Now that Rolfe Primero is silent, it gives a chance for the boy to really study the diligent student sitting in front of him. The boy had spent half a day trying to peer underneath the surface of the enigmatic entity, looking for a way to beat him, that he only had a haphazardly glance at the shell which the entity is currently wearing.

Earlier, the reason why the boy had said Rolfe Primero couldn’t pull off the single tear rolling down his cheek look is because that look is usually reserved for tough rugged-looking men who cut down trees for a living. And Rolfe Primero would stand out like a flower in a forest of trees if he is lined up against those lumberjacks.

There’s only one word to describe the face of the sixth year student sitting opposite of him, which is handsome beyond comparison (wait, is that three words?). Cheekbones so perfect and sharp you could cut your hand slapping it. A nose that isn’t too long or short, and based on the minuscule movements it displays, never seems to stop working as well, always sniffing the air looking for the next prey.

Full red lips that any maiden (those who didn’t know him too well) wouldn’t hesitate to kiss if it wasn’t for the fact it’s always twisted in a smile that would reveal his white canine-like teeth. And the reason why no maidens would want Rolfe Primero to kiss them with his lips is because they would have preferred it if he had use his mouth to sink his fangs into their necks instead, re-enacting the scene from whatever ghastly romance/horror novel they’ve been reading.

And he even has the master of the night’s voice to go with it too. Deep, hypnotizing and commanding. The boy guesses Rolfe Primero is using some mana manipulation to make his vocal chords sound like a male. Neat trick, the boy thinks. I really need to get Rolfe Primero to teach me that. Should come in handy when used in the dark behind enemy lines.

His hair is as black as night, cut not too short at the back but left growing unimpeded in the front, which Rolfe Primero lets falls to the side of his face, nearly covering is right eye and almost touching his chin. And it’s the eyes of Rolfe Primero that the boy is most wary of. Eyes so blue and deep, the boy feels he would fall through and drown in them if he stared too long. Two vast windows leading to an infinite number of souls. It didn’t help that those eyes are radiating a malicious glint every now at then, obviously directed to the poor bastard currently caught in the owner's cross-hair.

“…”

“Well?”

“I underwent an operation to have it removed.”

“Really?”

“Of course not, you dumb fuck! Why would I have something I was never born with attached to me?”

“Actually, I kind of know you were born a girl. It’s just that I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the concept.”

“I’ve been reborn countless times into countless brand new lives, becoming every conceivable being that has ever existed. Is it really that surprising I could turn into a female every once in a while?”

“No, I have no trouble with that notion. It’s just I’m currently wrestling with an image in my mind of you struggling with your monthly periods.”

“Fuck you!”

“I’m sorry... Hgggggg... it’s just so funny.”

“Yeah yeah laugh it up, asshole.”

“I’m curious, are you using pads or tampons?”

“Temper rising. Must resist control to commit murder.”

“Okay okay... Hgggggg... I’m stopping now.”

“Have you got it out of your system yet?”

“My apologies. Menstruation jokes are never funny…”

“…”

“Period.”

“You know, I have never beaten a person to death with his own limbs before. I’m sorely tempted to do it now.”

“Just one last question before I drop the subject (for now).”

“What?”

“Do you pee standing up or sitting down?”

"That’s it!”

“Wait wait wait, remember our dinner date?”

“Son of a…”

“We wouldn’t want your newly acquired toy breaking earlier now, would we?”

“You should remember, my nonexistent penis is still bigger than yours, and I can use it to tear you a new one.”

“Really? Shall we whip it out to compare?”

“Screw it! Come here you…”

“Okay okay, that was the last one. I swear to the Gods.”

“Grrrr!”

“Fuck me… even your growls sound sexier and less intimidating once I know you’re a girl.”

“Motherfucker! See? This is why I didn’t let anyone know. The instant you see me as a girl, your views of me instantly changes.”

“I can’t help it, it’s in our(men) nature. We(men) instantly give you a pass if we know you’re a girl.”

“I know!”

“Getting beaten by a male commoner? Humiliating and insulting. But if a guy gets his ass handed to him by a girl, he will think its okay to lose.”

“I know!”

“Using lame excuses such as ‘I didn’t use my full strength’ or 'it would have been wrong to go full out’ or thinking ‘maybe this girl have the hots for me’.”

“I know!”

“Drinking a soup tainted by a male’s urination? Disgusting and repulsive. But if the source comes from a girl, then suddenly it turns out to be kinky and erotic.”

“I kno-wait, what?”

“But I’m guessing that’s not all there is to the story of why you chose to hide your real gender.”

“Why don’t you use your limited omniscient to find out?”

“I rather not pry too deeply into such private matters. Not unless I'm facing an enemy who truly deserves it and I want to completely crush him until there's nothing left.”

“If you had discovered it earlier before our fight, would you have-“

“I would never use that secret against you, even if it could throw you off your game and raise my chances of winning. Resorting to such cheap provocation would have been… distasteful.”

“But throwing in my face during normal conversation is fair game, huh?"

“And besides, such tricks and lowly taunts would never make you wavered for too long. The ending would have still been the same. You would have shrugged it off and beat me, and I will still get my ass handed to me.”

“I probably would have beaten you a bit more bloodier than usual.”

“Rest assured, I would still fight you to the best of my abilities even if I found out earlier you were girl because frankly there’s not much difference really. You’re still you underneath even if your outwards appearance has changed.”

“Damn straight...”

“Are you still worried about me not taking our upcoming fights seriously? Because I promise you I will-”

“It’s not that...”

“What is it?”

