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"Ring—ring—ring—!"
The crisp chime of the school bell echoed across the campus of Sōbu High.
Inside Class 1-B, the noisy chatter of break time instantly died down as a steady set of footsteps approached from the hallway.
More than thirty pairs of eyes, boys and girls alike, turned in perfect unison toward the front door.
The girls, especially, sat up straight, barely able to hide the excitement and anticipation shining in their eyes.
Slide—
The classroom door was pulled open.
Lucian walked in, holding a math textbook and the attendance sheet, stepping up to the podium with calm confidence.
Under the passive boost of his "god-tier charm," the soft morning sunlight streamed through the windows and fell across his strikingly handsome face, as if wrapping him in a glowing halo.
"Gulp…"
Somewhere in the front row, a girl couldn't help but swallow audibly.
Lucian set the book on the desk and swept his gaze across the room.
There was Yukino Yukinoshita, sitting by the window in the second-to-last row, slightly turned away, clearly avoiding eye contact.
In the corner sat Sawamura Eriri, her blonde twin-tails bouncing as she secretly sketched his profile at lightning speed.
Takanashi Rikka, with an eyepatch over her right eye, stared at him like she was sizing up the final boss.
And of course, Gotoh Hitori… slumped over her desk like a ghost.
It even took him a moment to spot Kato Megumi among the crowd, her presence so faint she almost blended into the background, quietly watching him.
"Good morning, everyone."
Lucian's voice was warm and magnetic, filling the classroom effortlessly. "Yesterday, things were a bit rushed with my onboarding, so I only briefly introduced myself. Today will be our first official math class, and also my formal introduction as your homeroom teacher."
He turned, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote his name on the board in bold, steady strokes.
"My name is Lucian."
He set the chalk back down, dusted off his hands, and smiled gently. "I'm 19 years old. Thanks to a few… modest academic achievements, I was specially appointed by the school board as the homeroom teacher and math instructor for Class 1-B."
But honestly, just the words "19 years old" were enough to set the entire class on fire.
"19?! No way!"
"So he's only, what, two or three years older than us? That's basically the same age!"
"Oh my god… a 19-year-old genius and this handsome? No wonder someone on the forum offered 3,000 for his high-res photo last night. Honestly, I'd pay 30,000!"
"Teacher! Do you have a girlfriend?!"
After a brief stunned silence, the classroom erupted into cheers and excited chatter.
A few bold girls even shouted out questions from their seats, blushing bright red.
It had only been a day, but Lucian's overwhelming popularity had already completely conquered these teenage girls just starting to fall in love with the idea of love itself.
Hearing their daring comments, Yukino Yukinoshita, seated by the window, unconsciously tightened her grip on her black pen.
For some reason, hearing other girls ask whether Lucian had a girlfriend stirred up a strange, restless feeling inside her chest.
This was someone she usually wouldn't care about at all.
But the moment she recalled how he had done whatever he pleased to her body the night before… and how even now, the clothes close to her skin still seemed to carry his warmth—
Her ears burned instantly.
Why is this guy so popular at school?!
Up at the podium, Lucian raised his hands slightly to quiet the room.
"Personal questions can wait until after class. Right now, it's lesson time. As your homeroom teacher, I'd rather not leave a bad impression on the discipline office on day one."
"Before we begin, though, there's something I need to settle."
Leaning lightly on the desk, he looked over the class with a calm smile. "Since this is my first year teaching, I'll have a lot to handle beyond just lessons. So I need to choose a math class representative to help collect and distribute homework, organize materials, and occasionally assist me in the office."
"In simple terms, my direct assistant. Is anyone willing to volunteer?"
The moment he said that, the classroom stirred again.
Direct assistant?
That meant a legitimate excuse to go to the teacher's office…
Even chances to be alone with this ridiculously handsome 19-year-old genius?!
The girls' eyes lit up one after another. But hesitation kept them from acting—no one wanted to be the first to raise their hand.
Meanwhile, on the podium, Lucian's gaze drifted naturally past the crowd and landed on Yukino Yukinoshita by the window.
Their eyes met in midair.
His reasoning was simple.
After all, the aphrodisiac toxin still lingered in Yukino's body. She needed a deep "treatment" once a week to remove it.
If she became his math representative, it would give them a perfectly reasonable excuse to spend more time together. He could also keep a close eye on her condition and intervene quickly if any symptoms flared up—under the pretense of "going to the office for materials."
Yukino was sharp.
The moment their eyes met, her brilliant mind instantly understood what he was thinking.
This shameless teacher… he actually wants to use a perfectly legitimate position to cover up that kind of indecent relationship between us…
Her face flushed with embarrassment and irritation.
But rationally, she knew he was right.
If the toxin flared up at school and she lost control, without a proper excuse to approach him, she'd die of social humiliation right in front of the entire class.
And besides…
She glanced at the girls around her, all eager and excited, practically ready to pounce.
The irritation in her chest deepened.
If someone else became his representative and got to stay around him all the time…
She'd rather take the position herself.
Taking a slow breath, Yukino made her decision.
This girl, who had always preferred to stay alone and had zero interest in class duties, finally steeled herself.
She raised her slender, pale hand, about to volunteer for the role of his "personal assistant."
But just as her hand lifted—
"Teacher! Me! Me, me, me! Pick me!!"
A bright, energetic voice exploded from the other side of the classroom like a thunderclap.
Yukino froze.
Lucian blinked in surprise and turned toward the source.
In the third row stood a girl with long chestnut hair and a strikingly beautiful face.
She had already jumped to her feet, her right hand raised high. She was even bouncing slightly in place from excitement.
Her lively, expressive eyes sparkled brilliantly as she stared at Lucian with pure anticipation.
Seeing this vibrant, unstoppable girl, Lucian couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his eye.
Xia Mi.
"Teacher, my name is Xia Mi!"
"I love math, and I'm really good at it! I'm also super strong—I can help you carry materials anytime!"
Looking at her confident, eager expression, Lucian couldn't stop himself from complaining internally.
Of course you're strong! One punch from you could blow up half a mountain! If I let you carry homework and it's even a bit heavy, what if you lose your temper and blast the academic affairs office into the sky with a word spirit?!
Meanwhile, by the window, Yukino Yukinoshita's hand hung stiffly in midair.
She had finally worked up the courage to accept Lucian's "offer"…
And someone just swooped in and stole it right out from under her.
"....."