Chapter 1284: Chapter 11: So You Still Know Morality

Iris Flower, Laisser.

“This is the Theological Seminary of ‘Decree University.’ Long ago, it was known by another name… called Beggar Monastery. Hey, good afternoon, ma’am! You’re still so young.”

Arsene walked in front, removed his top hat, and familiarly greeted the dormitory manager, “I’m going up for a stroll–to find Mia for some fun. These two are my friends.”

“Oh, okay. Do you need a key?”

The lady with reading glasses, knitting at the entrance, didn’t even glance up, casually replying, “Also, remember to sign in at the entrance.”

“She doesn’t have class today; she should be in the dorm. No need for a key.”

Arsene chuckled and chatted amiably with the seemingly fifty- or sixty-year-old, fairly strong manager for a bit. Not until he made her laugh did he put his top hat back on and proceed inside.

“… You really are the idol of middle-aged women.”

Aiwass teased, “She seems to trust you completely. She just let you walk right in? Does she know who you are? A thief?”

“A noble thief. She knows who I am–but I should correct one thing, even young ladies like me.”

Arsene said, smugly flicking his curled bangs aside to reveal a confident smile.

“As a phantom thief…”

Alester seemed puzzled, “Shouldn’t you just sneak in quietly? Why did they even let us all in together?”

“Huh?”

Arsene was momentarily confused but then realized, “Ah, right… This might be our Iris Flower’s specialty.

“A long time ago–before I was even born, Iris Flower was conservative for a period. Back then, this seminary was just a monastery. You’d see the nuns sternly scolding young monks and nuns every day… Forget about bringing people back to your dorm room, even chatting with the opposite sex more than a few words on the road might get you criticized.

“But later, Iris Flower had a ‘Pink Iris Flower’ movement–on the surface, it encouraged students to seek true love, ‘to find their romantic youth.’ But in reality, it was a plan led by the Son of the Moon, to deepen the influence of the Path of Love on this country.”

“No one could oppose the Son of the Moon. The leading protesters were either eliminated or converted into Sons of the Moon, then totally changed their stance. When people realized that it was the Son of the Moon behind this… naturally, no one dared to challenge them, leading to a completely laissez-faire attitude on this matter.”

“Since then… Iris Flower gradually turned into the environment we have today. Those nuns, they grew up during the times when the cultural norms changed. They naturally aren’t shocked by such things…”

As Arsene spoke, he led them past the dormitories on the first and second floors.

Though it was a girls’ dorm, there were a few males walking around inside. They glanced curiously at Aiwass and Alester, and enthusiastically greeted Arsene.

Some dorm rooms weren’t even closed, inside were young couples eagerly playing around–as if, per the Irisflower People’s habits, the passing students might also be part of the PLAY.

Some girls felt embarrassed, covering their faces or eyes and briskly walking away–and such shy girls instead became part of the humor. The young people pointed and laughed at their backs. Some even stood by the doors offering commentary and sharp critiques, like coaches instructing professional players.

As they passed, Aiwass nearly heard joyful screams the entire way. Many girls flocked to Arsene’s side, and many took the chance to pinch him–Aiwass, standing in the back, even saw that among them, there was a man.

Aiwass and Alester exchanged glances, a bit of shock in their eyes.

Though they knew Iris Flower was fairly “open”… they underestimated the degree of openness.

…Is this what a country under the rule of the Son of the Moon is like?

“Hello, handsome…”

Finally, someone boldly approached Aiwass with a friendly gesture, “This lovely girl… is she your sister?”

Aiwass squinted, studying her.

He could clearly feel that the girl’s body was already trembling. He could sense her heart beating rapidly, and Aiwass could make her heart explode with just a flick of his finger.

“She’s my daughter.”

The White Robed Moon Child responded icily.

“Oh!”

The female student smiled, “Would you mind finding a mother for her?”

“She already has a mother.” Aiwass replied coldly.

“Would she mind having one more?”

She didn’t even mention “replacing,” but rather “adding.”‘

— From the beginning, these girls weren’t after “boyfriends,” but “lovers!”

For some reason, Alester suddenly felt a bit annoyed.

She pulled on Aiwass and quickly left.

“Isha’s makeup isn’t good enough.”

Once away from the crowd, Alester complained with some dissatisfaction, “It doesn’t deter them at all.”

Even though Isabel had intentionally made Aiwass’s makeup look more ferocious, and people did indeed clear out from around him… the makeup’s deterrent effect now seemed limited.

“What, what?”

Arsene nosily approached, “Ferocious makeup? That kind of thing doesn’t work at all.”

He laughed, revealing an ambiguous smile, “You guys still don’t understand Iris Flower: after all, some people particularly like that–at Iris Flower, many girls are enthusiastic about being controlled or harmed, this is a country saturated for a century by the Path of Love.”

“Such peculiar tastes aren’t considered ‘immoral’ at Iris Flower. Rather, it’s fashionable, trendy, and celebrated by the young for being unconventional. Nowadays, anyone without quirks is called a ‘bookworm.’ Like the girl who just ran away, in Avalon, such self-disciplined and pure girls might become the students’ goddess… But here, they’re called ‘stodgy and dull.’

