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Chapter 85: The Innocent Lady and the Unscrupulous Man (2)
Chapter 85: The Innocent Lady and the Unscrupulous Man (2)
Chapter 85: The Innocent Lady and the Unscrupulous Man (2)
Yes.
That’s right.
After much thought, Phibian came up with a reason.
The reason why she should not refuse that man’s vile request.
“I am a noble lady of the Leolalian family and the representative freshman of the magic department at the Academy. Not abiding by the victor’s rights in the contest would dishonor my family and the Academy.”
That was the reason Phibian had come up with after much thought, on why she should not refuse that man’s unsightly request.
It was a stretch upon a stretch, a flimsy line of reasoning unworthy of Phibian – who was capable of very logical thinking as a magician.
In the end, Phibian left herself with only one choice.
“It can’t be helped…”
Given the circumstances, she had to at least comply with that man’s repulsive request temporarily.
But it was okay.
The important thing was the unyielding spirit.
Just like the female protagonist Pien, the key was not to succumb to that detestable man.
Thump!
Thump!
All of a sudden, her heart was racing uncontrollably.
It must be a sign of her unparalleled anger.
To cool her rage, Phibian stepped into the bathroom.
She cleansed her body with much more attention to detail than usual.
And after the bath.
She purposefully skipped the basic makeup she usually applied.
She even intentionally didn’t put on her regular perfume.
This was evidence.
Evidence that she had no interest or emotion for what was about to happen!
Phibian was determined not to care about this situation at all.
Just like the female protagonist in the novel.
Therefore, Phibian was perplexed.
“Odd…?”
In the corner of the Academy’s park, set on the grounds, the moonlight cast a gentle glow, highlighting Phibian’s solitary figure as she stood still.
The agreed time was midnight.
The current time was 11 PM.
Like always, she had arrived at the place earlier than the agreed time.
But wouldn’t this make it appear that she was concerned about this affair?
When in reality, she had no interest in what was happening.
“Ah.”
That’s it.
This was a preventive measure against that man, should he use tardiness as an excuse to make an untoward demand.
This was indeed a tactic employed by Ron in the novel.
Pien had deliberately shown up late to the agreed time to embarrass Ron.
However, Ron turned it to his advantage to mete out a “punishment” to Pien.
“Not a chance.”
Phibian smiled contentedly, proud of her ability to avoid the crisis.
As she was about to wait passively at the meeting place for that man-
“Wait a minute.”
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.
If she arrived early and waited, might that man misconstrue her actions?
-Did you actually look forward to this?
She visualized the man with his cunning smirk.
“Eek!”
Phibian recoiled in disgust.
What to do.
Should she go back to the dormitory and return in time?
“No?”
Unacceptable.
That would be as if she cared about this affair.
Even though that despicable man might have a vested interest in the situation.
She was different.
She had not cared about this at all.
In the end, she decided to wait for the man hidden behind a nearby tree.
Indifferently (significantly), she must have glanced back and forth between the meeting place and her watch hundreds of times.
Finally, the man arrived.
Thump!
The moment she saw him, Phibian’s heart started pounding fiercely.
“Calm down, Phibian. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Phibian reassured herself, interpreting the pounding as such.
Whew.
Several deep breaths.
After calming herself, she made a move.
“Wait a minute.”
Phibian swiftly retracted her steps.
She checked the time.
11:30 PM.
There were still 30 minutes until the agreed time.
She wondered how the man would react if she showed up 30 minutes before the scheduled time.
-Did you actually look forward to this?
Once again, she imagined the man smirking slyly.
“Let’s wait.”
So, Phibian decided to wait until the agreed time.
Why was time passing so slowly?
Having checked the time repeatedly, she was about to look at her watch once more when-
“…”
The man checked the time on his wrist.
“Ha.”
Phibian scoffed inwardly at his actions.
How obsessed must he be with this situation to show up 30 minutes early and spend his time meaninglessly?
It was a pitiful and repugnant sight.
Phibian looked at him with disdain.
Eventually.
“That’s enough.”
The awaited time finally arrived.
Phibian timed her steps as if she had been waiting for the stroke of midnight on the clock.
“Wait a minute.”
Once again, Phibian halted her step.
“If I meet precisely at the scheduled time…”
Then wouldn’t it appear as if she was being mindful of the situation?
Such an unpleasant misapprehension was out of the question.
Phibian stared quietly at the watch.
When precisely! The watch pointed to 12:10 AM.
“That should be good enough.”
At last, Phibian showed herself in front of the man.
“Tch… Sorry, I’m late.”
Phibian replicated the actions she had practiced countless times in her imagination.
Thus revealing her natural poise, showing she was not at all concerned with the situation.
“Hmm? Weren’t you out here before me, Phibian?”
“?”
“Hmm? Or were you hiding over there waiting all this time—”
But Ceylon did something Phibian had never envisioned even in her wildest dreams.
Her aloof expression immediately crumbled.
“What are you talking about—”
What? Has she been caught out?
How did he know?
Phibian was in panic.
Had he read her sudden disconcertment?
He looked at her and moistened his lips with his tongue.
“Eek!”
Disturbed by his unabashedly depraved posture, Phibian wrapped her arms around herself protectively.
She thought she understood how the situation was playing out.
This place was the meeting spot the man had set.
Essentially, it was his territory.
The man had prepared for all possible scenarios and manipulated the surroundings to his advantage.
“He knew I had arrived first, and that I was hiding and waiting.”
Meaning.
