Charisma 100: My Academy Life As A Heartbreaking Commoner Chapter 249: The Long Game*

The following days settled into a predictable pattern.

In the presence of others, Aegis maintained an aloof and distant demeanor.

When Talia joined Aegis for meals, her responses were curt. When Serilla leaned on Aegis’s shoulder in the hallways, Aegis would shrug her off with a weary sigh. Toward nobles who approached her, Aegis remained exceedingly polite but brief, offering no more than the barest social courtesies before making her excuses to depart.

However, her interactions with the commoners revealed a markedly different side.

Laughter was shared with her study group, Miheyra received assistance with her aether channeling exercises, a walk to the library was taken with Ellis, and time was made for Tam whenever she had questions too daunting to present to the professors. Meals were shared, studies were undertaken together, and jokes were exchanged.

The stark contrast was deliberate. Aegis ensured it was apparent.

And Sylceris, who now seemed to be in constant proximity, observing from the adjacent seat or across the corridor, took meticulous note of every interaction.

No new hearts had been swayed, not yet. Nevertheless, the questions Sylceris posed between classes gradually shifted from pointed interrogations to expressions of genuine curiosity. The query changed from “What’s your ulterior motive with the commoners?” to “How long have you been acquainted with those scholarship students?” These were subtle modifications, incremental advancements.

[She's starting to thaw. I can sense it. I just need to maintain this momentum and avoid any sudden pressure.]

The most challenging aspect, truthfully, centered around Talia.

It wasn’t due to any difficulty in feigning coldness toward Talia in public; Aegis possessed considerable acting prowess. The true struggle lay in witnessing Talia’s expression each time such an act was performed, knowing that despite Talia’s understanding of the strategy and her agreement to it, the sting of being publicly rebuffed by her own wife still resonated.

.... Unsurprisingly, the ensuing lovemaking, a balm for the perceived harshness, was nothing short of spectacular.

---

"Faster."

Aegis drove her hips forward with intensified force, causing Talia's back to arch off the mattress as her fingers dug into the sheets. The married quarters, thankfully, possessed more substantial walls than the previous dormitories, a blessing since Talia was far from being quiet tonight.

"You were so distant towards me today," Talia gasped, her golden eyes half-closed, her legs securely wrapped around Aegis’s waist. "In the dining hall. You hardly glanced my way."

"I am aware." Aegis thrust into her again, a powerful, deep penetration, eliciting a gasp from Talia as her head tipped back. "My apologies."

"You don't truly regret it."

"Perhaps a little regret." Aegis lowered her head to kiss Talia’s neck, her hips continuing their grinding rhythm. "I shall endeavor to make amends."

"You are making amends right now." Talia pulled Aegis down by the nape of her neck, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss, punctuated by a nip to Aegis's lower lip. "Do not cease."

Aegis offered no sign of stopping.

She continued to move against Talia, driving her deeper into the mattress until Talia’s body trembled beneath hers, both slick with sweat, the headboard audibly striking the wall with each powerful thrust. Talia reached her climax with her nails raking Aegis’s back, and Aegis followed suit moments later, buried within her intimately.

They collapsed against each other, breaths ragged, limbs intertwined.

"I detest this stratagem," Talia whispered against Aegis’s collarbone.

"I understand."

"When this is concluded, I intend to freeze Sylceris’s eyebrows solid."

"That seems a reasonable course of action."

A sharp rap sounded at the door.

Both women froze in unison.

"Aegis." Liora’s voice, muffled by the thick wood. "Open the door. We must converse."

Talia and Aegis exchanged a glance. Talia was unclothed, as was Aegis. The room was heavy with the scent of their recent intimacy, and neither possessed the inclination nor the energy to feign otherwise.

"Just one moment!" Aegis called out.

[Damn it. She sounds furious.]

Grabbing a sheet, Aegis wrapped it hastily around her waist and proceeded to open the door.

Liora stood in the hallway, her brown curls somewhat dishevelled, her blue eyes burning with indignation. She pushed past Aegis into the room without requesting permission.

"What in the blazes is wrong with you?" Liora demanded, whirling to face Aegis, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "I have observed your conduct all week. You have treated Talia abominably. In the dining hall, in our classes, in the corridors. Do you possess any comprehension of how that appears? How it affects her feelings?"

"Liora, please—"

"She is your wife, Aegis. She stood up for you. Her mother sought to arrange a marriage for her with another, yet Talia chose you, and now you cannot even be bothered to—"

A hand emerged from the bed and firmly grasped Liora’s wrist.

Liora turned, her gaze drawn to Talia. Talia was sitting up, completely nude, her dark hair in a state of charming disarray, her cheeks still flushed. A smile played on her lips.

"Come in here," Talia invited, her voice soft. "We shall provide an explanation."

"..."

Liora’s eyes flicked from Talia to Aegis, who was draped in a sheet, revealing fresh bite marks on her neck, and then back to Talia.

"... Were the two of you just...?"

"Yes," they affirmed in unison.

Liora’s face visibly reddened.

Talia gently tugged Liora’s wrist, guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed. Liora remained flushed as Aegis secured the door and recounted the crucial details. The shadow mages, Sylceris, the calculated strategy of alienating the nobility by appearing cold while fostering sympathy with the commoners – the entire ruse was laid bare.

By the conclusion of the explanation, Liora's expression had transformed from anger to one of profound concern.

"So, everything I did, the cold shoulder, pushing you away, it was all just an act?"

"Every last bit of it," Aegis confirmed. "Talia is aware of the plan, and so is Serilla. I deliberately kept you in the dark because the fewer people who possess this knowledge, the safer we all are."

