Rex and the boys arrived at the cafeteria and stopped in their tracks, overwhelmed by the majesty of the place. It was no ordinary dining hall; it was like stepping into a luxury hotel restaurant, with high vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers scattering golden light, and polished oak tables set with impeccable linens. The aroma of freshly prepared food—roasted meats, warm bread, and fine herbs—hung in the air, mingling with the elegant murmur of conversations and the soft clinking of silverware.
Some students, elegantly dressed, remained seated while servants in livery brought them pre-prepared plates. Others, however, stood in line at a carved wooden counter. Patrick, observing the scene with a knowing look, turned to his friends.
"The students who get their food served at their tables are from the advanced class," he explained in a low voice. "Those of us lining up to order… are from the regular class."
"Are you telling me those privileged bastards don't even have to move?" protested Donny, his brow furrowed and fists clenched. "And we have to crawl like beggars?"
Rex nodded bitterly, discreetly pointing to a nearby table. "Not only that. Look at the plates. They get roasted meat with crispy potatoes and red wine sauce. We get plain noodles with steamed vegetables. And on top of that, we have to pay for this."
"It's not fair!" grumbled Donny, with a glare that could pierce steel.
Patrick sighed, placing a calming hand on each of their shoulders. "Alright, alright. I understand how you feel, really. But those are the academy's rules. We can't change them; we just have to adapt."
Reluctantly, both muttered a "Sure…" and joined the line, feeling the weight of superior glances bearing down on them.
After getting their trays with pale noodles and wilted vegetables, they looked for a place to sit. The interior was crowded with advanced-class students who looked at them with disguised disdain, so they opted to go out to the exterior garden.
The garden was a spectacle of serene and expansive beauty. White stone paths curved among perfumed rose bushes and crystal-clear fountains where golden carp swam. But, curiously, almost no students were eating there.
"The advanced class uses this garden for their afternoon tea gatherings," commented Patrick, answering the unasked question. "They consider eating lunch here, where they later have tea, to be… undignified."
"I'd say they're just arrogant fools," growled Donny, stabbing his fork into his noodles with more force than necessary. "A table is a place to eat, no matter where it is. They just want to show off that they're better than us."
Rex took a bite of an apple and replied, his voice slightly muffled by the mouthful: "You're right, but as Patrick said, there's nothing we can do. So eat and don't complain… for now."
Before taking another bite, his gaze fixed on a figure in the distance. A young woman with fiery red hair that fell in waves to her waist and bright blue eyes like a summer sky.
It was someone he knew all too well: Eliza Ashley Phil Rysburg. The villainess of the game. His childhood friend, whom he had met on the same day as Zach, in simpler times.
But now, an invisible abyss separated them. A commoner, a mere baronet, could not address a noble of her rank without an express invitation or a social context that allowed it.
Greeting her here, in public, would be an unforgivable transgression, an insult to the unwritten rules that governed this world.
With a heavy heart and a bitter taste in his mouth that had nothing to do with the apple, Rex lowered his gaze. He resigned himself to keep eating, pretending not to have seen her, while he felt the weight of her presence like an elegant and distant shadow moving among the rose bushes, completely unaware of his silent conflict.
◇◇◇
The day ended before the boys even realized it. The clock showed 6:30 in the evening, and the sun was beginning to set slowly. The advanced class students lived in dormitories on campus, while those from the regular class returned to their homes or residences.
Just before reaching the gate leading to the outside, Donny said to both of them, "You two, we should go celebrate today."
"Celebrate what?" Rex asked, yawning.
"Obviously, we should celebrate our camaraderie! Today we started as strangers and ended up as comrades. Especially since you're my crew, and I have to protect you."
Donny said this with a smile, and Patrick nodded. "I agree. I didn't even realize we spent the whole day together."
"It's true. Where should we go?" Rex said excitedly, as after several years, he finally had male company.
Donny said, "I know a bar in the capital that serves non-alcoholic beer and very juicy pork steaks."
"Sounds good to me," Patrick commented enthusiastically.
Rex, however, noticed that his school bag felt lighter. Upon checking, he realized he was missing a notebook. "Sorry, guys, but you'll have to go without me. It seems I forgot a notebook. Give me the address, and I'll join you after I find it."
"Alright," Donny said, handing him the address written on a napkin. They left, and Rex ran to the various classrooms he had been in today.
Night had fallen, and he still hadn't found it. "Where could it be?"
