"I want her..." Cassius said, the words coming out as a low, guttural growl. His knuckles went white as he clenched his fists against the tablecloth, the restraint he'd maintained for years finally fracturing.
I nodded approvingly. "Good. That's what I thought. Now we can start discussing business."
I began to drum my fingers against the polished wood of the table, the rhythmic tap tap tap designed to anchor his attention and establish dominance. I wasn't here to comfort him; I was here to recruit him.
"First of all, you think Rose is better off without you. Maybe that's true in some idealized version of reality, but you need to get one idea stuck in your head right now: It doesn't matter." I met his gaze with unsettling directness. "If you want her, you take her. Even from Jin."
Cassius recoiled as if I had slapped him. His face paled, then flushed with obvious distress. "T... That's terrible! And Jin is my best friend! I would hurt them both! And if I hurt Rose... if I "
"In relationships whether it's friendship or love you hurt people, Cassius. You break expectations, you disrupt balances, you make choices that leave others behind. Don't be a child about it."
I said it with absolute conviction, but internally, I was cringing. Jesus, that sounded like something out of a bad Shonen anime. Where did I even learn that? I was a lonely college student who spent more time in online forums than in actual social circles. I don't actually know anything about human relationships. I'm literally improvising based on tropes.
But the effect worked. The bluntness of my words acted like a cold splash of water, forcing him to stop spiraling into guilt and start confronting the raw reality of his desire.
"As for Jin..." I continued, leaning in slightly, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. "It's normal that you're afraid. He's a monster of talent. But here is some good news: you won't be alone. I can help you. I can manipulate the variables. I can make sure Jin doesn't notice until it's too late, and I can ensure you successfully get Rose at your side whether that's by her side, in your bed, or as your wife."
I watched his pupils dilate. The offer was intoxicating, a lifeline thrown to a drowning man.
"I'm not asking you to be a villain," I added, my tone clinical. "I'm asking you to be effective. In exchange for my... guidance, I only ask for two things."
I paused, letting the weight of the proposition hang between us. The air in the private room felt charged, heavy with the promise of betrayal and the thrill of conquest.
"First," I said, my golden eyes locking onto his. "Complete discretion. You do not speak to anyone about our conversations. No one not Jin, not your family, not even your closest friends can know that I have been involved in your approach. If you slip, the contract I will have you sign will be the last thing you ever authorize."
I let that sink in before delivering the second condition.
"Second: When the time comes, and when I give you the signal, you do not hesitate. You commit fully. No guilt, no second guessing, no backing out when you see the look in Rose's eyes. You take what you want, and you hold it."
I leaned back, crossing my arms. "Do we have an agreement, Cassius? Or would you rather go back to your window and watch them eat lunch until you die of regret?"
Then I added, with the complete absence of shame of someone who had reviewed her finances and found them deserving of a funeral:
"Oh. Sorry. A third thing. I need a bit of money. I am poor right now."
Cassius blinked.
The shift from 'cold architect of his love life' to 'broke student asking for cash' was, I'll admit, jarring. His expression cycled through confusion, disbelief, and something dangerously close to amusement.
"You're... poor?" he repeated, as if the words didn't fit in the same sentence as 'Ellen Frost.'
"I'm an orphan on a scholarship," I said flatly. "The second seat doesn't come with a stipend. My combat rank is D. My beauty is apparently worth millions, but the Academy hasn't figured out how to invoice for that yet."
And the System certainly doesn't pay in real currency. Only in SP. Which I generate with my own hands at one in the morning like a desperate woman running a one person sweatshop.
Cassius stared at me for a long moment. And then, to my mild irritation, he laughed. A short, genuine laugh, the first relaxed sound he'd made since I walked in.
"The terrifying second seat," he said, shaking his head. "Ice queen of Class B, breaker of vows, architect of betrayals... and she's broke."
"Poverty is not a personality trait I chose," I replied coolly. "It's a starting condition. Like your cowardice."
"Ouch." He winced, still smiling. "Fine. Money isn't a problem. The Desde family isn't what the Kangs are, but we're comfortable. How much do you need?"
