"Come on, we’re going to be late."
Zion said.
"..."
I was silent for a while, surprised by the sudden appearance of the protagonist of this world that I was in.
I stood completely frozen on the spot, staring blankly at the person who was currently leaning against my side. Unlike Vael who I possessed, I immediately recognized him.
Onyx black wavy hair with a clean cut, obsidian-like eyes. He was taller than me and more well built, proof that he’s been training more than me.
His physical presence alone made it painfully clear how much effort he had put into honing his strength. His muscles look solid under, even his grip on my shoulder was firm.
He was really handsome too, as expected of the main character of a dating game, he’s pleasing in the eyes.
It was almost surreal seeing the iconic main character of the game standing right in front of me in flesh and bone, speaking so casually as if we were old high school friends.
"..."
Anyway, he looked at me straight in the eye.
His sharp, dark gaze was fixed on my face, carrying a strange mix of calm confidence and quiet concern that made my throat go dry.
"...!"
This is when I snapped out of my stupor and realized what he was doing.
He was actively stepping in to bail me out of a lethal situation, offering me a seamless excuse to pull away from the man’s iron grip without causing a scene.
"I-I’m coming."
I replied to him.
My voice stumbled slightly at first, but I quickly straightened my back, adjusting my tone to sound like a student who had simply been delayed while chatting with an acquaintance.
Zion nodded his head, then he looked at the man who was grabbing me on my shoulders.
He turned his head with a smooth, unhurried motion, his eyes locking onto the tall man with an easygoing grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
"Do you know this mister?"
He asked me.
"Uhh, no. He just suddenly grabbed me."
I responded as I shook my head.
I made a deliberate point to show a look of discomfort, looking between Zion and the man while taking a half-step back.
"I think he mistook me as someone else."
I added after that.
"...!"
The man grabbing me widened his eyes, his grip tightened for a split second as his jaw clenched, a surge of irritation flashing across his sharp features. He opened his mouth, likely about to claim authority over me or pull me forcefully toward an alley.
But before he could even say anything—
"Mister, just let go. Don’t cause a scene, a lot of eyes are already on us."
Zion stated that.
Zion’s voice remained surprisingly calm, but there was an unmistakable weight behind his words that made the air between them feel suddenly heavy.
The man stopped and looked around, a few eyes from curious strangers were on us... And on top of that, a guard from the academy was eyeing the situation, seeing what was happening.
Armored guards stationed near the heavy iron gates had already rested their hands on the pommels of their sidearms, their sharp gazes locked directly on our small group.
The Frostguard family, Vael’s family is well known, their signature hair color was a common knowledge to everyone.
The distinctive white hair and blue strands of the man made his lineage glaringly obvious to anyone with basic political awareness.
So the guard and the people around probably realized by now that the man grabbing me is from the Frostguard family.
"..."
Realizing this, the man frowned.
A shadow passed over his face as his eyes darted from the guard’s tense posture to the growing number of students glancing our way. He can’t make any reckless actions now, anything he does will now be linked to the family, and surely the elders wouldn’t allow any bad image to fall upon them.
They operated strictly in the shadows when it came to internal purges. A public conflict right on the academy doorstep would spark a massive scandal among the other major noble factions.
They wouldn’t have try to secretly assassinate me—Vael—if they were so reckless and uncaring about their reputation.
They would have simply executed me in the open under the guise of family law instead of sending silent pursuers to tail my every move.
Anyway, because of this--
"Sorry... I thought you were someone I know."
The man told me that, forcing a smile on his face.
The smile was stiff and completely devoid of warmth, his eyes shooting me a cold, silent warning before he slowly opened his fingers. After that, he let me go and walked away.
He backed away into the passing crowd, his dark suit fading into the sea of moving people until he completely vanished from sight.
I still feel some throbbing on my shoulders where he was holding me.
The pressure of his grip had been so intense that my skin still burned under my shirt, leaving a lingering ache in my muscles.
"Come on, let’s go."
Then, Zion told me that as he tapped me on my shoulders.
He gave my arm a light, reassuring pat, nudging me forward toward the wide open entrance of the campus.
"Ah, right."
I replied to him, and we immediately started heading inside the academy.
