Chapter 5: A Twisted Affection and a New Beginning

“Are you tired?”

In the living room, illuminated by a soft lamp, Carol set her book aside and looked at Yalin, whose face was etched with exhaustion.

“I am a bit tired.”

Yalin yawned.

It was no wonder he was tired; he had spent the entire day running errands to complete the transfer procedures.

Yet, the mere thought of having to spend every day from tomorrow onwards with that ill-tempered woman made him feel even more weary.

“Then you should get some rest soon,” Carol said with a hint of concern in her voice.

“Indeed, it’s getting late.”

‘His hair was almost dry, and with an early start tomorrow, it was definitely time for bed.’

“You should get some sleep early too. The water in the bathroom should still be warm, so if you want to shower, go quickly, and remember not to catch a cold.”

“Mhm, I know.”

Rubbing his eyes, Yalin left the living room.

Exhausted as he was, he utterly failed to notice Carol behind him, her gaze fixed intently on his retreating figure.

Her demeanor seemed rather different from usual.

Click.

As the door clicked shut, the empty living room was left with only Carol.

Her dark shadow stretched long and distorted, swaying crookedly on the wall with the flickering lamplight.

“Yalin is truly gentle.”

After a long moment, Carol suddenly narrowed her eyes and spoke softly.

Those eyes, which usually shimmered with tenderness, now gradually lost their luster.

Her pupils, like they had been steeped in blood, exuded an unsettling sense of morbid abnormality.

Though a smile still graced her lips, its rigid curve was utterly unlike her usual adorable grin, instead resembling a mask forcibly affixed to her face, sending shivers down one’s spine.

“Gentle Yalin, I like him the most…”

“But, this won’t do… because Yalin is too gentle; he smiles at everyone…”

“I don’t want that; this isn’t good at all…”

Carol murmured to herself as she walked alone towards the bathroom.

Unbuttoning her clothes and shedding them, her snow-white collarbones and delicate back were exposed unreservedly to the air.

Her soft, long hair cascaded like black silk, sliding down her shoulders to her waist, swaying gently with her movements.

Warm steam still permeated the bathroom, and within the hazy white mist, her petite, graceful curves appeared and vanished like a dream.

Water droplets clung to her bare ankles as she stepped closer to the wooden tub filled with hot water.

“Ah, this is the water Yalin bathed in…”

Carol’s breathing grew somewhat heavy, her voice becoming increasingly soft and alluring, while a distinct flush bloomed on her already fair face.

She lifted her slender, jade-like feet and immersed her entire body in the hot water.

“So warm, Yalin’s scent still lingers… It’s like being held in Yalin’s arms, so comforting…”

Carol curled her body, cupping a handful of hot water before her eyes, which were filled with a hazy pleasure.

However, after only a moment, her gaze turned cold once more.

“Therefore, it won’t do… absolutely not, letting other women be held in Yalin’s arms… absolutely not…”

Merely envisioning that scene, Carol’s body involuntarily began to tremble.

“Yalin is mine, and mine alone… Gentle Yalin, Yalin who strokes my head, Yalin who kisses me—all of him is mine! His hair, his eyes, his lips, his fingers… everything belongs to me, that’s how it should be!”

“Having Yalin is enough for me, so… Yalin’s side only needs me, and no one else!”

“Anyone who stands in my way… must be utterly eradicated… especially that woman, Celeste!”

Carol’s innocent expression twisted, tinged with a hint of madness.

She extended her index finger and bit down hard on it with her teeth; crimson blood quickly trickled down her fingertip.

“That woman… she’s been such a nuisance since forever…”

“But, Yalin has already left the Magic Division… Yes, this is good…”

Time ticked by, minute by minute, until the blood seeping from her index finger stained the entire water surface crimson before Carol finally snapped back to reality.

“Oh dear, I accidentally made a mess. This won’t do; if Yalin sees it, he’ll surely dislike me.”

Carol withdrew her index finger from her mouth; the exposed wound healed completely in an instant, leaving not even a single scar.

She blinked, and once again, her innocent and adorable everyday appearance returned.

“But it’s alright, Yalin, I’ll become the person you love most, and stay by your side forever…”

“So, the person you love most must be me, and only me…”

“Oh, how I look forward to the day we truly belong to each other…”

“A world with no one to disturb us, just you and me…”

The next day, early morning.

Gentle sunlight spilled across the uneven cobblestone path.

“I’m leaving now. Remember to look after the house properly and never open the door for strangers. Be careful when you go out, and if you encounter anyone suspicious, move away quickly. Did you hear me clearly?”

Yalin, dressed in his uniform, admonished her from the doorway.

“I know, I know! How many times have you told me? Just go to school with a peaceful mind!”

Carol waved her clenched fist, flashing a brilliant smile as she cheered Yalin on.

“Today marks the start of a new life! Do your best at the Alchemy Academy too!”

“Mhm, I’m off then.” Yalin gently ruffled Carol’s hair.

‘Ah, Carol, she’s truly adorable, just like an angel.’

‘But what’s wrong? Occasionally, he felt her gaze on him seemed a little strange…’

‘Hmm, it must just be his imagination.’

Yalin didn’t dwell on it further.

Acadia Academy, a prestigious institution towering at the pinnacle of the continent, had produced countless legendary figures who had dominated their eras.

The academy comprised three divisions, specializing in magic, spell-swordsmanship, and alchemy, respectively.

Naturally, the Magic Division was, without question, the mainstream.

This was evident from the sheer scale of the campus: the Magic Division occupied its own expansive territory, while the other two divisions were merged into a single area, which combined wasn’t even half the size of the Magic Division.

However, Yalin paid no mind to any of this; as long as he could graduate without incident, nothing else mattered.

In any case, starting today, he was officially a student of the Alchemy Division.

“Look, that boy is so handsome!”

“Is he new? I’ve never seen his face before…”

“Wuwu, why is he so beautiful? I feel like I, a girl, am being outshone…”

Whispers from the girls occasionally drifted from the hallway, making Yalin break out in a cold sweat.

‘As expected of a novel’s world, the way these passersby speak truly fits the Mary Sue trope, with such an NPC-like (TL Note: ‘Renjiwei’ is a Chinese slang term describing something that feels artificial, generic, or like an NPC, lacking genuine human interaction or uniqueness.) feel…’

‘Damn it, how embarrassing is this?’

‘But it didn’t matter; once his previous “glorious deeds” spread, they would quickly lose interest anyway.’

Shaking his head, Yalin deftly navigated through the teaching building, arriving before a particular room in the research building.

There, on the plain wall, hung a metal plaque bearing the name: Wendy Rhine.