The teenagers resumed their happy batter as Aurelia left for her class, chatting happily about trivial things that they thought mattered in their lives right now, celebrities, magic, rumours, who did this and who did what.
Their conversations made Pyris sigh at how childish and carefree spirits, the young were, the only worry would be their magic rank... Perhaps their live interest too.
"Childish, aren't they?" The woman how sat two seats from him commented with a smile, she sat in a so anti lady-like manner.
She sat like a man, her elbows resting on thighs, dressed in a uniform unlike most of the students.
The academy has a formal uniforms but one would rarely bothered to even spare them a glance, roating in their closets, but this woman had her school uniform on.
If he had to guess then she was either from a relatively low family and only her magical talents granted her access to the comfortable seat she was in or...
'A troublemaker,' just the kind who would follow rules not just because they were good students who wanted to set a good example to others but because everyone was doing the exact opposite.
And she would go against every rules and ignore other morals if everyone else bend to their whims.
A free spirit?
'More like a spoilt brat!' he didn't want to judge, he will find out and she looked so beautiful.
Certainly!
___
The young woman trying to engage Pyris had a striking, ethereal beauty that was impossible to ignore. Her face, delicately shaped and slightly pale, contrasted sharply with her long, flowing black hair threaded with bold red streaks.
Her ruby-red eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint, full of unmasked curiosity and intent. It was clear from the way she looked at him—brazen and without hesitation—that she had no interest in the calm life most students sought. No, she had every intention of shaking that peace right to its core.
Pyris's gaze was drawn to her form, taking in the boldness of her appearance. Her voluptuous chest strained tightly against the fabric of her pristine white uniform shirt, the buttons nearly buckling under the pressure.
A loosely knotted black tie hung around her neck, adding an air of careless rebellion.
The shirt was neatly tucked into an impossibly short black skirt, which clung provocatively to her curvaceous hips and thighs. The skirt seemed to mock modesty, as Pyris was certain that if she stood, it would barely cover the curve of her ass.
Her entire outfit was a calculated spectacle, designed to attract attention.
It was no wonder she ignited wild fantasies among the young men around her, each glance at her only feeding their imaginations.
She was a walking provocation, daring the world to take notice.
____
"I find myself suffocating sharing the same air as these stupid brats!" Her voice was venomous, cutting through the noise of the room as sharply as her striking, flawless features.
"You seem to be quite the troublemaker," Pyris said dryly, his head turning slightly before looking away, feigning disinterest. At least on the outside…
The truth gnawed at him.
She was undeniably attractive, and it was stirring something dangerous inside him, his insatiable lust painting vivid, uncontrolled images in his mind.
"Seeing your reaction, I assume you don't know who I am. Interesting!" Her lips curled into a slow, predatory smile, eyes gleaming with amusement at his restraint.
"Some kind of big shot?" Pyris asked without turning his gaze toward her, forcing indifference.
"Oh my, aren't you ignorant for a young lord of the revered House Obsidian?" She chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her palm.
Pyris clenched his fists beneath the table, cursing his thoughts.
Her voice, her laugh, her— He quickly shook the thoughts from his head. The way her bosom slightly trembled when she laughed didn't help either.
"Well, I'm not interested in you or anything you've got to say," he lied, his curiosity about her bubbling just beneath the surface.
But why rush? If she was curious about him, it would be more fun to let her reveal herself.
"Too bad 'cause~," she purred, standing up and sliding into the seat next to him, her cold body brushing against his legs. The temperature around her seemed to drop, the air thick with a strange chill that prickled his skin.
"... I'm interested in you." Her words, though playful, were laced with a sharp edge, and Pyris's expression darkened. His eyes shifted toward her, cold and unyielding.
The ice in his gaze made her flinch, shrinking under the weight of his disdain, though her smile never faltered.
"Oh, come on, don't be so uptight," she cooed, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "I don't mean to impose, but I overheard your conversation with your sister..." Her tone was innocent, but her eyes glinted with something far more sinister.
"Not that you made it hard to overhear—if you two didn't want to be listened to, you could've lowered your voices. So really, it's partly your fault that I... eavesdropped."
Pyris's jaw tightened.
"Anyway, I share your ambitions," she continued, her voice lowering into a seductive whisper. "I just wanted to make friends. You and I, we could share ideas, mess with our parents… sounds fun, doesn't it?" She extended her hand with a sly smile, offering a handshake as though sealing a devilish pact.
Without a word, Pyris raised a single finger, pushing her hand aside with cool precision, his touch firm but dismissive.
Her hand fell limply to her thigh.
"Playing hard to get, are we?" she sneered, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, though her eyes lit up dangerously. She reached into her purse and pulled out a sleek phone, unlocking it with a single tap.
"Quite the invention you made here," she remarked, her voice laced with mock admiration as she pulled out her phone unlocking it with a thought.
Pyris narrowed his eyes, not liking the sudden shift in her tone.
"Have you heard..." Her voice trailed off as she opened a messaging app, her fingers deftly tapping the screen. A contact appeared on display, the number sending a cold shiver down Pyris's spine.
He knew it instantly—his mother's number.
"My family is deeply connected to yours," she whispered, her grin widening as she selected an audio recording, her thumb hovering dangerously over the send button. "With just one thought..."
Pyris's breath quickened, his pulse pounding in his ears. She waved the phone playfully, the threat hanging heavy in the air between them.
"... Young Lord of House Obsidian, your plans against your mother could be ruined by me. And trust me, you really don't want that." She was toying with him now, relishing in his discomfort.
The blood in Pyris's veins boiled with fury. His fists clenched tighter, the hunger for vengeance flickering dangerously in his chest as her smile widened, clearly enjoying her control over him.
He could feel the rage burning through him. 'Blackmailed… on my first day here?' He would make her pay for this. Every second that passed only fueled his need for retribution.
[There's one thing about dragons...] a voice echoed in the back of his mind. [Their pride. They can't stand being threatened. They hate being blackmailed. Dragons don't bend to the will of others.]
Lia's warning whispered in his thoughts. [And when pushed, that dragon within them awakens. The purer the bloodline, the worse it becomes.]
The air around Pyris grew colder, more oppressive. His aura expanded, swirling with a deadly chill that wrapped itself around the young woman. The weight of it was suffocating, pressing into her like invisible hands tightening around her throat.
And yet, despite it all, her pretty smile remained, unfazed, confident.
"There, there," she said softly, her voice laced with amusement. "Be gentle with me now. You wouldn't want to lose control... because this little toy I have here is almost indestructible. Even if you manage to destroy it, I can send that recording with just a thought. Your precious mother will have it before you can even blink." She laughed softly, her eyes filled with triumph.
[Ding! Urgent Mission Generated!
Mission: You're being blackmailed by someone with equal status! Make the Vampire Princess submit in one hour!
Reward: Mind Protection Ability]
Pyris's lips curled into a crazed grin. "You want to work with me?" His voice dripped with barely contained rage. The woman nodded, her confidence unwavering.
"Very well," he said, standing up with cold, calculated fury. "Why don't you come with me, then?"
It wasn't a request. It was a command. His body radiated a quiet, terrifying rage that made the air itself feel heavy with tension.
The vampire princess, smiling victoriously as she stood to follow him, thought she had won.
But Pyris had other plans.
*****
Power sttttooooneeeeesssssss🥺