“We Irisflower People, are born rebels. Workers rebel against businessmen, businessmen rebel against nobles. Minors imitate, students rebel against teachers, children like rebelling against parents. The result is ‘anything traditional is bad.’

“I’ve become their idol probably because the profession of ‘phantom thief’ will never be officially recognized. So, in their eyes, I’m one of their ideals.”

Saying this, the smile on Arsene’s face dimmed a bit.

Within that full smile was a hint of adult melancholy and sadness, “I just hope no one takes the same path I did.”

Hearing this, Aiwass instead became somewhat interested.

This Mr. Strange Thief, it seems, isn’t proud of his work at all…

So how did he end up on this path?

But Aiwass didn’t have time to ask as they had already reached their destination.

On the second floor of the dormitory, at the end of one of the corridors, room number 2048 was the classroom known as “Mia”.

Although this was just a student dormitory, the living conditions were different from Aiwass’s impression of a dormitory. When he was studying, he always had to return to the Moriarty Estate at night–Avalon didn’t have nobles, but it did have “Founding Families” that were equivalent to nobles, so of course, he didn’t stay with other students.

When there finally was such an opportunity at the university, Isabel directly gave him a house on campus.

In the memories of his past life… his only impression of the dorm was shared quarters for four people, not particularly fond memories, or the life he had cohabiting with his best friend.

–This was the first time Aiwass had seen and entered a student dormitory in this world.

The hallway here was paved with marble floors, turning to wooden floors near the room doors and had at least three fingers wide of wooden thresholds.

The interior furnishings looked like a luxurious hotel suite. The dorm entrance was a bathroom, facing a living room of at least twenty square meters. Inside were three large sofas, a low glass table, and a tall dining table. There was also a small balcony with good lighting, with potted plants by the window.

Upon stepping inside–there were even two bedrooms!

Aiwass remained silent, as his current persona was that of a high-cold vampire.

Even though Arsene had already seen through his true identity–of course, Aiwass wasn’t really hiding it–but Aiwass stubbornly insisted on playing the role of a cool and aloof handsome guy.

–But he was truly shocked.

Luckily, there was Aleister, who could unabashedly voice out his thoughts, saying what Aiwass wanted to spit out without considering his image: “Is this dormitory really this good? Is this a noble university?”

“This used to be a noble university indeed.”

Arsene nodded and pointed to the streetlights in the campus outside the window: “Do you see? There used to be one hanging on every streetlight before.”

“…Teachers?”

“And students. There were as many hangings as there were streetlights, which was considered a trend. If this school didn’t do it, it would be looked down upon by other noble schools, deemed as ‘remnants of the old regime’. They had to gather enough people one way or another… fortunately, this school’s ground area is small, so there weren’t many streetlights. After hanging all the necessary teachers, only a dozen positions remained.”

Arsene chuckled: “Unlike the previous Son of the Moon-led movement–this part was led by the Hawkeye Organization. The financier behind it is rumored to be related to a certain Duke, aiming to weaken the royal power… only after hanging so many people did the old era come to a complete end.”

Aiwass couldn’t quite understand his expression, nor could he judge whether it was approval or disapproval.

Arsene’s expression was deep and complex.

It was the kind of emotion only those born on this land, with a profound love for it, would have.

“What are you thinking, sir?”

Arsene sharply caught Aiwass’s gaze, turned back with interest, and asked: “I am quite curious too… how do you evaluate this matter?”

“I’m not an Irisflower Person, I have no right to judge the lifestyle choices of the Irisflower People–as long as they don’t regret it themselves.”

Aiwass shook his head: “If I have to say something… I’m just glad my mother didn’t graduate from Iris Flower.”

“Your mother is an Irisflower Person too? What is her surname?”

“I don’t know. When she married my father, she abandoned her surname.”

“Oh wow.”

Arsene said with meaningful insight: “So she seems to be a noble missy. We commoners usually change our original surname to a middle name.”

“You’re of humble origin?”

“Yeah,” Arsene shrugged, “I used to be a sailor. When I was young, I worked as a stevedore in the harbor, and also delivered milk and newspapers–kids from poor families tend to grow up early.”

“Arsene!”

At that moment, a cheerful voice echoed.

A slender blonde girl ran out from the bathroom and hugged Arsene from behind.

She enthusiastically kissed Arsene, then caressed his cheeks and his stubbly chin.

“Is this Miss Mia?”

Aiwass looked at the girl.

“No,” the girl shook her head, “I’m Zula, Mia’s roommate, dear sir.”

“…Huh?”

Even Aiwass was dumbfounded.

Aleister looked at Arsene incredulously: “Then what were you just…?”

“Oh, darling!”

At that moment, a black-haired girl pushed open the door from the bedroom, excitedly said: “I heard the commotion downstairs, I knew you were coming!”

She didn’t care about the blonde girl’s intimate actions with Arsene, but instead also walked over and gave Arsene a peck: “Dear, are you bringing them to play? But such a small girl… wouldn’t that be kind of immoral?”

“…?”

What does this mean?

Aiwass felt his brain overloaded.

–So you guys are aware of morality?