"Students, your midterms will be held next month," Professor Rosel Robert of the Swordsmanship Department announced, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room. "This year, things will be different, it will be a combined drill, carried out in groups."
He let the words sink in before continuing. "So prepare yourselves well. The test will not be like anything you've faced before."
Gathering the stack of teaching manuals he had brought, he gave the class one last glance. "That will be all for today."
With that, he erased the board, set the chalk aside, and left the classroom with measured, quiet steps.
As soon as Professor Rosel Robert left, the classroom burst into low murmurs.
Students leaned closer to one another, voices hushed but brimming with excitement.
"This year's midterms are going to be brutal," a boy whispered to his friend, idly swinging his legs while sitting on a desk.
"Of course," the friend replied, lowering his voice even further. "It's not just about the group drills, this year, there are two people fighting for the top spot in the Swordsmanship Department."
Their eyes drifted toward the same figures everyone else was secretly watching: Vivian and Kafrik.
Kafrik's expression was carved from stone as he silently gathered his belongings, not sparing a glance at anyone.
Vivian, in contrast, sat with a faintly nervous look, his thoughts clearly somewhere far away.
"They're on a whole different level from the rest of us," the boy muttered with a sigh. "God really isn't fair." His gaze lingered on Vivian, envy simmering beneath his tone.
After all, Vivian wasn't just blessed with unrivaled talent, talent unseen in generations, but also with the attention of not one, but two breathtaking beauties.
Both of them princesses, no less, and both utterly devoted to him. How could others not feel jealousy twist in their chests?
But reality had its own cruel way of mocking people, and Vivian was the perfect example.
From the outside, his life seemed enviable, unparalleled talent, unmatched attention, and two princesses vying for him.
Yet if anyone were to step into his shoes and feel what he was feeling at that very moment… they would curse the heavens just as bitterly as he did.
Charlotte and Marinate guarded him like a fortress. No girl dared approach him, and even boys weren't spared from their restrictions.
And Charlotte was the worse between the two.
Once, she had stumbled upon a gay novel where the male protagonist betrayed his lover for another man—and from that day forward, she decreed that Vivian was forbidden from getting too close to anyone.
To the rest of the academy, he was living a dream. To him, it felt more like a gilded cage.
"Haa…" Vivian let out a long sigh as he rose from his seat, dragging himself toward the door with a sulking expression.
Though he was somewhat used to Charlotte's behaviour and found her clinging quite nice but no matter what he couldn't get used to Marinate.
Stepping into the hallway, he spotted them immediately. Charlotte and Marinate were waiting, just as always.
Their relationship hadn't improved a bit since the beginning, they would always glare at each other.
And whenever they met they would use their own language to insult each other that Vivian couldn't understand.
The moment Vivian stepped closer, both girls called out at once, their voices overlapping.
"Viv—"
"Vivi—"
They froze for half a heartbeat, then glared sideways at each other.
Charlotte only ever called him Honey when they were alone, but in public she settled for Vivi, a compromise that still made his ears burn.
Vivian swallowed hard, straightening his back as he approached.
Just recently, he'd come across an article on "how to establish dominance over evil women." Of course, they weren't evil but he had decided the advice was far too important to ignore.
The very first step? Act with dignity in front of the evil women for at least ten days.
Today marked day one.
"Let's go to a restaurant now that classes are over," Charlotte suggested, tilting her head ever so slightly toward Vivian.
Then, with deliberate emphasis, she added, "Just the two of us."
Marinate let out a sharp snort. Sliding closer, she flashed a mocking smile. "Viv, how about we go shopping instead? …You can come if you want."
"You—!" Charlotte's temper flared instantly, her voice rising as her eyes narrowed. She was just about to snap back when—
"No."
Both girls froze.
Vivian stood straighter, his expression strangely firm. "I can't go with either of you."
'This is the birth of my new form—the Ultimate Vivian, forged for one sole purpose: to survive against the evil women of my life.' He thought as he steadied his breath.
For the first time, Charlotte and Marinate were struck silent, staring at him in disbelief.
"I'll rest in my room, so don't disturb me," Vivian declared, striding past them with his chin lifted in practiced dignity.
This Ultimate Vivian—the countermeasure he had forged against these two lunatics would win against them no matter what. Though on the outside, he radiated composure, every step steady and controlled.
On the inside, however, his heart was hammering so wildly he thought he might actually piss his pants.
'Please, please, please let me go…' he begged inwardly. 'If I can just escape right now, the next stage will be set—and then my ultimate form will evolve.'
Meanwhile, the two girls stood frozen, still reeling from Vivian's uncharacteristic display.
They exchanged bewildered glances, and an awkward silence settled thickly between them.
Only after Vivian's figure disappeared down the hall did they finally snap out of their daze. Heat rushed to their cheeks in unison, their faces blooming crimson.
'How… cool.'
The thought echoed in both their minds at once.
Though Vivian had looked undeniably cool just now, and they both secretly liked that side of him, would they allow him to act like that again?
Absolutely not.
Especially Charlotte, she would never allow such behaviour to cause more headaches for her, and what's the reason?
The reason was simple.
If he kept strutting around with that kind of dignified air, paired with his already dangerous good looks, then what? Other girls might fall for him in an instant.
She already had enough competition as it was.
That was precisely why she had banned him from getting too close to anyone, not even boys were safe from her paranoia.
There was no way she would allow Vivian to roam freely, acting all impressive and untouchable.
That would be like handing him over to every lovestruck girl in the academy.
Charlotte and Marinate's eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them.
They had made a decision.
"Look, Princess Charlotte, now isn't the time for a fight," Marinate said, keeping her voice low.
Charlotte surprised her by nodding at once, uncharacteristically compliant. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "Then… shall I put him in his place?"
Marinate shook her head, slow and certain. "No. Not yet." She smiled, but there was steel beneath it. "Let him bask in this for a while. Let him think he's won."
Charlotte frowned. "Why?"
"Because when he's convinced he's safe, that's when he's weakest," Marinate explained. "We'll strike then — break his little high-minded morale so he never dares pull something like this again."
Charlotte for the first time revealed a look of admiration towards her and felt that in terms of scheming she won't be able to win against this fox.
"You really are one cruel bitch," Charlotte said with a sly smile breaking free of her admiration towards her enemy.
Marinate only smirked in reply, voice dripping mock humility. "Oh, come now, Princess — I'm not nearly as good as you yet."
They shared a look that was half play, half warning.