"Don''t tell me you''ve skipped all your sses up until now?" James asked, raising an eyebrow in genuine surprise.


    Angel, seated beside him, shook her head. "I don''t skip all sses, just the practical ones. Fighting''s not really my thing. But I do attend some sses—like History. That one''s not boring."


    "History, huh? Do you happen to know a professor named Norman Columbus?" James leaned in slightly, interested.


    Angel nodded. "Yeah, he''s my History professor."


    James let out a sharpugh. "This has got to be fate!"


    It was the teacher he had to kidnap to brainwash before giving the empty body to Gin after all.


    At that moment, the two satfortably in one of the hidden nooks of the Ocryphia Academy, widely regarded as the best in the Auarion. Both Angel and James, Elite students of the academy, were shamelessly skipping their sses while enjoying the rare tranquility of their shared spot.


    James sprawledzily on a wide stone alcove bench, arms folded behind his head and legs casually crossed. There was just enough room behind Angel, who sat upright next to him, her posture rxed butposed.


    "Fate?" Angel turned her head slightly to nce back at James, who was grinning from ear to ear.


    "Absolutely. The next time you have History ss, let me know. I''m a total history buff," James said with a smile.


    "I''m a Fourth Year?" Angel replied.


    "And?" James replied with a shrug. "We''re best friends, remember? That''s the kind of bond where we hang out regardless of sses."


    Angel stared at James before opening her lips. "Do best friends keep secrets from each other?"


    "Of course not," James replied without hesitation.


    Angel shifted her position, leaning over him, her face suddenly inches from his. Her deep, dark eyes locked onto his with quiet intensity, her long dark hair brushing lightly against his cheeks. James didn''t flinch—if anything, he looked more amused, his signature slight smirk lingering on his face.


    "Then why are you hiding things from me?" She asked staring down at him.


    "Hiding things? Me? I''d never dream of it, Angel."


    Her eyes narrowed slightly, searching his expression. "I don''t know what it is, but your thoughts are impossible to read. You don''t show anything—not even a hint—in your expressions."


    "Maybe…" James whispered softly. "I''m just an open book with invisible ink."


    Angel leaned closer, her lips brushing just against James'' ear as she whispered. "Don''t ever think of manipting me, James."


    Despite her often-na?ve appearance, Angel was anything but oblivious.


    James smirked, whispering back, his lips grazing her ear. "I wouldn''t dream of it."


    He wasn''t lying. James never underestimated Angel. In fact, she was the one student that Ivan truly considered, more so even than Travis, the so-called protagonist of the novel. Angel possessed a potential on par with Luna-Evelyn, though her brilliance shone in an entirely different way. That alone earned James'' consideration.


    Before either could say more, hushed voices broke through the moment.


    "L-Look at them!"


    "How shameless..."


    "In broad daylight—and right after ss ended!"


    "Do you think they skipped ss?"


    "Should we report them? Isn''t that Lady Cattleya?"


    The murmurs grew louder as a group of students emerged from the nearby lecture hall, led by none other than Cattleya Starlight. From their angle, all they could see was Angel''s dark hair obscuring both her and James'' faces, leaning close enough that it looked scandalous.


    Hearing the whispers, Angel slowly turned her head toward the group, her dark gaze silencing them instantly.


    "L-Lady Elysphira?!"


    "M-My apologies!"


    "Forgive us!"@@novelbin@@


    The students immediately cowered behind Cattleya, clearly terrified of Angel, though Cattleya herself stood unmoved, her expression calm but her eyes keenly observing.


    Her gaze settled on the blond hair peeking out from behind Angel. Though she couldn''t see his face clearly, his rxed, arrogant posture gave him away instantly.


    As if on cue, James sat up, his trademark smile spreading across his face as he caught sight of Cattleya. "Isn''t that Cattleya Starlight?"


    Cattleya''s followers immediately perked up, their fear forgotten as recognition dawned on them.


    "Oh, it''s him!"


    "The hottie who saved us!"


    "Isn''t he Lady Cattleya''s boyfriend?"


    "But why was he so close to Lady Elysphira...?"


    "Something''s definitely up..."


    Their murmurs spiraled into frenzied spection, drawing the attention of more students who began to gather, all curious about the scene unfolding before them.


    Having enough, Cattleya''s shot a re to her followers'' chatter, silencing them instantly. Then, she turned back toward James.


    It was just his first day, and James had already managed to stir up trouble. But what baffled everyone—Cattleya most of all—was how he''d gotten close to Angel Elysphira of all people.


