Academy rival or love rival

"Dorion, What the hell are you doing with this person?"

Ren also wants to know what he is doing here. He glanced at the large hand still firmly grasping his wrist, feeling a twinge of envy.

Why were his wrists so thin and his hands so small?

Hmph! Weak body! He muttered to himself in frustration

The system listened to its host's complaint as his eyes were still glued to Terim's hand. If the system couldn't hear Ren's monologue, it might have thought that Ren was furious at Terim's touch with the amount of intensity he was staring at.

Terim didn't receive any response, which seemed to agitate him for some reason.

"Listen, I'm telling you this for your own good. Don't get involved with him. Don't fall for Win, alright?"

Ren, "..." I don't! Don't talk nonsense! Little God, Terim doesn't like Win, right?

The system, "..."

Before Ren could reply to any of Terim's words, he heard Win Xander's calm voice.

"He didn't come with me."

Ren nodded in agreement. This will clear whatever misunderstanding was brewing in this room. Ren was determined not to let his academic rivalry with Terim escalate into a romantic rivalry as well.

Ignoring the two classmates, Win took the lead in entering the cabin Terim had been preparing earlier.

Sensing the grip on his wrist loosening, Ren cautiously shifted his hand. Setting aside other things, Terim's hold sure is strong. Ren couldn't shake it off at all.

The system timely chimed in, 'It's not like you can shake anyone in the first place. Terim has a B+ physique and C-level mental strength.'

While "C-Level" might sound like a low rank, individuals at this level were actually very grateful. Without attaining this level, they might never have the opportunity to pilot any type of mecha in their entire life.

They were, in fact, the envy of those with lower levels. They can't reach S or A, but C sure sounds like just a breath away. Yet, they can't attain it.

Ren could only ignore his system's teasing remark. With his weak physical condition and temporarily unusable mental capabilities, Ren can do nothing much.

He is practically just a normal human, or maybe even lower than the average human.

Ren was about to move when Terim once again grasped his shoulder.

Terim held Dorion and refused to let him go. If Ren hadn't known about this rival's mind solely set on studies, he might have put him on a pervert list.

Terim grew up under a lot of pressure due to his high-achiever sister. All his time was spent on his studies.

However, every once in a while, he will visit his grandfathers in another city and spend a few days resting with them.

That was when he started watching serials his grandfather liked. Initially disapproving of what he deemed time-wasting activities, he eventually found himself addicted to them.

The dramas were bloody, to say the least. The child Terim looked at the orphan child on the screen, getting bullied by his relatives after his parents' death, and sobbed.

Then he watched the kid growing up and getting bullied in the school for being poor. He sobbed again.

Why did the future owner of a multi-billion-Astral coins company have to endure such humiliation?

The impoverished child was subjected to shame and caught in a love triangle between the only person who treated him kindly and the villain. Later, the kid grew up, but instead of becoming a domineering boss, he became a caged beauty held by the villains.

"Listen here and listen well,"

Ren could only helplessly listen to this strange rival of his.

Terim's honey brown eyes shone with such seriousness that even Ren, who was used to wandering in his thoughts, looked at him with complete attention.

"You are such a hard-working student. You tackled all those hurdles with such courage till now. You didn't have any support from your elders. I've heard you have an uncle who hardly ever comes to you,"

Ren wanted to say it was a good thing. If his uncle had come more often, the little Dorion might have lost his mind already.

Terim's voice continued, "You have beaten all your enemies. Be it your financial difficulties or school bullying. You have commendable courage to take on anyone to fulfill your desire to be at the top. You should not feel guilty for taking a liking to the person who likes your childhood friend. If it's meant to be, then no one can change it."

Ren was suddenly shaken by those hands still grabbing his shoulders. Ren wanted to stop Terim from shaking him up like this.

However, before he even uttered a single word, Terim's voice filled his ears.

"Don't drown in self-loathing nor let those people change your worldview. Love isn't everything. Living freely is what matters the most. You should remove all the insecurities and stand firm on your ground. Being caged is not a good thing at all. Don't let others get your inheritance. Don't let the person who hurt you so much destroy all your hard work in the name of love!"

