“Why would I panic? If there’s an exam, there’s an exam. If I do badly, it’s like that. If I do well, it’s like that. A happy day is still a day, an unhappy day is still a day. Why even talk about this right now? You’re killing the mood,” Vinny raised his brows.

“N-no, something’s off, Vinny, little bro. No!” Ferdi wore an expression that said, ‘I’m complaining so I can watch you show off or what?’

“Then what do you want?”

“I’m saying this so you’ll complain with me a bit. We suffer together, spread the pain evenly. But you? You’re not like this usually! Usually you’d be wailing with everyone! Why are you so calm today? You’re just watching everyone suffer??” Ferdi pointed at Vinny, looking pained.

“But if I can’t put on an act, I can’t put on an act. What do you want me to do?” Vinny spread his hands.

“Vinny, little bro... you didn’t betray us and go secretly review, did you?!”

“Ferdi, didn’t you say a while back you could never find Vinny, big bro?” one of the card players reminded him.

“Ah, right! So that’s when it was!” Ferdi’s face instantly turned serious. “Confess. Vinny, little bro—what were you doing during that period??”

“Stop, stop. I’m telling you, don’t mess around,” Vinny said, exasperated.

“So Vinny, big bro really did go study in secret back then, huh?” everyone began discussing.

“No, not so fast!” Ferdi narrowed his eyes, sensing something. “It’s not that simple.”

“Vinny, little bro, everyone knows what everyone’s like. With your level of self-discipline, I’m sure you wouldn’t voluntarily, consciously go study on your own.”

“There must be an expert guiding you from behind!” Ferdi looked like he’d seen through the truth.

“Why can’t it be a short expert?” Vinny tilted his head.

You talk like that, and you’d better watch out or Aesphyra might report you for discrimination, okay??

“Don’t play dumb. Isn’t it like that, Vinny, little bro? You found a top student to tutor you!”

“Yeah. You saw right through it,” Vinny said absentmindedly.

“Really? A guy or a girl?” everyone couldn’t help gossiping.

“A girl.”

“Ohhh??” The moment they heard that, everyone started jeering again.

“You managed to convince a female academic ace to come teach you? Vinny, little bro, that girl genius probably likes you, huh?” Ferdi clicked his tongue, his words carrying a sour edge.

“Damn it, Vinny, little bro, don’t tell me you secretly reviewed and betrayed our alliance?!” Ferdi said with a grief-stricken face.

“Stop it. It’s just a friend relationship,” Vinny rolled his eyes at Ferdi.

“So who is it? Do we know her??” someone egged him on.

“I could tell you and you still wouldn’t believe it,” Vinny lifted his chin.

“How would we not believe it? Say it, say it. Relax, Vinny, little bro—if you say it’s some major campus beauty tutoring you, we’ll believe it.”

“Yeah, hahaha. Vinny, big bro, just exaggerate. Say something like Aesphyra, Isatia, they’re all fighting to tutor you, hahaha!” everyone jeered and teased.

“See? I told you you wouldn’t believe it.” Vinny shrugged. “So I’ll just stop talking.”

“Huh??” The card players all froze.

“No, Vinny, little bro... you really want to say that?” Ferdi looked shaken. “Vinny, little bro, we all brag together, but your bragging is way too huge, isn’t it??”

“Yeah, Vinny, big bro. I used to think Ferdi, big bro was the best bragger among us. Didn’t expect you were hiding it too.”

“Get lost! What do you mean I’m the best bragger? How am I the best bragger?? How come good things never get pinned on me, but the moment something bad happens, you all think of me??” Ferdi was extremely unconvinced. “And besides, everything I say is the truth, okay??”

“Ugh, ugh, forget it, forget it. See? I knew it. I told you and you wouldn’t believe it. What’s the point??” Vinny shook his head and continued the card game in his hands. “Alright, stop talking about this. Play cards, play cards.”

“No, wait??” Ferdi looked at Vinny and felt like something was off. Normally, in this situation, shouldn’t he look like he got exposed but still keep bragging, making everyone burst into laughter?? Why was this reaction completely different??

