Chapter 1 Transmigrated as the Vicious Villainess

"Why tear apart the female lead and the second male lead? Because the Fabled Four killed Riley Donovan. The female lead would never be happy again. Is that what you wanted to see? You never truly loved the female lead in your own story."

[Report successful. The author invites you into the game. Your role: Rowena Blair, the villainess in The Elite Academy's Fabled Four Forces Their Love on Me.]

[Complete the Side Mission: Survive to unlock the main mission.]

"Huh? What's all this talk about side missions and main missions?"

Everything around her plunged into darkness as soon as she finished asking.

Aether Blair thought she was dreaming. She rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself up. But when she opened them again, she found herself in what looked like an abandoned factory.

Standing before her was a defiant yet beautiful young woman, though she didn't look in good shape. Glancing down, Aether finally noticed the dagger in her own hand. Its blade buried deep in the young woman's abdomen, blood gushing nonstop.

Horrified, Aether let go. The young woman collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale. She looked pitiful, to say the least.

Aether panicked, her mind in a mess. She crouched in front of Gloria Anderson and stammered nervously, "I-I don't even know why I stabbed you, b-but don't be scared! I'll call for an ambulance right now. Just h-hold on a little longer. Please don't scare me like this."

Aether rummaged through a designer bag on the table, searching for a phone. Once she found it, she turned to Gloria. "What's your passcode?"

Before Gloria could answer, Aether glanced at the phone again, only to see that it had already unlocked automatically through facial recognition.

"Huh? That actually worked?" Aether thought to herself. Confused but with no time to question it, she hurriedly called for an ambulance.

But before she could make the call, a gunshot rang out with a bang, and a bullet struck her temple. She immediately lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.

Aether was dead.

[Killed by the male lead, Neil Hubbard. The survival mission failed. Time rewinds 30 minutes. Reloading save.]

When Aether opened her eyes again, she was back in the same place. The dagger was still in her hand, but this time, it hadn't yet been plunged into Gloria's abdomen.

She immediately threw the dagger aside and grabbed Gloria's hand. "It's too dangerous here. I'm getting you out of here."

She tried to pull Gloria away, but the latter yanked her hand back. "Rowena, where are you taking me? Just what the heck are you trying to do this time?"

Aether froze on the spot, thinking she must have misheard. "W-What did you just call me?"

Gloria stared at her like she was a stranger and repeated, "Rowena."

"But isn't Rowena the villainess in that novel?" Aether was utterly dumbfounded. "You must have the wrong person. My name is Aether."

Gloria frowned in confusion. "What are you trying to pull this time? You're the one who abducted me and brought me here, yet you're telling me that I've got the wrong person?"

"Abduct?"

Then it hit Aether. The mechanical voice's words echoed in her mind. "Your role: Rowena Blair, the villainess in The Elite Academy's Fabled Four Forces Their Love on Me."

But before she could piece together everything that had just happened, an unfamiliar man's voice suddenly rang out from not far away.

Wesley Grant had already raised his gun, aiming it directly at her. "Rowena Blair, how dare you kidnap Gloria and bring her here! Do you want a death wish or something?"

Aether turned to look at the newcomer.

A gunshot echoed, and the bullet struck her forehead. She collapsed once again, dead.

[Killed by the male lead, Wesley Grant. The survival mission failed. Time rewinds 30 minutes. Reloading save.]

Everything finally clicked into place the third time Aether opened her eyes.

The first two men who had killed her were members of the Fabled Four. She had transmigrated into the novel titled "The Elite Academy's Fabled Four Forces Their Love on Me" as none other than the villainess, Rowena Blair. And the young woman she'd abducted was the female lead, Gloria Anderson.

Judging by the timeline, this was near the end of the story.

Before the finale, Rowena—driven by love turned to hate—had planned to kill Gloria. Her goal was to sever the Fabled Four's obsession with Gloria with the hope of taking her place.

But her plan was ultimately exposed. Once the Fabled Four found her, they shot her on the spot until she was riddled with bullets. Then, they locked Gloria away and subjected her to their twisted affections. That was the novel's ending.

The good news was that Rowena was the daughter of the wealthiest family in the country. The bad news was that the story was almost over. She was now a disgraced socialite with the Fabled Four's hatred for her maxed out. In other words, she was doomed to die.

However, Aether didn't have time to panic. She recalled the system's notifications: "Complete the Side Mission: Survive to unlock the main mission."

So first, she had to survive, then figure out how to talk to that mysterious voice.

