"Student, why are you lying on the ground like that? Return to your dorm."
The voice jolted me awake. I blinked up to see none other than Evelyn von Ardentis, the student council president herself, standing over me with a stern expression.
Panic surged through me. 'What do I do? I can't just tell her I'm a baron's son. She'll probably be disgusted. But lying to Evelyn? That's basically signing my own death warrant. She could have me expelled with a single word.'
I scrambled to my feet, stammering, "I, uh… I'm a baron's son. So, I wasn't allowed into the dorms. I thought I'd stay here to avoid being homeless. I'm sorry if it's an inconvenience. I'll just—"
"Ah, so even here such things happen," she interrupted, her tone softening with what seemed like genuine concern. "As the president, I apologize for what the dorms have put you through. No, a simple apology isn't enough. Student, how about you follow me"
I froze. 'Wait, why is she being so empathetic? And why am I being dragged into another mess!?'
"But—"
She shot me a sharp look, her eyes fierce, as if daring me to reject her offer. It was clear I had no choice.
'Great. Just great. I haven't even had time to figure out how to survive the exam, and now I'm being hauled around by the main characters. Can I catch a break for once?'
I followed behind her, unsure of where she was leading me. The silence between us was heavy, but Evelyn broke it with a surprising amount of candor.
"You know, you're the first student of your status I've encountered here. I didn't expect the dormitory to treat official students that way. Honestly, as the president, I'd love to complain, but there's only so much I can do."
I stayed quiet, unsure how to respond.
We eventually reached a building set apart from both dorms, closer to the main campus in the northern part of the academy. The building loomed before me, its grandeur impossible to ignore. It was as large as a manor, with towering walls of polished stone and intricate carvings that seemed to dance in the sunlight. The roof was adorned with elegant spires, each tipped with gleaming silver that caught the light like stars. Large, arched windows lined the facade, their frames etched with delicate patterns of ivy and flowers, a testament to the craftsmanship that went into every detail. The double doors at the entrance were made of rich, dark wood, inlaid with golden accents that shimmered faintly as if imbued with magic.
Surrounding the building was a meticulously maintained garden, filled with vibrant flowers and neatly trimmed hedges. A cobblestone path led up to the entrance, flanked by statues of mythical creatures that seemed to watch over the property with an air of regal authority.
It was larger and more extravagant than my father's mansion—a place I had once considered the height of luxury. But here, in the world of Eldoria Academy, this was merely considered "decent."
I recognized it immediately—it was Evelyn's personal residence. The school treated the student council with a level of importance that most could only dream of, and "decent" here meant luxury beyond imagination.
"I have a spare room in my house," she said, gesturing toward the building. "You can stay there. I doubt anyone will complain, and before you start overthinking, let me assure you—I highly doubt you'd be able to do anything to me, so feel free to relax. No offense, of course."
My mind raced. 'This doesn't make any sense. Why is she letting me stay here? I can't afford to get this close to her. Plus, I know what's going to happen to this place in the future. It's a disaster waiting to happen.'
"I'm sorr—"
"You can't reject the offer," she interrupted, arching a brow with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I can't have a student, who's supposed to be under the same authority as us, sleeping on the floor of some hallway. Think carefully before you answer."
I gritted my teeth. 'This is exactly why I didn't want to get involved with her. She doesn't take no for an answer. I guess it can't really be helped with the kind of environment she was. Nonetheless, it still was an unnecessary arrangement'
Reluctantly, I had give in. "I—uh, okay, President. I'll accept it. But since you added the condition that I can't refuse, I'd like to add a condition of my own."
She raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of curiosity and amusement.
"Go on," she said, crossing her arms. "I'll accept it as another form of apology, as long as it's something I can abide by."
"Great," I said, trying to sound as firm as possible. "My condition is that I'm provided with complete privacy. No matter what I do or what you see, you have to promise to treat it as if it's nothing—just my business and nothing for you to meddle in. This applies to everything, even the smallest of things like dining."
It sounded cold, but it was necessary. For now, I needed her to follow the path laid out in the novel so the disaster during the surprise exam could be resolved. That meant minimizing my presence in her life, like an ant living rent-free in the background.
'Knowing her, she'll keep her word. If anything, she's too prideful to break a promise.' I smirked inwardly, feeling a small sense of victory.
"No," she said flatly, her voice cutting through my thoughts like a blade. "I won't accept those conditions. I find them atrocious. Besides, with how weak you are, if you are to come to my place injured, I won't just pretend it didn't happen. Your condition is completely rejected, and I'm revoking your right to make demands."
I stared at her, completely dumbfounded.
"What do you mean, my right to make a deman—"
She cut me off with a glare so sharp it felt like it could kill me if I dared to say another word.
'This is beyond anything I could've imagined. What's with her? Isn't she supposed to be too prideful to act like this? I don't need unnecessary relationships with important characters. I'll only end up getting in the way.'
But with no other options left, I had no choice but to accept her terms. Given what had just happened, it was clear she wasn't going to let me do as I pleased.
'What's with my luck and getting tangled up with these characters?'
I let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the situation pressing down on me.
'Crying about it won't help. The only thing I can do now is look forward and try to use this to my advantage. Evelyn, you better be prepared. You're the one who volunteered for this. I'm not going to hold back from using this opportunity now, am I?'
Everything felt strangely calm now. Maybe it was a natural gift of this body—the ability to stay composed and handle situations on the fly with a positive mindset. If I didn't have that, I probably would've given up back when I had to accompany Friena.
With that thought, I quickly made my way to the room Evelyn had guided me to. Surprisingly, it was right next to hers. I didn't have the luxury of overthinking that detail, though. Time was running out. With everything that had happened, I needed to prepare myself—both mentally and physically—for what was coming next.
The entrance exam was set to take place in groups of four. Each group would be sent to the southern part of the academy, a dense forest specifically designed as a training ground for students. The objective was simple: find golden orbs hidden among the pale-colored trees. The catch? High-level monsters roamed the area, making the task far from easy. To pass, a group either had to survive the full three days or defeat a monster and retrieve an orb.
But there was a twist this time—one that none of the students knew about. Among the so-called "monsters" a fallen angel will be present disguised to lure as many students as possible. As the name suggested, it was once a celestial being, now corrupted and twisted into a servant of the final boss. Its mission? To eradicate as many future potentials as possible.
For someone like me, hiding and surviving for three days would've been manageable—if not for the fallen angel. The problem was, during its rampage, it would likely flatten the entire forest. That meant no place to hide, no cover to rely on. I'd be completely exposed, left to face not only the angel but also the hordes of monsters guarding the orbs.
A few days passed in a blur. The gunshot signaling the start of the exam echoed through the air, and I found myself standing at the edge of the forest, my heart pounding. In the limited and chaotic time I had, I'd crammed in as much physical training as possible and devised a plan for survival. It wasn't a plan I liked—in fact, I hated it—but survival wasn't about comfort. It was about doing whatever it took to make it through.
Little did I know, the events of the next few days would etch my name into the memories of every student in the academy. For better or worse, I was about to become unforgettable.