Chapter 2: Where Do I Sign?

"Lady Emily told me about your fight."

Professor Phoebe sat behind her translucent desk with a troubled expression.

Lydia barely paid attention to the professor as her mind was still trying to process everything that had happened since waking up five years in the past.

"...and based on your failure to pass the Guide Placement Test last month, you will no longer be able to continue in the Elite Class. You will be transferred to the Regular Class, effective immediately."

"What?! But she was the one who started it, and—"

"Lady Valendorf." Professor Phoebe raised a hand, stopping her. Her voice was apologetic, but her expression remained firm. "This was the best we could do under the circumstances."

"The best you could do?" Lydia gasped at her in disbelief.

She had slapped Emily because the girl had thrown her belongings outside their dorm room and insulted her family. Emily even had the audacity to attack her with her Sentinel power in the middle of the classroom!

Yet somehow, Lydia was the one who received punishment from the academy, while Emily escaped without any consequences.

"As per Belfort University regulations, you will also be transferred from the Elite Dormitory to the Regular Dormitory," Professor Phoebe continued. "You will need to move your belongings before the end of the day."

Regular Class. Regular Dormitory.

Lydia’s grades were excellent. Her academic record was spotless. But all her hard work had been thrown aside simply because she was an F-Rank Guide.

She was about to protest again when the thick silver door hissed softly and slid open, its two panels disappearing smoothly into the walls as the Head Principal walked inside.

The Head Principal gave Lydia a brief look before turning to the professor.

"Lady Valendorf, there is one more matter you should be aware of."

What now?

"This decision has been authorized by Duke Valendorf himself."

For a moment, she wondered if she had heard him correctly.

"...My brother?"

The Principal raised his hand and placed a small silver device on the desk. The tiny cylinder capsule projected a translucent blue hologram of the official decree. Lydia’s eyes immediately recognized the familiar signature at the bottom.

"The Duke personally approved the transfer," the Principal said. "He instructed us to follow the same rules applied to every other student."

Awesome. Even Brother Sylvain did me dirty. That bastard did this on purpose to bully me.

Sylvain Valendorf was her eldest brother and the current Duke of House Valendorf.

Instead, her own brother had approved her demotion and treated Lydia like useless trash.

The Principal seemed to understand her thoughts.

"Your brother specifically told us not to give you special treatment simply because you are a member of House Valendorf."

Lydia’s eye twitched.

"He wants you to learn to stand on your own abilities rather than relying on your family name."

I really want to stab my brother to death right now. I’ll put it on my top wishlist to do.

Lydia barely managed to process the Principal and Professor Phoebe’s words before she was dismissed from the faculty office.

The silver door gave a soft hiss and slid open, its panels disappearing smoothly into the walls. Lydia stepped into the hallway, but one thought kept bothering her.

She had been demoted and transferred out in her previous life too. But she had never known why it happened.

Back then, she had simply assumed it was because she had failed her placement test and couldn’t keep up with the other Guides.

Now she knew better.

Emily Fielyn had been behind it.

That sweet, innocent face had been hiding a much nastier side.

Lydia stepped into the hallway and noticed several students were gathering nearby.

Sleek silver pillars rose along the walls, their curved surfaces traced with soft blue light.

Transparent displays floated above the corridor, showing class schedules and room numbers while a faint glow shimmered across the polished floor.

They had obviously been waiting to find another juicy gossip. Whispers followed Lydia as she strode past them.

"Ah, that’s the F-Rank Valendorf."

"The Duke is one of the strongest Sentinels in the country, and her brothers are both SS-Rank Sentinels. Lydia is the ugly duckling of the family."

"An F-Rank Guide adopted daughter."

"Such a disgrace to House Valendorf."

Lydia’s hands were clenched into fists. She wanted to turn around and teach them some manners.

But she didn’t. There was no point. They didn’t deserve her attention right now.

Lydia had already learned in her previous life that arguing with people who had decided to hate her only gave them more ammunition to talk. And that was the last thing she needed right now.

So she ignored them.

"Lydia."

Someone was standing at the end of the hallway.

Ephraim.

He waited beneath an arched doorway framed by dark metal and smooth white stone. Thin lines of blue light traced the walls around him, while a small security sphere hovered beside the entrance, quietly scanning students as they passed.

His arms were folded across his chest, his tall figure blocking half the doorway. He looked as composed as ever, with his blond hair neatly in place and his crimson eyes fixed on Lydia.

"You used the High Potion?"

"Obviously."

"Good. I would hate to see my fiancée walking around with a scar because she was too stubborn to accept my help."

Of course. Lydia should have known.

"Just drop the facade, Ephraim. You’re not fooling me."

