Abyssal Awakening

While Elara was cleaning up her lab, Arunya quickly dragged Alice to the side.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Alice asked curiously, wondering why Arunya seemed panicked.

"I've made a mistake. You should go to the combat department instead. I'll do whatever I can to lend you the equipment so it's best you escape now." Arunya shook her head.

However, her reactions only served to confuse her further as she wasn't sure what invoked this kind of reaction.

"There's too much to explain but basically, the professor isn't… Normal. She's been-"

"Aww~ Runi, I hope you're not talking bad about me behind my back." Elara's voice rang out as Arunya froze up at the sound of her voice.

Looking up, she could see Elara hanging from the rocks using her appendages with a soft smile on her face.

There was a glint in her eyes that Arunya was very familiar with. The uncontrollable smile on her face, the red on her cheeks and the way she would subtly lick her lips.

Elara was aroused as hell right now!

Descending from the rocks, she blocked the escape and gestured for them to enter her labs.

"I'm not going to do anything to your friend. I'm simply surprised that you brought… the one mentioned by Xinbei and Garret to me." Elara chuckled while narrowing her gaze at Alice who seemed clueless regarding what was happening.

Now that it's reached this stage, Arunya could only apologize to Alice in her mind.

Thankfully, Elara shouldn't do anything crazy. At least Arunya hoped she wouldn't. This was the first time in a long time that Elara's been this infatuated towards someone. With the last incident in mind, she'll be playing it safe.

*Sigh

Letting out a sigh, Arunya turned around and made her way into the Labs while Alice's gaze flickered between the two of them.

'Do you know what's going on?' Alice asked inwardly.

'Nope.' Alyss shook her head.

[I sense a great danger, but I can't quite pinpoint where this feeling originates from.] Cayla furrowed her brows.

With them unable to give her an answer, Alice simply shrugged before stepping into Elara's lab.

As she entered, she could see that the layout of the lab was rather simple with the living room being connected to the main lab, a kitchen, a toilet and what Alice could only assume to be Elara's room since it's the only one with a closed door.

Arunya placed the food she bought onto the table and looked around in mild surprise. She had expected there to be clothes thrown about yet it was surprisingly clean.

Running her fingers along the window sill, she noticed the lack of dust.

Though thinking about it more carefully, it made sense if Alice was the one whom she'd been infatuated with over the last few weeks.

For Elara to be this focused on someone for this long, Arunya doubted that Elara wanted to make a bad impression.

Meaning, if she doesn't hold herself back, Arunya could expose everything to Alice.

"Just sit anywhere you want. Except my room of course." Elara smiled, gesturing to the table while standing in front of her door.

"Now, what brings a cutie like you to my lab?" Elara asked, turning her appendages that extended from her lab coat into a seat and sat down.

"I wanted to ask if it was possible to change my selection when it came to which department I wanted to enter. I've registered for the Combat Department Special Class but after the Inverted World, I think it's better if I come to the Theory Department instead." Alice asked as Elara twitched momentarily upon hearing that Alice wanted to come to the Theory Department.

"Of course, I can make that happen no problems. Though are you looking to try to become a special class like Runi or a standard/advanced student?" Elara smiled.

The appendages of her 'seat' began to shuffle as she closed in on Alice and circled around her.

Alice was a little weirded out by this but tried her best to ignore it.

"As high as I can get. I assume there are benefits that I can only get if I'm of a certain rank."

"Indeed~ Runi wants to reach Special Class because you get a designated spot all to yourself on these grounds. A personal budget handed to you by the Academy and not tied to any department, access to all kinds of information support and ties to large families." Elara proclaimed while Arunya nodded her head by the side.

Right now, Elara was behaving herself so there was no need for Arunya to interrupt.

When she wasn't aroused, Elara took her job seriously since she enjoyed upholding her reputation as Head of Department.

Only her close students know what she's truly like once you look past her reputation and act. She's a woman who places Abyss Blood research and experimentation above all else.

If she could be summarised in one word, it would be the pursuit of knowledge.

"But just for you~ I can try help you take the Special Class exam for Theory even though you went for Combat. Your original participation got postponed due to the incident just like Runi here. I'm sure it'll be fine to change you from taking the Combat exam to the Theory one. What kind of research are you planning on conducting?" Elara asked curiously.

