Content Warning:

[This Chapter contains some disturbing and psychologically intense elements that may not be suitable for all readers. If you are sensitive to such content, you may consider skipping this Chapter.

This Chapter primarily focuses on Cassian’s character and is intended for narrative development only.]

Yesterday morning, the moment Lucian opened his eyes, that cursed mission was glaring right at him on the screen.

Lucian knew that if he had to raise Aria’s affection to 100 within four days, he needed to gather intel from the people surrounding her. So, he skipped classes for the entire day. Without telling Elira or Seraphina, he turned invisible and just kept a close eye on her.

When he started, his plan was simply to get close to Aria, which meant getting Cassian out of the way. But as the day went on, he watched Cassian stick to Aria like glue. Seeing that Aria’s affection for Cassian was already at an overwhelming 87, Lucian changed his mind. He decided he wouldn’t just move Cassian out of the way; he would completely remove him from the academy. From that moment on, much like Elira had done to him, Lucian began stalking Cassian.

He didn’t find anything useful during the day. Though as soon as Cassian separated from Aria at night, his true colors finally started to show. Lucian was already inside his dorm room, completely invisible, watching from the corner.

Just how much longer am I going to have to sift through this ’Flawless Hero’s’ daily routine...? Come on. Give me something. I just need to find one dirty little secret... something foul enough to tip the scales and break his golden reputation.

Cassian’s dorm room was massive, much larger than a normal student’s. It was filled with luxury items and expensive uniforms, yet alongside them were bizarre, out-of-place objects: a small ancient doll with a devilish smile, strange potions marked with unknown symbols, and a small, heavily locked trunk.

He’s got some seriously twisted hobbies...

Cassian took off his blazer and tossed it onto the bed. For a long moment, he just stood there, staring blankly into a large mirror. Then, he clicked his tongue. "Tsk..." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

He brought his hands up to his cheeks and started aggressively pulling and twisting them, forming bizarre, unnatural shapes with his face while maintaining eye contact with his own reflection.

Standing in the extreme corner of the room, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Lucian watched the entire bizarre routine unfold.

What the hell kind of psycho behavior is this...?

After harassing his own face for a while, Cassian suddenly started laughing. A loud, maniacal laughter echoed through the quiet room.

Lucian instinctively flinched.

Then, Cassian’s hand moved to the top buttons of his shirt, unfastening them. His eyes looked completely glazed over, as if he were drunk or high. While rubbing his neck and collarbone with one hand, his other hand moved down to his crotch, rubbing himself over his pants.

Lucian realized exactly what was happening. He immediately looked away, glancing around the room to avoid looking directly at Cassian.

Are you kidding me? Do I seriously have to stand here and watch his solo porn session...?

Thankfully, Cassian stopped after a short while. He shifted his gaze toward the locked trunk. There was a strange, twisted expression on his face—one that no one in the academy had ever seen. The ’Bright Hero’s’ disgusting behavior was catching Lucian off guard at every single moment.

Cassian quickly walked over to the trunk. He reached for a locket hanging around his neck, pulling out a key, and unlocked it.

The room was dark, so Lucian couldn’t see clearly what was inside the box. But as Cassian opened it, he reached in and pulled an object out into his hands.

That’s when Lucian saw it. It was just a painting. An almost 15-inch painting. Lucian didn’t step any closer. He had a strong suspicion that keeping at least a 15-foot distance from Brightmore was the safest play; otherwise, the Hero’s sharp senses might actually catch him.

Cassian carried the painting over to his room’s window. Outside, only the dark, empty academy grounds were visible below. A cool night breeze drifted in, brushing against his flushed face.

"Ahhhh... I can’t take it anymore..."

With that breathless mutter, Cassian unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants. Standing there in nothing but his half-open shirt, facing the open window, he stared intensely at the canvas in his hands.

From his spot in the dark corner, Lucian narrowed his eyes. As a sliver of moonlight finally illuminated the painting, he saw exactly what it was. It wasn’t a portrait or a landscape. There was only a single hole drawn on it. But it wasn’t a pipe or a tunnel. With the explicit shading and details, he realized it was a highly realistic close-up sketch of a human asshole and the surrounding hair. That was it. Nothing else.

Staring at the bizarre artwork, Cassian began to vigorously masturbate, a maniacal, unhinged laugh echoing from his throat.

Lucian’s mind went completely blank.

SERIOUSLY... is this really what my life has come to?

His physical expression remained perfectly deadpan, but inside, his soul was screaming.

I don’t know what the fuck the author of this shitty novel was thinking, writing a psycho protagonist who can mentally torture a trash-tier villain to this level. My survival plan just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

Either way this severe mental trauma came with one massive silver lining. After witnessing that absolute freak show yesterday, Lucian was certain that Cassian’s personality was completely fucked. The gap between the radiant, flawless image he projected to the world and the sick reality inside his head was astronomical.

That was exactly why Lucian had chosen him as the perfect sacrificial lamb. To get close to Aria and secure her massive affection, all he had to do was shatter Cassian’s "Bright" facade and expose the pitch-black rot underneath to everyone.

Thus, all of that was yesterday.

[Present Time - Inside the back old Room]

What was happening right in front of Lucian right now... was five times worse.

As the three of them stepped through the silent portal into the room, they saw Cassian.

his pants once again discarded on the floor.

However, this morning, he wasn’t just laughing alone with a painting. this morning, he wasn’t just laughing alone with a painting.

He was actively giving someone a blowjob.