The vibration of the communication seal interrupted Zervanie's gaze.
"Sorry, Miss Zervanie. The dress you ordered isn't ready today. Would you like to change to the white one instead?"
Zervanie's eyes visibly dimmed.
"It's fine, change it."
The other party's voice was clearly relieved, and after briefly reporting to Zervanie, they hung up the seal.
Zervanie's original smile began to gradually fade, her eyes filled with exhaustion.
She didn't like white, but her assistant had forgotten this point.
Zervanie's gaze fell once again on the young man sitting on the steps.
Felyn's shadow appeared in her eyes.
If he were here, it wouldn't be like this.
When he was there, everything about her would be managed perfectly.
When he was there, she wouldn't be so tired.
Zervanie took one last look at that couple and turned to leave.
He's not Felyn.
Felyn has already fallen in love with me, so he couldn't possibly be with another woman. Anyone who's with another woman simply isn't Felyn.
Zervanie walked past posters of herself and banners everywhere, past fans wearing her badges, through every corner of the campus.
He's not here.
His figure is nowhere to be found.
Zervanie was getting a bit tired from walking. She casually sat on a bench, watching students wearing her badge run past.
She didn't care about fans now—only about Felyn.
If it weren't for him, she wouldn't participate in some joint examination support activity.
What was worth supporting about some insignificant little exam that had nothing to do with Royal Capital admission?
But this was Zervanie's best excuse to enter Saint Andros Academy.
For these three months, she'd been searching frantically for Felyn's whereabouts.
But Seiwa was vast, and searching for one person in a sea of humanity without any clues was nearly impossible.
Even as Zervanie, it was difficult to obtain the school's student roster. Even if she did get it, there were too many people with the same name as Felyn—she had no way to search through them one by one.
Zervanie didn't want to expose her relationship with Felyn yet, so she hadn't asked people around her to help screen for him.
Today she finally had this opportunity to enter Saint Andros Academy, so Zervanie decided to try her luck.
What if? What if the gods favored her? What if he was right here?
With such thoughts, Zervanie used the excuse of "advance scouting" to quietly enter the academy, searching for Felyn's figure.
Zervanie rubbed her aching calves. Not finding Felyn left her feeling somewhat downcast.
She looked at the lively crowd, remembering the times she'd spent with Felyn.
Zervanie and Felyn's contract stipulated that Felyn had to satisfy all of Zervanie's demands and absolutely could not leak anything.
This popular songstress greatly enjoyed showing her willful side in front of Felyn.
Only in front of him could Zervanie relax and be herself.
She often made Felyn cross half of Seiwa in the middle of the night to buy her food, then when he returned out of breath, she'd say, "I don't want to eat it anymore."
She did this because she wanted to see Felyn face her willful demands without getting angry, but instead continue caring for her.
She often made her room very messy, even leaving socks and underwear scattered on the bed, just to see Felyn clean up her room with that slightly helpless but doting expression.
She also liked getting herself drunk, then forcing Felyn to stay by her side, listening to her ramble nonsense all night.
No matter what unreasonable demands she made, Felyn would fulfill them and never showed any disgust.
No matter what she did, Felyn always maintained his patience and constantly cared for her.
She'd gotten along so happily with Felyn.
Felyn, why are you hiding from me?
Zervanie knew she was being somewhat willful.
But having to maintain the most perfect image in front of everyone, Zervanie had become addicted to the feeling of being infinitely indulged.
As for why Felyn would infinitely indulge her, Zervanie had thought about the reason.
It certainly couldn't be because of that contract.
She'd done so many willful things in front of Felyn—if he'd used this to threaten her, she would definitely have paid much more than the contract as hush money.
But Felyn hadn't done that. He'd just silently protected her all along.
That meant Felyn had fallen in love with me.
This was normal too.
Everyone would fall in love with me.
Since that was the case, for Felyn's sake and to let herself continue being willful forever, they might as well just get married.
Due to special reasons, Zervanie absolutely couldn't show her true self in front of anyone except Felyn.
So marrying Felyn was Zervanie's only option for her.
Let him become her secret husband. Although it wouldn't be known by the public, he could silently support her from behind.
This was the honor that tens of millions of fans most wanted to receive—she was giving it to Felyn.
Zervanie wouldn't forget Felyn's shocked expression when she proposed this.
He seemed to want to say something, but maybe he was too happy to speak.
"Sorry, Miss Zervanie. Our contract has ended. I have no thoughts about your proposal at the moment. Thank you."
Zervanie only received Felyn's rejection.
She engraved this sentence exactly as it was on her bracelet.
For these three months, whenever she had free time, she would study it.
Looking to see if there were any hidden acrostic poems or secret messages—like something that looked like rejection but was actually a confession.
But Zervanie couldn't find any second meaning.
Only rejection.
Why would Felyn reject me?
Could it be that he doesn't love me?
That's impossible.
Zervanie couldn't understand.
She just wanted to find Felyn again, to hear him explain face-to-face why he wouldn't marry her.
But Felyn had never contacted her again.
The identity Felyn had given her back then was all fake—she didn't even know if "Felyn" was his real name.
Zervanie only knew he wasn't very old and should still be in school.
She'd searched frantically for three months but still hadn't found him.
"Felyn, will I really never see you again?"
Zervanie said quietly, as the communication seal in the air was already vibrating with urgent prompts.
She took one last look at the school, hoping to catch a glimpse of Felyn's figure.
—
Linda was alone in the student council office organizing documents.
She raised her wrist to check her watch. Adeline had said she'd come to the office at five o'clock to discuss celebration matters, but today she was actually late.
Adeline was never late.
And she wasn't responding to messages either.
She couldn't have gone to see Zervanie too, could she?
The cheers outside were getting louder and louder, seeming ready to shatter the glass.
Zervanie had now arrived at the school, and almost all the students had gone.
Linda sat in her chair, looking out the window.
The playground was packed with people, dark crowds surging like tides.
Students held various support signs, and colorful banners fluttered in the wind.
"This is way too exaggerated..."
Linda boredly tapped the table. Waiting was the most boring time, and she really couldn't stand it anymore. She got up and closed the student council office door.
Maybe Adeline was delayed by something. Since that's the case, let me also sneak a peek at Zervanie.
The hallway was empty now. The usually noisy academic building was so quiet you could hear your own footsteps.
She passed by Felyn's classroom and saw a familiar figure pressed against the window, like a rat in a dark sewer peeping.
"Teacher Sofia?"
Sofia was startled by Linda and quickly jumped down from the window.
Due to work reasons, she often spent time with Linda, so she wouldn't always show that serious demeanor.
"Linda, ahem, you're still here."
Linda was somewhat curious and looked through the window too.
Viloti and Felyn were earnestly studying together in the empty classroom.
In the past, Linda would have thought this was perfectly normal.
They were practically a couple now, with Viloti always clinging to Felyn.
But the atmosphere was somewhat strange. She saw rose-gold long hair in the corner.
Adeline was actually here?
What was going on?
Sofia looked at Linda, who had fallen into a dreamy expression, and patted her shoulder.
It was normal for Linda not to know—this was a secret only she knew.
Adeline liked Viloti, but now that she knew Viloti liked Felyn, she was just a bit disappointed.
A tragic love triangle.
(End of Chapter)