The aftermath of the duel echoed through the academy like thunder.
By morning, Valerian's name was etched in whispers across every corridor, every classroom, every house lounge. Not as a name to mock. Not as a curiosity.
But as a warning.
There was a new balance in the academy. One built not on lineage or prestige.
But fear.
---
Alex sat alone in the Tower Library, the oldest section of the academy—a maze of spiraling staircases and towering bookshelves carved with forgotten languages. Only the truly curious ever came here.
He wasn't reading. Not exactly.
He was studying.
Patterns.
Movements.
The Codex of Houses—a tome that recorded notable bloodlines, alliances, rivalries. A living document, updated with every official duel, political maneuver, and student ranking.
His fingers hovered over a new page.
House Nightshade: Status – Obscure. Rising anomaly. Behavioral flag.
Potential threat.
He smirked.
"Well, at least they're honest."
Behind him, soft footsteps echoed.
"Thought I'd find you here," came a voice like velvet.
He turned.
Lady Selene Blackthorn. Long black hair. Pale blue eyes. House robes trimmed with midnight silver.
A known prodigy in enchantments. Calculating. Dangerous.
And now… intrigued.
"Lady Selene," Alex said politely.
She leaned against the archway. "You know, I've seen many try to rise here. Most burn out within a week."
"And yet I remain."
"Yes," she said, voice low. "And with every day, you become harder to ignore."
Valerian closed the book slowly.
"Are you here to warn me?"
"No. I'm here to offer something."
He raised an eyebrow.
"A conversation," she said, "between anomalies."
---
They walked through the Enchanted Garden, where moonflowers glowed and the trees whispered secrets. Selene moved with the grace of someone born to command attention.
"I've watched you, Valerian. You're not like the others. You don't crave power the same way."
"No," he said. "I crave freedom."
"And you're willing to destroy anyone who gets in your way?"
"If necessary."
She studied him. "You'll need allies. The council is split. Some admire you. Others want you gone."
"And which are you?"
Selene smiled. "I'm not on the council."
"But you will be."
She tilted her head, intrigued. "You see that far ahead?"
"I have to. The game changed the moment I woke up in this world. I'm just playing it better than they expected."
Selene stopped walking. The wind stirred her robes.
"Then here's my offer: an alliance."
Alex looked at her.
"I don't trust easy."
"I don't trust at all," she replied. "But that's what makes us alike."
---
[System Notice: Hidden Affection Route Unlocked — Lady Selene Blackthorn. Potential Ally / Romantic Pathway. Relationship Tier: Ambiguous. Loyalty Uncertain.]
[New Quest: Midnight Accord — Test Selene's true intentions before forming alliance. Optional Outcome: Seduction or Betrayal.]
---
By evening, the whispers had grown louder.
The faculty met behind closed doors.
Council members argued.
House Emberlight demanded Valerian's expulsion.
House Blackthorn voted against it.
House Seraphine abstained.
The verdict: inconclusive.
For now.
But something else stirred beneath the academy.
In the dungeons below the Alchemy Wing, where failed experiments were hidden, a shadow moved.
A cloaked figure placed a glowing shard onto a rusted altar.
"Valerian Nightshade," the voice hissed. "Your rise was... foreseen."
Crimson eyes gleamed from the darkness.
A new player had entered the board.
---
Back in his dorm, Alex sat at his desk, flipping through the Codex again. But his thoughts drifted.
To Selene's offer.
To Mila's warning.
To the system's relentless notifications.
And to his own memories—still foggy, still broken.
"Why me?" he murmured. "Why this world?"
[System Response: Host Chosen due to High Instability in Magical Timeline. Emotional, Intellectual, and Tactical Potential Optimal. Final Designation: Villain-Class Reconstructor.]
"Villain-class…" he whispered.
[Reminder: Your role is not to save the world. It is to survive it.]
Outside, the academy bell tolled midnight.
Another day.
Another battle.
And somewhere, someone else whispered his name with hatred.
---
End of Chapter Question: Should Alex accept Selene's alliance, knowing she might betray him? Or is it better to remain alone and unpredictable? And who do you think the shadow in the dungeon is working for?