"Tch... sure enough, he stole the spotlight again."
On the other side of the audience seating, Victoria watched Greg onstage without blinking.
Her gray eyes reflected his figure as he spoke with easy confidence under the lights.
Adele, who sat beside her, leaned over and lowered her voice:
"Victoria, your Greg is seriously amazing... you two are practically made for each other!"
Kaira chimed in from beside them:
"Exactly! First place in the Preliminary Debate, and now he's doing this well in the Second Defense. Where else would you find a man this outstanding?"
Victoria opened her mouth, intending to argue as she always did, but the words caught in her throat.
Watching that confident, composed figure onstage, she protested more weakly than ever before: "...H-he's not mine..."
Adele and Kaira exchanged a glance, both wearing knowing smiles.
"..."
In another corner, Vivian sat upright in her seat, her long aqua-blue hair gleaming softly under the lights.
Her expression remained aloof, but deep within her ice-blue eyes surged an emotion she could barely contain.
He put in so much effort behind the scenes, all for me.
Vivian knew Greg had never been someone who loved studying. Or rather, he had never cared much about theoretical knowledge.
Yet now, he could stand on a stage that brought together the finest students from over a hundred magic academies and speak with effortless composure.
He had done all of this to bridge the gulf between their social standings, so he could stand by her side again.
Warmth welled up in her heart, and she was so moved that tears nearly spilled from her eyes. Still, she held them back, hiding that tenderness beneath her icy exterior.
Not far from Vivian, Lilith gazed at Greg onstage with a look of infatuation she herself had