"It's me." Vivienne Cross answered politely, her palm slightly sweating, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up—as if she were being watched by a predator. "Nice to meet you."
Were all the students at the Imperial Military Academy this intimidating? Based on her years of experience surviving in rough circles, she could tell—this sentinel's level wasn't low.
"Jan," Tony Zane took the initiative to introduce, "This is Vivienne Cross. She just enrolled. She's in Class 7, same as us."
"Vivienne, this is our class monitor, Jan Squire."
Class monitor?
Vivienne appropriately showed a trace of surprise. Jan Squire, however, glanced away indifferently. But the oppressive pressure—the feeling of being stared at by a wild beast—did not disappear.
Vivienne's expression remained pleasant. Her eyes curved slightly as she greeted politely: "Hello, Class Monitor. I'll be in your care."
Jan Squire replied with a simple, "Mm."
His features were delicate and handsome, his lashes long. What was rare was that he carried an air of youthful innocence.
But Vivienne kept her distance from this kind of "youthful innocence." In her experience, people like this were not easy to deal with.
If someone can afford to keep their heart pure, it's usually because their family background or strength forces the world to make room for them.
"Jan, what did you come find me for?" Tony Zane scratched his head. "I accidentally hit Vivienne with a ball when I was playing with Qiao Yue and the others. I was about to help her carry her luggage to the dorm."
Jan Squire's expression turned odd. "You can't go into the guide dormitory."
Tony Zane instantly perked up: "Right?! Haha, Jan, you didn't notice either!
Vivienne's like us—she's a sentinel!"
The academy did not separate classes based on sentinels and guides; both were in the same class.
"She's a sentinel—" Jan Squire froze for a moment, glancing back at Vivienne instinctively. His gaze met her smile—eyes clear like autumn water, black hair cascading smoothly over her shoulders.
He immediately looked away.
"Ugh, I still feel bad about it." Tony Zane mumbled, "Vivienne, let me treat you to dinner to make up for it. You probably don't even know where the cafeteria is yet, right?"
Tony Zane's apology was very sincere. When Vivienne tried to politely refuse, Jan Squire spoke up at just the right moment, suggesting he join them.
Vivienne had no way to decline after that.
Tony Zane was thoughtful and picked a place called the Obsidian Restaurant inside the academy—not one of the luxury chains from the capital star, very down-to-earth.
But even so, the prices on the menu—several hundred star coins per dish—still made Vivienne quietly click her tongue.
Was everything in the capital star this expensive?
....
"Polaris?"
When the conversation touched on recent events, Tony Zane looked at her in astonishment, never imagining that this seemingly fragile new student had actually survived an encounter with the most notorious gang in the galaxy.
"You escaped from them alive?!"
"So you're seriously badass, Vivienne!" Tony gave her a thumbs-up. "That's something worth bragging about during freshman introductions!"
"Just luck, really." Vivienne thought to herself: If you knew I was basically living off the food rations of their captain's younger brother…
Jan Squire looked thoughtful. "You were on one of the civilian ships rescued by Irises Major General Augustus?"
Vivienne hadn't expected him to connect the dots so quickly. She hadn't even noticed the news being officially reported yet. "Yes. I'm extremely grateful to the Major General. I can't imagine how much longer I would've been stuck in that hellhole otherwise."
"Irises Major General?! Sounds like insider information again." Tony caught Vivienne's surprise. "Haha, don't be too surprised, Vivienne. Jan comes from an old family. He's naturally sensitive to these things."
"Jan's surname is Squire—same as Minister of Finance Squire. It's not exactly a secret at our school." Tony glanced sneakily at Jan. "Hehe, was I supposed to say that?"
"Jan, haven't you been fighting with your family again recently?" Tony was a citizen of the Empire from the A sector, which counted as "upper class" by outer sector standards.
But in front of someone like Jan Squire, from the true aristocracy, that status meant nothing.
Jan Squire glanced up indifferently. "Don't bring it up."
"Got it." Tony quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Vivienne, your physical condition is way too poor. How did an air basketball knock you down like that?"
Sentinels were supposed to be known for their excellent physical condition.
Vivienne replied helplessly: "Can't help it. That's why I'm here at school first—to improve."
Jan Squire suddenly said: "I have some ointment for bruises. I'll give you some later."
"No need." Vivienne politely declined. She touched her forehead—the swelling hadn't gone down yet. "The school doctor already treated me."
"Training aside." Tony sighed. "With a face like yours, you definitely won't have trouble finding a partner. You might even get a guide to bond with you before graduation."
Bonding referred to the common practice of sentinels and guides forming partnerships. There were two types of bonding—mental bonding and physical bonding.
The former was temporary and could enhance the effects of mental soothing.
The latter usually included the former—physical bonding was accompanied by mental bonding and was lifelong.
For instance, the mental soothing Leo Vaughn had once provided Vivienne was purely on the mental level. If he had chosen to bond with her, the soothing effect would have increased exponentially.
Sentinels and guides were free to choose their bonding partners.
Tony had clearly acknowledged Vivienne's charm.
Vivienne smiled bitterly. "I'll be lucky to graduate in one piece."
"Why not solve both career and life goals at once!" Tony grinned, then added,
"But you really have to work on your fitness. The guides in our school are amazing. A pretty face won't cut it."
…
By the end of the meal, thanks to Vivienne's completely unguarded conversation, the two so-called "upperclassmen" who had enrolled a month earlier had basically figured out her background.
—A fallen noble from a remote sector, robbed to poverty by Polaris Pirates.
After the Empire's military rescued her from the pirates, they had even brought her back to the capital star. No one knew exactly why the officers valued her, but they'd arranged for her to enroll in the military academy.
"Did you get your freshman handbook yet? Make sure you read it. Some of the rules are actually pretty important."
"There are lots of strict school rules. For example, sentinels are strictly prohibited from entering guide dormitories. That's why Jan thought I wouldn't be able to get into your dorm earlier, haha…"
"This semester has fourteen courses. A fully packed schedule!"
…
On her first day of school, Vivienne gained:
—A faint bruise on her forehead.
—Two classmates.
—A dinner worth several thousand star coins—paid for by someone else.
And…
A perfectly quiet single dorm room.
Half of her paranoia—that someone was out to get her—was slightly eased. Sharing a dorm building with the third-years wasn't so bad after all.
The dorm conditions were even better than the apartment she had rented back on X-298.
In the capital star, where every inch of land cost a fortune, every student still got a single room.
As expected of the Number One Military Academy. Such luxury!
Vivienne's lingering resentment over her "woke up, the sky collapsed, and got drafted" situation softened a little.
She reluctantly comforted herself: At least it's like a suspended sentence. I can muddle along in the academy for a while and maybe figure out how to escape.
Though… her star coins…!
Sigh.
Vivienne tried to console herself and even quoted a poem in her mind: "Heaven gave me my talents; spent riches will return to me."
But how exactly would those star coins come back?
On the ship, she had already vowed to " wash her hands of her old life" and never live off anyone again.
Could she now go back to her old tricks?
At that thought, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly appeared in her mind.
What's with that Jan Squire?
Whether in the infirmary or at dinner…
Why did he keep staring at her?