After saying that, the white-haired young man tilted his head slightly. What had originally sounded deep and all-knowing, as though he had seen through everything, a statement that almost felt like a threat, transformed in an instant into an innocent, well-intentioned reminder.
But as someone highly sensitive to such things, Wuli remained anxious from the beginning of class until it ended, and from the end of class all the way through dinner that evening.
Even after finishing dinner, she was still distracted. She had originally intended to head upstairs and return to her room, but her mind was muddled, weighed down by countless unresolved questions.
How had she ended up here?
How could she get back?
What had Shuen discovered?
There were too many questions, and none of them were small matters. They left her mind in a daze. By the time she snapped back to her senses, she was already standing outside Shuen’s bedroom.
Wuli: “…”
How had she ended up here?
She had truly gone mad.
Wuli quickly turned around, intending to leave.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps sounded behind her.
Wuli: “…”
She was done for.
There was no getting away now.
“Wuli?”
Wuli’s heart skipped a beat. She stiffly turned around.
“Did you need something from me?”
Under the glow of the lights, the white-haired young man’s hair seemed almost dazzling. The moment he saw Wuli, his tone carried a lazy drawl, sounding somewhat like playful teasing gone off-key.
The white-haired girl shivered at those words.
Unbidden, her thoughts drifted back to that day when the white-haired young man had sat beside her. He had looked relaxed and carefree, as though he knew nothing of the world, yet every word he spoke had been startling.
“Even if you can’t get first place in your major, you should at least rank near the top, understand?”
“Otherwise, the Duke and Madam will notice.”
No matter how she thought about it, there was definitely something wrong with that statement, wasn’t there??!!
And now she was standing here.
That looked even more suspicious, didn’t it?!?!?!
The white-haired young man watched as the girl before him practically transformed into a puffed-up, startled cat.
Fortunately, he was in a rather relaxed mood at the moment, so he patiently remained where he was and waited.
After what felt like an eternity, the white-haired girl forced out a stiff expression.
“Brother.”
One of Shuen’s brows lifted.
“I just feel like ever since I fell into the water, my head’s been kind of foggy. I’m not very confident about my grades.”
After saying that, Wuli didn’t dare look at his expression.
The air fell silent for a long time.
The pressure on Wuli’s heart grew heavier and heavier.
Awkwardly, she added another sentence in an attempt to salvage the situation.
“Actually, it’s not a big deal. Sorry for bothering you. I’ll be going now.”
Just as she lifted her foot to leave, Shuen stepped forward and leaned closer.
Those deep blue eyes studied Wuli from only a few inches away.
“I thought you were here to confess.”
‘Confess?!’
Wuli nearly jumped out of her skin and immediately started talking nonsense.
“Ah, so you already know, Brother.”
The next second, Shuen’s smile froze on his face.
“Well, it’s just… you suddenly came to my class today and stayed there watching me, so I’m not really used to it… I mean, Brother, could you maybe not come check on me so often…? I know that, um, you’re only doing it because you’re worried about me. I’ll protect myself and won’t get hurt again… It feels really embarrassing to keep taking up your time…”
After rambling incoherently through a pile of nonsense, Wuli cautiously glanced at Shuen’s expression.
It was awful.
Wuli sucked in a sharp breath.
The instant she realized her own expression had given her away, she shot both arms forward and hooked them around Shuen’s neck.
“Brother,” Wuli said, forcing herself through it while trying not to sound like she was forcing herself at all, “the best, best, best brother in the whole world.”
“Thank you for worrying about me.”
The white-haired girl’s voice was exceptionally sweet, carrying a softness that seemed to scratch at the heart.
Within the embrace, Shuen caught the faint fragrance lingering in Wuli’s hair. A few strands brushed against his neck, leaving behind an irritating tickle.
Tch.
The white-haired girl released him.
“Brother, get some proper rest. I won’t bother you any longer.”
Wuli forced herself to walk away calmly, leaving Shuen with nothing but her retreating figure.
Fortunately, the white-haired young man showed no intention of stopping her.
Just like that, he let her go.
Shuen’s lips flattened into a straight line.
Once she reached a blind spot where he could no longer see her, Wuli leaned against the wall and pressed a hand to her chest.
That had been terrifying.
He had told her to confess???
He had definitely discovered something!!!
As her heartbeat gradually settled and her mind slowly cooled, the look in her eyes grew calmer as well.
Wasn’t the reason Shuen kept testing her so openly because he had no proof that his sister had been replaced?
Without evidence, what could he possibly do to her?
*
The second day came.
Then the third.
Shuen still showed up.
Wuli immediately shrank into a quail, not daring to make a single unnecessary move.
Compared to how familiar they had been before, the two of them now looked more like strangers during class.
Wuli guessed that Shuen was most likely there to keep an eye on her.
Personally.
To secure a good score on the final exams, Wuli didn’t dare relax in the slightest. Every night she stayed up late reviewing her coursework. The dark circles under her eyes became so obvious that they startled Diane.
“Wuli… have you not been sleeping well lately?”
Wuli answered calmly, “It’s been alright.”
She could feel someone’s intense gaze fixed on her from behind, making it impossible to ignore. Slapping a hand against her forehead, she hurriedly added, “I’ve been having some insomnia lately. Whenever I can’t sleep, I feel like solving practice questions. Then the more questions I do, the more excited I get, and then I can’t sleep at all.”
‘That’s how top students are, right?’
Diane: “…”
Diane: “Huh? Is that really how it works?”
