A few days after the fight ended, Gray's name spread through the whole academy.

His fame jumped so fast that people almost forgot he used to be known as the academy's biggest playboy.

Now, most students only spoke about the boy who crushed Damien without even trying.

And just today…

It was Gray's last day in control of his body.

'...What should I do today?' he wondered while walking through the corridor, hands in his pockets, eyes half-open with boredom.

Since the last swap, he had spent all his time training over and over, pushing himself until his body almost shut down.

He never rested or actually relaxed a little, besides the time he spent with Cassandra. As for the others... they were pretty annoying, so he didn't relax much.

And even during those days, several arrogant second-years still tried to challenge him after seeing his fight with Damien.

Gray beat all of them and used each one as a test dummy to polish his strength.

Thanks to that, he finally reached perfect control over all his power.

To be honest, Gray doesn't like this kind of power-up too much since it gets hard for him to be able to control his whole power directly.

And if he didn't spar with these people, he probably wouldn't be able to reach perfect control before switching with the other Gray.

"...Fucking hell, I don't know what the fuck to do," he muttered while scratching his head in annoyance.

He was a training addict. Resting felt uncomfortable, and free time felt almost useless. He didn't know what people usually did to "enjoy life".

So after thinking for a moment, he decided to visit Selveria.

Not to tease her like he once did, but... to maybe go on a date with her. She's older than him and should have enough experience with these kinds of things.

Besides, she still owed him a favor after what the other Gray did for her.

Soon, he reached the infirmary and pushed the door open without hesitation.

"Selveria, are you here?" he asked as he stepped inside.

His eyes immediately caught a figure behind the curtains, someone who was clearly in the middle of dressing up.

"G-gray?!"

Selveria's voice cracked in shock, followed by the sound of rushed movement as she struggled to pull her clothes on.

Gray sighed.

'What perfect timing…'

"G-give me a second!"

Bing!

A bright white light flared around the curtain, blocking the view completely.

Now he couldn't see anything, which was a shame, but he didn't bother much. He stood there calmly with his hands in his pockets, waiting.

After a short moment, the light faded, and Selveria stepped out, brushing her hair back with slow fingers.

Her cheeks were a little pink, and she tried to hide it with a soft cough.

"Ahem… Do you need anything?"

Her lips moved, but Gray's gaze lowered almost against his will, caught by the small beauty mark under her lower lip. It stood out in a very charming way.

"…Mhm? What are you staring at?" Selveria asked, twisting her waist slightly. The movement made her chest shift, her curves showing as she stepped closer.

"Your mole," Gray addressed the issue directly.

"It suits you."

"O-oh… thank you… No one ever complimented it before," she said as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

This action made Gray take a deep look at her. She was a mature lady who was already over thirty years old...

Besides, she was a little colder before as she ignored his teasing.

But now... she seemed okay with his compliments?

'…Guess saving her from that stupid pervert really raised her affection… so this shouldn't be a problem.'

He nodded lightly to himself.

"Would you go on a date with me?"

Selveria froze for a moment when she heard his question.

Her eyes widened just a little, her lips parting in pure surprise.

Gray was always bold, always teasing, always trying to get a reaction out of her… so hearing such a direct and serious request made her feel strangely warm and awkward at the same time.

Her eyebrows drew together as she looked deeper into his eyes.

"What happened, Gray?" she asked softly.

She studied him without blinking, and the moment she saw the faint confusion in his eyes, she sighed.

Before he could even open his mouth to answer, she stepped forward, grabbed his wrist with surprising strength, and pulled him toward the bed behind her.

"Oi—"

He didn't even finish speaking.

She pushed him down, making him fall onto the bed like a sack of sand, and then she guided his head onto her thighs, letting him rest right on the soft warmth of her lap.

He blinked up at her, stunned and confused.

"…Did something happen for you to ask me on a date?" she asked while gently running her fingers through his hair.

"Don't you have a girlfriend? Even if you are a playboy, you wouldn't cheat on her so openly."

Her tone was calm, but her eyes held a sharp mix of worry and curiosity.

Gray lay there for a moment, still confused by her sudden action.

Her thighs were warm, and oddly comforting, and her touch made it easy to stop thinking for a moment.

He stared up at her, and then he finally spoke.

He explained everything as there was no need to hide his worries.

He told her that he had turned into a training addict these past days and had no idea how to enjoy free time.

