The classroom was settling down as students moved to their respective seats, but sothing kept drawing everyone's attention—the last seat in the middle row.
Why?
Despite more than half the classroom being empty, Esdeath and Maruti were both seated there, relaxed as if they owned the place.
anwhile, Ethan was seated in the middle row, with Violet on one side and Sylvania on the other. Valen, who had been nervously hovering nearby, made his way toward Esdeath, clearly intending to sit next to her.
But Esdeath raised her hand, stopping him. "Go sit on the first bench like you usually do. There's no need to force yourself to prove anything." Her tone was casual, almost dismissive, as if she were giving an order instead of a suggestion.
Valen hesitated, looking a little disappointed but nodded. "As you wish, Lady Boss," he muttered and shuffled to the front row.
Esdeath smirked as she leaned back in her chair. "That guy's useful. He can do our assignnts for us, so we don't waste ti on boring stuff," she said, her voice dripping with amusent.
Maruti, sitting beside her, didn't seem to share the sa lightheartedness. Instead, she glanced at Esdeath, a curious frown forming on her face. "You said it's ti for Arc 2. So, what's the plan? Reap so benefits? Rob people when they're in a tight spot?"
Esdeath's smirk disappeared, replaced by a serious expression as she t Maruti's gaze. Her voice was firm, leaving no room for argunt. "Nothing. We avoid it with everything we've got."
Maruti raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that answer. "Avoid it? Really? Why?"
Esdeath let out a sigh, leaning forward slightly. "The first and second arcs are complete opposites. In the first arc, you can survive even if you do nothing. But the second arc? It's like comparing an ant to a mountain. The difficulty skyrockets. As long as you're in the academy during this arc, the chances of dying are ridiculously high."
Maruti tilted her head, still unconvinced. "Then why stay here? Why not just leave?"
Esdeath's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Do you think I haven't thought of that? I wanted a private room outside the academy for this very reason. But the academy has rules. No one is allowed to live outside the dorms during this ti. You can only leave for a few hours at most,This was one of the reasons I wanted to get an private room, So that when ti cos I just give so excuses and won't co to academy." She leaned back in her chair, frustration flickering in her eerie eyes. "Bad luck, huh? We're all trapped here, whether we like it or not."
Maruti leaned back, crossing her arms as she processed Esdeath's explanation. "Is this a ga? Or so twisted sche to get us all killed?"
Esdeath let out a bitter laugh, her eerie eyes narrowing slightly. "That's exactly what you'd expect from a trash ga. They don't even know how to properly increase difficulty step by step as we grow stronger. It's like soone threw a broken challenge at us and hoped for the best. Honestly, even I could design a better ga than this!" She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
Before Maruti could respond, the sound of chairs scraping interrupted them. The entire class stood up at once, greeting the teacher with a respectful bow. Esdeath and Maruti exchanged a quick glance before reluctantly following suit.
The teacher, a tall woman with sleek black hair and a calm deanor, gestured for everyone to sit. "Good morning, everyone," Sora said, her voice soft yet commanding.
Once seated, Esdeath leaned slightly toward Maruti and continued in a hushed tone, "At least now that we're in Class A, it'll be easier to avoid her. We don't even have to try."
Maruti's expression darkened as she mulled over Esdeath's words. "If it's as you say, she might already be here."
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anwhile, in Class B
The mood in Class B was somber as the teacher, Sylvia, walked in. Her green eyes flickered with a stern light as she stood at the front of the room. "You all already know about the recent tragedies," she began, her voice firm. "Many students have lost their lives. To honor their mory, let's observe a minute of silence."
The class fell silent, heads bowed in respect for their fallen peers.
After the solemn mont passed, Sylvia's tone shifted. A soft smile appeared on her face as she spoke again, "But today is a fresh start. We also have soone new joining us." She turned toward the door, her smile widening.
A girl stepped into the classroom. She had short gray hair that fell neatly over her forehead and an above-average appearance. Her soft smile seed warm, yet unremarkable.
"This is Caral," Sylvia introduced. "She was supposed to join us when the academy term started, but her carriage was attacked by bandits, and she suffered an injury on her forehead. Thankfully, she's recovered and is finally here. Please help her adjust and share your notes."
Caral bowed politely. "Please take care of ," she said with a small, pleasant smile.
As she bowed, a strand of her hair shifted, briefly revealing a spiral-shaped scar on her forehead.
