A week before the academy commences, there would be an evaluation examination mandatory for the new batch of students enrolled this year. Each one of them would be ranked according to their performance and score in the exams. As the Marquis would never let the young Albrecht leave the Chevalier’s territory without supervision, Ophelia and her personal maid, Emily, had to accompany her to the Northland Academy early in the morning.
They departed from the manor to arrive at the Academy an hour before the examination would commence. They were riding the carriage to the academy, the young alpha seemed to enjoy herself gazing at the scenery through the window, while Ophelia observed her laidback attitude.
“You seem too relaxed for someone about to face an exam.”
“Hm? Oh, I don’t see the reason to stress out. It is going to be easy anyway.”
Stella had gone through this examination before in her previous life, so she had nothing in particular to be concerned about. The young alpha was prepared and confident that she would ace both academic and physical combat exams effortlessly.
“I would not accept anything less than first place, or else you would leave a stain on my reputation in school. I’ll kindly let you know that your fiancée has been ranked in first place from the start. Thus, I would not take anything less than that.”
“Wow, you’re setting the bar very high…”
Stella was quite impressed with the omega being able to maintain her pristine performance for the entire year, but also not surprised with it, seeing how hardworking she was behind the scenes. Ophelia crossed her arms as she curtly reminded Stella to show nothing less than a top performance. She chuckled lightly before she reassured the pink-haired omega that she had nothing to worry about at all.
“Also, I heard there are several first-year students this year who are fairly intelligent, such as Lady Dahlia of Montclair. I’ve been hearing rumors that everyone anticipated ranking first place.”
“Hmm…”
Stella vaguely recalled that name—Dahlia Montclair. In her previous life, they didn’t interact as much in person because the alpha was quite aloof with everyone except for Linda. Back then, she didn’t remember anyone in class standing out, but then again, Stella barely made any friends since her mind was too occupied to enjoy ordinary teenage life. The black-haired alpha wore a smile of confidence on her face as she playfully teased the omega back.
“So…are you worried about me that this Lady Dahlia will beat me?”
“Don’t put words into my mouth. I’m merely concerned with mine and Chevalier’s reputation because of your poor performance.”
“Being a little bit honest won’t kill you, Ophelia.”
The older omega shot a piercing glare at the carefree alpha, but that only made Stella let out a relaxed chuckle. She had a feeling that Ophelia’s insistence on her delivering top performance had something to do with Marquis Chevalier himself. Even so, the alpha was genuinely grateful to the omega. It was thanks to Ophelia that she had been granted this golden opportunity to attend the academy a year earlier than previously. Even if Stella was yet to uncover all the secrets Ophelia hid behind her stern façade, she understood one thing clearly. Living up to a perfect and obedient fiancée in the public eye was one of the ways to help Ophelia.
The moment she stepped down from the carriage onto the grounds of the Northland Academy, the breeze swept over her and brought along a wave of nostalgia. Everything looked just as she remembered. Back then, this had been the only place where the alpha felt truly free from the Chevalier’s clutch. The couple began walking toward the examination hall with Emily quietly trailing a few steps behind.
“Oh gosh, isn’t that Lady Ophelia??”
They were not the first to arrive, and several freshly enrolled students glanced over in their direction. It didn’t take long for them to recognize the famous pink-haired noble walking alongside Stella. They all wore a surprised look since Ophelia was not supposed to be here…before their eyes shifted to the jet black haired alpha beside her.
“That person next to Lady Ophelia… is she who I think she is??”
Stella’s silky jet-black hair immediately gave away her Albrecht lineage. Whispers rippled through the crowd as all eyes fixed on the famous pair. Everyone within the noble society knew about the engagement between the houses of Albrecht and Chevalier several months ago, which made them the center of attention immediately.
“The exam is going to take at least half a day. Are you going to wait the whole time?”
“It is not that I have a choice. What if my fiancée decided to run away the moment I looked away?”
The pink-haired noble tossed the remark over her shoulder with a nonchalant smile before the alpha let out a quiet exhale. If it were her in the past, she might have done exactly that…but that was no longer the case anymore. Not this version of herself. Even if the opportunity arose, she had no intention of leaving Ophelia’s side until she was certain that she could save her and Matteo from their predetermined demise.
