Amelia’s hands wrapped around mine, soft and warm.
She looked at me, not with judgment or disgust, but with that quiet empathy she always had. The kind that made it worse.
"I don’t know what to say," she whispered, her voice barely a breath. "But... I know she means a lot to you. And I’m sure it’s the same the other way around. So... please don’t take all of this to heart."
Of course Mia cared. She always had. It was Verena—that parasite—that was the real problem.
That damn chick must’ve whispered lies in her ear. Sowed seeds of doubt. Painted me as the villain when I was the one keeping Mia safe.
She didn’t understand a damn thing about Mia. Not what she’s been through, not what she needs.
Mia was being manipulated. Clouded.
But if I could just get Verena out of the picture...
Rip the weed out from the roots.
Then everything—everything—would go back to normal.
All I had to do was pluck that weed out. Slowly. Painfully. Make her feel every inch of her mistake.
And then Mia would see.
A grin crept onto my lips. Unbidden. Wild. A twitch in my cheek gave way to a full-blown manic smile.
Even Amelia flinched when she saw it. Her fingers reflexively loosened from mine.
That reaction only deepened the smile.
But before anything else could unfold—
"Everyone! Come forth!"
Celia’s sharp voice cut through the courtyard like a whip. I blinked, the madness fading just enough for the pain to return.
My body was still sore. Bruised from the duel. I’d even forgotten that part amidst the chaos.
With a tired sigh, I followed Amelia as we made our way to the center, where Celia stood, surrounded by the rest of the students.
Some still buzzed from the action, others tense after what they’d just witnessed.
Celia looked around, her hands clasped behind her back, ever the poised instructor.
Her sharp eyes scanned the crowd, lingering just long enough on each student to make them stand straighter. Then, finally, she spoke:
"Due to the overwhelming destruction caused by today’s matches, particularly by the Top 5"—her tone dipped slightly there, no doubt referencing us—"the rest of the planned matchups for today have been postponed."
That was all the crowd needed to hear. A chorus of cheers erupted. Relief. Joy. Some students even pumped their fists into the air.
I noticed a few of them eyeing me warily though. Like I was a ticking time bomb that might go off again.
Celia’s gaze, however, didn’t leave me.
"Mr. Cassius," she addressed, voice firm, emotionless. "You nearly killed a fellow student today. While she thankfully survived, that does not excuse your behavior. You will not be expelled—for now—but you are hereby docked ten credits."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.
Some students tilted their heads, confused by the term.
Celia continued before the whispers could rise into chatter. "For those of you unfamiliar, Rose Academy does not operate on favoritism. Nobles and commoners alike are treated equally here. We function by one currency alone—credits."
Her words struck like a decree, heavy and unchallengeable.
"Credits are the only means to access goods, services, and privileges within these walls. No gold, no family name, no influence. Just your own efforts. Perform well, and you will be rewarded. Fail... and you’ll suffer the consequences."
That shut up the few murmuring nobles. Some of them had clearly been relying on their names more than their skills.
Celia went on, folding her arms. "Each month, the top 1 ranked student receives 1000 credits. Those ranked within the top 10 receive 100 credits. All others receive 50. Your actions, duels, academics, and discipline records all affect your rank."
Excited chatter rose again. For some, this was a game. A challenge. A system to conquer.
I, however, stayed silent.
«Current Credits: 990»
Celia clapped her hands once, sharp and final. "All right. Class dismissed. Use the rest of the day however you wish. But remember—your rank, your reputation, and your rewards are yours to build or destroy."
That was all it took. Students scattered like released hounds, rushing off to enjoy their newfound free time.
Some stayed behind to gossip. Others walked off in pairs or groups, already forming alliances.
I stood still for a moment longer.
My hands were no longer trembling.
Because I had a plan now.
It was time to become a gardener.
And the weed had already shown its ugly head. Now, it just needed to be pulled—slowly, delicately, painfully.
Amelia’s hand was still holding mine, tightly, like she was trying to anchor me back to some version of myself she still believed in.
I let her hand rest in mine for a moment longer, not because I needed comfort, but because I didn’t want to shake her off yet.
I needed her to think I was calm.
My eyes began wandering across the courtyard. I was looking for Celeste.
She was key. Or rather, useful. That girl had a brain like a maze—sharp, winding, and hard to follow—and she always carried herself like someone who knew far more than she let on.
Exactly the kind of person I needed right now.
But no matter how much I scanned through the crowds of dispersing students, she was nowhere to be found.
I leaned slightly toward Amelia and asked under my breath, "Hey... have you seen Celeste anywhere?"
She looked up at me, then glanced around the courtyard. "She should be here. I saw her earlier, but maybe she wandered off. Did you need something from her? I could try to help—"
I cut her off with a raised hand. "No, there’s no need. I want to talk to her privately anyway. Besides..." My voice lowered just a bit, "You’ve got your own problems to deal with. Go meet your parents. There should be a portal set up here for teleportation, right? If you’re short on credits, just say the word. I’ll handle it."
Amelia blinked at me, a bit surprised by the offer. But then her lips curled into a soft smile, and she nodded.
"Thank you," she said quietly. Her expression warmed, and for a second, she looked genuinely relieved.
The cost of teleportation wasn’t cheap—around 50 credits per trip. For someone with 100 credits, that was all she had for the entire month.
She might’ve planned to tough it out. Might’ve even given up on seeing her family altogether.
Now she could go freely.
"By the way," I asked, watching the way her smile lingered. "Is there any place Celeste usually goes?"
Amelia tapped her chin in thought, then said, "Hmm... maybe the First-Year Gold Class building. I think she mentioned visiting Freya."
I tilted my head, confused. "Freya’s not in our class?"
She shook her head, a bit of sympathy in her eyes. "No. She ranked 65 in the entrance exam. She didn’t qualify for the Platinum Class."
My eyebrows furrowed. That was a huge drop for someone like Freya. In the original game’s script, she was always in the top 10—sometimes even top 5 depending on route choices.
’So what the hell happened during the exam?’
More importantly... what didn’t happen?
Was the boss monster even present?
Doubt crept into my thoughts.
Maybe it was present all together. Maybe I should just live my life freely without any care of the world.
Still, I wouldn’t have to wait too long.
During the war between the Kingdoms of Mythria, the Rift’s descent was supposed to begin.
The spawns of the final boss would leak into our world.
If that event still happened... then this world hadn’t completely lost its structure.
I needed to keep a close eye on it.
Amelia’s voice broke my thoughts. "I can show you the class if you want. The Gold Class building isn’t far. Just across the eastern training fields."
I smiled faintly. "It would be my pleasure. Thanks."
She nodded, and we started walking together through the stone-paved paths of Rose Academy, the marble towers of the main hall fading into the background as the east wing came into view.