She grabbed her bag and prepared to make a run for it. But just before leaving, she said to Gloria, "Gloria, don't be afraid, and don't wander off. The Fabled Four will definitely come to save you. I'm really sorry for abducting you, but it isn't safe for me to be here anymore. So I'll be taking my leave now."

Gripping her bag, Aether thought only of escape. But the area outside the abandoned factory seemed to be completely surrounded by the Fabled Four. As she tried to escape, she ran straight into yet another member of the Fabled Four.

The third gunshot pierced her heart. As she collapsed, she faintly heard the man say, "I didn't want to kill you, but you just had to lay a hand on my precious Gloria, didn't you?"

Aether was dead for the third time.

[Killed by the male lead, Zachary Conner. The survival mission failed. Time rewinds 30 minutes. Reloading save.]

When Aether opened her eyes again, she was still in that same abandoned factory. She was on the verge of breaking down.

Running wasn't an option, but neither was staying put. The moment the Fabled Four saw her, they'd kill her on sight. At this rate, whether she tried to escape or not, it was only a matter of time before they found her and finished her off.

Aether shifted her gaze to Gloria, who was sweating nervously.

Noticing this, Aether moved closer. "Don't be scared. I won't hurt you."

Then, she untied Gloria. "There. You're free. Go find them."

Gloria immediately sprinted away.

Aether watched her leave, thinking that maybe once the Fabled Four found Gloria, they would forget about her.

But she was way too naive.

The Fabled Four had split up. Even if one of them found Gloria, the other three would keep searching. And if they saw Aether, they would shoot on sight.

Just like now.

Aether heard heavy footsteps approaching. They were the exact same footsteps she had heard right before being shot last time. They belonged to a man.

Terrified of dying, Aether grabbed her bag and leaped out the window. Then, she ran for her life.

But she didn't get too far before ducking behind a tree. As she dug into her bag for her phone to call the police, she saw a pair of scissors inside.

An idea struck her instantly. If she changed her appearance, would the Fabled Four still recognize her? And if they didn't, would they still want her dead?

A new identity meant survival. After all, calling the police was risky. The Fabled Four had enough power to have her killed in prison. She couldn't afford to act so recklessly.

So she made up her mind to disguise herself as a man. She would hide her identity as the villainess and do whatever it took to stay alive!

Chapter 2 Disguised as a Male

Without hesitation, Aether grabbed the scissors and hacked off her waist-length hair, cutting it short above her ears. Still unsatisfied, she chopped it even shorter.

Time was tight, and the Fabled Four were closing in, so she didn't bother styling it. The result was a jagged, uneven mess. Then, she buried all the discarded hair.

Fortunately, Aether had worn unisex casual clothes for the abduction. It was neutral enough to pass as male attire.

She took out her phone and unlocked it with facial recognition. After turning on the camera, she stared at her reflection and saw the heavy, dramatic makeup covering her face.

Without hesitation, she grabbed a bottle of makeup remover and wiped everything off. Only then did she realize that she was looking at her own face. So that was what she looked like with makeup on. She hadn't even recognized herself.

Mostly, it was because she had lipstick smeared beyond her lips and way too much contour. And her eyes—loaded with eyeshadow, eyeliner, and false lashes—had looked unnaturally large and glittery. They were nothing like her real features.

Her natural appearance was now more apparent. She had an oval face, delicate arched eyebrows, cat-like eyes, slightly upturned nose, and thin lips.

Aether got up, ready to leave. She would need to go to a hair salon first to get her hair sorted out.

But before she could get far, someone called out, "Stop right there."

She froze, too nervous to move. Out here in this desolate place, every encounter with the Fabled Four would result in her death.

Now, whether she stayed or ran, she was screwed either way. After all, the man had a gun. One shot, and it'd be over for her.

The footsteps behind her grew closer.

Aether panicked and blurted, "D-Dude, I'm just passing through. I came to visit my family's grave. I don't know anything, I swear."

"Did I say that you did?"

His response stunned her into silence. By then, the man had already stepped in front of her, and their eyes met.

The man before her looked refined and gentlemanly, yet there was a cold, distant air about him. He had an untouchable presence, almost like a deity.

Individually, his features were unremarkable, but together, they formed a strikingly handsome face. His posture was rigid, his expression solemn, radiating melancholy and depth.

For a brief moment, his looks genuinely stunned her—until his glacier-like gaze triggered a ripple of inexplicable fear through her chest.

