Outside the academy building, three students lingered near a shaded alcove, away from the passing crowd. Their gazes were sharp, watching as the other classes emptied into the courtyard, their attention locked onto the sea of uniforms filtering out.
One of them—a lanky student with shifty eyes—suddenly perked up. His head tilted slightly before he leaned closer to the blonde boy standing at the center of their group.
"Young master Leroy, look. It's that boy."
At his words, Leroy von Albrecht turned his gaze, his sharp blue eyes narrowing as they landed on a particular figure.
A student dressed in the standard black academy uniform emerged from the building, moving at a steady, unhurried pace. His build was average—not particularly tall, but not short either—lean yet not frail. His short, well-styled black hair framed a face that, while not handsome as his, was certainly above average.
Leroy's lips curled in mild distaste.
"The transfer student?" he muttered, as if speaking his name was an insult.
Beside him, the stockier of the two lackeys nodded eagerly. "I found out everything about him, young master."
Leroy barely spared him a glance. "Then speak."
The lackey puffed up his chest, eager to report.
"He's from the Orlan Kingdom, a low-level noble family called Luthaire. Their land is harsh, and their family is poor because of it. He's the eldest son and used to study at Orlan's best academy before transferring here. He passed the entrance exam with high scores and even earned a scholarship."
Leroy's expression twisted into a sneer. "Get to the important part."
The lackey stiffened, realizing his mistake. He had been praising someone other than his young master.
A cold sweat formed on his back as he quickly corrected himself.
"Ahem. From what I heard, he has no friends and only cares about studying. He doesn't have any real connection to Lady Emilia or… that bastard Aeron either. So, he has no clear backing." The boy's lips curled in disdain. "How dare he disrespect you, young master? How should we deal with him?"
Leroy exhaled slowly through his nose, his eyes narrowing as they followed the figure of Amaniel Luthaire, the so-called transfer student.
After a brief moment, he tilted his head slightly. "Tail him."
The lanky lackey straightened instantly, giving a firm nod before slipping into the crowd, following Aman from a distance.
Leroy, however, didn't look away. His eyes drifted past Aman to another group just a few steps behind him.
Two girls and a boy.
The handsome, black-haired figure at the center of the group made his fingers twitch.
Aeron.
And by his side… Emilia.
Leroy's jaw clenched, and his grip tightened into a fist at his side.
That bastard—!
How dare he stand beside Emilia so casually? Did he think Leroy wouldn't notice? Wasn't Livia enough for him and now was eyeing for Emilia?
His cold gaze burned with jealousy as he muttered, "Let's go."
Without another word, he strode forward, his two lackeys hurrying to follow behind.
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A few minutes later.
Just as Leroy and his lackeys neared the cafeteria following the trio, the lanky lackey rushed back, his expression troubled.
Leroy frowned, already irritated. "What is it?"
The boy swallowed before quickly replying, "Young master—he entered the library as soon as he left."
Leroy's footsteps faltered slightly. His eyes widened a fraction before he scowled deeply.
The library?
"Tch."
It was that guy's territory.
Leroy clicked his tongue, exhaling sharply through his nose. "Forget about him." He turned away, his mood souring. "Let's go."
Even as he walked off, irritation still simmered in his chest. But beneath that irritation, something else lurked—a twisted sense of amusement.
'You think you're lucky, huh?'
'Too bad for you then.'
'You delivered yourself straight into the monster's den.'
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The scent of parchment and aged books welcomed me as I stepped into the library. The moment I entered, I flicked my gaze back, just in time to catch a shadow dashing away.
…Pathetic.
If you're going to tail someone, at least do it properly.
Not only had that lackey guy failed to blend in, but his glaring was so obvious that I'd noticed him the moment I left the building.
Really, who wouldn't notice a guy peeking from behind pillars, constantly ducking out of sight like a badly written spy?
It was honestly embarrassing.
Well, whatever. It wasn't like he could continue his 'mission' in the library.
There were rules here. Even idiots like him must have understood that much.
Shaking my head, I walked forward, my footsteps soft against the polished marble floor.
The library was nearly empty—expected, considering most students were currently in the cafeteria. Which works out well for me. I intentionally came here right away expecting this after all.
As I reached the front counter, I spotted a young woman behind it, absorbed in a book.
She had soft, mint-green hair tied in a low ponytail, and a pair of round glasses perched on her nose. Her eyes, though hidden behind the lenses, were entirely focused on the pages before her, her expression serious.
I observed her for a moment.
No reaction to my presence.
Fine.
"Ahem."
"..."
A bit louder?
"AHEM."
"Ah!"
The girl jolted in shock, hands twitching as she lost control of the book she was holding. It slipped from her grasp, landing right by my side with a soft thud.
Her wide, anxious eyes met mine. "I—I'm so sorry!"
I bent to pick up the book, its paper cover was halfway open.
'**** to Win Over Your Alfa Fiance** *****
***% Guarantee*** <-'
…
I blinked.
What did I just read?
My brain automatically corrected the title - How To Win Over Your Fiance's Heart.
Shoot, what a cringe title.
But, poker face, please don't fail me now.
Wordlessly, I picked up the book and handed it back to her.
She hesitated for a split second, sneaking a glance at the title before looking back up at me. Her face turned red in an instant, and she hurriedly snatched the book away, clutching it to her chest like some sort of forbidden treasure.
"I-I'm really sorry for not noticing you earlier!" she stammered. "B-But, you… startled me."
I inclined my head slightly. "Apologies for that."
She peered at me cautiously, her fingers fidgeting with the book cover. It was almost amusing how she kept sneaking glances at my expression, as if trying to gauge if I had read anything or whether I was going to laugh at her.
I didn't.
...Laugh.
"..."
I just stared her back.
After a brief moment, she finally seemed to calm down.
"So, um… is there something you need?" she asked, pushing her glasses up and trying to regain her composure. "It's rare to see students in the library, so…"
I raised a brow. Rare?
Is she talking about time or...
Well, no matter.
"I'm a transfer student," I explained. "I came to check out books covering the basics of all subjects. Where can I find them?"
The girl blinked, then her expression brightened. "Oh! A transfer student? That makes sense! I see, I see." She nodded to herself standing up. "Don't worry, I'll help you myself—"
A shadow fell over us.
The warmth of her cheerful attitude disappeared in an instant.
A chilling sensation crawled down my spine.
It wasn't just a presence—it was an overwhelming, suffocating force.
The girl in front of me visibly stiffened. Her fingers clenched around the book, and she quickly averted her gaze, as if avoiding eye contact with whoever was behind me.
A deep, cold voice broke the silence.
"I will do it."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees.
I slowly turned around.
Before me stood a man at least fifteen centimeters taller than me. His expression was sharp, his handsome face giving off a refined yet dangerous aura.
But more than anything—
His presence was terrifying.
A pressure, invisible yet heavy, radiated from him like an unseen force. It wasn't the kind that shouted for attention, nor the kind that was deliberately oppressive.
It was the kind that awakened fear.
Calmly, I met his gaze.
This…
This was not someone ordinary.
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