"..."
Watching Winnie move in her direction, only to approach Isatia instead and greet her familiarly, Aesphyra maintained her elegant smile, yet remained silent.
'Virtue 80.'
'Current Virtue: 1304.'
'Virtue 30.'
Current Virtue: 1334.
Hmm, virtue increased twice. Winnie had no idea which of these two virtue gains ca from Isatia, which from Aesphyra, or whether both ca from the sa person, nor why they'd triggered.
"You ca here just to wait for ?" Winnie asked, slightly surprised.
"Mmm." Isatia nodded, she replied as concise and clear as ever.
"Did I keep you waiting long?" Winnie asked.
"No." Isatia closed the book she'd been holding. She'd been in the neighboring exam hall and only ca to Winnie's exam room after hearing the commotion. How long she'd actually been waiting, Winnie couldn't say.
"And anyway, waiting for you isn't an ordeal." Isatia pressed the book gently against her school uniform skirt, speaking softly.
"Ah, ah, is that so?" Hit by a straight confession from the long-haired, black-haired campus beauty, Winnie collapsed as usual, completely unsure how to respond, visibly flustered.
"…" Aesphyra silently observed their interaction from the side, her face still wearing that polite, pleasant smile. Just, though.~
'Virtue 80.'
'Current Virtue: 1414.'
Huh? Who triggered this virtue gain??
Winnie glanced at Isatia, then shifted his gaze elsewhere.
Strange. Aside from himself and Isatia, there didn't seem to be anyone else around. That's weird, you know??
"Isatia, did you need sothing?" Redirecting his gaze back to Isatia, Winnie asked with a dry cough.
"If I don't have a reason, can't I still co see you?" Isatia replied, hugging her book. Her cool eyes resemble plum blossoms in the depths of winter.
"Ah, of course not! You can co see anyti, Isatia."
"You seem to have done quite well this ti." Isatia nodded, then added.
"Yeah, thanks to you, I perford pretty well this ti." Winnie said. "Though the exam was tough, compared to others, I think I did decently."
Finishing over ten minutes early certainly indicated he'd had so leeway.
"Indeed. Significant improvent." Isatia praised calmly. Her eyes, bright and sparkling like stars, studied Winnie intently. Although her tone remained flat, her nod conveyed imnse affirmation, making it feel truly heartfelt.
The sensation of sincere, earnest praise was entirely different from casual, perfunctory responses. After all, everyone wanted genuine recognition from others. The emotional value these two types of responses provided were completely different.
If the Virtue System worked both ways, Winnie felt he'd be triggering Isatia's Virtue gain right now.
"That's also thanks to you, Isatia. Without you, my progress wouldn't have been this rapid."
"This is the result of your own effort and willingness to learn." Isatia credited Winnie's personal diligence instead. "No one can teach soone unwilling to learn or lacking ambition."
"In any case, I'm truly grateful for your help these past days. Without you, my exam would've been a disaster." Winnie expressed heartfelt gratitude. "Do you have ti now? I'd like to treat you to a al."
Isatia had helped him imnsely, he definitely needed to show his appreciation. After all, she'd taught him with genuine care. Just how dedicated she'd been, only Winnie knew.
Sotis, when Winnie hits a wall in studying, his mind overloaded, unable to focus, bored and drowsy from ntal fatigue, Isatia would find ways to help him regain concentration.
Hmm, suffice to say her thods were extrely effective, hitting the mark every single ti.
Winnie felt he absolutely needed to reciprocate. Sure, the al he'd treat her to probably ant nothing to her, but he couldn't let himself lack the intention.
"If you're free, I'm available anyti." Naturally, Isatia accepted Winnie's invitation.
'Virtue 30.'
'Current Virtue: 1444.'
'Virtue 100.'
Current Virtue: 1544.
Alright, now Winnie was completely unable to distinguish.
Which virtue gain ca from Isatia? Which from Aesphyra? Or were both triggered by the sa person??
Did Isatia trigger virtue because he invited her? Then why did Aesphyra trigger virtue? Was it because he invited Isatia before she could make her move??
But neither seems likely. At least, judging from their expressions, both girls looked exactly the sa as before, no visible emotional shifts, not even a flicker in their eyes.
Damn, the won of the Carillian just keep getting more calculating. Were they all this scheming??
If not for his Virtue System, he'd have been completely fooled.
"Oh my~ Isatia, who would've thought? Although you never said it outright, it seems you really enjoy spending ti with Winnie, don't you?" However, before the two could leave the classroom building for the back streets, a voice dripping with false cheer and loaded with implication rang out from behind.
Generally speaking, most teenage girls, upon hearing soone comnt about their relationship with a boy, would instinctively deny it, even if they had no feelings, or at least offer so token explanation.
Yet Isatia clearly didn't fall into that category. Upon hearing Aesphyra's words, she gave only a brief reply.
"Hmm. What about it?"
Without turning around, Isatia calmly affird it, then casually added 'What about it?', a response so confusing and irritating it could leave the questioned person red-faced and utterly speechless.
Huh??
Whether Aesphyra was stunned by Isatia's reply, Winnie didn't know, but he himself was definitely shocked.
Was Isatia challenging Aesphyra, or did she truly think that way??
Regardless, Winnie had once again been blindsided by Isatia's straight talk.
This was probably ant to be a tricky remark from Aesphyra, yet Isatia had gone with the flow and directly admitted she enjoyed being with him??
This was practically an outright declaration.
"Oh my, so it's really true?" Aesphyra feigned surprise, her deep purple eyes revealed nothing of her true thoughts.
"If I like sothing, I like it. If I don't, I don't." Isatia showed no concern for her blunt approach, her gaze unchanged.
