Chapter 29

For the entire class period, the atmosphere in the room was anything but normal.

It started the moment Zamiel sat beside Athasia, completely ignoring the teacher's instructions to take a different seat. The entire class was already in shock at his audacity, but no one dared to say anything out loud—except for the occasional whispers and muffled gasps spreading throughout the room.

The girls in the class, especially those who had been eagerly waiting for his arrival, were not happy.

"Can you believe it? He actually chose to sit next to her," one girl hissed, her voice dripping with jealousy.

"As expected from a seductress. She must've done something to attract his attention," another sneered.

"Maybe she's been secretly meeting him behind our backs!"

"What does he even see in her? She's not even that special."

Their whispers weren't exactly subtle, but Athasia didn't care. If anything, the nonsense these girls spewed was nothing compared to the things she had heard in her past life. They could talk all they wanted—none of it would affect her.

What did affect her, however, was the man sitting next to her.

Zamiel.

And his completely shameless behavior.

He wasn't just sitting beside her quietly like a normal student. No, that would be too simple. Instead, he had taken it upon himself to invade her personal space in every way possible.

At first, he was just staring.

Not subtly. Not discreetly. Just outright staring at her with that amused, knowing smirk playing on his lips.

Then he got bolder.

He reached out and grabbed a lock of her platinum hair, twirling it lazily between his fingers as if it belonged to him.

Athasia, being the patient person she was, ignored it.

Then he tugged gently.

She narrowed her eyes but still didn't react.

Then he did it again. And again.

The final straw?

He lifted a strand to his nose and—

Sniffed.

Loudly.

The reaction from the class was immediate.

Several students choked on their own spit. Someone gasped so loudly the teacher actually paused mid-lecture. Mira, who had been silently observing from a few seats away, clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from bursting into laughter.

One girl, her face twisted in outrage, whisper-screamed, "Did he just sniff her hair?!"

Another covered her mouth in horror. "Oh my god. He did! And look—he's smiling!"

Indeed, Zamiel's lips curled into a satisfied smirk as he leaned back, looking more relaxed than ever.

Athasia, who had endured this nonsense for way too long, finally spoke. Without looking at him, she muttered, "Do you have a death wish?"

Zamiel, completely unfazed, continued to twirl her hair around his fingers and murmured, "Not really. But if I did, I'd want you to be the one to kill me."

Another student coughed violently, nearly falling out of their chair.

The teacher, who had been trying to ignore them, finally snapped. Slamming a book on his desk, he glared at Zamiel. "Zamiel. Hands. Off. Athasia."

For a brief moment, the classroom went dead silent. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen next.

To everyone's shock, Zamiel actually let go.

The class sighed in relief.

But just when everyone thought the ordeal was over, Zamiel leaned in—so close that his lips nearly brushed against Athasia's ear—and whispered, "I'll behave for now, Fenice Oscura. But don't think I'm done with you."

Athasia inhaled deeply, gripping her pen so tightly it almost snapped.

Mira, absolutely entertained, muttered under her breath, "This is the best day ever."