He looked like he couldn’t be bothered to explain, like it was real.

“Tch, you really put on an act, huh? Vinny, little bro, what are you bragging about? If those major campus beauties were fighting to tutor you, you’d be shouting it until the whole academy knew. You’d be dying to let every single person on campus know!” Ferdi looked like he didn’t believe it, yet also had a bit of sourness like he didn’t dare believe the truth, like he’d bitten into a lemon.

“Yeah. Fake. I’m bragging. What else? Or what—do I really have the ability to make the Empire’s First Princess who’s also a major campus beauty tutor me?” Vinny raised his brows. “What part of me would she even like?”

“Tch, I knew it. Vinny, little bro, how long have we been together? We know exactly what kind of person you are. You’re a steadfast card-player warrior. How could you be interested in women!?” Ferdi patted his chest, speaking righteously, acting like he’d never doubted Vinny for a second.

“Yeah! We card-player warriors only attract the same sex, not the opposite sex. Our bond is unmatched!” a card friend immediately joined in cheering.

“Right! We’re all not interested in women! Women only affect our thinking speed and our card-playing speed!” the card players all shouted with conviction.

“But...”

“Hm??” Hearing that “but” slip into their voices, everyone turned their heads in unison and looked at the card-player companion who’d weakly spoken up.

“John, what do you mean? What do you mean ‘but’? Are you trying to betray our alliance??”

“N-no! I’m reporting someone! Aiden—he’s not a pure card player!” John shouted, pointing at a card player beside him.

“W-what are you saying?? John, did I bury a trap on you last night and you lost, so you’re upset? Don’t slander me like this!” With everyone’s eyes landing on him, Aiden panicked on the spot.

“Hm?? Where is this coming from?” Ferdi put on a big-brother posture, scrutinizing John and Aiden with an air of seriousness.

“John, you say Aiden betrayed our alliance. Where is this coming from?” Ferdi lifted his chin and asked.

“It’s like this, Ferdi, big bro. Aiden is no longer a pure card player! I know it—behind the scenes, he joined Aesphyra’s support fan club!” John accused.

“Y-you’re talking nonsense!” Aiden, being accused, panicked immediately and hurried to defend himself.

“Oh?” Everyone wore meaningful expressions as they looked at John. Only Vinny looked shocked and confused.

Aesphyra support fan club? No—there’s actually that kind of boring thing in the academy??

Which idiot made that club? And the club approval process is insane too—how did it actually pass? Isn’t that just wasting club resources??

But this also really showed Vinny had underestimated just how terrifying a place overflowing with hormones could be, and how frightening the attraction of a beautiful girl was—especially a ceiling-tier beautiful girl like Aesphyra.

Thinking about it, it made sense. A top-tier face that cuts down both men and women, an innate noble and confident aura, both academics and conduct excellent, first in the year in both written tests and practical combat, plus a luxurious background—what little young master could withstand that fatal pull??

Alright. Thinking carefully, it was probably because Vinny was always around Aesphyra, and always getting so pissed off he’d explode Virtue, that he no longer had any filter for her.

But there was no way this kind of thing was something Aesphyra herself set up. That person was indeed extremely narcissistic, but she definitely wouldn’t create something this meaningless, and she didn’t have the free time.

Besides, she didn’t need to deliberately create some roundabout thing to prove how strong her charm was. Only people lacking confidence would care about this kind of trivial nonsense, and Aesphyra clearly wasn’t in that category.

“Oh? John, you say Aiden joined Aesphyra’s support fan club. Do you have evidence?” Ferdi demanded. At this moment, his aura was like a righteous magistrate sitting beneath a bright mirror, slamming a gavel.

“Of course! And the evidence is on him. He’s wearing Aesphyra’s support fan club badge!” John pointed as proof.

“! You—you better not talk nonsense!” Aiden was startled, then immediately retorted. “John, you’re framing an ally, okay??”

“Hmph. Don’t deny it. Yesterday when you changed clothes, I saw it with my own eyes, tucked inside your undershirt. If you insist on refusing to admit it, we’ve got ways.” John snorted, continuing to expose Aiden.

