Chapter 18

Adrelo and Milo stepped into the selection area room, greeted by an energetic display of student inventions scattered across the spacious hall. Every corner was buzzing with activity as students hurriedly set up their creations. The air was charged with excitement, anticipation, and a slight undertone of competition.

“Alright, this is it!”

Milo announced dramatically, clutching his invention like it was a priceless artifact.

“The birthplace of legends—and my genius invention!”

Adrelo raised an eyebrow, scanning the various setups. Some of the inventions were so bizarre he couldn’t even begin to guess their purpose.

“Legends, huh? More like an asylum of chaotic tinkerers.”

Milo gasped in mock offense.

“How dare you insult the sanctity of this noble event! These are creative geniuses, Adrelo. Visionaries!”

Adrelo pointed at a nearby stand where a device was loudly spewing pink smoke and making honking noises. “Visionaries? That thing looks like it’s about to explode.”

Milo squinted at it.

“Okay, fine. Some visionaries are misunderstood.”

Adrelo smirked.

“And others are delusional. Like you.”

“Hey!” Milo whined as he began setting up his own stand.

“You’ll be eating those words when my invention becomes the talk of the academy. Just you wait!”

Adrelo crossed his arms, watching as Milo fussed over the positioning of his device. “What is this other masterpiece of yours supposed to do anyway?”

Milo beamed, standing and pointing proudly.

“oh, this one? It’s a magical automation contraption—a device that automatically calculates optimal spellcasting trajectories for beginners!”

Adrelo stared at him blankly.

“So… a glorified calculator.”

Milo gasped, clutching his chest as if wounded.

“You uncultured swine! It’s not just a calculator. It’s revolutionary!”

Adrelo shrugged.

“Revolutionary or not, I bet someone else here has an invention that actually changes lives. Yours looks like it’ll change the number of dust particles in a corner.”

Milo groaned.

“Your lack of vision pains me. Why do I even keep you around?”

“Probably because I’m the only one who tolerates you,” Adrelo quipped.

Their bickering continued, with Adrelo poking fun at Milo’s “genius” while Milo dramatically defended his creation. Finally, Milo finished setting up, stepping back to admire his work.

“Behold!” Milo exclaimed, gesturing toward his invention.

“The future of magical education!”

Adrelo raised an eyebrow.

“It’s crooked.”

“WHAT?!” Milo yelped, diving back to adjust it.

Suddenly, a wave of murmurs swept through the room, breaking their banter. Students turned toward the entrance, some gasping and others whispering excitedly.

Adrelo glanced toward the commotion and froze. Walking through the door was a young man with a disheveled appearance that somehow only enhanced his charm. His glasses framed his sharp eyes perfectly, and the faint shadows under them gave him an effortlessly alluring, intellectual aura.

Adrelo’s heart skipped a beat. No way…

‘It’s him.’

The young man carried himself with a nonchalant air, as if he were too tired to care about the attention he was drawing, yet his commanding presence couldn’t be ignored. His invention—a breathtaking, intricate structure crafted from enchanted stone and glowing runes—seemed to float beside him as he made his way to an empty booth.

Milo, noticing Adrelo’s silence, turned to look. The moment he saw the newcomer, his shoulders slumped, and he let out a dramatic wail.

“Nooo! Not him! Why does he have to participate this year of all years?!”

Adrelo blinked, still processing.

“Who is that?”

Milo groaned.

“That’s Leovan Rykeld, the Academy’s golden boy from the Geomancy and Structural Magic Arts course. You don’t know him?!”

Adrelo shook his head.

“Ugh, where do I even start?” Milo exclaimed, flailing his arms.

“He’s the son of Count Rykeld, the genius behind the Royal Enclave’s reconstruction project! And he’s basically the prodigy of stone magic—he can shape anything out of rock. He even has his own signature technique, Runic Stratiform Crafting. Rumor has it the crown prince already scouted him to be the royal family’s Grand Architect of Enchanted Structures! The man’s a walking legend!”

Adrelo’s gaze returned to Leovan, who was effortlessly setting up his creation. It was a blend of art and engineering, a grand miniature palace-like structure with shifting stone layers that seemed to breathe magic. Adrelo had to admit—it was stunning.

“Wow,” Adrelo murmured, genuinely impressed.

Milo slumped over his stand, his face buried in his arms.

“I’m doomed. Doomed, I tell you. My masterpiece doesn’t stand a chance!”

Adrelo smirked.

“Oh, come on. I’m sure someone out there appreciates glorified calculators.”

“Why are you like this?!” Milo cried dramatically.

Adrelo patted his shoulder with mock pity.

“Cheer up. At least you’ll have a front-row seat to Leovan’s victory.”

Milo groaned.

“You’re supposed to be my emotional support buddy, not my heckler!”

