"That can't be… isn't that the Student Council President?" Ceres said slowly, pointing at the wild blond senior.

Huh?

For a beat, I thought Ceres was the crazy one.

Then came a soft chortle from the blond senior who had latched onto me, only to pull away just as suddenly. Her golden hair fluttered like threads spun from sunlight.

I stumbled slightly, catching my balance with effort, then looked from Ceres to the senior again.

"What?" I gaped, frowning.

"What did you just say?" I asked Ceres again, this time with more urgency.

Ceres looked on impassively, her red eyes as unimpressed as ever. There were only a handful of times I'd seen her expression shift in reaction to anything — this wasn't one of them.

If she was joking or messing with me, or anything at all, I couldn't tell. Her stare was flat. Unreadable.

"That's the Council President. The First-Ranked Cadet of the Third Year."

I paused, straightened up, and wrinkled my nose.

Then, with complete seriousness, I looked at her, then at the blond senior again.

"We have a Student Council?!"

I was kidding.

Obviously, we had a Student Council. Who didn't know that at Aegis?

According to reports, they were the ones responsible for pulling us out of the Terra Sanguis Dungeon after it all went sideways. In fact, I had factored their possible arrival into my plan — or at least anticipated the Academy's response would involve a powerful group of cadets known as the Student Council.

But, of course, when that happened… I was unconscious. In a coma.

So while I'd expected their involvement and even heard about them afterward, I hadn't personally met any of them.

Or at least… not until now.

So why had I made such a dumb joke? Hmm. Well, aside from the fact that I'd never actually met them face-to-face, I figured I'd be seeing them eventually.

In fact, I had been informally informed just yesterday, after getting discharged, that there was a chance I'd be requested at some point for some "light questioning."

But I hadn't thought much of it. I was mentally occupied. I assumed they'd already gathered all the information they needed from the other cadets about the Dungeon Incident. What more would my account add?

So, yeah — I'd brushed it off. Noncommittally.

I hadn't expected to run into them like this.

Let alone the President herself.

So that exaggerated reaction earlier? That was my mind buffering. Stalling for time. Internally, gears were grinding, sparks flying, as my thoughts scrambled to catch up with what was happening.

"Pfttt. You're funny, Vic," the blonde beauty beside me laughed, her voice as rich and sonorous as bells.

"Why do you keep being so familiar with me?" I hissed through gritted teeth.

Resisting the urge to overthink, I took a step back and gave the young woman a full once-over. Sceptical. Curious. Guarded.

This was the Student Council President?

The Rank 1 Cadet of the Third Years — allegedly the strongest student at Aegis?

It was hard to believe at first. But I, more than most, knew appearances could be deceiving.

And even if I couldn't explain it, I could feel it: she was strong.

How strong? I couldn't tell. It was vague — slippery. Like trying to grasp mist.

But she was stronger than I was.

Stronger than Ceres too.

I had realized that moments ago, but it was still jarring. I couldn't gauge her strength at all — not even with my enhanced perception since Ranking Up. My [Eyes of Discerning] weren't active, but even passively, I could usually sense someone's aura or general pressure. Even Ceres couldn't completely suppress her Hero-Rank status from me.

There was always an undercurrent of power in the air around her.

But with this senior? Nothing. She was a complete enigma.

The only thing I could measure was that earlier, regal presence — her overwhelming, effortless authority. But even that could just be natural charisma, right?

Still…

The senior — the alleged strongest Cadet in Aegis — smiled.

"But we're close. Closer than you think."

I inhaled slowly and took another step back.

Then another.

And one more.

Until I was standing next to Ceres, like we planned it. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. Meant to be. Shoulder to shoulder. Directly opposite the senior. Away from her.

My expression was flat. Her comment made no sense. And i had no patience for riddles today.

But she was the Student Council President — our most esteemed cadet. I couldn't exactly be rude. I had to be civil, right?

So instead, i raised my chin.