“I know you may have doubts that I may leave when the opportunity arises, but allow me to reassure you that I won’t be going anywhere.”
It was perhaps the most that Stella could say without revealing too much of what she knew. She learned her lesson on how quick-witted Ophelia was and could easily detect anything odd in her words. Again, the omega wore an unreadable expression before she looked away. Before the conversation could continue, an instructor announced that all candidates were to enter the examination hall immediately.
“By the way…I will finish the exam in an hour. Just in case you’re worried that I might run away.”
Before walking off, she turned back briefly to address both Ophelia and Emily with a confident smile that she would be done ahead of time. The omega didn’t respond and simply frowned as she watched Stella enter the hall. Alone with her maid, Ophelia noticed an older gentleman approaching her before offering a small bow.
“This is quite a rare sight to see you here today, Lady Ophelia.”
She turned to make eye contact with those light green eyes that belonged to this well-dressed, middle-aged man. Her expression remained dignified as she returned his bow with poised elegance.
“How do you do, Viscount Lemaire. I’m glad to see you well.”
Ophelia knew the orange-haired man would come today. As he was one of the academy’s board members, it wasn’t part of his duty to oversee the evaluation examination. Viscount Henry had surely reviewed the names of all newly enrolled students this year and was here today to see Stella.
“Thank you for your kind words. Forgive me, but I must be on my way. I simply wished to greet you while I had the chance.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Viscount. I’ll be taking my leave as well.”
They exchanged a respectful bow before taking his leave. Viscount Henry is a very intelligent man who knows how to hide his emotions impeccably. The young pink-haired omega played along, but she knew that the middle-aged man was aware of why she was here—that’s why he didn’t ask.
Heading to the library, the omega found a quiet corner to sit down and read the book that Emily had prepared for her. The only chance she’d get to read this romance novel gifted by some stubborn alpha was when she wasn’t under her father and his servants’ watchful eyes. Besides, she wouldn’t dare to read it in Stella’s presence because the teasing from the alpha would never end.
It was these quiet moments that Ophelia was able to enjoy being with herself. Every now and then, her vigilant green eyes switched their focus between the book and her personal watch. After a certain amount of time had passed, she finally looked up to give Emily a new order.
“Emily, go wait for Stella by the entrance to the exam hall. She should be done by now.”
“Huh? But milady, it’s only been an hour since the exam began?”
The maid questioned as she glanced at the clock in the library. She knew the exam would take at least two hours. The pink-haired noble flipped to the next page while her eyes were still locked onto the book.
“You’re right, if they were ordinary candidates.”
Such few words, yet it was more than enough to show Emily how much her lady trusted Stella. At first, the maid viewed her confidence as typical bravado expected of an alpha. However, it seemed her lady knew Stella meant every word she said.
“Once you find her, take her to the training grounds for the combat exam. You know where that is, correct?”
“Of course, milady.”
Emily bowed and received her orders before leaving the library. Ophelia stayed back to savor this peaceful silence a little longer as she immersed herself in the chapter she was reading.
Once everyone was seated, they were given two hours to complete their written exam. The alpha glanced around and saw anxious expressions and furrowed brows of her future classmates. For her, though, it was a walk in the park. She breezed through the questions effortlessly since she had seen all of this before. After an hour had gone by, she raised her hand to signal the proctor to come over.
“Is there something a matter?”
“Oh, no. I’m finished.”
The proctor was stunned and blinked at her in disbelief. Stella handed her the exam, and she quickly skimmed through the pages to find that the alpha answered every single question. As the jet black haired alpha stood up and made her way out, all eyes followed her with a mix of awe and disbelief.
Among them, one red-haired alpha sat frozen in silent humiliation. Moments ago, she had been brimming with confidence that she’d be the first to finish. However, the spotlight had been stolen away right before her eyes by the young Albrecht noble.
“So that’s her…Stella Albrecht.”
Dahlia Montclair muttered under her breath as she clenched her teeth. Perhaps Dahlia Montclair had underestimated the girl and never expected that anyone here would make her feel threatened or challenged.
Right outside the examination hall, Stella was greeted by Emily, who had been waiting for her patiently. However, Ophelia was nowhere in sight.
“Milady instructed me to escort you to the academy’s training grounds, where the combat exam will take place.”
“I see. Thank you, Emily.”
“Not at all. It’s my pleasure, Lady Stella.”
They walked side by side through the corridor and eventually arrived at the academy’s vast open training field, where the instructors were waiting for their arrival. The combat examination was mandatory for all alphas and male betas. Usually, omegas and female betas were exempt from this, unless they had received a credible recommendation. For example, all members of the Valens family were required to take part in the combat examination regardless of their secondary gender.
“You truly did finish in under an hour, just like you said. That exam must have been far too easy for you!”
Emily was first to initiate the conversation and remarked with cheerful admiration. They casually exchanged back and forth with comfort and familiarity. During her time with the Chevalier, she had grown close to Emily, who was a gentle and loyal person just like Ophelia and Matteo. Carried from her past life, she felt she was still in debt to the maid. If it wasn’t for her, who took care of Nyx and Lux, she may not have had a chance to reunite with them again.
“Truth be told, I’d already studied everything on that exam before, so it wasn’t a challenge. Still, I had to give it my all and deliver the best result. I can’t let Ophelia down after everything she’s done to get me here, can I?”
“Lady Stella…”
“Besides, if I don’t get first place, I’ll never hear the end of it. She’ll probably make me study twice as hard and train twice as long…”
The alpha left out a long sigh and made Emily chuckle softly. Sometimes, it was hard for the maid to see Stella as a teenager despite the age gap between them. Stella’s maturity and intelligence far surpassed most nobles her age, just like Lady Ophelia. In many ways, they were similar to each other and shared this subtle yet undeniable chemistry. Despite their relationship having been arranged through family politics, Emily was convinced that they were a great match with each other.
Stella waited near the training ground as other young nobles began to arrive. Although omegas and female betas were not required to take part in the combat examination, they were more than welcome to spectate. Once the male betas and alphas arrived, they changed their combat attire and each claimed a space on the open field to begin their warm-ups.
“Lady Stella, shouldn’t you also do some warm-up before your examination?”
Emily turned to address the Albrecht noble, who was already dressed in her combat attire. Standing off to the side under the shade of the open corridor, Stella showed no interest in stepping into the training ground like others. Since the servant was a beta, perhaps Emily likely wasn’t familiar with the subtle courting rituals between noble alphas and omegas.
“There are a handful of them doing genuine warm-up, but most of them are just flaunting their presence and skills to impress the spectators over there.”
The alpha pointed up to the balcony on the second floor, and Emily’s eyes followed. There was a group of omegas and beta ladies gathering to spectate from above. As the strong alphas and male betas were ostentatiously displaying their talents and skills, the young noble ladies were busy assessing potential candidates who might catch their interest. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
Aside from the mandatory education, Northland Academy was an ideal place for many young nobles to search for potential suitors whom they could wed to benefit their family in longevity. It was a mix of lust and greed for networking, wealth, and power within Northland’s noble circle.
“Even if you tried to avoid the spotlight…But I can see you’ve become extremely popular.”
Emily noticed the noble ladies glancing in Stella’s direction every so often, clearly anticipating that the famous Albrecht alpha would eventually come forward and display her strength as well. Fortunately, she was accustomed to ignoring stares cast her way. Stella’s attention eventually shifted the moment she noticed the red-haired lady approaching with a training sword in her hand. She gave a flawless bow and before put on a sweet smile.
“You must be Lady Stella. It is an honor to greet you in person. I am Dahlia Montclair. It is my pleasure to meet with you.”
“It is my pleasure to meet you too, Lady Dahlia.”
It seemed Dahlia didn’t waste the chance to approach the youngest Albrecht the moment she had the opportunity. She was confident with her social skills and offered flattering remarks towards Stella with a welcoming smile.
“I thought I was already quick to finish the test paper, but you’re even faster! As expected from the grand noble family of Northland.”
“It is a coincidence that the majority of the questions being asked were ones I excel in. I believe I was simply lucky to finish earlier than expected.”
“How humble of you, Lady Stella. I have a feeling we’ll become good friends.”
When the red-haired alpha extended her hand out, Stella reciprocated with a firm handshake out of courtesy. Dahlia then kindly invited her to join in a warm-up. Despite her earlier reluctance, Stella pondered for a moment before she considered her offer. Given that it was their first interaction, it would have been rude to decline.
“Thank you for your generous offer. If you do not mind, I’d prefer to keep it light to avoid any injury.”
“Of course! It wouldn’t do either of us good to get hurt right before the exam.”
The moment the two alphas stepped into the open field, the glistening flow of her silky black hair became the center of attention. All eyes belonged to the noble ladies shifted their focus to the famous Albrecht as she was about to have a light sparring session with Dahlia. Other nobles using the open field paused what they were doing as their attention was drawn to the two of them.
"Many people that I know speak highly of your swordsmanship. I would be grateful for your guidance."
Dahlia smiled with quiet confidence as she tightened her grip on the training sword and shifted into her stance. In response, the Albrecht alpha observed her calmly before raising her blade towards the red-haired alpha.
"Thank you for your kind words, Lady Dahlia. I still have much to learn myself.”
The ambitious lady from Montclair was the first to make her move, and Stella effortlessly parried and deflected her strike with ease. Maintaining her poise, young alpha studied her opponent as they traded friendly blows. She quickly noticed that Dahlia was testing her by targeting the weak spots with strikes that were difficult to block or counter. Stella acknowledged that her skills we refined and solid, but it didn’t pose a challenge for the talented Albrecht. Rather than attempting to defeat her, Stella toned her pace and skills to match hers instead.
Meanwhile, the omegas and female betas that gathered to spectate the combat exam were excitedly exchanging comments about both alphas. Dahlia, the eldest daughter of Earl Montclair, was a talented alpha who excelled in academics, swordsmanship, and was even actively involved in her family’s inn business at a young age. Unsurprisingly, many omegas in noble society had their eyes on her, especially since she had yet to be engaged to any lucky omega.
“Gosh, I heard rumors that Lady Stella is a charismatic and sweet individual who often accompanies Lady Ophelia to her afternoon tea gatherings, but I didn’t expect her to be this…charming.”
One of the omegas commented with a slight blush, and many were quick to chime in. The youngest Albrecht was known to never attend any social gatherings unless it was an important event with family, so only a handful of young nobles had a chance to meet her in person. It was the first time for many of them here to meet the black-haired alpha in person, and they found themselves unable to look away. It was her dignified yet humble presence that held everyone spellbound.
“What a shame that Lady Stella is already taken by Lady Ophelia…”
“Well, I didn’t see that as an issue.”
One of the omega ladies spoke up and caught everyone’s attention. She wasn’t wrong with what she said since it’s common for alphas to have more than one partner anyway. Whether an alpha was engaged or not was never an obstacle—that wouldn’t stop them from wooing the alpha anyway. Before they could continue their conversation, another young lady gently nudged others to lower her voice before she pointed to another balcony to their left.
“Lower your voice…! You wouldn’t want Lady Ophelia to overhear what you said.”
They all turned to the dignified Chevalier noble standing on a nearby balcony, accompanied by her maid, while watching the black-haired alpha in silence with her expression as unreadable as usual. Soon after that, they lowered their volume so Ophelia wouldn’t hear what they were conversing about.
Even as the murmuring continued, the pink-haired omega paid it no mind. Her glistening green eyes were fixed on the young alpha not long before the examiner stepped forward to announce the start of the combat examination. Everyone gathered around for the roll call, but just as Stella was about to join, she felt a gaze on her. Turning her head, her blue eyes met with those familiar green orbs. In a matter of seconds, Stella’s lips curled into a smile as she mouthed a message meant only for Ophelia.
“Watch me closely, I’ll win.”
Even from this distance, the omega could read Stella’s lips. Such a cheeky and confident remark she made, and Ophelia quite liked this side of hers. She knew exactly how capable and talented Stella was, as Professor Oliver and Sir Jayson often sang praises about her progress and performance regularly. The pink-haired omega watched her fiancée walk off before a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
“What did Lady Stella say just now? I didn’t quite catch it…”
“She’s just very confident that she’ll come out on top. Let’s see if she can even do that or not.”
Emily noticed how her lady smiled as she was enjoying herself. The maid would occasionally catch Ophelia letting her guard down in private, wearing that tender look in her eyes whenever she watched her alpha…
Each student was assigned to a group of five based on their primary and secondary gender to avoid any disparities in genetic fitness. Each individual’s performance would be evaluated by three senior instructors from the academy. There were a total of eight groups, with Stella being in the fourth group and Dahlia in the third group. The first two groups consisted of alpha males, and they didn’t hold themselves back in front of the watching ladies. They flaunted their sword skills and strength while releasing their musky pheromones to exert dominance before everyone.
The watching ladies were drawn to the alphas showcasing their strength and combat skills, but Stella remained indifferent. Her keen blue eyes watched the fight closely, and she noted that most of their techniques were polished but average to her standards. It didn’t take long before both male alpha groups finished with their matches, and it was time for the female alphas to step forward. Dahlia’s group was up next, and she didn’t hesitate to overwhelm her opponents with sheer talent and strength. It was a matter of time before the red-haired alpha would effortlessly emerge victorious.
“The match is over. Victory goes to Lady Dahlia.”
The Montclair lady brought down her final opponent just moments before the judge declared her the winner. The scent of vetiver emitted by Dahlia carried in the breeze was subtle yet undeniably commanding. Beneath her earlier polite façade lay confidence teetering on the edge of arrogance. Her pheromones sent a clear message to every alpha watching that she was a force to be reckoned with—especially to the youngest member of the Albrecht family.
Stella was aware that Dahlia felt threatened by her presence, and she had no intention to conceal the subtle hostility in her pheromones when she introduced herself. Obliterating her opponents with no mercy with sheer force was an alpha’s way to exert their superiority above others, and that was exactly what Dahlia did.
“The next group, please step forward.”
If it had been most alphas, they would’ve felt provoked by such a challenge from Dahlia. Thankfully, Stella had no interest in engaging in this ego battle like they do. Training under a strict knight code by her mother for as long as she could remember, the black-haired alpha had learned to keep her alpha temperament in check.
“Best of luck with your fight, Lady Stella. I’m looking forward to watching your matches.”
As Dahlia passed by, the red-haired alpha didn’t forget to wish Stella good luck out of courtesy. The moment Stella stepped forward for her first match, all attention turned to her. Bearing the Albrecht name on her shoulder, she was no stranger to being watched attentively by others.
“Start the match!”
The moment the examiner signaled, the young brunette alpha charged in without hesitation, followed by a decisive vertical strike. In return, Stella calmly parried it with only one hand as if she had seen it coming. A subtle flick of her wrist was all it took for her opponent to stumble forward and almost topple over.
“—!!”
Confusion and surprise were written all over her face, but the young brunette quickly regained her balance and charged in for another attack. Strike after strike was exchanged, yet the young Albrecht was able to deflect and redirect each blow at ease as if it were a child’s play. As none of her attacks landed, the brunette alpha grew increasingly frustrated and decided to rely on her strength and speed instead.
However, that was her big mistake.
Stella countered her with an overwhelming strike at the same time, and the next thing was that the brunette was already stumbling backward and lost her balance completely. It was a battle of brute force, and Stella overpowered her effortlessly. After blinking a few times, the wooden sword was no longer in her hand, she was on the ground, and the tip of Stella’s sword was pointed at her face.
“The match is over. Victory goes to Lady Stella.”
The examiner declared the victor in less than a minute, in which all the spectators were left speechless by how the Albrecht noble defeated her opponent effortlessly with grace. The young brunette was still bewildered by how everything had happened so quickly until Stella extended a hand to her with a warm smile on her face.
“Thank you for the match. Are you by chance injured anywhere?”
“H-Huh? No, I’m fine. Please don’t worry!”
“That’s great. May I ask your name? I’m Stella.”
The young brunette was momentarily taken aback by the warm gesture from another fellow alpha before she quickly reached out to take her hand. Stella helped her to her feet, and something about Albrecht’s gentle presence mysteriously elicited a smile on her face as well.