He left the classroom and outside, leaning against a pillar illuminated by moonlight, he ran into Zach, who was waiting for him. Zach threw something at him, and Rex caught it, realizing it was the missing notebook. Apparently, Zach had ordered someone from his class to take it.
"Haven't you forgotten me, have you? Knight of the Principality," Zach asked, recalling that day. Rex sighed.
"It seems you haven't forgotten what happened that day either."
(He's clearly thought about it every day. I thought he would get over it, but it was my fault for believing that.)
Zach began walking toward him. "I haven't forgotten the humiliation of that day. I was considered the future great swordsman of the kingdom, and that day you humiliated me so much that my father never spoke to me again."
"Look, calling it humiliation is an exaggeration. It was a duel, which, might I remind you, you provoked. I had nothing to do with it, and I won fairly."
"It's true, I don't deny it. You won fairly, but that's the problem. My father didn't take it well. He treated me horribly, as did the other nobles and their friends, even their sons. They called me a loser, mocked me, and excluded me from society until His Highness Kyle offered me his hand, and I decided to become his sword. If it weren't for him, I'd still be sad in my room."
After hearing Zach's story, Rex was stunned.
(Did all that really happen? That only happened in Zach's route if he lost to the knight commander in a sparring match. And the heroine saves him. Things have taken such a strange turn that it's starting to terrify me.)
After regaining his composure, he said, "What do you want me to do? Apologize? Fine, I'll do it to avoid any problems."
Zach interrupted him before he could say more. "I don't want your apologies for something that wasn't your fault. I want a rematch. You and me, in front of everyone. Since that day, I've practiced until my hands bled. There isn't a day I haven't visualized your sword handling or footwork. I want to reclaim what I lost, and for that, I want a fair and clean duel."
Although it wasn't a bad idea for Zach to reclaim his honor, Rex didn't like it simply because it was annoying. "Zach, I'm no longer a knight of the Principality. It's impossible for you to reclaim anything when I'm a nobody. They took my surname, exiled me from the country, and I had to come here seeking refuge. If it weren't for the scholarship, I'd still be cleaning ditches for a miserable pay. I live in a dump. Don't you think that's punishment enough? Besides, my swordsmanship has rusted. If we fought, you'd kick my ass so hard you wouldn't even be satisfied."
After saying this, Zach quickly drew a wooden sword he had hidden on his back and attacked. Rex just as quickly used his notebook to deflect the blow.
Zach looked at him with an expression that saw an opponent who hadn't lost his fangs. His smile indicated he knew Rex was lying. "What's this crap about being rusty? Would you have blocked that if you were? I won't force you because that would make me feel bad. But believe me when I say that you and I will have a duel before graduation. Or better yet, I'll wait for you at the end-of-semester school event. Goodbye."
Zach put away his wooden sword and left, waving his hand. Rex muttered to himself, "As if I'd do it," and added, "This is so annoying. I just want the plot to advance as it should and join the heroine's group, but with Zach being a pain in the ass, it might not happen."
After that, Rex continued on his way until he reached a hallway connecting to the garden. He noticed some movement but no hostile signs, so he assumed it was a cat. Then, before he realized it, someone covered his eyes.
"Guess who~" It was a female voice he knew very well.
(That sweet, soft tone of voice.)
(The scent of raspberry perfume.)
(And especially, the soft feeling of two large masses of flesh pressing against my back.)
(Yes, I know this very well. It's so nostalgic.)
Rex removed the hands from his eyes and said with a smile, "You're Mary—" but he stopped mid-sentence because the person in front of him wasn't Mary but Anne.
"What do you mean, Mary? It's me, Anne."
"We tricked you, Rex-kun."
The villainous twins from the Principality, the princesses Annerose and Rosemay, both of whom were supposed to have a tragic destiny but were saved by him, were now here.
"Anne? Mary? What are you doing here? Only one of you was supposed to be here, and the other at home."
Anne, the older one, pouted in anger, while Mary, who seemed like her shadow, peeked out. "Is that what you say after not seeing us for so long?"
"S-sorry, it's just that seeing both of you here is very disconcerting," Rex said after apologizing. Anne, with her hands behind her back, began to walk lightly around him, and Mary followed.
"You see, we were arguing about who should come and who should stay," Anne explained. "We started fighting because neither of us wanted to miss out on the experience of being with you."
"...A-anyway! Mom saw us fighting and said, 'You both should go. I'll be fine here,' and that's how it happened," Mary added.