She was just being played in the palm of that man’s hand.
“Grrr—”
Phibian gritted her teeth in frustration.
Resigned, she gradually let go of the arms wrapped around herself.
She closed her eyes and cried out.
“Do as you please…!”
Thump.
Thump.
Her heart pounded without restraint.
Feeling a mix of apprehension and anticipation—
No, a heart overwhelmed with disgust, Phibian once again steeled her resolve.
Then, she felt a gaze—
Right below her neck at the cleavage.
-Step.
-Step.
She felt him approaching nearer.
‘What do I do…!’
Almost involuntarily, Phibian crossed her arms.
Despite a moment of expectancy— no, preparation.
Anxiety set in as the reality dawned on her.
-Step.
He stopped just within arm’s reach.
Suddenly, a familiar fragrance wafted past her.
Sniff Sniff.
‘This is…!’
Refreshing.
Or rather cold.
An unusual perfume that made one feel a chill rather than just a scent.
As far as Phibian knew, this unique perfume existed only as one in the entire continent.
The Scent of Snowy Mountains.
A perfume that utilized ‘Ice Elemental Essence,’ a component so costly it wasn’t easily used even in alchemy or magic engineering.
For a noble young lady like Phibian, it was an exceedingly rare and luxurious item hard to procure.
As far as she knew, there were only a few at the Academy who could afford to use The Scent of Snowy Mountains.
And.
One person at the Academy was known to Phibian for using that very perfume.
‘Kasha Hanahan…!’
Phibian remembered smelling this exact fragrance on Kasha Hanahan during today’s representative contest.
Someone like Kasha Hanahan could easily afford to wear The Scent of Snowy Mountains.
But that commoner man, surely not?
It was absurd. A commoner like him couldn’t possibly be using such a precious perfume so carelessly.
Eventually, Phibian reached a conclusion.
‘That man, and Kasha Hanahan…!?’
Phibian covered her mouth with her hands in shock.
‘Impossible…’
Adryn of House Teln.
Adella of House Espien.
As if those two weren’t enough, now Kasha of House Hanahan too?
‘What in the world…’
Phibian revised her judgment of this man.
He was even more of a womanizer concerning his conquests than Ron, the male protagonist in the novel.
‘He hadn’t even removed Kasha Hanahan’s scent from his body before he approached me—…!’
Then.
He spoke.
“Phibian?”
“Yes!?”
Phibian’s reaction was foolish.
Was it because she was self-conscious?
His voice sounded different than it had this morning.
In the story, Ron’s voice was described as quite velvety.
Listening now, he seemed to share a similarity with Ron’s voice as well.
As Phibian had that thought, he continued speaking.
“Where is your necklace?”
“Huh? Necklace?”
Phibian touched beneath her neck—
The very spot where she had felt Ceylon’s gaze just a moment ago.
“Huh?”
Phibian usually wore her favorite emerald necklace around her neck at all times.
The necklace was now missing.
“Where did it go…!?”
In her confusion, Phibian’s eyes flew open, and she started to feel around her neck.
“Oh. Right.”
She then recalled.
She had intentionally chosen not to wear the necklace, a decision akin to not applying makeup or perfume.
“Phew.”
Briefly fearful of having lost her favorite necklace, Phibian sighed in relief.
She then snapped at Ceylon.
“What about the necklace?”
“I need it for a favor I wish to ask of you, Phibian.”
“You need my necklace?”
Pausing for a moment to digest the meaning of his words, Phibian took a step back and glared at him scornfully.
“What a presumptuous…!”
“…?”
Ceylon, tilting his head in a questioning manner (as if feigning innocence), prompted Phibian to ‘ugh…’ in distaste before shooting him a glare.
“Don’t make this difficult, just go ahead.”
“It’s absolutely necessary that I have that necklace…”
“Absolutely necessary…!? Does that mean— without wearing my cherished necklace the deal is off…!”
Huff.
Huff.
Incensed (?) Phibian glowered at him with disdain.
“I understand. Then it can’t be helped.”
“Wow~ Thank you for being so understanding.”
“Don’t get it wrong! I’m complying under duress because of your threats!”
“…?”
“Just wait here!”
-Whoooosh!!!
Phibian rallied all her mana and dashed back to the dormitory in an instant.
“Are we done now!?”
Once returned, Phibian was adorned with her customary emerald necklace.
Also present were her natural makeup look, and the everyday fragrance she wore.
All according to his request (?).
“Yes, it seems so. Phibian, may I ask one favor of you as the right of the winner of the representative contest?”
As Ceylon nodded with satisfaction, Phibian braced herself once more, closing her eyes.
“Do as you please…!”
Then he said,
“Haha, since you offered— I’ll accept the favor. Phibian, do you actually know what kind of necklace that is?”
“…What do you mean all of a sudden?”
Phibian cautiously opened her eyes and inquired.
“It seems to me that you simply regard that necklace as decorative jewelry. Is that correct?”
“What are you implying?”
“Let me be direct, Phibian. In fact, that necklace is currently only half-complete— shall we say the shell. In any case, it’s unable to exhibit its true power. And I happen to know how to activate its full potential. So, Phibian, since I can reveal its true capabilities, is it possible for you to share that power with me?”
“…”
Contrary to expectation—
No, contrary to anticipation, Phibian was taken aback by this unexpected turn of events.
Her eyes wavered restlessly.
She finally cautiously asked.
“What, exactly, is the power of the necklace…?”
She had not yet let go of the expectation—
No, the tension she was holding.