Chapter 9

The predicament Alia found herself in at this moment was utterly absurd.

She was undeniably attractive—so striking, in fact, that people often entertained the idea of capturing her beauty for their own enjoyment.

And yet, he had the audacity to pat her head and call her short. Short!

Unacceptable.

Did he think she would be thrilled to address him as "brother"? Ha. He couldn't be more wrong.

"I refuse," Alia said, her voice crisp and unwavering.

She expected her rejection to earn Old Man Leon's displeasure, perhaps even a lecture.

Instead, the aged war hero only laughed, his cybernetic implants humming faintly with his mirth. "What a good child," he said, his voice warm with approval. "You should focus on your studies at the Interstellar Academy first—plenty of time for romance after graduation! If you ever need anything, just reach out to me. I'm not afraid of a little trouble!"

Alia blinked, caught off guard.

A heavyweight benefactor, a living legend of interstellar warfare, had just landed in her life like a fully upgraded game modification, unlocking a path of infinite possibilities.

"Thank you, Grandpa," she responded smoothly, recognizing an opportunity when she saw one.

"Haha! We're family now, no need to be so polite!"

Old Man Leon's mechanical eye gleamed with amusement as he gave her a parting grin before his personal attendants ushered him away, reminding him to take his prescribed energy stabilizers.

Alia, meanwhile, turned her gaze toward a certain someone—Leonardo.

The enigmatic, silver-ranked Interstellar Academy alumnus lounged against a sleek anti-gravity chair, propping his chin on his hand as if he were already growing bored.

Fine. Ignore her now.

But one day, she would be beyond his reach.

As the evening set in, Alia followed Leonardo to his transport vehicle. The Lai estate was a sight to behold during the day, with its radiant bio-luminescent flora and meticulously maintained crystalline lakes.

But at night?

Interstellar spring brought out the worst—the high-frequency hum of luminous star-mosquitoes filled the air, their presence an unwelcome intrusion on the serene landscape.

Inside the transport, Alia caught a glimpse of Leonardo beneath the golden glow of the car's ambient lighting. His uniform collar was slightly undone, revealing a sliver of sculpted collarbone. His porcelain-like skin, cool and unblemished, bore a faint reddish streak—

Had he been scratching himself?

Her eyes trailed upward. The tips of his fingers hovered near the irritated skin, a subconscious movement of discomfort.

Without hesitation, Alia reached over and seized his wrist, her touch featherlight yet firm.

"Don't scratch it," she chided. "You'll break the skin."

Leonardo's gaze flickered down to where her fingers encircled his wrist. He didn't pull away. Instead, he arched an elegant brow and murmured, "...Oh?"

The quiet weight of his voice stirred something in the air—something dangerous.

Before the moment could stretch too thin, the ever-efficient AI assistant of the vehicle interrupted, its synthesized voice bright and helpful.

"Miss Ai, I have a cooling energy ointment available. Would you like it?"

A compartment opened, revealing a sleek vial of anti-itch serum.

Alia took the ointment in her hand and frowned slightly.

Why was it given to her?

Shouldn't it have gone directly to Leonardo?

The realization hit a beat later.

…Was he expecting her to apply it for him?

Alia sighed. Well, it was inconvenient for him to do it himself, given the location. There were limits to even the finest reflexes.

Without overthinking, she dispensed a small amount onto her fingertips and leaned in.

The instant her fingers brushed against his skin, Leonardo stiffened. A sharp, involuntary breath ghosted past his lips.

The sensation was—unexpected.

Her touch was neither too cold nor too warm, just a gentle whisper of contact.

Alia, unaware of the tension simmering beneath the surface, was focused solely on evenly spreading the cooling serum.

Leonardo, on the other hand, was hyperaware of her.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, his gaze darkening. He could feel the delicate pressure of her fingertips tracing over the sensitive skin of his collarbone, the subtle fragrance of her presence lingering in the confined space.

Too much.

Without warning, he caught her wrist in a slow, deliberate motion.

"Little girl…" His voice was velvet-smooth, yet laced with quiet mischief. His warm fingertips brushed against her cooler skin. "Are you taking advantage of me?"

Alia's eyes widened.

Ridiculous!

The sheer audacity!

She pulled back, flustered, and shoved the vial of ointment into his palm.

"I was just applying medicine!" she huffed, puffing out her cheeks.

Leonardo merely chuckled, the corners of his lips curling into a knowing smirk.

She truly had no idea.

The next morning, Alia resumed her usual routine at the Interstellar Academy, picking up the academic responsibilities of her previous self.

During the midday break, while others took the opportunity to socialize, she remained buried in an intimidatingly thick volume—"Interstellar College Entrance Examination: N-Year Simulation".

In her mind, the AI system Z-001 activated its urgent announcement mode, nearly blaring like an intercom.

[Miss! A special NPC has entered the Interstellar Academy! And you're just sitting here doing homework? Ignoring him? You're ruthless!]

Alia didn't even lift her gaze.

"Studying is important," she muttered.

[No, seriously! This is a major plot event!]

Across the academy, groups of interstellar students huddled around their smart screens, their voices buzzing with excitement.

"Why is there such a crowd in front of the office building? The honor list has been posted for half a year already—what's so special about it now?"

Another girl swiped her holo-screen rapidly. "It's not about the list! Leon God is back on campus! He's here to donate scholarships!"

Alia's fingers froze on the page.

Leon… God?

They meant Leonardo?

The Leonardo she had just applied ointment to the night before?

[Miss, I understand now. You don't care about special NPC favorability because… you're secretly in love with me, right? But—But I didn't even give you a heart yet! You can't be mad at me!]

Alia closed her book with an exasperated sigh.

Fine. She'd go take a look, if only to shut the AI up.

When she arrived, a small crowd had already gathered beneath the towering energy trees. Leonardo stood in the center of it all—his presence striking, even from afar.

His black uniform contrasted against the shimmering green canopy, his posture effortless, his expression unreadable. Around him, the Academy's dignitaries showered him with praise.

And standing far too close to him—Viola.

Viola, with her neatly bandaged knee, lowered her gaze in calculated modesty. "I only hope to follow in Senior Leon's footsteps," she murmured, the words carefully chosen for maximum impact.

The Academy leaders smiled approvingly. "That's an admirable goal! What was your latest ranking?"

"Third in the grade," Viola answered, feigning shyness.

Not bad. It was an impressive score.

But Leonardo…

He wasn't even paying attention.

His gaze was elsewhere.

Following his line of sight, Viola turned—

And saw Alia.

Leonardo, completely unfazed by the formal setting, lifted a hand.

"Come here," he called to her, his tone as natural as if they were the only two people there.

And just like that, the entire courtyard fell silent.