It goes without saying, but Nineveh is fundamentally a school established with the purpose of educating students.

It serves as a battleground where talented individuals from across the Empire gather to compete.

Since it is a place where capable, intelligent, and renowned people are assembled, one must study consistently and diligently to achieve a high academic ranking here.

Common students aim for scholarships, while noble students strive to avoid the humiliation of seeing their names listed at the bottom of the grade announcements.

In essence, a school is not designed for students to enjoy a picturesque youth filled with friendships; rather, it is a place meant to encourage diligent study during the formative years when one’s mind is sharp.

As such, the atmosphere within Nineveh is not one where first-year university students gather for fun, but rather one that promotes academic pursuits.

Of course, even in such an environment, there are always those who seek to have fun, and inevitably, some mischievous pairs of boys and girls engage in romantic flings.

For every five people that gather, one is bound to be troublesome, so it’s simply unreasonable to expect all the students here to act as model students who wholeheartedly listen to their teachers.

Moreover, as previously mentioned, the study-promoting atmosphere at Nineveh naturally fosters interest and excitement around the topic of romance among boys and girls, even if they pretend otherwise.

In such an environment, when the love story of Erekaya del Pendragon, the daughter of the illustrious House of Pendragon and currently the president of the student council at Nineveh, is witnessed, it inevitably draws everyone’s curiosity and interest.

“…So, there’s something going on between that Jin guy and the president?”

“Yeah, my friend said that they were on a date at a dessert shop after school yesterday.”

“Right, and apparently their chemistry was oddly sweet… Rumor has it they were so close that it looked like they were about to kiss.”

Thus, the rumors spread like wildfire across Nineveh, and by lunchtime, it seemed there wasn’t a single student who hadn’t heard of it.

…However, it was unavoidable that opinions regarding the veracity of the rumors were sharply divided.

“Seriously, that’s absurd.”

“Well… I’m not in a position to comment on someone else’s romance, but I find it hard to believe that those two are a couple…”

Indeed. No matter how one considers it from different angles, the pairing of Jin and Erekaya was a combination that students at Nineveh found difficult to accept.

There was no need to awkwardly mention their differing statuses or Jin’s background.

The fact was that, over the past three months, Jin had proven his abilities in front of everyone, so any superficial distinction regarding his status had long lost its significance.

Ultimately, the only thing every student at Nineveh wanted to point out regarding the combination of Jin and Erekaya was a single aspect.

“There’s a bit of a disparity in looks…”

“Hmm… Regardless, their pairing seems to defy the laws of physics.”

Indeed. Ever since he enrolled at Nineveh, Jin had experienced various incidents, and he had gained substantial notoriety, so there were few students who didn’t know what he looked like.

To everyone’s eyes, Jin was not what could be deemed a handsome man.

That’s not to say he was ugly; he didn’t deserve such a label, but at the same time, he wasn’t exactly someone who could be described as a century’s heartthrob capable of stealing a woman’s soul.

The most fitting description would be that he had a face that was slightly above average, leaning more towards the ordinary side.

Generally, those who trained extensively in martial arts and honed their magical powers tended to experience a physical transformation, correcting any imbalances and ultimately becoming more attractive.
And even taking all that into account, it was difficult to argue that Jin had a particularly handsome face.

Sure, some of the female students at Nineveh might have noted a certain charm in his appearance, but that was certainly just a minority opinion…

However, Erekaya del Pendragon was different.

For a long time, the most significant characteristic symbolizing the descendants of the House of Pendragon has been their unparalleled beauty.

And Erekaya del Pendragon could be said to be the finest masterpiece created by the House of Pendragon.

Naturally, her appearance was something that transcended the ordinary standards by a wide margin.

With hair resembling noble violet and golden eyes that seemed to contain the very essence of melted gold, Erekaya’s beauty had the power to transform the atmosphere around her just by being present. It was perfect to the extent that even those who disliked her had no choice but to acknowledge it.

All the male students at Nineveh also revered Erekaya del Pendragon and secretly stole glances at her, yet they dared not approach her or even consider making a failed attempt to flirt with her.

Given Erekaya’s background and her appearance, which was on an entirely different level from ordinary humans, what kind of audacity could anyone possess to approach her?

It was precisely because of this that there was no man who could dare to approach her, and naturally, Erekaya was destined to be like a flower on a cliff, unreachable.

But that Jin, was dating Erekaya? No, it wasn’t even dating; they were in a romantic relationship?

