Laughter rippled through the crowd, cold and merciless.
One of the seniors stepped forward. His lips twisted into a grin as he raised his hand, dark energy curling and crackling in his palm. The pressure alone made Veronica's chest tighten, as if the air had been stolen from her lungs.
She couldn't breathe. She couldn't even move. Her legs gave out, and a mouthful of blood spilled down her chin.
Damn it. She really hadn't asked for any of this. Why was this body so weak? Why did it crumble under the smallest bit of pressure?
Her mind wandered desperately, a bitter laugh trying to escape her lips. How she wished she could go back to her world—back to that noisy classroom, where she had to scold kids with snot dripping down their faces. Compared to this, even that was heaven.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The voice was calm. Gentle, almost. But it carried a weight that slammed into the courtyard like a storm. The air stilled. The laughter died.
Every one of them froze, their bodies instinctively tensing as if their instincts recognized the danger before their minds did.
"He's so handsome!" someone squealed, and the crowd instantly shifted.
The second male lead had arrived—Kael Virellian.
His presence alone silenced the courtyard. The seniors who had been laughing moments ago stiffened, their smirks faltering as if the ground had just been pulled out from under them.
"We were just… playing around with our juniors," Ronan forced a chuckle, scratching the back of his head.
Kael's eyes swept over them briefly, then fell upon Veronica. She was half-collapsed, Evangeline clutching her desperately to keep her upright. For a moment, Kael said nothing. His gaze lingered, cool and unreadable, but the slight tightening of his jaw betrayed his displeasure.
"Playing around?" His voice was soft, calm as flowing water—yet it carried the kind of weight that pressed down on everyone's shoulders.
The bullies exchanged nervous glances. Their throats bobbed as they swallowed
That single phrase, spoken in his calm voice, felt like an icy blade. The senior students instantly tensed.
He stepped closer. "Judging by your uniforms…" His eyes landed on the cyan blue and emerald pattern of the Spellweavers Class. "I assume you're all under Instructor Vaylen's tutelage."
"No! Please don't tell him! We were wrong!" they cried in unison, bowing so fast it was almost comedic.
Kael sighed softly and turned his gaze elsewhere. "I suggest you leave now. Your punishment will find its way to you soon enough."
Without another word, the group scrambled away like frightened mice.
Turning toward the two sisters, Kael spoke, his tone steady yet warm.
"I apologize that you had to encounter something like this on your very first day. Rest assured, they will be held accountable."
The crowd erupted immediately.
"Ahhh! Prince Kael is so kind!"
"He even saved that useless nobody!"
The fangirl screams stabbed at Veronica's ears. She clenched her jaw, feeling her head throb. Saved? Nobody? Really? Do these people ever shut up?! If she weren't half-dead already, she might have actually exploded on the spot.
Her blurry gaze fixed on the figure before her.
Kael Virellian.
The name carried weight in Draconveil Academy. He wasn't just some senior, he was the shining star of the Beastcaller Class, the most promising student of his generation.
Though not an actual prince, everyone called him Prince Kael. Not only because of his noble background as a pureblood elf, but because of his reputation: gentle, refined, kind to everyone, and frustratingly perfect.
Talented, famous, untouchable.
But Veronica knew better.
That concerned expression Kael wore? All for show.
To the rest of the academy, Kael Virellian was the ideal gentleman, the noble elf with grace, intelligence, and charm. But behind those soft smiles and dreamy eyes… he was a predator playing the long game.
Kael wasn't a pureblooded elf. He was a hybrid — part elf, part something else. He had clawed his way into nobility, hidden in plain sight. Patient. Calculating.
A wolf hiding in sheep's clothing.
Hybrids were despised for good reason—or so people said. Dangerous, unpredictable, tainted. Most were chained and used as slaves, treated as beasts rather than people.
And Kael… he embodied all the traits that made them feared. Cold-blooded. Manipulative. Hungry for power. He smiled like a gentleman, but beneath that smile was a creature waiting to sink its fangs into anyone careless enough to step too close.
His ambition was terrifyingly simple: dethrone the Dragon Prince and carve out a world where hybrids reigned. But not out of justice, nor kindness. Kael cared nothing for others.
Not even for Evangeline. To him, people were tools. Pawns. Chess pieces to sacrifice at his convenience.
Just like in the original story, every move of his was calculated. It wasn't fate or coincidence that Kael swooped in to 'rescue' Evangeline. No—he was the one who had secretly pulled the strings, provoking those senior troublemakers to target her. He lingered in the shadows, biding his time, and only appeared when her distress reached its peak. That way, when he stepped in, he looked like a savior.
What a sick bastard.
"She's hurt. We should get her to the infirmary," Kael said smoothly, his blue eyes glinting with feigned concern. His voice was gentle, but to Veronica, it was the sound of a trap closing.
The system's voice snapped in her head. [Host, you have four minutes before your class begins.]
Veronica's heart lurched. Crap, I'm late!
"No, I'm fine," she blurted quickly, wobbling slightly as she tried to stand. Evangeline rushed to steady her. "I have to hurry. I'm already late for class."
"But you don't look well," Evangeline said anxiously, her brows furrowed.
Veronica forced a reassuring smile and brushed her hand off. "Don't worry about me. I will drop you off at your classroom first, then I will go to mine."
Before Kael could add another word, Veronica tightened her grip on her sister and dragged her away. Her steps were hurried, uneven, but determined. She refused to linger near him any longer.
Behind them, Kael stood rooted in place, his sharp eyes watching their retreating backs. His expression was unreadable, but Veronica could almost feel the weight of his calculating gaze burning into them.