Only The Beginning

When he arrived home, Ethan shut the door to his small apartment. He leaned against the door for a moment, exhaling softly before walking toward his room. His sharp gray eyes glimmered with amusement as he tossed his phone onto his bed.

Then, slowly, a smirk appeared on his lips.

Celeste Ardent, the esteemed professor of Edenhurst University… he had caught her. But this wasn't just about blackmail.

No, this was about something much bigger.

Ethan ran a hand through his dark hair, his fingers brushing over his temple as a flood of memories resurfaced.

Yes, that was right.

He was reborn, or let's say, he went back in time.

In his previous life, Ethan was an ordinary foreign student in Edenhurst. Despite being normal, he was constantly isolated, belittled, and dismissed. Even the teachers turned a blind eye, some even subtly encouraging the bullying.

He was not weak. Of course, he had fought back at times, but it was all useless.

He was alone in an unfamiliar country, unwanted and unseen.

Then, one night, he died because of an accident.

He couldn't remember the details. All he knew what that there was a sharp pain before darkness swallowed his vision, and then, nothing.

He couldn't remember what happened after that. All he knew was that he woke up again and was surprised to see that he was back on time.

He went back exactly 2 years ago. Currently, he was a first-year student at the university. He wasn't getting severely bullied yet, but it was the time when everything was slowly starting.

And he knew for a fact that his bullying only heightened because of the incident earlier, where he was pointed as a thief.

"I still can't believe it…"

Everything was against all logic.

But fate gave him another chance.

Because when he woke up 2 days ago, a screen appeared before him.

[The Divine Charm System .]

Ethan's eyes flickered as the familiar blue holographic screen appeaed before him. The system interface was simple.

He smirked and commanded the system to open his stats.

[STATUS WINDOW]

-----

Name: Ethan Cross

Age: 19

Race: Human

Reputation: -20

Charm Level: 2

Charisma Points: 15

[Skills:]

[Persuasion] (Lv.2) – Allows the user to be more convincing in discussions.

[Presence] (Lv.1) – Slightly enhances aura, making the user stand out.

[Silver Tongue] - Adds an irresistible charm to spoken words, making them more seductive.

-----

The very first time he had seen it, he had thought he was hallucinating. But no—this was real.

Ethan chuckled as is gaze lingered on the "Reputation" stat, his smirk fading just slightly. Nothing changed from the first time he saw it.

"A negative reputation… I'm that bad, huh?"

Even though he had been given a second chance, people's perception of him hadn't changed. In this life, just like before, he was an outcast. But this time, he wasn't going to let them trample on him.

No, this time, he would rise.

"Celeste Ardent…:

Ethan's grin widened as he remembered the panic in her eyes and the way she shivered when he leaned in. She was proud, elegant, and composed, but in that moment, she had been vulnerable.

Ethan got excited with that vulnerability.

"She also has a weakness…" Ethan's voice trailed off. He was smiling, but there was anger in his tone.

Celeste Ardent.

A woman who carried herself like she was above everyone else. Who spoke with confidence, commanded attention, and looked at people like they were beneath her.

And to Ethan?

She had never spared him anything but disdain.

His jaw tightened. He could still remember it vividly.

The first time he met Celeste in class, she had barely acknowledged his presence. When their gazes did meet, it was always the same—a fleeting glance, followed by the slightest furrow of her brows, as if just seeing him ruined her day.

Ethan fingers hovered over one of the system's feature [Affection Meter]. In there, he could see the list of people he had interacted fo today.

[Affection List]

Celeste Ardent – -50% (Mild Disdain)

Ethan chuckled when he saw the number.

"Oh well," Ethan smirked.

He would change that.

With time, he would push that number higher.

 Make her desire him, obsess over him, crave his presence.

And not just her… a lot more.

Leaning back in his chair, Ethan opened the Quests tab. It was another feature of the system wherein it would give him a mission to accomplish for a reward.

In there, a new mission had just appeared.

-----

[NEW QUEST: Melt the Ice Queen]

Target: Celeste Ardent

Objective: Raise her Affection to 20% within a week.

Reward: +5 Charm Points, Unlock [Hypnotic Gaze]

----

"Hypnotic Gaze?"

[[Hypnotic Gaze] is a skill that allows the user to subtly influence emotions through prolonged eye contact.]

A slow grin spread across Ethan's face.

With skills like these, he knew that it would only a matter of time before everyone saw him differently.

A sharp ring from his phone snapped him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen.

[Unknown Number.]

Ethan raised an eyebrow before answering.

"Hello?"

There was silence at first. Then, a familiar voice answered. 

"Ethan Cross."

A smirk tugged at his lips.

It was from Celeste.

She sounded composed, as always. But Ethan was no fool. She wouldn't have called if she wasn't affected.

"I wasn't expecting a call from my professor this late at night," Ethan mused, his voice smooth and teasing.

A sharp inhale from the other end.

"Don't flatter yourself," she said crisply. "I just wanted to remind you—don't get the wrong idea about today. What happened earlier was nothing."

"Nothing?" Ethan repeated, tilting his head. "Are you sure about that?"

Celeste became silent or a moment.

"I'll see you after class tomorrow, Cross," she said, voice firm, before hanging up.

Ethan chuckled.

"A week, huh?"

That was more than enough time.

As the night stretched on, Ethan lay back on his bed, a single thought circling in his mind.

This time, he wouldn't just exist, he would make them fall for him—one by one.

And Celeste was just the beginning.