"My my, you don't want to be honest eh?"
I turned my gaze to Princess Elena, her golden eyes shimmering with amusement, or perhaps curiosity.
"I wouldn't go that far"
I said, brushing off her remark.
"But I have my doubts."
Her smile widened.
"Doubts, hmm? Now that's interesting"
She stepped closer, tilting her head.
"Let me guess. You think there's something off about her, don't you?"
I met her gaze, carefully masking my thoughts.
"And what if I do?"
Elena let out a soft chuckle, twirling a lock of her golden hair around her finger.
"Oh, nothing~ Just wondering if you've finally figured out that Lyria isn't exactly... ordinary."
That caught my attention.
She knew?
Or was she just playing with me?
"Ordinary?"
I echoed, raising an eyebrow.
"Care to elaborate, Princess?"
Elena hummed, pretending to think.
"Well, let's see... She's a commoner who suddenly got admitted into Vermillion Class, she somehow beat you, the infamous Tristan Althrone in a duel, and she reacted quite dramatically when you mentioned 'the future.'"
She shot me a knowing look.
"Isn't that enough for you to start asking questions?"
I exhaled through my nose.
"You're unusually interested in this."
"Of course,"
She said lightly.
"I make it a habit to know everything that happens in this academy."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Everything?"
She smiled innocently.
"Everything~"
A shiver ran down my spine.
This girl was dangerous in a different way.
She wasn't as blunt as Lyria, nor did she seem openly hostile. But there was a sharpness to her words, a playful malice lurking beneath her carefully maintained mask.
It reminded me of something.
Of someone.
"...What do you want, Princess?"
I finally asked.
She placed a hand on her hip.
"Oh, nothing much~ I just find you fascinating, Tristan Althrone."
I frowned.
"Fascinating how?"
Her golden eyes gleamed.
"Because you're not acting like yourself."
A long silence stretched between us.
She was testing me. Probing. Looking for cracks in my mask.
For a moment, I considered playing dumb. Pretending I didn't understand what she meant.
But something told me that wouldn't work on her.
So instead, I simply smiled.
"And what makes you think that?"
Elena smirked.
"Oh, just a feeling~ Call it a woman's intuition."
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice.
"But I wonder... if Lyria isn't the only one who's different from before."
My fingers twitched.
So she had noticed.
She let out a soft laugh, stepping back.
"Well, I'll leave you with that thought, Lord Tristan. See you around~"
With a playful wave, she turned and walked away, her golden hair shimmering under the sunlight.
I watched her go, my mind racing.
Lyria.
Elena.
This academy was full of monsters in human skin.
And I wasn't sure yet whether I was the predator or the prey.
Sigh, princess Elena is one of my favorites character in the game, even though she joined Lyria as the last companion, but her contribution in the game is really amazing.
As the third princess, technically she doesn't have any political power, but her ability to gather information is terrifying, later in the story she even some kind special agent who formed to gather various information until she could become the successor of the kingdom, there rumour about they deal assassination jobs too but it's never confirmed in the game.
Seeing the person in person is really terrifying honestly.
The training grounds buzzed with energy as the combat tests continued. Even after my match had ended, the academy still had dozens of students left to evaluate. Some duels were fierce, sending sparks of magic flying across the field, while others ended in quick, humiliating defeats.
I remained near the edge of the training grounds, watching with mild disinterest. There were a few notable fights, Cedric crushed his opponent with sheer brute force, his magic overwhelming yet predictable. A few promising students from noble families displayed impressive control over their spells, earning nods of approval from the instructors.
Lyria, of course, had already left.
It didn't seem like she had any intention of sticking around after that little outburst.
No one seemed to care about her disappearance, either. The professors were too preoccupied with the ongoing evaluations, and the students, well, no one wanted to be the one to speak up for a commoner.
Not my problem.
I exhaled, leaning back against the stone wall as another explosion rang out from the field. A particularly reckless fire spell had just left a massive scorch mark on the ground, sending dust and smoke into the air.
The professor leading the test, an older man with sharp eyes and graying hair, shook his head in disappointment.
"Sloppy. If you're going to use fire magic, at least learn to control it first!"
The student responsible for the mess flinched under his gaze.
Hah. I almost felt bad for them. Almost.
I let my mind wander as the battles dragged on, my thoughts inevitably circling back to the same issue, Lyria.
She knew something.
She wasn't just a talented commoner who got lucky. She had knowledge beyond what she should have.
But what bothered me more was her reaction.
The hatred in her eyes. The way she flinched when I asked about the future.
She wasn't just aware of me.
She was afraid.
Of me.
But why?
It didn't make sense.
I hadn't done anything, at least, not in this life.
So what exactly did she remember?
I sighed, rubbing my temple. This was getting annoying.
"Alright, that concludes today's combat evaluations!"
The professor's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I glanced up to see him addressing the class. The last match had just ended, and students were already starting to disperse.
"Return to your classrooms. Your performance today will determine your placements and evaluations moving forward"
He continued.
"Make sure to review your results carefully, this will affect how your time at Vermillion Academy progresses."
Murmurs rippled through the students as they filed back toward the academy building.
I pushed myself off the wall and followed.
As much as I wanted to dwell on my loss, I had bigger things to worry about.
The walk back to the classroom was filled with murmurs, some excited, some bitter. Students compared their performances, bragging or complaining about their results. A few glanced at me, whispering about my loss to Lyria, but none dared to say anything to my face.
Not that I cared.
What mattered now was how the academy ranked us after this test.
When I stepped into the classroom, the seating arrangements had already been adjusted. A large magical display hovered at the front, listing the student rankings based on our combat evaluations.
I scanned the list quickly.
1st - Lyria
2nd - Cedric Esenhart
3rd - Tristan Althrone
4th - Elena Valkrad
Huh.
I clicked my tongue, ignoring the small flicker of irritation in my chest. Losing to Lyria had cost me the top spot, and now Cedric of all people was ahead of me. That muscle-brained idiot didn't deserve second place.
"Looks like you're not as strong as you thought, Althrone."
Speak of the devil.
Cedric leaned against my desk, arms crossed, a smug grin plastered across his face. His golden hair and sharp features made him look every bit the arrogant noble he was.
I didn't bother looking at him.
"And yet, I'm still ranked higher than you in actual intelligence. You should be proud you even made it to second place, Cedric. That's quite an achievement for someone who only knows how to swing his fists."
His grin faltered for a split second before he scoffed.
"Tch. Whatever. You just got lucky with your placement."
I smirked.
"If that helps you sleep at night, sure."
Before Cedric could snap back, the classroom door swung open.
Professor Veldt stepped inside, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room. His presence alone was enough to silence the idle chatter.
"Take your seats."
The students quickly settled down, and I found my new spot near the back. The new seating arrangement seemed to be based on ranking, which meant Lyria sat at the very front.
Professor Veldt wasted no time getting to the point.
"As you can see, the rankings have been determined based on today's evaluations. This will influence your future training, resources, and privileges within the academy. The higher your rank, the greater your opportunities."
That much was expected.
"However"
He continued, his expression hardening
"this is not set in stone. Rankings will be adjusted throughout the semester based on performance. If you grow stronger, you may rise. If you stagnate, you will fall."
A few students stiffened at that.
The implication was clear, no one's position was secure.
Professor Veldt moved his gaze toward Lyria.
"As the top-ranked student, you will receive additional training and responsibilities. Do not waste this opportunity."
Lyria didn't react much. She simply nodded, her face unreadable.
I leaned back in my chair, watching her carefully.
So, she had claimed the top spot.
That was fine.
For now.