No matter how many times one thought about it, it was simply absurd.

For the students of Nineveh, the notion of those two being in a relationship seemed even more ludicrous than imagining a dragon being friends with a worm, or a starving lion forming a bond with a plump rabbit.

And then, after school, the rumor’s main subject, Erekaya, clarified the situation.

She explained that she and Jin were merely out shopping for supplies for the student council, and that any ‘physical contact’ was merely a misunderstanding, far from what everyone assumed it to be.

“Ugh, what? That makes sense.”

“Well, it’s not like someone of Erekaya’s standing would be casually in a relationship with a guy, right?”

Thus, the rumors of Jin and Erekaya being in some kind of ‘romantic relationship’ ultimately fizzled out as a mere fleeting incident.

Of course, there were those who did not buy Erekaya’s explanation at all.

“…Kaya.”

“Yeah? What’s up?”

Claire, who seemed to have had a weary night or perhaps a restless sleep, looked at Erekaya with faintly trembling voice and dark circles under her eyes.

“That necklace… You know, the one you’re wearing right now.”

“Hmm? This? What about it?”

“It seems like a necklace you weren’t wearing until yesterday… What is it exactly?”

With Claire’s question, the eyes of the nearby students naturally turned toward the area around Erekaya’s neck.

Indeed, as Claire pointed out, Erekaya was wearing a necklace around her neck.

It was quite unusual and rare for Erekaya, who typically didn’t wear even a simple accessory for herself like a swan bird adorned in finery.

And the necklace Erekaya was wearing was exceptionally beautiful, fitting her noble character perfectly.

While it initially appeared to be made of wood, giving it a somewhat simple look, it clearly showcased the craftsmanship of a renowned artisan, making it seem as if it was made with utmost care specifically for Erekaya.

“It’s nothing much. I just wanted to try wearing this necklace I got as a gift from someone a while ago.”
As she spoke, Erekaya shyly gestured to the necklace she was wearing.

On the surface, it seemed like she was feeling burdened by the gazes directed at her, which led her to cover the necklace; indeed, her actions appeared to convey just that—

“…..”

Yet, for some reason, Claire, looking at Erekaya, had her mouth tightly closed, as if she was dissatisfied about something.

“What’s wrong, Claire? Are you okay? It seems like you’re not feeling well today… Are you sick or something?”

“…No, I’m fine. I’m really… fine.”

As she spoke slowly, Claire was clearly rejecting Erekaya’s hand.

From afar, Altina was watching the two and couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.

While on the surface, Erekaya and Claire looked like close friends caring for each other, somehow—

…if someone thought that their relationship resembled that of a wife and a lover, could it simply be her overthinking?

“…..”

The necklace hanging around Erekaya’s neck shimmered and glistened.

And for some reason, Altina felt that the necklace looked eerily familiar to her.

…When could it have been? She was certain she had seen that necklace before—

Could it be that she remembered seeing it when Kaya had worn it previously?

No, that couldn’t be it. Just earlier, Kaya said that this necklace was a gift received ‘a while ago.’

Then perhaps from a jewelry store? Or an accessory shop?

Surely not. Up until now, Erekaya hadn’t adorned her body with any kind of accessory.

Why would she wear cheap jewelry that one could easily obtain if she never had before?

However, it was also clear that the memory of that necklace remained in Altina’s mind.

So where exactly had she seen that necklace?

“…Could it be.”

She recalled where she had seen that necklace.

And the reason why such a form of jewelry stayed in her memory, despite Altina usually having no interest in accessories.

– …A photograph?

– Is this, Jin’s childhood image?

Yes. That necklace was certainly the one that had been placed on his desk the very moment Altina entered Jin’s room—

At that time, Altina had been too engrossed in the childhood photo sitting atop his desk to pay significant attention to the necklace, yet she could definitely recognize that the necklace from back then and the one currently adorning Erekaya’s neck were the same.

“…..”

Momentarily, for reasons she could not comprehend, Altina felt a dizzying sensation clouding her mind.

What could have led to that necklace, which was on Jin’s desk, finding its way into Erekaya’s possession?

It had only been a single day since Jin joined the student council and spent time with Erekaya.

In just that one day, what kind of relationship could those two have developed beyond the simple roles of student council president and a member?

During just that one day… What on earth had Erekaya done to wear the necklace he had once possessed around her neck?

“…Kaya.”

Enveloped in a confusing emotion she couldn’t quite understand, Altina merely stared blankly at the necklace hanging around Erekaya’s neck.