However… she seemed to care far too much for someone else.
This isn't the Lirielle I remember.
In Adrian's memories, she had been cold, precise, and indifferent to anyone who wasn't useful to her.
Lirielle—at least in his recollection—was a perfectionist who judged everything by value, a ruthless critic of flaws, and arrogantly considered everyone else beneath her.
And yet now… this calm, almost thoughtful expression she wore? It was entirely unfamiliar.
"Do you have any other questions? You don't seem entirely convinced," she asked, her voice steady but sharp.
"No… it's just that you're… unexpectedly considerate," Adrian replied, nervously scratching the back of his neck.
For the first time, Lirielle lifted her gaze from the newspaper. Her pink-gray eyes narrowed slightly, as though sizing him up.
"Unexpectedly considerate?"
"Yes… you're not quite as I remembered."
"Have you heard anything unpleasant about me? Or… have we met before?" she asked, tilting her head with that poised composure that made Adrian want to curl up somewhere.
His stomach sank. Of course he knew who she was—someone capable of bringing the world to ruin.
Her villainous side hadn't emerged yet. That would only awaken after encountering the story's main character—a flawless figure whose talent and presence far outshone hers. That inferiority, that envy… was the seed of chaos.
And yes, an inferiority complex alone might not destroy the world. The true danger was the curse she carried:
Malivara.
Thinking of Duke Caldwell and the legends whispered about Lirielle, Adrian couldn't help but force a bitter smile.
It was one of the most terrifying, King-Class threats—so infamous that stories said it existed even before the world itself.
And now… he was trapped in a tiny train compartment with it.
Wonderful. My "invisible extra life" just went up in smoke.
The moment Malivara awakens, the world might as well be finished. And the trigger? The instant Lirielle's mind breaks.
Throughout the story, she constantly clashes with the main character. Once her mental state collapses… Malivara takes over completely.
After that…
It's game over. The world doesn't stand a chance. Even if everyone joined forces, nothing can stop the destruction until the main character fully grows into their role.
"…This is insane," Adrian muttered under his breath, staring at Lirielle. I must have lost my mind talking to someone like her.
"…I've just… heard you're strict," he added, hoping it sounded casual.
Lirielle stared at him for a long moment, then exhaled, almost like she was humoring him. Adrian dared a hopeful glance—maybe my excuse worked?
"You're… strange," she said finally, the slightest tilt to her head.
"Yes, I hear that a lot," Adrian admitted, awkwardly smiling before immediately turning to stare out the window.
Let's avoid saying anything else. Seriously.
His only goal here was simple: survive, stay invisible, and make it through the main quest. There was nothing to gain from interacting with someone who could trigger Malivara at any moment.
Peace. Quiet. That's all Adrian wanted. Calmly enjoy the scenery outside.
The spring landscape stretched out like a painting. Blossoms in full bloom, streams glinting in the sun, fields spreading wide as far as the eye could see…
And then—a massive rock hurtled straight toward the window.
"…Wait, what the—?! Fuck!"
"Student Council President."
"Hmm?"
"Excuse me for a moment."
Before Lirielle could react, Adrian lunged straight into her arms.
"…?!"
Lirielle froze, her body stiff as if time had stopped. Even someone as composed as her couldn't ignore the shock of a human suddenly crashing into her chest.
But there was no time to process anything.
A massive boulder—bigger than a small house—smashingly barreled toward their compartment. The impact tore through the walls, splintering wood and glass alike.
The train shuddered violently. Adrian's stomach lurched as the cars screeched against the tracks, tilting dangerously.
With a deafening roar, the entire train lifted slightly off the rails before slamming down, tossing passengers and luggage like ragdolls.
Screams erupted from every corner, swallowed almost instantly by the chaos—the grinding metal, the cracking wood, the thunderous collision of the train against the earth.
Amid the catastrophe, Adrian blinked. Somehow… he and Lirielle were still intact, still clinging together in the corner of the compartment, bodies pressed against each other as the world spun around them.
