Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

The classroom was alive with chatter the next morning, the air thick with the smell of old books and a faint, sharp zap of mana from some kids practicing nearby.

The stone walls felt cold and heavy, soaking up the noise as students whispered and laughed before class.

Jae slouched at his desk, his pencil scratching random lines on a piece of paper, his mind stuck on his rank, 200 out of 300.

It hit him like a brick, a constant reminder he was still near the bottom in this academy full of rich nobles who treated him like dirt.

His body was sore from yesterday's capture-the-flag fight, his muscles tight and achy, and the sting of being a nobody in a sea of elites burned deep.

The teacher was going on about mana control, her voice a steady drone, but Jae couldn't focus, his thoughts tangled in frustration and the need to prove himself.

Byun slid into the seat next to him, his blond hair a mess, his grin wide and full of trouble. "Hey, Jae," he said under his breath, leaning in so the teacher wouldn't hear. "Elise keeps looking over here. She's totally into you after that flag thing. You should go talk to her, man."

His eyes sparkled, like he was setting Jae up for a prank but also rooting for him.

Jae's heart skipped, and he glanced across the room. Elise was at her desk, her dark hair tucked behind her ear, pretending to read but stealing quick looks his way. Her shy smile from last night, that quick peck on his cheek, flashed in his mind, sending a warm jolt through him.

But the idea of walking over with the whole class watching? No way. "Nah, dude," Jae whispered, sinking lower in his chair, his voice tight. "I don't even know what I'd say. And everyone would stare. I'm good."

The thought of all those noble eyes on him, judging the commoner hitting on a girl, made his stomach twist.

Byun rolled his eyes, not buying it, and threw a big, cheesy wave at Elise. She hesitated, then waved back at both of them, her cheeks turning pink as she ducked her head.

Jae groaned, nudging Byun's arm. "Come on, man," he hissed, but Byun just grinned wider, clearly enjoying himself.

Later that day, Jae was walking through the academy's crowded halls, the air heavy with the smell of wax and faint traces of magic.

He was still replaying Elise's wave when Teacher Han, the bearded mana instructor, flagged him down. "Jae, I need a favor," Han said, adjusting his glasses. "Can you grab a book for me from the library? It's Advanced Mana Techniques, third shelf, red cover. Quick as you can."

"Sure thing," Jae said, nodding, and headed off. The library was quieter, the air cooler and smelling of dusty pages and leather bindings. He found the book easily, its red cover standing out, but as he flipped through it, distracted by a diagram of mana flows, he didn't see the blonde girl until it was too late.

They collided, and she stumbled, landing on the floor with a soft thud, her books scattering. "Oh, I'm sorry," Jae said, rushing to help her up, his face heating up.

She stood, brushing off her skirt, and fixed him with a teasing look. "What, you always walk with your eyes on the floor?" she asked, her voice light but playful. Her blonde hair fell in waves, and her blue eyes sparkled with amusement.

Jae chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "No, I swear, just got distracted," he said, apologizing again, his cheeks still warm. "My bad."

She tilted her head, studying him like she was sizing up a puzzle. "Wait, I know you," she said, her smile growing. "You're that new kid everyone's talking about, right? The commoner?"

Jae's stomach dropped. Word about him had spread beyond his class? That wasn't good. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's me."

She crossed her arms, her lips quirking. "Huh. You don't look like much," she said, her tone blunt but not mean.

Jae raised an eyebrow, a spark of defiance flaring. "Well, you don't either," he shot back, keeping it light but pointed.

Her eyes widened, then she laughed, gesturing to her chest, which was, uh, hard to miss. "You sure about that?" she teased, her voice full of mock offense.

Jae's face went red, his brain short-circuiting as he scrambled for a response.

Before he could, she waved it off, still laughing. "Relax, I'm messing with you. If anything, you look pretty remarkable for a guy causing all this noise." She gave him a quick wink, then sauntered off, leaving Jae standing there, flustered and confused.

He shook it off and hurried back to Han, the book tucked under his arm. The teacher was waiting in the hallway, tapping his foot. "What took you so long?" Han asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jae shrugged, still rattled. "I ran into a girl on the way here, she held me up a bit," he explained. Han frowned, curious. "Describe her."

"She was blonde, she green eyes, she was kinda… confident, maybe too confident," Jae said, trying not to sound like an idiot. Han's jaw dropped, his glasses slipping slightly.

"That's the princess," he said, his voice stunned. "You just met Princess Lila."

Jae's heart stopped. The princess? He'd just called the kingdom's princess unremarkable, and she'd flirted with him?

His mind flashed to Byun's warning: Steer clear of the princess, it's a messy ordeal. "Oh, crap," Jae muttered, his stomach sinking as he realized he'd just stepped into something way bigger than he was ready for.