The Academy had officially lost its mind.
It started with a rumor.
"Kael Draven was spotted making the Sword Princess blush."
That alone would've set fire to the gossip scrolls.
But what really ignited the storm was what followed.
A second rumor. Whispered, not shouted. Not written down. Not posted on the forums.
Just passed mouth to mouth.
"Ilyra visited his dorm. Alone. After dark."
By morning, it wasn't a rumor.
It was a legend.
[System Update – Passive Progression]
Infamy Aura: 42% campus saturation.
Obsession Overlap Detected: "Clara Vance" and "Ilyra Thorne" now share overlapping emotional territories.
Yandere Triangle Formed.
Warning: Triangulation may lead to explosive jealousy events. Caution advised.
Reward: +30 System Points.
Clara wasn't smiling anymore.
She'd started acting... strange.
Not the cute kind of strange where she mixes love potions and accidentally pours one on herself.
No. This was different.
She began carrying her alchemy set everywhere like a ritualistic totem. Her smile was a little too wide, her notes a little too detailed.
And her questions?
"Did anyone else visit you last night, Kael?"
"What kind of girls are you into?"
"Would you prefer a poison that kills instantly… or one that melts from the inside out?"
I kept smiling.
But I moved my pillow closer to my dagger.
Meanwhile, Selena von Arkwright was watching.
She didn't follow me. She didn't ask questions.
She just… observed.
Always at a distance.
On the rooftops. Behind curtains. Reflecting in mirrors that shouldn't have shown her face.
I wasn't sure what was more terrifying: the growing number of obsessed girls… or the one who hadn't acted on it yet.
Selena Awareness Level: 100%
Obsession Status: Locked.
Yandere Magnet Prediction: "Selena will not compete. She will conquer."
Danger Rating: S+
[New System Notification]
Event Triggered: "Bathhouse Tournament Arc — Boys Forbidden."
Invitation Received: "Kael Draven has been chosen as the Surprise Judge."
Female Attendance: 27 Students.
Obsession Rate of Participants: HIGH.
Outfit Policy: "Minimal Towels Required."
I stared at the invitation.
Then the second one.
Then the third.
Each from a different girl.
Each scented.
Each implying something unholy about what kind of judging they expected.
Later, I sat with the System UI expanded in front of me, like some evil war general planning his next move.
I wasn't here to collect bathhouse peeks.
I was here to weaponize desire.
The [Villainous Ascension Tree] had just unlocked a new branch.
Branch: Temptation as a Weapon
[Lustful Deception] – Charm effect increases when pretending to be vulnerable
[Jealousy Spark] – When two females compete for your attention, their obsession intensifies
[Forbidden Glance] – Unlocks hidden reactions when making eye contact in exposed situations
I didn't hesitate.
Unlocked all three.
Let the chaos begin.
Bathhouse Arena – Secret Pavilion
The bathhouse wasn't just a place to soak.
It was an ancient training site for mana flexibility, where girls practiced spells while relaxed, under heat pressure, and half-naked.
Because of course that's how this world worked.
I was seated behind a beaded curtain on a high platform—alone, above the crowd, with a gold "Judge" tag dangling from my neck like a warning sign.
Clara was already there. Not participating. Just… watching. Closely.
Ilyra arrived soon after. Still not speaking much.
But her towel was smaller than regulation. Deliberately.
Her eyes locked with mine. And for just a second, I saw something unfiltered.
She wanted me to watch.
She needed me to watch.
[Forbidden Glance] triggered.
Ilyra Obsession Spike: +9%
Status: "Let him see me break."
Then Selena walked in.
And everyone shut up.
She didn't wear a towel.
She wore dominion.
Her long silver hair was pulled into a high braid. Her skin glowed like ivory steel. And her expression wasn't shy or coy.
It was possessive.
"I'm only here because Kael is here," she said aloud, letting her words crash like thunder across the pool.
Every girl glared.
The yandere war had officially begun.
Competition Event: "Water Duel Ballet"
Girls cast low-level water spells at one another while performing ballet-like moves in water.
A ridiculous concept.
Made more ridiculous when they started pulling off each other's towels.
Half by accident.
Half on purpose.
Some were clearly trying to win.
Others were trying to win my attention.
[Jealousy Spark] Activated
Ilyra vs. Clara — Hidden Duel Begins.
Splash damage: Moderate. Boob-jiggling: High.
System Message: "Softcore combat detected."
Then, mid-judging, the unthinkable happened.
Selena joined the competition.
No one invited her.
She just stepped into the bath, summoned a scythe of frozen light, and froze the water under her feet.
She glided across like death in a towel.
"I challenge everyone," she said.
Clara tried to speak. "T-That's against the rules—!"
Selena didn't care.
With a sweep of her hand, she sent waves crashing into every girl around her. Towels flew. Shrieks echoed.
And yet, even as they scattered… Selena never looked at them.
Her eyes never left me.
By the end, everyone was soaked, stunned, or seething.
And I was the only one smiling.
Selena Obsession Unlocked: 28% ("Cold Claim")
Affection Statement Triggered: "You belong to me. They're just visitors."
New Trait: "Scorch of Envy" — Female rivals sabotage each other near you.
That Night – Dorm Room
I locked the door.
Three times.
Clara knocked.
I didn't answer.
Ilyra sent a note under the door that read, "Next time, don't look away."
Selena didn't knock.
She didn't need to.
Her voice echoed from the shadows in the corner.
"Sleep well, Kael. You'll need your strength… for what I have planned next."