Since Wesley, Neil, and Zachary had already killed her, the man before her could only be Russell Harper, Rosvenia's next ruler.

He was so tall that he had to bend slightly to meet her gaze. He locked his eyes onto her as if trying to see right through her.

"What are you so nervous about?" he asked.

Aether instinctively took two steps back, guilt gnawing at her. She frantically shook her head and scrambled to explain, "I-I'm not nervous. I-I just thought that you were going to rob me."

"Really?"

"Yes!" She feigned confidence. "You sounded so aggressive just now."

"Your voice sounds familiar."

Just four simple words, yet they sent Aether's heart straight into her throat.

Russell brushed his fingers against her neck. Aether was so nervous that the veins on her neck popped, and she started to tremble.

"Where's your Adam's apple?" Russell asked.

Aether couldn't handle the pressure of his probing gaze. Afraid of slipping up, she abandoned all pretense and immediately ducked past him and power-walked away.

Russell didn't chase after her. He simply observed her skittishness and, for a moment, seemed to take a bit of amusement in it.

After she finally managed to escape safely from Russell, the mechanical voice sounded again.

[Congratulations on completing the side mission. You have successfully escaped danger.]

[Main mission unlocked: Increase the main cast's favorability to the maximum, and you will be able to return to the real world.]

"The main cast? You mean the female lead and the Fabled Four?"

[Yes.]

"The female lead's favor should be easy to raise, but the Fabled Four are so violent and distrustful of everyone. Can I really win them over?"

[That's your challenge to solve. Only by maxing out the main cast's favorability will I be able to send you back.]

"Fine. So what's the main cast's current favorability level?"

[The female lead, Gloria Anderson's favorability: 0. The Fabled Four's favorability: -100.]

"Can there be negative favorability?"

[Yes.]

Aether felt a bit deflated. She aimlessly wandered down the bustling street, speaking to the system in her mind.

"According to the setting here, does that mean that you're the system?"

[You could say that.]

"Since you're the system, can you give me a new identity in this world so I can approach them as a male?"

[You have a student ID in your bag. Tomorrow, just go to the corresponding class and enroll as a transfer student.]

Aether pulled out the student ID to study it.

"Low-tier, Class F, Aether Blair."

At Imperialism Royal Academy, students were divided into different tiers, and the treatment they received varied greatly depending on which classes they were in.

Overall, the classification was based on three factors—family background, social status, and contribution to Rosvenia. The classes ranged from highest to lowest: Top-tier Class S, Super Class A, Advanced Class B, Intermediate Class C, Lower Class D, and Low-tier Class F. There were a total of six classes.

Class S originally had five students, including Aether. However, after she harmed the female lead, the Fabled Four turned against her, leading to her fall from grace. Now, Class S only had four members left—all of whom were the Fabled Four.

Those from Class S could bully anyone below them at will, and all students beneath Class S had to obey them without question.

In Rosvenia, a country where social hierarchy and class distinctions were deeply ingrained, the class system was not only reasonable and legal but also commonplace.

The novel's female lead, Gloria Anderson, came from a poor family, so she was assigned to Class F. However, no one dared to bully her since the Fabled Four protected her.

Naturally, a few couldn't stand Gloria and tried to cause trouble, but most would face collective retaliation from the Fabled Four.

Aether made a trip to the hair salon. After getting her hair fixed, she bought a few loose-fitting male outfits. Finally, she went to a lingerie store. When the staff looked at her oddly, she explained, "They're for my girlfriend."

Once she bought the bandeau, she booked a room at a hotel and prepared to report for school the next day.

…

The next day, Aether arrived at school without any trouble. Standing at the podium in Class F, she began to introduce herself.

"Hello everyone, I'm Aether Blair. The name Aether is inspired by 'ether'. My dad loved playing the Theremin, often called an 'ether instrument', but he passed away before I was born. So, in his memory, my mom named me Aether."

Aether had introduced herself earnestly, using her real backstory despite this being a new identity. She felt that there was nothing she couldn't face anymore. It was all in the past, so she could speak about it openly.

But the class only erupted in jeers.

"Oh, so your dad loved playing the Theremin? Do you know how to play one, too? Why don't you play a song for the girls?"

"You were born right after he died? Damn. Are you some kind of jinx?"

"Wait, if your mom got pregnant after he kicked it, then who's your real dad? I can't believe she named you after him when she's married to a new guy."

