The academy came alive as night fell.

Soft, golden lights illuminated the bustling streets, casting a warm glow over the vibrant commercial district.

The clear night sky stretched endlessly above, where the stars and moon shone brighter than ever, as if celebrating the lively atmosphere below.

Stalls lined the streets, their bright banners fluttering under the evening breeze.

Vendors proudly displayed their goods, their voices ringing through the air as they called out to passing students.

“Freshly baked pastries—still warm from the oven!”

“Handmade accessories—each crafted with a bit of magic!”

“Step right up! Test your skills and win a prize!”

The district overflowed with students, most of them first-years who, despite the ongoing practical exams, had gathered here in far greater numbers than usual.

The air buzzed with laughter, chatter, and the occasional friendly challenge between excited classmates.

It was a night filled with energy, warmth, and life.

But to Rose, none of it mattered.

She stood in the middle of it all, yet everything felt distant.

The voices, the lights, the movement of the world—they were just noise in the background, a dull, monotonous blur.

Even the once-vibrant stalls, glowing lanterns, and shimmering decorations held no color in her eyes.

For as long as she could remember, the world had always looked like this—cold, muted, monochrome.

A world drained of excitement.

A world where everything was boring.

And yet—

Tonight was different.

For the first time in a long time, something stirred within her.

The familiar dullness faded, replaced by something warmer.

Something strange.

A soft fluttering sensation ran through her stomach, spreading to her chest—a feeling so foreign she almost didn’t recognize it.

And then—her cold, unchanging expression softened.

Her eyes, usually indifferent to the world, lit up.

Because standing beside her—was him.

The only color in her world.

The only one who brought light to her otherwise monochrome gaze.

Riley.

“We should try that, Riley.”

Rose’s voice was soft yet certain as she pointed toward a stall selling sugar apples, their glossy red skins catching the light from the lanterns above.

The sweet aroma lingered in the air, mingling with the scent of roasted nuts and fresh pastries from nearby vendors.

Riley followed her gaze to the stall and gave a small nod. “Sure.”

That was all it took for her to smile.

The warmth she felt whenever she was with him—it was something she had the privilege of indulging in now.

Now that they were lovers, there was no longer any need to hide it. No reason to suppress the emotions she once ignored.

Love.

It was said to have the power to change a person.

Back then, she would have dismissed such a thought as absurd. Someone like her—**who moved based on her whims—**had no need for such things. But now?

Now, it was an undeniable truth.

Everything was different.

Even something as simple as eating sweets—a pleasure she had always mildly enjoyed—felt better now.

The taste wasn’t any different, but somehow, it was.

And she knew the reason why.

It wasn’t the food.

It was him.

Ever since she had fallen in love, everything had taken on a new meaning.

The world had always been dull and monochrome to her eyes, but now, even within that lifeless palette, there was warmth.

A warmth that only existed when she was with Riley.

Her days felt lighter. Her nights felt less empty.

Despite all the blessings, privileges, and benefits she had in life, this moment—**this simple, fleeting moment with him—**felt more precious than all of it.

Everything else seemed insignificant now.

Because nothing mattered more than the love she had for him.

Thump!

Thump!

Rose’s heart pounded in excitement, each beat reverberating through her chest.

The warmth spreading through her body was unfamiliar yet intoxicating, a feeling she never wanted to end.

For the longest time, she had thought moments like this with him were nothing more than a distant dream.

With all the thieving cats hovering around Riley, constantly circling him like predators vying for a piece of his attention, she had believed it was impossible to have him all to herself.

But as she looked at him now—walking beside her, his presence undeniably hers—she realized this wasn’t a fantasy.

This was real.

It had been a while since their last proper date.

Their time together in the capital had been lovely, but it had felt too short, too fleeting—overshadowed by the sheer weight of that day.

After all, it had been the day Riley confessed to her.

The day he made her his.

Back then, she hadn’t had the time to fully process everything—to truly indulge in the happiness of being his lover.

But now, here they were, walking side by side, with no interruptions, no distractions—just them.

And yet, despite the serenity she felt, their surroundings were anything but quiet.

As they strolled through the bustling district, the weight of countless eyes fell upon them.

Some were filled with curiosity, others with shock, expectation, or even dissatisfaction.

A wave of whispered murmurs followed their every step.

“Hey… are they really officially dating?”

“I heard he was dating the princess though?”

“Senior Rose and Senior Riley are too beautiful! Ah! Quick, someone grab a recording stone! We can’t miss this moment!”

“But what about Senior Seo?”

“Then all the rumors about him were true?”

“He really is a womanizer.”

“Shh! Don’t make eye contact with him! He’ll steal your girl!”

Riley’s lips twitched, caught between amusement and irritation.

