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"I didn't see it... but I heard the Saint summoned an angel and defeated the thug who tried to attack her."

"What? I heard she summoned a bear, not an angel?"

"A bear? What kind of Saint summons a bear?"

"Hey, maybe it was a holy bear! You know, with a halo and everything."

"Come on, that's ridiculous. I heard it was an evil-looking marionette. Like, it had strings and everything, but no puppeteer."

"A marionette? Seriously? That sounds more like something out of a horror story than a miracle!"

"Well, whatever it was, it scared those thugs off for good. They got expelled, right?"

"Yeah, serves them right... but I kind of want to know what the marionette looked like. I mean, was it creepy or cool?"

"I heard it had glowing red eyes and sharp claws, like something out of a nightmare."

"Wait, are we sure we're talking about the Saint here? That doesn't sound very... saintly."

"Maybe it's some kind of holy marionette? You know, the kind that defeats evil with a creepy smile."

"Yeah, or maybe the Saint has a secret hobby of collecting haunted dolls. That would explain a lot."

"Haunted dolls? No way! But... what if it's true?"

"That's just silly. The Saint is supposed to be all pure and light, not summoning creepy puppets."

"Well, whether it's an angel, a bear, or a haunted marionette, the important thing is that Lady Maris is okay."

"True... but now I can't stop picturing the marionette. Did it dance or something? That would be both terrifying and hilarious."

The students at the academy were all buzzing with chatter, their conversation swinging wildly between awe and amusement as they debated what Maris had actually summoned.

"Tch... she's really an annoying girl."

The one clicking his tongue in irritation after overhearing these rumors was a short-haired red-headed boy.

His name was Alec Grey. He is one of the capture targets in the game and the son of one of the four noble houses, a wild and overbearing type. He's a year ahead of Maris... Recently, he had tried to forcefully invite Maris, saying, "Hey, Saint. Come with me. I've decided you're going to be my date to the royal ball," only to be rebuffed.

"What Saint? She's just an arrogant girl with a pretty face."

Alec snorted, but in truth, he was one of the boys who had taken an interest in the Saint, Maris. When he tried to invite her, Maris had rejected him with strong words, saying, "Oh, I'm sorry, did you just mistake me for your mother? Because the only person who can order me around like that must have changed my diapers."

This was the right choice to trigger a flag for capturing Alec. By rejecting him, Alec started badmouthing the heroine as "an annoying girl" while still being interested and trying to interact with her.

"Still... she almost got attacked..."

Alec frowned as he walked down the hallway, eavesdropping on the rumors. It irritated him immensely that Maris had been almost attacked while he wasn't around. He didn't care about Maris at all. She was just an arrogant "annoying girl" who acted high and mighty because she was a Saint. And yet... he couldn't stop thinking about her.

He even felt like running to the first-year classroom to check on her safety right away.

I shouldn't care about that girl... there's no point in getting involved with an annoying girl...

He felt uneasy. He was fuming. If he had been at the scene where Maris was attacked, he would have beaten all the thugs to a pulp.

Damn it! Why am I so pissed off? It's all because of that arrogant girl!

"Damn it!"

"Eeek..."

When he spat out the curse, a nearby male student flinched in fear. Alec glared at him in frustration, causing the intimidated boy to hurry away.

"Tch..."

He couldn't calm down at all. He shoved his hands into his pockets and continued walking down the hallway.

"Huh?"

Walking towards him from the other end of the hallway was a familiar girl. Her pink hair, the color of cherry blossoms, caught the light as she moved, each strand glowing like silk. It flowed down her back in gentle waves, swaying with each step she took. Her light blue eyes, as clear as a spring sky, sparkled with a calm confidence, drawing the gaze of anyone nearby.

Her skin, fair and smooth, seemed almost luminous, giving her an ethereal presence that made her stand out even in a crowded hallway. The Saint with unparalleled beauty... Maris Rainsa.

"...!"

Seeing the girl he had just been thinking about, Alec felt a shock as if he had been shot in the chest. Despite having been attacked, Maris didn't seem to have any visible injuries. She was walking down the hallway with classmates on either side, chatting amicably.

"So, Saint Maris, my little brother..."

"Is that so? It must be tough having siblings."

Maris, engaged in a casual conversation with her friends, hadn't noticed Alec yet. He grimaced and held his chest with his right hand.

What do I say to her if she suddenly appears... I'm not ready yet!

Alec panicked, then shook his head, wondering why he was so flustered.

Why am I so nervous? It's not like it matters!

It didn't matter. Yes... it didn't matter at all. Alec and Maris had only spoken once since enrolling, and that conversation hadn't lasted even a minute. So, there was no reason for him to be anxious about passing her in the hallway.

But then again, it's only polite to acknowledge someone you know, and it's not unnatural for an upperclassman to say hello to a lowerclassman, right?

Maris was getting closer, only about three meters away now. Alec's heart was pounding, and he raised his right hand to wave.

"Hey! You look well!"

"But I do envy you. I've always wanted a younger sibling too..."

"...Huh?"

Despite Alec mustering up the courage to speak, Maris walked right past him without even a glance.