“You knew what you were signing up for,”

Adrelo replied, barely suppressing a grin.

Milo peeked up at him, his face twisted in mock betrayal.

“I hope Leovan steps on your shoe later.”

Adrelo laughed, shaking his head.

“Fine, fine. I’ll support you—for real this time. Your invention isn’t that bad.”

Milo sniffled, still looking dejected.

“Thanks. I think.”

As Leovan activated his invention, the room was bathed in a mesmerizing glow, and murmurs of awe filled the air once again. Adrelo leaned closer to Milo and whispered,

“Okay, but seriously, you might want to come up with an after-party invention. You know, for when you lose.”

“Get out of my booth!”

Milo exclaimed, tossing a spare cloth at him.

****

As the selection event began, Adrelo found himself in an unexpected predicament—his gaze kept drifting toward Leovan Rykeld. Not out of admiration, of course, but out of sheer curiosity and a gnawing sense of dread.

Leovan worked silently at his booth, the intricate mechanics of his stone-based invention captivating every student and teacher within viewing distance. His hands moved with a precision that suggested years of expertise, the glowing runes on his creation shifting seamlessly to power its animated structure. Even from afar, Adrelo could see the confidence and ease with which Leovan handled his work, as if this whole competition were a trivial task for him.

Adrelo leaned against Milo’s booth, arms crossed. His mind wandered back to the pages of the novel he had read.

He remembered vividly how Leovan's role unfolded—at first, seemingly uninterested in the drama surrounding the female lead, existing on the periphery as a talented but aloof background character. But like every important figure in the story, he eventually got sucked into the female lead's orbit.

Adrelo thought to himself, This guy doesn’t even have the decency to pretend he’s normal.

‘Look at him—walking around like he doesn’t care about anything, but we all know he’s another ticking time bomb. Sick in the head, all of them are.’

Adrelo recalled how Leovan’s character arc had slowly intertwined with the female lead’s. At first, he was a loner, admired by many for his brilliance but rarely seen engaging with anyone outside of his field.

However, the female lead’s persistence and determination somehow managed to pique his interest. Their bond developed over shared goals—hers for reforming the empire, his for pushing the boundaries of his craft.

It was subtle at first: a conversation here, a shared moment of understanding there. Leovan never explicitly fell for the female lead—his admiration remained platonic, though Adrelo had always suspected the author was leaving room for ambiguity. What wasn’t ambiguous, however, was Leovan’s loyalty.

By the end of the novel, he had become one of her most trusted allies.

And one of the villains’ worst nightmares.

Adrelo grimaced at the memory.

‘This guy may look harmless now, but he’s just as twisted as the rest of them. The author really had it out for Adrelo and the other villains, didn’t they? It’s not enough that the male leads are gunning for me—this one has to step in with his torture devices, too.’

Adrelo vividly remembered the part where Leovan created custom devices specifically designed to torment the villains, including the original Adrelo. Sure, Leovan’s inventions were technically meant to "extract information" or "subdue threats," but Adrelo knew better. The man enjoyed his work too much.

‘And it was all for the female lead.’

Of course, Adrelo thought bitterly.

Everything revolves around her. Look at him now—so nonchalant, so disinterested in the world. But we all know that if she batted an eyelash at him, he’d build her an entire palace made of enchanted stone within a week. Sick.

“Adrelo, are you even paying attention?” Milo’s voice broke through his thoughts.

Adrelo blinked, realizing he had been staring at Leovan for far too long.

“Huh? Yeah, sure, I’m listening.”

“No, you’re not,” Milo whined, waving a hand in front of Adrelo’s face.

“What are you even looking at—oh.” Milo followed Adrelo’s line of sight and gasped dramatically.

“Wait a minute. Are you staring at Leovan Rykeld? Don’t tell me you’re one of his fans now!”

Adrelo shot him an incredulous look.

“What? No! I’m just... observing.”

Milo grinned mischievously. “Observing his handsome genius?”

Adrelo groaned, shoving Milo lightly.

“Shut up. I was just... thinking about something.”

Milo wiggled his eyebrows.

“Thinking about how you can never compete with his raw talent?”

Adrelo rolled his eyes. “Please. As if I care about competing with him.”

Milo leaned closer, his grin widening.

“Admit it—you’re impressed. Maybe even inspired. Come on, Adrelo, it’s okay to have a little crush on greatness.”

“I swear, Milo, if you don’t stop—”

Milo laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender.

“Fine, fine. But seriously, what’s so fascinating about him? He’s just another overachiever with a superiority complex.”

Adrelo didn’t answer, his gaze flickering back to Leovan. Fascinating? Not quite. Terrifying? Absolutely.

He sighed inwardly, resigning himself to the reality of the situation. It wasn’t just Leovan.

