Vivienne Cross's strategy worked wonders.
After she took the initiative to invite Jan Squire out, the class monitor responded by issuing a "sparring" challenge to Zane Shi. Clearly caught off guard, Zane Shi hurriedly ended his last move against her—then got thoroughly pummeled by Jan.
It was a spectacular beatdown, every punch landing hard and precise—uh, a sparring session, of course.
Same restaurant. Same two students from the Imperial Military Academy.
But the atmosphere had completely changed.
After Vivienne extended the olive branch, Jan caught it. The two of them sat down and talked things through.
…
Vivienne blinked. "Are you saying… you want me to pretend to be your bonded sentinel partner?"
Jan nodded. "That's what I was trying to tell you last time."
"…So when you asked if I needed money, back at the Qilakta Tower…"
"I meant exactly what I said." Jan was direct. "I can pay you—as long as you help me with this."
You could've just said that earlier.
Vivienne wouldn't have needed to panic over it.
She pressed her lips together. "And by help, you specifically mean fake a couple bond?"
"Right." Jan paused, then added, "Don't worry. I have no other intentions toward you."
The moment he finished, Vivienne saw a flicker of embarrassment in his eyes—and suddenly understood.
Ah. He finds this whole thing hard to talk about too.
She believed him. He was straight.
Well then. That was a huge relief.
Now she could stop stressing about Jan Squire randomly springing any surprises on her.
But dude, isn't this a self-destructive strategy?
"Can I ask why you need someone to fake a bond with?"
"I'd rather not say." Jan paused again, then offered a bit more, "You don't need to worry. Anna Squire—my father—won't give you trouble."
Anna Squire. The empire's current Minister of Finance. If he came for her, Vivienne figured there'd be no point continuing school anyway.
"…Honestly, I already feel like I'm being targeted," she admitted. "Otherwise I wouldn't have accepted this so quickly. Jan, do you have any idea who might be behind it?"
"…Have you agreed yet?" Jan raised a brow. "All I can tell you now is—it's not the Jan family."
…No commitment, no info. Jan suddenly got cunning.
Vivienne hesitated. "So we're just faking it. No… couple stuff, right?"
Jan froze for a beat, clearly never having considered that angle. A blush crept up his ears as he replied firmly, "No need for that."
Vivienne took two seconds to think, then nodded—while laying out her boundaries. "I'm willing to fake it. But Jan, I'm a very traditional, heterosexual girl. I might not play the role that well—hope you'll understand…"
"No problem." Jan lifted his gaze, a glint of amusement flickering in those crimson eyes. "You don't need to act that well."
Truth was, not long after meeting Vivienne, Jan had already decided to pick her for this plan.
The deciding factor? She was easy on the eyes.
—If he was going to piss off his dad, he didn't want to disgust himself in the process.
"But I still have a few questions. Mind if I ask?"
"Go ahead."
"Why were you in Qilakta Tower that day?" Jan asked what had been bothering him for days. "And Westley—what happened with him?"
Vivienne had claimed to be a broke newcomer, robbed by pirates and left penniless. She shouldn't have had the means to show up at Qilakta Tower.
But she had. She'd smelled like alcohol, looked pale, and seemed barely able to stand—like she'd just been through something traumatic.
Without hesitation, Vivienne sold out Gavin Thornton. "Do you know Gavin Thornton?"
"He tried to drug Wes—the Young Duke. I accidentally got involved in the situation." She spoke bitterly. Next time she stirred up trouble, she'd slap herself. "Westley suspected I had bad intentions."
"But once he realized I was innocent, he let me go."
"…Gavin Thornton?" Jan thought for a moment. "Alright. I believe you."
That quick? Wow, Gavin must really have a bad rep.
"And how do you even know those people?"
Vivienne replied, "It might sound like a stretch, but I bumped into them at a charity art show."
"We talked for a bit, and he invited me to the party."
Talked for a bit, and he invited you? He invited and you said yes?
Jan's head filled with straight-guy confusion, but when he looked at Vivienne's face, he got it.
Who wouldn't fall for a pretty face? And from what he knew, royals were especially shallow like that.
…
They ironed out a few more details.
"Can I call you 'Jan'?" Vivienne offered. "I think that's as far as I can go. And you don't need to change how you address me—I don't have a nickname."
Lies. She had one, but she wasn't about to let another sentinel use it.
"Okay." Jan didn't want the act to be too fake either. Too much effort would look suspicious.
Though… hadn't he already called her that before?
"Are you free this weekend?"
"Yeah."
"I might need you to come home with me," Jan said. "If things go smoothly, it'll just be the one time."
Vivienne thought about it. Considering she kind of trusted the Finance Minister, she agreed.
…
"Hello, here's your delivery."
Delivery?
Vivienne blinked as a cake was placed on the table. Its surface was perfectly smooth, covered in silky white cream, with delicate patterns drawn in sugar.
Jan nodded at the server. Now only the two of them remained.
Vivienne asked cautiously, "Is today your birthday?"
"Nope," Jan replied matter-of-factly. "Didn't you say you liked sweets? This is Yue's signature dessert."
"…"
"Not gonna eat?"
Bro, your gentlemanly warmth is giving me anxiety.
Is this how rich kids in the capital show friendship?
Vivienne smiled weakly. "…Sure, I'll eat."
After their strategic alliance was sealed over dinner, the two walked back to campus, chatting casually on the way.
"Galen Keyes? We're not sure who's behind him, but his mentor is Academician Fu…"
…
Just as they reached the gate, a group of energetic cadets walked by. They hadn't even seen their faces yet, but voices rang out ahead.
"Vivienne?!"
"And the monitor?!"
"Oho, sneaking off for a little date?"
"Jan! How could you sneak out with Vivienne without inviting me? Choosing love over friendship!" Tony Zane called out dramatically. "The rain I stood through during training—for nothing!"
"LMAO. You two got caught chatting during drills and acted like it was fate—HAHAHA…"
…
"What were you guys doing?" Tony finally asked.
Vivienne quickly ran through possible answers in her mind. Then, instinctively, she looked at Jan—and met his gaze, perfectly in sync:
—Are we coming out now?