What the hell is the kitty yandere doing here?!
I lowered my gaze immediately and tried to slink away like a shadow peeling itself off the wall.
Rowan Hale stood at the doorway, perfectly still.
He didn't block the exit aggressively. He didn't glare. He didn't even move.
That was the problem.
He was the kind of man who looked like he didn't need to move to be dangerous. A knight carved out of discipline and restraint, standing straight-backed in his uniform, hands neatly folded behind him. Broad shoulders. Sharp jaw. Clean, ordinary handsomeness.
He didn't have the kind of face that would turn heads at a ball, but it would definitely be the last thing you saw if you ever stood on the wrong side of his sword.
Game developers loved doing this. If you weren't a noble, then clearly you were some background decoration.
Still, he wasn't merciful enough to be ignored for long. That's why he's a male lead.
"Lord," he said calmly. "Please state your name."
My heart skipped.
Why. Why did he need my name?
Had I triggered some invisible death flag already? Was this one of those hidden routes where the knight executed suspicious NPCs for breathing incorrectly? Was I about to be escorted somewhere dark and quiet and never come back?
"Haha…yes, well…" I forced a weak laugh, my voice wobbling despite my best efforts. "My Lord, may I ask why you require my name?"
I was smiling but I was absolutely not okay.
"I need to write down who leaves early," Rowan replied evenly.
…Huh?
That was it?
'That sounds like absolute bullshit. This must be some kind of knightly bureaucratic ritual. Or he's already labeling me as a future corpse and wants the paperwork ready.'
Rowan stiffened just slightly.
His brow lifted a fraction, like he'd felt a sudden breeze in a room with no windows. "What did you just say?"
…Oh.
Oh no.
Was he always this talkative? How is he getting angry at my question already?
I bowed with the minimum politeness etiquette required. "My name is Atlas Vale, my Lord. If you'll excuse me…"
Rowan was about to continue speaking but stopped. Then, he nodded once and didn't try to stop me.
I wasn't about to question my luck or complain.
I took one careful step outside—
'Oh my god, oh my god! What the hell, man?! This is insane! Is my death really that inevitable, after all?!'
Keeping my eyes glued to the floor, I walked faster, desperate to put distance between myself and that doorway. That was when I collided headfirst into a group of students loitering in the corridor.
"Watch where you're going!"
I staggered back, barely keeping my balance, and froze when I saw what I'd bumped into.
A ball of fire?
Pointed carelessly. Sparks flying everywhere.
"Oi, don't aim it that way!" someone barked.
"I know what I'm doing!"
"Do you? Because last time you knew what you were doing, you singed your own eyebrows off!"
Oh no. That's not a sparkle effect. That's a death flag!
Before I could process my impending doom, it discharged with a sharp crack. A small explosion bloomed midair, wild fire spiraling directly toward my face.
I ducked on instinct.
And, thank every fictional god in existence, someone had appeared in front of me out of nowhere and moved me just in time.
"Whoa," a lazy, mocking voice drawled. "Are you really upperclassmen? How can your magic be so weak that even a first-year like me can dodge it?"
The corridor fell into dead silence.
I slowly lifted my head.
White hair.
Bright, unsettling yellow eyes.
A smile that will belong in my nightmares from now on.
No way…
Elinor Seraphim.
The apprentice magician of the mage master. Honorary academy student. An absolute lunatic. And, of course, a male lead.
He looked utterly relaxed while that ball of fire smashed against a wall.
"You're technically a year ahead," he continued, his voice dripping with amusement, "but your control is embarrassing. It's honestly impressive to be this underwhelming."
The second-years stiffened.
I stared.
To think I was saved by this lunatic.
The irony was cruel, considering he'd later turn Atlas Vale into a research subject with disturbing enthusiasm.
"How dare you speak so informally!" one student snapped. "Show some respect! We're second-years!"
"And nobles!"
"And you're just some—"
"Careless handling of magic is unacceptable," a calm voice said from behind them. "Even for upperclassmen."
The air dropped several degrees.
Every instinct in my body screamed danger.
"Are you prepared to accept the consequences?" the voice continued coolly.
"Y-Young Duke!" one student yelped. "This academy doesn't recognize outside hierarchy!"
"Listen carefully."
Cassian Nocturne stepped forward.
He was tall and undoubtedly broad. His arms crossed as his sharp eyes swept over the group, assessing, judging.
"You endangered others through negligence. That is punishable by imperial decree," he said evenly. "Magic is a responsibility. Not a toy."
The second-years went pale.
'What the hell is this shitty luck? First day of school and I somehow met all four of them. At least the first two meetings were separate. But here? I'm stuck between two bastard male leads!'
I barely dared to breathe. Every fiber of my being screamed that I should run, vanish, or quietly dissolve into the wall.
Elinor and Cassian both glanced at me at the same time.
…?
Elinor smiled. The kind of smile that meant trouble.
"You're also a first-year, right?" he said cheerfully. "Don't worry. I'll make sure no one dies before class officially starts. Including you."
Cassian shot him a look sharp enough to freeze lava but didn't comment. Instead, he continued lecturing the students with a terrifyingly calm tone.
And me?
I stood there, shrinking inward as realization sank in.
I wasn't escaping. I clearly couldn't outrun death flags.
Not today.
Not ever.
Rowan still stood behind that door, which wasn't that far away yet. Elinor blocked one side. Cassian was in front.
Honestly… I kind of wished I had popcorn, though.
'In every place you go, there's a hierarchy. These dudes need to get real soon, like I did long ago, or maybe attempt to dominate the empire themselves.'
As I glared internally at them, I felt it again.
The stares.
Two of them.
Heavy and focused.
Ah.
Right.
No matter what, a noble was still a noble, right?
"Greetings, Your Grace," I said, bowing toward Cassian.
I turned to Elinor next. "My Lord. Thank you for your assistance."
They looked at each other.
…What?
Were they friends?
'I've never seen the male leads interact before the female lead appears. Oh well. Who cares? The four of them belong together anyway. A bunch of nutjobs.'
They covered their mouths at the same time.
Perfectly synchronized.
…Impressive.
"Lord," Cassian said. "State your name as a witness."
Of course. Now all four male leads know my name.
"My name is Atlas Vale."
I had never clenched my butt cheeks so hard in my life.
"I'll take responsibility. You may go," Cassian said.
'With what? Your endless northern treasury? I thought. I know you're not stingy, but still—'
"Thank you," I said quickly. "If you'll excuse me—"
Each step felt heavier than the last.
In my past life, school was simple. Stressful, sure, but manageable.
This was completely different. It's like a battlefield!
And tomorrow…tomorrow was the first official day.
I had a horrible feeling that today had only been a warning.
As I turned the corner, I felt it again.
Eyes on my back.
Watching.
Listening.
I didn't look.
I ran.