Claire completely ignored Ren's attempt at self-sabotage and delivered her final decree. "On your journey to the Raymond territories, you will pass through several noble domains. You are a commoner and ignorant of high-society etiquette. While on the road, you are to obey Emma in all matters of conduct. Do not lose face for the academy or become a laughingstock."
Ren: "..."
He felt like a pig being led to the slaughter—no matter how much he squealed, his fate was sealed. Just as he was racking his brain for one last desperate excuse, that cursed mechanical voice rang out again:
[God-Level Choice System at your service. Please make a choice.]
[Option 1: Continue making excuses to get out of the trip.
Difficulty: S-Rank. Reward: Protagonist Points +10]
[Option 2: Roar in anger: "I said I'm not going! What are you gonna do about it, old lady?"
Difficulty: S-Rank. Reward: Villain Points +10]
[Option 3: Respond respectfully: "Understood, Teacher. Leave it to me."
Difficulty: E-Rank. Reward: NPC Points +10]
The system's difficulty ratings were never wrong.
Ren's face transformed instantly. His chest puffed out, a reliable, heroic smile bloomed on his face, and his voice rang out with the conviction of a man ready to die for his country: "Understood, Teacher! Don't you worry, I've got this! I guarantee the mission will be a success. I won't let your trust go to waste!"
Claire: "..."
The sheer speed of his personality flip left her momentarily speechless.
Ren, however, was 100% committed to the bit. S-Rank meant that if he continued to resist, an enraged Claire would likely "clean house" and end his life right then and there. See? This world is full of malice, Ren thought. Even the bond between teacher and student is so fragile that we're one 'no' away from a bloodbath.
Claire finally looked satisfied. She waved a hand at Ren and the silent Emma. "Fine. Go and prepare. I have more to discuss with Sven."
Feeling like he'd just received a stay of execution, Ren backed out of the office with stiff, robotic movements. Only when the heavy wooden doors clicked shut did he let out a long, shaky breath. But he didn't relax—the system had warned of a "D-rank" risk in coming here, which meant the danger hadn't passed.
His instinct was to bolt for the boys' dormitory and lock himself in his room. However, someone was faster.
A cold, slender figure blocked his path with the precision of a falling icicle.
"Junior Ren," Emma's voice was calm, but it carried a chill that pierced through his skin. "You seem... afraid of me?"
Ren instinctively lowered his head, avoiding her gaze. His eyes landed on the sharp, clean lines of her uniform, making him feel even more guilty. "Senior Emma... did you, uh, need something from me?"
Emma let out a soft huff through her nose, her tone suddenly becoming mocking. "Tell me, Ren, isn't it strange? Starlight Academy is big, but not that big. You're a living human being who hasn't vanished or gone into hiding, yet I haven't managed to 'bump into' you even once in the last three years. That's a pretty low probability, don't you think?"
"Haha... maybe we just... lack 'destiny'?" Ren forced a dry laugh, his back soaked in cold sweat.
He was obviously avoiding her. There was no other reason than pure, unadulterated embarrassment.
Ever since he joined Claire's tutelage, Ren had lived by the creed of "Stay low, stay alive." He had almost no interaction with his dazzling, high-profile fellow disciples.
Take his first senior, Sarah, for example. She was the undisputed student leader, incredibly powerful, and had a face that looked like it belonged in a high-budget movie. Most importantly, she was one of the primary romanceable heroines in the game Aeon. Ren stayed far away from her; the number of noble fanboys following her was large enough to form an army. Being her "close junior" would put a target on his back.
As for his "history" with Senior Emma... that went back two or three years.
Back then, Ren had been farming the system for a while. His stats had improved slightly. The system offered points in everything: Attack, Defense, Mana, but also professional skills like Alchemy, Smithing, and Array-crafting.
At that time, his luck had consistently hit the "Pharmacy and Poison-making" tab. To test his new knowledge, he had started hanging out in the academy's labs. Since he was the Headmaster's disciple (even if everyone thought he was a loser), it was easy to get a private lab space.
By coincidence, Emma also had a talent for Pharmacy—which fit her role as a support mage. Their labs were right next to each other.
