The polished marble floors of Zenith Academy gleamed under the soft glow of enchanted ceiling lights as Lily walked beside Selena Vega, her heels clicking softly with each step.

The corridor stretched long and quiet, lined with old paintings and crystalline windows, the silence filled only by their footsteps.

Selena glanced sideways, catching the distant, contemplative expression on Lily's face. Her eyes narrowed with amusement.

'What's she thinking about so hard?' she wondered, already guessing the answer. Her heart swelled with pride, though she refused to fully admit it out loud—after all, Alex had won. That in itself was reason enough to celebrate.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Selena asked, "What's got you thinking so hard about?"

Lily blinked, pulled from her thoughts. She turned her head slightly, offering a soft smile. "Well... the thing is, brother always told me he was strong. But I always thought it was just his narcissistic tendencies acting up."

Selena chuckled silently at that.

"He used to live-stream his dungeon fights... and he cleared them so easily that I thought maybe it wasn't all that difficult."

Lily paused, the hallway's quiet stretching between them.

Selena smiled but said nothing, waiting.

"It was my first time seeing a fight like that in person," Lily continued. "And honestly... it was one of the most awesome things I've ever seen."

Her voice carried admiration, tinged with guilt.

"I always made fun of him, you know? Teased him endlessly. But in that duel... he was simply the coolest person I've ever seen. I'm always going to be proud to have a brother like him. You could even say... I'm the luckiest person alive to have him."

Selena's expression softened as lily continued.

"Even when I gave up—thinking I wouldn't live long—he never did and was always with me." Lily added, her voice quieter now. "And the thing is... I have a sharp memory."

Her lips quivered for a moment.

"He thinks I've never noticed, but when he didn't have money, he'd come to the hospital covered in sweat and bruises from doing odd jobs. But I always did notice. Every single time."

A lump formed in her throat.

"Honestly... seeing all that made me want to die faster. To relieve him of the burden... the weight I was putting on him. He never once complained. Not even once."

Selena remained silent, listening as they walked—every word weighing heavier than the last.

"And what have I given him in return?" Lily murmured. "Nothing. In fact, all I've done is enjoy the privileges he provided, spending the money he earned with blood and sweat..."

Selena reached over and gently patted Lily's head.

"You think I don't know? But I do," she said with a light smile. "I know every penny you 'stole' from your brother... Most of it, you donated to many orphanage's."

Lily's eyes widened in shock. "H-How did you...?"

Selena winked. "Don't underestimate me."

Then, with a teasing smirk, she added, "So? Do you have some special reaom to do that ?"

Lily sighed and looked down. "It's nothing special or grand. It's just... when I see those kids, I see a reflection of myself and my brother. Fighting to live, chasing a future."

She paused, gathering her thoughts.

"So if donating money makes their lives even a bit easier, then why not? I know it's not my money, and yeah, I guess it sounds hypocritical. But even if brother scolds me... I don't care. I didn't tell him because... it'd sound like I was justifying myself. Or worse, make him seem stingy."

"Even though he is stingy," she added with a smirk.

Selena burst out laughing, the echo of her amusement bouncing through the hallway.

"Don't worry," she said between chuckles. "As far as I know, you're one of the reasons he's so obsessed with making money. Because he never wants you to go through the hardships he did."

Her tone softened as she added, "So acting a little spoiled once in a while is fine."

"Really?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"Really," Selena confirmed with a warm smile.

Lily nodded slowly, the burden on her shoulders seeming just a bit lighter.

Soon, they reached Selena's office. It was cozy and well-organized, filled with scrolls, artifacts, and neatly stacked weapons. Selena gestured toward the soft, violet-colored sofa.

"Sit," she said, taking her own seat beside Lily.

Lily looked serious now. "So, what I'm trying to say is... Brother has done enough for me. Now, I want to do something for him too."

Selena raised an eyebrow.

"I've heard some people can use mana with the help of special artifacts," Lily continued.

Selena's expression sharpened. "You want me to procure artifacts like that for you?"

Lily gave a sheepish smile. "Not just that. I also want you to train me. In martial arts. In weapon arts."

Selena groaned, rubbing her temple. "You do know if your brother finds out, we're both in deep trouble, right?"

Lily leaned forward, eyes pleading. "I promise he won't find out. I just... I want to prepare. For the Zenith Academy entrance exam in a few months. I want Brother to be proud of me too."

She hit her with the puppy-dog eyes.

Selena sighed in surrender. "Alright, alright! I'll train you. Just stop looking at me like that. Seriously... both you and your brother are the same."

"Yay!" Lily cheered.