"In the end, it seems Mom had it planned from the beginning because she had already paid for both of us to come from the start. Gosh, Mom can be so sneaky sometimes."
"But more importantly~" Both girls finished circling him and clung to him like puppies. "Now that we're finally here with you—don't you think it would be a great idea to give us a tour of the capital?"
The girls were excited to see him again. Rex was also happy, but with a sad expression, he said, "Sorry, girls, but not today. I have plans."
Both sisters showed their displeasure. Anne was the first to express it. "You see us again after so long, and the first thing you say is that you have plans?"
"It's true, Rex-kun. You should prioritize us. National priority."
"Hahaha. It's true that you are my priority, but I made plans with my friends to go eat, so I'm sorry!"
Rex clasped his hands together, asking for forgiveness, but both made disgusted expressions.
"Are you saying you'd rather be with men than with two cute girls like us?" Anne said.
"I knew that leaving you without female company would make you switch sides. Now Rex-kun will wear my makeup, and I won't even let my sister do it!" Mary added.
Rex was annoyed by their nonsense. "Don't exaggerate, you two! This is the first time since I reincarn—since I can remember that I have company of the same gender. Jason was my only male friend before."
Anne sighed and pinched Rex's cheek. "It's a joke. We're not the controlling type of women Mom somehow thinks we are."
Mary pinched his other cheek. "It's true. I never said you can't have friends. Go and have fun."
"Hey, what's this about 'other women'? I already told you I'll be his only wife, not you," Anne said.
"What a beautiful night, right? Listen to the cats meowing," Mary replied, ignoring her.
"Stop pretending to be clueless and don't treat me like a cat!"
"Those cats are really meowing, don't you think?"
"Mary, stop making fun of me!"
Rex and the girls started laughing, just like in the old days, they enjoyed being by his side.
"I promise I'll make it up to you, but we can't be seen together. My cover is that no one should think I still have ties to the Principality."
"We're not stupid. We know that."
"By the way, you haven't asked which class we're in yet."
"We're in the special class. Onee-chan and I study both arts and international politics, although we sometimes share classrooms with the advanced class."
"Everyone is so stiff, and I'm sure they look in the mirror before going out, not to fix their uniforms but to admire themselves."
The three chatted for a while before saying goodbye. Rex ran straight to the bar where his new friends were, and the girls returned to the female dormitory on campus.
None of them noticed that a mysterious figure had overheard their conversation and then disappeared into the shadows hidden by the moonlight.
◇◇◇
The center of the capital was a hive of life and color, a scene that looked like it was from a festive European fair. The cobblestone streets were lined with food stalls whose aromas mingled in the air: fresh-baked bread, roasted meats, and the sweet smell of spilled beer. People from all walks of life strolled, laughed, and raised their mugs in spontaneous toasts under the warm light of the streetlamps that were beginning to turn on against the twilight sky
Rex arrived at the bar, an inn of dark wood and windows steamed up by the vapor escaping from inside. When he opened the door, a gust of warm air, heavy with the intense smell of smoked sausages, stale beer, and aged wood, greeted him. It wasn't exactly a refined scent, but it had an honest character, an atmosphere that promised authenticity and unpretentious camaraderie.
After making his way through the crowded tables and lively conversations, he found Patrick and Donny at a small oak table, tucked away near the door that led to the bathrooms. The spot was far from ideal, but it was the only one available.
"Is this the only place you could find?" Rex asked, an ironic smile on his face as he settled onto the bench.
"Sadly, it is," Patrick replied with a shrug. "But just sit down. After a while, the smell of beer gets rid of the...other smell."
"That doesn't make me feel any better," Rex said, though he laughed along with them.
After they ordered—three mugs of non-alcoholic beer and three plates of pork loin with potatoes—the food arrived quickly, steaming and plentiful. Donny raised his mug first, with a spark of determination in his eyes.
"To a new beginning!"
"To a year to show our greatness!" Patrick added, with more enthusiasm than Rex had ever seen from him before.
"To a year where everything goes well!" Rex concluded, and the three of them clinked their mugs in unison. "Cheers!"
The conversation flowed naturally, filled with laughter and anecdotes. Donny spoke of his family and aspirations, Patrick of the challenges of being an urban baron, and Rex, carefully, shared superficial details of his life as an "upstart baronet." For a moment, everything felt normal, even comforting. The warmth of the food, the bitter taste of the non-alcoholic beer, the bustling noise around them... for ordinary people, this was life. And, for the first time in a long time, Rex allowed himself to feel a part of it.
