Gardenia’s Heart

”I’d like a slice of strawberry cake and one of vanilla... oh, and a cup of coffee, please.” Pointing swiftly at the menu in front of her, Lily cheerfully placed her order. Her excitement was impossible to hide.

(Lily, order this pudding—it sounds amazing!)

”And a pudding too!” As soon as Nia’s voice echoed in her mind, Lily called the waitress back without missing a beat.

Sitting comfortably, Lily swung her legs back and forth under the chair while waiting eagerly for the young waitress to bring her order. When the plates were finally arranged in front of her, neither Lily nor Nia could resist diving into the delicious treats.

(It’s so good! So sweet! Now try the pudding, Lily—the pudding!)

Obliging her beloved’s request, Lily scooped up some pudding and brought it to her mouth. The moment the sweet, creamy dessert touched her tongue, it melted instantly, drawing a radiant smile to her face.

”So good~”

As they continued to savor the desserts, both Lily and Nia became completely absorbed, momentarily forgetting about the two women seated across from them.

”Hm... Lady Lily?” Abelia, having just finished a sip of tea, set her cup gently onto its saucer and hesitantly tried again to get Lily’s attention. ”Are you sure it’s safe for us to be so exposed like this?”

Abelia glanced around the small café they had just entered. The cozy, family-run establishment seemed like a pleasant place for a quiet snack—under normal circumstances.

”From everything I’ve analyzed so far, I can conclude that that bastard Velmont is a cautious man. Even as the lord of this city, he wouldn’t start a public manhunt to find us, at least not openly. Just like his operations, he would handle it all in secret. So, as long as I keep track of the guards’ positions and watch for anything suspicious, we’re safe.”

Unconcerned with appearances, Lily licked her fingers, ensuring she and Nia enjoyed every bit of their treats to the fullest.

”Besides, it’s less suspicious for us to observe the academy from the window of a shop than to stand in the middle of the street,” she added, taking a sip of coffee.

Lily gestured with her head toward the large window beside them. The café, located on the fourth floor of a building, offered a clear view of their target—the sprawling campus of the Mage Academy.

Like a solitary rose in a bed of thorns, standing stark against the chaotic streets of Caligo, the Academy exuded grandeur and almost sacred tranquility.

Much like the city’s walls, the campus had a hexagonal layout. Scattered along its perimeter were various two-story buildings with symmetrical windows and gently sloping roofs, framed by meticulously maintained trees. The overall design seemed crafted to maximize the comfort of its students, with well-paved paths and thoughtfully distributed green spaces.

At the center stood an enormous rectangular building, its stained-glass windows reflecting the faint sunlight filtered through the dense mist. This structure, the most fortified of them all, featured battlements and ornate towers that set it apart from the others.

”Indeed, if our goal is to avoid drawing attention, Lady Lily’s approach is the most suitable, my lady,” Cleomel remarked confidently as she poured another cup of tea for her mistress. ”Moreover, we’re near an open area, so I’ll have no trouble wielding my lance if needed.”

Happy that the Mage Academy made it unsuspicious for her to carry a huge weapon, Cleomel assured Abelia that she would be safe.

”Thank you, I’m just a bit restless, that’s all.” Without realizing it, Abelia had placed her hand over Cleomel’s. Taken by surprise, the knight didn’t know how to react, but Abelia, oblivious to the girl’s flustered expression, took another sip of the tea Cleomel had poured for her with her free hand.

As the last sip of coffee went down her throat, Lily and Nia felt content after their meal. Cleaning her lips with a napkin, the silver-haired girl turned her attention to Abelia.

”I remember you mentioned before that you only searched for your son at the Star Dust Spring because you’d run out of options in Caligo. But even if she didn’t join the fight for the throne, wouldn’t your friend have helped if you told her about your daughter’s disappearance?”

Noticing that Lily was finally planning to start asking questions, Abelia gently set her teacup down on its saucer.