I straightened up and schooled my expression into something neutral. Polite. Gentlemanly, even. And spoke in a composed tone.

"How about you start with a proper introduction, Miss?" I suggested coolly.

She chuckled softly but nodded, playing along.

Then the blonde beauty straightened as well — her posture elongating, her presence like a blade unsheathed. Suddenly commanding. Taller. Radiant. Profound.

In the next second, the air around her changed. Her presence grew sharp — undeniable. The air seemed to shift around her, more charged.

Her golden-amber eyes caught the light and blazed like miniature suns, impossible to look away from — drawing you in with their magnetic pull.

Then, without bowing or offering any courtesy, she spoke — effortless grace in every word and motion.

"Third Year Cadet, Rank 1. Student Council President, Aurhea Aurel. Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Cadet Number 1499… Victor Bright."

"Allegedly," I said flatly.

"Sorry?" she blinked, clearly confused.

I raised a finger and pointed at myself, my tone and expression unchanged — keeping my voice calm and steady.

"You called me 1499. Allegedly. I'm no longer the bottom of my class."

I smirked and shrugged.

Beside me, it felt like Ceres stiffened slightly — or maybe I imagined it.

What I said might've come off bold.

Maybe it sounded cocky. Maybe a bit shameless.

But I was just stating facts.

Whether I liked it or not, things were changing here at Aegis. The tide was shifting. And I had no choice but to shift with it.

I couldn't afford to float along aimlessly any longer.

I had to swim. To act. To adapt.

Remaining passive — like I had been up until now — wasn't going to cut it anymore.

Whether this change was for better or worse didn't matter.

What mattered was how I responded. How i faced it.

So… embrace the change. And with it, a new mindset.

Did I sound crazy? Yes.

Was i dramatic? Probably.

Was I making sense? Maybe.

Was I being hopelessly optimistic and a little sad at the same time? Maybe. Most likely.

Was i still going to do it anyway?

Absolutely.

This time, I wasn't going to let the tide drown me.

At least not passively.

Ahem.

…But I was getting carried away now.

Aurhea Aurel stared at me for a moment longer, then smiled knowingly.

She leaned back, her expression twisting into something amused — and faintly dangerous.

"Perhaps. I guess you're no longer the bottom-ranked, no-talent bastard of the First Year anymore."

—Twitch!

The right side of my face stiffened. My smirk faltered.

I scoffed through my nose and folded my arms, deadpanning at her like her insult didn't land.

"Yeah, well. You still haven't told us why you're here — or what you want from us, Miss President."

As I said that, I inched a little closer to Ceres, just enough that our shoulders brushed.

Was I being shameless and pathetic, dragging Ceres into this? Perhaps.

Did I also want anything to do with this crazy President alone?

Absolutely not.

So sorry, Ceres — as much as you scare the living hell out of me on most days — now that you're here, we're in this together.

I wisely ignored the blank stare she was giving me out of the corner of her eye and kept looking forward, arms crossed.

Aurhea raised a brow and chuckled, clearly catching on.

"'Us'? Oh, no. I'm obviously not here for Ceres — she just happened to be here."

Something in Ceres stirred beside me, like she didn't appreciate being brushed off like that. Disregarded.

I pretended not to notice.

Aurhea continued, that thin, knowing smile still plastered on her lips. Her golden eyes didn't leave me.

"I'm here for you."

Before I could respond — or come up with an excuse to bail — Aurhea turned slightly, looking at me over her shoulder.

"I wanted to speak with you privately, but since Ceres is here… why don't the three of us have lunch together?"

"I'm not—"

Before Ceres could finish declining, I subtly nudged her with my shoulder and stepped forward instead.

I let out a long sigh, as dramatic and mockingly exaggerated as possible.

"Well. I guess it can't be helped. My sweet, dear classmate here has been training and worked up quite the appetite."

I smiled thinly at Aurhea.

Then inched closer to Ceres once again.

"I suppose 'we' can both come with you for lunch. Right. As long as you're covering the bill."