Chasing the Heartless Maiden

The morning at Ebonspire Academy started like any other, but the moment the classroom door opened, a new wave of chaos swept in. The instructor cleared his throat, drawing the students' attention before stepping aside to reveal a tall, well-groomed young man with striking golden hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Class, we have a new transferee joining us today. Please welcome—"

Before the instructor could even finish, the young man took a step forward, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "Greetings, everyone. My name is Lucian. I hope we get along well."

The moment he spoke, hushed whispers filled the classroom.

"He's so handsome!"

"That uniform—he must be from an elite academy!"

"Why is someone like him transferring here?"

As Lucian scanned the room, his gaze lingered on one person. Pandora. His smirk widened slightly as he seemed to size her up with intrigue.

Sitting at her desk, Pandora barely reacted, still absorbed in her own thoughts, until a voice beside her grumbled. "That guy keeps looking at you," Raine Voss muttered, crossing his arms. "Something about him feels off."

Pandora blinked, tilting her head. "Does it matter?"

Raine scoffed, his expression tightening. "Tch, whatever."

The instructor gestured for Lucian to take a seat, and as fate would have it, the only available spot was near Pandora. As he moved past her desk, he casually said, "It's rare to see someone so... unapproachable. I like it."

"Huh?" Pandora stared blankly at him, completely missing the flirtatious intent. The entire class, however, was not so oblivious.

"Did he just—?"

"Oh no, another one!?"

Lilia, seated nearby, chuckled. "Pandora, you're gaining quite the reputation."

As the class went on, comedic misunderstandings naturally ensued. Lucian seemed determined to get Pandora's attention, but her complete obliviousness only made things worse. When the instructor asked for volunteers to duel for a combat demonstration, Lucian immediately stood up.

"I challenge Pandora."

The class erupted in whispers again, while Pandora, completely unfazed, stood up and readied herself. "Alright."

The spar ended almost as soon as it started. The moment Lucian lunged forward, Pandora's precise movements countered every strike effortlessly, and with a well-timed shift, she sent him sprawling onto the mat. The entire class gaped in stunned silence before bursting into cheers and laughter. Lucian, lying on his back, stared up at the ceiling before chuckling. "Interesting."

During lunch, Pandora sat with Lilia, Raine, Elric, and Darian. Lilia had been animatedly explaining the latest gossip about Lucian's transfer, while Raine occasionally threw glances in Lucian's direction, as if keeping an eye on him.

"Pandora, you really are fearless," Elric commented between bites of his food. "Do you even realize the kind of enemies you make?"

"Enemies?" Pandora asked blankly.

"Yeah, the more you reject people without even realizing it, the more they'll see you as a challenge," Darian added.

Pandora simply shrugged, returning to her meal. Before she could get too comfortable, a shadow loomed over their table. A professor stood before them, his expression unreadable.

"Pandora, I've heard quite a bit about you. I have some... research that I believe someone of your skills could be invaluable for. Would you be willing to assist me after class?"

Lilia stiffened, sensing something odd about the man's tone, but before she could interject, Pandora gave a simple nod. "If it will help me improve, then I accept."

Raine, Elric, and Darian exchanged worried glances, and Lilia quickly spoke up. "We'll come too."

The professor hesitated before nodding. "As you wish."

As they watched him walk away, Pip, Blaze, and Grimm's voices rang in Pandora's mind through telepathy.

"Master, I don't like this."

"There's something wrong with that guy."

"We have a bad feeling about this."

Pandora remained silent, acknowledging their concerns. Whatever awaited them after class, she would be ready. Or at least, she thought she would be.

As the professor led Pandora and her friends deeper into the research wing of the academy, the group exchanged wary glances. Lilia, Raine, Elric, and Darian all had an uneasy feeling about the situation, but Pandora seemed unbothered, eager to do whatever it took to advance her skills.

"I need some assistance with different tasks in the other department," the professor announced, turning to Pandora's friends. "You four will be helping catalog ancient relics, a crucial task, I assure you."

Raine narrowed his eyes. "Why can't we all stay together?"

The professor adjusted his glasses and waved dismissively. "This is research, dear students. Each of you will have a role to play. Surely you trust Ebonspire Academy's rigorous training methods?"

Before the others could protest further, Pandora placed a hand on Raine's arm. "It's fine. Go on, we're wasting time."

Reluctantly, her friends complied, though they shared one last look of concern before departing. Once they were gone, the professor ushered Pandora into a secluded room and locked the door behind him.

"Now then," he said with an eerie smile, pulling out a small, wriggling creature from a glass jar. It was a pale, slimy worm with glowing purple veins. "This, my dear, is the Mana Worm. It grants immense mana to those who ingest it."

Pandora studied the worm without much emotion. "If it enhances mana, then I'll take it."

The professor grinned wider, barely able to contain his glee as she swallowed the creature whole. He clasped his hands together, his eyes gleaming. "Yes! Finally! Now, move back!"

Without hesitation, Pandora took a step back.

The professor gasped in pure excitement, his laughter echoing through the room. "It works! The worm has taken effect! Now, massage my shoulders!"

Pandora tilted her head. "Why? What do I gain from that?"

The professor froze. His entire face paled, his jaw dropping comically as if it had been unhinged. He stammered, pointing at her wildly. "Wh-what? You should be under my control! That worm was supposed to let me command you!"

At that moment, a swirl of energy filled the air, and Pandora's three spirits materialized. Pip bounced in the air, giggling. "Oh nooo! We were so worried, and for what? A measly worm?" Blaze cackled in amusement, flicking his flames mischievously. "I thought it'd be some terrifying spell! What a letdown!" Meanwhile, Grimm merely scoffed, arms crossed. "Pitiful."

The professor collapsed to his knees in utter disbelief, his life's work unraveling before his eyes. "No... no, this isn't possible..."

Pandora stood there, utterly confused. "So... what exactly happened?"

Hidden in the shadows of the room, a figure observed the entire ordeal with keen interest. Lucian, the newly transferred student who was secretly a ------, smirked from his concealed position. His bodyguard, standing beside him, let out a breath. "Seems like we didn't need to intervene after all."

Lucian chuckled, his gaze lingering on Pandora. "She's... interesting."