Chapter 3 Introduction to the Fabled Four's Background

Aether patiently explained, "I know how to play the Theremin, and I'm not a jinx. My mom was already pregnant with me before my dad died. She loved my dad deeply and would never have cheated on him."

The class erupted in taunts again.

"So you are a jinx!"

"Hey, why don't you play the Theremin for us. Let's see how nimble those fingers of yours are."

"Just because you say your mom didn't cheat on your dad doesn't make it true. No one can be certain whether she was lying or not."

"A jinx who plays the Theremin and a dad who got cucked—what a hilarious family combo. Talk about stacked debuffs."

"And here you are claiming that the Theremin is an instrument. Who's to say that your dad wasn't some gigolo?"

Aether couldn't take it anymore. She stormed off the podium and shoved the offender—desk and all—to the ground. "Why drag my parents into this? Do you not have parents? Were you raised in a barn?"

The offender, red-faced with fury, immediately got up and slapped Aether hard across the face. Others shoved her to the ground and began kicking and beating her.

Aether curled up into a ball, shielding her head.

Gloria stood up and intervened. "Stop, all of you! If you don't stop, I'll report this to the Fabled Four."

At her voice—and especially the mention of the Fabled Four—the attackers finally backed off.

Gloria crouched beside Aether and helped her up. "Are you okay? Let me take you to the nurse's office."

Aether was left covered in dirt, her once delicate face now smeared with dust from the floor. Her eyes were bloodshot—whether from anger or pain, even she couldn't tell.

She hadn't expected the homeroom teacher to just stand by, silently watching as students mocked her family and attacked her. The teacher made no move to stop them at all.

Aether followed Gloria to the nurse's office. The students had long grown accustomed to teachers turning a blind eye to classroom fights.

In Rosvenia, the authorities only intervened when a lower-ranked individual harmed someone of a higher status. The offender would be imprisoned without question. But no one batted an eye when the powerful oppressed the weak or when fights broke out between equals.

Here, such things weren't just tolerated. They were legal, justified, and entirely within the rules. After all, human rights simply didn't exist for those of lower rank.

When they arrived at the nurse's office, the school nurse was nowhere to be found. So, Gloria grabbed a few medical supplies and began tending to Aether's wounds.

"At Imperialism Royal Academy, as a Class F inferior human, you'll have to learn to endure all kinds of abuse thrown your way. Otherwise, you won't survive till graduation."

"Thanks for telling me this."

"You're new, so you might not know yet, but aside from those in our class, there are four people in this school you should never cross." Gloria began explaining the Fabled Four's background to Aether.

"They're known as the Fabled Four, and they are all from Class S.

"First, there's Neil Hubbard. He hails from a renowned lineage of scholars, with generations devoted to scientific research across various fields. The Hubbard family had made remarkable achievements in pharmaceuticals and weapon development.

"But at the same time, the more brilliant they are, the less normal they tend to be. Neil possesses an unparalleled intellect, but he carries a murder gene. He experiments on living creatures with disturbingly cruel methods, and murder excites him. He's not as kind or approachable as he appears on the surface.

"Next is Russell Harper. His family has ruled politics for generations. Once he graduates, he will seamlessly take over as the ruler of this nation, governing us all. Academically, he is unparalleled. He is the only true polymath at Imperialism Royal Academy, with perfect scores in every subject.

"Yet, he's also the mastermind behind the deadly games. He selects a group of people each time and forces them into his twisted games. Those who follow the rules and clear the challenges get to live, while the losers get handed over to Neil for experiments.

"Russell calls it genetic selection—a way to weed out inferior genes and preserve only the strongest, all in the name of strengthening Rosvenia."

"If Neil's such a genius, how is Russell the only true polymath?" Aether asked.

"The Hubbard family specializes in STEM subjects but falls short in the humanities. On the other hand, Russell scores full marks in every subject, making him a true polymath."

Aether nodded, and Gloria continued her introduction of the next two members of the Fabled Four.

"The third member is Zachary Conner, son of Rosa Hanna, the world's wealthiest woman. His mother provided immense financial support to Rosvenia, which is why the country is named after her. However, Rosa amassed her wealth through her beauty.

"She was an exceptionally stunning and captivating woman with an uncanny ability to win anyone over. She was also the top courtesan in Rosvenia. She was so highly ranked that she could perform without selling herself. Every man would willingly fall at her feet, ready to obey her every command.

"Back then, a rival nation's king was so desperate to have Rosa that he willingly handed over his entire country to her. In this society, even top-tier men would abandon their wives and children at her slightest request.