The air in the room changed instantly.
Sylvia's green eyes widened, her pupils transforming into heart shapes. She took a step closer to Caral, her voice trembling with uncharacteristic excitent. "Caral, are you single? Are you free today? We could go on a date—what do you think?"
The class erupted into chaos.
"No fair! Caral, I fell in love with you at first sight. Marry !"
"No, ! I'll be the perfect partner for you!"
"Forget them, Caral! I'll do anything for you—even die if that's what you want!"
It wasn't just the boys; the girls were no exception. Everyone was shouting over each other, their voices filled with desperate obsession rather than love. So students had even climbed onto their desks, reaching toward Caral as if trying to claim her.
Caral, for her part, simply stood there with an innocent smile, her eyes glimring with a faint, mysterious light.
--------------
Esdeath leaned closer to Maruti, her tone low and serious. "Yeah, she's already dead. She just doesn't know it yet. The scar on her forehead, It's a symbol her a rare second awakening of an anomaly class—'Spiral Head Girl.' For now, anyone who sees that scar will fall head over heels for her. But soon, just being near her will make people fall in love."
Maruti raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "So…does that an you could fall for her too?"
Esdeath rolled her eyes and let out a small chuckle. "Of course not. Unfortunately, I'm already madly in love with soone else. This only works on people with low spirit. Ethan will definitely not be affected." She paused for emphasis, then added, "People with high spirit—like Lilith, Kaelith, and Violet—won't be. Violet being in love with Ethan,Thus despite being weaker physically she won't be affected. Sylvania might feel a slight pull, but if she keeps her head on straight, she can resist it."
Maruti tilted her head, grinning. "What about ?"
Esdeath slapped her own forehead dramatically, exasperated. "Didn't I tell you back in the arena? With your ultra instinct , you're also protected from charm and mind effects to so degree. As long as you don't turn into a simp, your chances of falling in love are basically zero."
Maruti's grin grew wider as she crossed her arms behind her head, looking smug. "Well, that's a relief! No need to worry, then!"
Her cheerful mont, however, was short-lived.
The classroom door opened, and Kaelith stepped in, her presence commanding as always. Her piercing silver eyes scanned the room like a hawk searching for prey. Her gaze briefly landed on Maruti, and with a casual wave of her hand—almost like a expressionless yet deep hidden aning of "hiii... ".
Maruti groaned quietly, slapping her forehead. "Not her again…" she muttered, shutting her eyes in frustration.
Kaelith's attention then shifted to Esdeath, who sat beside Maruti. Her expression instantly soured, and she let out an irritated "Hmph!" before striding purposefully to the back of the classroom.
To Esdeath's confusion, Kaelith didn't sit anywhere else. Instead, she wedged herself "forcefully" between Esdeath and Maruti, practically shoving them apart.
Kaelith crossed her arms and leaned back with a haughty air, her expression smug as if she'd just won a grand victory.
Esdeath blinked, completely baffled, her face showing the rare "What the heck just happened?" expression. She glanced at Maruti for answers, her eyes silently pleading for an explanation.
But every ti Esdeath tried to et her gaze, Maruti would quickly look away, pretending not to notice. Her expression scread, "Don't ask ! I have no idea either!"
As the class dragged on, Kaelith remained seated between Esdeath and Maruti, her presence a silent but palpable barrier. Esdeath maintained a calm deanor, accustod to such disruptions, while Maruti's frustration simred beneath the surface.
When the class finally ended in the early evening, the two friends finally sohow reunited outside, eager to distance themselves from Kaelith's unsettling presence. They headed toward the cafeteria, where Esdeath planned to grab a al and collect extra food for Selene.
Maruti's anger boiled over as she stomped her foot on the ground three tis, her voice rising in exasperation. "That Kaelith! Who does she think she is? A silver dragon? Big deal! I couldn't care less," she fud.
Her eyes sparkled with determination as she continued, "If she's a silver dragon, then I'll beco a golden dragon and eat her alive!"
Esdeath's expression remained neutral, as if such outbursts were part of her daily routine. "Did you pick a fight with that overpowered character?" she asked, her tone casual. "And just so you know, there's no such thing as a golden dragon. Silver dragons are the only ones, a half-constellation species."
Maruti's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? But how?" she questioned, her curiosity piqued.
Esdeath sighed, a hint of boredom creeping into her voice. "I guess it's ti to pick up where we left off,"
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