Then she whipped out her phone. "Alright, I have many things to buy."

Selena gave her a deadpan look.

'She's gonna hack into Alex's account again, isn't she?' she thought, sighing internally.

"Maybe I shouldn't have encouraged her..." she muttered.

Then, with a wicked little smile, she added under her breath, "Whatever. It's not my money anyway."

------

Meanwhile, as Alex strode toward the Zenith Academy training grounds, a sudden chill ran down his spine. It came out of nowhere, sharp and almost instinctual.

'What was that...?'

His steps faltered for a moment as he scanned his surroundings.

'I suddenly have a really bad feeling.'

Then he exhaled, brushing off the sensation.

"Whatever... let's go," he muttered to himself.

He continued on, pushing open the grand doors of the training facility. The instant he stepped inside, the buzz of chatter ceased. Every first-year student was present—dozens gathered and clustered into groups—but all eyes turned toward him.

The moment they saw his unmistakable figure, the crowd instinctively parted like the Red Sea, clearing a path in reverent silence.

Alex adjusted his pristine white blazer, the golden embroidery glinting under the enchanted lights. Crimson lining traced the edges, giving him an air of regal defiance. On his back, the massive emblem of the Zenith Phoenix shimmered like firelight, alive and bold.

He walked with effortless grace, like the runway belonged to him. Chin high. Shoulders relaxed. Every step was deliberate, controlled, and full of unshakable confidence.

'Might as well give them a show,' he thought, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

Whispers began swirling in the air.

"Is that... really him?"

"He's alive?"

"Wasn't he missing for months and was declared dead?"

"I thought he died!"

He paid no attention.

The tension was palpable as he approached the main platform. There stood Alden, arms folded, waiting with a neutral expression—but the spark in his eyes betrayed his anticipation.

As Alex ascended the platform and turned to face the crowd, something unexpected happened.

A blur crashed into him from the side.

Charlotte.

She threw her arms around him, sobbing, her voice cracking.

"Thank the stars... I still can't believe it... it's you... it's really you..."

Before Alex could even recover, a second blur tackled him from the front.

"You're really back!" cried Seraphina, her tear-streaked face buried in his chest.

And then a third form wrapped around his back—Ava—her shoulders shaking as she clung to him tightly, silently crying.

Alex was sandwiched on all sides by beautiful girls, sobbing into his blazer.

'Why does this feel like both a reward and a punishment at the same time ?' he thought, dramatically sighing.

Out loud, he said, "I know resisting the charm of someone as perfect as me is impossible... but you guys should really consider the time and place."

His dry tone triggered soft giggles from all three girls.

Charlotte sniffled and gave a small laugh.

Seraphina playfully slapped his chest. "Still as full of yourself as ever..."

Ava chuckled softly. "Idiot..."

They slowly released him, wiping their tears.

The tension in the room eased. Students who had been holding their breath finally exhaled, smiles blooming across faces. Even the stoic ones couldn't help but grin at the scene.

Alex adjusted his collar again and looked toward the three girls with a teasing glint in his eyes.

"We'll talk later. I've got work to do right now."

The three of them blinked in confusion, but nodded, stepping aside.

Without warning, Alex raised a single hand and snapped his fingers.

A deep pulse of energy spread out—**boom**—and a transparent, shimmering barrier encased the entire training field. It shimmered with layers of silver and violet runes.

A hush fell over the crowd.

Alden, who was still on the platform, raised an eyebrow. Then he smirked knowingly as he turned to face Alex.

"You're always full of surprises."

Alex cracked his neck. "Don't worry. I've only erected a barrier so the academy staff can't see what's happening inside."

That didn't help with the confusion. Students began murmuring again.

"What's he planning?"

"Why would he block the staff?"

"Is this even allowed?"

Alex stood at the edge of the platform, eyes sweeping across the first-years like a general surveying his troops.

"Look, I won't waste your time," he said firmly.

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a stack of mana-infused scrolls—contracts bound with glowing seals—from his storage ring.

He handed them to Alden.

"Distribute these to everyone."

Alden raised an eyebrow and took the stack. As he read the contents of the first contract, his eyes widened so much they nearly popped out of his head.

"Alex... Isn't this illegal?"

Alex smirked and crossed his arms.

"Our competitors aren't playing fair. So why should we?"

A beat passed.

Then Alden let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head.

"You devilish bastard."

With that, he turned to begin distributing the contracts to the bewildered students, each one hesitantly taking it and reading through with wide eyes and murmurs.

Alex stood tall at the center of it all, looking utterly unfazed.

'Let the academy play by the rules as lucas cheats his way out. I'll play to win.'

------

A/N:

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