CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 101 : SCAMMING OR GETTING SCAMMED

The atmosphere was charged with tension—or at least it felt that way to Alex, who stood still as Evelyn’s cold, emotionless voice pierced the silence again.

"You’re going to the ball with me."

Alex blinked. Once. Twice. Had he heard that right?

"...What did you just say, Senior?"

Evelyn met his eyes with the same calm, unreadable gaze as before and repeated in the exact same tone, as if confirming a fact of nature.

"You’re going to the ball with me."

That did it.

Alex snapped out of his stunned stupor, lips curving upward in a slow, almost smug grin. "Senior... I know I’m the most handsome person you’ve seen until now—no need to hide it—but asking me out on a date using the excuse of the Freshball Ball? That’s just lazy. You know that, right?"

He raised a finger with mock solemnity. "Next time, try being more honest with yourself. You can just ask me out directly. I won’t judge."

A single vein twitched at the side of Evelyn’s otherwise perfect porcelain-like face. Her calm expression didn’t change, but her aura briefly fluctuated—as if she was seriously weighing the pros and cons of murdering a junior in broad daylight.

"You only need to answer in a yes," she said flatly.

Alex blinked again. "Wait, do you mean I only need to answer in yes or no?"

"No," Evelyn replied instantly. "I said it the first time correctly. You only need to answer in yes."

"...What if I say no?"

Evelyn glanced at the holo-display on her wrist, her voice as neutral as ever. "It’s been twenty minutes since you arrived. How much does that make you?"

Alex’s entire face lit up. "That would be twenty million credits, Miss Evelyn," he replied instantly, mentally picturing the balance in his account increasing.

Evelyn’s lips curved ever so slightly into a playful smirk. "You can forget about that."

Alex’s heart dropped.

At the same time, a voice echoed in Evelyn’s mind like a victory trumpet:

| That’s my girl, Evelyn. And this... is checkmate. |

Evelyn mentally scowled.

’Don’t shout in my head, Aurora.’

Meanwhile, Alex’s face morphed from rich-man-smiling to betrayed-victim. "This... this isn’t what you promised, Senior."

Evelyn tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Do you remember exactly what I said, Junior?"

Alex narrowed his eyes. "You said you’d pay me one million credits for every minute I spent cooperating here."

"Exactly."

Alex’s eyes widened. "So you’re saying..."

Evelyn’s eyes gleamed mischievously now—barely perceptible to others, but enough to send a chill down Alex’s spine. "This," she gestured vaguely around them, "does not count as ’cooperation.’"

She crossed her arms, leaning slightly forward. "So you can take it... or leave it."

Alex stared at her.

’So that’s how she’s playing it, huh? Looks like she got me this round,’ he thought with a twitch.

He rubbed his chin.

’But... I don’t need to follow her whims.’

Then his expression changed slightly, a calculating gleam entering his eyes.

’Still, for the future I want—the empire I’m going to build—I need capital. This... this could be an opportunity. If she thinks she can use me, then I’ll just use her right back.’

A slow smirk tugged at his lips, a dark glint flashing through his eyes that made even Evelyn’s emotionless mask falter for a split second. She flinched.

"I’ll go," he said smoothly. "And forget about paying me for the time I’ve been here."

Evelyn’s brows rose slightly.

"But," Alex added, eyes gleaming, "I’ll say yes only if you offer me 50 million credits."

For the first time in her life, Evelyn’s mouth actually hung open.

’Fifty. Million. Credits.’

Her mind blanked for a moment.

That much could buy at least ten top-tier mansions on the outskirts of Avaloria. Most people would be eternally grateful just to be in the same room as her.

But this shameless bastard was charging fifty million just to show up at a ball with her—a beauty others could only dream of going with, someone for whom even the most powerful noble scions would line up.

But this guy was actually charging her for going with him.

’Unbelievable.’

She wasn’t poor by any means. As the daughter of Duke Arthur Williams, wealth wasn’t a concern. She could blow hundreds of millions and not even make a dent in her family’s fortune.

But this was different.

Since enrolling in Zenith, Evelyn had made it a point to be independent—to rely only on herself, to earn her own pocket funds through missions, contracts, and reputation.

The money she was offering now? It wasn’t daddy’s money. It was her own, earned through blood, sweat, and sheer talent.

And spending that on some smug, sarcastic, infuriatingly handsome junior?

It made her feel like the desperate one in this situation.

| Oh hoho, this guy’s cunning too, | Aurora cooed in her mind. | Another solid move from him. Now, my dear Eve... what’s your play? |

Evelyn exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing.

"Thirty."

Alex didn’t miss a beat. "Forty-five."

"Thirty-two."

"Forty."

"Thirty-five."

Alex paused... then grinned.

"Deal."

He extended his hand casually, his smirk more victorious than it had any right to be.

Evelyn stared at it for a moment, then slowly reached out and shook it, her expression unreadable.

