Riya’s uncharacteristic action left everyone present completely stunned.
Who was he?
He was the famed heir of House Arced, known for his icy demeanor; the notorious iceberg of Liyue Academy, who was as stingy with his words as with his glances, never deigning even a look at those who tried to strike up conversation.
But now, he had actually taken the initiative to hand a cup of water to a seemingly ordinary disciple from Starshine Academy?
This sudden display of concern was far more shocking than any words could be.
In an instant, a multitude of curious, probing, and even slightly jealous gazes once again focused on Ize.
Sarah’s eyes widened slightly as well, then she gave a knowing and amused smile. “Oh my, I really didn’t know Ize junior had such a close relationship with Riya in private.”
Luke was even more exaggerated, mouth gaping wide as he smacked Ize on the shoulder, his voice full of disbelief. “Senior! You must have some serious connections! Lord Riya actually gave you water in person!”
Ize was suffering inside!
He was just as confused!
Sarah’s enthusiasm had already left him overwhelmed, and now with Riya’s unpredictable move, he was being shoved straight into the eye of the storm.
All he wanted to do at that moment was curse—this meal was more exhausting than facing a horde of monsters alone.
What made his scalp tingle even more was the realization that Lien’s gaze had also landed on him, carrying a subtle trace of scrutiny.
Did this protagonist even know Riya’s true gender?
Even if he didn’t, what if something developed between him and Riya in the future, and remembering today’s scene…
What if he decided to “clear out” a potential love rival like himself?
Becoming a sworn enemy of the Chosen One? He might as well find a brick and end it all now!
Just then, as if things weren’t chaotic enough, Riya picked up the kettle again and made as if to pour him more water.
How could Ize dare accept?
He practically shot up from his seat as if electrified, forcing a smile uglier than crying, and rattled off at lightning speed, “N-no need! Thank you, Lord Riya! I…I’ve had a bit too much to drink, I need to use the restroom!”
Before anyone could react, he nearly fled, making a beeline for the tavern’s back restroom.
In the empty, deserted restroom, Ize took care of his needs while frowning deeply, utterly baffled.
Where did things go wrong?
Why was Riya suddenly being so nice to him?
This didn’t fit her character at all!
Did he accidentally do something to attract her attention before?
Impossible, he’d been doing his best to avoid her…
Just as he was lost in thought, the door behind him swung open and someone walked in.
Instinctively, Ize glanced at the empty stall beside him and frowned, kindly reminding, “Hey, there’s a spot open next to me, no need to wait behind me.”
The person behind him gave no reply and didn’t move.
A chill ran down Ize’s spine—a bad premonition washed over him.
Could he have run into some kind of pervert with special interests?
He whipped his head around.
The next second, he shuddered all over, fumbling to pull up his pants, terror written all over his face, his voice cracking, “Y-you…what are you doing here?!”
Standing behind him was Riya, still wearing that frosty expression. She just raised her eyebrow slightly at his words and retorted, “Is there a problem with me coming in?”
Ize was left speechless.
Right, her public identity was male now, so entering the men’s restroom…logically, there was nothing wrong with it?
But the psychological impact was just too much!
“Uh…n-no problem.” Ize decided to back down, better less trouble than more.
All he wanted was to get away from this place, and from this dangerous person, as fast as possible.
However, as soon as he tried to slip past Riya, she seemed to have anticipated it. With a swift and precise movement, she stepped forward, stretched out her arm, and pinned him between herself and the wall—a textbook kabedon.
Looking at Riya, so close he could feel her presence, Ize was completely numb.
Kabedon… He’d actually been kabedon-ed by Riya! Was this plot development even reasonable?!
They were so close that Ize could even catch a faint, cool scent like cedar from her.
He felt utterly uncomfortable, his body instinctively trying to shrink down to widen the fatal gap between them, his voice trembling ever so slightly. “W-what are you doing?”
Riya’s eyes locked tightly on him, but instead of answering, she asked in a low voice, “Are you afraid of me?”
Afraid! Of course he was!
Getting involved with her was dangerously risky—how could he not be afraid!
Ize screamed agreement in his heart.
And in that suffocating moment, the cold system prompt rang out in his mind:
[Divine Choice System at your service. Please make a choice as soon as possible.]
[Choice 1: Righteously push Riya away and sternly declare, “Men and women are different, please respect yourself, Miss Riya!” Difficulty: S. Reward: Protagonist Value +10]
[Choice 2: While Riya is unprepared, pull her into your arms and give her a deep kiss, teasing, “What, after six years, you still can’t forget me?” Difficulty: B. Reward: Villain Value +10]
[Choice 3: Trembling with fear, stammer, “Y-you’re the Empire’s genius, heir to House Arced, I…I’m just a commoner. How could I not be afraid of you?” Difficulty: E. Reward: NPC Value +10]
Seeing the second option, Ize nearly lost his soul.