As much as she would love to do something else with Alice right now, she had to fulfil her basic duties as an educator first to make a good impression.

Even for her, she couldn't place someone in the Special Class for no reason at all. Alice needed a topic to research and results to back it up. Otherwise, she would be undeserving of that role.

When presented with this question, Alice recalled the secrets that she wished to uncover. While they were numerous, it all ties back to one topic.

"I want to research the relationship between the Abyss, the Sigil holders and Apostles." Alice replied with a light of determination in her eyes.

"A classic yet also a very difficult topic at that. Research in this field has stagnated quite a bit over the recent years and lots of people are thinking we're reaching a limit unless we explore deeper into the Abyss. What caused you to choose this topic?" Elara asked curiously.

Seeing as how the crown disappeared and that her left eye had changed, she assumed Alice would be studying the changes in side effects caused by the Abyss Blood.

"When I was in the Inverted World, I was sent back in history. I've watched people use Sigils in ways I never thought of before, methods to manipulating the energy that flows in our body that powers these Sigils. The connection between the Abyss and the people who wield its power and an Apostle that can latch a curse onto the Sigils.

"When I'm shown all of this, isn't it natural that I'd want to find out more about it?" Alice smiled as Elara's eyes flickered with an understanding light.

Rushing in front of Alice, she grabbed her by the hands.

"Exactly! Ah~ you get it don't you? When faced with a wall of mysteries, you just want to break it down and find out what's the truth behind the matter. Unfortunately, the research of our generation has stagnated.

"People are more focused on the Blood itself rather than the connections it makes. Those employed by large families are prone to looking for shortcuts rather than truth seeking. Especially for those blasted Zenia's, monopolising the current market and governing the discovery and creation of new usable Abyss Bloods." Elara complained.

"Their research has stagnated in the recent years and yet they continue to act as though they're the centre piece of the world. There's no denying their achievement but one cannot be arrogant forever. The young seedlings who tread onto the path of research needs a proper place to flourish!"

Nodding her head in agreement, Alice now gained a new piece of information. The Zenia's have stagnated!

'Seems like my body was the cornerstone of their research. Now that I disappeared, it would be hard for them to bring out new Bloods unless they begin killing mountains of people again.' Alice thought to herself.

Meanwhile, Arunya was baffled by Elara's reaction. The lewd Elara that she was used to seeing was nowhere in sight. Right now, all she could see was Elara being excited by the prospect that someone shares a similar perspective into research with her.

However, this thought was cut short once she noticed that her chair was moving strangely while she was still holding Alice's hand.

The way her body would subtly twitch as she continued talking to Alice caused Arunya's expression to turn dark.

"Professor, please compose yourself." Arunya interrupted as Elara glanced back.

Seeing the silent reminders, Elara coughed and let go of Alice's body while moving away. Understanding that this wasn't the right time to be this… excited just yet.

*Cough!

"Sorry about that. But yes, I can put in a word for you to change over to the Theory Department." Elara held back her smile as she nodded her head.

"Thank you. Is there anything I can do to thank you?" Alice offered while Arunya froze up in shock.

'Why would you give her this kind of offer?!'

As for Elara, her pupils shrunk while her body began to tremble. She swallowed her saliva repeatedly, imagining the kinds of favours Alice could do to thank her.

Understanding that this was approaching her limit of restraining herself, Arunya stood up.

"I think we'll stop here for now. Professor needs a bit of time to herself and I can help schedule a meeting for next time. Would that be okay?" She asked as Alice glanced over in confusion.

"Ah~ Mnm… Yes we can do that." Elara nodded as her shoulders trembled. If Arunya didn't step in, she might do something she'll come to regret since this was her limit of holding back.

Getting Elara's permission to leave for now, Arunya escorted Alice out of the labs while Elara locked the door behind them.

Stepping into her room, she could see the 'shrine' she created for Alice. The crystals that hold her recording, outfits that Alice had bought, weapons she's touched and so on. Elara had collected them all.

And now, adding to that collection is the chair Alice sat on.

Tossing her clothes aside, Elara jumped onto the bed, unable to hold herself back anymore.

###

Upon leaving the house, Alice was suddenly assaulted by the feeling of invisible hands crawling up and down her skin, causing her to shiver before the feeling disappeared, confusing her further.