His usual perfect charming smile vanished in an instant.

"...Tsk."

After everything that had happened, there was only one reason Ephraim would be waiting for her outside the faculty office.

"That suits you better."

Lydia remembered about this as well from her previous life.

"Whatever your plan is, you better make it quick, Ephraim. Just do it here."

Ephraim’s eyebrows shot up. He clearly hadn’t expected that response.

Yeah, I know what you want. Just deliver the killing blow already.

Ephraim watched her with a solemn expression before giving her a reluctant nod.

"You still haven’t awakened your Spirit Animal, Lydia. Not to mention that you’re still an F-Rank Guide that has failed your Guide Placement Test three times."

"You really know how to make a girl feel special, don’t you?"

Ephraim frowned. "The Royal Council has been pressuring me about our engagement for months."

"So? Just cut to the chase already."

In her previous life, this moment had ended with Lydia’s world falling apart.

Why not burn the bridge faster?

"You really are impatient today."

Ephraim reached into his coat and pulled out a slim silver capsule no larger than his palm. With a soft click, the capsule unfolded, revealing a neatly sealed document bearing the golden crest of the Imperial Family.

He held it toward Lydia.

"Emperor Regulus has agreed to annul our engagement."

Lydia glanced at the paper.

"There’s also compensation. The royal family will provide enough to House Valendorf and you—"

"Deal! Let’s just call it off. Where do I sign?"

The Crown Prince was so stunned that he seemed to have forgotten how to speak.

"Don’t you want us to discuss it?"

"Discuss what? Us? The annulment? The compensation? No, no, and yes. I’d love to hear more about the compensation part, though. Especially if you’re going to add more zeroes to it, Ephraim. In cash."

Ephraim pinched the bridge of his nose and frowned.

"Are you really Lydia Valendorf?"

"Try to get a prescription for your eyes. Do I look like another woman to you? Well, unless you have another. Concubines do exist for that reason, you know."

"Lydia!"

"Come on. I don’t have all day, Ephraim. Where do I sign?" Lydia repeated.

Ephraim looked at her as if she had suddenly grown another head.

"What? Do you expect me to cry? Beg you not to annul it?"

Lydia clasped her hands dramatically.

"Oohh, honey darling Ephraim, please don’t dump me! What am I going to do without you?"

She dabbed at a non-existent tear in her eyes with a handkerchief and dropped the poor act immediately.

"Wishful thinking. Like I would ever do that."

"You really don’t care? Not after everything that we’ve been through?"

Lydia tilted her head.

"You’re barraging me with all sorts of weird questions."

"Don’t you love me?"

That question made Lydia recoil in disgust.

"Eew.... Are you going crazy? Do you want me to throw up right here? Because I can. You know my bank account, right?"

"Yes."

"Then transfer it there. And stop entertaining your head with delusional stuff."

Delulu isn’t solulu, boy.

"Emperor Regulus agreed to give you financial compensation," he said slowly. "Enough to ensure that you won’t suffer any financial difficulties after the annulment."

"Fine by me. Let’s get this over with."

Lydia instantly snatched the document from Ephraim and skimmed over it. The moment her fingers brushed the thin silver strip along its edge, the written details lit up with a faint blue glow.

Lydia was humming excitedly like a kid in a candy shop as she read the compensation terms.

"I’ll sign it now."

Before he could say anything, Lydia had signed her name at the bottom without another moment of hesitation.

"Next step. We have to synchronize to seal the deal, don’t we?"

Ephraim’s expression changed slightly. Lydia held out her hand.

"Give me your hand."

He hesitated. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Because I have places to be, Ephraim. Stop wasting my precious time."

Her answer was so blunt that Ephraim’s brows drew together. Still, he reached for her hand.

The moment their skin made contact, a strange warmth spread through Lydia’s fingers.

A faint blue glow appeared between their joined hands, pulsing softly with their Resonance Synchronization.

Ephraim’s much larger hand closed around hers, their fingers slowly intertwining. For a brief moment, a gentle warm breeze stirred around them.

Ephraim scowled. He should have been relieved that she was willing to annul their engagement without a fuss.

Instead, his heart felt heavier than it should. He didn’t understand why.

This was the first time he had ever checked their compatibility. There had never been a reason to.

After all, Lydia was only an F-Rank Guide. What could possibly be worth checking?

A faint blue light flickered between their palms before a notification panel appeared in front of them.

[Calculating compatibility between S-Rank Sentinel Ephraim Rion Adelstein and F-Rank Guide Lydia Valendorf...]

[Synchronization Complete!]

[Compatibility: 95%]

"What?" He gasped.

95%?

That number was absurd.

How was that possible?