”Before Alice was kidnapped, I went to ask for Selene’s help again, but she refused vehemently. She denied us permission to visit her, whether at her mansion or at the academy. The guards wouldn’t let us meet her, even when I explained it was an urgent matter.” Her fingers traced the rim of her cup delicately, her expression betraying none of her emotions.

”Alright, since walking through the front door isn’t an option, we have two ways to do this,” Lily said, observing the two guards stationed at the gates. Their black suits and red capes were starkly different from the city guards’ shiny armor. ”I can either create a portal to an empty room or carry you two over the rooftops. How do you want to go in?”

”Port—!?”

”Portal, please.” Before Cleomel could voice her preference, Abelia responded instantly, her wide, pleading eyes fixed on Lily while gripping her shoulder as if her life depended on it.

Unable to suppress a laugh at Abelia’s desperate expression, the girls left the café and headed to a nearby alley. Stretching out her hand, Lily conjured a portal that resembled a starry sky, and the group stepped through it.

On the other side, they found themselves in a dimly lit room without windows. Shelves suspended along the walls held various potions and glowing stones, while desks lined with papers and school supplies were neatly arranged throughout the space.

”Lady Lily, did you bring us to the supply room?” Abelia asked, glancing around. A soft laugh escaped her lips when she noticed Cleomel staring at the fading portal with shining eyes.

(A large number of people on campus seem to be gathering in this building. Since this area had the strongest mana signature, I located a nearby empty room and brought us here.)

Hearing Nia’s explanation, Lily considered it briefly before replying to Abelia.

”The strongest person on campus is in this building, and it seems the students are gathering here,” Lily said as she examined the bluish and orange potions arranged on the desks.

”This is the magic Lady Lily mentioned that can locate potential intruders?” Cleomel positioned herself protectively in front of Lily, holding her lance tightly against her chest. Her tone was filled with curiosity. ”It’s incredible! How are you able to sense mana signatures from such long distances?”

Faced with the insatiable curiosity of the dark-skinned knight, Lily couldn’t help but step back a few paces, laughing awkwardly. Although she usually appreciated having Nia’s incredible abilities recognized, explaining them wasn’t exactly her strong suit.

”Cleomel, what did we discuss about overwhelming Lady Lily with questions?” Abelia gently took hold of her knight’s hand, pulling her away from Lily.

”S-Sorry, I got excited again...” Cleomel apologized, her cheeks flushing for a reason entirely unrelated to the scolding she had just received.

As the two women talked in front of her, Lily explored the small room and discovered an iron door locking the supply room from the other side of a shelf.

”Nia, can you do something about the lock?”

Although they could simply create a portal to the other side, the glass windows posed a risk. Even if they carefully tracked everyone’s positions, there was still a chance someone might see the portal. Walking from this point onward was the safest choice.

(I’ll give it a try.)

Another purple tendril emerged from Lily’s back and slid into the narrow gap between the door and the wall. Its tip sharpened just enough to fit into the tight space and began vibrating rapidly. With a metallic click, the lock’s mechanism broke.

Though Nia succeeded in her task, she didn’t receive the usual praise from Lily. When she turned her attention back to her wife, Nia noticed Lily staring at the still-vibrating tendril, her face flushed bright red.

(Oh... So Lily is thinking about that too, isn’t she~?)

As Nia hummed teasingly, Lily felt her entire body freeze for a moment, fully aware of what her wife was about to do.

”No, Nia, not now! I’m stand—?! Hnnhmmmm!”

Crossing her legs and covering her mouth, Lily felt her entire lower body contract as the tentacle that remained in her anus began to throb.

The continuous stimulation of the last few hours had given her a false sense of security that she could resist any new wave of pleasure without difficulty. However, this was no longer a teasing caress or gentle movements; her entire insides were being rubbed hard.

“Nhmm... huuuu... No!” Lily could barely control her voice even with her mouth covered.

Desperately trying to stand, Lily even closed her eyes to withstand the wave of pleasure.

“N-No... Nia...” Drool dripped from between her lips, and her trembling fingers couldn’t contain all of her voice.