He was used to the rumors by now, but that didn’t mean he liked hearing them.

It wasn’t exactly fun being the main topic of interest—especially when it was all based on absolute garbage nonsense.

He let out a quiet sigh, already resigned to the ridiculous murmurs around them when—

“Fufu~”

A soft, melodic chuckle escaped Rose’s lips.

His gaze flickered toward her. “Why are you laughing?”

Rose tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement. “No, it’s just… I didn’t think something like this would bother you, Riley.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is it that obvious?”

She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Not at all. I can just tell you don’t like hearing all the nonsense floating around us right now.”

“Well, it is utter nonsense.” His tone was flat, but the sharp glint in his blue eyes betrayed his annoyance. “And the fact that they aren’t even trying to lower their voices makes it all the more irritating.”

Rose nodded, completely understanding his sentiment.

She wasn’t unfamiliar with gossip—far from it.

As a duke’s daughter, one of the highest-ranking nobles in the empire, she had grown up surrounded by whispers, both praising and condemning her.

But that didn’t mean she ever got used to it.

Unlike Riley, who often ignored it altogether, Rose had always been indifferent toward rumors—choosing to disregard the bad and simply accept the good.

Still, whether positive or negative, she never particularly liked them.

“Most of what they’re saying isn’t true, though~” she teased lightly, tilting her head toward him.

Riley gave her a deadpan look. “Which side are you on?”

Rose merely laughed, her soft chuckles ringing through the cool night air.

“Hahaha~”

Seeing Rose laugh, Riley couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t often that she laughed so casually like this.

Yes, she was whimsical—always chasing after things that piqued her interest, always doing what seemed fun—but genuine laughter, the kind that reached her golden eyes and softened her usual composed demeanor, was rare.

And seeing it now, seeing her so carefree, stirred something deep within him.

His heart pounded, quick and steady.

Even now, after everything, after officially becoming lovers, it still felt surreal.

There was a time when something like this seemed impossible—when the very idea of holding Rose’s hand in public, of being the person who made her smile like this, was nothing more than a fantasy.

But now, it was reality. And he was more than resolved to protect it.

“Why don’t we explore a few more stalls and areas before we head to the restaurant?” he suggested, glancing around at the vibrant night market still bustling with energy.

Rose tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes narrowing just a little in thought. “But isn’t Snow waiting for us?” she asked, her voice as calm and poised as ever.

She wasn’t wrong.

This was technically a double date—both she and Snow were spending the evening with Riley together.

It wasn’t just an ordinary outing, after all; as his two official fiancées, it was only natural that they’d share his time.

Riley had already explained the situation to Rose beforehand, and she had taken it in stride, as expected.

“Actually,” Riley said, rubbing the back of his neck, “Snow told me we can take our time together for a little while longer. The student council is really busy today, so she might show up later than planned.”

Rose blinked at that before her lips curled slightly. “Oh? So we have you all to ourselves for now?”

There was a teasing lilt in her tone, something both amused and self-satisfied. Riley sighed, half-smiling. “That’s one way to put it.”

She let out a soft hum, reaching out to take his hand as they continued walking through the lively festival streets. “Then let’s make the most of it.”

Riley smiled at Rose’s sudden burst of enthusiasm, barely having a moment to react before she tightened her grip on his hand and pulled him forward, weaving through the crowd with an energy that caught him off guard.

“Rose?” he called out, startled.

She glanced back at him with a playful glint in her golden eyes, her long hair swaying behind her as she moved effortlessly through the festival streets.

“We need to hurry, darling~” she said, her voice laced with excitement.

“Chances like this will be rare for me in the future—”

She suddenly paused mid-sentence, noticing the way Riley had abruptly slowed down, his steps hesitating as if something had momentarily thrown him off balance.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, tilting her head slightly in confusion.

Riley chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Haha, it’s nothing. I was just… surprised, that’s all.”

Rose narrowed her eyes slightly. “Surprised? About what?”

“I told you, it’s nothing,” he replied, waving off her concern with a small, amused smile. “Let’s just forget about it.” With that, he took the lead this time, gently pulling her along as they maneuvered through the bustling streets once more.

Rose blinked but didn’t dwell on it for long. “Well, whatever you say, darling~” she hummed, her voice teasing yet affectionate.

For a fleeting second, Riley faltered. It was only the briefest of pauses—so subtle that most wouldn’t have noticed—but Rose did.

His grip on her hand remained steady, yet there was something different in the way he walked, as if her words had caught him off guard.

Still, he didn’t stop, nor did he give any further explanation.

Instead, he continued guiding her through the crowd, his expression unreadable.

As the night deepened, so did their enjoyment.

