"Well, Justin, I won't ask," Alana said, her voice a sophisticated blend of frustration and aristocratic pride. "Just… keep up this dating act so I don't have to marry some brainless dragon. I'm too proud a demon to dilute my bloodline, but for now… I'm still powerless to stop the arrangement." She clenched her fists tightly against her thighs, her knuckles turning white and her jaw tensed with a silent, burning determination.
I smirked faintly, leaning my head against the velvet interior of the fast-moving carriage.
"Well, ain't that a tragedy. I might seem heartless, Pres, but I've never concerned myself with your problems so don't go poking into mine." I let my gaze drift toward the blur of passing ancient oaks and rolling hills. "And… aren't you a relative of the Nomoshiki Clan?" I added, a mischievous glint in my eyes.
"I am," she admitted, her sharp tone softening into something more vulnerable.
"I'm the cousin of the Demon Lord's son the prince who supposedly went missing.
Legend says he possesses the raw power to finally crush the Dragon Lord." Her eyes glimmered with a flicker of hope, catching the golden sunlight streaming through the windows.
How ridiculous, I thought. I simply nodded, watching the world rush by. "Kay, kay," I muttered.
"Oh! By the way," she added, her lips curling into a sly, feline smile. "We've been summoned to the royal castle in a few days. And you… are my guest, seeing as you're my devoted boyfriend."
A small, dangerous grin spread across my face. A mix of adrenaline and dread pooled in my stomach. This was it. This was my chance to face her and get the answers I've been hunting for.
"What's that look for, Justin?" she asked, arching a perfectly groomed brow.
"Nothing… my beautiful girlfriend," I replied smoothly, the sarcasm dripping like honey.
Alana let out a theatrical sigh, rolling her eyes toward the carriage ceiling. "Don't get used to the title. This is a pretend relationship a tactical maneuver to get me out of a corner."
"If you say so, ma'am," I laughed, the sound echoing in the confined space.
The carriage slowed to a rhythmic trot as we arrived at the academy. The sun had climbed high disturbingly high for such a dark, cold morning casting long, jagged shadows across the cobblestone courtyard. As we stepped down, Alana immediately latched onto my arm, pulling it against her chest. Her practiced, radiant smile was aimed like a weapon at the surrounding students.
The whispers started instantly, spreading like wildfire.
"Who is that?"
"What is a loser like him doing with the President?"
"Wait, is that Justin? The first-year nobody?"
"He doesn't deserve to stand in her shadow!" one girl hissed, clicking her tongue in disgust.
"Their murderous intent is through the roof," I muttered under my breath. Alana merely chuckled, pressing closer to me, her grip tightening as if to stake her claim.
We navigated the hallways, passing rows of lockers where students huddled and hissed. When I finally reached my classroom and shoved the door open, the silence was deafening.
Every eye in the room turned on me with a gaze so toxic it made my stomach twist.
"Oh, hey! Justin! Where the hell have you been?" my friend Po asked, his blonde hair messy and his blue eyes wide with genuine shock.
"I figured he chickened out. Didn't think he'd actually show his face again," Jax added, leaning back with a smirk, his red hair vibrant against his uniform.
"I stayed home with a cold, you idiots," I snapped, pulling out my chair with a loud scrape.
"Morning, everyone. And a very special morning to you, Justin," Miss Elina said. Her grip on her textbook was so tight the spine groaned.
Great. Now the teacher is going to torment me because she thinks I'm off the market.
She glided toward my desk and SLAMMED the book down, making me jump.
She leaned in, her voice a dangerous whisper in my ear. "Did you know that President Alana is essentially royalty in this school?"
"Yeah, I'm figuring that out. Now leave me alone," I replied with a cold grin. My insides were screaming. I was essentially hammering the last nail into my own coffin.
"If you say so, Justin. Alana did give us specific instructions regarding you," she said with a closed-eye smile that didn't reach her eyes. A vein popped on the back of her hand as she retreated to the front of the room.
The class was a long, grueling torment of complex magic theory. When the bell finally rang for lunch, I bolted for the door, only to find her standing there.
Alana's black hair swayed as she tilted her head, her "public" smile firmly in place. She reached out and took my hand in both of hers.
"Well, come on, my darling! Time for lunch," she chirped. "Today, you have the distinct honor of sitting at my table."
The entire class gasped in unison, their mouths hanging open. I let my head fall, a heavy sigh escaping me. This was getting out of hand. She led me to the cafeteria, her arm linked with mine.
I ordered my usual, plain meal, while she was served a decadent, full-course feast.
She dragged me to a table where Jax and Po sat, their jaws practically hitting the floor.
"Close your mouths, guys. I'm trying to eat," I said, shoving a spoonful of food into my mouth.
As the maids laid out the rest of her food, the entire cafeteria went silent, staring at the display of wealth. Alana took a spoon and pulled a bowl of pudding toward her, glancing at me provocatively.
Thinking fast, I reached out with my own spoon, dug it right into her side of the dish, and shoved a massive bite into my mouth. The room erupted in gasps.
I didn't stop there; I raided her bowl of mixed vegetables and then went back for another heap of her pudding, flashing her a defiant, messy grin. The onlookers held their breath, hands over their mouths.
She's gotta be pissed now, I thought. If I keep acting like a pig, she'll dump this fake relationship in a heartbeat.
"Oh, I don't mind, darling. Eat your fill," she said, her smile never wavering, though she squeezed my arm so hard I thought the bone might snap.
What?! She's just letting it go? My mind scrambled. My plan to annoy her into breaking up was failing spectacularly.
The next two days were a blur of the same psychological warfare. I tried to be as unbearable as possible, and she countered by being even more "affectionate." By the third day, I had lost all control of the situation.
She even switched her Alchemy elective to sit next to me, claiming she needed "quality time" with her boyfriend.
In that class, she forced me to craft a ring a twin to mine. While my skull ring pulsed with a dark, foreboding aura, the one I made for her was a delicate, violet rose. The contrast was dizzying.
I crafted it perfectly, my hands moving with a skill that surprised even me, but the effort left me drained.
The day finally dragged to an end. Every fake laugh and playful glance had been exhausting. But as the sun began to set, the real weight of the situation settled in.
The carriage was waiting. Ahead lay the royal castle.
We were no longer just students; we were guests of the Queen and the Princess.
I took a deep breath of the cool evening air. The time for games was over. The answers I needed were behind those stone walls.