Every single important character in the story, from the royal family to the council members to this insufferable architect, was out to make the villains’ lives miserable. And now, Adrelo had to navigate this minefield while trying to stay out of their crosshairs.

Great, Adrelo thought dryly. Just another reason to avoid standing out. The last thing I need is to become target practice for one of his ‘harmless’ inventions.

He shook his head and turned back to Milo, who was still muttering about the unfairness of life. At least Milo was a welcome distraction. For now, that was enough.

****

The event was in full swing, students mingling and bustling with excitement as they admired each other’s magical inventions. Adrelo, trying to blend into the background, kept an occasional wary eye on Leovan’s booth. He wasn’t sure what was worse—Leovan’s quietly genius demeanor or Milo’s continued lamentations about being outshone.

Then, midway through the event, the sound of the door opening drew Adrelo’s attention. His head turned almost instinctively, and what he saw made him freeze.

A strikingly handsome yet undeniably feminine figure stepped into the room, commanding immediate attention. Adrelo’s eyes widened as he took in her features—short silver hair that gleamed under the magical lights, sharp features that held an air of both elegance and ferocity, and a confident stride that exuded charisma. She was tall, almost unnaturally so, towering over most of the students present.

Adrelo blinked, his mind scrambling. Wait… Is that… a woman? Or…

Her presence alone caused a ripple through the room. Both boys and girls turned to stare, some openly gawking, others blushing furiously. A group of noble girls near the front let out muffled squeals, their excitement barely contained.

"Who is that?"

Adrelo muttered under his breath, genuinely awestruck.

Before he could fully process the sight, another figure followed the silver-haired girl into the room. This one was an entirely different kind of beauty. The second girl was petite and radiated an innocent charm, her light orange hair curling softly around her face. Her big, sparkling eyes scanned the room with a curious expression, her delicate features practically glowing under the warm light of the room.

The two girls stood at the entrance for a moment, scanning the room before their faces lit up in recognition. Their gazes locked onto Leovan’s booth, and without hesitation, they began making their way toward him.

The tall silver-haired girl moved with effortless confidence, her long strides cutting through the crowd as if it parted for her. The orange-haired girl trailed just behind, her steps smaller but equally eager.

Milo, who had been fiddling with his invention, suddenly gasped. “Eh?!” He tugged on Adrelo’s sleeve frantically.

“Adrelo, look! Look! Do you know who those two are?”

Adrelo, still dazed, gave him a blank look.

“...Should I?”

Milo slapped his forehead dramatically.

“That’s Riven and Meline! Don’t tell me you don’t know them! They’re practically celebrities here. Everyone knows them! They’re Leovan’s friends, and they’re famous for always supporting him during these events.”

Adrelo frowned, his stomach sinking. The names rang a faint bell, dredging up memories from the novel. Riven D’Arcy and Meline Freya. Two senior students who would go on to play crucial roles as supporters of the female lead.

Riven, the silver-haired girl, was the epitome of androgynous charm and raw talent. She excelled in combat magic, often overshadowing her male peers with her skill and confidence. Meanwhile, Meline was the sweet, innocent balance to Riven’s intensity. Her talent lay in enchanting—creating delicate, intricate magical objects that charmed both commoners and nobles alike.

Adrelo stayed silent, trying not to draw attention to himself as the two girls reached Leovan’s booth and greeted him warmly. The three of them began chatting, their camaraderie clear from their easy laughter.

Milo, oblivious to Adrelo’s growing dread, whispered excitedly,

“They’re all so cool, huh? Riven’s like, a literal knight in shining armor, and Meline’s practically a magical doll. I’d die to have friends like that.”

Adrelo shot him a deadpan look.

“I’ll pass, thanks.”

Still, he couldn’t help but glance toward Leovan’s booth occasionally, unable to shake the nagging sense of doom that came with seeing these characters in the flesh. His eyes flickered between Leovan’s calm focus, Riven’s commanding presence, and Meline’s delicate gestures.

Then it happened.

As he let his gaze linger for a moment too long, Riven’s sharp purple eyes suddenly darted toward him. Their eyes met.

Adrelo froze, his heart skipping a beat. Her intense gaze bore into him, sharp and calculating, and for a moment, he felt like she could see straight through him.

‘Did she notice me?!’ Adrelo’s mind raced, panic bubbling up.

Riven raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable, but she didn’t look away. Adrelo, feeling a cold sweat forming, immediately broke eye contact and turned back to Milo, pretending to be deeply engrossed in their booth.

Milo, clueless as ever, nudged him.

“Hey, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Adrelo didn’t respond, too busy trying to calm his racing heart. From that moment on, he refused to glance in Leovan’s direction again, no matter how curious or paranoid he felt.

Just survive this event, he told himself. And avoid those three at all costs.

For the rest of the selection, Adrelo stayed glued to Milo’s side, determined to keep a low profile until the nightmare was over.