But the normalcy broke when they went to pay at the bar. Two men, with serious faces and low voices, were talking to the owner, a stocky guy with a grease-stained apron.
"...Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"About the murder that happened the other day, near the fish market."
"Oh, that one...it was horrible. Are you sure it's...his work?"
"That's what people are saying. There hadn't been a case like this reported in a long time, and now it has started again."
"Better safe than sorry. I can't believe those stories about serial killers are true..."
The guys froze for a moment, exchanging uneasy glances. Donny opened his mouth to say something, but Patrick put a hand on his arm and shook his head almost imperceptibly. They paid quickly and stepped out into the cool night, where the festive atmosphere of the street grotesquely contrasted with the chill they now felt.
Before saying goodbye, Rex stopped for a moment, his gaze lost in the void as if trying to mentally piece together a disturbing puzzle. He suddenly came back to himself, but not before instinctively glancing over his shoulder, scanning the shifting shadows among the crowd. The feeling of being watched—an itch on the back of his neck, a whisper at the edge of his perception—had followed him since the academy, and now, those words in the bar had intensified it.
(Murders? Serial? This...this wasn't part of the main game script. This sounds like a background event... like hidden lore.)
(Or could my presence here already be changing things?)
Without saying a word, he said goodbye to his friends with a forced smile and headed toward his residence, but now every shadow seemed longer, every noise sharper, and the weight of a thickening plot around him followed him like a cold, invisible cloak.
◇◇◇
The days passed with a deceptive tranquility, each one marked by the slow rhythm of academic life. Mornings began with the sound of bells echoing through the stone corridors, calling students to class. Sunlight filtered through the tall Gothic windows, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air like particles of ancient magic. The hallways filled with the constant murmur of conversations, the rustle of uniforms, and the smell of old paper and ink emanating from the library.
One afternoon, one of the capture targets from the second game, Professor Robert-sensei, was teaching the regular class. Normally, he taught exclusively in the advanced class, but he had specifically requested to also teach the regular class students. His reasoning, expressed with a serene conviction that disarmed any objection, had been: "All students have the right to learn their country's history in depth. It seems unjust to deny them that knowledge."
The headmaster, visibly annoyed, had warned him: "If you insist on teaching them, we won't pay you for the extra time you dedicate to them. You'll have the burden of two very different types of classes, and that will be reflected in your annual evaluation."
Robert had accepted without hesitation. And so, he found himself standing in front of the blackboard in Class E, facing a mix of curiosity and skepticism from the students.
"As you may know," he began, his clear, pedagogical voice filling the classroom, "all nobles and knights bear second names. Why?"
Patrick raised his hand promptly, being the only one who seemed to follow the thread with confidence.
"After the Great Clan War, the nations reorganized themselves. Second names were implemented to separate the population into equitable groups and prevent power conflicts."
Robert applauded lightly, a smile of approval on his lips.
"It's as you say, Hogan-kun. And to add to your excellent point..." He approached the blackboard and began writing with white chalk, drawing lines connecting names and dates. "Countries, to show their sovereignty, added these surnames to distinguish family castes. But what happened when one of these castes accumulated too much power?"
Again, Patrick raised his hand, demonstrating knowledge beyond the basic curriculum.
"When a family gained too much power, they subjugated the others and could threaten to overthrow the local government."
"And what was done to prevent it?" Robert asked, guiding him.
"Second names were created. It was a way to stratify and control power, reducing the possibility of a single family rising too high."
"Exactly!" Robert wrote on the board with emphasis. "The first to adopt this system were the royal houses. In fact, for royalty, it's mandatory. A country without a clearly defined royal family is a vulnerable country, easily governed by external interests." He paused, letting the idea sink in. "The royal family of Lynneburg, for example, uses the name 'Phil.' Those who serve directly in the palace as ministers or lifelong advisors follow. They were granted the name 'Silk,' created specifically to keep them close as a shield—a loyal political support."
"And last but not least, there's the name 'Ford,'" he continued, pointing to the word on the board. "This is granted to those who, without belonging to the royal inner circle, represent the backbone of the country: lords of rural fiefs, distinguished knights, or families that have served the kingdom for generations."
At that moment, a hand went up from the back of the classroom. It was Rex.