Of course, this is just my luck. Adrian thought bitterly, trying not to vomit from the sheer motion. Getting flattened by a house-sized boulder isn't exactly how I imagined surviving my first week at the Academy…
It wasn't luck that saved him. The shimmering blue barrier surrounding Lirielle had absorbed the brunt of the impact—a protective aura that left him alive but painfully aware of his own weight.
If that boulder hit me directly… I wouldn't even be thinking right now, Adrian thought, drenched in sweat and trembling.
"…You… are you alright?" Lirielle's voice came from below him, calm but unmistakably teasing.
"Yes? Ah… I'm okay," he stammered, trying to sound composed, though his mind was spinning.
"Then… can you move? You're kind of… heavy," she said, a faint edge of amusement hiding in her tone.
Adrian froze. His eyes widened as he realized he'd been pressing almost his entire body against her, chest awkwardly aligned, hands flailing as he scrambled to move.
"…I-I'm so sorry!" he muttered, clambering up like a panicked schoolboy. His face was burning, and he couldn't stop imagining what she must be thinking.
Lirielle finally stood, smoothing her uniform and brushing her hair back with deliberate grace. Her pink-gray eyes met his, unflinching, but the faint flush along her nape and cheeks betrayed just how… human she was beneath that composed exterior.
Adrian's heart pounded as he tried—and spectacularly failed—to look anywhere but that curve of her neck, the subtle swell of her chest, and the disheveled state of her blouse.
"You're… incredibly reckless," she murmured, her voice soft yet laced with a playful warning.
"I-I swear I didn't mean to—" he sputtered, hands flailing helplessly, cheeks flaming, wishing desperately for the floor to swallow him whole.
Her lips quirked into a slight, unreadable smile, and Adrian felt his stomach twist. This… is not how surviving my first chaotic day at the Academy was supposed to go.
Um… now what?
Apologize? Should I bow? Flee?
"I-I'm sorry—" Adrian blurted, the words tumbling out before he could think.
"It's fine," Lirielle said, voice calm but somehow… warm. "You were just trying to protect me."
Wait, what?
"Uh… yeah, that's exactly it. I—"
"Don't worry," she interrupted, tilting her head. "This is the first time I've had… such radical contact with a man. But I understand your intentions, so no need to apologize."
Adrian froze. She interpreted it that way?
All he had done was rush in, knowing she had a shield that could withstand a small apocalypse. From her perspective, he'd been the one shielding her from the boulder. Perfect… I look like a hero. Or an idiot. Maybe both.
Before he could mumble another awkward apology, she asked, almost casually:
"You… what's your name?"
What?
Wait a second. In the "setup," didn't she only ask the names of people she liked? Oh no… this is bad. This is so, so bad.
"…You… what's your name?" Adrian repeated nervously, hoping to stall. But staring into those pink-gray eyes made it impossible to be cheeky.
The wrong answer could doom him to endless entanglement. The right answer… probably wouldn't help either.
"I-I'm Adrian Merrick," he finally said, voice cracking slightly.
"Adrian, Adrian… Merrick, Merrick," Lirielle murmured, eyes closing as she repeated it, like testing the sound on her tongue. Then, with a slight nod, she opened her eyes again.
"Got it. I won't forget. I will definitely repay this someday," she said.
No, please don't, Adrian thought frantically. Can't we just… stay as far apart as possible?
He forced a tight, awkward smile. But before he could even mentally prepare to retreat, something unexpectedly materialized right in front of him—blocking his path entirely.
[Special Gift conditions detected: COMPLETE]
[New Skills Acquired: 'Last Resort' and 'Irresistible Allure']
"…What the actual—?!" Adrian yelped, stumbling backward as the glowing notifications hovered mockingly in the air.
He was still drenched in sweat from nearly being crushed by a boulder. His heart hammered—not from exertion, but because apparently the universe just decided he was worthy of some villain's favor.
Villain's favor? Me? Seriously? I'm the weakest, clumsiest extra in existence…
Adrian groaned. "Of course. Calm, low-profile life? Completely gone. Obliterated."
He sank to the floor, staring at the notifications. The absurdity of it all made him want to laugh… and cry… simultaneously.