The system, "..." What caged? What self-loathing? What inheritance?

My host is so poor that he doesn't even have hospital fees, okay!

Forget the system, even Ren, who was used to making up weird stories, was speechless by the weird encouraging words.

'System, is this person really my rival? Why does he sound like my worried grandma? Is he someone else pretending to be the serious Terim?'

The confused cub went ahead to scan the person shaking Ren as if wanting to wake him up from a bad dream.

'He is Terim Polaris. No doubt about it.'

"Stop! Stop! You are making me dizzy."

The sudden shout pulled Terim out of his frenzied state and Win Xander from the cabin.

Win was trying hard not to listen to the chatter. However, the voices were too loud to ignore. The more he heard, the more his heart became heavy.

Meanwhile, Ren found himself finally freed from the shaking claws. Hastily, he took a few steps back. Instinctively putting some distance between himself and Terim.

Terim's eyes, brimming with pity and helplessness, lingered on Ren. Ren had no desire to delve into what thoughts might be running through Terim's mind.

"I'm not here for Win, and I'm certainly not in love with him. I've made mistakes in the past, and now, all I want is to live a peaceful life."

Ren's words were directed at both Terim and Win, who were both, looking at him with focused gaze.

When Terim saw Win coming out of the cabin, he hid Dorion behind him as if protecting the innocent kid from a villain.

Win, who just wanted to apologize and leave, "..."

Ren, who was caught by Terim for the Nth time, "..."

Ren patted the shoulder of the agitated kid who was trying so hard to protect him.

"But... Don't you hate me? Why are you so worried about my affairs?"

Ren was confused by Terim's behavior.

Terim instantly shook his hand away as if scalded by his touch, "Who is worried about you?! I like your brain! No one is worthy of being this master's rival other than you!"

Ren gazed at the youngster, raising his chin proudly, his ears flushed red beneath his brown locks.

'Little God, this kid is so similar to you.'

The almighty cub raised its fluffy head haughtily and huffed in annoyance, 'How dare a human compare himself to me?'

If the situation had permitted, Ren might have laughed at Terim's action as a young lord and the cub's inherent arrogance.

Win, who was neglected by two study geniuses, "..."

Forget it. He doesn't want to apologize anymore. He turned around and left the room to the two study maniacs.

Looking at the back of the Win, Terim breathed a sigh of relief. He finally saved the tragic beauty. Terim looked back at the angel-like human and sighed again.

He needs to protect this person, or he might be engulfed in the storm of inheritance.

"Come, I'll teach you some new tricks about our recent course."

Ren, who doesn't want to study at all, suddenly feels like chasing after Win.

At least Win wouldn't pressure him into studying. Nevertheless, Ren still trailed after the tsundere kid to another cabin.

The faint humming emanating from the cabin piqued Ren's interest as he listened to the explanations of the various new features added to it. It was a great opportunity for Ren to get to know more about this world's technology.

For the first time, the enthusiastic Terim conversed with Dorion. Terim wanted to show his majesty by displaying the knowledge he had gathered.

However, he quickly realized that Dorion had no grasp of even the basic functions.

During class, their cabins were prepared by the teachers.

Terim couldn't help but wonder, how immensely poor this kid might be if he couldn't even afford the cheapest cabin.

Terim looked at Dorion, who was listening to his lecture so carefully, and almost cried then and there. Dorion must be starving for knowledge! He, Terim, must make his rival a strong rival!

If Ren could hear Terim's inner monologue, he might have fled after shouting, "Who wants to be your rival? I refuse to accept this!"

However, the oblivious Ren was currently engrossed in exploring the novel operations of the virtual reality cabin.

While carefully listening to Terim's words, Ren understood a little bit about the workings of this tiny cabin.

The still-emersed Ren felt a burning gaze on his face and subconsciously shuddered.

What strange ideas is this kid having again?

Ren was saved from the misery of knowledge by the freckled teacher he had seen with Silvia Yarx.