One day, Ren was studying a standard Imperial pharmaceutical blueprint when he had a flash of inspiration. Fearing the idea would slip away, he scribbled his modifications directly onto the original, expensive blueprint.
He had just finished when he heard voices from the lab next door—two women speaking in hushed, tense tones. Driven by pure human curiosity, he crept to the slightly ajar window and peeked in.
Inside were Senior Emma and Teacher Isha, the academy's chief of pharmacy.
What he heard next was a total bombshell.
Teacher Isha, her face like a frozen glacier, looked at Emma and said: "It's my fault. I've thought about it for a long time, and I don't think we... are a good fit. We should break up."
_______
Even as a man from the 21st century who had seen everything the internet had to offer, Ren felt like a grenade had gone off in his brain.
A student-teacher romance! And a lesbian one at that!
Even in his old world, this would have been spicy. In this rigid, conservative magical world? This was dancing on the edge of a social volcano.
Ren didn't know much about Emma. Compared to the sun-like Sarah, Emma was a cold, distant star. She was strict, haughty, and had few friends. As for Teacher Isha, she was the "Ice Queen of the Empire"—a pharmaceutical genius so beautiful and cold that people were too intimidated to even approach her.
Naturally, Ren couldn't resist. He held his breath, pulled himself deeper into the shadows, and pricked up his ears.
Facing Isha's breakup, Emma initially put on her usual "I don't care" noble mask. She nodded, her voice light and mocking. "Teacher Isha, you're right. It's a good thing our relationship was a secret. You're the famous Ice Beauty, a master alchemist... and I'm just a 'talented' 3rd-Tier mage. If this got out, no one would dare criticize you, but I'd be the laughingstock of the aristocracy."
Damn, Ren thought. The love is gone. They're even breaking up 'calmly.'
Isha just gave a faint "Mhm" in response. Her face showed no emotion. "Ending it now is best. Your reputation remains intact. Don't come looking for me unless it's for school business."
She turned and walked away without a single backward glance.
Emma watched her go. After a moment, she called out, her voice still seemingly calm. "Teacher Isha, take care of yourself. I'm sure you'll be... better off without me."
Ren gave Emma a mental thumbs up. Special sexual orientation aside, Emma's got some class. Wishing her ex well? That's healthy.
However, Isha didn't slow down. If anything, she walked faster.
Suddenly, Emma's voice rose, as if she were trying to prove something to herself. "Isha! Actually, it's a good thing we're over! I never had time to practice while I was with you! I spent all my time climbing mountains to pick herbs for you or recording your boring research! I could have mastered ten high-level spells in that time! I wasted my growth just to make you happy! If Headmaster Claire found out, she'd kill me! Now that you're gone, I finally have time for myself! I'm actually so happy!"
Ren's "danger sense" went off. Wait a minute...
Why did Emma's words sound so spiteful, but her voice sound like it was drowning in misery and resentment? Ren was a lifelong bachelor who had dedicated his life to being an NPC, so he lacked experience in romance, but even he knew what was coming.
Emma's "strong" shell shattered into a million pieces. Her voice cracked into a sob. "Isha... is there... is there really no chance for us?"
The distant figure didn't stop.
Emma finally lost it.
"Isha... Isha! My Isha!"
"Waaaaah! How am I supposed to live without you?!"
She began to wail. She didn't care about her image, her noble status, or her dignity. She just stood there howling like a wounded animal.
"Isha! I'll do anything! I don't care about my reputation! I'll take any punishment! I'll fight the whole Empire for you! Just don't leave me! Isha! ISHAAAAA!"
"ISHA! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!"
"ISHA!!!!"
"AWWWWWWOOOOOO!"
The crying was gut-wrenching. It was the sound of a world ending. Ren stood there, jaw on the floor.
A Simp. He had only seen the legendary "Super Simp" in internet memes, but seeing one in real life was terrifying.
Unfortunately for Emma, her simping didn't work. Teacher Isha didn't turn around; in fact, she seemed to pick up the pace, as if trying to outrun a nightmare.
