The night was deep
Serena sat quietly in the last row. She had assumed he wouldn't come here this time—not like in her previous life. After all, it was only the second day after enrollment. But just as her thoughts began to drift—
Click.
The sound of the door opening was especially jarring in the deathly stillness of the classroom.
Serena jerked her head up, a chill racing down her spine.
A tall, dark figure slowly stepped into the room. The lights hadn't been turned on, and he didn't speak a word. Yet even under the faint light spilling in from the hallway, Serena instantly recognized him.
Black hair. Golden eyes.
He walked in with an air of nonchalance, made no unnecessary movements, and simply headed to the far corner seat, pulling the chair out and sitting down without a sound.
Moonlight slanted in from the window, casting a pale glow on his profile. His golden eyes were like blades of ice—predatory, watchful in the night.
He sat still, lost in thought… or perhaps plotting something dangerous.
Serena didn't dare make a sound. She didn't even dare move. She knew how terrifying Elvin's perception could be. In her past life, someone once tried to sneak up behind him and ended up hospitalized from a brutal counterattack.
Holding her breath, she began inching her way backward under the desk.
He hadn't fully fallen into darkness yet. She couldn't risk alerting him too soon.
But just as she was about to reach the door—
"Who's there?"
His voice was cold as snow, sudden and piercing straight to the heart.
Serena's pupils shrank. She reacted almost instantly—spinning around and sprinting out. The classroom door slammed open as she bolted into the hallway. Behind her, she heard a chair scrape sharply across the floor—but he didn't give chase.
In the darkness, Serena dashed through the old school building's corridors. Only once she reached the edge of the campus did she finally stop, gasping for breath.
"...That was close."
Leaning against a tree, she clutched her chest, heart pounding like a war drum.
But she hadn't come out of it empty-handed—she had confirmed it. Just like in her past life, Elvin still came to the E-Classroom every night. And right now… he was teetering on the edge between reason and danger.
Serena took a deep breath. Then, a spark of inspiration flashed in her mind.
"But… I can approach him under another identity," she murmured.
"I'll need a disguise."
Her lips curled into a rare, sharp smile. Her eyes gleamed with battle-ready determination.
Morning.
Serena walked slowly into the classroom, her steps a bit sluggish. Dark circles lingered beneath her eyes, and she looked thoroughly exhausted—like she hadn't slept a wink the night before.
The moment she sat down, a gentle voice came from behind.
"You… okay? You look really tired."
Elena leaned forward slightly, genuine concern in her tone.
Vivian also peeked her head out from two desks behind. "Didn't sleep well last night?"
Serena blinked, then smiled faintly and shook her head. "I'm fine. Just stayed up too late reviewing."
Ugh… so tired. Almost didn't wake up this morning. Poor Ivy had to come to class on her own. I feel a little bad about that...
But as her gaze casually swept the room, she saw Ivy seated by the windows, quietly studying. That sight gave her some relief.
Lucien, sitting beside her, shot her a cold glance and frowned slightly before turning away, clearly disinterested in joining the conversation.
He opened his textbook with practiced ease, his movements crisp and efficient. A trace of aloof detachment lay behind his lowered lashes.
Serena gave him a quick side glance but didn't respond. She knew Lucien had always been like this—distant and impossible to approach.
She sighed inwardly, rested her forehead in her palm, and closed her eyes, longing for just a few more minutes of sleep.
Suddenly, the door opened and Professor Stephen walked in. The classroom atmosphere instantly tightened.
Serena's vision went dark—but she could only brace herself.
It's fine. I'll get used to it… eventually.
She straightened up, took her pen in hand, and listened attentively as usual.
Three hours passed…
By the time Serena returned to the dorm, the sky had already darkened. Even the magical lamps in the hallway were glowing with a soft warmth.
She felt utterly drained. The moment she stepped inside, she tossed her bag onto a chair and collapsed onto the bed like a puppet with its strings cut. She didn't even have the strength to change clothes—just buried her face in the pillow and lay motionless.
Behind her, Ivy blinked nervously and set her book aside. She walked over, waved her hand in front of Serena's face—
"...She's really out cold…"
Night fell again.
Serena, now in a dark cloak, had hidden even her hair. A mask covered most of her face, revealing only a pair of glimmering eyes. She'd even altered her posture and padded her heels and shoulders slightly. She now appeared as a mysterious figure of indeterminate age and identity.
She returned to the E-Class building, crouching by the window and peering in carefully.
Just as expected—Elvin was there, seated in his usual spot, resting his head on one hand, silent and still.
Suddenly—bang!
Elvin crumpled a letter in his hand, fury flashing in his golden eyes, and slammed it onto the ground. The entire desk trembled with the force.
His head lowered, black hair veiling half his face. The golden glow in the shadows beneath it was cold as a knife.
"Must be another letter from his family," Serena thought.
Memories from her past life raced through her mind—Elvin had always had a toxic relationship with his family. Multiple assassination attempts, even a slow-acting poison from his uncle… no wonder he was so guarded.
The Cassano family had also played a key role in the downfall of her family. Because of that, she had deep knowledge of their operations, secrets, and inner workings.
The next moment, Serena pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"...You're in a foul mood tonight."
Her voice was deliberately lowered—cold and emotionless.
Elvin jerked his head up, eyes narrowing, hand already resting near the dagger at his waist. "Who are you."
"I'm here to offer you… a chance to rise."
She stood in the shadows, arms open and calm. "The Cassano family made a move again, didn't they? The crumpled letter—was it about removing you from the succession line?"
Elvin's eyes glinted dangerously, brows furrowing. "How do you know that?"
"You don't need to know. From your uncle to your third brother's aide—they're all part of the same chain. If you want to survive and claim what's rightfully yours, you need someone outside to crack it open from within."
The dark-haired boy narrowed his eyes and sneered coldly. "So you're risking your life just to make a deal with me? What makes you think I'll trust you?"
"I don't expect you to believe me immediately," Serena said calmly. "But if I were your enemy, I wouldn't bother meeting you in person. I'd just record your breakdown tonight and hand it over to your family—paired with their fabricated 'mental instability report,' you'd be on your way to a forced evaluation facility by morning."
The room fell silent.
Elvin leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping lightly on the desk. His golden gaze narrowed sharply as he fixed it on her.
"You talk big."
His voice was hoarse. "But why should I believe someone who won't even show their face?"
With a casual flick, he drew a thin dagger from his sleeve. It gleamed as it embedded itself in the wooden desk.
"If you really had the skill, you'd already be dead the moment I moved."
Serena didn't flinch. She even stepped closer, stopping at the edge of his desk. Her masked gaze locked onto his—
And in that moment, Elvin's pupils shrank slightly. He fell silent.
No one knew what thought had suddenly entered his mind…