Carol Caroline.
If one had to describe her in a single word, "eccentric" would be it. She was undeniably beautiful; while her makeup certainly enhanced her features, she was naturally striking.
She possessed large, wide eyes, a high bridge to her nose, and full, shapely lips. With Carol’s expert application of makeup, her charm was elevated to another level. Her proportions were also outstanding—her breasts were overflowing, and her waist was elegantly cinched.
At a glance, she seemed the image of a peerless beauty, but her personality was the true problem.
She always operated at her own pace, and her words and actions were often problematic.
As a result, while she was popular with the opposite sex, many kept their distance once they got to know her. Nevertheless, there were more than a few who found themselves hopelessly drawn to her looks.
"Carol-chan, how about it? Want to grab a bite with us?"
"Yeah, yeah. What do you say? It’s on us."
Inside the base, Carol was approached by two men. It was a military facility, but as it housed both men and women, there were naturally soldiers who were in relationships.
And, of course, there were those who spent their time trying to pick up girls.
Carol stared fixedly at the two men. As soldiers, their bodies were well-trained, which wasn't bad. Their faces were also reasonably handsome—likely the source of the confidence required to hit on her.
Even as she analyzed them with cold logic, Carol’s gaze remained harsh.
"I’m not interested. Sorry," she said, turning on her heel to reject them.
However, the man seemingly couldn't take the hint and reached out to grab Carol’s shoulder.
"Hey, wait a second—"
The moment he spoke, Carol seized the man’s wrist and slammed him into the ground. She held back, but the man was utterly blindsided by her sudden violence.
"You shouldn't be so rough with a lady, you know?"
She offered a bewitching smile, but the atmosphere around her was incredibly dangerous. Though Carol was usually bright and cheerful, she possessed a ruthless streak; she showed no mercy to those who didn't interest her.
"H-Hey, let's go."
"Y-Yeah..."
The two fled the scene, looking at her as if they had just encountered something alien. Carol, for her part, began humming to herself as she plotted her next move.
"Fufu. Ray-chan is all alone today~. Ufu. Fufufu..."
Indeed. She had caught wind that both Lydia and Abby were away on separate missions, leaving Ray home alone. Unlike three years ago, Ray was now quite accustomed to being by himself.
In fact, there had been many days when Lydia was absent, and he had become used to spending those nights solo.
There was no actual reason for Carol to visit him, but she had a specific plan in mind.
Namely—to take Ray’s first time.
He had recently entered a growth spurt and was becoming more masculine by the day. Combined with his high aptitude as a sorcerer, Ray was precocious. Carol found herself increasingly drawn to his maturing, intrepid features.
What had originally started as a sort of maternal instinct had spiraled out of control... and she had finally begun to crave Ray’s body.
Despite her flighty appearance, Carol was actually quite chaste. It hadn't taken long, however, for her to reach the point where she was ready to prey on Ray.
And so, tonight was the night. Her operation was about to begin.
"Ray-cha~n. Are you there?"
She gave the door a light knock. Ray stepped out... but the moment he realized it was Carol, his expression soured as if he’d just swallowed a bitter bug.
"Geh... Carol..."
He was clearly displeased by her visit. Although he had opened the door, Ray kept it mostly closed, peering at her through the narrowest of gaps.
"What do you want?"
"I thought I'd cook dinner for you! You're all alone today, right?"
"I am, but..."
"Hey, hey. Can I come in?"
"...Well, I suppose."
Sensing no ulterior motive, Ray innocently allowed Carol into the room. He had no idea that this was the beginning of an event that would leave him traumatized.
"Caro-caro is going to cook for you today!"
"Should I help?"
"Nope! Ray-chan, you’re always so busy taking care of Lydia-chan. You should rely on me for once!"
"I see. That would be a help."
"Mm-hmm!"
A faint smile touched Ray’s lips. Seeing it, Carol’s internal state became rather... frantic.
Oh, honestly! Ray-chan is just too cute! Haah... haah... Today is the day, tonight is the night... haah... haah... I’m taking Ray-chan's virginity!
Her resolve was absolute. Her mind was filled with steamy fantasies, but without letting a trace of it show, Carol moved efficiently through her cooking.
She was making hamburger steaks with sides, along with corn soup. Since Carol was the one who had taught Ray how to cook, her skills were top-tier.
Given that history, Ray felt comfortable leaving the kitchen to her.
"..."
Carol stole a glance at him from the kitchen. He was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in a book.
He looked so picturesque that Carol’s heart did nothing but race.
It wasn't quite love, but she felt that the only way to satisfy this bursting, obsessive affection was to join their bodies. Carol had already convinced herself that Ray would surely accept her.
"Hm? Carol, did you go out somewhere today?"
"Eh? Why do you ask?"
"You look more beautiful than usual. Your hair is glossy, and you’re wearing a different perfume than your usual one, right?"
"—!"
Carol clutched her chest. Of course, it wasn't just the things Ray had pointed out; she had scrubbed every inch of her body and was wearing the bright red "battle lingerie" she had bought specifically for today.
She had prepared herself to be seen, but she hadn't expected him to actually notice. That small observation made her happier than anything else.
To her, it was proof that Ray was always looking at her.
In truth, while it was partly due to Lydia’s training, it was also a natural compliment from Ray, who was a born charmer.
"E-Ehehe. You can tell?"
"Yeah. So, did something happen?"
As she laid out the food, they continued their conversation. Carol was smiling even more than usual.
She gave a vague answer to Ray’s question.
"Hmm. Strictly speaking, I feel like the 'something' is about to happen."
"Do you have plans for tonight?"
"Yep!"
"I see."
