A Kiss For The Alpha

A Witch's Privilege

"Fey... Fey, wake up."

A voice like an angel's, a touch as soft as the stars. I opened my eyes, the headache still lingering. The warm blanket wrapped around me must mean I fell asleep yesterday.

I was planning to sleep for just five more minutes, but then I remembered today's witchcraft class. I quickly recalled all my courses and schedules from memory and checked the time.

"I'm late! Or... maybe not?" The wall clock showed six in the morning. Not late today. Oh, spirit of tardiness, please spare me just this once.

Sitting beside my bed was Lilian, the one who woke me from my slumber. Now fully awake, I wondered—how did Lilian enter my room? My key was still in my pocket.

"Fey! I asked our homeroom teacher for your room number and came to check on you since you didn't show up in the dining hall yesterday. The door wasn't even locked. I found you lying on the floor, unconscious. What happened?" Lilian asked, her voice full of concern as she shook my shoulders.

"Ah... Now that you mention it..." I began to remember. After I returned to my room yesterday, having found myself a mate, I collapsed as soon as my adrenaline wore off—probably because I was famished.

"Did you manage to get a mate and—" Lilian's words were cut off by the sound of my stomach grumbling. She sighed, running a hand over her forehead as she pieced together what really happened.

"I'm hungry... But I don't have any money! What should I do, Lilian?" I confessed, tears welling up as I begged Lilian for something to eat, promising to repay her someday.

Instead of the scolding I expected, Lilian gently patted my nape, only to suddenly smack my back as she burst into laughter.

"Really? You were hungry? That's so silly. I knew you came from an orphanage, but I didn't realize you were this clueless," Lilian giggled, wiping away the tears of laughter.

"Well, I really don't know..." I pouted, my belly still grumbling.

"Ladies should take care of themselves, Fey. You should understand the privileges of being a witch here at Akashic Academy. But first, I'm feeling a bit sticky, so let's take a bath!"

Lilian grabbed a bath towel from a cabinet beneath my wardrobe—a cabinet I didn't even know existed—and proceeded to drag me out of my room. She was determined to get me cleaned up, and I didn't resist.

"Whoa! It's a public spring bath!" I exclaimed, hopping with excitement. What awaited us was an undeniably luxurious and well-kept spring bathhouse in the female dormitories.

We entered a spacious room filled with lockers for personal belongings. I gaped at the shelves lined with toiletries and beauty products. Amenities like hair dryers and other essentials were neatly arranged in the corners, and the warm ambiance made me feel like I could fall asleep right there.

"A witch is a lady, and a lady must always be presentable! Take a pair of shower sandals and pick whatever soap, shampoo, or conditioner you prefer," Lilian instructed.

"Y-Yes, Lilian!" Wait, why did I suddenly feel like a cadet following orders? I grabbed a pair of shower sandals from the locker beside Lilian's and selected a soap and shampoo from the shelves. I also stashed my eyeglasses in the locker on top of my spare towel.

"Is it really okay to just grab these?" I asked, uncertain.

Lilian nodded, then shook her head halfway. "Didn't I tell you I'd teach you the privileges of being a witch? Whatever you need, whatever you want, whatever a witch desires—the academy provides. Everything here is for low-rank Omegas like us, but even the bare minimum here is a luxury outside the academy."

"What?!" I choked. "Are you saying there's something even better than this extravagance?"

Lilian nodded and led me to the main attraction, which astonished me once again.

"Am I in heaven?" I whispered to myself. A grand public spring bath stretched before me. A few witches were cleansing themselves in the showers to the right. In the middle of the bath stood a statue of a firm man, oddly detailed with a long sculpted phallus, from which hot water poured out.

Talk about a weird choice by the sculptor, but who am I to judge? Lilian gracefully dipped into the bath, like a princess bathing by the river.

I followed suit, and the perfectly warm water almost made me forget my hunger.

"Why am I only learning about this place now? I arrived at the academy completely unaware." I muttered, letting myself melt into the rosy fragrance of the bath.

"The proper question is: why are YOU so clueless?" Lilian flicked my forehead. She was suddenly my tutor again, which wasn't far from the truth.

"Well..." I started to respond but then noticed Lilian eyeing the mark on my chest. She smirked and slid closer, her silky skin brushing against mine as she teased me.

"Hehe. Who is it? Come on, tell me his name," Lilian coaxed, her fingers tracing my nape up to my neck. She was curious, but I wasn't ready to reveal the identity of my first mate.

"No, no. I'll introduce him later after class. He's kinda big, but he seems like a decent guy," I said, remembering Siegrid, the Lycan I had made my first retainer.

"Hm... A lycan, huh? You have an interesting taste," Lilian continued to guess.