As the drama wound down, Ren prepared to slip away while Emma was blinded by tears. But as the saying goes, when it rains, it pours.
Emma, blinded by grief, stumbled out of her lab. She tripped over the doorframe and hit the floor with a loud thud.
And of course, by some twist of fate, she landed facing the pillar Ren was hiding behind. Their eyes met.
The world went silent. Emma's wailing stopped instantly.
Ren wanted to cry. He watched as Emma scrambled to her feet. Her face went from tear-stained white to beet-red, then to a sickly purple, before finally settling into the terrifying black of a storm cloud. A literal aura of murderous intent radiated from her, locking onto Ren.
"REN... TAKASHI..." The name was ground out between her teeth. "Why. Are. You. Here?!"
Ren had zero doubt: Emma wanted to erase him from existence.
In that split second, Ren's brain worked faster than it ever had. Stay calm! Crisis is opportunity! At that exact moment, the system saved him:
[God-Level Choice System at your service.]
[Option 1: Pat Emma on the shoulder and say: "It's just a breakup, everyone goes through it. You need to grow up. Promise me you'll stop being such a simp, okay?"
Difficulty: A-Rank. Reward: Protagonist Points +10]
[Option 2: Point at her and laugh hysterically: "Look at the little simp! You deserve it!"
Difficulty: S-Rank. Reward: Villain Points +10]
[Option 3: Run for your life.
Difficulty: E-Rank. Reward: NPC Points +10]
Ren didn't need a system to tell him what to do. He chose Option 3.
Under Emma's soul-chilling glare, Ren's eyes suddenly lost focus. He stared straight ahead at nothing, his arms reaching out like a blind man. He began to gingerly feel his way along the pillar, acting as if he couldn't see the murderous woman two feet away.
As he "groped" his way past her, he muttered just loud enough for her to hear:
"Where's my cane... ugh, I can't believe I blinded myself while making that potion... I'm so unlucky..."
"I think my ears are ringing, too... I can't hear a thing... I really shouldn't have tested it on myself... I need to find a squirrel next time..."
"Huh? Did I hear someone call my name? ...Probably a hallucination. Being deaf and blind is the worst. I need to get to my room and lie down... I hope the side effects wear off soon..."
To make it believable, Ren purposefully walked into a wall with a loud thwack, stumbled over a step, and "groped" his way down the hall until he vanished around the corner.
Since that day, Ren's "Must Avoid" list had Emma's name written in bold red ink. He never went back to the labs. He skipped every exam she attended.
And now, here she was, blocking his path.
Ren forced a submissive, slightly flattering smile. "Senior Emma... did you call for me? Is there something I can do for you?"
He would die before he admitted he'd seen her "Simp Meltdown."
______
Emma stared at Ren for a long time. Suddenly, she raised her hand.
It was a reflex. Ren's legs acted like they were on springs. Zip! He retreated several paces instantly, leaving a blur in the air. Even Emma looked surprised by his speed.
"I recall you having no martial arts talent," she said, raising an eyebrow. "That dodge was... unexpected." Then her tone shifted. "But why are you running? Am I that frightening to you?"
Before he could answer, she unfurled a piece of old, scribbled-on parchment—a pharmaceutical blueprint.
Ren's eyes went from wary to confused. He pointed a finger at it from a safe distance, as if it were a bomb. "Senior... why are you showing me a piece of paper?"
"You really don't remember?" Emma's eyes were sharp. "This belongs to you."
Ren's face was a masterpiece of innocence. He took the paper cautiously and looked at it.
His heart did a backflip. It was his. It was the modified blueprint he'd been working on two years ago! He'd been looking for it everywhere! It must have fallen out of his pocket while he was busy "acting blind" and running away.
Why is she showing me this now? he wondered. Is she settling old scores? Is this the 'D-rank' danger the system mentioned?
"This... isn't mine," Ren said firmly, shoving the paper back at her. His face was a mask of "nothing to do with me." "Senior, you must have the wrong person."
He turned to bolt.
Emma had expected this. She began chanting a short incantation, and a pulse of mana rippled through the air.
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