The world around them melted away into a blur of glowing lanterns, laughter, and the sweet scent of festival treats.

Rose found herself in a state of quiet bliss, marveling at how effortlessly Riley seemed to know exactly which shops she liked, which stalls caught her eye, and even the little things that made her pause with curiosity.

She should have questioned it.

She should have wondered how he knew her so well, how he always seemed to anticipate her every thought, her every preference, her every unspoken desire.

But she didn’t.

Because right now, she was a young maiden in love—and in love, there was no room for suspicion. Everything felt like fate. Like destiny. Like the perfect story of true love unfolding just for them.

And so, she let herself believe in it.

…

“You two sure took your time…”

The cool, even voice belonged to Snow, who stood near the entrance of the restaurant, arms folded with a poised grace that was as composed as ever.

However, Riley immediately noticed the faintest twitch in her brow—a tiny crack in her usual serene mask. She was displeased, even if she wouldn’t outright say it.

Rose, ever perceptive, let out a soft chuckle, golden eyes gleaming with mischief. “Fufu~ I thought you gave the two of us permission?” she teased, tilting her head.

Then, without missing a beat, she closed the small gap between herself and Riley, pressing her soft curves against his arm with deliberate slowness.

“And besides—” her voice dipped into a playful whisper, her smile growing more provocative, “it was hard to end such a beautiful and fun time together, right, Riley~?”

Riley felt a sharp pang of warmth rush to his face at the unexpected closeness, her perfume—a subtle yet intoxicating scent—wrapping around him like a spell.

His mind momentarily faltered, but years of composure kept him from reacting too obviously. Instead, he let out a small chuckle, brushing it off as if it were nothing.

Though, truthfully, it wasn’t nothing.

Especially not when he could feel Snow’s gaze stabbing into him like an icicle to the spine.

He knew that saying the wrong thing here could very well be a death sentence.

Despite the obvious tension, Snow didn’t allow her irritation to linger.

After all, she understood that in a situation like this—one where multiple women were involved—these moments were inevitable.

No matter how much she might deny it, this was the nature of the relationship they had found themselves in.

More importantly, despite the mild annoyance bubbling inside her, she couldn’t ignore one thing.

Rose was happy.

More expressive than usual. More radiant. More alive.

And as much as it irked Snow to admit it, that realization made her feel something she didn’t expect—something warm and oddly satisfying.

Even if it was annoying to think so.

Not allowing her irritation to linger any longer—and seeing that Rose had already indulged herself to a ridiculous degree—Snow exhaled silently.

She knew she shouldn’t let this get to her, but at the same time… she wasn’t the type to just let things slide either.

With measured steps, she approached Riley, her usual composed elegance unshaken.

“I’m glad the two of you had such a satisfying time together…” she murmured, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable weight behind it.

Then, just as Riley was about to respond, she stepped even closer.

And leaned in.

Riley barely had time to react before her lips met his.

It was deep. Deliberate. And entirely unhesitating.

For a moment, his eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he found himself instinctively reciprocating, drawn into the smooth rhythm of Snow’s confident approach.

Meanwhile, Rose—who had been watching with mild amusement just seconds ago—completely froze.

Her golden eyes widened so much it seemed they might pop out of her skull.

A kiss.

A deep kiss.

Right in front of her.

By the time Snow finally pulled back—a full minute or two later, for good measure—she was smiling ever so slightly, wiping a faint trace of moisture from her lips with her thumb. Turning to Rose, she met her stunned gaze head-on.

“Allowing me this much should be fair, right?” she said, her tone smooth, satisfied.

Invisible sparks of electricity crackled in the air between them as their eyes clashed.

Neither spoke, but the unspoken challenge was palpable.

Yes, Snow knew better than anyone—if Riley was destined to have a harem, as was inevitable, then these kinds of little territorial disputes were bound to happen.

She had accepted that much.

But as the first, the one who had always been meant to stand at Riley’s side, there were things she simply would not tolerate.

She would not allow anyone to question her position.

She would not allow anyone to threaten it.

And most importantly—

She would not allow herself to be outdone.

A slow, knowing smile graced her lips as she observed the telltale signs of frustration brewing within Rose—her hands subtly clenching, the way her lips parted as if she wanted to argue but held back, the unmistakable flicker of deep, boiling anger lurking beneath her otherwise elegant exterior.

Yes.

This was necessary.

Because no matter how playful and mischievous Rose could be… Snow refused to let her get too comfortable.

Meanwhile, standing right in the middle of this brewing storm, Riley barely suppressed a sigh, already predicting exactly how this was going to go.

And it wasn’t looking good for him.

Because if this was already happening…

Then once Senior Alice arrived—

His thoughts trailed off as a grim realization hit him.

‘I’m so fucked…’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep