Recently, a strange rumor had begun spreading throughout the university. It spread like wildfire,so fast that nearly every student had already heard it.
No, it wasn't about Fade.
Normally, Fade was the center of most rumors. Wherever he went, strange things followed. He always managed to steal the spotlight, whether he wanted to or not.
But this time, things were different.
This rumor involved someone else.
"Hey, did you hear? That madwoman's been awfully quiet lately."
"Shhh, idiot! Do you want us both dead? Don't use that name so openly,she's the daughter of an S-rank. If she hears you, we're finished."
"Yeah, yeah. But still… don't you think she's acting weird?"
"What's weird about her? She's still training like a lunatic every day."
"I'm not talking about training. She hasn't been arguing with Ms. Kira recently. Honestly, it's such a relief. She finally stopped annoying our goddess."
"…Now that you mention it, you're right. She does seem busy with something."
"Whatever it is, I hope she stays busy and stops pestering Ms. Kira. Ms. Kira is such a kind person,I hate it when someone hurts her."
"True. Ms. Kira is basically an angel. But that trash Fade keeps hanging around her lately. That bastard really pisses me off."
"Should we give him a good beating tonight?"
"Heh. Let's call some friends too. That way we can enjoy it properly."
The boy finished with a devilish grin.
Conversations like these were happening all over the academy. And somehow, despite the rumor not even being about him, the only person truly affected by it was Fade.
Even when people talked about someone else, they still found a way to drag Fade into trouble.
Only Rio understood the truth.
These were nothing more than minor events meant to build Fade's reputation,classic setup for face-slapping arrogant bullies later on.
As Rio passed by the chatting students, he shook his head after overhearing their nonsense.
"People are really lining up to become cannon fodder for Fade," he muttered.
"Such is the life of a protagonist… troublesome."
Still, one detail caught his attention.
The rumors were clearly referring to her.
The villainess,Lia.
I wonder what's going on with her, Rio thought. According to the novel, this should be the period where she falls into deep depression after her face gets ruined. But that outcome changed because of me… so what's happening now?
In the end, Rio decided that he'd talk to Lia the next time they met.
Unbeknownst to him, this was the first time he'd ever grown concerned about someone else.
Having been an orphan in both his past and current lives, Rio had no experience with such feelings,and thus, no awareness of what they truly meant.
Lia's POV
Recently, Lia had been troubled.
Very troubled.
Even she didn't understand what was happening to her.
When she trained with her sword, she could suppress it. But the moment she stopped, an uncontrollable urge surfaced,an urge to see his face, to talk to him, to spend endless time in his presence.
She knew how ridiculous it sounded.
So she convinced herself that it had to be related to the darkness in her heart. Perhaps her body was instinctively seeking relief. Maybe seeing him… or talking to him… could help disperse those dark clouds.
Yes, that must be it, she thought firmly. There's definitely nothing else going on.
Reality, however, betrayed her.
She had started secretly taking photos of him.
While he trained.
While he jogged.
Even during class.
Fortunately, she possessed an artifact gifted by her father,one capable of hiding her presence from anyone below Rank B. Otherwise, she would've been caught long ago.
Still, she had her limits.
Sneaking into his room was something she absolutely wouldn't do.
Lately, she'd even begun wondering if she was turning into some kind of stalker. Each time the thought surfaced, she shook her head and dismissed it.
This is just for healing. Nothing immoral.
Rumors about her strange behavior spread across the academy, but Lia had never cared about gossip. She did what she wanted,nothing more, nothing less.
That said, one conversation between a group of girls caught her attention.
"Hey, where did you buy that blue dress?"
"Hmph, why should I tell you? I want to stand out at the New Year party."
"Oh please. You just want to show off."
"So what? There's a dance that night. Maybe I'll catch the eye of some cute boys~"
"You bitch! If you even glance at my boyfriend, I'll gouge your eyes out."
"Hah! We'll see. I'll charm everyone that day,just watch."
Sparks practically flew between them.
Scenes like this were common around this time of year. Since the academy didn't forbid relationships, competition was inevitable.
Just as boys prepared to impress girls, girls prepared to defend their territory.
The academy intentionally allowed this.
Studies had proven that children born from families formed through love possessed higher potential on average. Humanity, desperate for talent, chose not to restrict relationships,though official marriage was strictly limited to those eighteen or older.
A rule that could never be bent.
Putting those matters aside, the upcoming New Year dance occupied everyone's thoughts.
Lia included.
She had barely interacted with any boys besides Rio. Naturally, the person she'd attend with was obvious.
But after overhearing those girls, her mindset shifted.
They were no longer background characters.
They were rivals.
It was ironic,the same girls who gave her the idea to prepare had now become her enemies. Still, she refused to falter.
A newfound determination burned within her, confidence blazing in her eyes,
Until a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Are you preparing for war or something?"
Lia turned sharply.
Rio was sitting casually on the desk behind her.
Her eyes widened.
She hadn't sensed him at all.
She was already at the peak of D-rank, just steps away from C-rank. The gap between them shouldn't have been enough for him to approach unnoticed.
Shock flashed across her beautiful face.
As if reading her thoughts, Rio spoke calmly.
"I'm just a little stronger. That's all."
Naturally, he didn't mention that he was already nearing the peak of C-rank.
Is he… reading my mind? Lia thought.
"No, I'm not," Rio replied innocently.
"Y-you liar!"
"No, I'm not."
"You are! How can you read my mind without permission?!"
"Oh, come on. I can't read minds. It's just written all over your face. Why are you acting like a rebellious child?"
"I am not a child!"
"Alright, alright,I give up. Women are really hard to understand."
Lia flushed.
Only now did she realize he'd been messing with her the entire time,and she'd fallen for it completely.
Everyone else treated her with exaggerated respect, terrified of offending her S-rank father.
Rio was the first person who teased her so openly… and enjoyed it.
Her embarrassment quickly turned into irritation.
She stared at him like he was a sandbag begging to be punched.
"Oh no," Rio said lightly. "Now I'm scared."
Despite his words, he was barely holding back laughter. Knowing he'd cross the line if he continued, Rio quickly changed the subject.
"So, what were you preparing for? Planning to beat someone up? Invite me too."
For once, he genuinely wanted to try being the bully.
A change of pace, after all, kept life interesting.
And if the villainess wanted to bully someone… well, who was he to stop her?
As long as it wasn't excessive.
Just as Rio drifted in his thoughts, Lia broke the silence with an unexpected offer.
"Why would I bully anyone?"
She hesitated briefly, then continued.
"I was planning to buy clothes for the New Year party. If you're free… you can come with me."
She quickly added,
"But if you don't want to, that's fine too. Hmph. I can go alone."