"Rowena's father was one of those men. He had an affair with Rosa and murdered his wife. He then forcibly severed his father-daughter relationship with Rowena. Ultimately, he gave away his entire fortune to Rosa without expecting anything in return."

Hearing this, Aether couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. It was because Rowena often used her top-tier status to bully Gloria, which led Zachary to have Rosa intervene—ultimately destroying Rowena's family and reducing her to a fallen socialite.

Yet, despite all this, Rowena still loved the Fabled Four deeply. Just like her father, Seth Blair, she had been seduced by beauty.

Gloria continued, "Zachary inherited all of Rosa's best traits. He's breathtakingly handsome—so much so that even the slightest smile or frown from him could make every girl in the academy willing to die for him. He changed girlfriends at least once a month. No one has ever lasted longer than that.

"Most of the women he dumped ended up taking their own lives. Because of this, he became known as the 'Maiden Killer'—not just in name but in the truest sense. He has the power to make people fall for him so deeply that it leads them to their deaths."

Aether recalled that even the original Rowena had given her first time to Zachary, and their relationship lasted precisely one month.

During that time, Zachary had treated her with nothing but affection. Sweet words and honeyed lies came effortlessly from his lips. But when her "expiration date" arrived, he dumped her without hesitation.

"The last member of the Fabled Four is Wesley Grant," Gloria continued. "He holds power in both the military and the criminal underworld. The Grant family is naturally gifted with extraordinary strength and athleticism and controls vast military resources.

"Whenever they make a move, their enemies rarely stand a chance. But maintaining such a massive force requires substantial funding. That's why the Grant family operates in the criminal underworld as well.

"They took money to eliminate disposable targets and profited from illicit dealings in enemy nations, amassing a fortune from human lives. On top of that, Wesley has bipolar disorder and can't handle any kind of provocation.

"If pushed too far, he'll lose control and kill without meaning to. He's hot-tempered, arrogant, and utterly domineering. No one dares to cross him."

Aether listened patiently until Gloria was finished with the introduction. Aether had already read "The Elite Academy's Fabled Four Forces Their Love on Me", so she was not surprised by any of this information.

Even so, she was still touched. Nodding gratefully, she asked, "Thank you for telling me all this. Can we be friends?"

"No, you can't!" Wesley stepped forward and kicked the hospital bed beside them. He then yanked Gloria to his side and shot Aether a deadly glare. "Where the hell did this pretty boy come from? How dare you try to get close to my woman!"

Chapter 4 Zachary Asked Aether to Move In With Him

[Male lead, Wesley Grant's favorability -5. Current favorability: -105.]

"Now that I've changed my identity, why is the favorability still starting from -100?" Aether asked the system in her mind.

[Since there's a risk of your identity being exposed, the favorability of the Fabled Four toward your real identity will be used as the baseline for calculation, just to be safe.]

"Then, if my identity remains undisclosed and the Fabled Four's favorability toward me drops to zero, does that mean that I'm free to leave?"

The system didn't answer her question.

Aether snapped back to reality and looked at the man in front of her, whom the system referred to as Wesley.

The infamous hot-tempered male lead had sharp, chiseled features. His round eyes were startlingly clear, contrasting his high nose and full lips. Every inch of his intense and refined appearance radiated raw masculinity and undeniable allure.

His muscular build and broad shoulders were still evident despite wearing loose clothing. His fists were easily as big as three of hers, and she could imagine that a single punch from him could probably kill someone.

Gloria withdrew her hand from Wesley's grasp and stepped back to put some distance between them. "Don't do that. You're scaring my classmate."

"You're distancing yourself from me because of that pretty boy who just got here?" Wesley exploded with rage. "I don't care about your relationship with the other Fabled Four members. After all, they were at least on my level. But him? Who the hell is he that you'd go against me for his sake?"

[Male lead, Wesley Grant's favorability -10. Current favorability: -115.]

Hearing the favorability plummet at an alarming rate, Aether had no choice but to step in and try to smooth things over.

"Gloria is just kind-hearted. She treats everyone this way. We're just good friends, nothing more. You must have misunderstood her intention."

"You think you have the right to call her by her name? Say it again, and I swear I'll cut out your tongue!" Wesley reprimanded coldly.

Aether was shocked into silence, her tongue practically curling up in fear.

Gloria immediately shielded Aether behind her. "Do you really have to threaten every single one of my classmates?"