“It is Talia Fairchild. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Stella.”
“Nice to meet you too. Good luck with your next match.”
“You too. It is an honor to fight you.”
After her first match, everyone had their undivided attention on Stella, and the spotlight on Dahlia earlier shifted to her instead. Her gentle yet commanding presence was truly captivating, and this made Dahlia visibly infuriated. She genuinely believed that she was going to be the best and unrivaled in her year, but that was no longer the case because of the youngest Albrecht.
Stella did not need to flaunt her skills nor use her pheromones to exert dominance like how other alphas and Dahlia did. Her dignified aura and sheer talent spoke for themselves that she is the strongest alpha among them.
“The match is over. Victory goes to Lady Stella.”
Her Valens swordsmanship didn’t go unnoticed by the sword instructors, and it was clear she was a league of her own. For the remaining matches Stella had left, she defeated her opponent swiftly and without holding back in less than a minute. It was obvious that she would become the center of attention and the hot topic among all the ladies.
“Gosh…! She is so strong and even more charming than earlier.”
"She didn’t even break a sweat after all those fights.”
“Now I am jealous of Lady Ophelia to get herself such a perfect alpha like her.”
Stella had everything that these ladies were looking for in their potential suitors—an alpha, dignified, strong, and lastly, she is an Albrecht. As an alpha, anyone who wedded with Stella would also inherit the Albrecht name, even if she was not the successor. Nevertheless, no one would want to miss out on the chance to carve their name within the duke family.
Once the combat examination was over, everyone was dismissed without further ado. The next time they would return to the academy would be the first day of their studies. When Stella turned around to leave the exam ground, her eyes met the two familiar figures standing in the hallway waiting for her. They didn’t waste any time remaining at the academy and got on the carriage heading back to the Chevalier manor.
“During the exam, you held back, didn’t you?”
Ophelia spoke up and caught the alpha’s attention. Of course, her observant green eyes were able to tell that Stella did not fight at her best.
“Yes, it is better I held back actually.”
“How so? I was under the impression that alphas established their hierarchy by demonstrating their power and dominance.”
“You’re correct, but there is a bit of an unspoken etiquette we have.” Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
It was normal for others to have that kind of impression about alphas. Thus, Stella explained to the omega about the unspoken etiquette within their hierarchy. Alphas, by nature, were proud and egotistical individuals with little tolerance for being challenged by others, especially by another alpha. Openly flaunting one’s talents was the fastest way to provoke others and put a target on one’s back.
“Displaying just the right amount of strength while preserving their dignity in the public’s eyes is the safest option for me to take. The Albrecht name grabbed more than enough attention already…”
The approach Stella took was considered ‘polite’ among the alpha, and Ophelia was quite intrigued with this delicate yet sensitive power dynamic among them. For the remaining time in the carriage, the couple exchanged a lighthearted conversation until they arrived at the Chevalier manor. This felt like a perfect opportunity to speak about what was on her mind.
“Ophelia, I’ve been wanting to say this for quite some time already… I want to thank you for this opportunity you gave me.”
“Huh?”
“I don’t know what and how you did it, but I believe it wasn’t easy to receive permission from the Marquis, right?”
Stella believed that Ophelia was behind allowing Stella to leave the manor and attend the academy. Marquis Hugh was a hyper-vigilant man who would not let her, the real successor of Albrecht, leave his domain this easily unless someone convinced him to do so.
“I want you to know I’m truly grateful for this chance, and I’ll do my best not to let you down.”
Ophelia was caught by surprise and was at a loss for words. Her ears reddened before she crossed her arms and looked away to avoid any direct eye contact. Even when she was blushing, she did her best to stay stern and indifferent.
“…Hmph, you better not make my precious time go to waste.”
“Hehe! I won’t.”
The only time they could truly let their guard down was in each other’s presence. So much had changed from the past. The old Stella would have despised being near Ophelia like this… yet her present self found this moment was the only time it was genuinely peaceful and comforting.
It was unfortunate that this fleeting moment came to an end the moment the carriage stopped in front of the manor. The soothing presence from the omega earlier was instantly replaced by her usual aloof façade. This sudden change was something that Stella was gradually getting used to.
