Afternoon training ground.
During the break, Aiden and Celesse chose a relatively secluded corner to sit down.
The surrounding classmates naturally kept their distance, staying far away and occasionally casting strange glances their way.
“Why does the academy even allow witches to attend classes normally?”
A girl lowered her voice to her companion, her eyes occasionally flicking toward Celesse.
“Maybe the teachers just don’t know yet.”
Her companion replied.
“Should we tell the teachers about this?”
“You go report it.”
“I wouldn’t dare. I’m afraid the witch would retaliate.”
The murmurs between classmates rose and fell, as if this had become their favorite topic during free time.
These fragmented words drifted into Celesse’s ears from time to time, making her expression somewhat complicated.
Though she tried her best not to care about these rumors, hearing such conversations inevitably caused her to overthink.
Celesse’s gaze dropped to her shoe tips.
Despite her effort to maintain a calm exterior, the slight tightening of her lips betrayed her inner unease.
“Here.”
Aiden noticed her mood shift and gently tapped her arm, handing her a bottle of water.
“Thank you.”
Celesse took the bottle, forcing a faint smile.
She could feel those stares piercing her back like needles, making her restless.
Even if she didn’t deliberately listen, the discussions about the “witch” surged like a tide, making it hard for her to completely relax.
“Aiden…”
Celesse suddenly turned her head, her ice-blue eyes fixed on him.
Her voice was soft, with a faint tremor barely noticeable.
“What if… what if I really am a witch?”
“Why ask that all of a sudden? You’re not a witch.”
Aiden paused, confusion showing on his face.
“I’ve had trouble controlling my Magic Power since I was little… especially when I’m provoked…”
Celesse hesitated but finally decided to say it.
Her voice grew quieter and quieter.
“When people blame and surround me, my Magic Power tends to run wild. That’s not much different from being a witch, is it?”
“It’s not your fault.”
Aiden shook his head firmly.
“If it were me, what would you do?”
Celesse looked up, her eyes full of expectation.
She had always admired Aiden’s personality and way of handling things and wanted to know how he would deal with this kind of situation.
“I wouldn’t blame myself, nor carry any Psychological Burden.”
Aiden shrugged nonchalantly.
“The ones at fault are those people. Why should I take the blame? When you can’t endure anymore, there’s no need to hold back—just explode.”
“You really are like Aiden.”
Celesse couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
Genuine warmth finally appeared in her ice-blue eyes.
“Instead of doubting yourself now, think about what to do next. The culprit has already stepped out. This rumor is definitely orchestrated by Rufus.”
Aiden leaned forward slightly, his expression turning serious.
His gaze swept over the classmates still whispering in the distance, continuing.
“The motive is simple—he wants to use public opinion pressure to push you into a corner, then pretend to save you, capturing your heart that way.”
“Does that kind of approach… really win a girl’s heart?”
Celesse chuckled softly, her tone tinged with irony, a flash of disdain in her eyes.
“Now that you’re an outsider, it’s clear. The Hero Saves Beauty trope might be cliché, but if it’s passed down, it means it works.”
Aiden leaned lightly against the wall of the training ground.
“When you were isolated before, did you ever fantasize about someone coming to save you?”
“I did, indeed…”
Celesse hugged her knees, resting her chin on them.
She was silent for a moment, her ice-blue hair cascading along both sides of her face, her voice so soft it sounded like a murmur.
(But I gave up quickly.)
Celesse didn’t say this out loud.
After repeated disappointments, she no longer hoped anyone would come to her rescue.
“If a boy came to save you now, you’d definitely develop feelings for him, right? Then it’s only a matter of time before your heart secretly belongs to him.”
Aiden spread his hands, as if it was simple logic.
He was used to this kind of situation.
In his old world, some people even resorted to kidnapping or intercepting the girls they liked, then playing the hero later.
He could only say,
“In a big forest, all kinds of birds exist.”
Respecting biodiversity, indeed.
“That actually makes sense…”
Celesse nodded and secretly glanced at Aiden’s profile.
She thought to herself that he seemed to be talking about himself, though the person in question didn’t seem to realize it.
At that moment, Celesse suddenly noticed how handsome Aiden’s side profile was—defined features, increasingly attractive the longer she looked.
Her cheeks involuntarily flushed red, and she hurriedly buried her face lower.
Could it be that she really had developed feelings for Aiden?
“But we don’t have proof that Rufus spread the rumor, so it’s unwise to act first. He’s the one in a hurry; we just need to take it step by step and wait for his next move.”
Aiden seemed unaware of Celesse’s unusual reaction and continued analyzing the situation.
“The more you do, the more mistakes you make. One lie requires more lies to cover it up. He’s bound to slip up. That will be our chance to counterattack.”
“I wonder what kind of schemes that guy is up to now.”
Celesse took a deep breath, straightened her chaotic thoughts, and a flicker of worry flashed in her eyes.
“It’s simple. This rumor didn’t bring you down or affect you much. He’ll think it’s not strong enough, so he’ll intensify his attacks.”
Aiden shrugged indifferently, hands behind his head.
Then he turned to look at Celesse.
“So, you need to prepare yourself psychologically.”
“I’m not afraid.”
Celesse nodded resolutely, her ice-blue hair swaying gently with the motion.
Afterward, Celesse got up and headed to the restroom, leaving Aiden alone in place.
Aiden reclined leisurely on the grass, hands behind his head, staring up at the blue sky.
White clouds drifted slowly as his gaze grew somewhat vacant.
These little squabbles among students were nothing new to him—he had seen countless similar scenarios in various works from his previous life.
Villains repeated the same tricks endlessly, failing to spark his interest.
[Master is amazing. Celesse’s favorability is steadily increasing~ I believe it won’t be long before she’s conquered.]
Ruby fluttered her transparent wings happily above Aiden.
“Let’s hope so.”
Aiden felt things wouldn’t go that smoothly.
Besides, Celesse’s descent into darkness had several stages; Rufus was only the first.
“Beep! Beep! Beep!”
But just at this relaxing moment, the system suddenly emitted a prompt sound—signaling the appearance of a new task.
Aiden sat up reflexively, and on the virtual interface, a line of text slowly appeared:
[Celesse is in crisis! Task requirement: Help her resolve the crisis. Task reward: 1000 points.]
Aiden froze for a moment, then immediately realized what was happening.
Celesse was in danger!