Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
On the long stone floor of the hallway of the castle, there was a young man walking along it.
He was very young and had a handsome face, and it seemed he was murmuring something.
''Well, I feel like a trip to London. It's really nostalgic!''
He sensed each step as it touched the surface beneath his feet.
A few seconds later, a young girl also entered his sight. Perhaps she was going to class like him.
Hector gazed with discomfited eyes at the girl.
''Wow, that girl is so beautiful!''
He looked closely at each undulating, curved line on her body, without missing any detail.
''It'd be perfect if she grows more…''
However, several seconds passed, and something caused him to slowly frown.
''Wait! ~~ What is this?''
As he looked at her body more closely, the white, small spots gradually appeared across her body.
The longer he stared, the clearer those spots became.
''That is familiar…''
He kept moving closer and forgot that the girl had also started noticing his strange behavior until a loud sound echoed through the hallway, drawing everyone's attention.
''What the hell are you staring at, you disgusting pervert?!''
A wave of dizziness and throbbing pain in his right cheek was the only sensation he could feel at this moment. Then, he struggled to get up after falling and scolded himself in his mind.
"F-Fuck! I've lost my mind… I should apologize to her."
Hector tried to speak in a polite tone, fixing his posture.
"Ah... Oh..., M-My lady… I'm deeply apologize for my maners… I'll do anything to—Huh?"
His voice dragged for a while as he saw her face, strangely familiar, almost mirroring his own. He had seen it somewhere before.
"It's you!" they both shouted in unison.
"Damn! Why is it always that girl?!" Hector began trembling slightly as he looked at her; he still hadn't forgotten the memory of her strangling him. That image was all he could recall about her.
The face and furious glare hadn't changed—only her hairstyle and outfit were different.
She wore the same black uniform as him, and her black hair, which once flowed to her shoulders, was now tied into a long ponytail.
When their eyes met, fear surged in Hector, especially from her right eye, which glowed ominously.
"I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean to do that." He tried to calm her rage, but Violet only clenched her teeth in fury upon hearing it.
It was obvious his words weren't convincing, and to her, it sounded like he was mocking her intelligence.
"You think I'm stupid?!...So you're looking at my hair? Or my eyes? Or something else?... I should've killed … AFTER EVERYTHING YOU DID TO ME."
"..."
Her eyes reddened as she shouted at Hector, and tears began to spill.
"...."
Moments later, she tried to hold back her overflowing emotions, wiping the tears as she quickly turned and walked away, leaving Hector stunned.
At that moment, he felt like he had just bullied a child, and even though it was truly his fault, the weight of it felt discomfort and guilty.
"What the fuck is going on? How do I explain to her that it was all just an accident?" Hector groaned, gripping his forehead in frustration.
Meanwhile, voices began to rang our through the hallway.
They were whispering, gossiping about the entire scene.
"That guy's such an asshole!"
"He got that girl pregnant, then ditched her!"
"Shut the fuck up! She's the younger daughter of the Mythics in my clan! If you insult her, one of them might kill you!"
"I-I know… so that trash will die anyway…"
"Wait! If he has a similar status to hers… then maybe it makes sense."
"Maybe only someone like him dares to mess with her."
"You know him? What clan is he from? … Wolfe?"
"No! I've never seen him in my clan."
…
Countless eyes stared at Hector, curious about who he was.
"Damn! I should get out of here!" Hector grabbed the edge of his sleeve to hide his face and sprinted toward his classroom. If he moved fast enough, no one would remember him.
However, he had underestimated Violet's reputation.
***
Inside a large classroom, a young woman wore in the elegant garments of high nobility sat gracefully upon a wooden chair, observing the students from her position above the podium.
Sunlight from the low-hanging sun streamed through the glass windows, casting a soft glow upon her face. She gently adjusted the frame of her glasses, revealing her amber right eye as she directed her gaze toward one corner of the room.
"Why don't you take a seat?" the woman asked, offering a polite smile.
Hearing that, Hector forced an uneasy grin, though deep down, her words made him grind his teeth.
"My teacher! Can't you see the situation? Or are you pretending not to? Don't you realize I might actually die if I sit there? Why are you ignoring that? I really don't want the spotlight right now."
These thoughts raced through his mind, but instead, he let out a tired sigh. Then, he managed to lie even if it wasn't his forte.
"W-well… my… uh… m-my butt hurts, so… yeah… you know…"
He shrugged clumsily and glanced sideways at Violet, who sat one empty seat away. Unluckily, both of them had arrived late, and those were the only two spots left.
And if he dared to sit now, she would probably strangle him again—that much was clear from the deadly glare she'd thrown earlier.
Sigh… The farther I stay from her, the safer I'll be…
Hector exhaled deeply and turned to look at the teacher, hoping she'd understand without needing further explanation.
Of course, she already did. But in truth, she was simply intrigued—who was this bold boy who dared to provoke the younger daughter of one of the Mythics from her own Pauley clan?
She wasn't the only one. The classroom was abuzz with silent curiosity. To many of the students, Hector and Violet seemed like an odd pair, their fiery tension almost entertaining.
"Alright then! We're gonna begin with a quick round of introductions, yes?" the young woman said, her eyes scanning the room with a spark of amusement.
"I'll go first. My name is Wren Pauley, and I'll be your instructor for the next two years—unless something unexpected gets in the way."
…
Her gaze slowly drifted back toward Hector, her intentions crystal clear.
"Alright, you're next!"