[Male lead, Wesley Grant's favorability -10. Current favorability: -125.]

Hearing Gloria's words, Wesley shot Aether a sharp glare. Then, he forcibly suppressed his anger and asked, "What is your name?"

"A-Aether Blair."

"Okay." Wesley's voice was chillingly cold. "Aether, I've got you in my sights. So you'd better watch yourself."

With that, Wesley left.

Aether recalled the way Wesley had just looked at her, as if he was ready to tear her apart right there and then. Her legs immediately went weak, and she collapsed onto the ground. "Am I going to die again?"

"It's my fault for dragging you into this," Gloria said, full of guilt. "I shouldn't have any friends."

Seeing Gloria so full of self-blame and sorrow, Aether couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "Don't say that. You're not the one at fault. They are. You'd have made plenty of friends if they hadn't interfered.

"Besides, now that I've already caught their attention, you must be my friend so you can protect me. The Fabled Four seem to listen to you, after all."

"Aren't you afraid of dying?"

Aether shook her head. "I know you'll protect me, so I'm not scared at all."

"But what if I can't?"

"It's fine." Aether flashed her a bright smile. "You already saved me once. I'd be dead by now if you hadn't stepped in earlier. Look, if I don't befriend you, I'll get bullied by everyone except the Fabled Four. But if I do befriend you, I'll be bullied only by the Fabled Four.

"Either way, I'll get bullied. So I might as well make a good friend out of it."

"I guess you could put it that way."

Seeing Aether's bright, optimistic attitude and those dazzling, charming smiley eyes, Gloria felt as if a spark of hope had been reignited in her life.

She used to be just like Aether—optimistic, naive, and full of sunshine. But after everything she had been through, life had worn her down.

Now, seeing her past self in Aether, nostalgia struck her—along with a quiet urge to protect Aether and preserve the innocence she once had.

[Gloria Anderson's favorability +5. Current favorability: 5.]

Aether parted ways with Gloria for a moment to go to the restroom. She hesitated briefly at the entrance before cautiously stepping into the men's restroom. When she didn't see anyone inside, she let out a sigh of relief.

After finishing her business in the stall, she walked over to a sink beside another guy to wash her hands, only to look up and see him standing there with his pants down and casually peeing straight into the sink.

"You—!" Aether's eyes widened in shock. But before she could get another word out, the man turned his head, startling her so badly that she stumbled backward in terror.

What was Wesley doing here?

She barely had time to react or think, as her first instinct was to escape. But she had just gotten up and hadn't even taken a step when someone grabbed the back of her collar.

"Where do you think you're running off to, pretty boy?"

Aether was trembling all over. She had just gone to the restroom, but she suddenly felt like she needed to go again.

Wesley yanked her forward, gripping the front of her shirt and lifting her off the ground. He then strode toward the restroom window.

"Tell me, if I throw you out here, do you think that you'll land in one piece? Or just a nice, messy splatter?"

Aether was so scared that her nose stung, and her eyes turned red. Tears fell without her even realizing it. She didn't want to cry, but she was just too afraid.

Wesley looked at her with annoyance. "You're a grown man. Why are you crying? How embarrassing!"

Just as Wesley was about to toss her out the window, Aether quickly tried to reason with him. "If you throw me out, Glo—"

Realizing that she had used the wrong term, she corrected herself. "Ms. Anderson will definitely hold it against you. If that happens, you'll be at a disadvantage compared to the other three in the Fabled Four. Aren't the other three your biggest rivals in love? Now's not the time to mess up and give them an advantage."

"You really think I'll let you go because of this?"

"But what if Ms. Anderson and I are really just friends? If you kill me and it makes her like you even less, wouldn't that be a huge loss for you? Wouldn't you just be handing the win to your love rivals?"

"A man and woman cannot be 'just friends'," Wesley scolded coldly. "Do I look like an idiot to you?"

In this life-or-death moment, Aether's mind had never been clearer. It worked at lightning speed. This led her to blurt out, "I'm gay!"

"What?"

"I'm not into women. I can't get it up for them. The only ones who turn me on are men!"

Wesley was speechless. Shocked, he immediately let go of her, as if he'd touched something disgusting. He then walked to the sink and started washing his hands aggressively.

"I don't get you gays at all."

With that, he left, apparently deciding to spare Aether.

Aether sat on the floor, sighing in relief. After facing death so many times, she was starting to build up some mental resilience. But seriously, who could handle this kind of life-or-death terror all the time? Sooner or later, she was going to lose her mind.

