Adrian sat in the quiet corner of the library, his face expressionless, though his mind churned with frustration. Damian's shadow loomed larger than ever, and the villain's calculated moves were beginning to pay off. Sophia was suspicious, Iris had given Damian a thread of trust, and even Lily—the girl Adrian had been so careful with—seemed affected by his rival's advances.
[You're falling behind, genius,] the System piped up, its mocking tone cutting through the silence.
"I know," Adrian replied sharply, his fingers tapping against the table.
[Do you? Because Crowe is making you look like a damn amateur. He's already gained favorability with Iris and Lily. Sophia's trust in you is hanging by a thread. At this rate, you'll be back to 'background character' status in no time.]
Adrian exhaled slowly, reigning in his anger. "He's overextending himself. That's his weakness."
[Bold of you to assume. What's the plan, then?]
Adrian leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "I'm going to escalate. But not in the way he expects."
---
Adrian's first target was Iris. She had always been the toughest to approach, her icy demeanor a wall few dared to climb. Damian's recent favorability boost was a problem Adrian couldn't ignore.
He found her in the campus café, her tablet open as she scrolled through what looked like an academic paper. Her sharp features and perfect posture gave her an air of unapproachable elegance.
Adrian approached cautiously, a cup of coffee in hand. "Mind if I join you?"
Iris glanced up, her gray eyes cold. "If you're looking for company, I'm not interested."
"Not even if I'm here to challenge you?" Adrian said, sliding into the seat across from her.
Iris raised an eyebrow. "Challenge me?"
Adrian placed a textbook on the table, flipping it open to a particularly complex economic model. "I heard about your debate with the professor last week. You argued against the integration of labor incentives into hybrid economies. I think you missed a critical flaw in your logic."
Her expression shifted, a flicker of irritation crossing her face. "Is that so?"
Adrian smirked. "Want me to prove it?"
For a moment, Iris studied him, her analytical mind clearly weighing whether the interaction was worth her time. Finally, she closed her tablet.
"Go on," she said coolly.
The next hour was a battle of wits. Adrian pushed her arguments to the limit, and she countered with razor-sharp logic. By the end of it, Iris's demeanor had softened just enough to show a spark of intrigue.
"You're better than I expected," she admitted grudgingly.
"And you're as formidable as they say," Adrian replied. "I'd like to debate with you again sometime—if you're up for it."
Iris didn't reply immediately, but her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than necessary.
[Favorability slightly increased. Congratulations, nerd.]
---
Sophia was a different challenge altogether. Her fiery personality made her prone to suspicion, and Damian's earlier attempt to poison her perception of Adrian had left a mark.
Adrian caught her after combat training, her expression sour as she packed up her gear.
"Hey," he called out, jogging up to her.
Sophia turned, her eyes narrowing. "What do you want?"
"To clear the air," Adrian said bluntly. "I know Damian's been feeding you lies about me."
Sophia's jaw tightened, but she didn't deny it.
"I'm not going to stand here and defend myself," Adrian continued. "You're smart enough to see through his manipulation. But I will say this: if you ever have doubts about me, ask me directly. I won't lie to you."
Sophia crossed her arms, her fiery gaze locking onto his. "Why should I trust you?"
Adrian shrugged. "You don't have to. Trust is earned, not given. All I'm asking is that you keep an open mind."
For a long moment, Sophia said nothing. Then, with a grudging nod, she slung her bag over her shoulder.
"Fine. But if you screw me over, Blake, I'll make you regret it."
Adrian smirked. "Fair enough."
[Favorability stabilized. You dodged a bullet there.]
---
Lily's reclusive nature made her both a challenge and an opportunity. Adrian knew he had to tread carefully, especially after Damian's recent interaction with her.
He found her in the art studio, as usual, her hands delicately shading a sketch.
"Hey," Adrian said softly, taking a seat a few feet away.
Lily glanced at him briefly but didn't respond.
"Your work keeps getting better," Adrian said, nodding toward her sketch. "It's amazing how much emotion you can capture with just a pencil."
Lily's hand paused, and she looked down, her cheeks tinged pink. "Th-thank you…"
Adrian leaned back, keeping his tone light. "You know, I've been thinking about what you said the other day—about wanting to pursue art professionally. I think you should go for it. The world deserves to see what you can create."
Lily's eyes widened slightly, and she ducked her head. "It's… not that simple."
"Why not?" Adrian asked gently.
Lily hesitated, her grip on the pencil tightening. "Because… I'm not good enough. People won't care."
Adrian's heart twisted slightly. This wasn't manipulation—this was raw, unfiltered insecurity.
"Lily," he said firmly, "you're wrong. You're more talented than you realize. And if anyone tells you otherwise, they're blind."
Lily looked at him then, her gray eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Do you really mean that?"
"Every word," Adrian said.
[Favorability slightly increased. Careful—she's starting to trust you. Don't break her.]
---
While Adrian made progress, Damian wasn't idle. He noticed the subtle shifts in the heroines' behavior and knew Adrian was making moves.
"Adrian Blake," Damian muttered, pacing his study. "You're becoming a problem."
[He's disrupting the narrative,] Damian's System said. [If you don't act soon, he'll steal your heroines.]
Damian smirked. "Then it's time to remind him who the real player is."
---