(I have been spotted! I need to get out of here!)

Professor Espinella immediately ran before Cermin could say another word.

Ronin followed after him, but he had run too fast for him to catch up, and the crowd also didn’t help him chase after this kooky professor at all.

He lost him.

But at least he gained skill and information!

“What exactly does Main Antagonist means? Aren’t I also a Main Antagonist?” He asked Kai who appeared beside him.

“Yes. As for what it means, I cannot spoil.” Kai answered.

“Fine. I’ll meet him properly in three months anyway. What is this new skill that I unlocked then?”

They went over to the side to somewhere less crowded and more private, so they can talk easily with each other.

A screen also appeared as Kai spoke.

[ Fool’s Eye

This skill gives you the ability to make yourself or others appear as someone of your choosing within 10 minutes._.

You would look and sound completely the same as the person you are copying, but not acquire their powers.

Mage Focuses that can be used to see through disguises wouldn’t work against you. But Mage Focuses that can cancel out skills could potentially work.

It requires a biological component from the person you are pretending to be and the rune for ‘falsify’ to be drawn on yourself, or the person you are changing the appearance of.

The length of your falsification increases as you level up, as well as the number of tries in a day. For now, you only have one try per day. ]

Ronin’s eyes gleamed. This skill is definitely more powerful than Blinding Darkness!

He can also put it into very good use for his future schemes. In fact, upon learning all the details of the skill, he already knew what he would do.

“Biological component means something like hair or nail clippings, right?” He asked Kai.

“Yes. Or blood if you prefer.” Kai suggested. “Then, you take that component in your hand, and draw the rune for falsifying on the back of the hand holding it.”

The rune for falsifying looks like the shape of a human stickman with an X mark over it.

“And I only have 10 minutes and one try for now… That’s still a very great skill for me indeed.” Ronin was beaming.

And so, the first thing he set out to do was to look for Cermin Drychspiel.

——————–

Cermin had rushed off to follow Rabuka, who he found on one of those waiting sheds for people to go to in case of rain.

“Rabuka, I’m sorry, alright? But you didn’t have to shout at that woman earlier….. I think she was just joking and having some fun.” Cermin explained.

Rabuka crossed her arms, her eyes tinged red. “Some fun? You don’t know Calla Lily like I do! She’ll do anything to get attention!”

“And she’s an Artisan, so I see nothing wrong with that. I mean, aren’t all performers looking for attention?” Cermin asked.

“But it’s different with you, Goldie! I brought you here to watch me! You should only pay attention to me and not her!”

Cermin was confused, scratching his head.

(She acts like a jealous girlfriend… But she’s not even my girlfriend. She’s Pavone’s. And I don’t plan on coming between them, I wouldn’t cheat with my friend’s girl.)

Ronin sneered dryly at this. ‘So he’s not as dense as a rock after all.’

Rabuka took his hand, and Cermin felt even more awkward, not knowing if he should pull it away. It felt wrong somehow.

“Promise me to only pay attention to me, alright, Goldie? I won’t let her steal you from me, she keeps on stealing everyone and everything!”

“I-I promise but….. can you let me go…..”

“I was supposed to be in the Rigel class, but she came in the way and now the slot was taken by her! And every year, she would steal more and more of my fanatics, my audience… It’s unbearable!”

Rabuka continued to rant and rant about Calla Lily. About how her fashion sense wasn’t even that good, she just had big breasts….. Down to her ‘awful’ skills as a performer…..

And even bringing out her family background and hybridity.

“Worst of all, she’s just some ugly, half and half freak! I don’t understand how she does it, how she puts men into a spell. When I am much more beautiful, sophisticated and talented than her!”

“O-Okay, I see now. I see now. Just calm down, Rabuka.” Cermin said, patting her shoulder awkwardly.

She hugged on tightly to him, crying and crying in his arms. Cermin looked nervously around as if someone might misunderstand.

He didn’t notice at all the cloaked figure hiding behind the wall of the waiting shed and listening in to them.

“You won’t leave me for her like everyone else, won’t you, Cermin? You think I’m also better than her, right?” She said with pouty lips and eyes that were trying to gain his sympathy.

“I do…. Just…” Cermin doesn’t know what to say.

She smiled wide at this, completely changing expressions. “You really are the best, Goldie darling…. Any woman would be lucky to have you. Your future queen would be very lucky.”

“I guess so… But Rabuka, you should—-

He wasn’t able to continue as Rabuka pressed her lips against his!

Cermin blinked and immediately pushed her away. ” Rabuka!”

She pretended to blush and look all shy all of a sudden. “I….. I couldn’t help myself. You were just so good to me…. I wanted to be the lucky lady that will have you.”

“B-But Pavone—“

She pressed a finger to his lips. “Don’t worry about Pavone. He doesn’t have to know. I don’t love him, Cermin. I was basically forced to be his lover after he confessed to me in front of the whole school with a grand parade of a thousand jeweled roses.”

“But I have come to love you…..” She moved even closer, trying to seduce him with her furtive glances. “More than a friend. I love you very much…..”

Ronin almost gagged in disgust. She was so fake, she’s even faker than plastic.

He can hear her thoughts perfectly well, negating her ‘sincere confession’.

(I’ve been planning to abandon Pavone since I learned that you were the Prince of Scirocco. Just imagine the upper hand I can have on any girl in this Academy once they saw us together.)

(They’ll all die in envy and look up to me. Especially that whore, that Calla. I would be stomping her with my feet like an ant once I became Cermin’s queen!)

But unluckily for her, Cermin just pushed her back even more and rejected her!

“I’m sorry, Rabuka! But I can’t be with you… It feels wrong because you are like a sister to me, and Pavone was like a brother to me! I can’t betray our friendship like this!”

“But Cermin—“

He ran and she chased after him, and suddenly, the world went dark for the both of them.

They tripped on something at the same time, and Cermin felt something move quickly—

It almost felt like the wind blowing on his hair.

Then, the world was bright again, and Rabuka was laying beside him and groaning from the pain. Her knee was bleeding.

Cermin panicked more than he should have, and went by her side. “Let me take you to the infirmary!”

It was just a scrape on the knee, but this darkness and sudden incident reminded him far too much of the time Volken fell.

He looked around yet there was nothing. And it made him really, really scared.

He felt like he was being watched by a presence that was so evil, that it would make one’s heart stop beating.