stretching past the one-hour mark. Sereiya subsequently secured a two-to-one lead within thirty minutes, only for Iclima to respond swiftly within fifteen minutes to tie the score at two-to-two. Upon closer inspection, I noticed Iclima was attempting to replicate Sesil's unique movements.
"What a pathetic copycat. I am going to crush you tomorrow if you become my opponent," Sesil muttered softly beside me.
Ultimately, Iclima claimed the series with a four-to-three victory, with nearly every match lasting over an hour. I immediately began breaking down my tactical analysis for Sesil, highlighting Iclima's repetitive attack habits. We then simulated proper counter-strategies in the event Iclima attempted to copy Sesil's moves during the grand finals.
"Understood, Yogiri, I grasp the concept completely..." Sesil said, turning off the television before wrapping her arms around mine.
She pressed soft kisses against my cheek and ear before pulling off her oversized T-shirt and lying face down on the bed. "Give me a massage, please, Yogiri... my back and shoulders feel incredibly stiff."
She subsequently unfastened her sports bra and removed her undergarments.
"Hey, you do not need to strip completely naked for a massage, you know..." I laughed softly at her playful behaviour.
Drawing the bedroom curtains closed, I began applying gentle pressure to relax her muscles. As expected, her shoulders and legs felt remarkably stiff from the intense physical exertion. Hopefully, this treatment would allow her to relax completely, ensuring she remained calm and prepared to claim victory and graduate from her maiden status tomorrow.
You can do this, Sesil...
A comforting warmth filled my chest as I realised how deeply I was enjoying my new life here.