“The main reason why I disguise myself as a male is not out of some misguided fear that this continent treats its females badly. On the contrary, the woman rights here are more progressive than most places I've been. It’s just.... I've always enjoyed fighting... and I’ve always identified myself as male.”

“Can’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes. Hurray for being a man.”

“Don’t get me wrong, being a female is also great. I get to let down my hair, wear dresses, feel pretty. Some of the memorable moments from my various infinite lifetimes were when I was a girl.”

“Okay, I guess we’re swapping shoes for stilettos now. Yay for being a woman.”

“Bedding wenches, priestess, sorceress, princesses, queens, sometimes mothers and daughters at the same time can be fun and all…”

“And now we’re back to the joys of using our short swords to do some good old fashioned stabbing. Hurray for being a ma- No, wait. I feel a ‘but’ coming up.”

“But…”

“I knew it!”

“…sometimes it gets so boring, you know?”

“I honestly can’t remember which side I’m supposed to be rooting for now. Yay for being a woman, is it?”

“Do you know how many kingdoms I’ve conquered and how many great men I’ve brought down to their knees using this?”

*points to his lower half

“Gods, the lists of things that I do not need to fucking know just keeps getting longer and longer!”

"Do you know the joys of being a mother? Creating a new life in your womb. It's the closest sensation you can get to being a god."

"I don't know about the joys of being a mother but I now have a much greater respect for whichever brave soul managed to get close enough to plant his seed in you."

"The pain of giving birth? Gods, no men can endure that."

"No men can endure watching their wife giving birth either. All that blood and screaming and then suddenly a head just pops out from under there. It's like watching a real live horror show."

“But I’m really glad I disguised myself as a male…”

“So are you okay with your choice of being a man? Can I cheer now?”

“….because it’s given us a chance to live together.”

“Hurray for being a ma-wait, what?”

“Hello Headmaster Joss. Nice of you to have finally joined us.”

“What the fuck is going on?”

“The boy and I were just discussing about him moving in with me into my manor.”

“No, don’t listen to his crazy talk! It’s that time of the month for him! You see Rolfe Primero is secretly a-HUUURGKH!”

*gets gut-punched and passes out from the pain

“The boy must have been delirious from exhaustion. Don’t mind him.”

*raises an eyebrow “Should I be concerned for him?”

“I promise you I will keep him safe from Master Haithur.”

“But will he be safe with you?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“…No…”

“The boy moving in with me is really the ideal situation for you, Headmaster Joss.”

“…”

“Placing him in the dormitory with the rest of the first year commoner students is out of the question, he’ll eat them alive.”

“…”

“And putting him in the infirmary is also not good at all since it’s already been filled to the brim with his numerous victims.”

“You know what? Fine, whatever. I don’t care anymore.”

“You’ve made a wise decision, Headmaster Joss.”

“But there’s still the small matter of you assaulting Master Wes.”

“Retaliating, I was retaliating to Master Wes’ unprovoked attack.”

“Which he did because he saw you stabbed the boy’s chest.”

“Did I now? Look at his chest. Not a mark on him except for the hole in his shirt.”

“Yeah, about that…”

“Do you really want to know about that as well?”

“…No…”

“So, are we done here?”

“Your punishment for the attack on Master Wes will be decided later. For now you are prohibited from attending classes and you are confined to your quarters.”

“Fine. I’ll be taking the boy with me.”

“And what about the rest of the students anxiously waiting for their turn behind you?”

Rolfe Primero turns and sees the nine remaining challengers. It seems they have recovered their fighting spirit and based on their (laughable) killing intent and the weapons inconspicuously being drawn, the students haven’t given up. They are still waiting for a chance to take out the boy, even if it means going through Headmaster Joss and Rolfe Primero.

They know this will be the only chance they have left to kill the unconscious and severely injured boy, after which they will be richly rewarded by Master Haithur and promised a swift promotions up the ranks of Ouroboros.

Before the nine remaining Ouroboros members (each one fanatically and deeply devoted to the cause) could launch their attacks simultaneously, something unexpected happens.

Rolfe Primero walks over to them, and not only that, he is bringing the unconscious boy as well, holding him in a princess carry style.

The sixth year diligent student stops short in front of the group of assassins aiming for the boy’s life, stares at each and every last one of them right in the eye, and declares in a deep growling voice loud enough to be heard by everyone around the surrounding area of the courtyard.

“This one here is my possession. Anyone who wants a piece of him will have to go through me. You guys have a problem with that? Speak now or forever shut the fuck up!”

********************************************************************************************

Four things happened later after that fateful afternoon.

a) After a brief disciplinary hearing, Rolfe Primero is suspended from the Whiteford Academy for three months for assaulting a teacher. He is barred from attending classes and is confined to his residence and the small area around it.

b) The nine remaining Ouroboros members refused to participate in any further attacks on the boy, even when threatened with pains of death by Master Haithur.

c) Screams of pain and anguish can be heard echoing from the manor where Rolfe Primero resides, giving way to rumors that it is haunted by ghosts of soldiers killed in ancient battlefields.

d) Another secret society is born, its members compromises of female students started by a certain girl with a rotten personality. Even though its followers are few and far between, the membership for the club, Boys Love is Awesome (B.L.O.S.S.O.M.) will grow in time and will be a force to reckoned with. There will be a few adventures/holy quests undertaken by this newly-established secret society. But those are stories for another time.

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Thank you for your patience and understanding.

PS: Comments saying thanks or pointing out any errors, plot holes, misunderstandings or dissatisfaction is greatly appreciated. They help me more than you think :)