Adrian's POV
After the lecture ended, the Teacher handed Kael an SS-rank sword manual. I didn't react much. SS-rank manuals were extremely rare, but in the apex class, everyone already possessed their own SS-rank skills or magic, usually inherited from prestigious families. Others didn't react either; no one here was easily impressed.
The Teacher then explained that joining a club was mandatory. Once she left the classroom, I got up to leave, but a voice stopped me.
I looked back. It was my sister. I asked in a cold, indifferent tone, "What is it?"
She trembled and asked weakly, "Wh-which clubs… which clubs did you choose?" Her eyes were filled with hope and desperation.
I felt a mix of confusion and frustration. Why now? I thought. After all these years, after calling me a disgrace, ignoring me whenever I needed help… why ask me now? Many thoughts rushed through my mind, but I ignored them and replied coldly:
"I haven't chosen yet."
I left the classroom and headed to the dorms. Once there, I took the lift to my floor, pushed open the door, and strode in. I went straight to the gym, pushing my body to its limits. Sweaty and exhausted, I headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Afterward, I put on regular clothes and began preparing my food.
While eating, I thought about which clubs to join. I had already decided: the Swordsmanship Club to further sharpen my skills, the Duelist Club to face stronger opponents, and the Traveling Club. That last one reminded me of a past incident:
The Traveling Club president had been in contract with an SS-rank Demon Lord, planning to assassinate the Elven Princess and break the alliance. He drugged everyone in the club and was ready to strike. But suddenly, MC woke up. Though only with a C+ rank, he fought with everything he had: skill, willpower, and determination. A mid-battle breakthrough allowed him to defeat the president and emerge as B-rank. Afterward, the Elven Princess began to regard him with gratitude, and his name spread worldwide. He was hailed as a hero, but this fame also made him a prime target for demons and their allies.
In that world, my sister had died at the hands of demons, and Kael Rivers hadn't been there to protect her. I will not let that happen in this life. Even if she tried to kill me in the past, she is my blood, and I will protect her.
I also thought about the butterfly effect. MC might not join the Traveling Club if I don't guide him. Tomorrow, I'll ask him. If he joins, I'll observe. If he refuses, I'll convince him. The world needs heroes to bear its burdens. I don't want the attention; I'll focus on supporting him while preparing myself for the future.
Satisfied with my plans, I changed into pajamas and fell asleep.
The next day, Tuesday, I woke up, bathed, and dressed in my black academy uniform, adorned with a silver half-crown. I prepared breakfast, ate, and washed the dishes.
Walking toward class, students murmured as usual, but I ignored them. I entered the classroom, sat quietly, and waited. Today, I would ask MC about his club choice and try to convince him to join the Traveling Club.
When the Teacher entered, the lecture for the day began.
The bell chimed softly, echoing through the vaulted ceiling of Nova Academy's Apex Hall. The final lecture of the day had ended, and Professor Lysandra Vaelthorne dismissed us with her usual curt efficiency. She was not one for lingering words; sharp amethyst eyes swept the room, her presence commanding silence even from the proudest nobles in the top ten.
When she strode out, long hair streaked with silver swaying behind her, no one moved until the door clicked shut. The air loosened. Chairs scraped back, chatter resumed, and students began drifting toward the exit.
I rose from my seat at the back, ignoring the sidelong glances that followed me. They weren't worth my time. My goal today was something else.
Kael Rivers was halfway to the door when I called out.
"Kael."
He paused and turned, black hair catching the light, ember-gold eyes narrowing slightly.
He wasn't used to me speaking first. His guard was up.
I stepped closer, voice calm but even. "Which clubs are you going to join?"
A faint flicker of suspicion crossed his face.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Simple," I replied.
"The top ranks should pressure each other. If we're in the same clubs, we'll improve faster. Rivalry keeps the blade sharp."
It was an excuse, but believable. Enough to push without drawing attention.
Kael studied me for a moment longer before answering. "Swordsmanship Club. Duelist Club. Exploration Club. Those three."
