Chapter 87 My Dear Sterling

Suzuka eagerly entered the alchemy classroom, excited to learn more about the intricate art of potion-making and the use of magical herbs. The subject was not particularly popular among students, so the class was sparsely attended. As she waited for the lesson to begin, Suzuka noticed Silvia limping through the door. To her surprise, she was also taking this class.

As she slowly made her way to the only empty seat next to Suzuka, Suzuka couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension. She still remembered the hurtful things Silvia had said to her during their last encounter, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to forgive and forget just yet.

Silvia said, her voice whispering, "Hi, Helen, may I sit next to you? I wanted to apologize for what I did." 

Suzuka hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. She knew holding a grudge would only make things worse, but she also didn't want to let Silvia off the hook too easily.

"Hi Silvia, let me ask you, do you want to sit here?" Suzuka said, trying to keep her voice neutral.

Silvia looked up at Suzuka, her eyes filled with regret and remorse. "Well, yes," she said softly.

Without a word, Suzuka stood up and walked to another seat further away from Silvia, leaving her sitting alone. As she settled into her new seat, Suzuka couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the small act of defiance. But as the lesson progressed, she found her attention wandering, her thoughts consumed with the weight of Silvia's apology and the question of whether or not to forgive her. 

As the alchemy class drew to a close, Suzuka gathered her belongings and exited the classroom, eager to move on to the next activity. The lesson had been not particularly challenging, but she felt satisfied with her progress and excited to continue honing her skills.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, she moved through her other classes with ease. She studied diligently, taking notes and asking questions to succeed in her academic pursuits.

As the evening approached, Suzuka felt a sense of relief as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. She made her way out of the building, savoring the fresh air and cool breeze. Looking around, she saw her classmates chatting and laughing, enjoying their newfound freedom.

As Suzuka glanced around, she spotted Sterling walking by himself. A sly grin spread across her face as she realized that this was the perfect opportunity to teach him a lesson. She had grown tired of his nonsense, and she knew that it was time to put him in his place.

Taking a deep breath, Suzuka approached Sterling with a confident stride. This was her chance to show him who he was messing with and to assert her dominance once and for all.

As she drew closer, Suzuka could see the surprise in Sterling's eyes. He clearly wasn't expecting her to come at him so boldly. But she didn't give him a chance to speak. Instead, she launched into an assault, reminding him of today how he crossed her making it clear that she wasn't going to tolerate it any longer.

For a moment, Sterling tried to defend himself, but Suzuka shut him down at every turn. She was confident and assertive, and she made it clear that she wasn't going to back down.

Suzuka, fueled by a fit of seething anger, confronts Sterling with merciless force. She pounces on him with ferocity, pushing him against a wall, "Hello there darling, where do you think you're going, hmmm? Well, don't bother answering, I don't care. But you better listen carefully, you put dirt in my eye and I won't stand that." 

Suzuka tightened her grip on Sterling, the pain is unbearable, and he cries out, begging for mercy, "You are crazy, leave me alone, stop this at once." But Suzuka is unrelenting, her eyes ablaze with fury.

She snarls at him, her voice dripping with venom, "You made a fool out of me today. Fool me once shame on me, fool me twice, now that's shame on you, my dear Sterling."

She smiled and gave a warning to him that she will make him suffer even worse if he ever dares to put dirt in her eye again, "This will be your last warning, Sterling. Pick on me again, look at me the wrong way, I will break your legs and arms, then I will drop you off in the middle of the forest in the nearest goblin camp. Goblins will love such a pretty-looking young man, with these long blond hair of yours, and pretty face, you will pass as a woman for them. They will breed you like a bitch you are."

 Sterling replied, "You are crazy, insane. What kind of a monster are you? You would go to such lengths, I did nothing to deserve this."

Suzuka punched him in the gut as a goodbye. Sterling lies there, broken and defeated, Suzuka towers over him, a menacing presence, reminding him of the consequences of crossing her. Her actions are cruel and heartless, a chilling reminder that she will not tolerate any form of disrespect or disobedience. Sterling is left to ponder his fate, trembling with fear and pain, knowing that Suzuka is someone he can't mess with himself.

