"By the way, Miss Aecilia, which ss do you have to attend?"


    Avendial inquired as he stepped out of the car, casting a nce her way.


    The vehicle came to a stop near the academy''s metal gates, and many students instinctively turned their heads in his direction.


    With his silver hair and striking blue eyes, he naturally drew a bit of attention.


    However, he chose to ignore the onlookers and concentrated on Aecilia.


    "You jest, Marquess. How could I possibly teach anything to these students?"


    She replied with a smile, adjusting her sses, which seemed ill-fitting and kept sliding down her nose.


    Despite this minor annoyance, her gesture revealed a small glimpse of a ck floral bra peeking through the slight opening of her white shirt.


    Avendial noticed but decided to let it go; after all, he couldn''t dictate her clothing choices.


    Once she closed the car door, her fingers deftly turned the steering wheel, elerating toward the parking lot.


    As he watched the car disappear from view, he made his way inside the academy, feelingfortably alone.


    After all, he didn''t mind walking solo; he knew that Aecilia would attract too much attention as she walked through the doors.


    "Good morning, Professor Aven."


    Suddenly greeted by a bright voice, Avendial turned toward the familiar sound.


    A figure stood there, an elderly man leaning on a cane, his beard flowing white and a smile stretching across his face.


    However, the dark circles under his eyes betrayed a long night spent awake.


    As the director of the academy, he had spent countless hours in restless contemtion, begging forgiveness from his ancestors for the perceived betrayal of allowing anyone to exploit their influence to gain entry into the esteemed institution.


    He had always vowed that only the Marquess would be permitted such ess.


    Butst night had been a turning point.


    Intruders had invaded his home, weapons drawn, dering themselves representatives of the Sertsul family.


    They demanded he permit Aecilia Sertsul to take up a professorship at the academy.


    In a moment of fierce defiance, the director had firmly stated that even if it cost him his life, he would not bow to such demands.


    And he meant it wholeheartedly.


    Yet, the threats from the intruders loomedrge; they viciously imed that should he notply, they would simply kill him and install another director, one who would undoubtedly grant Aecilia her coveted position.


    Faced with the grim prospect of a corrupt individual steering the academy, he found himself cornered into a reluctant decision—allowing Aecilia Sertsul toe onboard as a professor, if only to protect the legacy of the institution.


    "Go and handle your academy''s work," Avendial said as he passed by the director with a nonchnt demeanor, ignoring him, knowing full well that this man would only cause nearby students to start focusing on him.


    Given that most of the students were already overwhelmed seeing the director himselfing to greet a professor at the main gate, this prompted him to just move forward, ignoring him.


    "Huh?"


    There he was, the director, with apletely expressionless face, just gazing into space as if he were trying to make sense of everything but just didn''t get it.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was as if his whole being had faded to ck and white, while one of the students waved his hand in front of him, wondering if he had just tlined right there on the spot.


    ---


    "Let''s see," Avendial murmured as he moved toward the corridor, ncing at the watch on his wrist.


    It read 9:50 AM.


    He had woken up at 8:30, fatigued from the previous night, and just managed to arrive at the academy in time for his sculpture ss, which was scheduled to begin at 10:00.


    As he walked, his mind drifted to Lin''s likely reaction to the events of yesterday.


    Avendial had skillfully capitalized on the emotional turmoil of someone deeply infatuated with another. Experience new stories on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    He was acutely aware of Lin''s feelings for Amrita.


    Even in his past life, he had observed that, despite her apparentck ofbat skills—there was no indication of her participating in battles—Lin Diego had unusually kept her close within his faction.


    It was possible that Amrita wasn''t cut out for fighting but was suited for support.


    Still, considering the number of prodigies in the Diego faction, this probability could also not be discounted that Lin had likely kept Amrita nearby out of affection.


    Moreover, the insights he had received from Aria regarding theplicated rtionship between Lin, Amrita, and herself in his previous life added further depth to his understanding of the dynamics at y.


    However, Avendial was wary of cingplete trust in the words of someone whom he didn''t even know.


    This skepticism prompted him to confirm Lin''s reaction by inviting Amrita to a sculpting session the day before.


    Lin''s extreme behavior suggested that he lost all sense of rationality where Amrita was concerned.


    "What a sight," Avendial muttered to himself as he walked, contemting the chances of Lin losing control today if he pushed him even harder with Amrita.


    Suddenly, he noticed several students halting in their tracks, staring towards a familiar scene unfolding before them.


    Their bodynguage conveyed everything, and the tension in the air was palpable.


    Aria stood among her friends, who were questioning her decision to call Lin.


    Avendial could see the tension in Aria''s clenched fists and the furious re emanating from Lin, making the situation crystal clear.


    A smile crept onto his face as he quickened his pace, biding his time for an opportunity to turn things to his favor.


    ''1…''


    As Avendial moved through the crowd, he observed Lin''s anger escting, his voice raised as he yelled at Aria.


    Avendial began counting, realizing Lin hadpletely lost hisposure.


    To an outsider, Lin''s outrage might have seemed excessive; yet here, this level of fury was perfectly understandable for someone who got trapped in a not-so-obvious trap set by Avendial.


    Trap title: Jealousy turns love intova and melts the lover''s heart.


    ''2…''


    As Avendial navigated through the throng of students, he rolled up his sleeves, tightening his arms in preparation for the confrontation ahead.


    He had to present a different side of himself to this group, though he kept in mind that members of the Sertsul family might be present.


    But that didn''t matter; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain an advantage and nt seeds of doubt in Aria''s mind.


    "You!—"


    ''3…''


    The moment Avendial saw Lin''s hand stretch out, poised to strike Aria, he swiftly intervened.


    With only a few steps between them, he seized Lin''s wrist.


    Both of them were still unawakened, and thanks to his regr training as a nobleman, Avendial was significantly stronger than Lin Diego.


    His sudden grip caught Lin off guard.


    "Wh—What—"


    Lin''s eyes widened in shock as he turned to find Professor Aven had arrived, his hand gripping Lin''s wrist with surprising strength.


    Before Lin could react, Avendial clenched his fist and, channeling all his strength, tightened the muscles of his right hand, pulling back to collect force.


    ''Now it''s time for the toppings,'' Avendial thought, knowing he had to capitalize on this moment.


    He inhaled deeply, activated his acting skills, and with a clenched jaw, thundered, "HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY ARIA!"


    BAM!


    "Khwackk!"


    In an instant, saliva spilled from Lin''s mouth as he doubled over, clutching his chest.


    Thud


    He fell to his knees, curling up on the ground in agony.


    His eyes reddened, and veins bulged on his forehead from the sheer intensity of the pain; the blow to his sr plexus was more excruciating than he could have imagined.