A number. He's asking me to name a number. Don't be greedy, Ellen. Don't be stupid either. Too little looks unserious, too much looks like a scam.
"A monthly stipend," I said. "Modest. Enough to cover equipment, potions, and living expenses without needing to... improvise. Consider it a consulting fee. You're not paying me for friendship, Cassius. You're paying me for results."
He leaned back, studying me with those red eyes and I watched something shift in them. Not just hunger anymore. Respect, maybe. Or the particular fascination of a man realizing the beautiful stranger across the table is far stranger and far more dangerous than she looks.
"Consulting," he repeated, tasting the word. "You're serious about all of this. The plan, the timing, the... everything."
"I'm always serious."
"Then I'm serious too." He straightened, some of the nervousness burning off, replaced by the steadiness of a man who had just been given permission to want something. "I'll pay the stipend. And I'll follow your plan. But Ellen " his voice dropped, intense, "when I take Rose... when it actually happens... I want you there. You said you'd make sure Jin doesn't beat me. I want to see your face when it works. I want to know the person who pushed me through the door."
...He wants a witness. Of course he does. People who've spent years being invisible want proof that someone saw them.
And conveniently, a witness is exactly what my operation requires. Jin must be made aware at the right moment. Everything aligns.*
"Agreed," I said. "When the moment comes, I'll be there.
I extended my hand across the table. "Then let's formalize it. We'll sign a Mana Contract tonight conditions, discretion clause, stipend schedule. Standard stuff."
Cassius took my hand. His grip was warm, strong, and held about two seconds longer than strictly necessary.
Noted, I thought dryly, extracting my fingers. Down, boy. The merchandise is display only.
"Tonight, then," he said.
"Tonight," I confirmed, already standing. "Text me the time and place. And Cassius?"
He looked up.
"Stop staring at my chest when I stand. It's rude, and it makes you predictable."
His face went scarlet.
Predictable men are useful men, I thought, walking out with my hips swaying just slightly more than necessary. And useful men, eventually, pay very well.
***
We stood face to face in the moonlit courtyard of the Academy, the only sound being the distant hum of the security barriers. It was an unnecessarily dramatic setting, but I suppose that's what happens when you start playing at being a mastermind.
I pulled up the interface, the glowing blue text of the [ MANA CONTRACT ] hovering between us like a guillotine.
I moved with practiced precision, typing in our names and laying out the terms. I recited them with the dry, flat cadence of an insurance agent explaining a liability waiver.
"The conditions are that I, Ellen Frost, help you, Cassius Desde, take Rose from Jin in any way I see fit. I will also protect you from Jin or his anger. In exchange, you keep my involvement in this matter completely silent. You are not allowed to speak to anyone about it. And when I tell you to act, you act. And monthly payments. If none of those conditions are fulfilled by one of us, that person dies. Agreed?"
Cassius didn't hesitate. "Agreed."
Now came the part that made my stomach do something complicated. The Garantie. In the original game, this was where the real exploitation happened. The heroines would offer something precious a kiss, a touch, a night of vulnerability as proof that they weren't lying about their pleas for help. It was the engine of the game's humiliation.
I had planned ahead, though. Unlike the heroines, I wasn't the one pleading. I was the one setting the terms. I was the one holding the leash. So I decided to propose something that sounded almost... noble.
"For the Garantie," I said, my voice remaining glacial despite the fact that my lower abdomen was already doing that annoying, anticipatory flutter. "I propose that you get a kiss from Rose and that she actually responds to it. That way, you have tangible proof that my advice isn't just empty encouragement. You have proof that the path I'm laying out is real. Did you have something else in mind?"
I braced myself. I expected him to be relieved, to accept this 'safe' guarantee and move on. I was prepared to call this a professional transaction.
But Cassius didn't accept. Instead, his gaze darkened. The nervous boy from the café was gone, replaced by something sharper, something more dangerous. He stepped closer, invading my personal space until I could smell the mint on his breath and feel the heat radiating from his body.
"A kiss from Rose is a good proof, Ellen," he said, his voice dropping to a husky register that made my nipples harden instantly beneath my uniform. "But that's a proof of her feelings. I want a guarantee of yours."