Kiss Riya? Was the system trying to force him into an early grave?!
But why was this seemingly most suicidal choice only a B in difficulty, not an S?
The thought flashed by—survival instinct immediately took over, and he made his choice without hesitation.
His face instantly filled with just the right amount of fear and humility, his voice trembling slightly as he perfectly acted out a commoner’s awe before a top aristocratic genius: “L-Lord Riya, y-you’re the Empire’s genius, heir to House Arced. I…I’m just an insignificant commoner—how could I not be afraid of you?”
At his words, Riya’s icy eyes flickered with a fleeting trace of loss, too quick to catch, but was soon hidden under a deeper layer of cold.
She was silent for a moment, then finally forced out words in a lower voice than before. “What happened six years ago…was my fault.”
Fault? Ize blinked, quickly searching his memory.
What had she done to him? Was she talking about…
“It was all for the family.” Riya seemed unaccustomed to saying such things, her speech slow. “My sister Angelica’s actions back then…were indeed too extreme. I…on behalf of House Arced, apologize to you.”
So she was referring to when Angelica locked him in the mental magic array and tortured him.
Ize hurriedly waved his hands, acting flustered and flattered. “No, no, it’s all in the past! In fact, I was lucky to have been accepted as Teacher Claire’s student because of it. Um…if you don’t have anything else, I’ll take my leave?”
He tried to slip away again,
He couldn’t stay here any longer!
For the first time, he realized how dangerous a restroom could be!
However, Riya’s arm braced against the wall didn’t move.
She bit her lip slightly, as if making up her mind. Her gaze sharpened, her voice dropped lower, taking on a tone that brooked no argument. “What’s going on with me…please, you must keep it a secret.”
She paused, then added, “Of course, I’ll compensate you accordingly.”
Only then did Ize realize why Riya had been acting so out of character.
Six years ago!
In that orc’s dungeon, not only had he mistaken her gender, but he’d recognized her by her voice!
Even though Riya’s voice was now deliberately lowered and altered, with a cool, neutral edge, to someone like Ize who came from an information-saturated era and had seen all sorts of voice disguises, the faint feminine quality was still discernible.
And Riya, clearly, was worried that this “insider” might spill her greatest secret.
In this moment, playing dumb was undoubtedly the one and only best option.
Ize’s face immediately showed just the right confusion and doubt. He blinked and replied with the utmost sincerity, “Lord Riya, I’m not sure what you mean? Other than when you saved me from the monsters six years ago, I don’t think we’ve had any other contact, have we?”
Riya frowned slightly, carefully studying Ize’s expression, as if trying to find any trace of pretense.
She wasn’t sure if the man before her truly didn’t remember, or if his acting was simply that good.
She decided to probe once more, her voice still cold but tinged with barely noticeable tension. “What do you think…of my voice?”
Here it was! The key test!
Ize’s mind raced, and he immediately wore a look of pure, unadulterated admiration, exaggerating his praise: “Your voice is full of magnetism, that cold feeling is so unique—it’s unforgettable as soon as you hear it! If I were a girl, I’d definitely fall for someone with a voice like yours!”
His seemingly sincere, but actually deliberate “misunderstanding” threw Riya into confusion again.
Could he really not have noticed?
Or, under her sister’s mental magic, did his memory of that time become muddled?
Both harbored their own thoughts, and for a moment, the conversation fell silent. They were so absorbed that neither noticed the faint noises outside the door.
Until a loud “bang” of a stall door slamming jolted them back to their senses.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ize just caught a flash of familiar red hair slipping through the crack in the door.
It was Luke!
Ize’s heart skipped a beat—he didn’t have time to think. He hurriedly said to Riya, “Uh…Lord Riya, I think that was my junior looking for me. I’ll be going now!”
With that, he slipped away like a slippery eel, taking advantage of Riya’s momentary distraction to dart under her arm and out of the restroom, leaving nothing but a blur behind.
Riya watched his hasty retreat, making no move to give chase.
She stood there, frowning, replaying the entire process from Ize’s initial shock to his later feigned ignorance, a complicated look flickering in her eyes.
“He definitely still remembers…” she murmured softly, her voice carrying a barely discernible certainty and…resignation.
At the same time, Luke, who’d rushed back to his seat, looked completely shell-shocked, as if he’d just witnessed something that shattered his worldview.
He’d only gone to use the restroom—how had he stumbled upon a scene like that?
Ize-senpai and Lord Riya…were that close in the restroom!
And Ize-senpai had even said something like, “I’d definitely fall for you” to Lord Riya?!
Between the two of them…could there really be some sort of hidden relationship?!
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