A girl walked through the academy's corridors, trembling with nervousness. It was only her second day there, and things had gone from bad to worse at an alarming pace.
Since the end of her first nightmare, some complications related to social interactions had been expected, but Sofia had deeply underestimated just how bad things could get.
It took only a few classes for her to be excluded from every social circle among the youths. That was, genuinely, the worst nightmare of her life.
Throughout her childhood, fear of confrontation and the judgment of strangers had followed her, haunting her school days.
She did not want people to dislike her, so she did what was necessary to please them.
She completed their homework, lent credits to classmates when they asked, and agreed with whatever was said to avoid arguments.
That became unfeasible after she acquired her flaw.
"What did you say?!"
A blond-haired boy shouted from the seat beside her, staring at Sofia with animosity.
"Besides being an ignoramus, are you deaf by any chance? My words were clear. Perhaps a nightmare creature would be a more competent student."
It was hard to believe, but the person actively picking a fight with a stranger was her.
Her expression would have been mortified if not for the look of indifference and disinterest in its place.
She stared at her own nails, refusing to look at the boy who was just short of leaping at her throat.
It was not the first time that day, nor would it be the last, that she found herself in such a situation.
[Devious Pride] acted like a second persona, struggling for control over her actions.
Besides being extremely proud and never missing a chance to display her talents and capabilities, she tended to offend, provoke, or simply ignore those around her, depending on the context.
At first glance, it seemed easy to keep it reined in, but Sofia found that her own personality was the greatest obstacle.
Any attempt to belittle herself, cower, or submit to others was a direct trigger for its effect.
Hearing something she disagreed with or believed to be wrong and remaining silent? Impossible as well.
Talking about herself, objectively or subjectively, also induced unnecessary comments that made her tremble with shame when it came time to sleep.
'Stupid… stupid.'
***
She was one of the first to arrive in the classroom for the next lesson.
There were only a few hours left until dinner, and soon she would have time for her well-deserved rest.
Other students took their seats, a few already recognizing the humiliations she had gone through that afternoon.
One of them stood out in particular. It was embarrassing to admit, but the first time they met, she had sworn he was a girl. He was one of the standouts among the sleepers, and for good reason.
Having come from no known clan and with no connections to other heirs, he was an enigma. Acting like a good Samaritan, he had earned the goodwill of most, but Sofia was no fool; she knew his secret!
[Aspect Name: Golden Prince]
Aspect Rank: Sacred
Aspect Description: [You are the promised successor of a long-forgotten kingdom. As a prince, your power originates from your loyal followers and the lands you control. However, the laurel crown is lost, and without it, your title is hollow and diminished. You seek your divine inheritance.]
Innate Ability: [Royal Right]
Ability Description: [Find trustworthy people and make them swear loyalty. Once under your command, your vassals share in the blessings and equipment in your possession. It is improper for a noble not to offer an abundant reward.]
The ability granted to her by the spell during her first nightmare allowed her to perceive how things around her functioned, along with their properties and characteristics.
It enabled her to distinguish poisonous plants, traps, visualize weak points in creatures, and understand complex mechanisms with a single glance.
But in others infected by the spell, it served as a window to peer into their aspects.
He was a noble! And not the same kind as the academy's spoiled rich kids, but a true prince!
When she saw it for the first time, she almost instantly offered herself to be one of his vassals.
Someone like him should have memories and echoes more powerful than anyone's.
No, to hell with equipment.
He alone should be a one-man army; the spell itself said he was blessed.
But then she realized something. For some reason, he was hiding his true status and blending in among the heirs.
What would happen if she revealed that she knew his identity?
Sofia needed to stay away from him at all costs.
She could easily imagine her loose tongue provoking the boy's fury, just as it had with so many others, and this time it was very possible that she would end up at the gallows.
'I don't want to be executed so young!'
That day's class was about categories of nightmare creatures and their vulnerabilities.
It was the perfect lesson to complement her knowledge and learn how to exploit an opponent's weaknesses.
The instructor was a woman with a thin, gaunt face, and her hair was tied in a tight bun. Her eyes emitted a threatening gleam, the bluish hue of a clear sky.
"Good afternoon, students. You may call me Awakened Severina. Before we begin our first lesson, let's introduce ourselves. You start."
She pointed directly at a girl seated in the first seat of the left row. One by one, everyone said their names and greetings, as decent people would.
'Not this again…'
In less than four minutes, her turn was approaching.
The prince, seated beside her, seemed distracted and had to be prompted by the teacher herself to stand up. What kind of scheming plans were running through that head?
