"By the way, Miss Aecilia, which class do you have to attend?"
Avendial inquired as he stepped out of the car, casting a glance her way.
The vehicle came to a stop near the academy's metal gates, and many students instinctively turned their heads in his direction.
With his silver hair and striking blue eyes, he naturally drew a bit of attention.
However, he chose to ignore the onlookers and concentrated on Aecilia.
"You jest, Marquess. How could I possibly teach anything to these students?"
She replied with a smile, adjusting her glasses, which seemed ill-fitting and kept sliding down her nose.
Despite this minor annoyance, her gesture revealed a small glimpse of a black floral bra peeking through the slight opening of her white shirt.
Avendial noticed but decided to let it go; after all, he couldn't dictate her clothing choices.
Once she closed the car door, her fingers deftly turned the steering wheel, accelerating toward the parking lot.
As he watched the car disappear from view, he made his way inside the academy, feeling comfortably alone.
After all, he didn't mind walking solo; he knew that Aecilia would attract too much attention as she walked through the doors.
"Good morning, Professor Aven."
Suddenly greeted by a bright voice, Avendial turned toward the familiar sound.
A figure stood there, an elderly man leaning on a cane, his beard flowing white and a smile stretching across his face.
However, the dark circles under his eyes betrayed a long night spent awake.
As the director of the academy, he had spent countless hours in restless contemplation, begging forgiveness from his ancestors for the perceived betrayal of allowing anyone to exploit their influence to gain entry into the esteemed institution.
He had always vowed that only the Marquess would be permitted such access.
But last night had been a turning point.
Intruders had invaded his home, weapons drawn, declaring themselves representatives of the Sertsul family.
They demanded he permit Aecilia Sertsul to take up a professorship at the academy.
In a moment of fierce defiance, the director had firmly stated that even if it cost him his life, he would not bow to such demands.
And he meant it wholeheartedly.
Yet, the threats from the intruders loomed large; they viciously claimed that should he not comply, they would simply kill him and install another director, one who would undoubtedly grant Aecilia her coveted position.
Faced with the grim prospect of a corrupt individual steering the academy, he found himself cornered into a reluctant decision—allowing Aecilia Sertsul to come onboard as a professor, if only to protect the legacy of the institution.
As Avendial moved through the crowd, he observed Lin's anger escalating, his voice raised as he yelled at Aria.
Avendial began counting, realizing Lin had completely lost his composure.
To an outsider, Lin's outrage might have seemed excessive; yet here, this level of fury was perfectly understandable for someone who got trapped in a not-so-obvious trap set by Avendial.
Trap title: Jealousy turns love into lava and melts the lover's heart.
'2...'
As Avendial navigated through the throng of students, he rolled up his sleeves, tightening his arms in preparation for the confrontation ahead.
He had to present a different side of himself to this group, though he kept in mind that members of the Sertsul family might be present.
But that didn't matter; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain an advantage and plant seeds of doubt in Aria's mind.
"You!—"
'3...'
The moment Avendial saw Lin's hand stretch out, poised to strike Aria, he swiftly intervened.
With only a few steps between them, he seized Lin's wrist.
Both of them were still unawakened, and thanks to his regular training as a nobleman, Avendial was significantly stronger than Lin Diego.
His sudden grip caught Lin off guard.
"Wh—What—"
Lin's eyes widened in shock as he turned to find Professor Aven had arrived, his hand gripping Lin's wrist with surprising strength.
Before Lin could react, Avendial clenched his fist and, channeling all his strength, tightened the muscles of his right hand, pulling back to collect force.
'Now it's time for the toppings,' Avendial thought, knowing he had to capitalize on this moment.
He inhaled deeply, activated his acting skills, and with a clenched jaw, thundered, "HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY ARIA!"
BAM!
"Khwackk!"
In an instant, saliva spilled from Lin's mouth as he doubled over, clutching his chest.
Thud
He fell to his knees, curling up on the ground in agony.
His eyes reddened, and veins bulged on his forehead from the sheer intensity of the pain; the blow to his solar plexus was more excruciating than he could have imagined.