The purpose of a grade representative was to showcase the demeanor, talent, and combat capability of the Karillian Academy students before the Church of Radiance’s delegation.

Technically, there was supposed to be a mock battle—a demonstration event between the representatives of the same year. That meant, in theory, Vinny would’ve had to spar with another second-year student chosen at random, and there was a non-zero chance he’d be paired against Aesphyra.

However, the Church delegation politely declined the event, citing fatigue from their long journey. They retreated to the side hall to rest.

Which suited Vinny just fine. Those dried-up orange peels didn’t want to watch, and he didn’t feel like fighting anyway. If he had ended up matched with Aesphyra... well, judging by how often he’d been messing with her lately, she definitely wouldn’t have held back. He could already imagine the humiliation of getting publicly flattened. The memory of nearly being beaten back into Vanessa during Combat Class was still painfully fresh.

He was one of the top twenty-three students in his year. A guy had to protect his image, right?

Besides, earning credits and salary bonuses just by putting on a show—wasn’t that kind of comfortable?

Whatever the Church and the Academy administration discussed afterward was none of Vinny’s business, and he didn’t care to know either. His objective had been achieved. The rest was above his pay grade.

All in all, it had been another day of total victory for Young Master Vinny. Not only had he earned money and credits, but he also reinforced his public persona, deflected the Church’s suspicions, and thoroughly pissed off a bunch of cranky old men from the delegation. A three-for-one win—clean sweep.

And as a cherry on top, his Virtue Points had increased by another 50, climbing from 6,904 to 6,954.

That was thanks to Mirexia. Apparently, his earlier performance had been so over-the-top that even she was left stunned.

“Vinny.”

“Mm? What’s up?” In the student council president’s office, just as Vinny had finished thanking Mirexia and was about to take his leave, she suddenly called out to him.

Vinny turned back, confused. He had no idea what she still wanted from him.

“You... don’t have anything else you want to say to me?” Mirexia asked, her voice vague. After that, she fell silent, turning her gaze away and avoiding eye contact as she waited for him to respond.

Virtue Points +20.

Current total: 6,974.

...Wait, what?

What was that supposed to mean?

Did he have something else to say to her? If so, he had no idea what it might be.

Vinny was dumbfounded. From the way Mirexia was acting, it was like she was saying, “There’s something you’re ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) supposed to tell me, so you can’t leave yet. But I won’t say what it is—you have to guess.”

She hadn’t said a single word beyond that one vague question, but Vinny just knew that’s what she meant.

Why couldn’t she just say it outright? Wouldn’t it be easier for everyone if she just came out with it? Why make him guess and risk annoying her even more?

Weird. Really weird.

A strange suspicion flickered through Vinny’s mind—he was starting to feel like he was in one of those mind games couples played when they were fighting.

No, no, that had to be his imagination. He knew better than anyone what Mirexia was like. She might seem like a cool-headed, decisive royal on the outside, but in private she had her own brand of awkwardness—especially in situations like this. There was definitely a touch of tsundere in her.

Vinny fell silent, trying to puzzle out her intentions—to solve the “riddle” she’d thrown at him.

Honestly, this was more exhausting than a math test.

At least math had logic. Mirexia’s thoughts had zero logic to follow. How the hell was he supposed to know what she wanted him to say? What specific “unfinished business” was she referring to?

Was it important? Probably, or else she wouldn’t have stopped him. But if it were really important—like, world-ending important—she wouldn’t be making him guess. She’d be giving him orders.

Mirexia was the type who acted fast and decisively in a crisis. If she was dithering now, it meant this wasn’t something critical to the world, but it was something personally important to her.

Vinny frowned, starting to think he’d picked up on something... but still no solid clue.

Too hard. Not even a hint.

He really wanted to just ask her for a hint. Either that or flat-out say, “Sorry, I don’t have anything else to say.”

But his gut told him—screamed at him—that if he did that, things would spiral into an unsalvageable mess.

“...Ah, right! Of course. There is something I wanted to tell you,” Vinny said at last, snapping his fingers like he’d just remembered something important.

“Agh, look at me—how could I forget?”

Mirexia didn’t respond, simply looked away again, lips pressing together as if to say, “Go ahead and explain yourself.”

Virtue Points +30.

Current total: 7,004.

“That steak you treated me to last time? Absolutely delicious. Best I’ve ever had. I was still craving it even after I finished. Thinking back, I realize it was kinda rude of me to keep enjoying it without offering to return the favor. My bad.”

“This time, I won’t forget. I’ll take you to that same place and treat you next time.” Vinny even forced himself to say it with visible pain—high-end restaurants like that cost several silver coins per meal, and he wasn’t sure he could afford it.

But still, even childhood friends shouldn’t take each other for granted. Especially when one of them was royalty. If he didn’t do something in return, it’d just drive distance between them.

Yes. This had to be what Mirexia was trying to bring up but couldn’t say directly.

“......”

After hearing him out, Mirexia looked like she had just gone through a spiritual journey from hope to despair. She fell into a long, ancient silence, as if her soul had momentarily departed her body.

Virtue Points +200.

Current total: 7,204.

Wait—what?

