Chapter 289: Get Lost

“Celicia, don’t tell me... you’re worried about me?”

Muen suddenly leaned in—so close it felt like he could hear the other’s breathing.

Because of their height difference, at this distance Muen had to lower his head slightly, while Celicia had to tilt her chin a touch. Her swan-like white neck looked even longer.

A pity there wasn’t a wall.

Borrowing the slanted morning light that happened to enter the girl’s eyes, Muen stared into Celicia’s pupils, as cold as an ice lake.

As if he wanted to peer through that layer of frigid ice and see something deeper.

Still °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° cold.

“The ‘worry’ you’re talking about... if you mean I’m afraid you’ll suddenly die out there somewhere, then yes, that’s it.”

Faced with Muen’s breath abruptly pressing close, Celicia’s cool expression didn’t change in the slightest.

“After all, Belrand has only just settled down from those major incidents. If you, a duke’s son, suddenly died, who knows what waves it would cause. I don’t want to be cleaning up other people’s messes every day.”

“Just because of that?”

“Of course,” Celicia’s ice-blue pupils shifted ever so slightly. “What else did you think?”

“How cold.”

Muen sighed, but his brows soon lifted high.

“But I’m still very pleased.”

“Hm?”

“Because...”

Muen stepped in another half-step.

This time they were close enough that their noses nearly bumped.

He studied Celicia’s incomparably beautiful face, rubbed his chin, and chuckled:

“This time I got this close, and you didn’t hit me. That really is...”

“...”

Muen saw Celicia’s willow brows, sharp as a drawn sword, snap upward in an instant—and the death premonition in his head began to buzz...

“Muen Campbell!”

But before Celicia could say anything, a shout cut her off, and Muen’s premonition was snuffed out at once as well.

“I finally found you!”

The silent woods were broken open. A crowd of people surged out from who knew where and instantly surrounded Muen... and Celicia.

They first saw Celicia off to the side, their pupils shrinking. They immediately greeted her with respect: “Good morning, President!”

Celicia’s face was expressionless as she gave a slight nod.

Then their gazes fell back on Muen. The man at the front bared a wolfish, cruel smile:

“Muen Campbell, didn’t expect this, did you? At the very last moment, the final opportunity—this old man’s here to challenge you!”

“And you are?”

“Third year, Bodor Mut!”

“Bodor Mut?”

Never heard of him...

Muen rubbed his chin and carefully sized up the unfamiliar man in front of him, confirming he didn’t feel any dangerous aura from him—his instincts said this one didn’t even measure up to those four face-planting losers from before. With a strange look he said:

“You sure you want to challenge me?”

“Hmph. So you swept aside a few of the strongest third-years recently—don’t get cocky, Muen Campbell!”

Bodor grinned savagely:

“I studied the rules for a full seven days and finally found a loophole. This time, I came with absolute certainty to win!”

“A loophole?”

“That’s right!”

Bodor said excitedly: “Professor Prang set the rule that anyone who meets the conditions and defeats you can take your spot, but he never forbade people who don’t meet the conditions from challenging you!!”

“Even if those people beat you and can’t take the spot, they don’t have to defeat you at all! It’s enough if I’m the one who defeats you in the end!”

“You know why I picked this exact time to find you? So you wouldn’t have a chance to react!”

“...”

Muen stared blankly for a long moment before finally grasping Bodor’s intent.

He turned to look at the big group, raised a brow, and said:

“You guys... you’re upperclassmen, right? Bullying the younger, and many against one—doesn’t look great.”

“...Ahem.”

They showed awkward expressions and coughed:

“We’re not exactly thrilled about it either, but... what he’s offering is just too much.

Don’t worry, Campbell—we won’t hurt you. We’ll just wear down your stamina a little.”

“But a challenge requires both sides to agree, doesn’t it? If I don’t accept, that solves it, no?”

“Hmph, I already thought of that small problem.”

Bodor sneered:

“Why do you think I brought so many people to surround you? Anyway, the ones rushing to make assembly aren’t us!”

“...”

So in the end... it was just playing dirty.

But this kind of dirty trick was far more troublesome than those aboveboard challenges.

Still, fortunately...

Muen glanced to the side and suddenly wore a crooked smile:

“Alright, I accept your challenge.”

“Really!”

Bodor’s eyes lit up. “In that case, let’s—”

“Hold it—no need to rush.”

Surrounded by a ring of upperclassmen, Muen spoke at his leisure, perfectly composed:

“Since you’re using such a despicable method, don’t blame me for using my ultimate move!”

“Ultimate move?”

“That’s right, watch closely! My ultimate move...”

Muen drew a deep breath, light flashing in his eyes. He raised both hands high, then swooped down like an eagle diving—and wrapped an arm around the slender little waist of the girl beside him:

“Secret Art: Hug-the-Thigh Technique!”

“...”

In an instant—

The atmosphere went cold.

Whether it was Bodor or the upperclassmen surrounding Muen, all of them stared at him with the same haunted shock—and at his hand... which had wrapped around the waist of the girl at his side, and even got handsy for a few squeezes.

And who was she?

Celicia Leopold!

The Empire’s famous princess!

The Academy’s student council president!

Her icy aloofness, her indifference, her disdain for the opposite sex, her inhuman detachment—were all known to the world!

She did everything strictly by the rules, never mixing in personal feelings. That was also why, even seeing Celicia there, these people still dared to surround Muen.

It was said a clueless upperclassman once pursued her. He merely brushed her hand by accident—and she froze him into an ice sculpture and displayed him in the Academy square for three days and nights!

Yet Muen Campbell actually dared...

Even if there was an engagement between them, there had never been any scandal about their feelings, had there?

Her Highness the Princess was not the sort to show mercy just because of a fiancé’s title!

“...”

Under everyone’s pitying gazes, Celicia slowly lowered her head to look at the hand around her waist, then slowly lifted her gaze to the profile of the man beside her.

Her expression was as cold as congealed ice. Her red lips parted lightly:

“Get lost.”

See?

As expected.

The student council president, Her Highness the Princess, actually didn’t even bother with decorum and told him to get lost outright.

Muen Campbell...

He was done for.

Watching this scene, everyone thought the same thing, and felt even more pity in their hearts.

What a pity that a newly rising star of the Academy was about to fall here...

The corners of Bodor’s mouth nearly split to his ears. If Muen Campbell was going to dig his own grave, that saved him a great deal of trouble.

“What I mean is...”

But just as Bodor was popping champagne in his heart, Celicia suddenly turned her head, swept her gaze swiftly across the crowd, and then that bone-chilling look landed on Bodor:

“I’m telling you all to get lost.”