NOVEL NEXT Chapter 194: Aegon
Eliana was completely certain of one thing — her beauty enchantment.
Why wouldn't she be?
Men were such simple creatures.
She had long ago come to the conclusion that the world's strongest warriors, nobles, and even teachers could be undone by something as trivial as a tilt of her head or the curve of her lips.
A flash of cleavage, a suggestive sway of her hips, or even the innocent look of a cute pout — these were weapons sharper than blades and more dangerous than spells.
It had never failed her.
Of course when she faced against normal men, not men like the principal.
So, when her gaze landed on this Azel, the transfer student with unusually high attention from the principal, she thought the matter was settled before it even began.
Of course, he would fall. Her beauty was not something ordinary men could resist. Even women sometimes found themselves feeling inadequate in her presence.
So what chance did some new face have? Who cared if he was the Sword Saint's son… didn't he find women beautiful as well?
"Yes…" she whispered under her breath, "fall for me."
The corners of her mouth twitched upward in anticipation of his inevitable surrender.
"Ah? I'd love to go with the beautiful girl, of course," Azel said lightly.
Triumph blossomed across her face. She knew it. She had been right all along. Men were predictable, even someone like him.
But her victory lasted only a heartbeat.
Because Azel's hand never left Lorraine's.
If anything, he tightened his grip on her, pulling the Student Council President along with him as he spoke again.
"She's beautiful, so she'll lead me."
And without sparing Eliana another glance, he walked off, practically dragging Lorraine in tow.
The villainess froze, her smile cracking ever so slightly.
She had felt his mind touch the edges of her enchantment, he had rejected it without so much as a stutter in his step.
Eliana clenched her fists and took a small step forward, but the sight of his back moving farther away made her hesitate.
What was he?
If she looked closely, Lorraine's face was practically glowing.
She didn't need to see her rival's expression to know it — Azel's words, just the declaration alone had made her elated.
Lorraine's heart raced in her chest as they moved further from Eliana's sight, her hand trembling faintly in Azel's.
He stopped once they had gone far enough that the crowd and Eliana's presence had faded into the background.
His sharp eyes studied her face, picking up on the subtle shifts in her expression.
"Hey," he said quietly. "Are you okay?"
Lorraine blinked, caught off guard. For a moment she thought she had managed to compose herself, but evidently not.
Her lips parted, then closed again.
Finally, she stammered, "Y-y-yeah, I'm fine."
Her gaze darted ahead quickly, as if to hide the faint redness in her cheeks.
They continued onward, walking down a wide stone path lined with lantern poles and trimmed hedges.
Students bustled around them in every direction, most wearing the distinctive navy and silver uniform of Astralis Academy. Some slowed their pace to sneak glances at Azel.
After all, he stood out — not only was he not in uniform, but his calm stride beside the Student Council President suggested a closeness that would certainly hit the gossip headlines by tomorrow.
But Azel paid no mind.
He had grown used to eyes on him.
Lorraine broke the silence first, her voice quiet but curious. "I have a question…"
He glanced at her. "Ask away."
Her fingers brushed along the hem of her skirt before she lifted her eyes to his. "Did you notice something weird about that girl?"
"Eliana?" he asked. He already knew what she meant, but he gave her space to explain.
"Yes," Lorraine said. Her brows furrowed slightly. "Her enchantment. She's notorious for it. Last year she was caught trying to use it on a teacher — made him give her full marks on a test she didn't even attend."
She let out a sigh, frustration mixing with disbelief. "How someone like her stays in the principal's good books, I'll never understand."
Azel chuckled softly. "Oh, that enchantment? Yeah, I felt it."
Lorraine tilted her head. "You… felt it?"
"It was annoying," he said bluntly, his lips curling downward for just a moment. "She kept trying, over and over, like a fly buzzing in your ear." His shoulders lifted in a half-shrug. "But that's all it was. Annoying."
Even as they walked away, he had sensed her trying to push her charm into his mind again and again.
It was like watching someone desperately pound on a locked door, never realizing that the door was made of steel and she had no key.
Lorraine fell silent for a beat.
'So he can resist her enchantment… Ridiculous.' And yet, as ridiculous as it was, she felt relief bloom in her chest.
She didn't say it aloud, but her smile grew wider.
They exited the marketplace together, the noise of haggling vendors and lively students fading into the distance.
Before them rose a tall structure that seemed to scrape the sky. It was built from pale stone that shimmered faintly under the afternoon sun, dozens of towers spiraling upward with banners fluttering from their spires.
The architecture carried a majesty that was half castle, half fortress, he was sure this was the academy building.
Lorraine's hand lifted, her voice adopting a tone of pride. "This is the real Astralis Academy. Or at least, the academic portion of it."
Azel's gaze swept across the massive building, it was beautiful.
"And over there—" Lorraine pointed to the right, toward a series of buildings further along the road. They looked like sprawling complexes, each large enough to house hundreds. "That's the lodging area. Astra Hall for commoners, Emryl Hall for nobles. Naturally, the two sides don't get along very well."
Azel arched an eyebrow. "Fights?"
"Constantly," she admitted with a rueful smile. "It's practically tradition by now."
Her tone shifted, however, as she added, "But the lodgings for the top-ranked students are different. Each number one receives a private residence, practically an estate. They're large enough to host an entire family comfortably. I'm the Top ranked in Year 2 currently."
Azel hummed thoughtfully.
'Exactly what I need right now.'
They passed through the front yard, where students buzzed with activity.
The grassy field was alive with chatter as an Academy should but what caught Azel's eye was the crowd forming around the center.
Dozens of students had gathered in a loose circle, their attention fixed on a single figure who gave off a familiar presence.
A young man with flowing blond hair stood shirtless, the sunlight glinting off his toned muscles.
He wielded a wooden practice sword with effortless grace, each thrust and swing executed with precision.
The way his blade cut through the air drew audible gasps from the onlookers.
He wasn't merely showing off. He was teaching — two younger students mimicked his movements, trying desperately to match the fluidity of his technique.
But Azel's eyes narrowed as recognition struck.
"That style…" he muttered under his breath.
It was Royal Swordsmanship and there was only one person bold enough to flaunt it so publicly.
"Aegon," Azel whispered.
The classic young master, the last time Azel had seen him was years ago when he had beat him in a swordsmanship battle in front of the castle and Azel had to admit, he looked handsome now at least until his gaze suddenly collided with Azel's.
The wooden sword lifted high, the crowd parting as Aegon pointed it directly at him. His voice rang out across the yard, booming with challenge.
"Azel! Duel, now!"
The students gasped,
Azel stared back at him, utterly unbothered.
He tilted his head.
"Can't," he replied casually. "Don't you see I'm busy?"