Disregarding the words coming out of her mouth, Lily continued to rock her hips in search of more pleasure. She began to shake her ass as if begging for more stimulation, and these movements caused her anus to be stimulated much harder.

As she intentionally denied it with her mouth, she felt even greater pleasure as she received all of Nia’s love.

“Nhmm... S-So good...” Lily no longer had the strength to keep her lips closed.

If she continued, the two women on the other side of the shelf would notice her screams. The air coming out of her mouth was already hot; it wouldn’t be long before her moans resounded throughout the room. However, before that could happen, she felt her lips being taken.

The soft tongue met hers slowly and calmed her moans. Warm arms held her trembling body, preventing her from falling.

“Aaah... ah...”

When the thick thread of saliva appeared between the two mouths, Lily opened her eyes and saw Nia in front of her. The girl, as red as she was, had a smile so provocative that it made Lily feel good just to look at her.

“L-Lily... Nhmm... Hnnh...”

Nia’s whisper-like moan came directly into her ear, her lover’s small fingers squeezing her clothes tightly.

The thrust of the vibrating tentacle moving back and forth increased, stimulating a large part of the warm walls of her anus.

“M-More, Nia... Nhmm... more...”

Lily felt no shame in being completely dominated by Nia; the girl could only feel even better at being presented with so much love.

As the pleasure that seized her insides and made her legs shake began to make her gasp, the girl who had never experienced this outside of a bed began to wonder if she would even be able to walk normally to continue her exploration.

“T-This time it’s... it’s Nia who’s going to... Hmm... take responsibility... Aaah... Your bad girl~”

When she saw Nia nod, Lily knew she no longer had to fight the pleasure that flooded her. Taking the purple-haired girl’s lips, Lily’s thoughts were clouded by pleasure, and all she could think about was giving more affection to her wife.

“Nhmm...”

“Hnnnm...”

Without letting out a single moan other than a loving whisper, both girls came repeatedly, unable to bear the wave of pleasure.

Lily could feel her already hot insides heating up even more. Nia’s love juice, which never seemed to diminish in quantity, once again filled her insides.

Nia, who had brought her teasing to a powerful climax, felt her whole body tremble and her tentacle inside Lily twitch as she released her full load inside her wife.

Their trembling bodies served as support for each other. The emotions of the climax were so strong that both girls hugged each other with all their might.

When they finally began to calm down, Nia didn’t allow any love juice to escape into the room as proof of the act that had taken place. 

”Let me rest a bit, alright? I’ll still be watching, so let me know if you need anything.” The moment their mouths finally parted, Lily spoke breathlessly.

”Of course, you can count on me, Lily~,” the girl with purple hair replied cheerfully, puffing out her modest chest while swaying her ample hips.

”I have such a reliable wife. I love you!” Lily planted several kisses on Nia’s blushing cheeks, a wide smile lighting up her face.

After another hug, Nia entered Lily’s body again, stopping the movement of the vibrating tentacle and retracting it enough so that it could still contain the liters of love juice without being too strong a stimulus for the two girls.

”Is there something wrong, Lady Lily?”

Abelia, curious about Lily’s long silence, walked around the shelf and found the girl calmly holding the iron door open with one hand.

”I unlocked the door; let’s go.”

Without even glancing back, The girl gestured toward the corridor outside, her tone casual. Both women raised an eyebrow in doubt.

”Is it just me, or does she sound different?” Cleomel muttered.

Brushing off what they assumed was just their imagination, Abelia and Cleomel followed Lily out of the storage room and into the academy’s corridors.

”The largest group of people and the strongest mana signature are in that direction,” She said, pointing down the hallway.

With her heterochromatic eyes fixed ahead, Nia focused on her mana detection to cover the surrounding area. Now that she had taken control of her wife’s sensitive body after their earlier ”daytime bonding,” Nia felt it was her responsibility to ensure the mission was carried out.

”Lady Lily, isn’t there a risk of guards finding us?” Abelia asked, her eyes darting nervously.

