Vanitas stacked the graded papers neatly on his desk.
The test wasn’t just for scores.
It was to assess where his students stood academically, to determine how far he could push them.
Though he had played through this storyline countless times, experiencing it as a Professor gave it an entirely new perspective.
A quick glance at the pile told him enough.
The majority of the students were woefully unprepared. Their answers were riddled with mistakes or half-hearted attempts.
But there were exceptions.
[Astrid Barielle Aetherion]
Her paper was nearly flawless. Each of her answers were written with clarity, not to mention her penmanship.
Then there was Sophia Clementine.
Her answers weren’t as polished as Astrid’s, but they demonstrated a raw understanding far beyond the standard curriculum.
He tapped the edge of the paper thoughtfully.
“An overthinker,” he muttered. “Needs refinement.”
Flip—
It was followed by other noble kids, but their performances paled in comparison.
Astrid’s near-flawless execution and Sophia’s thoughtful approach had set a high bar.
Some tried to imitate their styles.
Others simply scribbled whatever came to mind, hoping for the best. Vanitas could tell that much by mere observation.
Flip— Flip—
Vanitas flipped through the papers quickly.
Occasionally, he’d pause, raise a brow, then move on.
The disparity in knowledge was glaring.
Eventually, he paused as a name caught his eye.
[Ezra Kaelus.]
The commoner who had ranked first in the ESAT examination.
“…”
Vanitas leaned back in his chair, scanning the messy scrawl that filled Ezra’s paper.
His answers were unconventional, bordering on chaotic. Yet, somehow, they were right.
“Instinctual,” Vanitas murmured, his amethyst eyes narrowing. “He doesn’t know why it works. He just knows it does.”
It was raw, unpolished talent.
The kind that could either thrive under pressure or shatter completely
Just like in the game itself.
Right now, there was no player. However, the one closest to a player was none other than Ezra Kaelus.
In the acts that followed, aside from the player, Ezra Kaelus was an indispensable figure, especially in the absence of the Professors.
As students of the most prestigious University Tower, they were prime targets.
Danger would follow them, whether they liked it or not.
That was simply how the game was designed.
Vanitas sighed, leaning back in his chair.
Truth be told, Vanitas didn’t want to antagonize Ezra.
But he needed Ezra to know the harsh reality of the egalitarian culture the Academy entailed.
Ezra’s arrogance, his carefree attitude—it wouldn’t survive the trials ahead.
“Haha.”
In any case, Vanitas could excuse his dozing off.
It wasn’t entirely Ezra’s fault.
The drawback of his stigmata forced him into constant drowsiness.
“Guess that’s it.”
“Uhm.”
Vanitas raised his head, fixing his glasses. “You’re still here?”
Karina was still here, standing still as if waiting for his orders.
“Aren’t you going to have lunch?” Vanitas said.
It was currently lunch–time.
“No, I’ll be here in case the Professor needs me.”
“Well, I’m done for this class. The setup is more or less the same for my next lectures.”
“I–Is that so?”
It was due to Karina’s meticulous preparations before he even arrived, that he didn’t have much work to do in the first place.
“Yes.” Vanitas rose from his chair, grabbed his coat, and headed for the door. “I’m going for lunch. Take a break yourself, Karina.”
Before she could protest, Vanitas strode to the door and left without another word.
Karina stared after him, biting her lip.
The room was silent, save for the faint rustle of papers she’d organized earlier.
She glanced at the empty desk, then down at her grumbling stomach.
“…I need to save up.”
Karina’s finances were tight, especially after recently paying her father’s monthly medical bills.
To make ends meet, she had been skipping meals, limiting herself to just dinner.
So, with nothing else to do, Karina sat on her own desk and took out a small notebook from her bag.
[Vanitas Astrea 101]
[1. Wears glasses just to make himself look good. I’m 100% certain his eyesight is normal. He doesn’t even look good with it.]
[2. Strict but fair. Except when it comes to Ezra. Pretty sure he’s testing him, but it looks more like bullying.]
She had been secretly studying Vanitas, just so she could be well prepared for when the inevitable happens.
[3. Probably has never smiled in his life. Except maybe at that book he’s always reading.]
