Alexander Castillo was born into the prestigious Castillo Family who founded Castillo Conglomerate, one of the pillars of Montclair's wealth and power.
From childhood, he was raised in an environment where discipline and excellence were demanded, not requested.
His education was impeccable—private tutors, elite academies, and exposure to the workings of high finance and politics at an early age.
Unlike many heirs who flaunted their riches, Alexander carried himself with a quiet reserve, preferring composure over arrogance.
What set him apart most, however, were his eyes.
Sharp and discerning, they seemed to strip away façades and uncover the truths people tried to hide.
Alexander rarely spoke without purpose, but when he did, his words carried weight.
He had learned to read people—gauging their intentions, weaknesses, and ambitions with startling accuracy.
Whether to turn them into allies or leverage them for his own advantage, Alexander always found a way to use this skill to his benefit.
Those who underestimated him often regretted it later.
Alexander Castillo was not just wealthy—he was calculating, patient, and dangerous in his own subtle way.
The lecture hall had barely emptied when Alexander Castillo's expression hardened.
To the others, he appeared calm and collected as always, but his mind was already working.
The moment Claude Julien Riviere had introduced himself, Alexander's instincts had stirred.
His tone, his posture, even the subtle pauses between his words—these were not habits of someone raised in nobility.
They were the habits of someone pretending.
As soon as he left the building, Alexander retrieved his sleek phone.
His personal secretary's voice answered almost instantly.
"Young Master Castillo, what do you require?"
Alexander's gaze swept across the bustling campus, his tone sharp yet quiet.
"I want a full background check. Name—Claude Julien Riviere. Freshman, business administration."
There was a brief pause before the secretary replied, "Understood. May I ask the reason, Young Master?"
Alexander's lips curved faintly, though his eyes remained cold.
"From the moment he spoke, I could tell. His presence was deliberate, calculated. It was an act—polished, but too polished. He introduced only his name, without any family ties. That's not humility… it's concealment."
The secretary hesitated. "Do you suspect he is dangerous?"
Alexander's voice lowered. "Suspicious, not dangerous. At least, not yet. But anyone who dares to stand in the same room as heirs of Montclair while hiding their roots… is worth paying attention to."
"Understood, Young Master. I will begin the investigation immediately."
Ending the call, Alexander slipped the phone back into his pocket.
His eyes lingered on the fading sunlight over Edelbourg.
Claude Julien Riviere… whoever you are, I'll uncover the truth.
The evening sky was painted in shades of crimson and gold as Alexander's car rolled into the private estate built solely for him.
The mansion loomed with elegance, its marble pillars and grand entrance reflecting the wealth of the Castillo Conglomerate.
Alexander stepped out, his usual calm demeanor intact, but his phone buzzed almost immediately.
It was his secretary.
He answered at once. "Report."
On the other end, the secretary's tone carried a rare note of hesitation. "Young Master… we've completed the initial investigation. But the results are… unusual."
Alexander's sharp eyes narrowed as he walked through the marble foyer, his footsteps echoing faintly. "Unusual how?"
"We found nothing beyond basic biometric information. Age, height, weight, blood type… that is all. There are no records of family, no financial history, no social connections. It is as if the person named Claude Julien Riviere exists only on paper."
Alexander halted mid-step, his brow furrowing. "…Impossible."
The secretary's voice lowered. "We checked with all standard databases and even reached out to external sources. The results are the same. It is a dead end, Young Master."
For the first time in years, Alexander felt a ripple of genuine surprise.
His hand tightened slightly on the phone.
"So," he muttered, his tone colder than before, "someone went out of their way to erase him… or protect him."
The secretary asked carefully, "Do you wish for us to dig deeper?"
Alexander's eyes glimmered with intrigue as he resumed walking, the mansion's crystal chandeliers reflecting in his gaze.
"No. Not yet. Whoever can erase a background so cleanly is not ordinary. Pushing carelessly may only alert them."
He ended the call, slipping the phone into his pocket, and allowed himself a rare, quiet chuckle.
