The Imperial Academy officially accepted only adults.
Eighteen and above nobles who had completed their foundational education, heirs ready to sharpen themselves into weapons for the empire. Desire, ambition, and rivalry thrived here as naturally as magic.
Which was why the moment Seraphina Valehart stepped through the academy gates, Aria Noctis felt it.
The shift.
The world tilted—not dramatically, not yet—but like a story inhaling before it spoke its most important line.
So this is when you enter.
Seraphina wore white.
Not ostentatious. Not impractical. Simple, elegant robes that clung just enough to suggest softness without arrogance. Sunlight caught in her pale hair, and the magic around her shimmered gently, warm and inviting.
Students turned.
Whispers bloomed instantly.
"Is that her?"
"
The Saintess candidate?"
"She feels… comforting."
Aria observed from the stone balcony above the courtyard, one hand resting lightly against the railing. Her expression remained calm, unreadable—but her attention sharpened to a blade's edge.
The heroine.
The girl the world would bend itself backward for.
In the original story, this was the beginning of the end for Aria Noctis. Seraphina's kindness would expose her "cruelty." Her innocence would contrast Aria's ambition.
The male leads would drift, one by one, toward the light.
And Aria would be left in shadow.
She exhaled slowly.
Not this time.
[Narrative Anchor Detected: Heroine-Class Entity]
Threat Level: Moderate (Escalating)]
Suggestion: Direct Interaction Recommended
Aria's lips curved faintly.
"Already?" she murmured. "You're eager."
Below, Seraphina hesitated near the fountain, clutching her acceptance letter with both hands. She looked overwhelmed but not frightened. Curious. Hopeful.
A few students approached her immediately. Friendly faces. Gentle smiles.
And, right on cue
"Seraphina."
The crown prince stepped forward.
Lucien's presence cut through the courtyard like a command. Conversations softened. Attention refocused.
Aria's gaze didn't waver as she watched his posture shift—subtle, unconscious. His shoulders relaxed. His expression warmed.
Ah.
So it begins.
Lucien spoke to Seraphina with an ease he rarely granted others. His tone was polite, attentive. Protective.
Aria noted every detail.
The distance he kept. The way he angled his body. The way his eyes lingered.
She felt no jealousy.
Only calculation.
[Emotional Analysis: Crown Prince Lucien]
Interest: Curiosity (Heroine Bias Detected)
Instability: Elevated
Instability.
Good.
Aria descended the stairs.
The sound of her footsteps was unhurried, deliberate. She didn't rush. Didn't announce herself.
She simply arrived.
Lucien noticed first.
He always did.
His eyes flicked up instinctively—and caught her.
Something tightened in his chest.
She wore black today. Deep, rich fabric that contrasted sharply with Seraphina's white. The cut was refined, mature, designed not to beg for attention but to command it.
Aria stopped a few steps away.
"Your Highness," she said calmly. "I didn't realize you were greeting newcomers personally."
Lucien straightened.
"Aria," he replied. "This is Seraphina Valehart. She's—"
"A new student," Aria finished, turning her gaze to the heroine.
Their eyes met.
Seraphina's widened slightly.
Aria saw it—the flicker of uncertainty. Not fear. Awareness.
Two women assessing each other in silence.
"You're Lady Noctis," Seraphina said softly. "I've heard of you."
"Have you?" Aria asked mildly. "I wonder what version."
Seraphina flushed. "I—I didn't mean—"
Aria smiled.
Not cruel.
Not kind.
Perfectly neutral.
"Relax," she said. "People love to talk. You'll learn that quickly."
Lucien frowned faintly. "Aria—"
She ignored him.
Instead, she stepped closer to Seraphina, lowering her voice just enough to feel intimate.
"The academy isn't gentle," Aria continued. "If you ever need advice… do ask."
Seraphina hesitated, then nodded. "Thank you."
The system chimed softly.
[Heroine Reaction Logged]
Status: Guarded Interest
Note: Initial Impression Neutral
Neutral was better than hostile.
Aria stepped back, turning away smoothly.
But not before she caught the moment Lucien's eyes followed her retreating figure.
Not the heroine's.
Hers.
The tension didn't dissipate.
It spread.
By evening, the academy buzzed with comparison.
Seraphina's kindness was praised. Aria's presence was debated. Students whispered about contrasts—light and shadow, innocence and experience.
And the men?
They watched.
Sir Kaelen stood at his post near the dueling grounds, eyes tracking Aria as she crossed the courtyard below. He told himself it was vigilance.
He lied.
She laughed softly at something a fellow noble said, her head tilting slightly. The sound curled into his chest unexpectedly.
He remembered the way she had looked at him during the lecture.
Calm. Curious.
As if she could see through him.
His grip tightened on his sword hilt.
Across the grounds, Elias Thorn stared at his spellwork—and failed to see it. Lines blurred. Runes collapsed.
His thoughts kept drifting.
Her voice.
Her proximity.
The way she had named what he'd never said aloud.
"You're distracted," a fellow mage remarked.
Elias snapped the book shut. "I'm fine."
He wasn't.
And in the highest tower—
Lucien poured himself a drink he didn't need.
He stared out the window, jaw tight.
Seraphina was everything the empire praised.
And yet—
Aria lingered.
Not loudly.
Not desperately.
But like a question he couldn't stop turning over.
Why did she look so unbothered?
Why hadn't she reacted?
He swallowed, irritation stirring.
Aria knew.
She felt the threads pulling taut.
That night, the system appeared again, its tone sharper than before.
[Warning: Narrative Convergence Event Approaching]
Scenario: Public Demonstration (Magic Assessment)
Risk: Villainess Discredit
Opportunity: Authority Surge
The assessment.
In the original story, Aria would overreach. Show too much power. Be accused of arrogance.
Seraphina would heal an injured student afterward and win hearts.
Classic.
Aria smiled slowly.
"Then I'll rewrite the scene."
The assessment arena overflowed with spectators the next day. Professors observed from elevated seats as students demonstrated control and aptitude.
Seraphina's turn came first.
She performed beautifully.
Gentle light magic. Controlled. Elegant. When she finished, applause followed naturally.
Aria watched calmly.
Then her name was called.
The atmosphere shifted.
She stepped into the arena, unhurried, cloak swaying with her movement. Whispers rippled outward.
"She's powerful, but—"
"She's dangerous."
Aria raised her hand.
Dark mana bloomed—not violently, not chaotically, but precisely. It curled around her fingers like silk threaded with night.
Gasps echoed.
She shaped it carefully. Contained. Controlled.
Then she released it—forming a complex spell construct that hovered, stable and flawless.
No excess.
No destruction.
Just mastery.
Silence followed.
Then—
Applause.
Not polite.
Not obligatory.
Earned.
Aria lowered her hand, heart steady.
She didn't look at Seraphina.
She didn't need to.
[Authority Surge Successful]
Obsession Seeds Strengthened]
Later, as the crowd dispersed, Seraphina approached her.
"That was incredible," she said honestly.
Aria studied her.
Sincerity. No envy. No resentment.
Interesting.
"Thank you," Aria replied. "You did well too."
They stood there—a villainess and a heroine—neither yielding, neither hostile.
Lucien watched from a distance, something unsettled stirring in his chest.
For the first time, he couldn't tell which woman fate favored.
And that uncertainty?
It thrilled him.
Aria turned away first.
As she walked, the system whispered—
[Conclusion:]
The Story Is No Longer Stable]
Her smile was slow and dangerous.
Good.
Let it break.