Even if he’d guessed what was on her mind, two hundred Virtue Points was a bit much, wasn’t it?

Vinny marveled at his own brilliance... but also frowned slightly, feeling something was off.

“So? Mirexia?” he asked again.

Still no response.

Wait—could she be embarrassed about him spending money on her?

Vinny was baffled.

What he didn’t know was that Mirexia was now completely speechless. That one monologue from Vinny had thrown her into such a whirlwind of emotions she no longer knew what to say.

Her thoughts were in disarray, her composure shattered, her language faculties crumbling under the weight of his obliviousness.

Vinny frowned. Was she touched that he remembered the meal?

Hmm. Given how sharp the King of Camella’s Bright Ideas was, that was definitely it.

“Oh, by the way, Mirexia—there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask. You know that girl Luna, with the platinum cross pupils? She’s in the same year as you, right?”

Virtue Points +50.

Current total: 7,254.

“...What about her? Are you interested in her?” Mirexia’s tone dipped a degree colder.

Huh? Why did asking about Luna earn him Virtue Points?

“No, no. I’m not interested in her. It’s just... I think she might be a member of the Hauchkai family,” Vinny explained, completely missing the chill in her voice.

“You’ve heard of them, right? Some prominent family in the Church of Radiance.”

“Well then, that’s good, isn’t it? If she approached you, it means she finds value in your status as a Fasylis heir, no?” Mirexia’s voice had a distinct sour note now.

“Mirexia, what are you talking about? Why would I approach some big-name Church family like that? I’ve been avoiding them all this time.” Vinny didn’t understand the shift in her tone—but ironically, his explanation matched exactly what she wanted to hear.

“You’re saying... you’re not interested in her?”

“Interested? In her? She’s from the Hauchkai family! I see her and want to run the other way! Why else do you think I’ve been acting like this lately? It was all a performance—for her benefit.” Vinny shrugged.

“All of it... was for her?” Mirexia arched an eyebrow. She was referring, of course, to Vinny’s “scholarly research” of translucent tights in broad daylight.

“Of course! To reinforce my character! To make her—and the Church—drop their guard. What else would I be doing?” Vinny said righteously, as if he were a national hero misunderstood by history.

Virtue Points +100.

Current total: 7,354.

What the hell? More Virtue Points?

He hadn’t even said anything that moving, had he?

Vinny’s frown deepened. The logic behind the system’s point increases was getting more and more erratic.

It was either broken... or Mirexia was.

Why would such a normal statement stir her emotions?

He couldn’t figure it out.

“...Even if you say that, I doubt that’s what you were really thinking at the time,” Mirexia murmured. After a moment’s thought, she averted her gaze again, her golden twin-tails swaying with the motion.

“What do you mean? That’s exactly what I was thinking! What else could it be? If not, I swear to the heavens, may I be arrested by the Church the moment I step outside and—” Vinny didn’t get to finish.

“Enough. I believe you,” Mirexia cut in.

Virtue Points +50.

Current total: 7,404.

Okay. At this point the system really just seemed to give her a timer that printed Virtue Points into his account.

“So, why did you bring her up in the first place?” Mirexia’s tone had returned to normal again.

Which was weird, because it definitely hadn’t been that way before.

Ugh. He didn’t get it. Not at all.

Vinny shook his head. Women’s hearts were like the bottom of the sea. Who could possibly know what went on in there?

“Well, it’s kind of embarrassing, really.” Vinny sighed. There was no way he could tell her he’d blown his savings gambling on card pulls and ended up working at Luna’s maid café in disguise as Vanessa to scrape by.

That was a proper black mark on his life. The fewer who knew, the better. Not even someone as close as Mirexia should ever find out.

As for that shameless woman Aesphyra—he didn’t expect her to keep quiet. But whatever. She had no proof. He’d just deny everything if it came up.

Thankfully, he wasn’t a public figure and never would be. If this kind of history got out, he’d be socially annihilated.

“Well... there was one time I interacted with her while in my female form. I’m just worried she might’ve noticed something.”

“She approached you because of that?” Mirexia raised an eyebrow.

“No, no. I’m sure she doesn’t know about me and Vanessa being the same person. But whether she knows Vanessa is a Fasylis heir... that I’m not sure of.”

“So what—you want me to keep an eye on her?” Mirexia asked.

“Exactly. Since you’re in the same year, I figured I’d ask.”

“Understood.” Mirexia nodded.

Vinny could trust her with this kind of thing more than anyone.

After the conversation ended, Vinny returned home. It was already afternoon.

He made it back to his room, took off his coat—and a folded slip of paper fluttered to the ground.

A note? When did he ever carry one of these?

Had he forgotten it?

Vinny frowned and picked it up, ready to toss it—until he noticed how neatly it was wrapped. Almost too neatly.

Suspicious.

Frowning deeper, he unfolded the paper. It had writing on it.

On the pristine white parchment, a few magically printed words stood out—impossible to trace back to anyone’s handwriting.

“Too much is as bad as too little.”

“???”

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Vinny tilted his head, thoroughly confused.

And the moment he finished reading the line, the text vanished in a flash of light, leaving only a blank white sheet.