    It was absurd.


    Find adventures on empire


    Angel was notorious for being anti-social, a girl who could make anyone uneasy with her observations. If that wasn''t enough, she had a knack for blurting out her unfiltered thoughts, no matter how cutting or awkward they might be. Most people couldn''t handle her, yet here James was, smiling as if they''d been friends for years.


    Cattleya''s annoyance red at the sight of his confident smile. With a sharp turn, she pivoted on her heel to walk away.


    "Who is she?" Angel asked, genuinely curious, her dark eyes following Cattleya.


    James waved a hand dismissively. "Just some random girl who begged me to save her friends once. I agreed, of course—I''m a generous man."


    Cattleya''s steps came to an abrupt halt, her shoulders stiffening as her brows twitched at his words.


    "The name Starlight sounds familiar," Angel murmured thoughtfully, tilting her head.


    James shrugged. "No clue. All I know is she''s filthy rich. But you''re richer, aren''t you?" He gave Angel a hopeful look.


    Angel blinked and nodded lightly. "Hmm."


    "That''s my best friend for you," James said with a wide grin, pping her lightly on the shoulder.


    Unbeknownst to Angel, James was already calcting. Once he discovered how to ess the Vault, Cattleya would be irrelevant to him. Angel, however, was quickly proving to be far more valuable for the future.


    Meanwhile, Cattleya''s pride took hit after hit. Her fists clenched at her sides as she turned back toward James.


    "Y-You! How dare you?!" She obviously snapped.


    Why was James always like this?


    Even when she said nothing, he somehow found ways to insult her. Comparing her to other girls—and she was always the one falling short! It was infuriating, like losing apetition she hadn''t even entered.


    "What''s happening, Cattleya?"


    Heads turned as Lucas Whiteford appeared, nked by his usual entourage of loyal henchmen.


    "Ah, Lucas," Cattleya greeted, forcing a smile despite her earlier outburst. Her frustration melted into awkwardness—she''d just raised her voice so unsightly in front of the man she was supposed to marry someday.


    "Look, it''s the new guy," one of Lucas''s followers sneered, pointing at James.


    The rest of the group chuckled darkly, already closing the distance with the clear intent to intimidate him.


    But their confident steps faltered as they noticed Angel Elysphira sitting beside James.


    "Oh, are you Cattleya''s crush? She''s crazy about you, you know. Maybe you should give her a bit of attention—she''s been on edgetely," James said, leaning backzily, his arms tucked behind his head once more like he didn''t have a care in the world.


    "How dare you speak to Lord Whiteford like that!" One of Lucas''s men barked, stepping forward. But the moment he felt Angel''s gaze on him, he froze mid-step.


    It wasn''t like Angel was outright threatening him—she was just ncing around, curious as ever. Still, there was something about her aura that sent a shiver down people''s spines.


    "..." Meanwhile, Cattleya flushed a deep red at James''s bluntment. She clenched her fists in anger and stormed off without another word.


    Lucas Whiteford, however, had his gaze locked on James. Unlike the others, Lucas wasn''t the type to be rattled by Angel''s presence. Confident in his high status, he looked down at James with a cold sneer.


    "I don''t know how amoner like you managed to crawl your way into the Elite ss," Lucas began, his voice filled with disdain, "but you''d do well to remember your ce, peasant."


    James, far from offended, let out a boomingugh that echoed across the corridor. "Ahahaha! Oh, man, you guys are hrious," he said, sitting up and smirking. "Seriously, do you all pass those cheesy lines down like some kind of noble heirloom? Same words, different world. It''s almost impressive."


    "..."


    Therge corridor fell into a stunned silence, everyone frozen in disbelief at James''s insolence.


    Meanwhile, James turned to Angel as if nothing had happened. "Thank god you''re not like these clowns, Angel. I knew you''d never hit me with some cringe-worthy line like that." He sighed in relief.


    Angel, not fully grasping the context but sensing the approval, gave him a small nod. She didn''t care much about Lucas or his wounded pride, so she simply sat down and resumed eating her lunch from her basket.


    Ignored and outright dismissed by both James and Angel, Lucas''sposure crumbled. His face twisted in anger, and it was clear he was moments away from attacking James.


    "James Arnold Grayling."


    But at that moment, a voice interrupted.


    Everyone turned to see a young woman approaching. It was Eline Castell, the main teacher of the Elite First Years.


    Her gaze locked on James. "Follow me."