"My name is Giovanni. I believe I'm already known to some of you, but even so, it's a pleasure to meet everyone. I hope we can learn a lot together!"
The sweet, innocent smile on that youthful face sent shivers down Sofia's spine.
'He's an impressive actor… I myself would normally have been fooled.'
And then it was her turn. She leaned on the desk and stood up, repeating in her head the words she intended to say.
But when she realized it, her mouth was already speaking on its own.
"My name is Sofia, not that I need to introduce myself! I'll warn you now that I'll be the best among us by a considerable margin, so don't feel shy about bringing your questions to me outside of class. It's only natural."
It was even worse than the last time… his presence made the trigger more extreme!
Her soul felt like it was leaving her body; Sofia could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Her body returned to the seat robotically, and from the back of the room, laughter rose from several corners, quickly cut off as Severina began her explanation.
Thanks to her attribute [Superior Intellect], understanding and memorizing the anatomy and behavior of creature species was quite simple.
It also made Sofia capable of correcting people who answered a question incorrectly, and her flaw wasted no time activating at every opportunity.
With each presumptuous and acidic comment, the animosity directed at her accumulated. The stares were like lasers burning into the back of her neck.
The most frightening reaction was his. What had he said his name was? If she was not mistaken, Giovanni.
He was staring at Sofia in silence.
Even after she had openly challenged the boy's intellectual capacity, his face remained impassive, with perfect control over his emotions.
***
A few hours later, the students were dismissed and instructed to gather in the cafeteria.
For some reason, the list of sleepers that should have been released the previous night had been delayed until now.
No one knew why, but Sofia believed they were simply scrutinizing the interview reports more thoroughly.
After everything she had done, if she went to the cafeteria now, there would be a dozen people wanting to rip her head off. It was better to just skip dinner and go straight to her room.
As she slipped through the corridors, trying to draw as little attention as possible, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.
Glancing over her shoulder, there he was, the same boy with piercing green eyes. She broke into a cold sweat, looking in every direction, searching for someone else who might be the object of his interest.
"Sorry if I'm bothering you… I spoke to you at the entrance, remember?"
She swallowed hard and turned to face him, keeping her head cool to the best of her ability.
"It's no problem at all! Is there something I can help you with?"
He hesitated for a moment, perhaps reluctant.
"I was wondering if you're available right now. I don't want to intrude if you already have something planned."
That was not what she expected to hear. The surprise was so great that it took her a moment to form a response.
'I'm completely free!'
That was what she tried to say, but what came out was something like:
"I already had more important plans! But if you insist that much, why not?"
Contrary to the reaction she expected, Giovanni simply laughed, confused.
"I had a bit of trouble following the teacher's explanation and got lost in my notes. You seemed to understand it well, so I wanted your help."
Was that true? Or was it a veiled way of saying he had not forgotten the affront she had committed? She could not tell.
"Alright… I'll help you, but I'll demand effort on your part! My time is valuable."
Giovanni simply offered a hand, satisfied.
"I know, that's why I'll make your time worthwhile. Can we just stop by the cafeteria first? I need to check something."
Sofia expected her mouth to twist her words once again, but her flaw remained silent. Strangely enough, she accepted the offered hand.
"S-Sure!"
The two walked side by side, remaining quiet for most of the way. For the first time, she was at the center of attention in a positive light, with most observers appearing curious as to why she was accompanying the pompous boy.
If there was any benefit to this, it was that the boys and girls enraged with her would avoid picking a fight.
Giovanni suggested that Sofia choose a table, and she preferred one of the emptiest to avoid accidents with her flaw.
The food was fresh and just as tasty as the day before, but no one seemed focused on it. Eyes were turned toward a digital screen hanging on the cafeteria wall.
"Are you excited to see your ranking, too?" she asked, trying to extract some information from him.
"I think I already have an idea of mine."
Was he that confident in his own power?!
"What… rank do you think you're in?"
Giovanni parted his lips to answer, but before he had the chance, a great commotion in the cafeteria stole his attention. The screen lit up, and little by little, the names were revealed.
Right at the top, in second place, the photo of a dark-skinned boy with violet eyes was displayed, with a simple line of text beside it.
Name: Eric
But it was not the fact that the legacy everyone believed to be the strongest was ranked second that caused the shock. It was the revelation of who had taken his place on the podium.
A simple portrait of a delicate boy with brown hair and green eyes was accompanied by two lines of text.
'Impossible…'
She thought.
Giovanni did not move a single muscle, staring at the screen in silence. Just as Sofia had imagined, he felt not the slightest hint of surprise or excitement; it was simply what he had expected.
Name: Giovanni
True Name: Light Seeker