I nodded as if in agreement, then tilted my head slightly. "Have you considered the Traveling Club?"
His brows furrowed. "The Traveling Club?"
"It's underrated," I said evenly. "Field expeditions, changing environments, unexpected challenges. It steadies both body and mind. Sometimes peace and pressure are needed together to break through bottlenecks."
Kael's expression shifted, thoughtful now. He weighed the words, suspicion still lingering but less sharp. Finally, he gave a slow nod.
"I'll think about it. Maybe I'll join."
"That's good." I let the matter rest there. Pushing harder would only rouse doubt.
Together we walked out of the hall, parting ways at the crossroads of the Academy courtyard. The others still watched, though they tried to hide it.
The Apex Class was the jewel of Nova Academy, and every interaction between its students was a ripple that others tried to read.
Selene's POV
I lingered in my seat as the classroom emptied. My hands trembled slightly on the desk. I had wanted to speak to him again to ask which club he'd choose, to find some excuse to walk beside him like before. But he hadn't looked my way. Not even once.
My chest tightened as I watched Adrian leave with Kael Rivers, their voices too low to catch. A dull ache spread in me, heavier than before. Memories kept returning, unbidden. When we were children, he had black hair like mine. We'd run through the manor gardens, laughing with Evelyne at our side. Back then, he smiled easily.
Back then, I never imagined I would be the one turning away when he needed me most. Now his hair was white, cold as winter.
A year away from the family. It was as if the warmth in him had frozen over. I had watched from afar as whispers followed the disgrace, the failure, the abandoned son. And I had let those words guide me too. I had believed them, repeated them, until I convinced myself they were true. But when he looked at me today, just once, I saw nothing but emptiness in his eyes. No hatred. No anger. Just absence. That hurt more than any insult I had ever given him.
I was in the classroom for five whole minutes.
"Selene," a voice broke into my thoughts. I looked up to see a black-haired boy with golden eyes, Kael Rivers. Rank two. His gaze was curious, perhaps concerned.
"You're still here?" he asked.
I forced a small smile. "Just… thinking. It's nothing."
Before he could reply, I gathered my things and left the hall quickly. If I stayed longer, my composure would break.
Adrian's Pov
The dorm tower loomed high above the courtyard, its spire crowned with glass domes that caught the fading sun. Students bustled in and out, laughter spilling into the evening air.
I ignored them all and headed straight to the lift, ascending to the top floor where the Apex dorms were reserved. Privacy was a rare gift at Nova Academy, and up here, silence was mine alone.
In my room, I shed the academy uniform and changed into training wear. The floorboards creaked slightly as I entered the practice chamber, bare walls, a polished floor, a single rack of weapons.
It was enough. I drew my blade and began with the fundamentals. Stances, cuts, thrusts measured, repeated, relentless. Each movement carved into the air until sweat dampened my brow.
I could feel it, the thin wall of resistance in my chest and limbs. The bottleneck. C+ rank. My current limit. The sword manual lay on the desk nearby, its pages etched with diagrams of impossible grace. But without breaking through, I couldn't move beyond Level 7.
For now, I was bound here. So I shifted. Daggers. Footwork drills. Breath control. Sharpening the parts of myself left behind. If I could not yet climb higher, I would deepen the foundation until the wall cracked on its own.
Hours slipped by before I finally lowered my blade. My body ached, but the ache was honest. It meant progress.
After bathing, I returned to the kitchen corner of the suite. Cooking had become a habit, even. Tonight, I diced vegetables, seared meat, and let the quiet of the room fill with the simple rhythm of preparation. The scent was grounding, reminding me of the year I had survived alone.
A year of learning not just to fight, but to live. When I finished eating, I cleaned the dishes carefully, then slipped into my pajamas. The bed was cool beneath me as I lay back, staring at the ceiling.
Kael Rivers. Selene. The Traveling Club.Threads, weaving already. Some fragile. Some dangerous. Sleep claimed me slowly, thoughts lingering like whispers at the edge of a blade.