The third day, there were at least six different groups.
Some with girls who clearly had no genuine romantic interest but were following family orders. Their eyes held apologetic distance, going through motions they'd been commanded to perform. Others who seemed genuinely impressed but uncomfortable with the situation, caught between admiration and awareness of the political game being played. And some who... well, who looked at him in ways that made Ren want to cover certain parts of his body much more.
It was after being surrounded by the fourth group of the day, all talking at the same time about his "admirable qualities," that Ren made a drastic decision.
He was no longer going to be a patient and kind 'gentleman'.
He activated his shadow mana and simply... disappeared.
The shadow jump took him to an empty hallway dozens of meters away. Ren emerged from the darkness, sighing slightly from the "rude" escape and the tingling sensation but infinitely relieved by the silence.
