Celeste held Aiden tightly, as if trying to merge her very being into his.
She greedily absorbed the reassuring warmth and strength radiating from him.
She felt that as long as she stayed in Aiden’s embrace, she could become incredibly brave—
as if even the deepest, most haunting nightmares within her heart could be faced head-on, or even shattered.
Aiden clearly sensed the subtle changes in the girl’s body in his arms.
Her tense trembling gradually subsided, and her rapid breaths slowed into a steady rhythm.
Knowing she had calmed down from her extreme panic, he gently patted her back and softly pulled away a little.
Celeste wiped the tears still clinging to her cheeks with the back of her hand, a bit embarrassed.
With her emotions stabilized, her rational mind began to return, quickly replaying the entire incident in her head.
“I still don’t understand… What exactly happened? Why would someone deliberately create an illusion of Olivia, just to push me to suicide?”
The girl frowned, confusion etched all over her face.
What puzzled her most was this:
“If the ‘Olivia’ from earlier was fake—just an illusion—then why did she know so much… about secrets and past events that only the real Olivia and I knew?”
Aiden narrowed his eyes, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the edge of the bed as he fell into deep thought.
“Maybe… the other side used a kind of magic we don’t yet fully understand—something even more sinister. This magic might not only create realistic illusions but could also, to some extent, interfere with or alter your perception, making you involuntarily ‘believe that everything she said was true and credible,’ causing you to overlook the illogical parts…”
Wait a moment.
Aiden’s voice suddenly cut off, his pupils constricted sharply.
A clear clue instantly connected in his mind—he had already roughly guessed the identity of the mastermind behind all this.
“Aiden? Did you figure something out?”
Celeste saw the sudden realization dawn on Aiden’s face and quickly asked.
“Yeah, I think I know who’s behind all this. Although I can’t pinpoint exactly who it is yet, I’m certain it’s got to be connected to the Rufus Family.”
Aiden nodded, his expression growing serious.
“The Rufus… Family?”
Celeste blinked in surprise.
“That’s right.”
Aiden affirmed and began to explain in detail.
“Do you remember that video Rufus used to frame you—fabricating your ‘darkening’—it was enchanted with advanced Illusion Magic. That kind of magic can distort the viewer’s perception, making them overlook the flaws in the footage and believe the content wholeheartedly.”
He paused briefly, then pointed to the spot where the ‘Olivia’ illusion had just vanished.
“And the ‘Olivia’ apparition from earlier, the way it twisted perception and manipulated the mind—it’s basically the same kind of Illusion Magic used in Rufus’s video, isn’t it?”
After Aiden’s clear reminder, Celeste quickly connected the two incidents.
She noticed many similarities, from the strange magical effects to the malicious intent behind them.
“My guess is, Rufus’s family definitely won’t let his death go unanswered. But because they’re at fault themselves, plus pressure from the academy and the Black God senior’s maneuvers, they can’t openly come after us. However, with the way such noble families operate, there’s no way they’d just swallow this loss quietly.”
Aiden squinted his eyes and continued his deduction.
“So they probably examined the marks on Rufus’s body or used other unknown means to determine that you, Celeste, were the one who ultimately killed him. That’s why they chose this covert way to take revenge on you.”
Listening to Aiden’s reasoning, a chill ran up Celeste’s spine, filling her with dread.
But soon, a doubt arose in her mind, and her delicate brows furrowed deeply.
“If their goal was simply revenge… there were so many chances to just kill me outright. So why go to all this trouble, forging an illusion of Olivia? Isn’t that just overcomplicating things?”
“Celeste, the malice of human hearts—especially from a family with a grudge as deep as theirs—is often beyond the realm of normal logic.”
Aiden stroked his chin, his gaze deepening.
“Maybe for them, simply killing you isn’t enough to quell their fury. What they really want is to torment you until you break mentally—make you end yourself in unbearable fear, guilt, and despair… that kind of revenge is what truly satisfies their twisted psyche.”
Celeste fell silent for a moment, bowing her head so no one could see her expression.
“What’s wrong?”
Aiden noticed the change and asked with concern.
Suddenly, Celeste lifted her head, her sapphire eyes no longer wavering or fearful.
Instead, a burning determination blazed within them.
She clenched her fists tightly, her voice brimming with suppressed anger.
“I won’t forgive them… I absolutely won’t forgive them! How dare they sully the memory of Olivia, who’s already gone, for such filthy reasons? No matter who they are or what power they have, I will never let them succeed.”
“Impressive spirit.”
Aiden smiled at Celeste’s fighting spirit.
“T-That’s because you’re here with me…”
Celeste blinked at his words, cheeks flushing slightly as she mumbled shyly.
Actually, after her anger subsided and calm returned, deep inside she still felt a trace of confusion and helplessness about how to deal with a powerful family hidden in the shadows.
“This time, since their plan failed, they definitely won’t stop. They’re probably preparing a bigger and more violent offensive. In the coming days, no matter what you do, you must be extremely cautious and stay alert.”
Aiden noticed Celeste’s hidden unease and, after a moment of thought, began analyzing.
“I understand.”
Celeste nodded firmly, responding solemnly, though her eyes betrayed her unwillingness.
“But… just waiting passively for their next move, constantly guarding against attacks that could come at any moment… it really makes me feel powerless.”
“They’re hidden in the shadows, while we’re out in the open. It’s indeed hard to take the initiative.”
Aiden fell into a brief contemplation. After thinking it over, he offered a suggestion.
“If that’s the case, maybe we could try asking the Black God senior for help? As the Wind Committee Chairwoman, she wields considerable power and resources within the academy. Perhaps she can find a way to handle this situation.”
Besides, if you stay inside the academy, your safety would be much better.
No matter how reckless they are, they wouldn’t dare make a move against a student here—especially a member of the ‘Stellar’ group.”
The moment Celeste heard the name Black God Akane, she shook her head sharply almost reflexively, her face showing clear resistance.
“I don’t want to!”