”I’ll avoid any guards. Just make sure you don’t lose sight of me.” Speaking only when necessary to those other than her wife, Nia’s tone was clipped and efficient.

As the group walked through the school corridor, they passed several empty classrooms. The walls were adorned with various notices: reminders to never practice spells without supervision, warnings against overexertion during training, and advice to get a good night’s sleep. The academy exuded a nurturing yet solemn atmosphere as if its walls and hallways were designed to protect its students and guide them toward the right path.

Descending a staircase to the lower floor, the sound of many people moving reached the group. Raising her right hand to signal the others to stop, Nia observed what appeared to be a group of students entering one of the larger classrooms.

The students wore deep purple blazers with red accents over burgundy shirts and bow ties. The boys sported tailored pants, while the girls donned pleated skirts, both matching the blazers’ colors.

”Is this some kind of event?” Nia turned to Abelia, silver strands from Lily’s body brushing her vision and filling the shapeshifter with delight.

”Possibly a lecture by Selene herself. When we came here before, she often had just finished teaching. Almost all the students gather to listen, even if it’s something they’ve already learned,” Abelia explained, discreetly observing the students’ movements.

”Should we wait for it to finish and approach her then?” Cleomel asked, gripping her lance firmly. Her determined tone and posture made her seem more like a bandit planning an ambush than a knight.

If she asked Lily, Nia was certain her wife would suggest the best course of action. But Lily was peacefully resting because she trusted Nia’s judgment. Knowing this, Nia resolved to make her own decision. Even if she made a mistake, her wife would help her fix it—because neither of them was ever truly alone.

”Wait here. I’ll go inside to check things out first.”

Saying this, Nia started walking toward the classroom but was quickly stopped by a hand gripping her cape.

”Lady Lily, please wait! They’ll realize you’re not a student right away!”

Abelia, who spoke with urgency, was left speechless when the cape she was holding disappeared. Now, standing before her, was a beautiful girl with silver hair wearing the same school uniform as the students.

”This way, I won’t have any problems, right?”

Adjusting the blazer over her wife’s ample chest, Nia ignored the perplexed stares of the two women and stepped into the room.

The classroom was arranged with several rows of desks set in a semicircle, gradually descending in tiers toward a large blackboard that dominated the central stage.

Blending in with more than fifty students who appeared to be between fourteen and eighteen years old, Nia randomly picked a seat and sat down. A few students nearby gave her startled glances. Due to the uniform, Nia couldn’t hide Lily’s silver hair under a hood.

She had ensured that the skirt was the longest length possible to deter any lascivious gazes from falling on her beloved wife’s body. However, should anyone still dare, Nia was fully prepared to deal with them in a way that would ensure they never tried such a thing again.

”I see we don’t have only veterans in this class today. Some newcomers are here to sneak a peek at the advanced content, are they? I wholeheartedly support such enthusiasm for knowledge!”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it resonated throughout the room with ease. It didn’t demand silence, yet everyone instinctively quieted down to listen.

The woman standing at the center of the stage possessed a unique and vibrant appearance that seamlessly combined charm and strength.

Her attire was striking: an elegant blend of black and red that exuded understated sophistication. The short red dress had a flowing cut, with its upper section snugly fitted to her body, accentuating the delicate curves of her petite bust. Her collarbone and shoulders were exposed, while her arms were covered by long, semi-transparent dark sleeves that extended to her wrists.

The slightly flared red skirt had a jet-black lining, creating a stark contrast and enhancing the refined look. Black tights covered her legs, complemented by high-heeled, knee-high boots.

Her eyes, a deep shade of pink, radiated a captivating innocence to any observer. Her golden hair was tied into twin tails adorned with black ribbons, perfectly contrasting with her white-furred bunny ears that stood gracefully upright.

”Prepare your notebooks, as today’s lesson could save your lives.”

Instead of holding a piece of chalk, she drew a black brush from her waist, its surface faintly glowing with a bluish hue. Pointing it toward the students, she announced with authority:

”Today, we will learn about Monsterology !”