“Hm??” Hearing that, the card players all looked at Aiden’s shirt.

“W-wait! What are you doing?? Are you saying you don’t trust me? Ferdi, big bro, Vinny, big bro—you two at least say something fair for me??” Seeing everyone slowly surround him, Aiden swallowed and hurriedly cast a pleading look at Vinny and Ferdi.

“Brother, it’s not that we don’t trust you. Like this—you just show your undershirt, let everyone witness your steadfast card-player soul, and while you’re at it, slap John’s face hard. That’s all,” Ferdi said with his arms crossed. Just looking at Aiden’s nervousness, he already knew Aiden was guilty.

“Yeah, it’s just a simple undershirt reveal. We’re all men—what’s the big deal?” John continued fanning the flames. “You hesitating and acting sneaky can only mean you’ve got a guilty conscience and don’t dare do it.”

Obviously, all the card players thought the same. Their eyes were united on Aiden, with a feeling that if he didn’t show it, he wasn’t leaving today.

“Hurry up, Aiden. Brothers and all—don’t force us to get physical.”

“W-wait! Hold on!” Seeing everyone was about to make a move, Aiden shoved his hands forward and hurried to stop them. “Fine! Checking me is fine, but I’m accusing someone too!”

“Oh? You’re accusing someone too? Who do you want to accuse?” Ferdi raised his brows.

“The one I’m accusing isn’t anyone else—it’s John!” Aiden pointed at John with righteous indignation.

“Huh? What are you accusing me of??” ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) John looked completely confused.

“Heh. Keep pretending. Don’t think I don’t know.” Aiden sneered.

“You say I’m not a pure card player—why are you only calling me out?? He’s not one either!”

“Everyone, you still don’t know, do you? This guy joined Isatia’s support fan club a long time ago!” Aiden looked like he’d decided to go all-in.

“So this isn’t him exposing me at all. He’s doing it because he’s in Isatia’s support fan club, so he doesn’t like me, and he wants to use all of you to get rid of me!” Aiden denounced him bitterly.

“Oh? So you’re admitting you’re a member of Aesphyra’s support fan club?” Ferdi immediately wore a meaningful expression.

“I—fine, I admit it! But he’s not getting off easy either! His support-fan badge is pinned inside his undershirt too! Search him and you’ll find it!” Aiden looked like, if he was going to die, he was taking someone with him.

“Y-you! Don’t slander me! You’re turning it around on me!” John said in shock.

“You’re the one who filed a malicious accusation first!”

“Enough, stop arguing!” Ferdi impatiently waved his hand. “Alright. Since that’s how it is, search them both. Get over here!”

With Ferdi’s order, the card players surged forward, seized the two of them, and tore open their undershirts.

“Ferdi, big bro! What Aiden said is true—John really does have Isatia’s support fan club badge on him!”

“Ferdi, big bro, John’s a straightforward guy too—Aiden really is a member of Aesphyra’s support fan club!”

Very quickly, after the search, the card players tore the fan badges off both of them and handed them to Ferdi.

Standing beside Ferdi, Vinny watched this and didn’t know what expression he was supposed to make. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Six-six-six. You guys are bringing factional infighting into a card-player group now, huh??

“Well, well, well—look at you?” Seeing the two support-fan badges laid out before him, Ferdi was amused. “So you usually act like your hearts only have cards and no women, but it turns out every one of you has a secret skill set, huh??”

“Ahhh, Ferdi, big bro, l-listen to my explanation. Mine is... it’s to infiltrate Aesphyra’s support fan club and gather intel!” Aiden wailed with a miserable face.

“Gather intel? What intel are you gathering? What intel in there is worth gathering for us?? Swearing ‘We will follow Lady Aesphyra forever’?” Ferdi chuckled.

“Ferdi, big bro, I—I was forced!” John hurriedly said too.

“Forced my ass! Who can force you to join a fan club?? Isatia herself?” Ferdi snapped.

“N-no, I—I...”

“No more explanations. Drag them away and punish them. Make them remember their identity as card players,” Ferdi waved his hand.