I picked up my pace, crossing the heavy stone threshold of the outer gates without looking back even once. I don’t want to stay any longer outside especially after having that close call.
*****
"Thanks, you saved me there."
I said as Zion and I are standing in front of the academy gates.
We had moved past the crowded entryway and were now standing safely inside the massive, cobblestone courtyard of the campus, well out of reach of any external pursuers.
"No problem, everyone will do the same."
Zion said with a smile.
He shrugged his shoulders casually, resting his hands in his pockets as he looked at me with genuine warmth.
I really doubt people will help random strangers, but if he really thinks that—then that just shows about his character.
In a world governed by strict noble hierarchies and dangerous magic, most people would have turned a blind eye to avoid getting dragged into high-stakes noble disputes. But he had stepped in without a second thought.
"And also, if I didn’t do anything—you might’ve blasted a lot of other people with the thing you were about to do."
He followed, looking at my hand.
He glanced down at my right fingers, which were still slightly pale from the sudden spike of mana I had summoned earlier.
It seems like he felt the mana I was gathering earlier when I was caught, he probably figured that I was desperate enough to launch a big attack despite being in public.
"..."
I didn’t say anything back for a second, I was embarrassed.
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling a slight heat rise to my cheeks as I realized how obvious my desperate reaction must have been to someone with high mana sensitivity.
But if I was in the same situation, then I will do it again; my survival was on the line after all.
If Zion hadn’t intervened, launching that sudden burst of ice was my absolute last resort to break free and sprint across the border, consequences be damned.
"How did you even notice that I was in a sticky situation?"
I asked Zion, he appeared in a really lucky time.
I looked at him with genuine curiosity, trying to understand how he managed to pinpoint me in the middle of such a massive, chaotic crowd. I find it really strange.
"Well, I saw the man grab you—I was walking not far away from you. He was way too aggressive."
Zion casually replied to me.
He pointed back toward the street outside the gates, chuckling softly.
"And also, because of instinct."
Then he added.
His tone shifted slightly, becoming a bit more thoughtful as he met my gaze.
I looked at him, not saying anything after he said that.
I simply waited for him to elaborate, knowing full well what kind of ridiculous, protagonist-level ability he was referring to.
"Ever since I was little, I have a strong instinct that makes me sense what the others are feeling. It’s strange, but it helped me avoid a lot of trouble."
He explained with a big smile on his face.
He tapped his chest lightly with a thumb, his posture completely relaxed as he spoke about his unique trait.
"I sensed a strong feeling of anxiety and fear from you, while hostility to the man—that’s why I decided to interfere."
What Zion was saying might sound like a bunch of bullshit, but his instinct was really strong as he said—it was mentioned in the game a lot of times.
To an outsider, it sounded like a vague, convenient excuse made up on the spot. But having played through the original story, I knew it was a literal passive skill built into his character core.
This helped Zion—or the player—know what the heroines are feeling, so that they can progress their relationship faster.
It was the ultimate narrative tool designed by the game developers to trigger key story events and unlock specific dialogue paths with the main romantic leads.
"By the way, my name is Zion Braveheart."
Zion then introduced himself and extended his hand to me with a big smile on his face.
He stood there under the morning sun, his hand held out in an open, friendly offer of companionship.
I looked at the academy gates, there are five guards—I’m safe now.
The heavy stone perimeter, the armed guards patrolling the inner walls, and the strict barrier array surrounding the campus grounds guaranteed that the Frostguard elders couldn’t lay a finger on me here. The exhausting chase was finally over.
SWOOOSH~
I covered my hair with mana and burned off the temporary dye; the pinkness of my hair dissipated and my white—with blue strands hair returned.
A brief wave of frost mana surged from my core, circulating through my scalp in a silent burst of cold energy. The bright pink dye instantly broke down and vanished, allowing my natural, stark white hair and bright blue highlights to cascade freely into place.
Zion looked at me with slightly surprised eyes.
His eyebrows shot up as he witnessed the sudden transformation, staring at the iconic coloration that had just revealed itself right before his eyes.
But ignoring that for now—
I reached out and grasped his hand firmly, offering a solid, appreciative grip.
"My name is Vael Frostguard—nice to meet you."
I introduced myself back and shook Zion’s hand.