“Go wash yourself and come to my room once you’re done, understood?”
“Okay.”
She would always use a cold and curt tone towards the alpha, where the eyes and ears of the Chevalier servants could see and hear them. Ophelia’s contrasting behavior was something that Stella had never understood in her previous life… but now it was as if all the puzzle pieces had finally fallen into place. The reason behind the omega’s flawless act was clear—the Albrecht noble wasn’t the only one under constant watch by the Marquis and Marchioness.
“…It seems I wasn’t the only one that has to pretend in this place, hey?”
After the sun sank into the horizon, Stella joined the Chevalier’s family dinner as usual at the dining hall. Ever since the minor incident with Theo, that pink-haired alpha had shown restraint around her despite the constant glare of hostility towards her. What also changed at the dining table was how Eleanor expressed interest in having a conversation with Stella.
“I heard you have your evaluation exam today. Why don’t you tell us how it went?”
Even if the alpha didn’t want to entertain the pink-haired beta that sat on the other side of the table, she had no choice but to respond cordially since she could sense that everyone was waiting for her response.
“…It didn’t impose a challenge to me, and it is all thanks to the lessons and training I’ve received from Professor Oliver and Sir Jayson.”
“How confident! Do you think you would earn first place in your ranking just like Ophelia? Just in case she didn’t tell you yet, but my dear sister is ranked first among all omegas and the valedictorian of the year.”
Eleanor wore a bewitching smile, yet her tone was sweetly condescending. Stella was uncertain of her intentions, but it felt as if the pink-haired beta was more curious about Stella’s reaction to her sudden confrontation.
“I know I would be ranked in first place this year. I have no intention to let Ophelia down.”
The alpha responded naturally with a rehearsed smile while trying to understand Eleanor’s motives. Previously, this beta lady had shown no interest in so much as glancing at Stella, let alone speaking to her for 3 full years. Perhaps with the changes Stella introduced in this timeline so far, Eleanor’s behavior towards her was bound to change.
“Fufu, how lucky of you, Ophelia. You have such a loyal and fitting partner like Stella.”
“I am touched by your unexpected concern about my fiancée. I wish you all the best, that one day you’ll earn yourself a lovely partner that could even be truly loyal to you.”
Ophelia replied with a sweet yet condescending smile as she finished the meal on her plate. Stella wouldn’t miss noticing how the omega glowered at her sister, warning the beta to mind her business. These cold interactions among siblings were the norm among them. After sharing countless dinners at the table with the Chevaliers, the black-haired outsider could never find an ounce of warmth and comfort in their interaction at all.
After they left the dining hall, Ophelia ordered her fiancée to follow her to her chamber, as she still had matters to speak with her.
“What is it that you would like to speak with me about?”
“Sit down.”
Stella was told to sit down on the couch before she watched the pink-haired omega grab something from her drawers. She sat down facing her before placing a glass bottle containing a familiar yet ominous colorless liquid right in front of the alpha.
“As now you’re going to meet more omegas in the academy, this will be your new training.”
Without further questions, the Albrecht alpha knew instantly what was going on and what that bottle contained. In her previous life, Ophelia introduced the aphrodisiac training when Stella started attending the academy in her second year. However, things changed now that the alpha was enrolled this year, and it seemed inevitable that this event would also happen.
“Judging how you’re sensitive to omega’s pheromones, I’ve prepared a mild dose where you will be ingesting daily. From today onwards, you’ll take this under my watch until you develop an acceptable level of tolerance.”
“Ugh…”
It was obvious that Ophelia was referring to the incident where Stella’s body responded to her sweet pheromones, and that made the alpha’s ears reddened instantly whenever she recalled those moments. She shook those thoughts and embarrassment away before Ophelia would notice her bright red cheeks.
“Fine. I’ll take this to my room by myself. You don’t have to supervise me—”
As she reached out to grab the bottle, the omega’s hand was quicker. Ophelia held the bottle of the drug between her delicate fingers as she directed a skeptical stare at the younger alpha.
“You? Taking aphrodisiacs willingly? That’s hard to believe.”
