I walk toward the central courtyard where the Club Orientation booths were already filling with noise. The atmosphere was festive. Almost enough to distract me from the faint buzz that rattled in my pocket.

Bzzzt.

"...?"

I frowned and pulled out my phone. I didn't get messages often—my contact list was small by design.

But this wasn't anyone I knew. Unknown Number.

A single message. Short. Clean. Deadly.

[If you don't want this picture to spread, come alone to the back of the cafeteria. Lunch break. Don't be late.]

Attached: a photo.

I tapped it open, and my stomach dropped.

It was me. And Maria.

From last weekend. After our VR Dungeon run, when we took first place. We'd gone out with the team to celebrate—grab food, watch a movie, relax for once.

And there it was. The exact second Maria had looped her arm through mine while we walked into the theater. Just for fun, just for three seconds, nothing more.

But in the photo?

It looked intimate. Too intimate.

Her long white hair caught the city lights like silver threads, her smile faint but soft, her posture leaning just close enough that anyone squinting would draw their own conclusions.

I clenched my jaw.

"…Shit."

This wasn't just me. This was Maria Frostheart—daughter of one of the Top 8 Family , Frostheart families, a noble, Rank 1 student, and one of the most talked-about prodigies at Academy. A single rumor about her "dating" could cause ripples. And if her family caught wind of it…

Yeah. This wasn't something I could ignore.

My grip tightened around the phone. Whoever took this picture had guts. Or they had a death wish.

Either way, I wasn't about to sit back and let Maria's name be dragged into academy gossip.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket and exhaled through my nose.

"Fine. You want me to come? I'll come."

-----

Cafeteria —

The back at cafeteria was quieter than usual. Most students had rushed outside for the opening day of club booths, leaving the wide space filled only with the faint clatter of trays being stacked away by cleaning drones.

And there she was.

Aria Collins.

Second year. Rank 2 in her batch. Officially only D-Rank strength, but anyone who underestimated her brains over her brawn didn't last long. They called her a genius—the kind of calculating, sharp-eyed schemer who always had three plans ready before most people even thought of one.

And more importantly… she wasn't just any noble.

The Collins family was a branch of the Crimson lineage—the same bloodline the Principal himself hailed from.

She also possess a class — Reaper-class mage. A rare one.

Right now, she sat like she owned the place with legs crossed, teacup balanced in one hand, her other tapping lazily at her phone. A second chair sat across from her, pulled out as if waiting for me.

Her eyes flicked up the moment I stepped into view. Sharp, clever eyes that glittered with the satisfaction of someone who'd been expecting this exact outcome.

"Michael Willson," she greeted, lips curving into a sly smile. "Glad you showed up. I had a feeling you would."

I didn't move. I stayed standing, arms crossed, gaze fixed on hers.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

She tilted her head, expression cool, amused. "Whoa. That tone's a little harsh, isn't it? Are you mad?"

I stared at her in silence. My gut told me that no matter how much I wanted to lash out, the smarter move was to stay level. At least until I figured out what exactly she wanted.

Her smile widened. "Relax. I'm not your enemy."

Aria leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. Every move she made carried a deliberate kind of grace, like she was acting out a role on stage.

"So, let's skip the small talk," she said, voice smooth as silk. "You and Maria… are you two dating?"

I blinked. Not at the question itself but at the wave of relief that followed.

She hadn't suspected the truth.

At least… not yet.

"As long as she thinks this is just gossip, Maria's safe," I thought, forcing my shoulders to stay relaxed.

I kept my tone even. "...That's what this is about? You dragged me here to gossip about my personal life?"

Aria's smirk sharpened. "So, you admit it's your love life?"

"I didn't admit anything."

She raised a brow. "Come on, Michael. You two were literally arm in arm walking into a movie theater. That's either a date… or a very dramatic victory march."

My jaw twitched.

She didn't wait for me to respond. Instead, she slid her phone across the table with casual precision.

The screen was already open to a message draft. The recipient? A group chat labeled Sacred Blade—one of Hero Academy biggest gossip hubs.

