Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

On the other side, Valerie was sharing her room with Averis and Rhea. The fourth remaining member hadn't arrived yet, but Averis informed that the fourth member had already placed her luggage in the room, so anyone who came asking for space was turned away.

Valerie and Averis were sharing a bed. They had just dropped off their bags and decided to take turns using the bathroom to freshen up.

"It's so humid in here. Guh," Averis muttered, wiping the sweat from her face with a small towel.

Without a word, Valerie reached out and touched the towel. A coolness spread through it instantly, making it icy and refreshing.

Averis paused and looked at her sister-in-law with a soft smile. "Thank you."

Valerie simply nodded back, her smile warm.

Then, she summoned her Shard and gave the floor a gentle tap. In response, blocks of ice began to form along the ceiling, while four small crystals appeared in each corner of the room. As they activated, the temperature began to drop.

Averis let out a long, contented sigh as the heat faded. "Ahh… this is the best," she murmured, lying back on the bed. A part of her couldn't help but feel a quiet envy—her brother was lucky to have someone so thoughtful by his side.

"Want something to eat?" Valerie asked, offering her a small bag of food she had been carrying.

Averis peeked inside and took a few cookies. As she nibbled on one, she looked at Valerie and asked, "So… how did things get better between you and my brother?"

The last thing she remembered, Austin was cold and distant, often brushing Valerie aside with harsh words. Valerie had eventually stopped trying, keeping her distance and only watching him from afar.

That painful silence between them was one of the reasons Averis had finally confronted Austin that day… the day they parted ways.

Valerie sat on the other side of the room, her eyes drifting to the window. "He stood up for me," she said quietly. "When everyone else turned their back, he fought for my dignity… and saved me."

Averis hummed softly. "I heard about that incident… wasn't Senior Rhea involved?" she asked, lowering her voice. The bathroom door was thin, and she didn't want Rhea to overhear.

Valerie gave a small nod. "Yes. But… it was just emotions getting out of hand. We worked it out later."

She remembered how it escalated. How she'd said things she now regrets—harsh, cutting words. Rhea had summoned her Shard in response, and Valerie, caught in the heat of the moment, instinctively did the same. She hurt Rhea—no, she almost killed her.

She still carried guilt for that. But even that guilt was dimmed by the one thing that bloomed in the aftermath—something she never expected.

That day, something in Austin changed.

And for Valerie, it was the day a new chapter in their story began.

Regardless of what changed his mind, one thing remained certain—since that day, Valerie had lived each day with a smile on her face.

Click.

"Haah~ That was a good bath," Rhea said, stepping out of the bathroom with steam still clinging to her skin. A towel was wrapped around her body, another coiled over her damp hair.

Averis instantly rushed to close the window. "Rhea! You can't just come out like that!" she said in a fluster, eyes wide.

Rhea shrugged casually. "What? I'm not naked." She walked to the bed, unfazed, and began pulling on a pair of shorts and a loose shirt.

Averis exhaled sharply. "Even in my own room, I was never that carefree…"

Rhea laughed at the remark, a light sound that echoed in the room. She was about to say something when the door creaked open again.

The fourth member of the room had arrived.

"Taya? Where were you?" Averis asked, recognizing her classmate. Unlike most of the girls who crowded around her with questions or gossip, Taya was a quiet exception. Though they'd only shared a few hours in the library, Averis had taken a liking to her calm nature.

Taya, with her glasses slightly fogged and her dark hair tied back, let out a small sigh as she placed a pouch on the table. "I dropped this at the beach… it had all my savings." Her expression eased, clearly relieved.

"Did you ask the teachers for help?" Rhea asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

Taya shook her head. "I was about to, but Senior Trevor showed up and helped me look for it." Her voice softened as a smile tugged at her lips. "He's… really sweet."

'Trevor…' Valerie repeated the name in her mind. She vaguely remembered someone with that name in her class.

Rhea nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Trevor's a good guy."

Taya tilted her head. "You know him?"

"Mm-hm," Rhea replied. "He's helped me a few times with assignments. He's one of those people who's just… nice to everyone. Really dependable."

Their conversation naturally shifted into casual chatter—about Trevor, their classmates, and the little things that made their days interesting. Laughter slipped through now and then, soft and easy.

Not long after, a message arrived from the teachers: lunch was ready, and they were grilling a barbecue by the beach.

Averis stood up and stretched. "Shall we go too?" she asked.

Rhea and Taya had already stepped out.

Valerie gave a gentle nod. "You go ahead. I'll take a shower first."

Averis didn't insist. Once Valerie disappeared into the bathroom, she quietly followed the others outside.

Left alone, Valerie undressed and walked toward the water pool, where freshwater rippled in still silence. Her eyes softened.

'Sweet of her,' she thought, realizing Taya must've been the last to bathe—and had taken the time to refill the tub.

Valerie lowered herself into the water, pleasantly surprised by how perfect the temperature felt. The faint, sweet fragrance rising from the surface made her blink in wonder.

It was calming—subtle, but just enough to ease the tension in her muscles.

'Did she mix something in?' Valerie wondered, closing her eyes.

She leaned her head back and let herself sink into the warmth.

Just for a little while… she let herself relax.

....

"You're cooking?" Sheldon asked, approaching one of the campfires and spotting Austin manning the grill, carefully brushing sauce over the sizzling meat.

Austin nodded. "I can cook well enough to survive."

Sheldon raised a brow. Seeing skewers and barbecue out here wasn't all that strange—but imagining someone from the royal palace, especially the Prince, knowing how to prepare them felt oddly out of place.

Still, the smell was inviting.

"What about the Prez—uh, Annabelle?" Austin asked, handing over a freshly grilled skewer.

The silver-haired boy glanced toward the other classmates nearby. They were deep in conversation, talking about their Shards, and didn't seem to notice the exchange.

Sheldon took the skewer with a grateful nod, then sighed. "I sent her a letter… but she didn't respond before we left. I don't even know if she'll come."

Austin turned the meat over the fire, the flames softly crackling. "It's tomorrow, right?"

Sheldon gave a quiet hum in response, his attention already shifting to the food in his hands. He bit into the grilled meat, savoring the rich, juicy flavor, letting the warmth distract him—if only for a moment.

"I think if she doesn't come, you should go tomorrow," Austin said calmly.

"To the Capital...? That would take more than ten hours," Sheldon replied, glancing at him with a conflicted look.

Austin gave a slight shrug. "If I were in your place, I'd want to be with her on her birthday—no matter how far."

Sheldon fell silent, his thoughts beginning to spiral. He did want to see her. But leaving would mean breaking the rules… and for the Student Council President to do that? It felt wrong. Reckless.

Before he could dwell further, someone suddenly called out, "Hey, is that the Headmaster?"

Heads turned. A few teachers were heading toward the carriages—and walking among them was indeed the Headmaster.

Austin frowned, handing the tongs to Phil. "Keep an eye on the meat," he said, before blinking forward in a flash and stopping right in front of them.

"Is something the matter?" Austin asked, his tone sharp with concern.

The sudden appearance startled the group.

"Gosh, Austin, be a little mindful of our age!" one of the older professors gasped, patting his chest to calm down.

The Headmaster let out a soft chuckle and rested a hand on Austin's shoulder. "It's nothing serious. I've just been called to the Capital—some urgent matter came up. No need for concern."

Austin gave a slight nod, though unease lingered in his eyes. What could have come up so suddenly? And more importantly, how did the Capital know exactly where they were?

But he kept those thoughts to himself.

"Have a safe trip," he said with quiet respect.

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. After thinking for long I have decided to not write their first night...or should I? I don't knoooooow!