Chapter 36: Now This is a “Normal” Female Lead

The early morning of the third day.

On a tree-lined path next to the High-level Practice Field of the Imperial Royal Magic Academy.

Ian, wearing the Phantom Star Mask, waited patiently.

He was waiting for Otillia.

Based on his understanding of Otillia, she should be arriving at the academy around this time today now that her memories were sealed and she had recovered.

Sure enough, it didn’t take long for a familiar figure to appear at the end of the path.

Otillia Filimon.

She had dazzling blonde hair that reached her waist, flowing with a honey-like luster under the morning light, loosely tied behind her head with a blue ribbon.

Her ice-blue eyes were clear and beautiful, set into exquisite and defined features.

Her skin was so fair it was almost transparent, carrying a natural cold and noble temperament like ice and snow.

She wore a well-tailored ice-blue academy mage robe with silver snowflake patterns embroidered along the edges.

Her posture was upright, and her steps were light and steady, as if every pace was a measured display of elegance and distance.

A faint, comfortable chill lingered around her—the natural manifestation of pure Ice Magic.

This was Otillia Filimon, famous for her talent in Ice Magic and the bloodline of House Philemons.

Although she had been somewhat “quiet” due to illness in her early years, she had gradually recovered recently, once again becoming a high-profile existence in the academy.

The moment Ian saw her, the heavy stone in his heart finally hit the ground.

‘What do you know, my sealing technique is still perfect!’

Otillia had indeed recovered well, appearing even more composed and steady than she had right after the Task Correction was completed.

That ice princess aura felt entirely natural.

Ian stepped forward, speaking in Kevin’s steady, expressionless voice.

“Miss Otillia Filimon, good day. Pardon the intrusion, I am Kevin Caerslana of the Tower of Stars.”

Otillia stopped in her tracks.

Her ice-blue eyes turned toward him, her gaze falling upon the Phantom Star Mask covering his face.

Her expression was calm and aloof, as if she were merely looking at a stranger she was meeting for the first time, maintaining the polite detachment expected of a noble lady.

However, beneath this seemingly calm gaze, only Otillia herself knew that her heart had nearly skipped a beat at that moment.

‘It’s you, my dear Ian!’

That mask might be able to distort an ordinary person’s perception, but for Otillia, who had his unique scent branded into the depths of her soul long ago, it made no difference whether he wore a mask or not.

Deep within Otillia’s ice-blue eyes, a flicker of playfulness flashed, but her surface remained unruffled.

She nodded slightly, returning a standard noble greeting.

“Excellency Caerslana, good day. To what do I owe the honor of your visit?”

Her voice was cold and pleasant, like the clinking of ice crystals, aloof and unapproachable.

Otillia’s performance greatly reassured Ian.

It seemed the memory seal had indeed taken effect; she didn’t remember him at all.

‘Exactly! This is the female lead I wanted to see!’

Following his plan, Ian got straight to the point.

“I am currently responsible for guiding His Highness Arthur Reinhardt.

I intend to form a small Specialized Training Exchange Group aimed at promoting competition between different magic schools and improving teamwork capabilities.

I have heard that Miss Filimon’s achievements in Ice Magic are extraordinary.

I wonder if you would be interested in joining?”

Otillia listened quietly, her ice-blue eyes fixed on the area behind the mask where Ian’s eyes were.

Her fair, jade-like hands were clenched tightly inside her sleeves, fearing that a single lapse in control would cause her to throw herself into that man’s arms and greedily soak up his scent.

‘I can’t do it yet. For the sake of the future, I must endure! Endure! Endure! Endure!…’

Otillia constantly warned herself in her heart to hold back.

Her Ian was currently playing a game she couldn’t yet fully see.

But it didn’t matter.

As long as Ian was there, it didn’t matter what they played.

Furthermore, he had taken the initiative to invite her.

This meant that in the coming days, she could stay by his side more “reasonably.”

She could observe his life, understand his plans, discover his weaknesses, and finally… capture him.

Therefore, she couldn’t expose him yet.

She had to endure!

“A Specialized Training Exchange Group? With His Highness Arthur?”

Otillia tilted her head slightly as if in thought, her blonde hair sliding over her shoulder with the movement.

Her tone remained calm, but it carried a tiny tremor, as if she were desperately suppressing something.

“That sounds… like a fine suggestion.”

She paused, her ice-blue eyes looking directly at Ian.

Ian saw only pride and coldness in her gaze.

“Very well. As you say, Excellency Kevin Caerslana, I will join.”

Her answer was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Ian was overjoyed.

It was a success!

The final piece of the protagonist group’s puzzle was in his hands!

“I am very grateful for your joining, Miss Filimon.

I believe this group will be even more outstanding with your participation.

I will finalize the specific training times and arrangements and notify you and His Highness Arthur as soon as possible.”

“I look forward to your arrangements, Excellency. If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave.”

Otillia nodded slightly, her etiquette impeccable.

She took one last look at Ian, then turned and walked away composedly, her blonde hair tracing a dazzling arc in the morning light.

Ian watched her receding back and breathed a long sigh of relief.

The plan was progressing smoothly!

The three-person protagonist team was finally assembled.

Next, he just had to guide their interactions and coordination, letting the powerful momentum of the plot take over naturally.

Then, he could gradually fade out and retire in glory.

From then on, he would stay away from the vortex of the plot, claim the System rewards, enjoy his life in another world, and reach the pinnacle of existence!

Fantasizing about a beautiful future, Ian turned around in high spirits to prepare for the next plot advancement.

He was completely unaware that behind him, after walking only a few steps, Otillia had slumped down behind a large tree.

In her ice-blue eyes, the coldness had faded, replaced by two burning, pink hearts.

She lightly licked her rosy lips, where a wonderful sensation seemed to linger.

A pair of slender, jade-like hands cupped her flushed cheeks as her heavy breaths turned into white mist in the air.

“My dear Ian… I almost couldn’t hold back…”

She whispered in a voice only she could hear, the corners of her lips curling into a smile of absolute possessiveness.

“This time, I will watch you closely… until you have nowhere left to run.”

Sunlight spilled across the academy path, and the shadows of the trees swayed.

Slumped on the ground, Otillia imagined a future where a certain someone was obedient to her every word and had eyes only for her.

She couldn’t help but hug herself tightly, her body trembling.

***