"Your Majesty Lilith, I’ve properly delivered your message to that guy."
Boros reported as soon as he returned to the front and bowed deeply before the Third Princess. The fanatical devotion burning in his eyes was impossible to miss, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.
"Yeah, I can see. Boros, you did great."
Princess Lilith suddenly smiled and nodded, then shifted her gaze away from Lucien, who had already lowered his cold stare.
"Tsk, tsk, he seems like a promising target."
She murmured softly, her beautiful smile tinged with mischief, interest sparkling clearly in her eyes.
"Hmm... I think it’s time to give Boros a few more instructions. Let him hate me even more. Hehe... it’ll be all the more entertaining to watch him fall for me while despising me to the core."
She suddenly giggled with a sadistic look, covering her mouth with a hand as if playfully holding back laughter.
Then, without wasting another second, she turned sharply and gave her order with a graceful wave of her hand.
"Let’s go inside. It’s time to awaken our classes."
"Lucien, are you... alright?"
As Princess Lilith and the others began to enter the test, Liora asked softly, noticing his labored breathing.
His face was flushed, and sweat dripped from his forehead, as if he had just come up from drowning.
’Damn bitch. You are playing with fire.’
Lucien cursed as he breathed deeply to finally control his restless heart.
"Don’t worry, I’m alright. Why don’t you enter the test? I need some time alone."
Liora was about to ask again when Lucien suddenly waved his hand, asking her to leave.
He didn’t want to show his pathetic self to anyone right now.
"Oh? Okay, then you take care. Don’t take the test and wait for the appearance of the Awakening Altar, alright?"
Liora felt his intention and consoled him a little before leaving him alone, her face laced with faint sadness.
Lucien looked at Liora’s figure disappear behind the gate and sat on the ground as he was feeling quite weak.
’What did she do to me? Why is it so hard to control?’
Even after it had been a while, Lucien could feel the restlessness inside him hadn’t disappeared completely.
He never imagined that a single glance from her could almost drown him in lust.
This was the first time after his transmigration that he felt so weak.
’No, I cannot allow myself to be . I need to become stronger, fast.’
Lucien suddenly felt the urgency, never like before.
Although he had the system in his hand, it was a fact that someone was trying to assassinate him, and even may have been successful before.
Not to mention the sudden attention he was getting from the Third Princess, who had uncanny power.
He felt like if he didn’t hurry up now, he might not have a chance in the future. His instinct was warning him.
’Let’s complete this test first. I can think further once I awaken my class.’
Lucien made up his mind and forced himself to stand, refusing to rest any longer.
However, just as he was about to head toward the gate, a loud voice filled with mocking laughter echoed from the side.
"Tch, tch... Lucien, you really dragged noble prestige through the mud. Just one look from the Princess and you nearly wet your pants? Haha!"
The voice belonged to none other than Hugo, who stared at him with wide, amused eyes. His monkey, perched lazily on his shoulder, seemed only half-awake.
Thanks to his mockery, a few of the remaining nobles chuckled along, clearly finding it entertaining.
However, Lucien was in no mood to quarrel. He completely ignored their remarks and calmly walked toward the gate that led to the test ahead.
"Hey, Lucien... where are you going? Are you perhaps... trying to take the test?"
Hugo’s laughter came to an abrupt stop as he stared at Lucien in disbelief. His face was full of surprise, almost like he couldn’t trust his own eyes.
But Lucien didn’t respond. He simply kept walking forward, his silence making his intention loud and clear.
"Oi, are you stupid? Don’t you have an awakening quota?"
Hugo finally blurted out, unable to hold back any longer. As much as he liked mocking Lucien, this decision genuinely baffled him.
Honestly, if he had a guaranteed quota, he wouldn’t even think about touching that test.
Sure, the dungeon wouldn’t kill you outright—but there were worse things than death. He had seen someone walk out before... eyes blank, spirit crushed, like their soul had been shattered.
Why take that kind of risk when you already had a golden ticket?
However, Lucien was already gone, vanishing before Hugo’s eyes. He didn’t even turn around. Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped straight into the gate.
"Leave him be. Maybe he’s just pissed after losing his dignity. Haha..."
"Let’s go too. No point wasting time."
The other noble children chuckled and shook their heads, brushing it off. After all, time wasn’t something they could afford to waste in this place.
"Well, I guess so. Hah... why do I even care?"
Hugo muttered, shrugging off the last trace of surprise. He wasn’t the least bit concerned about Lucien.
So, without giving it another thought, he also made his way forward toward the gate.
Besides, he had his own problems to worry about.
"Bongo, what happened to you?"
Hugo frowned, clearly concerned. His monkey had grown strangely sluggish ever since they stepped into the dungeon.
A bad feeling gnawed at him—Bongo was crucial to his Beast Tamer class awakening.
’Hope nothing’s wrong with you,’ he thought, then vanished into the gate along with the others.
"Heh, and here I thought I failed to assassinate you last time. Fortunately, you handed me another chance yourself. Don’t blame me for what happens next, Lucien."
While the others were stepping through the gate, a shadowy figure lingered quietly near the edge of the crowd. Cloaked head to toe in a black robe, only his eyes were visible—eyes burning with madness.
It was none other than Glen, the assassin.