10| Meeting the Male Lead

The first thing that caught her eye was his gleaming blonde hair, almost golden in appearance. The second was his amethyst eyes, which radiated cold indifference. His face was truly fitting for a protagonist—sharp, icy features that seemed as though they had been carved from marble. He resembled one of the statues in the temple more than a real person, almost too handsome to be true.

Zachary Draken, the sole heir to the Draken duchy, stood tall and commanding amidst the crowd of students, who had instinctively parted to make way for him.

As a paladin, he was as fit as any knight, with a lean yet muscular frame, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. Despite wearing the same navy uniform as everyone else, he exuded a dangerous, almost forbidden allure. Golden tattoos, intricately swirling up his neck and onto his chin. They shimmered faintly, as if alive, and seemed both sacred and utterly sinful. Was it even fair for someone who served the gods to look so… unholy?

Celestia quickly snapped herself out of it. This was the man who, if she wasn't careful, could lead her straight to her death. No matter how attractive he was, to her, he was nothing more than a walking death flag. Besides, blondes had never been her type anyway. She immediately averted her gaze, focusing on the empty stage ahead. Whatever Zachary Draken did had nothing to do with her anymore.

At least, that was what she thought– until his words pulled her attention back.

"I wasn't aware that our academy had so many swordmasters, considering how they've become the standard for learning the way of the sword," Zachary remarked, his voice dripping with mockery.

Celestia nearly banged her head against the chair in front of her.

'Why was this guy meddling in her affairs again?'

The students who had mocked her earlier immediately looked down in shame, their earlier confidence shattered. Though it was somewhat satisfying to see them put in their place, Celestia was not pleased.

'This wasn't helpful at all!'

And yet, what could she do? She couldn't exactly march up to him and tell him to stop speaking on her behalf. That would require interacting with him– something she had been desperate to avoid. Just the thought of it made her cringe. She was still haunted by the memory of shamelessly chasing after him for over a year. The embarrassment was catching up to her now, and she wanted nothing more than to avoid all contact with him.

Could anyone else have handled this situation with confidence? Or was she the only one trying to dodge every minor inconvenience?

Shaking her head, Celestia redirected her focus to her palms, which suddenly seemed far more interesting than the scene unfolding around her.

'When is this damned orientation going to start?'

As she silently cursed the heavens for giving her such an anxiety-ridden personality, a familiar presence settled into the seat beside her.

'Oh, hell no.'

'Why?!'

Of all the empty seats in the auditorium– and there were plenty– why did Zachary Draken have to sit next to her? She was certain he had a reserved spot in the second row, right behind the professors and faculty.

Her mind raced, trying to process the situation. Desperately seeking a solution, she came to a shaky conclusion:

'Let's just ignore him unless he speaks first'

The professors finally entered the auditorium, and the whispers died down as the orientation began. Celestia exhaled in relief, thankful for the distraction.

The headmaster, an old man who appeared to be in his early thirties, exuded a commanding presence as he stepped onto the stage. He began his speech, the usual introduction– welcoming the new students, highlighting the academy's prestigious history, and emphasizing the importance of discipline and hard work.

Celestia tried to focus, but her thoughts kept wandering. Out of the corner of her eye, she stole a glance at Zachary. He sat perfectly still, his posture straight and his expression unreadable. Confidence and authority radiated from him, making it impossible to ignore that he was the future Duke of Draken.

Why is he here? she wondered for the hundredth time. And why is he sitting next to me of all people?

As the headmaster droned on about the academy's rules, Celestia resolved to block out Zachary's presence entirely. She wasn't going to let him ruin her day.

When the orientation finally ended, the students began filing out of the auditorium. Celestia stood quickly, eager to put some distance between herself and Zachary.

"Princess Aster," Zachary said, his deep voice low enough that only she could hear him.

Celestia stiffened but kept her gaze fixed ahead. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore. Maybe if she pretended not to hear him, he'd leave her alone.

He didn't.

"Are you ignoring me?" he asked, amusement lacing his tone.

Called out so directly, Celestia had no choice but to acknowledge him. She quickly formulated an excuse and turned to face him. "I wasn't ignoring you, Lord Draken. I was just lost in thought. Do you need something?"

"I see." Zachary leaned slightly closer, his gaze steady. "I'll get straight to the point. I wanted to talk about your– " He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully.

Celestia, however, already knew what he wanted to address.

"My feelings for you?" she interjected smoothly. "You don't need to worry about that anymore, my lord. They're completely gone. Over the summer holidays, I had time to reflect, and my feelings for you have cooled. I won't bother you any further."

Zachary blinked, momentarily taken aback. "You're no longer in love with me?"

"It wasn't love in the first place," she clarified. "Just a fleeting infatuation." She stopped short of admitting it had been more of an obsession, a desperate attachment to the only person who had shown her kindness. He didn't need to know that.

Zachary stared at her intently for a few moments, then finally spoke. "I see. I had intended to ask you to be more discreet with your affections since it was harming your reputation. But if that's the case, I'm glad you've made a sensible decision." His tone sounded genuinely relieved.

'Wow. The male lead indeed. How can someone be this kind?'

She was a bit confused but accepted the reality. Usually in those other fantasy novels she had read, wouldn't the male leads develop an interest towards the characters that suddenly told them they didn't love them anymore?

Meh, maybe she had met the rarely sensible male lead.

"Thank you for your concern," Celestia replied politely, shaking off her thoughts. "I hope we don't cross paths unnecessarily while I work on repairing my reputation."

"I'll respect your wishes." Zachary stood, straightening his cuffs. "That said, if anyone dares insult you by bringing up the past, come to me. I'll handle it."

"That won't be necessary," Celestia said, shaking her head. "I can handle them myself. But thank you. I hope you have a good day."

Zachary gave her a nod before turning and walking toward the exit.

The moment he was gone, Celestia slumped in her seat, exhaling deeply.

'God, that actually went well!'