Vivian's Suspicion

Even though there were only two of them left, it didn't affect their plans.

With their current strength, as long as they didn't venture into the third layer, they could basically tear through the first two layers with ease.

“Then let's go by ourselves!”

Victoria urged, her gray eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“My mana is itching to be released! If I don't let it out soon, I feel like I'm going to go crazy!”

The two continued forward, but they hadn't gone far before they both stopped in unison.

An aqua-blue figure was standing quietly around the corner of the corridor ahead.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, casting a gentle warmth over her otherwise icy aura.

Noticing the two behind her, Vivian's gaze first fell on Greg, lingering for a moment, before shifting slightly to glance at Victoria standing beside him.

It was a brief glance, as if she were assessing something.

“Where are you two going?”

Vivian asked, her voice as cool and aloof as ever, like a mountain spring carrying a natural chill.

“Uh... just taking a walk with my junior sister to relax a bit. We've been cooped up in the lab for too long these past few days, so we came out to get some fresh air,” Greg replied.

Since he had conquered the dungeon with Vivian before, there wasn't much need to hide things from her.

But if he mentioned the word "dungeon" right now, it might spark an unnecessary conversation and accidentally expose the fact that he had previously taken Vivian to defeat the second-layer Floor Boss using the items he had acquired with Victoria and the others...

Victoria would definitely throw a massive fit.

At that point, not only would he have to face her wrath, but he would also have to explain why he had been acting together with the Student Council President. Just thinking about that scenario gave him a headache.

So, to avoid any trouble, Greg simply made up a harmless lie on the spot.

Although Victoria didn't know why Greg was lying, it didn't affect their plans, so she didn't expose him.

Vivian nodded, her gaze softening slightly as she looked at Greg.

Naturally, she had been keeping an eye on Greg's news during this period.

She had long known that Victoria had become his junior sister, and she also knew he had been cooped up in the laboratory these past few days, working hard to prepare for the upcoming Hundred Academy Exchange.

In her eyes, all of this confirmed her suspicions.

The reason Greg was pushing himself so hard was to shine at the exchange, accumulating enough reputation and leverage to clear away any potential real-world opposition to their future union.

He was working hard for their future.

Therefore, she believed that the best thing she could do right now was to support him silently, avoiding disturbing him too much until he was truly ready to clear the obstacles between them.

She didn't want to become his burden, nor did she want his efforts to go to waste.

She believed that when the time was right, Greg would reveal everything.

“Mm... keep it up.”

Although it was just a few short words, coming from Vivian's mouth, the impact was no less than a heavy bomb exploding in the corridor.

After all, she was Vivian Kahn, a girl as cold and aloof as an ice block.

For her to actually use a tone filled with warmth and encouragement to say “keep it up” to someone?

It was as if a corner of an iceberg had suddenly melted, revealing the warm earth beneath.

This scene came as quite a shock to both Victoria and Greg.

Victoria's eyes widened. She looked at Vivian, then at Greg, her gray eyes filled with shock and confusion.

She even wondered if she was hallucinating from the constant explosions earlier.

So, she grabbed Greg by his collar, pulling his head down. Leaning close to his ear, she lowered her voice and asked urgently in a whisper only the two of them could hear:

“Hey, how did you get on such good terms with the Student Council President? Is it because a scumbag like you voluntarily left the Student Council, granting her wish, so now she's actually willing to speak to you like this?”

“Are you—”

Greg opened his mouth, a retort of “Are you out of your mind?” rushing to the tip of his tongue, ready to burst out.

But right before the words escaped, he suddenly stopped.

When he thought about it, this excuse was indeed much better than exposing the fact that he had taken Vivian to defeat the second-layer Floor Boss using the items they had acquired with Victoria and the others.

At least this explanation wouldn't trigger Victoria's anger, nor would it prompt her to press for more details.

Besides, it actually sounded quite reasonable. After all, Vivian might very well be in a better mood now that she was rid of a nuisance.

So, he forced down the insult on the tip of his tongue and praised her instead:

“Are you a tapeworm in my gut? To understand me so well! That's seriously impressive!”

Victoria was taken aback for a moment, and then her face darkened as anger flared in her gray eyes. “Who are you calling a tapeworm?!”

Greg: “...”

Vivian had originally just been standing silently to the side, watching their interaction.

But her gaze unwittingly grew a bit sharper, like undercurrents hidden beneath a sheet of ice.

Because she had noticed something: the physical distance between the two of them as they spoke was far too close.

Victoria was practically whispering right into Greg's ear. Her breath brushed against his ear, her gray hair draped over his shoulder, leaving almost no space between them.

And though Greg looked a bit helpless, he didn't try to distance himself. Instead, he tilted his head slightly to match her height, making it easier for her to whisper in his ear.

That natural intimacy, that unguarded physical contact, and that silent understanding that only existed between extremely close individuals all stirred a subtle sense of discomfort in Vivian.

She had originally thought Greg and Victoria shared a standard relationship between a senior and junior disciple.

After all, she remembered that Greg once had a conflict with Victoria, and in her understanding, it was highly unlikely for someone like Greg to get too close to a junior sister of commoner background.

But now, watching the intimate interaction between them, Vivian suddenly felt that she might need to pay a bit more attention.

This level of intimacy far exceeded the boundaries of ordinary senior and junior disciples.

Just as she was about to speak and subtly probe their relationship—

“U-Um, Dear Sister!”

A figure suddenly appeared beside Vivian, interrupting her train of thought.

It was a girl with brilliant red hair that looked like burning flames. She kept her head lowered slightly, her pale fingers gently twirling a strand of hair by her ear, her face bearing an expression completely different from her usual self.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her gaze wandered, as if she were gathering the courage to do something incredibly difficult.

“Would you... like to go have afternoon tea with me? It's been a while.”

Lilith looked up, gazing at her sister with eyes that resembled burning amber, her face filled with anticipation.