Ophelia was far from being convinced that the prideful alpha would consume the aphrodisiac potion willingly and embarrass themselves, but Stella affirmed that she would do so as long as she was by herself in her locked chamber.
“Give me a week, I’ll prove it to you by finishing that entire bottle.”
“You seemed so adamant about taking this without my watch. How would I know you drink it and didn’t pretend to? Or perhaps you feel humiliated being under the control of the drug in front of an omega?”
The omega was far from believing that the alpha would not take the aphrodisiac regardless of what she said. Whenever Ophelia shot her with this level of bluntness, she would not back down without getting a satisfactory answer out of the alpha. This forced Stella into a dilemma where she came up with a convincing answer to deceive…or give her an honest answer instead? Was it because they were growing closer for the past few weeks that made it harder to deceive Ophelia? Or perhaps she had a feeling those sharp green eyes would see through her excuse?
Whether it was the right decision or not, the young alpha went with her gut feeling. Stella let out a long exhale as she muttered under her breath out of embarrassment.
“It is too dangerous for me to take it when you’re around me…Isn’t that obvious?”
Ophelia was certain the cunning alpha would respond with some infuriating tease, not a genuine answer. The pink-haired omega noticed her alpha avoiding all eye contact, her ears and cheeks visibly reddened.
“…”
Silence fell upon them as Ophelia was momentarily startled and rendered speechless. Even if she was being indirect with her words, Stella was heavily implying the possibility that she lost control of herself and attacked Ophelia under the influence of the aphrodisiacs. The omega got angry with how Stella was too transparent to a fault, and her heart throbbed out of rhythm. She preferred to be fuming at Stella’s playful banter instead.
“Anyways, can I have that bottle already? I promise I will take them, okay?”
“F-Fine.”
Stella cleared her throat as she extended her hand out again for the drug before the omega reluctantly handed it over. Ophelia couldn’t believe she lost her composure because of the alpha’s candidness, but at least that didn’t dull the sharpness of her tongue.
“I didn’t expect you to comply so willingly like this.”
“Oh, with this? Well…”
Stella glanced at the bottle in her hand, as she already understood the purpose of this training. Sooner or later, her tolerance for aphrodisiacs would save her life in the near future. The more changes she introduced in this timeline, the more she needed to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances that could arise. Stella would never know if there would be other individuals aside from Mabel who would attempt to take advantage of her.
“The faster I get used to it, the better I can protect myself, am I correct?”
“Great, your quick-wittedness does save me the explanation.”
It was getting late, and the alpha believed it was time for her to return to her room to let Ophelia rest. Even if she wasn’t showing, Stella knew that her fiancée would’ve been tired spending her entire day outside the manor while waiting for her.
“I believe I should take my leave and not waste any more of your time. It’s getting late, and you should get some rest.”
Stella walked towards the connecting door before Ophelia reminded her again to keep her promise. Even if the omega knew that the Albrecht noble would not go back against her words, she couldn’t shake away the doubt she had. For an alpha to subject oneself to the state of aphrodisia could be extremely humiliating. That was why she was taken aback when Stella complied with her orders without questioning her reason or motive.
“I expect you to finish that in a week. If not, then you must do so by my rules.”
“That wouldn’t happen, don’t worry. I keep my promises.”
Stella wore a smile of confidence before she returned to her chamber. The moment she closed the door behind her, and sighed the tension off her shoulders. With the bottle of aphrodisiacs, she started to remember how uncomfortable and embarrassing it was back then. At the very least, she was able to go through those difficult times using resentment and hatred towards the Chevaliers.
“If I could, I do not want to relive this pain…But I must do what is necessary.”
Reluctantly, she poured a small volume of the aphrodisiacs into a glass of water before she forced the cup to her lips. Stella hesitated for a brief moment…but eventually managed to force herself to drink the entire thing. It was just a moment of a few seconds before her body had a reaction. Stella’s body was sensitive to the drug, and she knew this was going to be a long and painful night for her to deal with…
Thank you once again for your patience in waiting for this chapter! Hope you all will enjoy this chapter as we're going to transition into the academy arc :)
More arts I drew revealing Chevalier and Albrecht family's faces! Please check it out HERE!