Karina glanced at the door, half-expecting Vanitas to suddenly appear and scold her for her thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat at the absurdity.
Eventually, she penned down.
[4. Probably schizophrenic. Often talks to himself, even when there’s no one around.]
Karina nodded with a cheeky smile plastered on her face as she closed the notebook.
This was necessary.
It was for her survival.
***
Charlotte glanced around the bustling cafeteria.
For the first time in as long as she could remember, her wallet felt heavy in her pocket.
Vanitas had told her to quit her part–time jobs, and that he would support her financially.
But the question remained, just how would he even accumulate the funds?
Vanitas had told her not to worry about it.
He would handle everything. Charlotte only needed to focus on her studies.
She felt like she could cry. To think those words would come out of her Brother’s mouth.
‘He’s not my brother…..’
He was way better.
That being said, Charlotte was able to purchase a full meal set. It was her first time.
—Isn’t that Charlotte Astrea?
—I can’t believe she managed to squeeze in the rankings.
—Shh, she might hear you.
—Right, because of that brother of hers, she’s practically untouchable here now.
Charlotte tried to ignore the murmurs as she made her way to an empty table.
Some of the kids during her highschool managed to pass the exams. Thankfully, there weren’t a lot of them.
Sitting down, she focused on her meal, her hands trembling as she picked up her utensils.
The food smelled amazing, but her appetite felt like it had disappeared.
‘Untouchable?’ she thought bitterly. ‘They’re wrong. They always are.’
She clenched her fork tightly.
The whispers didn’t stop.
—How much do you think her brother paid to get her in?
‘That’s not even possible,’ Charlotte thought.
—What a joke. That Brother of hers doesn’t fare any better.
A lump formed in her throat. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard these kinds of comments, but it never got easier.
‘Don’t cry,’ she told herself, forcing her focus back on the tray.
She took a hesitant bite, savoring the taste. For a brief moment, the world around her melted away.
Hieeek—!
And then a chair scraped loudly across the floor.
Charlotte’s head shot up, startled.
A tall figure dropped into the seat across from her, setting their tray down with a loud clatter.
‘What the hell?’
Charlotte knew exactly who he was. How couldn’t she?
Besides her, it was the guy everyone whispered about, the prodigy who had ranked first in the ESAT exams.
“Ah, sorry. Didn’t see you there,” he greeted casually, leaning back in his chair.
“W–What are you doing?” Charlotte stammered, glancing around.
Every pair of eyes in the cafeteria seemed to be on them now.
Ezra raised an eyebrow. “About to eat? What does it look like?”
“…”
Charlotte’s mouth opened, then closed. She was completely at a loss for words.
Ezra unwrapped his utensils with an air of nonchalance, oblivious—or perhaps indifferent—to the stares around them.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, the view’s just nice over here,” Ezra said as he stared out the window.
“…”
“Don’t know why everyone’s talking about you. But it’s more or less the same for me.”
“…”
Charlotte’s gaze lingered on his tray. Unlike hers, he was barely eating anything.
A single apple, a cup of water, and a club sandwich.
“…Do you want some?” Charlotte gestured, offering a bit of her food.
“No, it’s fine. This is normal for me.”
“Is that so?”
“I need to get used to it anyway. Scholarship doesn’t cover these expenses,” Ezra said.
Finishing the last piece of bread, Ezra tilted his head, studying her for a moment.
Then he asked, “Name?”
Charlotte, nibbling her food, paused and raised her head, “Charlotte.”
“Charlotte, huh? Okay, I’ll try to remember that.”
Ezra got up with his tray and disappeared shortly after.
Charlotte finished her own meal, leaned back in her seat, and sighed.
“Haaa…..”
The fact that he didn’t recognize her left her stunned.
Almost everyone else had avoided her on the first day.
It was so different from her academy school years.
Back then, the higher aristocrats wouldn’t just gossip—they’d pick on her openly.
Here, no one dared approach her. They would just whisper from a distance.
And she knew it was all because of one person.
Vanitas.
But there was still one doubt that lingered in her mind.
‘Why do the spirits keep telling me he’s a demon?’
He clearly wasn’t.