Hearing that, Ray was relieved, assuming she would be heading home soon. He had no idea how wrong he was...
When it came time to sleep, Ray lay down in his bed. Carol had already "left," and all that remained was to drift off.
However, Ray couldn't shake a certain doubt; he felt as though Carol’s eyes had been gleaming with an eerie, predatory light. Like those of a bird of prey.
As she left, she had even told him, "I'm going to go get my heart ready!" He’d found it strange but figured it wasn't worth worrying about, so Ray gently closed his eyes.
Since he was a deep sleeper, he lost consciousness almost instantly.
"...chan. Ray-chan..."
"Hm?"
Hearing a voice calling him, Ray opened his eyes. There, straddling him... was Carol.
"...Carol? Why are you here at this hour...?"
He muttered groggily, his mind not yet fully awake. Then, Ray realized that Carol’s appearance was anything but normal.
She wasn't naked, but her lingerie was completely translucent. Although he didn't know the word "negligee," even he could grasp the overwhelming sensuality of the garment. Furthermore, her breathing was heavy.
Thinking she might be ill, Ray spoke up with concern.
"What’s wrong? Do you feel sick?"
"Ray-chan..."
She put more of her weight on him. Her voluptuous breasts were pressed firmly against his body.
Her eyes were burning with an intense light. He had seen her many times, but in this moment, she had the eyes of a predator.
"C-Carol...? W-What’s going on?"
Ray tried to crawl backward, but trapped in his bed, there was no escape. Before he knew it, he was being pinned down with surprising strength.
Terror. Absolute, overwhelming terror.
Until now, he had been a stranger to fear. His past memories were thin, and there was nothing to fear in his current life. But looking into Carol’s eyes, which felt as if they might swallow him whole... he felt a chill run down his spine.
Though he didn't yet fully understand sexuality, his instincts screamed that this was a dangerous situation.
But right now, Lydia wasn't there to help.
"Ray-chan... it’s okay, right?"
"W-What is...?"
Since she was being vague, Ray tried to ask for clarification. Just what did she intend to do?
Carol offered a bewitching smile.
Her expression was one of pure ecstasy, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. Before he knew it, the light in the room had somehow turned a hazy shade of pink.
Then, Carol entwined her fingers firmly with Ray’s and spoke.
"—Let's do 'it' together."
It was a face Ray had never seen Carol make. As she licked her lips, she looked every bit like a succubus.
The scent of her perfume and her own pheromones mixed together, filling Ray’s nose and making his head swim.
His consciousness was starting to blur, but Ray knew he couldn't let go now. He tried to face her seriously.
"W-Wait...! What!? What are you doing!?"
A shoulder strap slid down her arm, revealing the upper curve of her bountiful chest. She leaned in even closer and whispered.
"It’s okay. I’ll be gentle. Ray-chan... let's feel lots of pleasure together, okay?"
"U-Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"
He could do nothing but scream.
Ray cried out in pure panic. He had no idea what was about to happen or what she would do to him. Mature as he was, Carol, draped in such intense allure, looked like nothing more than a monster to him.
And then, just as Carol’s lips were about to touch his—Bam!! The door was violently kicked off its hinges.
The door went flying into the room.
There stood Lydia, her long golden hair flowing behind her.
"You Idiot Pink! You finally did it!!! I knew you were up to something!!"
Her rage was enough to pierce the heavens.
Lydia’s hair wasn't just fluttering; it was rising in the air, buffeted by the overflowing Prima Materia.
"...Lydia-chan. Seriously, your timing is awful! The fun was just about to start!! Hmph!!"
Carol spoke without a hint of guilt. Naturally, this only served to make Lydia more furious.
"I’m settling this today!!"
"Fufun! I’ll show you what Caro-caro is made of!!"
Ray’s bedroom instantly transformed into a battlefield.
Meanwhile, Ray was taken into protection by Abby, who had accompanied Lydia. Ray was so terrified that he clung to Abby, trembling.
"Uuuu... T-Thank you for... coming to save me..."
"It’s all right. We'd suspected Carol was going to pull something like this for a while now."
In fact, the overnight mission had been a fabrication—a trap to lure Carol out. They had actually completed their task immediately and rushed back home.
They had managed to make it just in time.
"U-Uuu..."
"There, there. You were scared, weren't you?"
Ray was actually crying. Realizing how much the boy had been through, Abby gently stroked his head.
Honestly, attempting to raid a child's bed... Abby was utterly appalled by Carol's behavior. She was quite angry herself, but seeing Lydia’s sheer fury actually caused her own temper to cool by comparison.
"All right. That should do it."
It was over.
In a fight at Cross-range, Carol was no match for Lydia. She had been knocked unconscious, her head driven into the mattress.
Her legs were sprawled out messily, creating a truly bizarre scene.
"Ray! Are you okay!?"
"M-Master!!"
Having finished the fight, Lydia rushed over to Ray and gently pulled his small frame into an embrace.
Abby watched the two of them in silence.
"Sniff... I was so scared... I thought Carol was going to eat me..."
"There, there. It’s okay. I’m here now."
"Yes. Thank you, Master."
It was a touching display of the bond between master and disciple.
However, it was rare for Lydia to be this emotional. Abby decided to test the waters.
"Hey, Lydia. This happened because that idiot Carol went off the deep end... but eventually, Ray is going to grow up, right? What will you do then?"
Lydia turned to her with a gaze that could kill.
"I won't let anyone have Ray unless I personally approve! Never!!"
"I-I see..."
Her intensity was so overwhelming that Abby didn't dare say another word.
With this incident as the catalyst, Lydia’s parental idiocy would only continue to accelerate, though no one could have known that yet.