…

At lunch, Aether sat across from Gloria as they ate together.

People around them began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Does he have a death wish or something? How dare he sit so close to the Fabled Four's woman!"

"He must be tired of living to challenge the Fabled Four like this openly."

Leila Baxter from Class A walked up to them. "Instead of sticking with the Fabled Four's woman and making enemies," she said, lifting Aether's chin with her finger, her gaze flirtatious, "why not stick with me? I'll protect you."

Aether was momentarily at a loss for words. This was the first time a woman flirted with her, so she didn't know how to react. But she knew her mission—to stay close to the female lead and earn her favor.

Leila sat beside her, and Aether instinctively scooted away.

According to the story, Leila kept several male lovers, indulging in all sorts of extravagant and wild pleasures.

Aether had no intention of becoming someone's kept plaything or getting involved in anything terrifying. More importantly, she couldn't risk exposing her disguise as a man. That would be far too dangerous, after all.

"Actually, I'm not into women," Aether said bluntly. "Sorry."

The crowd gasped, and another round of murmuring began.

"No wonder he doesn't look manly at all. It turns out he's a bottom."

"He should feel honor that Leila has taken a liking to him. How dare he refuse her! He sure thinks too highly of himself."

Instead of getting angry at being rejected, Leila just smiled and said, "That's fine. I'll wait for the day you come to me on your own."

Then, she left.

Meanwhile, in the VIP room on the second floor, the Fabled Four were talking.

"That new guy has some guts," Zachary said, smiling a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"He's gay, so why bother with him?"

"Gay?" Zachary relaxed slightly. "Then I should get to know him."

Since Aether liked men and was a good friend of Gloria, that also made him a friend of his.

He figured that the best way to gain the upper hand was to start gathering intel from Gloria's close friend. After all, the more he knew, the better his chances of success.

Zachary headed downstairs and sat diagonally across from Gloria, beside Aether.

"Hey, new guy, how about moving in with me?"

Chapter 5 Just Because I Am Gay

The man before Aether had mesmerizing eyes, each glance and smile carrying a subtle electric charge that seemed to strike straight at the heart. It was impossible not to be drawn to him.

Zachary seemed to possess an effortless, almost hypnotic charm. Anyone who saw him would fall under his spell.

His warmth was disarming, his gaze almost predatory—locking eyes with him felt like standing exposed. That piercing look was a weapon in itself, hard to resist.

His looks had fooled plenty of naive young women, but Aether knew better. He was dangerously charming, and that was exactly why she kept her guard up.

"So Zachary isn't just into women, he's into men as well?" she wondered.

Realizing this, she immediately rejected his offer. "No, thanks. You're from Class S, while I'm from Class F. We're not even in the same class, so how could we live together?"

"You're different from others," Zachary said, surprised. "Everyone in Class F tries to suck up to us, but you don't seem to care at all. You've got some backbone. I respect that. Let's just hope that living with all those guys from Class F doesn't end with you getting completely devoured by those perverts."

Hearing that, Aether completely panicked. "Hold up—so all the guys in Class F live together? Like, in one shared dorm? There aren't any individual rooms?"

"I thought you knew," Zachary teased. "And here I thought you were willingly offering yourself up to those perverts. After all, aren't you gay?"

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm easy!" Aether explained seriously. "I only do that with someone I really like! If there are no feelings or commitment, how could I just mess around?"

"Ah, I see," Zachary said, appearing to understand. He didn't press further, simply waiting for her to cave.

And sure enough, because of her real identity, Aether was genuinely terrified of sharing a dorm with a bunch of perverts. Left with no choice, she finally said, "Actually, we could share a dorm. That is, if you're okay with that."

Now that he had the upper hand, Zachary decided to play hard to get. "Hmm, let me think about it."

Aether was a nervous wreck. To avoid being stuck in a dorm full of perverts, she had no choice but to fight for herself.

"I can do laundry, cook, and keep the dorm spotless! If you let me stay with you, I'll work my butt off to repay you, and I'll do whatever you say!"

Zachary looked hesitant. "The thing is, with my family's wealth, I'm not exactly in need of a housekeeper."

Considering how dangerous it would be for Aether to live with the rest of Class F, Gloria decided to step in and help. "Zachary, why don't you just let him live with you? He's timid and easily scared. He won't survive if you leave him with those perverts."

This was exactly what Zachary wanted. He pretended to agree reluctantly. "Fine. Since you're the one asking, I'll put up with it. But you can't turn me down the next time I invite you to dinner."