After more than ten days of relentless effort, Wuli had successfully exhausted herself.
She stared at the blackboard through blurry eyes. Her head gradually drooped lower and lower until her forehead bumped against her book.
Then she fell completely asleep.
Diane: “!!!”
Wuli never slept during class.
This… this was…
Seeing the dark shadows beneath the white-haired girl’s eyes, Diane sighed.
Forget it. Better not disturb her for now.
Once Wuli fell asleep, she remained unconscious all the way until classes ended.
Diane had just reached out, intending to wake her up, when she looked up and saw Shuen.
The white-haired young man’s expression was calm and indifferent. He merely glanced at Diane, and she immediately withdrew the hand she had been about to use to shake Wuli awake.
“Leave this to me,” Shuen said with a smile.
Shuen didn’t seem like the type who would ever harm Wuli. Besides, he was Wuli’s biological brother.
Diane quickly relaxed.
After exchanging a brief farewell, she left.
The evening sun gradually sank toward the horizon.
By the time everyone else had gone, only Wuli and Shuen remained inside the academy building.
Shuen sat quietly, watching the side of Wuli’s face, seemingly lost in thought.
Wuli’s brows were knitted together.
It looked as though she was having a dream that offered her little peace.
Wuli dreamed that someone had kissed her cheek.
She couldn’t see the person’s face. The kiss left behind a faint ticklish sensation, making her instinctively reach up to scratch the spot that felt slightly itchy.
The moment she opened her eyes again, she found herself staring directly into Shuen’s.
Wuli: “???”
‘I’ve been asleep that long???’
‘What day is it? What year is it? Where even am I?’
The empty classroom contained only the two siblings.
Everything about the situation felt wrong.
Utterly wrong.
“Brother, you didn’t wake me up?”
The words came out so hastily that Wuli nearly bit her tongue.
Shuen looked perfectly composed.
“I saw you were sleeping soundly, so I didn’t have the heart to disturb you.”
Wuli: “…”
She couldn’t refute that.
Nor could she think of a response.
The two of them packed up their things and headed back to the Residence. One glance at the time told Wuli that they were a full half hour later than usual.
As a result, she didn’t dare say a single unnecessary word for the entire journey.
*
Wuli’s dark circles had not been earned in vain.
Relying on sheer determination, she still secured first place in the final examinations.
Looking at the grade report, Wuli thought: ‘That felt amazing.’
And then, as one of the academy’s top students, she was summoned to the office.
“Oh? Wuli’s here.”
One of her instructors spotted her first.
Wuli offered everyone a gentle smile, her pale blue eyes sweeping across the room.
Then the smile froze on her face.
The blond young man wore a faint smile. His mismatched gold-and-black eyes rested on Wuli.
“Here’s the situation.” The instructor beckoned for Wuli to come inside. “His Holiness the Saint believes you possess exceptional talent in theology and would like to invite you to the Church for a month of advanced study during this holiday. What do you think?”
The instructor winked at her.
Countless people dreamed of studying at the Saint’s Church and never received the opportunity. This was a rare chance. Who knew? Perhaps Wuli might even work under the Saint in the future.
He strongly encouraged her to give it a try.
The white-haired girl did not answer immediately.
“Miss Wuli.”
Seeing her hesitate, Fion spoke up. His voice was as gentle as ever.
“Studying at the Church would be an excellent opportunity for growth. Moreover, there is only one available place this semester. If possible, I would highly recommend that you give it a try.”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Just after Fion finished speaking, someone knocked on the door behind them.
“My apologies. I happened to overhear your conversation.”
The newcomer’s tone carried a trace of amusement.
Wuli’s heart lurched.
She turned around.
A smile hung on the black-haired young man’s face. His cold dark-red eyes swept over her before shifting past her and settling on Fion.
“Your Highness Glenn.” The instructor greeted him. “Is there something you need?”
Still smiling, the black-haired young man took slow steps forward.
He stopped beside Wuli.
Then he placed a hand on the white-haired girl’s shoulder.
The gesture allowed no room for negotiation.
“She can’t go to the Church. Her holiday will be spent at the Imperial Palace. That was the Emperor’s decision.”
The white-haired girl’s gaze shifted to the instructor, then from the instructor to Fion.
Wuli remembered.
In the game’s story, this was another branching point.
The choice between the Prince Route and the Saint Route.
Prince Route: The prince invited you to the Imperial Palace.
Saint Route: The Saint invited you to the Church.
Each route was different, but Wuli knew one thing very clearly.
It was best not to choose the Saint Route.
Because the Saint was wholeheartedly intent on offering her as a sacrifice to the gods.
That said, the Prince Route wasn’t much better.
If she provoked Glenn, she could just as easily die and trigger a game over.
The Brother Route wasn’t involved in either of these storylines. Shuen already had plenty of screen time simply by virtue of being her brother. If the upcoming plot continued revolving around him, the game would have been criticized to oblivion.
“Your Highness,” the Saint spoke up, “countless people wish to study at the Church and never receive the chance. You cannot deprive Wuli of this opportunity.”
“This was the Emperor’s decision. You’re welcome to take it up with him,” Glenn shot back. “Of course, if Wuli’s invitation to the Church comes directly from the Pope, then there would be nothing I could do about it.”
The smell of gunpowder seemed to spread between them once more.
Wuli: “…”
Both pairs of eyes landed on her.
“I’ll think about it a little longer.”
Wuli chose the middle path.
Delay.
Buy herself some time.