We chatted for about an hour, soaking in the public bath. Lilian was so pure and ladylike, as if born a princess. She taught me many ways to look more gorgeous, even recommending the conditioner and soap she used.

She also complimented me, saying I was pretty too if only I knew how to take care of myself. I wasn't sure so I agreed, or maybe I was just comparing myself to her. Either way, I let her kind words wash over me.

The benefits Akashic Academy offers its students are practically sinful in their extravagance.

As Omegas of low rank, we were granted such an elegant bath. The academy provided our dormitories, and Lilian even said every witch could have whatever meal they wanted in the dining hall. The academy strongly encouraged witches to form interspecies relationships with lycans and vampires. It seemed too good to be true, but it was real—we were literally living in a fantasy. Akashic Academy was the peak of indulgence, though I knew there was more beneath the surface.

It feels too good to be true, but it's all real—we're living in a fantasy, literally. Akashic Academy is the pinnacle of indulgence. However, I know there's more to it than meets the eye.

Lilian and I left the bath before the other witches arrived. We returned to our respective dorms, dressed in our uniforms, and then met up again. We headed to the dining area she had mentioned, and the moment we stepped inside, I froze.

The word 'surprised' doesn't even begin to describe what greeted me in the dining hall. Sure, my experience at Akashic Academy has been one shock after another, but this... this left me flabbergasted beyond reason.

"And here we are, the academy's cafeteria! Let's sit at my favorite spot, shall we?"

"O-Okay..."

Lilian practically dragged me to a corner table, and we sat down.

"Wait, you call this a CAFETERIA? In what world?!"

The entire dining hall looked like a Michelin-star restaurant. The tables were set with simple yet elegant decor. Each table could accommodate up to six students, with smaller tables for three or even just two.

The hall's royal theme featured gold motifs and a rich, warm ambiance that radiated delight. The service was impeccable—each table had its own attendant acting as a waiter. And as a bonus, all the hosts were incredibly attractive, so much so that I had to slap my face a few times just to stay focused.

A steward approached our table, carrying what appeared to be a book. Yes, I was fully conscious as I stared at the book on the table, which turned out to be the menu.

What kind of cafeteria prints its menu in a book?! No restaurant I know of has so many dishes that they need a hardbound list. Just when I thought I'd seen it all at Akashic Academy, there was another revelation waiting.

"Would you like volume two or volume three, ma'am?" the steward asked. I gawked at him before gagging and hiding under the table.

I internally died when I heard that the menu had volumes. That was it—nothing could astonish me anymore. This was the apex of all surprises.

Lilian dragged me out of my pitiful state, my soul practically leaving my body. I could die in peace, knowing such a cafeteria existed.

"Come on, Fey, don't be shy!" Lilian said as she pulled me back into my seat. "Sorry about that. My friend here is a bit bashful. I'll have the usual—Crêpe Suzette." Lilian ordered like the steward was her personal butler.

"I'll have what you're having," I said. I was too hungry to sift through volumes of the menu just to find a proper breakfast.

Needless to say, the steward returned quickly. "Here's your breakfast, Lady Lilian. And for you..."

"Her name's Fey," Lilian interjected when she noticed I was spacing out.

"And here's your breakfast, Lady Fey."

"Thanks!" I smiled at the steward before picking up my spoon.

The breakfast Lilian ordered had a grand name, but it was just crepes and pancakes drenched in butter and strawberries. The moment I took a bite, the whole spoonful melted in my mouth, sending me into a euphoric trance. I blinked, and my plate was empty.

"I want more..." I muttered, and somehow, the same steward appeared at my side, serving me seconds.

"Sweet, right? Pancakes are the best for breakfast," Lilian remarked.

I was too busy devouring whatever the stewards placed in front of me. They could have slipped poison into my food, and I wouldn't have noticed. Eventually, my stomach was full.

With my hunger satisfied and my brain functioning at full capacity, I began to ask Lilian the bigger questions.

"Being a witch here feels like living in heaven. Who wouldn't want to be here? There must be some kind of catch," I blurted out.

Lilian set down her glass of water, her expression suddenly serious. The air between us grew tense as she made eye contact with me.

"A witch... is like a soldier, the bastion of tomorrow. You know what Nightclaws are, right?"

"Y-Yes. Nightclaws are monsters that lurk outside the sanctuary, or so I've heard," I replied.

"They're not just monsters... they ARE the enemy of the world. I can't blame you for not knowing them—everyone in our class is the same as you. Ignorance is bliss, but cherish it, because you'll learn the hard way."

Lilian got up and walked towards the dining hall's exit. It was the first time I'd seen her so stern, and the first time she didn't drag me out of my comfort zone.