Steve walked with a asured step, his shoes clicking softly against the polished marble floor of the academy.
His expression was unreadable, carved into sothing calm and composed, but his eyes darted left and right—always scanning.
Just ahead of him, Rapunzel moved with graceful indifference, the hem of her long uniform fluttering behind her.
The hallway they moved through was mostly empty. A few maids lingered here and there, dusting or wiping ornate window fras, but their motions slowed as they turned to watch—each of them pausing at the sight of a man walking confidently through the academy typically reserved for won.
Steve didn’t acknowledge them. His mind was set. He had a mission—quite literally—and the target was already in sight. His gaze briefly flicked to Rapunzel’s back again.
He slowed his steps, letting her get a little farther ahead before he turned suddenly down an adjoining hallway. They had reached a secluded section of the building where the foot traffic dwindled to nothing.
The walls here were high, trimd with gold lining and old portraits whose eyes seed to follow him.
With a quick glance back to confirm no one else was around, he took a steady breath.
Then, he called out.
"Hey, Mary!"
The sound of his voice echoed slightly, bouncing off the stone walls.
Rapunzel, just a few paces ahead, paused mid-step. She turned her head, letting her long golden hair sway as her eyes flicked to him with quiet calculation.
Steve smiled brightly. Innocently. He raised a hand and gave a small wave, as if nothing strange was happening at all.
"Hey, Mary." he repeated with mock cheer.
"It’s been a while. How are you doing?"
Inwardly, his mind whispered.
’ All right, let’s go.’
He closed the gap between them, his smile remaining firmly on his lips. But as he drew near, his eyes sharpened—just slightly, just enough to betray the intent hidden behind them.
Then, he muttered under his breath.
"Activate."
A soft chi rang in his ears, chanical and otherworldly, as a translucent interface shimred before his eyes.
[Ding!]
[ Skill "Charm Master" has been activated.]
He suppressed the grin trying to stretch across his face. Perfect. He let his expression relax again into casual friendliness.
"Yeah." She said softly, scratching the back of her head, as though bashful.
"It’s almost like you’re not even in school anymore... heh."
Rapunzel blinked at him, her face unreadable. In her mind, sothing clicked.
’Huh... it’s him.’ She tilted her head just slightly, then replied, voice soft but cold.
"I’m alright. I’m just not particularly... the dissociative type."
Steve chuckled lightly.
"Yeah, that part’s already kind of obvious."
But inside, his thoughts were racing.
’ Okay... so when does the skill kick in? Is it active now? Maybe I should make physical contact... a light touch, a shoulder tap—yeah, that could work.’
Another thought hit him.
’ Too abrupt? No, if the skill works like it’s supposed to, it won’t matter.’
Trying to play it smooth, he asked.
"So, uh... where are you headed?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"I don’t see how that particularly concerns you." she said flatly.
His smile faltered just a bit.
"Hey, I’m just trying to be nice, you know? I’m just curious."
She turned her head slightly, looking away.
"I’d rather not say. It’s... a private place to ."
And then, before she could walk away, Steve reached forward—just casually, lightly touching her shoulder.
"Co on." he said, voice gentle.
"It’s been so long. We should at least talk a little, don’t you think? We’re friends, aren’t we?"
’Contact made.’
In his head, he nearly cheered.
’ Yes. That’s it. I did it.’
He stood there, hand still lightly on her shoulder, savoring the montary silence that followed. But then...
Rapunzel’s voice sliced through the quiet.
"...Well, you’ve made the contact. Are you happy now?"
There was a short pause as Steve’s heart stopped for a beat.
His body froze. The chill that washed over him wasn’t just physical—it was sothing deeper, sothing surreal.
"H-Huh?" he stamred.
She turned to him then, slowly, deliberately. Her eyes glowed with sothing cold. Not anger, not suspicion—certainty.
"You wanted to make contact with , right?" she said.
"Well, you have. Are you satisfied?"
He blinked rapidly, his mouth opening slightly, then closing again.
"W-What... what are you talking about?" He laughed nervously.
"You’re being weird. I just wanted to say hi. What do you an, I wanted to make contact?"
Her voice didn’t rise, but her words struck with surgical precision.
"Those were your exact thoughts, weren’t they?" she said calmly.
"Maybe I should just make contact with her. " she added
Steve felt his entire brain reel.
’ No way...’
She continued, her expression unchanging.
"Now that you’ve done what you ca for... can I leave?"
He stood paralyzed, his hand slipping off her shoulder. He took a small step back, as though burned.
His face betrayed nothing, but his mind was in chaos.
’How? How did she know? Did she hear when I activated the skill? No, that wouldn’t explain this. She couldn’t know the purpose behind the contact—unless...’
She glanced at him again, her voice quieter now.
"Or do you still intend to collect my na... to use it for manipulation?"
The words hit him like a thunderclap.
Steve’s breath caught.
’She knows...?’
He blinked rapidly, his face paling slightly as he tried to regain control.
"I-I don’t know what you’re talking about." he said too quickly.
His thoughts scread.
’ This is impossible. No one should know about that. There’s no way—unless... unless she knew all along. Unless...’
He paused. A mory surfaced.
’The na she gave him... Mary.’
That was a fake na. So if she was aware of his intentions, then perhaps that was why she had given him an alias.
She took another step forward, and her voice turned cold.
"What do I an?" she echoed mockingly.
"I an that you planned on using my na. You planned on manipulating through that little notebook of yours."
He flinched.
There was no longer any doubt.
She knew.
She knew about the Author’s Notebook.
And worse—she understood exactly how it worked.
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