"I've never concealed my feelings or intentions. People who can't express their true feelings, or haven't even realized them yet, strike as strange. Their behavior only complicates things that should be simple."
Oh.
Winnie froze instantly upon hearing this.
Wait, wasn't Isatia's directness a bit too extre??
Seriously, this wasn't much different from a confession, was it??
Going this hard right from the start? This wasn't right, was it?
Where the hell did this co from? The ga wasn't supposed to work like this?? Wasn't she supposed to gradually intertwine her fate line with Aesphyra's through subtle interactions, eventually being won over by Aesphyra's various seduction techniques and shared hardships, their feelings slowly deepening until Isatia willingly entered the harem Aesphyra, that damn pervert, had constructed??
Alright, even if he was playing the ga, even if Isatia truly had feelings for him, shouldn't there at least be so formalities? A friendship phase, a period of ambiguity, feelings gradually intensifying until both sides tacitly understood, followed by so chance incident finally bringing them together??
Who knew Isatia completely disregarded all that, ready to flip the board, declaring she wouldn't play these indirect gas, preferring to go straight for the win.
Right now, Winnie felt like a heroine from the ga had jumped out and started pursuing him instead.
"Oh? So Isatia, does that an you're no longer accepting advances from others?" Aesphyra arched her delicate brows.
Tch!
Hearing this, all of Winnie's previous flustered emotions from Isatia's directness disappeared instantly, replaced by utter disdain towards Aesphyra.
Dogs can't stop eating poop, so nuts just keep spinning, huh??
This perverted girl otter clearly had intentions for Isatia. Seeing Winnie easily invite Isatia to dinner and enjoy her tutoring, she'd beco jealous and broken down.
Geez! I thought you'd changed!
At this thought, Winnie pursed his lips, inexplicably feeling angry.
Previously, Winnie might've felt only disdain for Aesphyra, but now, for so reason, a strange churning sensation stirred within, leaving a bitter aftertaste.
This damn idiot!
Looking at Aesphyra's pleasant smile toward Isatia, Winnie didn't know why, but he just felt irritated.
Ah, was it because he looked down on her actions?
Indeed, this silver-haired nut ball was truly the most detestable person in the world!
"I believe my aning is already clear enough." Isatia's gaze flickered, studying the subtle emotions and colors dancing in Aesphyra's eyes.
Others might interpret Aesphyra's words as indicating interest in her, but as one of the rare individuals on Aesphyra's level, Isatia sees things others couldn't see.
This was an extrely sophisticated disguise.
No, perhaps not even a disguise, there was another possibility.
Maybe even she herself hadn't realized it.
A clash between masters, every move is deadly. From the nuances in Aesphyra's tone and the subtle cues in her eyes, Isatia could reduce much.
"Well then, I see. It seems Isatia really ans it." After a brief exchange of glances, Aesphyra teased, then suddenly shifted gears. "But isn't this a bit too hasty?"
"You two might not know each other at all. You haven't even grasped the outline of each other's personalities yet." Aesphyra adopted a lecturing tone.
"Such things can be learned gradually. And," Isatia tilted her head slightly. She was considerably taller than Aesphyra, tilting her head like this ant she was practically looking down on her. "I believe I understand Winnie, and certain matters related to him, far better than certain people."
"U-uh." Winnie imdiately grasped what specific matters Isatia was referring to.
"Related matters, including so secrets unknown to others?" Even so, Aesphyra showed no sign of being overpowered. She narrowed her cat-like eyes, smiling confidently as she t Isatia's gaze.
"Miss Aesphyra's interpretations are always unique. It's just that sotis, they still fall short." Isatia's tone remained as calm as before, as if debating Aesphyra was effortless and stress-free.
"Oh? In what way do they fall short?" Aesphyra asked.
"Lack of confidence." Isatia replied without hesitation.
Whoa! When did the atmosphere turn so tense??
Even Winnie, sitting safely on the sidelines, was startled. The aggressive intensity radiating from Isatia was palpable, even an outsider like him could sll the gunpowder.
Was this the aura of the Crown Princess of the Tyrell Empire??
To find an analogy, it feels like, 'What I want, or who I want, no one has the right to compete with , and certainly can't defeat .'
"......Pfft." In response to Isatia's relentless assault, Aesphyra suddenly burst into laughter, then said aningfully, "Really? Isatia, are you truly so certain you know so much?"
"Everyone has their own secrets, but that's a matter of personal privacy, isn't it?" Isatia comnted casually.
"Indeed, indeed. Isatia isn't wrong at all. After all, secrets are ant to be known only by specific people, keeping others completely in the dark." Aesphyra smirked, then modified at Winnie. "Right, Winnie~?"
The look in Aesphyra's eyes instantly made Winnie understand what she was referring to, causing his heart to skip a beat, cold sweat breaking across his back.
What secret did he have that only Aesphyra knew?
Did it need to be said?!
Keywords like 'Beauty Pageant Champion' instantly popped into Winnie's mind. Aside from the harmless Shikondell, only Aesphyra knew about that incident.
Although subtle, his expression change was perfectly captured by Isatia.
'Virtue 40.'
'Current Virtue: 1584.'
"Hehe, that's right. These things are just between Winnie and . We must absolutely keep them from any third party, right?" Aesphyra giggled, then shot Isatia a mocking look.
"My, my, it seems Isatia doesn't know everything after all?" Aesphyra crossed her arms, then playfully scolded Winnie with a slightly teasing tone. "Winnie, really now, after Isatia has been so sincere with you, you still can't bring yourself to share such a little secret~?"
Like hell anyone would willingly talk about pure dark history!
"Indeed, so things truly can't be known by anyone besides , can they~?" Before Winnie could respond, Aesphyra chuckled, then cast another aningful smile toward Isatia.
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