Mei Lin slipped back into the girls' dormitory wing like a shadow, her crimson-streaked hair still slightly messy from the night breeze. The encounter with Luo in the library had left her both irritated and strangely excited. *Another reincarnator… This could be useful.*
She quietly opened the door to her assigned room, expecting silence.
Instead, she froze.
Princess Elara von Rivenhart the kingdom's beloved third princess was sitting elegantly on Mei's bed, legs crossed, wearing a luxurious night robe embroidered with golden dragons. Two royal guards stood outside the door like statues.
"Miss Mei Lin," the princess said with a bright, dangerous smile. "You kept me waiting."
Mei closed the door behind her, her expression cold and unimpressed. "Your Highness. Breaking into my room at this hour? Even for a princess, that's quite bold."
Elara laughed softly, tilting her head. "Bold? This is nothing. What I'm about to propose is far bolder."
Mei raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "If this is about becoming your servant or joining some royal faction, I'm not"
"Marry me."
The words hung in the air like a misfired spell.
Mei blinked. "…Excuse me?"
The princess stood up gracefully and stepped closer, her eyes sparkling with mischief and calculation. "Not a real marriage, of course. A fake engagement. You need protection and connections to restore the Lin family. I need a strong, clever partner who isn't afraid to challenge the old nobles. We'd be the perfect team. What do you say?"
Mei stared at her for three full seconds before letting out a short, icy laugh. "Are you serious? I didn't reincarnate into this world just to become a political tool for a spoiled princess."
Elara gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. "Spoiled? How rude! I thought you'd at least consider it. I even brought a ring"
Before she could pull out anything, the window suddenly creaked open.
Luo Chaos climbed in casually, brushing dust off his uniform as if breaking into the girls' dormitory was completely normal. He looked at the scene, then at Mei, and smirked.
"Well, well. I followed you to make sure you weren't ambushed, and I walk into a marriage proposal? That was fast, even for two people from the modern world."
Mei pinched the bridge of her nose. "Luo. Not helping."
The princess's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed with interest. "Oh? Another interesting one. And what's this about the 'modern world'?"
Before anyone could answer, loud banging came from the door.
"Open up! We know the Lin girl is seducing the princess in there!"
Cedric Harrington's voice echoed angrily. The door burst open (clearly the guards had been bribed or threatened), and Cedric stormed in with four other high nobles, all wearing furious expressions.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Cedric roared, pointing at Mei. "Using your body to climb the social ladder by seducing Her Highness on the second night? How shameless can the fallen Lin family get?!"
Mei's red eyes glowed dangerously. A cold, mocking smile spread across her lips.
"Seducing?" She stepped forward, her voice dripping with venom. "If I wanted to seduce someone, Harrington, I'd choose someone with actual talent instead of a loud-mouthed lapdog who only knows how to bark behind his father's back."
The room went dead silent for a second.
Then Luo chuckled from the side. "She's not wrong."
Cedric's face turned purple with rage. "You! I challenge you to a duel right now!"
Princess Elara clapped her hands together excitedly. "Wonderful! Drama already. This is why I like you, Mei."
Mei sighed, rubbing her temples. "One night of peace. That's all I wanted."
Suddenly, the princess leaned in close to Mei's ear and whispered loud enough for Luo to hear, "Think about my proposal. We could make it real if you want~"
Luo's eye twitched. "Excuse me. She's already got enough complications."
Mei shot both of them a death glare. "Both of you, shut up."
Outside the room, more students were gathering, whispering wildly about the "Lin girl stealing the princess" and "Chaos boy breaking into the girls' dormitory."
Mei felt a headache coming. But deep down, a small, ruthless smile formed.
*Good. Let the rumors spread. The more attention, the faster I can use it to rebuild the Lin family.*
As Cedric prepared to attack, Princess Elara raised her hand, stopping everyone with royal authority.
"Enough for tonight. But tomorrow's Pillars Tournament selection will be interesting." She winked at Mei. "Don't forget my offer, future fiancée."
With that, she swept out dramatically, leaving chaos in her wake.
Luo looked at Mei with an amused but slightly jealous expression. "So… fake engagement?"
Mei glared at him. "Not another word, Chaos."
Yet as she closed the door, she couldn't deny it , the academy had just become far more entertaining.