As she made her way back home from university to the tranquil Mystic Oasis Inn, the weariness of the day weighed heavily on her mind. Her thoughts were filled with the general chaos of student life. All she could think of was the need for some well-deserved relaxation.

Upon her arrival, she eagerly headed straight for the hot spring bath. The warm, inviting water welcomed her as she lowered herself into the steaming pool. The heat wrapped around her like a soothing embrace, melting away the stress and tension from her body. She closed her eyes, allowing the sounds of the water to lull her into a state of calm.

The water was a bit hotter than usual, but the gentle bite of the heat felt invigorating against her skin. The steam rose up around her, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth. She breathed deeply, taking in the scents of lavender and eucalyptus that wafted through the air.

As she lay there, surrounded by the peacefulness of the hot spring, she felt well familiar gaze. The peeper was back and more daring than ever. He was looking from a building nearby, she could almost see who it was. 

Suzuka wasn't in the mood for games and called him out, "Hey! Aren't you getting bored just watching? How about getting down here and touching me instead? Who knows, maybe I won't even resist!"

But her taunt had no effect, the peeper did not take the bait, instead, he fled. 

Suzuka was completely immersed in the comforting warmth of the hot spring bath, not giving the slightest attention to anything else around her, not even the peeper. She was in a state of pure bliss and relaxation, feeling her muscles loosen up and her stress evaporate with every moment she spent in the water. The serene ambiance of the natural surroundings, coupled with the gentle steam rising from the hot spring, only added to the sense of tranquility that enveloped her.

As Suzuka drifted off into a peaceful slumber, the pattering sound of heavy raindrops suddenly filled the air. Rather than being an unwelcome intrusion, the sound was actually quite soothing and refreshing, almost like a gentle lullaby. The raindrops rhythmically hit the tin roof of the hot spring building, creating a soft and calming melody that harmonized with the sounds of nature. 

The rhythmic beat of the rain soon melted into the background of Suzuka's consciousness, seamlessly blending into the already peaceful atmosphere. At this moment, there was nothing more peaceful or relaxing than being in the embrace of the hot spring, lulled into a deep, restful sleep by the gentle patter of the rain.

Suzuka was completely at ease, floating in the tranquil warmth of the hot spring. The soothing sound of raindrops tapping against the surface of the water was a lullaby to her ears, and before she knew it, she had drifted off into a deep slumber. As the night grew darker, the rain continued to fall, enveloping the hot spring in a cocoon of peacefulness.

Suddenly, Suzuka felt a gentle and soft touch on her body, rousing her from her deep sleep. A woman's voice called out to her, "Helen, Helen! Are you alright? Please wake up!" Suzuka heard her name being called but was still in a daze, her body relaxed and her mind was still foggy from her restful sleep.

The woman's voice grew more urgent, but Suzuka could feel a sense of calm wash over her. She slowly opened her eyes to find a kind and concerned face peering down at her. The woman had a warm smile and her eyes glimmered with concern. It was a young woman, one of the Mystic Oasis Inn attendants. 

"Hey, Jenny. Sorry, I fell asleep. I'm alright, don't worry. The weather and warm water lulled me to sleep." 

"You really scared me there, Helen. I was worried that something happened to you."

"Jen, I'm fine, really. Other than a peeper, nothing happened."

Jenny was taken aback, "What? Who? Did you see who it was? Could it be a goblin maybe? I heard stories about goblin scouts abducting young women from the outskirts of the town. Could it be a goblin?" 

Suzuka shared the details about the peeper, who had been observing her from the nearby rooftop of a building, "I doubt it, I couldn't see his face clearly but it was a human."

 Her eyes widened as she struggled to process the disturbing information. She couldn't believe that such an unsettling incident had occurred so close to her friend. She asked Suzuka for more details, hoping to gain a better understanding of the situation.