Lynn hadn’t slept well all night.
Three invitations lay on the table like three death warrants.
He had spent the entire night thinking and finally came up with a clumsy solution — faking an illness.
It had to be the kind of illness where he could still get out of bed, but absolutely could not engage in any strenuous exercise.
For example, Acute Lumbar Muscle Strain.
That way, he could legitimately reject everyone with a solid reason. It was an indiscriminate excuse that gave everyone face while simultaneously giving it to no one.
‘Plan successful.’
With dark circles under his eyes, Lynn supported his waist and limped his way out of the dormitory door.
Then, he slammed into a human wall.
In the hallway, two distinct groups of people stood in a clear divide.
On the left, everyone had white ribbons tied around their arms, embroidered with lilies in gold thread.
They wore warm, gentle smiles, and the male student leading them held an exquisite gift box.
On the right, every person looked solemn. They wore black armbands printed with crossed swords.
They stood as straight as spears, and the burly man leading them held a long, narrow sword case.
Lynn’s foot froze in mid-air.
His hand, which was supporting his waist, even forgot to continue acting.
“Good morning, Classmate Lynn.”
On the left, the boy holding the gift box took a step forward, his smile radiant.
“I am the president of the ‘Saintess Highness Fan Club.’ This is a gift specially prepared for you by the Saintess herself — a pair of dancing shoes blessed by the priests of the Shrine. We hope they will make your steps lighter at the ball.”
The boy opened the gift box to reveal a pair of magnificent white dancing shoes.
Lynn’s gaze fell on the tips of the shoes. What was embedded there wasn’t a gemstone, but a small, shimmering Holy Seal.
He had no doubt that if he put these things on, Alicia would know exactly where he was at all times.
‘Is this a pair of dancing shoes? No, it’s a GPS tracker!’
Before Lynn could figure out how to refuse, the nearly 2-meter-tall burly man on the right also took a step forward, his voice booming like a bell.
“Lynn! I am the Captain of the Knight Captain’s Personal Guard! Lady Vivian was worried that you might encounter harassment from petty thieves at the ball, so she ordered us to come and protect you!”
The giant man opened the sword case. Inside was not a sword, but a piece of black metal vest covered in fine runes.
“This is the Knight Corps’ Standard-issue Soft Armor. It can deflect blades! Once you put it on, no one will be able to hurt you!”
Lynn looked at the vest.
‘I’m supposed to wear this under a formal suit? I’ll look like a tin can.’
Moreover, this wasn’t about preventing harassment; it was clearly telling everyone that Lynn was a person under Vivian’s protection, and anyone who dared to approach him would be cut down.
Lynn’s head began to buzz.
‘I’m just an ordinary student who wants to stay alive. How did I become the mascot for two factions?’
“Classmate Lynn, you must not disappoint the Saintess’s kind intentions.”
The Fan Club president pushed the gift box forward again. His tone was gentle, but his eyes brooked no refusal.
“Lynn! A man’s honor is to accept the protection of a knight!”
The guard captain slapped the armor with a loud *thud*, making Lynn’s ears ring.
The gazes of both groups hit him like searchlights.
He felt like he wasn’t in a dormitory hallway, but on an execution ground.
“Um…”
Lynn spoke with difficulty.
“I don’t feel very well today, maybe… I can’t go to the ball.”
As he spoke, he supported his waist again, a pained expression squeezed onto his face.
“Not feeling well?”
The Fan Club president immediately showed concern.
“That is no problem. The Saintess already anticipated this. She said that if you are unwell, she is willing to come and take care of you personally until you recover.”
A cold sweat instantly broke out across Lynn’s body.
‘Let Alicia take care of me? Then I’ll never be able to get out of bed in this life.’
“Hmph, weak!” the guard captain snorted with contempt.
“What does a little ailment matter! Lady Vivian said that a true warrior will crawl to complete a mission even if their legs are broken! The ball is your mission! We will carry you there!”
Lynn’s legs went weak.
‘Damn it, are these people crazy?’
He wanted to retreat, but his dormitory door was already blocked.
He wanted to rush forward, but there were two walls of people in front of him.
“Please accept the Saintess’s blessing.”
“Put on this armor!”
Both groups closed in simultaneously.
Lynn’s scalp tingled. Looking at the Holy Seal on the left and the iron armor on the right, his brain worked at high speeds.
“Wait!” he shouted.
“I just remembered! I have a very important paper that I haven’t finished yet! My Mentor is rushing me! I have to go to the library to look up references!”
It was the worst excuse he could think of on such short notice.
“A paper?”
The Fan Club president laughed.
“Classmate Lynn really is studious. It doesn’t matter. Our Fan Club is full of talented people. Just tell us what materials you need, and we will find them and deliver them to your room.”
“Research?”
The guard captain beat his chest until it sounded like a drum.
“The library is full of people and eyes; it’s too dangerous! We will clear out the entire library to ensure you are alone and absolutely safe!”
Lynn fell into despair.
He realized that no matter what he said, these people would twist it into another extreme.
He was caught in the middle, trapped between a rock and a hard place.
Other students were already peeking around the corners, pointing at him.
“Look, that’s the Lynn guy.”
“I heard the Saintess and the Knight Commander both invited him to be their partner.”
“I wonder who he’ll choose? I’m so curious.”
The whispers stung his ears like needles.
‘Choose who? I don’t want to choose anyone! I just want to live!’
In this tense, explosive moment, a timid voice came from outside the crowd.
“Senior Lynn…?”
Everyone turned around.
Su Xiaoxiao stood at the end of the hallway holding several books, looking over with an innocent face.
Seeing the scene, she seemed frightened. Her small face turned pale, and her fingers gripped the books tightly.
When Lynn saw her, alarm bells rang in his head.
‘How did this little ancestor get here too!’
“Senior, are you… are you okay?”
Su Xiaoxiao asked softly, her large eyes filled with concern.
This single question completely ignited the powder keg.
The expressions of the Fan Club president and the guard captain changed at the same time.
They sized Su Xiaoxiao up from head to toe, their eyes filled with scrutiny and hostility.
“Who are you?” the guard captain asked with an unfriendly tone.
“Student, this has nothing to do with you. Please leave.”
Although the Fan Club president still had a smile, it no longer held any warmth.
“I… I just came to ask Senior Lynn a question…”
Su Xiaoxiao took a step back in fear, her eyes turning red.
Her fragile and pitiful appearance instantly made Lynn the target of everyone’s ire.
“Lynn, you know other women?”
“Classmate Lynn, the Saintess will not be happy about this.”
The pressure from both groups doubled in an instant.
Lynn felt his head might explode.
“He had to run! Right now! Immediately!”
“My stomach hurts! I have to go to the bathroom!”
Lynn let out a loud roar, completely ignoring his supposed muscle strain.
He suddenly squeezed through a gap between the two groups and bolted toward the public restroom at the end of the hallway like an antelope running for its life.
His sudden move caught everyone off guard.
By the time the two groups reacted, Lynn had already rushed through the door.
He dove into the innermost stall, slammed the door with a *bang*, and slid the bolt home.
He collapsed onto the toilet seat, gasping for breath in huge gulps.
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