Monday, 7:25 AM
After quite a long drive, Victor finally arrived at his villa. Without wasting time, he headed straight to the shower, got dressed, and had breakfast—preparing himself for the day, knowing the school bell would ring at 8:00 AM sharp.
By 7:40, he was ready to leave for school. Strangely, Victor felt a hint of excitement. Before his reincarnation, he had already graduated from university. Returning to high school now gave him an odd mix of nostalgia and unfamiliarity.
Standing outside his villa, dressed in black slacks, a crisp white shirt with a black tie, and rolled-up sleeves that revealed his well-defined arms, Victor looked every bit the picture of effortless cool. The black blazer that was part of the uniform remained folded over his arm—he decided against wearing it.
"I'm heading out, Old Carlo," Victor called.
"Take care, young master," Carlo responded with a respectful nod.
Victor returned the gesture, got into his sleek black sedan, and drove off toward school.
---
The distance between the villa and the school was only seven kilometers, a short ten-minute drive. Soon, Victor spotted the imposing gates of Cambridge Central High—the name proudly displayed in bold letters.
As he drove through the gates, a sense of familiarity washed over him. The bustling atmosphere of students chatting, laughing, and heading to their respective classes greeted him.
Cambridge Central High was a public school focused on general education, with only a minor emphasis on magic and magus training. This was unsurprising since the original Victor had despised magic and cultivation, preferring to avoid the pressures of power. Still, he had excelled academically and was considered one of the brightest students in the entire school.
After parking his car, Victor stepped out, only to be greeted by a loud voice from the distance.
"Hey, Victor!"
Turning toward the source of the voice, he saw a girl approaching him. She wore the same school uniform—white shirt under a fitted black blazer, and a knee-length skirt. Her brown hair framed her face, and her features were strikingly beautiful, clearly above average.
Victor immediately recognized her—Candice, his girlfriend.
"Good morning, Victor. It's been two days since we last saw each other. Why didn't you text or call me?" she asked, feigning a pout.
Victor smiled slightly, though his expression was devoid of any warmth.
"I need to talk to you about something, Candice," he said firmly.
"Oh? And what's that?" Candice asked, crossing her arms.
"Our relationship is over. Let's break up," Victor said flatly.
"What?" Candice's eyes widened in disbelief. Her arms fell to her sides as she stared at him in shock. "What are you talking about, Victor? Don't joke with me! How can you just say we're breaking up? I don't want to break up!" she protested, her tone defiant.
"I've already decided. We're done," Victor stated, his tone unwavering. Without waiting for her response, he turned and walked away.
Candice clenched her fists, her emotions bubbling over. She turned after him, shouting, "You took my virginity, slept with me countless times, and now you're throwing me away because you're bored? You're nothing but a bastard, Victor!" Her voice cracked, and tears began streaming down her face.
Victor didn't flinch or look back, continuing to walk away. There was a reason for his decision. In the original plot, Candice Evergreen had betrayed him and sided with Leon. While her actions were justified in that timeline, Victor saw no need to keep her around now. It was time to let go.
---
The bell rang just as Victor stepped into his classroom, where 30 students were already seated.
Some of his classmates greeted him warmly, asking how he'd been. Victor responded politely, though his tone remained distant.
Settling into his seat by the window, Victor was soon approached by a familiar group of friends.
"Hey, Victor! Wanna hang out tonight? There's a new club that opened yesterday—it's lit! You'll love it," said Rudy, one of his close friends, slinging an arm over Victor's shoulder.
"Yeah, come with us, Victor. I hear there'll be plenty of gorgeous girls there, hehe," another friend, Wyatt chimed in.
Victor smiled faintly and shook his head. "No, I've got plans tonight. Maybe some other time."
Rudy raised an eyebrow. "Not like you to turn down a night out. Must be something important, huh?"
"Yeah, and to be honest, I might not be going to clubs anymore," Victor replied calmly.
His three friends looked at him in shock, unable to believe what they were hearing. To them, Victor was synonymous with nightlife—clubs, drinks, and wild fun.
"What's gotten into you, man? Don't tell me you've suddenly turned over a new leaf and decided to be a good guy?" Rudy asked, bewildered.
Victor chuckled softly. "Nothing's changed. But if you want to call it a revelation, maybe you're right."
The three exchanged glances, clearly sensing a shift in Victor.
"I don't know, man," Rudy finally said. "I won't push you. If you think this is what's best, then go for it."
The others nodded in agreement, though their confusion lingered.
Victor laughed lightly. "Don't look so serious, guys. We can still hang out occasionally."
"So, you're still the Victor we know, huh?" Rudy asked, grinning.
"Of course," Victor replied with a smirk.
The four of them shared a laugh. They had been close friends since middle school, and their bond remained strong despite Victor's recent changes.
Before long, the teacher entered the room and began the lesson.
"Good morning, everyone. Today we'll be studying quantum mechanics. Please open your books to page 119…"
-----
Morning passed quickly, and by 10:00 PM, it was time to relax. Victor and his friends were heading to the cafeteria, but their attention was drawn to a crowd of students running in one direction.
"What's going on? Is there some kind of announcement? They're all heading toward the school gates," Wyatt murmured.
"Seems like it. Should we go too?" Rudy asked.
"Nah, it's probably nothing important. Let's just head to the cafeteria," Victor said calmly.
His friends nodded in agreement, and the four of them continued walking. However, before they could reach the cafeteria, they were stopped by a teacher who blocked their path.
"Hey, hey! Where do you think you're going? Didn't I make it clear earlier that all students are to gather at the gates?" the teacher said firmly.
"Come on, sir. If there's an announcement, we can always ask someone later," Wyatt replied nonchalantly.
"Not this time. Today, a highly talented student is returning to school after winning first place in an international combat competition. You all need to be there to welcome them," the teacher insisted.
Hearing this, Wyatt and the others exchanged confused glances.
"Wait, our regular school participates in combat competitions? You've got to be kidding. Who is it?" Rudy asked skeptically.
"Kassandra Mikhailanova," the teacher announced.
The moment the name left the teacher's lips, the group fell silent. It was a name they all recognized.
"Oh, damn. It's Kassandra. No wonder she won," Rudy muttered before glancing at Victor with a smirk. He patted his shoulder. "What do you think, Victor? Ready to welcome your ex?"
Victor didn't reply. His mind was flooded with memories of Kassandra. She had been his childhood friend, inseparable from elementary through middle school, but they had lost touch in high school, despite attending the same school.
Back in middle school, they had started dating, marking their first relationship. Through Kassandra, Rudy, Wyatt, and the rest of the group had also gotten to know her.
Victor's gaze sharpened. "Let's go meet her," he said.