"Okay." Gloria had no choice but to agree.

Hearing this exchange, Aether grew anxious. She needed to room with Zachary to escape the perverts, but she didn't want Gloria to owe him anything. So she butted in, "Dinner sounds great! Where are we going? I'm coming with you!"

Zachary was speechless, wondering if Aether had any sense of social awareness at all.

[Zachary Conner's favorability -5. Current favorability: -105.]

Zachary couldn't help but retort, "Are we close or something?"

"We're going to be roommates, so it's just a matter of time before we get close," Aether declared shamelessly. "And let me tell you, I've got a serious appetite. My old roommates used to say watching me eat makes food look even tastier. So you should consider yourself lucky to have me as a roommate."

Zachary became momentarily at a loss for words again.

[Zachary Conner's favorability -5. Current favorability: -115.]

There was no way Aether was going to let him take advantage of Gloria.

Although he was annoyed, Zachary couldn't say much. After all, he still needed to befriend Aether to get information on Gloria. Not to mention, he had to keep up appearances in front of her as well.

Grudgingly, he made an excuse to leave. "Here's the key card. It works until 8:00 pm tonight. After that, you're on your own."

Once Zachary was gone, Gloria whispered, "Aether, are you really gay?"

Aether pulled out her phone and typed carefully.

"I'm going to tell you the truth, but you can't spread it around or tell anyone else."

"You were dragged into this mess because of me, and that was why you lied about being gay, right? You didn't want to be targeted by the Fabled Four," Gloria replied in the text.

"You didn't drag me into anything. In fact, weren't you the one who stepped in to save me when I was getting beaten up?"

"So it really is like that."

[Gloria Anderson's favorability +5. Current favorability: 10.]

Gloria then asked in a low voice, "And just now, when you invited yourself to dinner, it was because you couldn't bear to see me being bullied by Zachary, right?"

"Nah, I was just in it for the food."

"Really? Just for the food?" Gloria asked dotingly. "Aether, I want you to be completely honest with me—no secrets, no holding back."

Aether caved and finally told the truth. "If I go with you, and if he tries anything… I can protect you, just like you protected me."

[Gloria Anderson's favorability +10. Current favorability: 20.]

"You idiot," Gloria said, deeply moved. "That's a very risky move. What will you do if he finds out that you're not really gay?"

"I don't know." Aether scratched her head sheepishly. "I'm just taking it one step at a time. But even if I had to do it again, I wouldn't change a thing."

[Gloria Anderson's favorability +10. Current favorability: 30.]

Gloria was somewhat touched. "No one has ever been this good to me. You're the first."

Aether flushed with embarrassment. It wasn't like she could actually die. After all, she could just reload from her last save.

Still, seeing how much Gloria trusted her made her think that if she really could become good friends with the Fabled Four, maybe she could try to convince them not to kill Riley or force Gloria into anything. She wasn't sure if it would work, but she thought that it might help Gloria somehow.

…

That night, Aether wheeled her luggage to the dorm address on the key card. After taking the elevator to the third floor, she swiped in and entered with her luggage in tow.

Zachary had just finished showering, wrapped only in a towel, with his upper body exposed as he walked out of the bathroom. He wasn't surprised to see her.

Aether, on the other hand, was so startled that she instinctively dropped her luggage handle and covered her eyes. "W-Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

"I'm not?" Zachary deadpanned. "Is this towel invisible?"

"You—" Aether turned away. "At least put on a shirt!"

"We're both guys, so why are you being so dramatic?" Zachary sat on his bed, still shirtless. "I thought that you were gay. Since when do gay guys freak out over a little skin?"

"Gay guys can have emotional propriety, too!" Aether said seriously. "I can't just go around staring at a random half-naked man!"

Remembering that he still needed information on Gloria, Zachary finally grabbed a black robe and wrapped it around himself. "You can look now."

Only then did Aether turn back, cautiously peeking to confirm that he was decent before unpacking her luggage.

Seizing the moment, Zachary asked, "Has Gloria ever talked about me to you?"

"Yeah."

Zachary was visibly excited but continued cautiously, "What'd she say?"

Aether stopped unpacking her stuff, instantly wary. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"I know that you Class F kids are broke." Zachary took out a card from his wallet. "This card has a million dollars on it. Tell me everything you know and work for me. If things work out between me and Gloria, I'll give you another 100 million dollars afterward."

He tossed the bank card at Aether.