"You really should have confided in me," Liora said, her voice now a mere whisper.

"I understand. I am truly sorry."

"..."

Talia, still unclothed, shifted closer to Liora, resting her chin upon Liora’s shoulder.

"Let me assure you, she has been offering her apologies throughout the entire night. She possesses remarkable skill in that regard."

A faint blush returned to Liora’s cheeks.

"I can certainly perceive that."

Talia’s hand moved to rest upon Liora’s thigh.

"You know, you traveled all this way specifically to safeguard my reputation. How incredibly sweet of you." Her fingers began to trace a path upward. "I believe such a gesture warrants a reward."

Liora’s breath caught in her throat.

"Talia..."

"Aegis was merely tending to my needs. However, I suspect she still has ample energy remaining to satisfy both of us." Talia glanced toward Aegis. "Wouldn’t you agree, my darling?"

[Do I? Yes. Absolutely yes.]

Aegis let the sheet fall away.

Liora’s gaze fell upon Aegis’s partially aroused member, and the blush that had colored her cheeks now spread downwards, reaching her neck.

"I, um." Liora swallowed audibly. "My intention was to express my displeasure with you."

"You may certainly voice your frustrations afterward," Aegis replied, closing the distance between them.

Talia was already in the process of removing Liora’s shirt, showering her shoulder with kisses. Liora ceased her verbal objections. Talia gently guided her to kneel at the edge of the bed, then knelt beside her. Both women looked up at Aegis; Talia’s expression was one of keen desire, a look she adopted when contemplating sharing, while Liora’s wide blue eyes gazed upward with slightly parted lips.

Talia took Aegis’s erection into her hand and slowly licked it from base to tip, maintaining unwavering eye contact. She then angled it towards Liora.

"Now it is your turn."

Liora hesitated for a mere second before her mouth enclosed his member.

Her ministrations were gentler and more deliberate than Talia’s, her tongue tracing circles around the glans as her hand held the shaft. Talia observed, then leaned in, running her tongue along the opposite side. Aegis’s hands moved to the back of both their heads as they pleasured her cock in unison, their tongues intertwining around it, their lips occasionally brushing.

[This is, objectively, the best apology I’ve ever given.]

Liora took Aegis deeper, her cheeks hollowing as she moved rhythmically, while Talia’s attention shifted lower, her mouth latching onto Aegis’s testicles as her hand worked what Liora's mouth could not reach.

The combined sensations caused Aegis’s knees to weaken. She steadied herself with one hand on the bed's edge and gazed down at the two women. Talia’s golden eyes and Liora’s blue eyes met hers simultaneously, and Aegis’s cock twitched within Liora’s grasp.

"Fuck," Aegis breathed out. "You two are going to be the end of me."

Talia released Aegis’s testicles and offered a smirk.

"Perhaps that would be fitting."

She gently guided Liora’s head down further, eliciting a muffled sound of surprise, then a gasp, before Liora resumed her ministrations. Talia kissed her way up the shaft to meet Liora’s mouth, and the two women alternated, one focusing on the tip while the other attended to the base, switching positions every few seconds in a sloppy, wet exchange. Saliva streamed down Aegis’s cock, dripping onto the floor, yet neither woman seemed to notice or care.

Aegis’s fingers tightened their grip in their hair. Her hips instinctively moved forward, and Liora moaned around her, the vibrations causing Aegis’s abdominal muscles to clench.

"I am very close," Aegis stated.

Talia pulled Liora away and wrapped her hand around Aegis’s cock, her strokes becoming increasingly rapid. She pressed her cheek against Liora’s, both women’s mouths agape, tongues extended, awaiting the moment.

[Oh, fuck me.]

Aegis climaxed powerfully. The initial surge sprayed onto Talia’s tongue, while the subsequent one landed across Liora’s lips and chin. Talia continued her ministrations, drawing out every last drop until cum dripped down both their faces. Liora’s eyes appeared dazed, her chest rose and fell rapidly, and her lips were slick and coated.

Talia then turned Liora’s face towards her own and initiated a kiss.

Their mouths met in a slow, open-mouthed kiss, Aegis’s climax passing between their tongues as they remained kneeling. Liora let out a soft whimper into the kiss, and Talia held the back of her neck, deepening the embrace. Aegis stood watching as they exchanged her potent load, their lips glistening and messy.

[I am never, ever getting tired of this.]

Both women swallowed deeply. Talia wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and gazed up at Aegis with a wide grin. Liora seemed momentarily lost, as if she had forgotten her own name.

"Apology accepted," Talia declared.

---

The following afternoon, Aegis rejoined her study group.

They occupied their usual secluded spot near the library, diligently reviewing Duchess Valemont’s recent assignment concerning trade negotiations. Jona appeared bewildered, while Miheyra attempted to assist him. Tam diligently took notes. Ellis, leaning back in his chair, adjusted his spectacles, a glint in his eyes, and his lips betrayed a desire to speak, though he carefully chose his words.

"So," Ellis finally began, pushing his glasses up his nose. "That young woman, Sylceris, approached me once more."

Aegis looked up from her own notes.

"Is that so?"

"She has been inquiring. Not just about you this time. She was curious about my opinion on noble privileges. Specifically, if commoners truly had an equitable opportunity at the academy or if the entire system was inherently flawed."

"And what was your response?"

"I told her the unvarnished truth. That the system is undeniably rigged, and it's common knowledge among us." Ellis offered a shrug. "She appeared to be quite engaged by that."

"I cannot dispute your assessment."

Aegis gave a slow nod, her attention returning to the documents before her.

[... My only course of action is to continue successfully navigating her trials. That is all that matters.]