This is so fucked up.

    I was this fucking close! Just a step away from having her in my hands. Finally. After everything I did, all the time I spent, I would''ve had her.

    I would''ve conquered that woman. Made her mine, body and soul. I''ve got the experience — I know how to make a woman melt in bed. And once I had her under me, her anger, that damn cold attitude of hers, it would''ve shattered. She would''ve begged for more. Crawled back for my touch.

    She would''ve been mine. My woman. Desperate for every bit of attention I gave her.

    From the moment I first saw her — that fucking body, that face carved by the gods — I knew I deserved her.

    Someone like me, with my looks, my name, my place in this goddamn society — only a hot beauty like her could stand beside me. No one else was worthy.

    I gave it my all. I fucking tried. First, I helped that gang of lowlife trash, let them sabotage the Arcane Anvil Cup.

    All they had to do was kidnap Sylvie and bring her to me. That''s it.

    But those useless bastards couldn''t even do one goddamn thing right.

    They failed me!

    A simple task — and they blew it! I swear they deserved worse than death. They should''ve been skinned alive, screaming for mercy for years before I crushed their skulls with my bare hands.

    Because of those fuck-ups, I lost my chance. I lost her.

    Fucking hell!

    Then I tried the slow route. Pretend to be nice, act like I cared. Tried to get close. Tried to be her friend, so I could slowly ease my way into her bed.

    And fuck, it was torture. Every time she smiled, every time she leaned close — and I couldn''t touch her. Couldn''t do a damn thing. My blood boiled. My body screamed.

    But I held back. Because I had no choice.

    With the academy crawling with guards, there was no way I could grab her again.

    And that damn Headmistress! That nosy bitch has been patrolling the dorms every night like she owns the place.Always in the way. Always ruining everything.

    And that boytoy of hers… Adrian.

    God, I''ve felt the fucking urge to rip that useless head right off his shoulders more times than I can count.

    What the hell does Sylvie even see in him?

    She keeps staring at him like he''s the damn sun.

    Like he''s special or something. He''s not. He''s a pathetic, soft-spoken piece of shit who doesn''t even deserve to breathe the same air as her.

    He should''ve been dead. Dead!

    I gave those men the chance — I paid for it. And they couldn''t even kill one goddamn loser after kidnapping him! Useless fucks.

    "Shit!"

    My forearm throbbed.

    The cut was still bleeding — fresh, hot, angry pain pulsing through it like a reminder of my failure. Of how close I was again… and how it all turned to shit.

    Today I snapped.

    Sylvie''s been ignoring me for days now. Not a glance. Not a word. Just going in and out of that fucker Professor''s workshop like he''s the only one worth her time.

    I couldn''t take it anymore.

    I couldn''t play the nice guy, the patient friend, the gentle admirer. That mask broke. Shattered. I fucking craved her — and I was done pretending.

    I planned it all. Waited. Hid under her bed like a fucking beast.

    I knew she''d let her guard down — she always does when she thinks she''s alone.

    And then, I struck.

    For a moment… just a moment, she was mine.

    She was under me. Trapped. My hands on her arms. Her eyes wide. And fuck, I was so close.

    But no — the universe had to fuck me over again.

    Because guess who walked in like some hero in a cheap play?

    Allen.

    That motherfucking commoner!

    Another piece of dirt trying to play knight. He ruined everything. Everything!

    "I can''t hide like this forever."

    I whispered to myself, crouched inside the hollow of an old, rotting tree — the same one I found back in my first year. It used to be a quiet place.

    A secret. Now, it was just a pitiful hole I was forced to crawl into like a damned rat.

    But I knew the knights were out there.

    Hunting.

    They were sweeping the academy grounds, checking every inch. Every alley. Every shadow.

    Living like this — hiding, starving, waiting — this wasn''t an option. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    I hadn''t given up on Sylvie. Never.

    All I needed was half an hour. Just thirty minutes alone with her...

    Once I had her to myself, once she truly felt my touch, she''d understand.

    She''d stop running. She''d choose me.

    She''d defend me from the rest of them.

    I could make her see. I could make her stay.

    But for now, she was never alone. They hovered around her like fucking flies, protecting her like she was some kind of fragile gem.

    ''They won''t leave her alone…'' I gritted my teeth.

    Then — ah!

    The idea hit me like a jolt of lightning.

    A diversion.

    That''s what I needed.

    A way to pull their eyes away from her for just long enough.

    And I knew exactly when to strike.

    Exactly how to make them run around like headless chickens while I slipped in — and finally got what I deserved.

    -------**-------

    [Third Person POV:]

    "Agh…" Allen groaned as he slowly opened his eyes.

    He was no longer on the hospital bed. He was standing in a white space—a familiar place.

    He has come here once, when he got his first directive.

    And today, he was brought here to be reminded of how big of a failure he was.

    [Someone of your age, someone who has fairly less experience than you—nearly killed you. I am curious to know how will you explain yourself.]

    Came the familiar feminine voice from afar but it reached him clearly.

    Allen had his head lowered, "I lost because I was weak. There is nothing more to it."

    He admitted.

    He was weak. He couldn''t react on time. Panic and concern filled his head and that made his reaction slow. And because of that, he nearly died today.

    [I told you to stick to that man. He is your path to greatness.]

    Allen gritted his teeth, "A powerful armament means nothing if I don''t have the strength to wield it. And I don''t want to survive by depending on someone else!"

    Every time this being talked to Allen, she ushered him to get closer to Adrian, even though she never told him why.

    "Forget it, I am going to do this my way."

    °°°°°°°

    A/N:- Thanks for reading.