"So you finally came to give me that."

Aria looked at me with genuine confusion. "Give you what?"

"The thanks I deserved for saving your ass."

Her confusion turned to irritation immediately. "I didn’t needed your help. I would have managed it myself even if you hadn’t stepped up."

"Is that so..."

She sighed. The kind of sigh that carried the weight of having to deal with me for an extended period.

"Stop with your nonsense. I came here just to warn you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Warn me? Looks like you do care for me after all."

"I am going to kill you."

But seeing the jolly expression plastered across my face, she sighed again and pushed forward.

"Listen. I just wanted to say that you’re putting yourself in deep trouble. I know you’re angry right now. After everything you’ve been through, I could feel the emotions radiating from you in that hall."

Her voice shifted. Quieter. More careful.

"So I would suggest don’t let that anger, that rage, get above your head. Don’t let it consume you. Don’t let it control you."

A pause.

"Trust me. It will only put you in more agony."

I tilted my head. "Look who’s giving me this lecture. I mean, doesn’t this apply to you far more than it does to me?"

She didn’t get angry at my remark. Instead her expression turned painful. Something raw flickering behind those red eyes.

"That’s exactly why I’m able to guide you on it." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "But forget it. Just try not to fall into a pit where you can never climb back out."

She crossed her arms.

"Though I doubt it. Seeing your suicidal mindset, you probably won’t even try to avoid it. And you’ve already taken steps toward it. You went against the system. Announced yourself separate from the hero party. Made enemies with the royal family. Cut off your own name and shelter by severing ties with your household."

She looked at me with something between frustration and resignation.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if you pull something worse in the coming days. But that’s none of my problem. I just wanted to warn you because I felt like it."

Then her expression shifted after her own words which reminded her of his ’I felt like it’. The usual cold composure cracked slightly as curiosity surfaced for the first time.

"Tell me, Deculein." Her voice was different now. Searching. "Why did you help me back in the hall when nobody else came forward? Why did you help me when I was losing myself? Why did you risk your life for someone you barely know? What made you take that much pain just to help a stranger?"

I stared at her for a few seconds.

"Are you deaf or what? Didn’t I say it loud and clear in the hall? Even the truthseeker confirmed it. I felt like doing it."

I shrugged.

"And don’t tell me that makes no sense. Because just now you tried helping me the exact same way. Saying you wanted to warn me because you felt like it."

She clenched her fist. That wasn’t the answer she wanted. Not even close.

"And talking about your concern," I added, "I don’t regret anything. Neither will I ever regret my decisions. So rest assured."

I met her eyes.

"As for whatever threats lie ahead, first off, thanks for worrying about me. But you should know this. When danger comes knocking, it won’t find a shaken fool trembling in the corner like you."

My voice dropped.

"It will find someone who chose the outcome before the threat even understood it was a threat."

Her eyes widened. Just a fraction. Then she turned away from me.

I couldn’t read what her mind was processing. Whether she took my words as an insult. As assurance. Or whether they simply hit too close to her own situation.

But she started walking. And without looking back she said, "Anyways. Do as you want. I wanted to warn you genuinely and I did. Take it as a trade for you helping me."

She paused mid-step.

"And make sure to think carefully about the words you say in front of me. Because they might be your last."

I called after her, still in mocking mode when she started walking off again. "Oh come on, you’re framing it as a trade? I put my ass on the line for you. Not for some deal that brought me nothing in return."

She stopped. Right there. Still not looking.

"And here it comes..." I grinned at her back. "Let it out. Say it. Thank you, Deculein. I owe you one. I owe you my life. If you ever need anything..."

"Fuck you, bastard."

She walked off. Fast. Heavy footsteps slamming against the stone corridor. The complete opposite of her usual elegant stride.

I watched her disappear around the corner. Genuine satisfaction warming my chest from the exchange.

Then a voice appeared from behind.

"I didn’t expect you to be this bold."

I turned. Angelica stood there as if she’d materialized from thin air. Composed. Regal. But her eyes were softer than usual.

"The recent incidents really changed you. More than I imagined."

She walked closer.

"But let’s not dwell on the past. I came here to tell you that even if you’ve broken the ties between us, you will always be welcomed."

Her voice carried weight that didn’t match her calm expression.

"And keeping that aside, you can always talk to me if you have any problems. I would be happy to help."

I looked at her with the purest innocence I could manufacture. "Actually, there is one thing I need your help with."

She nodded, her composure steady. "Say it. I’ll try my best."

"You see, your friend Charlotte ruined my room yesterday. The whole place is a mess. Her piss. Her squirt. Even her cum. Everything is just everywhere."

Her expression froze.

"And this morning I told my maid to clean it up. She looked at me with the most disgusted eyes I’ve ever seen in my life and ran out of the room."

I scratched my head.

"So would you be able to solve my current situation?"

The silence that followed told me I had crossed a line. And not a small one. Even though she had been friendly with me for reasons I still couldn’t fully understand, she was still the Imperial Princess. One of the highest powers in the world. And I had just launched the most inappropriate joke imaginable straight into her face.

Even her calculated, unshakable princess mask was showing signs of embarrassment. A faint color creeping along her cheeks.

Then she forced a smile. But what came out of her mouth wasn’t what I expected.

"It’s strange hearing these things in a situation like yours." Her voice was gentle. Almost sad. "But I suppose you’re still the Deculein I know. The same bastard who would bring smiles with his stupid jokes. Who could annoy people and brighten their mood at the same time. Especially when he knew how down that person already was."

The gentleness in her tone deepened into something heavier.

"But I failed to see what he was going through." Her eyes drifted downward. "Some people are just strange that way. They smile at your sunrise even while their own night swallows them whole."

I felt the weight of her words press against my chest. Did she think it was a joke? I suppose so. Judging by her reaction, she hadn’t taken it to heart... and perhaps that was for the best.

She gathered herself. The sadness tucked away behind the princess mask once more.

"Now I understand why I’ve been noticing changes in Aria lately." A knowing look crossed her face. "It’s because you’ve chosen your next target, haven’t you?"

She raised a finger.

"But let me warn you. That girl carries darkness far deeper than you can imagine. Be cautious around her."

Then she smiled slightly.

"Though knowing you, it shouldn’t be too difficult. You already made that unstable, troubled girl smile after all."

I blinked. "Smile? When did she..."

"Just now." Angelica glanced toward the corridor Aria had vanished into. "She walked off with killing intent pouring from every step. But along with it, she carried a genuine smile."

’So my plan is working. Looks like taming the villainess won’t be as impossible as I thought.’

I tucked that thought away and said, "I think it’s time for me to leave. I’ve wasted enough of my day messing with people."

She gave a nod. But there was still something lingering behind her expression. Unspoken. Heavy.

Now that I was looking at her properly, she was stunning. The epitome of beauty standing right in front of me. Every piece of her frame could make a man lose his senses.

If Aria wasn’t in the picture, Angelica would be my pick without question. But something about Aria, some connection I couldn’t explain, kept pulling her to the top spot in my head.

I dismissed the thought and started walking. Then stopped. Turned.

"Hey, sensei." I grinned. "I’m looking forward to training with you."

She turned with a warm expression. "I would be happy to. We can start your routine right after tomorrow’s assessment test."

My grin died on the spot.

’Assessment what? No way. No way I’m giving some exam.’