The message box contained the photo of Maria and me, arm in arm, lit by the glow of the theater signs.

And below it, the caption:

["Scandal Alert?! Michael Willson & Maria Frostheart caught on a date? 👀💥 Rank 1 Dungeon Duo heating things up outside the battlefield!"]

My heart dropped.

She looked up at me with that same smile, soft but razor-edged.

"So. Shall I hit send?"

For a moment, I just stared at the glowing screen.

That single photo sat like a loaded weapon, finger hovering over the trigger.

I let out a long, steady breath through my nose. "So this is your game. You drag me here, flash some photo, and hold Maria's name over my head like bait."

Aria raised both brows, feigning innocence. "Bait? Please. I'd never. I'm just… curious."

Her voice dipped into that syrupy sweet tone that made my skin crawl.

"So," she continued, eyes glittering with mischief, "are you two dating? Secret lovers sneaking out after conquering the VR Dungeon together?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "You've been reading too many serialized romances."

She giggled. "Oh, come on. Everyone loves a good scandal."

"You mean you love it."

Aria shrugged. "Fair. But really, Michael, I'm not trying to ruin you. If I wanted to, this would've gone out hours ago. No, no… this is about leverage. Attention. Negotiation."

My eyes narrowed. "So what do you want?"

She leaned back in her chair, spinning her teacup idly, lips curling into a smug grin.

"Join my club."

I blinked. "...What?"

"The Royal Club," she said brightly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I waited.

Nothing. No explanation. Just that same smug smile.

Finally, I sighed. "Observation. Right. What exactly do you 'observe'?"

She lifted a finger and began counting on it, her voice adopting a mock-serious lecture tone.

"Oh, you know. Magical beasts. Dungeon patterns. Combat tactics. Student growth. Sometimes…" Her grin widened. "We observe the daily lives of our fellow students."

I deadpanned. "So you stalk people and wanted to make it official."

Her smile twitched. "It's not stalking! It's research."

"Then are you researching on who's holding whose arm on a Saturday night?"

Her lips curved again, smug this time. "You're sharper than you look."

I leaned forward, arms on the table. "No."

Her smile froze. "…No?"

"That's right," I said flatly. "I refuse."

The mask of confidence cracked just slightly. Aria tilted her head, brows furrowing as if the word didn't compute.

"You refuse?"

"Correct."

Her eyes narrowed. "You do realize I'm offering you a way out of a potential scandal, right? And you're just… declining?"

"You threatened me," I said bluntly. "With a photo. Of something that wasn't even your business. And now you're shocked I'm not throwing myself into your arms in gratitude? You don't even know what recruitment means, do you?"

She blinked, genuinely caught off guard. For once, the perfect little performance faltered.

"I thought…" She frowned. "I gave you leverage. I offered you a chance to join something exclusive. Isn't that a fair trade?"

I leaned back in my chair, voice dry as sandpaper. "And I offered you a chance to not get your face magically rearranged in the near future."

Aria pouted, folding her arms. "Wow. You're more stubborn than I expected."

"And you're more annoying than I expected."

We stared at each other. The tension thickened, like two blades crossing in silence.

Then it was unexpectedly, she snorted.

"...I kinda like you, Michael."

"Yeah, well, I don't like you. But thanks for the compliment."

Her grin sharpened. "Tsk. I thought you were into girls. Or was I mistaken?"

"No. I'm into girls," I said evenly. "Just not the ones who look like secondhand broomsticks pretending to be masterminds."

Her mouth dropped open. "You—!"

She clutched her chest as though I'd struck her with a blade. "You absolute bastard!"

I kept my expression calm. "Honesty is important in building trust. I'm just doing my part."

"That wasn't honesty," she sputtered, "that was emotional terrorism!"

"And yet, you're still here."

She glared daggers. "You have the emotional maturity of a brick wall, Michael Willson."

"And you," I said coolly, "have the threatening presence of a soggy squirrel."

(To be continue)

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.