Liam's Lie

Rina activated the low-grade qi communication talisman given by the academy as she sat curled up near her dorm window, overlooking the western courtyard of Celestial Academy. The sky beyond shimmered orange with late-afternoon haze, and the faint buzz of sparring cultivators echoed in the distance.

The talisman flickered once, then bloomed into the warm voice of her father.

"Rina? Can you hear me?"

Her lips trembled. "Yes, Papa. I'm here."

He laughed, and the sound was vibrant—not the hoarse, tired chuckle she'd grown used to. For a second, it made her throat tighten.

"You won't believe it. Someone came to the library today. An elegant gentleman—spoke like he'd read every book in the place twice. Said he heard about me through a friend who called me kind-hearted and hardworking. Bought a full stake in the place—twenty percent. Paid enough to rebuild everything."

Rina sat frozen, breath shallow.

"The strangest thing, beta—he knew exactly what we needed. Asked about the preservation seals, mentioned the roof repairs without me saying a word. Even complimented your mother's organization system. Said his friend spoke very highly of our family."

Her vision blurred. Could it be Liam?

"He left a business card with just a phone number. Very modest man. Insisted on staying anonymous. But Rina... do you have anything to do with this? Maybe a friend of yours helped us?"

Her father was ecstatic, too swept up in emotion to hear her silence.

"We can fix the roof now. Upgrade the preservation seals. Your mother's even talking about hosting a reading camp this winter. We haven't had a full repair budget in ten years."

The talisman dimmed.

Rina sat there, unmoving, her fingers trembling against her knee. She stared at the courtyard below, watching students practice their forms in the fading light. The regular motions should have been soothing, but her mind churned.

Who else knew about her family's struggles? Who else would care enough to help?

She paced to her small desk, then back to the window. The mysterious benefactor had known specific details—things only someone who'd visited or heard detailed stories would know. Someone who understood not just their financial needs, but their pride, their dignity.

Someone like Liam.

An hour later, as the last traces of sunset painted the sky deep purple, she found Liam reclining under the luminous acacia tree that marked the edge of the eastern court. He was leaning back, arms behind his head, watching a rare thundercloud slithering across the darkening sky.

"Liam."

He turned lazily, eyes narrowing slightly before relaxing into a smile.

"Rina."

She stepped forward, her expression carefully neutral. "Was it you?"

He raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"My father said someone came to our library today. A powerful man. Said a friend praised him. Called my father kind-hearted and hardworking. Knew details about our family that only..." She paused, studying his face. "That only someone close to us would know. He paid a fortune just to keep the place alive."

Liam blinked, his mind racing. He hadn't done anything—had barely thought about her family's library since she'd mentioned it weeks ago. But the pieces were falling into place too perfectly to ignore.

Her gratitude. Her trust. The way she was looking at him now, hope and vulnerability written across her features.

He could tell her the truth. Should tell her the truth. But then what? She'd be disappointed, confused. The mysterious benefactor would remain a mystery, and Rina would retreat back into her shell of polite distance.

Or...

He let a thoughtful silence stretch, as if carefully considering his words. The pause felt natural—the hesitation of someone who'd done a good deed and didn't want credit for it.

"I hoped it would help," he said finally, his voice soft. "I didn't expect him to mention anything to your father."

It wasn't technically a lie. He had hoped her family's situation would improve. The mysterious "him" could refer to anyone. But he watched as Rina's eyes widened, as understanding dawned across her face.

She blinked hard, her eyes threatening tears. "Liam, I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything." He sat up straighter, the picture of humble nobility. "Your family deserves better. Your father's work matters."

Something shifted in her expression—a wall crumbling, a door opening.

🔔 System Notification – Vincent Cornelius

● Event: Rina Attribution Error → Favor Anchor Shift

▶ Rina Favorability toward Liam: +6 → 70

▶ Liam LP: +20 ▶ Vincent LP: -20

Maybe Liam wasn't all talk like others after all. Maybe he really cared.

**************

Later that night, Rina lay awake in her dorm bunk, eyes on the moonlit ceiling. Sleep eluded her as her mind replayed the conversation, searching for hidden meanings in every pause, every gesture.

The words echoed again.

Hoped it would help. Your family deserves better.

She didn't know who the man at the library was—and maybe it didn't matter. What mattered was that Liam had cared enough to arrange it. Had thought of her family when she wasn't even there.

But as gratitude warmed her chest, another memory surfaced unbidden.

Liam's warning about Helena. His claims that she might be getting manipulated by someone with money and influence.

She'd dismissed it back then. Just Liam being paranoid about his mother again.

But now, after what happened with her father... what if patterns existed that she couldn't see? What if people with resources moved through the world arranging things, helping some while using others?

She shook her head against the pillow. No—her father wasn't some naive victim. The contract had been legitimate, reviewed by a lawyer. The benefactor had been respectful, generous. Some acts of kindness were exactly what they appeared to be.

Still, in the back of her mind, a seed of doubt had been planted. Maybe Liam understood things about wealth and power that she didn't. Maybe his warnings deserved more consideration than she'd given them.

🔔 System Notification – Vincent Cornelius

● Event: Rina Suspicion Triggered → Perception Shift

▶ Rina Favorability toward Vincent: -5 → 31 ▶ Vincent LP: -10 Liam LP:+10

P.S- Guys we have surpassed 100 collections. <3