...
Time seemed to freeze for Vivian at that moment.
She stood quietly at the door, her ice-blue eyes fixed unblinkingly on the flock of girls surrounding the center of the classroom.
A sharp, unfamiliar ache welled up from her heart.
The pain was not intense, but it was exceptionally distinct, like an extraordinarily fine ice needle unexpectedly piercing her softest spot.
Even as her reason frantically reminded her:
The relationship between you two ended long ago. The moment that document was signed in black and white, amid everyone's sympathetic or mocking gazes, a clear line was drawn once and for all.
He is free now. He has every right to accept anyone's advances, every right to be surrounded by whomever he chooses.
You have no position, let alone any right, to feel even the slightest bit of discomfort about this.
Yet...
That distinct ache in her chest, along with a cold wave of anger, surged uncontrollably like a sudden frost through every part of her body.
Even the pure, powerful ice-attribute magic within her body seemed to sense its master's turbulent emotions, beginning to leak uncontrollably from around her.
Centered around her, the ambient temperature quietly began to drop.
A few students chatting near the door instinctively shivered, rubbing their arms in confusion. Then, as if sensing something, their movements stiffened as they turned their heads—
"!!"
When they clearly recognized the ice-blue figure standing at the doorway, the entire back of the classroom seemed to have been put on mute, the clamor disappearing at an astonishing speed.
The silence spread toward the front of the classroom like ink dropping into water.
One, two, three... more and more students halted their movements and fell silent, their gazes—filled with a mix of shock, awe, and confusion—all snapping toward the doorway.
The girls who had been twittering around Greg also belatedly felt the bizarre shift in the atmosphere. Their voices grew softer and softer until they went completely quiet, turning their heads uneasily to follow everyone's gazes.
When they saw Vivian standing quietly at the door, her ice-blue eyes calmly sweeping over them, they all instinctively held their breath, some even shrinking back involuntarily.
The classroom, which just moments ago had been as rowdy as a bustling market, became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
"...Um, President."
A girl on the outer edge plucked up her courage, took a small step back, and asked timidly, her voice trembling slightly with nervousness:
"Excuse me... did you come here for something?"
That inquiry seemed to rouse Vivian from her emotional state.
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she had only just realized the chilly aura she had unconsciously released.
She immediately forced herself to compose her mind, suppressing the restless magic within her body.
The chill permeating the air rapidly receded.
She did not answer the girl's question right away.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her long ice-blue hair cascading down to conceal the complex emotions flashing through her eyes.
Her gaze rested on the tips of her freshly polished leather shoes for a fleeting moment.
Then, as if having made up her mind, she raised her head once more.
"I am looking for the temporary Disciplinary Committee member, Student Greg Sass. I have a few questions for him."
She intentionally placed a slight emphasis on the title "Disciplinary Committee member," as if stressing official business, or perhaps drawing a firm boundary.
The moment her words left her lips, no further explanation was needed.
The girls standing between Vivian and Greg scrambled to part to both sides, carving out a straight path through the crowded room leading directly to Greg's desk.
No one dared to block the Student Council President's path at a time like this, much less presume to guess what emotions might be churning beneath her calm exterior.
At the end of the path stood Greg, a trace of relief still lingering on his face from having just escaped the girls' siege.
But that bit of relief was quickly replaced by complete bewilderment.
Vivian?
What was she doing here?
Could it be because... I missed the Student Council's morning patrol without permission today, so she came to hold me accountable?
That was the first and most logical guess that flashed through Greg's mind.
After all, he still held the title of a Disciplinary Committee member, and Vivian was a notoriously meticulous Student Council President. It was only natural for her to call him out over something like this.
His brain rapidly began forming excuses he could use in a moment.
However, as Vivian stepped forward and walked toward him step by step down the cleared path, Greg began to sense something unusual.
Vivian's stride remained steady and her back straight, bearing the innate elegance of royalty.
Yet her gaze was not as sharp as usual. Instead, it was somewhat... unfocused?
At the very least, she did not look like she had come to chew him out.
While Greg was feeling confused, Vivian quickly reached his side.
She raised her eyes, her ice-blue gaze finally focusing on Greg's face as she locked eyes with him.
Her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to speak, but the words caught in her throat.
Those soft, pink lips merely opened and closed silently. Then, under the watchful eyes of Greg and everyone else, she seemed to suddenly lose her nerve and lowered her head once more.
Her long, silver-white eyelashes cast faint shadows on her pale cheeks.
The air in the classroom grew even heavier with Vivian's proximity and quietness.
Every watching student, boy and girl alike, widened their eyes and held their breath, their eyes darting back and forth between Vivian and Greg.
The girls exchanged looks filled with suspicion that something was off.
The boys were even more stunned. They watched this President, who was usually like an iceberg lotus, voluntarily come to this classroom and stand before Greg with such... indescribable eyes and posture!
A subtle atmosphere of romantic tension quietly filled the silent room.
"..."
Greg felt his scalp go numb from the surrounding mood as well.
Is this right...?
This definitely isn't right...!
Why does this feel like... the prelude to a girl stopping a guy in public on a college campus in my past life, getting ready to confess?!
Startled by his own absurd thought, Greg quietly swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
He felt cold sweat breaking out on his back.
The silence at this moment seemed stretched out indefinitely.
The classroom was so quiet that one could hear the rustling of the leaves in the wind outside, along with the slightly heavy breathing of a few overly nervous onlookers.
Everyone's heart leapt into their throat. Their eyes locked intently onto this former engaged couple—now a Disciplinary Committee member and the Student Council President—waiting for whatever words were about to leave her mouth.
Vivian's hands tightened slightly at her sides, her neatly manicured nails digging into her palms.
She took a deep breath, as if summoning every ounce of her strength, and raised her head again, her ice-blue eyes churning with intricate emotions.
"You—"
However, right at the moment when everyone's curiosity had been pulled to its absolute peak—
Bzzzt—!
On the front wall of the classroom, the bronze magic loudspeaker usually reserved for academy announcements suddenly vibrated without warning, letting out a low hum.
Immediately following, a booming voice amplified by magic rang out, instantly echoing throughout the quiet classroom and even across every corner of the academy:
"Announcement! Second-year Student Greg Sass, Second-year Student Greg Sass, please pay attention!"
"Your respected Headmistress has just personally poured two cups of top-grade Morning Dew Mead from the Moonlight Forest of the Elf Kingdom for you in her top-floor office at the Headmistress's Tower!"
"Would Student Greg Sass please report to the Headmistress's office as soon as possible!"
The announcement reverberated through the vast classroom, every single word striking as clearly as a hammer upon everyone's hearts.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The entire classroom fell into a silence even more deadened than before.
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