Im'the son of the Villainess's at the Academy

Rena moved through the dim corridors of Rotschy Manor with steely calm. Each step echoed softly until she reached the grand archway where Jin's teleportation crystal hovered. With silent grace, she activated it.

Within a heartbeat, the obsidian portal swelled with violet light. Rena inhaled deeply, then stepped through—leaving the palace behind and reappearing within the academy's sacred halls.

The same spot where she had stood yesterday. The corridor was alive with shimmering mana lines etched into black stone. She drew a slow breath, unclenched her fists—and began to walk.

The air tingled with magical energy pulled tighter now, as if the manor itself had unlatched a lock inside her.

She reached the classroom door. No announcements. No pretense.

She pushed it open quietly and slid into her seat behind her friends. There, she placed her mana-boosting bracelet on the desk. It gleamed faintly, still linked to Jin's power even while she focused.

Before she could close the classroom door, leona, Lilia, Ethan, and Nox filed in behind her. Each offered her a curious look.

Leona whispered, "Rena?"

Rena held up a small parchment.

and Rena took it. On it, in black ink:

**"I am training today. Silence is essential."**

Lilia and Leona nodded at once. .

Each of her friends nodded back understandingly, their concern unspoken but warm. They took their places as Rena sat straight, chest lifted, eyes forward—emotion locked behind focused discipline.

A hush fell. The door clicked shut, and the entire room seemed to lean forward.

Suddenly, the door cracked open again. Jin entered.

Black leather, crimson eyes, lethal calm—but unlike yesterday, he said nothing. The girls noticed his presence immediately; the air practically quivered with whispered gasps and racing hearts.

He turned and, without hesitation, slipped into the seat behind Rena. No glance. No acknowledgment. His silence felt purposeful—guarded.

Rena's chest tightened. The faint thorn of hurt hovered—*why won't he even look at me?* But she swallowed it. Slowly, she refocused on the mana lines inscribed on her desk—her core.

That was the point. Discipline. Power. Focus.

Before emotion triumphed, she exhaled and pressed her lips shut.

Minutes later, the door opened again and **Ms. Eanor** stepped in. Her heels tapped once, twice.

"Good morning," she said crisply, leafing through her tablet. "Let us begin."

It wasn't until halfway through the class—*Advanced Mana Theory II*—that Ms. Eanor paused mid-sentence and glanced at Rina.

But she didn't ask her to answer. She didn't highlight or single her out. Instead, she went on.

It struck Rena like a gale: *She noticed.*

*She respected it.*

That voice in Rina's head whispered: *You made her respect you.*

**Rena 's Internal Point of View**

* *Focus.* She realized her heart had begun racing again, but she'd caught herself. Mana coursed tightly through her veins, hands still.

* She felt Jin's presence behind her—quiet, watching—like a blade resting gently against her shoulder. The heat of it reminded her of the promise they'd made: to stand as rivals, even while bound as husband and wife.

* *Do not falter.*

* *This is what Naoko wanted.*

* *And it is what I must become.*

---

### Classroom Whispers

While Ms. Eanor spoke of advanced mana matrices, the air between desks shimmered with mana pulses. Jin sat, arms folded, steady and silent. Occasionally, his raven-black fringe brushed against the nape of her neck—an almost imperceptible touch.

Rena dared not look back. But the energy… she could feel his aura radiating through the thin space between them. Cold. Controlled. Unyielding.

*Not yet,* she reminded herself, *I will earn it.*

Around them, Lianna scribbled notes while glancing over her shoulder; Ethan's blue eyes stayed fixed on Ms. Eanor but betrayed curiosity; Nox smirked at Lileah, who whispered her own observations.

---

### Ms. Eanor's Lesson

Her tablet glowed.

Ms. Eanor continued, "These are the energy layers necessary in close-quarters spellcraft. For anyone engaged in battle—warrior or mage—this fusion is vital."

All the while, Rena absorbed every word—but what she felt most acutely was Jin's proximity behind her, an invisible anchor against which she must not stumble.

---

### Final Bell & Quiet Resolve

When the bell rang, Ms. Eanor dismissed them with practiced authority. Rena rose, steady, and stepped out first. Her friends followed.

Ethan offered a quiet nod: "You were… controlled today, Rena. Proud of you."

She gave him a small, genuine smile—still calm, still focused.

Next to her, Lilia patted her shoulder. Nox grinned. Leona nudged her, "We should train later."

Rena closed her eyes slightly and breathed in. *Maintain this calm. Control.*

*This silent strength… it steels me.*

Behind her, she heard a familiar soft breath—the hinge of Jin's presence.

Their steps echoed in parallel. She kept hers even, measured; he kept his silent, purposeful.

They passed the training courtyard—where echoes of swords and sparks of mana greeted them.

Rena's fists clenched. *Another day. Another test.*

Jin matched her stride seamlessly.

She didn't speak—just walked forward, eyes ahead.

......... 

Heat: Jin doesn't talk to Rena because he knows she's training, so he doesn't want to distract her. 

But don't worry Jin is the hero. During Rena's training, I will think about keeping him busy with someone.