"Alright. First things first—let's take attendance."
Aria picked up a slim tablet from the podium, her fingers moving effortlessly as her gaze skimmed over the screen.
"Rank 1, Alen Voss."
"..."
No response.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Rank 1, Alen Voss."
Silence blanketed the classroom.
Not even the faint sound of breathing could be heard.
Students exchanged glances, some craning their necks to look around, but one by one they shook their heads. No one answered.
Aria glanced down at the tablet again, her brows knitting together. Just as she was about to mark the name absent—
Creaaak.
The classroom door slowly opened.
Every head turned at once.
A lone figure stepped inside, and in that instant, the atmosphere subtly shifted.
Short black hair.Deep crimson eyes that seemed to glow faintly under the classroom lights.A sharp, masculine jawline and a well-built body that spoke of discipline and relentless training.
His presence was like that of a freshly forged sword—still warm from the furnace, its edge keen and dangerous, as if it could cut down anything foolish enough to stand in its way.
Even without saying a word, he commanded attention.
His appearance rivaled Leon's—who was already regarded as one of the most handsome individuals in the academy—and unsurprisingly, the girls in the classroom were instantly drawn to him. Whispers broke out, eyes widened, and a few faces flushed red without them even realizing it.
"Pardon my tardiness," the young man said calmly."I encountered a slight… inconvenience on my way here, which delayed me."
He gave a brief, respectful bow.
Yet throughout the gesture, his gaze never once left Aria's eyes.
That alone made several students tense.
Aria paused.
For the first time since entering the classroom, her expression shifted—just slightly. Surprise flickered in her violet eyes.
She practiced a powerful four-star seductive enchantment, an art that unconsciously affected nearly every man who laid eyes on her.
And yet—
This boy stood before her completely unaffected.
No flushed face.No wandering gaze.No subtle changes in breathing.
Nothing.
"…Interesting."
A faint smile curved her lips as she nodded.
"Very well. Find a seat and take your place."
"Thank you."
He straightened and began walking into the classroom.
Huu…
I let out a slow breath.
That's the protagonist for you.
Alen Voss.
Rank 1.
The undisputed top student.
And—
My brother.
The true heir of the Arion Family.
Technically speaking, he was my big brother—born exactly one hour before me, a fact he never let me forget.
I released a quiet, bitter sigh and leaned back in my seat, waiting for the next name to be called.
That was when—
I noticed Alen's footsteps slowing.
My heart skipped a beat.
No way…
Just then, his gaze shifted—and locked directly onto me.
Before I could even react, he adjusted his direction.
Straight toward my seat.
I couldn't help it.
All kinds of thoughts flooded my mind at once.
Does he know?Does he know I'm the fake heir?Or worse… does he know something about me that he shouldn't?
My heartbeat quickened.
No—this can't be true.
In the original story, Alen only learned that he was the true heir of the ducal House six months later. Everything—everything—was supposed to follow that sequence. There was no reason for him to be suspicious now.
Then why—
Why is he walking straight toward me?
Each step he took felt unbearably heavy, as if he were closing the distance not just physically, but exposing every secret I was desperately trying to bury. My palms grew damp, and I forced myself to keep my expression neutral, even as my mind spiraled into worst-case scenarios.
If he knew the truth already…If he had figured out that I didn't belong here…
I swallowed.
Just as my thoughts were on the verge of running completely out of control—
He stopped.
Then, without a word, Alen turned slightly and took the empty seat right beside mine.
…Huh?
It was as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice-cold water over my head.
All the frantic thoughts instantly froze.
He didn't look at me.Didn't say anything.Didn't even acknowledge my existence.
He simply sat down, leaned back in his chair, and faced forward as if this had been his intended seat all along.
For a moment, I just stared at him from the corner of my eye, unsure whether to feel relieved—or even more uneasy.
So… he doesn't know?
Or perhaps—
He knows everything… and just hasn't said it yet.
Either possibility sent a chill down my spine.
I slowly exhaled, forcing myself to calm down.
Whatever the case, one thing was certain.
My peaceful "mob life" had just taken a decisive step toward ruin.
And I had a feeling—
This was only the beginning.
As I had feared, he turned toward me and spoke.
"My name is Alen Voss."
His voice was calm and steady, completely devoid of emotion.
For a split second, my mind went blank.
So it begins…
Swallowing my unease, I forced myself to respond. Turning slightly toward him, I hesitated before answering.
"…I'm—"
My throat felt strangely dry.
"I'm Kael Arion."
The moment the words left my mouth, I couldn't help but tense up, carefully watching his reaction from the corner of my eye.
But Alen merely nodded, as if committing my name to memory, before turning his gaze back to the front of the classroom.
No suspicion.No hostility.No reaction at all.
And yet…
For some reason, that calm indifference unsettled me more than open hostility ever could.
I leaned back into my seat, letting out a quiet breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
Get a grip, I told myself.
He was the protagonist.
And I was just an extra who needed to survive.
Aria continued calling the names of the student.
Rank 2 Lilith Hall
"Present"
''Rank 3 Lean Crimson''
"Present"
"Rank 5 Han yufei''
"Present"
''Rank 8 Freya"
"Present"
"Rank Harry Mock''
"Present"
"Rank 15 Aliza ''
"Present"
She was totally reading in descending order, wasn't she
As she read the names on the list, I couldn't help but notice the rank getting smaller each
time a new name was called.
I should've realized before. Letting out a sigh, I slumped on the table and quietly waited for
her to finish reading out the names.
"Rank 886,Ava Mass"
'' Present"
"Rank 1893 Kael Arion''
Hearing my name I enthusiastically raised my hand and said.
'' Present ''
It just so happens that I was the last person she called,
suggesting that I was the weakest person in the class.
A sudden idea flashed through my mind.
I'll just change my seat after class.
It was simple. Elegant. Effective. Distance myself from the protagonist and avoid unnecessary complications. If I sat far enough away, maybe the plot would forget I even existed.
Satisfied with my brilliance, I relaxed slightly—
Only for a bucket of ice-cold reality to be dumped over my head.
"As a rule," Aria spoke calmly from the podium, her violet eyes sweeping across the classroom, "no one will be allowed to change seats in the future."
My body stiffened.
"Your current seating arrangement," she continued, "will remain fixed for the duration of your time in this class. Make sure you remember where you are sitting now."
…
I froze.
You've got to be kidding me.
Slowly, almost mechanically, I glanced to my side.
Alen Voss sat right there, his posture straight, his expression unreadable.
Of all the places I could have ended up—
This had to be the worst possible one.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling, silently mourning my shattered escape plan.
So much for running away.
The plot had already tightened its grip.