Landmines Everywhere
Everywhere I went was a landmine. I was late.
It was opening ceremony day, but I'd slept like a rock.
Couldn't be helped, though.
Honestly, way too much shit went down yesterday.
"Still, made it before it kicked off."
A little late, sure, but not that late—no problem joining the ceremony.
"Haa... hope this wraps up quick."
No one likes a snoozefest of pompous, long-winded bullshit.
Truth be told, I wanted to just zone out and nap, but pulling that here would get me blacklisted hard.
And poof—there goes my quiet, comfy academy life.
Can't let that happen. No way.
I fought back the crashing wave of drowsiness and scanned the crowd.
Bored out of my mind, figured I'd at least memorize the faces of the novel's characters.
Hair's as flashy as you'd expect from the book—total rainbow explosion.
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. The works.
That's when it happened.
?!
Locked eyes with Elisicia Androsen.
Her blank, indifferent stare was fixed right on me.
How long had she been watching?
No clue.
All that mattered: she was staring.
Did I just get marked?
I'd been a bit too rowdy on the train.
But it was bullshit—I hadn't stepped up, those assassins would've gutted me.
Act of God, straight up.
I was busy grumbling internally when—
A smirk.
Elisicia's lips curved up.
Thought I hallucinated, blinked hard—then she turned away.
Huh. Must've been my imagination.
Shook it off and looked elsewhere. Nearly threw a punch from shock.
"Hey." "What the—?!" "Lia." "Wasn't asking your name!"
Lia Berge—god knows when she'd snuck up—was right in my face.
One wrong move, and I'd have lost my first kiss right there.
"Then?" "Haa... whatever. Shut up."
Unpredictable as hell.
Trying to handle Lia your way? Bad premise from the start.
Best for my sanity: ignore her, let her do whatever.
She'd bail eventually.
Or so I thought...
"What after ends?" "......"
She stuck to my side right up until the ceremony started.
Told her to fuck off—no dice.
"Seat empty. Mine now." "I'm uncomfortable. Go." "Uncomfortable? Not me. Fine."
"......"
More talk and I'd explode, so I ignored her.
Felt my goal slipping—graduate without tangling with novel characters—but I'd endure today.
Just nail course registration.
Load up on ghost-town classes, rack credits, graduate.
Big dangerous episodes? Hole up somewhere.
Smooth grad, and luxurious noble life awaits.
Just tough it out till then.
Now, finally, the declaration speech from our second-year representative, Karion.
The ceremony was winding down.
With the announcer's intro, a red-haired guy climbed the podium.
Karion Arnax...
Main villain from my sister's trashy romance novel loaner. Prince of the Arnax Empire.
His entrance sparked pure curiosity.
Wonder what Elisicia's face looked like, eyeing her fiancé?
I glanced her way.
Nothing changed.
Unlike expected. Still, damn, she's gorgeous up close too. Insanely so.
Ditching that for some side chick?
Yeah, total moron confirmed.
By the time I'd written off the prince as a dumbass, the ceremony was over.
Could've headed to the dorms, but hearing about the opening celebration party, I stayed for free grub.
"Should've bailed..."
Thought I'd stuff my face with good eats—big mistake.
The party hall buzzed with students in dresses and suits—god knows when they changed.
Me? Only one in uniform.
Yeah, just me.
Felt every eye drilling into me.
For my low-key academy dreams, this spotlight sucked.
Get out.
Flagged a passing waiter, snagged a champagne flute, bolted to an empty terrace.
"Phew... finally breathing."
Champagne hit different leaning on the railing. Cool breeze. Killer view.
This was paradise.
Then—
"...You want to cancel it?"
Elisicia's voice hit sudden. I choked hard.
"Cough."
Finally found an empty spot, and she's here? Least wanted person.
World was screwing me over, no doubt.
But not just her—someone else too.
That red hair...
The guy from the podium. Karion Arnax. Empire prince. Her fiancé.
Why the hell are they here?
Getting spotted by those two? Disaster.
I ducked behind a pillar quick.
"Didn't hear? Or playing dumb? Yeah, canceling. Our engagement."
"......"
Elisicia's eternal poker face cracked—ripples forming.
Lip bitten raw, she spat it out yelling.
"Some commoner makes you dump me? Think breaking our engagement's a joke? His Majesty the Emperor decreed it—forgot that?!"
The prince looked fed up.
"We both hated this betrothal anyway. I'm ending it first—why fight?"
"......"
No reply from Elisicia. Just head down, shoulders trembling.
Ignoring her, the prince headed out—then paused.
"And watch your mouth."
No glance back as he added it.
"Not 'some commoner.' Say that shit again, and I won't spare you either."
That was it.
Prince bounced without looking back.
Silence fell.
Elisicia froze. Staring at the railing, unmoving.
I held my breath, waiting. Please just go inside.
She leaves, I can leave.
But nada.
Then...
"Ah, hahahahahaha!"
She burst out laughing like a maniac.
No noble poise—just twisting, cackling wildly. Then—snap. Stopped cold, like a puppet with cut strings.
"Oh, playing it like that, huh?"
Low. Icy.
Prior laugh? Gone like a lie.
Elisicia slowly placed a hand on the railing.
Muttered to herself.
"Fine."
Whatever 'fine' meant—bad vibes.
Exact scene from the novel where she dives full villainess mode.
Unchecked, she'd drag all kinds of threats to the academy.
For me? Hide in a safe spot, no sweat.
I knew all the events coming—no fear there.
But...
Why? Didn't wanna just leave her like this.
"Haa... gonna lose my mind."
Yeah, straight crazy.
No upside for me, but my feet moved anyway.
Couldn't understand it. Still, skipping this? My conscience would nag forever.
"Excuse me."
She jolted! Backpedaled from my sudden appearance.
But that was the problem.
"Uh...?"
Elisicia's body tipped over the railing.
Party hall was third floor. Fall meant major injuries minimum—worst case, lights out for life.
But we were too far apart.
Shit.
No way to grab her in time.
Hated using it, but partly my fault.
So I did. Super Acceleration.
World slowed like a freeze-frame.
I bolted, snagged her arm, clung to the railing for dear life.
Time snapped back.
"...!" "Don't freak—grab my arm and climb up. I'll fall too at this rate."
She used my arm like a lifeline, hauled herself safely back inside.
Saw she was good, then collapsed against the railing, wiped.
"Gonna fucking die."
Felt it every Super Acceleration—pure hell.
Like a trainer going, "One more set!" and wringing your body dry.
Exhausted. Drained. Done.
That's when Elisicia eyed me.
"When... were you there?"
Pondered lying, gave up.
Too beat to think. Honesty it was.
"Saw the whole thing from the start."
"...Showed an ugly side, then."
She gave a bitter smile.
"And you helped again. I'll repay this properly later."
I waved it off.
"Nah, forget that. Won't blab about today, so no poisoning my tea or sending assassins, yeah?"
"Pardon?"
She blinked, flustered.
Shit. Fatigue slip.
"Kidding."
"Pfft..."
Wait—she laughed?
"Ahahaha! You're funny."
Pure, genuine—not that manic cackle from before.
Laughed it out, wiped tears, then asked.
"Your name?"
"Cain... Cain Ashubalt."
"Elisicia. Elisicia Androsen. Remember it."
Yeah. Definitely marked now. Hard.