"What about those who have two second names, like in the Principality of Lumen?"
"Oh, a very good question," Robert nodded with genuine interest. "Countries that use three or more second names are usually powers with solid economies, significant military power, or extensive territories. Those with one or two, like the Principality, are smaller nations but with a very defined identity." He adjusted his glasses. "If I'm not mistaken, the name 'Arlen' is used by both knights and ministers, and due to their limited size, they can't afford to have marquises; such a title would concentrate too much power and create a dangerous political rival. 'Lulu' is exclusive to the royal family. As an extra detail—"
Before he could continue, the bell rang, marking the end of class. A chorus of disappointment echoed in the classroom.
"It's a shame," Robert said with a theatrical sigh, "but remember to review what we covered today. You never know when there might be a surprise exam."
"Sensei, I have a question!" shouted a girl from the front row.
"Me too!" added another. "I want to know if you have a girlfriend!"
Robert smiled tolerantly. The students liked him. His genuine vocation for teaching, for ensuring that future generations were prepared, was palpable. It was part of his background in the game: a man who believed knowledge was the true weapon to change the world, and the heroine of that installment was the one who finally helped him reconcile his intellect with his emotions.
Once everyone had left, hurriedly gathering their things, Robert noticed one student still seated, absorbed in his thoughts. Rex was still there, staring fixedly at the blackboard as if the words written on it hid a secret message.
Robert approached him with a kind smile.
"Is something wrong? Emm... Lyones-kun, right?"
Rex blinked, as if suddenly coming back to himself.
"Yes, sorry. I didn't realize class had ended."
"It's alright," said Robert, leaning on the desk. "But that look isn't that of someone just thinking about the lesson. Do you have a problem?"
"...No, I don't," Rex replied evasively. "I was just thinking about some things. Sorry to bother you, sensei."
"No problem. It's my job not only to teach but also to look after my students. If you have problems, think of me as a friend you can trust with everyday issues."
"Thanks. See you next class."
"See you."
Robert gathered his last things and left the classroom, leaving Rex alone with his thoughts. But just as Rex was about to leave, a group of advanced class students appeared at the end of the hallway. At the head was Ellie, surrounded by her usual entourage.
As was customary—and obligatory—for any lower-ranking student, Rex bowed slightly in a show of respect as she passed. Ellie didn't even look at him, absorbed in her conversation. Only when the group had moved far enough away did Rex exhale a silent sigh and head toward the exit, the shadow of academic hierarchy weighing once again on his shoulders.
◇◇◇
Once Rex had left, Ellie turned around, and her entourage asked her, "Eliza-sama, is something wrong?"
She stared at them and said, "It's nothing."
The reason Rex had not tried to contact her in a long time was due to what had happened the day Ellie saw him dancing with a mysterious girl. After slapping him, she told him not to speak to her again, and that's what happened. Ellie stopped talking to him and even forbade him from entering her house. Her family didn't understand what had happened for her to be this way with him.
Because of this, Rex stopped insisting and thought that sometimes you can't save all the villains from their fate.
◇◇◇
Rex went to the garden to relax with his friends. It was break time, better known as "tea time," a mandatory period when students socialize.
Donny, who was eating a sandwich, commented:
"A month has already passed since we started classes. Time really flies."
Patrick responded, but Rex ignored both of them, lost in thought about time.
(It's just as he says. Classes started in January, and the first semester will end in late March.)
(So several events must have already occurred.)
"Hey, what's that?"
They heard a girl comment loudly, and everyone's gaze turned toward a specific spot.
They observed the prince's group chatting, but all of them stood up when a girl of average height came running toward them.
Her appearance was ordinary, like most female students. Her blonde hair was tied in a braid resembling a meat bun. Her green eyes reflected the vibrancy of nature, and her moderately developed chest indicated her growth.
She was the heroine of this world and the first game: the baron's daughter, Lydia Ford Bellman.
Rex stared intently at the heroine as she interacted with the capture targets. They were very close to her, and Rex genuinely wondered how, in reality, she managed to enchant so many boys.
(It's still too early to say she's on the reverse harem route, but seeing how those five are with her, I can't think of anything else.)
But Rex noticed something else when he looked around.
(What's wrong with their faces?)
The students were making expressions of discomfort and disgust, so much so that it was evident on their faces.
(It seems seeing a former commoner flirt with handsome boys disgusts them. I think I'd feel the same if I were like them.)
