Ice boy?

Venzel had barely stepped out of his combat class when he began to hear it—whispers, murmurs, and hushed voices that followed him like an echo.

He should have expected it. His past self had always loved the spotlight. Whether the attention was good or bad, it didn't matter—as long as people were talking about him.

But now?

Now, he found it exhausting.

His thoughts drifted to a familiar memory—one tied to these very same rumors.

That day.

Back then, people gossiped about how he and Angie had teamed up in combat class, how they had faced off against each other in a friendly spar.

And how, during the spar, Angie had struck him with a wooden sword and injured him right where his yesterday wound was.

A perfectly placed hit.

Too perfect.

She had been the one to heal him the day before. She should know exactly where the injury was. And yet—

Venzel shook his head, dismissing the thought before it could take root.

"Hah… this isn't like me." He sighed, ruffling his hair in frustration. "Why am I being so skeptical of her?"

She saved me yesterday. She pulled me out of the river. She healed me. Why am I overthinking right now?

He wasn't going to let doubt cloud his mind.

As he stepped into the corridor, a warm smile unconsciously formed on his lips.

Because he also remembered something else from that day.

The memory of Karina—the timid little girl who always stayed in the background, the one he barely even spared a glance at.

That day, when she heard he had been hurt—when she heard there was blood—she confronted Angie.

A girl who could barely lift her gaze off the ground, who flinched at the slightest confrontation…

She had stood up for him.

For him.

Wasn't that adorable?

"Ahh—why was I such an idiot in my past life?!" He groaned, rubbing his face as secondhand embarrassment washed over him.

How could he have been so blind?

How could he have ignored someone so precious?

But that was the past.

And he was here now—with a second chance.

"Alright, time to find my princess."

With a determined grin, he strode forward.

But just as he turned a corner—

A small figure crashed into him.

The moment someone crashed into him, Venzel's instinctive reaction was sharp—"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

But then, he saw her.

Karina.

Her petite frame trembled, her head bowed so low that he couldn't even see her face properly. Tear-streaked. Small. Fragile.

"I-I'm sorry!" she stammered, bowing repeatedly, her voice laced with panic.

Venzel felt his heart clench.

What was she apologizing for?

She had done nothing wrong.

His fingers twitched, and before he could stop himself, he stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace.

She stiffened but—she didn't push him away.

Nor did she return the hug.

She simply stood there—rigid, unmoving.

As he held her, his gaze lifted beyond her trembling form—and met the eyes of several nobles' students watching from a distance.

They froze in shock.

Clearly, they hadn't expected this.

Venzel exhaled softly, pulling away just enough to look at Karina's face.

"Wait here, alright?" His voice was quiet, gentle. "I'll go get your things back. I promise."

He wasn't sure if she would trust him.

Maybe she already knew who he was.

Maybe she thought this was another one of his cruel pranks.

He didn't know.

But then—

"O-Okay…"

A whisper. Barely audible.

Yet to Venzel—it was the sweetest melody he had ever heard.

A soft smile touched his lips. Good. That's all I needed to hear.

Then, as he turned towards the boys who had tormented her—

The air around him dropped.

His blue eyes turned icy white.

Each step he took left frost in his wake.

A suffocating chill spread through the hallway, curling around the nobles who had mocked Karina moments ago.

Hector. James. Kane.

These three well-dressed young men, heirs of powerful houses, once full of laughter and sneers—now visibly tensing under his gaze.

Hector narrowed his eyes, clicking his tongue.

"James. Kane." His voice was lazy, but there was a sharp edge to it. "It seems we're being underestimated right now."

James scoffed, arms crossed.

"Hah! First, he hugs his little toy in front of everyone. Now, he thinks he can stand up to us?"

Kane let out a loud laugh, shaking his head.

"Seriously, this is hilarious! What's next? Is he gonna challenge us to a duel for her?"

The mockery in their voices was clear.

Yet Venzel remained silent as His expression unreadable.

But the ice beneath his feet cracked.

Before they could react—Venzel was gone.

A sudden gust of wind followed his disappearance, sending shivers down their spines.

Then—a voice.

"Weak."

Cold. Distant.

Before they could even turn, a suffocating pressure crashed down on them.

Hector's knees buckled. His breath hitched as an invisible force pressed against his chest. His vision blurred, and his body swayed.

James and Kane fared no better. Their limbs trembled, their thoughts scrambled in confusion and fear.

What… is this?

The weight intensified. Their strength left them in an instant–

And they dropped!

Hector gasped, his fingers twitching weakly before his consciousness faded.

James collapsed beside him, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud.

Kane barely had time to register what was happening before darkness consumed him as well.

Venzel stood amidst the fallen bodies, his expression icy.

He turned away without a second glance. They weren't worth his attention.

Instead, he crouched down, his movements unhurried, almost reverent, as he gathered Karina's fallen glasses and scattered notebooks.

Each item was handled with a tenderness he never thought himself capable of.

With steady steps, he walked back.

There she was—knees curled up to her chest, sitting in silence.

Small. Alone.

Waiting.

His chest ached at the sight. She always seemed to endure. Always endured.

Venzel knelt before her, his voice warm, carrying a softness he hadn't used in years.

"As promised, I've got them for you."

It wasn't just about the books or the glasses.

It was a quiet vow—one he intended to keep.

Karina lifted her head at the sound, her eyes swollen and red from crying.

"T-Thank you, sir…" Her voice trembled.

She reached out, hesitant.

But she couldn't see him—not clearly.

Her world was nothing but a blur of shapes and colors.

Venzel watched her struggle, his heart clenching painfully.

How cruel had life been to her? How foolish he was to not have recognized her.

Without a word, he placed the glasses in her hands, set the notebooks beside her, and turned away.

It's still not the right time.

He knew if he stayed any longer—if she saw his face, she'd only doubt his intentions.

She would believe that this was just another one of my pranks.

A dry chuckle escaped his lips as he walked away in the opposite direction.

How pathetic. Even after being given a second chance, this is all I can do.

Behind him, Karina shakily put on her glasses.

She blinked, adjusting to the clarity but when she looked up—

There was no one, no prince in shining armor. He was gone.

Her fingers curled into her uniform. Tears threatened to fall, but she held them back.