Evelyn exhaled the deepest sigh she’d released in months.

’This is going to be more troublesome than I expected.’

In her mind, Aurora’s mischievous voice echoed,

| This is the first time I’ve seen you get scammed. Up till now, you’ve been the one scamming others blind—even your master Aldric Verlane. |

’Will you just shut up?’ Evelyn snapped internally. ’This is all because of you. And that damn Goddess of Light who shoved you into my life, saying you were "a part of her" and would "only help me."’

| Hey, you brat! Watch it. I’m a Goddess, remember? You’re also a part of me, so technically you’re insulting yourself. |

’Just. Shut. Up.’ Evelyn shouted, gritting her teeth.

Across the room, Alex had been watching her stare blankly into space for a good thirty seconds.

"...Useless, what do you think?" Alex whispered under his breath. "She’s definitely talking to someone, isn’t she?"

A mechanical chime rang in his head.

[Host, she is most likely communicating with a higher being. Possibly a system user like you. Or... both. The aura around her is not normal by any standard.]

Alex blinked. ’Are you sure?’

[We cannot be certain... but if I had to bet my intelligence, I’d say yes.]

Alex crossed his arms, glancing at Evelyn. ’Well, you’re not wrong. She’s practically giving off Final Boss energy.’

[It would be wise to go to the ball with her. You could gain valuable intel.]

Alex nodded. ’You know, Useless... sometimes, you’re not entirely useless.’

A grumble followed.

[This son of a bit—]

Alex raised a brow. "Did you say something?"

[Nothing, Host. Good luck.]

Then it muted itself.

Alex stood up, eyes locking onto Evelyn’s mesmerizing gaze.

’Maybe... going to the ball with her isn’t such a bad idea after all.’

His brief reflection was shattered as her calm, no-nonsense voice rang out.

"Pick me up at seven o’clock sharp. For every minute you’re late, I’ll deduct one million credits."

Alex’s eye twitched. ’Gorgeous, my ass. She’s stingy as hell. What kind of devilish woman deducts money by the minute?’

He mentally screamed, ’Useless, can you believe this?’

[Oh, I’ve definitely seen some much worse. A thousand times. No—a million. No—a billion times worse. That one is such a bastard, calling him a devil is not an exaggeration.]

Alex’s mouth twitched. ’Oh? Do tell. Who is it?’

[You don’t need to know.] Then it muted itself again.

’That bastard used my punchline against me... then ran away!’

Evelyn suddenly said, "Wait here."

She tossed him a golden badge. "This will allow you access to the third-year building. Now leave. I already have enough headaches."

Alex caught the badge, smoothly pocketed it, and turned toward the exit.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Miss Evelyn," he said with an infuriating smile.

"Just LEAVE, you bastard!"

Alex was already halfway out the door, chuckling as her voice echoed behind him.

After exiting, he released a long breath and mumbled, "I’ve had enough of dealing with psychos today. I just wanna go home, eat Zara’s delicious cooking, and let her comfort me."

Grumbling, he walked toward the nearest warp gate connecting to the Phoenix Spire where the first-year accommodation buildings were located.

Just as he neared the shimmering blue gate, a chilling whisper brushed against his ear.

"Found you."

His entire body stiffened.

His eyes widened in horror as realization dawned on him. ’Oh right. I was running for my life!’

He slowly turned, praying it wasn’t who he thought it was... but the universe clearly hated him.

Standing behind him was an older man, somewhere in his 50s, with grey-streaked hair and a maniacal grin stretching across his face.

’Professor Rick Colesan.’

"Oh, hell no—" Alex tried to bolt, but froze. His body wouldn’t move. Not even a twitch.

’Not this again...’

Rick laughed with delight. "Can’t move, can you, my little genius? You should be honored. This is a binding rune I created myself. It’s called Movement Seal."

Alex sighed. ’I’m so screwed.’

---

Far from the chaos of Zenith Academy, in the serene gardens of Crestvale Duchy, inside a grand manor built of white marble and flowing waterfalls, Serena von Crestvale was enjoying her morning tea after sword practice.

She tapped away on her EtherPad, scanning updates from various noble circles and checking her activity feed. A notification popped up.

When she opened it, her expression instantly brightened.

"Oh? That brat finally remembered his mother."

She clicked on it.

It showed a stunning young man with silver hair and blue eyes—gracefully kissing her daughter Alicia’s hand like a proper gentleman.

Serena blinked.

Then a devilish smile crept across her face. The kind of smile only a mother—no, a predator—could wear when discovering ammunition against her rebellious child.

"I got you now, my rebellious daughter," she whispered darkly.

Then as celebrating she said " As a reward, I think I’ll increase Alden’s allowance too,"

she said, grinning like a devil in disguise.

Her laughter echoed through the hall.

Servants nearby began praying silently for their lady Alicia.

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A/N:

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