Suddenly, Ellie arrived with her entourage. They stayed on the sidelines when they saw the prince.
Ellie approached him to say:
"Your Highness, why are you associating with that woman again? She's a commoner who was adopted by a nearly ruined family."
"It will give you a terrible image if you keep company with her."
Ellie wasn't talking about her fiancé flirting with another woman but rather about him mingling with the rabble.
Then the prince, who had been smiling from ear to ear, changed his expression to one of utter contempt. Ellie and her entourage were terrified by that smile.
"Don't you have anywhere else to spout your classist nonsense, Eliza?"
"…?"
Everyone in the vicinity heard what he said. Both Rex and Ellie were bewildered by such an aggressive response from him.
(In the game, this kind of event was normal, but the prince always maintained his composure and never disrespected Ellie. Instead, he tried to correct her.)
(This is the complete opposite.)
As if to intimidate her, he stepped closer and said with cold words that expressed his displeasure, as if she had said something hurtful to Lydia:
"I'm sick of your classist behavior toward her. Just because you're the daughter of a duke doesn't give you the right to say that to her."
The other capture targets expressed their disapproval of her as well:
"It's true, Your Highness. You're only ruining your own image."
"What a vulgar woman."
"A bitch in every sense of the word."
"What a nuisance that you came to ruin our day."
Ellie clenched her fist in frustration because she couldn't respond to the prince.
Meanwhile, Rex was angry.
(It's true that she hasn't spoken to me since that day, but I still can't just stand by and watch her get attacked. Ellie didn't behave as badly as they say, and above all, those idiots are engaged and shouldn't be openly flirting with other women.)
Ellie then turned around and fled in embarrassment. But as she left, it seemed her gaze was deliberately fixed on Rex's direction, as if she wanted him to see.
◇◇◇
The day was about to end. While the advanced class students headed to their private tutorials or practiced fencing in halls illuminated by fine glassware, those in the regular class remained in the main building, picking up rags, buckets, and brooms.
Why did second-class nobles and knights perform such tasks? Because the academy, in its infinite classist wisdom, wanted to constantly remind them of their place in the world. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, they were forced to clean their own school building and sometimes even other spaces reserved for the elite. It was a humiliating lesson disguised as discipline.
Today, it was Rex's turn to take out the trash. He was carrying two types of waste: the smelly garbage, destined for the organic waste container, and the dry trash, which would be burned in the incinerator behind the classroom building.
"It's incredible," he muttered to himself, adjusting the garbage bags on his shoulders. "I thought I'd left behind the job of cleaning ditches, but now I'm a garbageman with no pay. At least they could reduce our tuition if they're going to make us work for free."
This was a fantasy world, yes, but fantasy did not eliminate physical labor or social hierarchy. And that made Rex's blood boil. He had come to this place to join the heroine's group, face epic destinies, and save the world, not to spend half his time scrubbing floors and paying to learn how to better serve the nobles.
Inside him, a bubble of repressed anger was slowly growing. With a sharp motion, he threw a bag of dry trash toward the incinerator. The impact sent pieces of wood, paper, and fabric scraps flying in all directions.
"Damn it," he grumbled, frustrated. "Now I have to pick this up, too."
But he stopped short when one of those papers flew to the back of the building, near some neglected bushes, and he heard a faint "Kya!"
An animal? A cat or maybe a squirrel?
He approached with curiosity, carefully pushing aside the low branches, and then he saw her.
It was not an animal.
It was a girl.
She was sitting on a flat stone, almost-hidden among the vegetation, with a small bento box on her lap and food in her mouth that was noticeable in her cheeks. She was wearing an impeccable uniform, but something in her aura distinguished her from the rest. Her long, sky-blue hair fell like a silky waterfall over her shoulders, and her eyes, of the same celestial tone, looked at him with a mixture of surprise and shyness. She was so beautiful that she seemed out of place in that forgotten corner, next to the pruning debris and the smell of damp earth.
The two stared at each other in silence, as if time had stopped around them. Neither of them—not even themselves—could have imagined that this casual encounter, amidst the smell of burning garbage and the whisper of the wind in the leaves, would mark the beginning of an event that would shake the foundations of the world forever.
________________
I'll just say this, and it's not a spoiler: "Ellie is much more than a hateful villain; she's a broken character in a system that forces her to act that way."
The girl with the blue hair... well, that's another story. And Rex is about to discover that his destiny in this world is far more complex—and dangerous—than he ever imagined.