The final bell rang, and the classroom erupted into the familiar chaos of teenage freedom.
Chairs scraped back. Books slammed shut. Students surged toward the door like it was the finish line of a footrace.
Lilia Hearthwell moved slower than the rest.
Her hand lingered on the desk as she gathered her things, her mind still reeling from everything she'd been through.
The villain's death-glares.The beautiful but slightly terrifying teacher who had the aura of a retired sword saint.And, most confusing of all — that stupid fluttery feeling she didn't recognize.
She tugged the strap of her bag onto her shoulder and glanced toward the door, hoping to make a quiet escape before someone remembered she existed.
No such luck.
The classroom door swung open, and silence fell like a dropped curtain.
Prince Alric entered with his usual slow, confident stride — cape fluttering behind him like it had its own dramatic flair setting.
Flanking him were his two closest companions:
Rein, tall and silver-haired, with a resting scowl that probably made small children cry.
Theo, golden-eyed, all smiles and mischief, like he was one wink away from charming your grandmother out of her life savings.
They swept into the classroom like a royal tour, and girls around the room immediately started whispering and giggling like someone had just sprinkled glitter into the air.
Lilia felt her pulse spike.
Please don't come over here.Please be here to charm someone else.Please let me be invisible.
"Hey," a smooth voice said — right in front of her.
Lilia looked up.
Prince Alric was standing beside her desk.
"Miss Hearthwell," he said, voice low and composed, but loud enough for the whole room to hear. "I wanted to check on you after your fall this morning. Are you alright?"
Lilia blinked, stunned.
He… remembered?
The girls nearby were now practically leaning out of their chairs. A few mouths hung open. Someone audibly gasped.
She scrambled for words. Her mouth opened. Closed. She tried to look casual, like her internal organs weren't trying to escape her body.
Then, suddenly, a translucent window popped into her vision.
=======================
[System Notification: Affection Point Opportunity Detected]
[You interacted with Prince Alric. Choose your response:]
[(1.)"Play it cool — respond casually."]
[(2.)"Flirt awkwardly."]
[(3.)"Feign injury for sympathy." Choose wisely.]
=======================
Lilia stared at the options, jaw practically hitting the floor.
Are you serious?
I'm a guy trapped in a girl's body, and now the system wants me to flirt with the prince?
Her inner voice yelled, Hell no.
Still, the words slipped out before she could stop them:
Play it cool. I'm fine. Just fine.
"Uh… yeah," she managed, giving him a weak smile. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking."
A small ping confirmed the choice.
Affection Points +1 (Prince Alric)
Lilia grimaced.
Why am I accidentally good at this? she muttered under her breath.
His smile softened into something gentle. "Good. I was worried."
Worried?
Was this part of the route? He was looking at her like she'd actually mattered in his day.
Rein, standing behind him with his arms crossed, muttered, "Told you she'd be fine."
Theo grinned and leaned over Alric's shoulder, stage-whispering, "Bet you five silver she trips again before the week's over."
Lilia flushed. "Hey!"
Prince Alric chuckled — the actual prince chuckled — and glanced over his shoulder at them. "Be nice."
Then, to Lilia, "If you ever need anything, I'm usually in the garden during breaks. Or the west library wing. Just ask for me."
He offered a slight bow of the head — just enough to make half the room swoon — and turned to rejoin his friends, who were already smirking like they knew something she didn't.
They walked off toward the hall, capes and laughter trailing behind them like a royal sitcom.
Lilia sank into her seat.
Mari leaned over, a wicked grin on her face. "Looks like someone caught the prince's attention."
Lilia groaned. "I did not. He was just being polite."
Mari wiggled her eyebrows. "Polite? That boy had Concerned Love Interest energy. He even offered his location."
Great. Just great.
The classroom thinned out as students continued to leave, and the chatter slowly faded into echoes.
Lilia pulled out her phone and stared at the blank screen, pretending to scroll while trying to process whatever the hell just happened.
Eveline.
The villain of the story—her eyes sharp and icy—locked onto Lilia with a glare so intense it felt like it could freeze time.
Lilia shivered involuntarily, a knot tightening in her stomach.
Great, she thought. Like the prince's attention wasn't enough, now the ice queen's giving me death stares.
She tried to meet Eveline's gaze with as much calm as she could muster, but inside she was screaming, Please don't start trouble. Not today.
Mari leaned in again, whispering, "Don't mind her. She's probably mad you're getting close to the prince."
Lilia nodded silently, heart pounding in warning.
The classroom slowly emptied, leaving Lilia alone with the weight of those piercing eyes and the lingering question.
How exactly am I supposed to survive this game again?
Lilia bit her lip, still feeling Eveline's icy stare burning into her back.
Mari nudged her with a teasing grin. "Hey, you're practically glowing. What's going on? You've got that 'I just caught the prince's attention' look."
Lilia rolled her eyes, trying to sound casual. "It's nothing. Just a weird day."
Mari smirked. "Weird or not, you're definitely standing out. Don't tell me you're already the center of attention."
Lilia forced a small smile, shaking her head. "Trust me, it's not like that."
Mari laughed softly. "Sure, sure. You're gonna make him fall for you without even trying, huh?"
Lilia groaned quietly. If only you knew… she thought. She kept her mouth shut, not ready to explain the whole system nonsense.
"Well," Mari said with a wink, "if you trip again, just make sure it's as graceful as today."
Lilia shot her a look but couldn't help smirking. "Yeah, I'll add 'professional tripper' to my résumé."
Mari chuckled, and the tension eased a bit.
Lilia glanced toward the door where Eveline still lingered, eyes sharp as ever.
Just another day in this crazy game, she thought, letting out a slow breath