"Claude Julien Riviere… you're far more interesting than I thought."
As an heir of the Castillo Conglomerate, Alexander held influence that reached far beyond his years.
Though he was still a student, his words already carried weight within the family.
Board members listened when he spoke, managers in the conglomerate bent to his decisions, and resources were his to command at a moment's notice.
From private investigators to entire networks of information, nothing was usually beyond his reach.
If he willed it, entire dossiers on people's lives could be compiled in a day.
A single call from him could decide whether someone was elevated into prominence or erased from social circles entirely.
It was not just wealth that empowered him—it was authority born from generations of empire-building.
And yet, despite all that power, Claude Julien Riviere remained an enigma in his eyes.
For the first time, Alexander encountered someone whom even his family's resources could not uncover.
That fact alone made Claude more dangerous… and more fascinating.
***
The morning sun filtered through the dorm window, casting a warm glow across the room.
Claude tightened the laces of his training shoes, his breathing steady as he prepared for another round at the campus gym.
Ever since he had quit all his part-time jobs, his life had shifted drastically.
The system had rearranged his schedule with precision, ensuring no time was wasted.
|╣Host, discipline is the foundation of wealth. Health and knowledge are pillars you must strengthen.╠|
Claude wiped the sweat from his brow after completing a set of weights.
"So that's why you're making me run between the gym and the library every day, huh?"
|╣Correct. Physical presence must match social presence. A weak body projects weakness, and a shallow mind cannot lead wealth.╠|
He let out a breath, half exhausted, half amused. "You're turning me into some kind of model heir. Not that I'm complaining… it's better than juggling three jobs just to pay rent."
Between training sessions, Claude immersed himself in his studies.
His business administration books, which once felt heavy and draining after long shifts at work, now seemed lighter.
His mind was sharper, his focus clearer.
Though his body ached from workouts and his head spun from studying, there was a strange satisfaction in the new routine.
It was demanding, yes, but unlike his part-time jobs, every drop of sweat and effort felt like an investment in himself.
Claude exhaled deeply as he packed away his books for the day.
"Slowly but surely… this is a life worth chasing."
Claude leaned back on his chair, stretching his arms after finishing another chapter from his textbook.
The steady rhythm of his new routine was beginning to settle into place.
Thanks to his scholarship, he never had to worry about tuition fees, and his gym membership came with complimentary meals that kept him from spending a single CP on food.
For the first time, he wasn't haunted by the gnawing fear of empty pockets.
His funds were still meager, but he no longer needed to count every coin to survive.
That alone felt like a luxury.
As the evening deepened, Claude opened his notes and reviewed tomorrow's lesson materials.
His pen scribbled across the page, marking important points, highlighting formulas, and summarizing concepts.
He murmured to himself, "Better to stay ahead. If I'm going to play the role of a noble, I can't afford to fall behind in class either."
|╣Correct. Wealth without competence is fleeting. Competence sustains wealth.╠|
Claude smirked faintly at the system's interruption. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Guess it's another night with books as my company."
The dorm was quiet, save for the soft rustle of paper and the occasional scratch of his pen.
By the time he finally closed the textbook, Claude felt both tired and satisfied.
"Tomorrow's class…" he whispered as he lay down on his bed, "I'll be ready."
With that thought, he drifted off into a calm sleep, prepared for what awaited him.
What Claude didn't realize was that, while he had been quietly adapting to his new routine, the impression he left on his classmates during introductions had not faded.
His calm presence, the way he carried himself with confidence yet revealed nothing about his background—it had sparked something among them.
In the halls of Westbridge University, heirs rarely went unnoticed.
They flaunted their surnames, their family businesses, and their legacies.
But Claude?
He gave them nothing.
Just a name, spoken with the composure of someone who belonged.
That mystery was what drew their curiosity.
Unbeknownst to Claude, while he was busy sweating in the gym and reviewing textbooks in his cramped dorm, a quiet ripple of interest had already spread throughout his entire class.
The mysterious noble who revealed nothing—Claude Julien Riviere—was now under watch.