He admitted that he didn't know how to "relax" like a normal person, and since she was older and more experienced, he thought she might guide him.

He spoke honestly, with no jokes and no playful tone.

Selveria listened carefully. Then her face lifted with sudden shine, her eyes brightening like a lantern being lit.

"Lucky for you, I have the whole afternoon free!" she laughed lightly. "So, let's go on a date then!"

She didn't wait for him to move.

She grabbed his hand, pulled him up from the bed, and dragged him out of the infirmary with surprising energy.

Gray let himself be pulled along, still a little confused but not fighting her at all.

They left the building, crossed the training fields, went down the old stone path, and soon reached the academy gates.

Selveria didn't slow down even for a second, and Gray followed behind her, feeling the wind on his face and her warm hand tightly holding his.

After a short walk, they reached a large street that looked different from usual. Instead of the quiet view Gray remembered, the whole place was crowded.

Colorful banners hung from the buildings, music played from every corner, and people wore historical outfits that looked straight out of an old storybook.

Selveria stopped in front of him and spread her arms excitedly.

"Today is a Renaissance Festival!" she exclaimed with bright eyes. Perfect timing for us to have fun!"

The street was overflowing with people walking around in long skirts, leather boots, armor pieces, and different kinds of masks.

Stalls sold roasted meat, painted shields, flower crowns, handmade jewelry, and strange tools.

Jugglers threw flaming torches in the air, musicians played lutes and drums, and children ran around with colorful ribbons.

Selveria looked at Gray with a big smile, almost glowing in the sunlight.

"Come on," she said.

"Let me show you how to have fun!"

She grabbed his hand again and pulled him into the lively crowd.

Gray looked around with calm eyes, taking everything in. He didn't look excited at all… but he wasn't annoyed either.

More like he was trying to understand why people enjoyed this kind of thing.

Selveria noticed that blank expression.

"Gray," she said with a teasing sigh, "you look like you're watching a boring class. Come here."

She tightened her grip on his wrist and pulled him toward a round wooden space where several people stood in a circle. In the middle, a man dressed like an old knight swung a padded sword.

It was a "duel challenge" booth.

You pay, you fight the knight, and if you last ten seconds, you win a prize.

Selveria smiled and tapped Gray's chest lightly with one finger.

"Let's try this one," she said.

"This is fun."

Gray looked at the padded swords with absolute disbelief.

"…This?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded, grabbing his arm.

"This."

Without giving him time to protest, she spoke to the staff member running the booth.

"One round, please."

The man handed Gray a padded sword. Gray stared at it like it was an alien tool, then slowly took it. Selveria suppressed a laugh as she stepped back to watch.

"Go on," she whispered with a playful grin.

"Show me how you play."

Gray stepped into the circle. The knight across from him lifted his padded sword and shouted dramatically:

"Prepare yourself, young hero!"

The crowd around them cheered loudly, clapping and whistling.

Gray didn't react much. He just lifted the padded sword slowly, like he was unsure how much force he was allowed to use.

The knight charged with a big, exaggerated swing.

Selveria watched closely, her eyes shining.

Gray shifted one foot back and blocked the hit with almost lazy movement, as if swatting away a leaf. The padded swords made a dull thump sound.

Then the knight raised his sword again and swung at Gray's head with even more energy, trying to entertain the crowd.

Gray moved his wrist slightly.

Tap.

His padded sword hit the knight's wrist, causing the knight to yelp and drop the sword completely.

The crowd burst into laughter.

Selveria covered her mouth, trying to hold back her giggles as Gray stood there in the circle, still holding his padded sword like he didn't know what he was supposed to do now.

The knight blinked twice, stared at his empty hand, then raised both arms in defeat.

"I… surrender?"

The crowd cheered again.

Selveria stepped forward, grabbed Gray by the collar, and pulled him out of the circle with a smile that was too bright for her usually calm face.

"Gray," she muttered softly, tugging his chin so he would look at her, "you're supposed to play, not destroy the poor man's wrist."

Gray clicked his tongue lightly, looking away.

"…You didn't explain the rules properly."

She laughed and wrapped her arm around his.

"It's fine. That was fun in its own way."

She began to walk with him again, blending back into the colorful crowd, already scanning the street for the next activity.

"One thing at a time," she uttered with a sweet smile.

"We'll make sure you learn how to enjoy everything today."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.