Meanwhile—
A few hours later.
Inside one of the highest-ranking dormitories of the academy.
The room was vast.
Elegant.
Far too luxurious for a student—yet reserved only for the top-ranked cadets.
The faint sound of water ceased.
The bathroom door slid open.
Steam curled into the air as Vayne stepped out, her white hair slightly damp, falling over her shoulders.
Droplets traced down her skin as she walked into the bedroom without a hint of urgency.
Calm.
Controlled.
Unbothered.
And then—
She stopped.
Sitting on her bed—
Was a little girl.
Small.
Still.
Her legs dangling off the edge, gently swaying.
At first glance—
Nothing seemed wrong.
Just a child.
Out of place, perhaps—
But harmless.
Vayne's gaze didn't change.
Not even slightly.
Her voice came out flat.
Emotionless.
"…Jester."
The girl looked up.
And smiled.
Bright.
Cheerful.
Unnaturally so.
"Nephius~"
Her tone was sing-song.
Playful.
"It's been a long time~."
Vayne stepped forward slowly.
"So it has."
A pause.
The litte girl's eyes narrowed just a fraction.
"I'm curious."
"Why are you here… acting like an academy student?"
The girl tilted her head.
Still smiling.
"That's none of your business."
Silence.
Thick.
Then—
"Oh? It isn't?"
Her voice dipped slightly.
The cheerfulness… cracking.
"Then what about Chrono Zephyr?"
For the first time—
A shift.
Subtle.
Almost imperceptible.
But real.
Vayne's gaze sharpened.
"What about him."
The air changed.
Instantly.
Heavier.
Darker.
The girl's body… twitched.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
It broke.
Her form twisted grotesquely.
Limbs stretching unnaturally—
Skin pulling—
Cracking—
Until—
Something else stood there.
A clown.
Tall.
Distorted.
Its mouth stretched far beyond human limits—
A grin carved too wide.
Too deep.
Its eyes curved upward—
A sharp red glint dancing within them.
It stepped forward.
Slow.
Deliberate.
The floor beneath it creaked.
"Don't lie to me, Nephius~"
Its voice was wrong.
Layered.
Mocking.
Knowing.
"Chrono Zephyr…"
A whisper.
Twisted with excitement.
"…he's the child Boss is looking for, isn't he~?"
Silence.
A long one.
Then—
Vayne's eyes dimmed slightly.
Not fear.
Not hesitation.
Just… calculation.
"…And if he is?"
For a split second—
Everything went still.
Then—
The clown's grin snapped wider.
And it laughed.
Maniacal.
Unrestrained.
Echoing through the room like something broken.
"Well~ according to the Boss…"
It tilted its head unnaturally.
"We need to bring the child in."
A pause.
Its eyes gleamed brighter.
"…though he didn't specify in what condition."
The air grew colder.
"Wouldn't he make the perfect toy to play with?"
A euphoric expression spread across its distorted face.
"Ahh… yes…"
"…he would be perfect~"
—
In the next instant—
The room shifted.
Vayne's presence changed.
Completely.
Her white hair—
Turned gold.
Flowing like liquid light.
Her figure matured—
Sharper.
Deadlier.
Refined.
But her eyes—
Those ghost-like eyes—
Remained unchanged.
Cold.
Endless.
A sword appeared in her hand.
Silent.
Sudden.
Its edge resting against the clown's neck.
So close—
It should have cut.
Her voice dropped.
Low.
Lethal.
"The Boss told me to bring in the child, Jester."
A pause.
Her eyes glowed faintly.
"Not you."
The blade pressed slightly deeper.
"Interfere…"
"…and I'll kill you."
Silence.
Heavy.
Deadly.
And yet—
The clown's smile only widened.
Further.
Worse.
It leaned forward—
Against the blade.
Unafraid.
Unbothered.
"You have one month, Nephius~"
A whisper.
Playful.
Cruel.
"…or I'll bring him to the Boss myself."
A beat.
Then—
It vanished.
No sound.
No trace.
Gone.
Still.
And then—
A head.
Just a head—
Popped back into existence mid-air.
Upside down.
Grinning.
Wide.
Too wide.
"Alsooo~"
The voice dragged, dripping with amusement.
"I'm thinking of giving the Council of Humanity a tiny visit during their meeting tomorrow~"
Its eyes gleamed.
"Wanna join me?"
Vayne didn't even turn.
Not even a glance.
"…I'm not as insane as you, Jester."
A pause.
Then slowly—
She shifted her gaze just slightly.
Cold.
Sharp.
"…or suicidal."
The clown blinked.
Then—
It smiled wider.
"Eh?"
A soft chuckle escaped it.
"How mean~"
Its head tilted unnaturally.
"You used to be more fun, Nephius."
Vayne's expression didn't change.
"…Leave."
A beat.
The grin lingered.
Then—
"Aw… okay~"
The tone turned light again.
Childlike.
Mocking.
"I'll go alone then."
For a moment—
Its eyes glowed brighter.
Something dangerous flickering behind them.
"Maybe I'll even say hi to your little Chrono while I'm at it~"
The room dropped in temperature.
Instantly.
Vayne moved.
So fast—
There was no transition.
One moment she stood still.
The next—
Her hand was already gripping the clown's face.
Crushing.
The air cracked slightly under the pressure.
Her eyes—
Glowing faintly.
"…Try it."
Her voice was low.
Lethal.
"…and I won't wait for the Boss's permission."
Silence.
Then—
The clown laughed.
Even like this.
Even restrained.
"Ahh… there it is~"
A delighted whisper.
"I missed that look."
Its form began to distort again.
Breaking apart.
Peeling away.
"…One month, Nephius."
A final reminder.
"Don't disappoint me."
And then—
Gone.
For real this time.
—
The room fell silent once more.
Vayne remained where she stood.
Sword still raised.
Eyes unmoving.
After a few seconds—
The blade disappeared.
Her form slowly returned to normal.
White hair.
Calm presence.
Stillness.
She turned her gaze toward the window.
Toward the academy grounds.
Where one boy—
Unaware—
Had just become the center of something far beyond him.
"…One month."
Her voice was quiet.
Cold.
Resolved.
"…That's all you have, Chrono Zephyr."
____
The next morning arrived.
Chrono woke with a slow yawn, his body still carrying the faint exhaustion from yesterday.
Even after everything—
The fight.
The awakening.
The system.
His muscles still ached.
"…Tch."
He pushed himself up and headed for the bath.
A few minutes later.
Dressed.
Composed.
Standing in front of the mirror.
Chrono paused.
His reflection stared back at him.
White hair.
But…
"…It's longer."
He ran a hand through it, noticing how it had grown slightly compared to yesterday.
Not by much—
But enough to notice.
His eyes narrowed.
"…And my charm…"
S rank.
The number surfaced in his mind instantly.
In the novel—
Even the main characters only hovered around A or B.
Leon Ardent himself—
Only A.
Chrono stared at his own reflection again.
Sharp features.
Refined.
Almost unreal.
"…Wait."
A small smirk formed.
"…Doesn't that make me the most handsome cadet in the academy?"
Silence.
Then—
The smirk faded just as quickly.
"…Then why don't any of the girls approach me"
A pause.
"…Tch. Whatever."
He turned away.
"I'll think about that later."
Today mattered more.
The written exam.
And—
He had studied absolutely nothing.
Not even a page.
Standing by the door, he let out a quiet breath.
"…Please…"
A rare moment of sincerity.
"…let it be the same questions from the novel."
—