The Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy

"Damn..."

"Why am I so nervous?"

I muttered to myself.

I wasn't usually the type to fuss over my appearance, but this time felt... different.

A date with Professor Vivian wasn't exactly something I'd ever imagined.

And yet here I was, dressing up for it.

I wore a clean white dress shirt, paired with a black vest that hugged my torso just right.

Over it, I threw on a navy blue coat, sharp and tailored, with silver buttons that ran down the side.

My pants were dark, neatly ironed, and went perfectly with the polished black boots I'd slipped on earlier.

"Is this too formal?"

I couldn't help but ask myself, turning around to check how the outfit fit from the back.

I didn't go on many dates honestly, and always wore what my assistant thought was fit for the occasion.

"Lumi? How do I look?"

From the couch, Lumi perked up. Her translucent green form rippled slightly as she hopped off and floated toward me.

She stopped right beside me, her round eyes scanning me up and down.

After a moment of silence, she let out an approving hum.

"Master looks divine!"

Lumi uttered with a big smile.

I only chuckled at her words, taking one last glance at the mirror.

My silver-bluish hair was neatly combed, and styled with a classic slickback, with a few strands falling on my eyes.

Those looked quite messy, but yeah, I had already lost too much time.

"Then, I'll be going now, Lumi."

I spoke to her, picking up my coat.

Lumi waved as I grabbed the room key and left the hotel.

The streets of the capital were still alive despite being quite late.

Lanterns began to flicker on as the sunlight faded, and the city's main street was filled with people finishing up their shopping or heading out to eat dinner.

The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of baked bread and flowers from the nearby stalls.

And surprisingly, I was getting quite the looks from the ladies around.

Too many looks if you asked me.

Besides, this silver bluish hair of mine is probably unique and Aestrea is already naturally handsome, so this seems quite natural.

"Vivian told me to meet her on the fountain of the main street..."

"Oh! Found it."

I spotted the stone fountain at the center of the main street. The soft sound of running water reached my ears as I approached.

And besides the fountain, there she was.

Staying beside the fountain with her red hair catching the light of the lanterns like a cascade of fire.

My steps faltered for a brief second as my eyes took her in.

Vivian was dressed in an elegant black evening gown that hugged her figure perfectly.

The gown's off-shoulder design revealed her collarbones and a slit on the side of the dress ran up to her knee, showing just enough of her smooth, pale skin.

A thin silver necklace rested around her neck, shimmering faintly as it caught the light.

Her heels clicked softly against the stone as she shifted her weight, her eyes scanning the crowd before locking onto me.

A soft smile appeared on her lips as she stood up straight.

Damn...

She looked absolutely stunning.

Gorgeous, even.

There really was no other word for it.

Vivian must have noticed the slight pause in my step because she turned her head, with her golden eyes locking onto mine.

A teasing smile immediately crept across her face as she tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Did I leave you speechless already, my dear Aestrea?"

This woman...

I cleared my throat, forcing my expression to remain calm as I walked the rest of the way toward her.

"You look... amazing."

I smiled faintly, even tracing her whole body with my eyes, to emphasize my words.

Vivian's lips curled into a pleased smile upon hearing my words.

"Mhm, certainly! I spent a few hours getting ready."

Her voice was playful, but then her smile shifted into something far more mischievous.

Leaning forward slightly, she added with a sly glint in her eyes.

"Just for you, my dear Aestrea~"

She winked.

And before I could say anything, she continued, taking a step closer, her heels making soft click-clack sounds on the pavement.

"And you look quite dashing yourself, my dear student," she said smoothly, her eyes flicking over my outfit.

"I didn't expect you to clean up so well."

"Thank you."

"Mhmm...!"

After hearing my blunt response, her cheeks puffed a bit before breaking into a small smile.

"Shall we go?"

"Lead away."

Vivian slipped her arm through mine before I could react, catching me off guard.

She looked up at me with a sly smile.

"What? Isn't this what people do on dates?"

"Sure, do you want me to hold your waist?"

"We're not there... yet." she shot back with a playful grin, shaking her head lightly.

Her words lingered for a second, but I was already used to her teasing me, so I matched her small smile as we began walking down the lively street.

"And where exactly are we going?"

I asked after a while, which made her turn her gaze to me.

"That's for me to decide." 

She brushed her hand against my arm slightly, catching my attention,

"Don't worry. I've got the perfect place in mind."

*Wink, wink*

I gave her a sideways glance.

"You planned this out?"

To my words, she smirked as her chest puffed out.

"Of course!"

"A date with my star student deserves some effort, don't you think?"

I stared at her for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

After a pause, I gave her a small nod.

"I suppose so."

Vivian laughed softly at my lackluster response as her fingers brushed against my arm again as if to tease me further.

Mhm?
The scent of freshly baked pastries, grilled meats, and sweet drinks suddenly reached out to my nostrils, and it seemed to have reached Vivian's too.
"Do you smell that?" Vivian suddenly asked, her eyes lighting up as her head turned toward a nearby food stall.
Yeah, it really reached her.
I glanced over and noticed the vendor flipping what looked like small, round cakes on a sizzling grill.
The sweet, buttery smell wafted over to us, and Vivian tugged me in that direction before I could utter a single word.

"These are moon cakes," the vendor said with a cheerful grin when we approached.

"Perfect for an evening stroll. Soft, sweet, and warm… just like love, don't you think?"

He gave us a playful wink.

Gosh.

I guess we do kinda look like a couple.

"How romantic... don't you think so, Aestrea?" She laughed, before then looking at me with a teasing gaze.

"I think you're just hungry."
I replied flatly, though I couldn't stop the slight smirk tugging at my lips.

She turned back to the vendor, ignoring my comment.

"Two, please."

"Coming right up!"

While the vendor prepared the cakes, Vivian turned her attention to me, her arm still looped through mine.

"You're no fun, you know that?"

"I'm plenty of fun," I replied, raising an eyebrow.
"I just don't see the need to pretend food is poetry."
Besides, you'll probably make me pay for these cakes.

"Food is poetry if you enjoy it enough," she shot back with a small grin.

"But don't worry—I'll teach you to appreciate the finer things in life. You can start by paying for these cakes."

I knew it.

"So that was your plan?" I asked, making a look of betrayal as I handed the vendor a few coins, and also telling him to keep the change.

"I get lured out on a date, and now I'm the one paying?"
"Oh, don't be so dramatic."
Vivian smiled as she took the warm cake from the vendor, handing one to me.
"Thank you, sir!" she said politely before turning back to me.
"See? It's worth it."
I shook my head but took a bite of the cake anyway. It was soft, warm, and sweet with a slight honeyed flavor.
I had to admit… it was pretty good.
"Not bad, right?" Vivian asked, looking at me with a victorious grin.
"Sure."
"I knew it!" she laughed sweetly.
"But, let's keep walking. I don't want us to be late for dinner."
"You made a reservation? It must be pretty fancy."
"You know it~"
By the time we reached the restaurant, the street had grown quieter, though the charm of the capital remained.
The place Vivian had chosen was tucked away at the corner of a cobbled square, its golden lights shining warmly through tall glass windows.
A few tables had been set outside under the soft glow of lanterns, where couples laughed quietly over plates of food.
The smell of herbs, roasted meats, and fine wine lingered in the air.
"It really is fancy."
"Only the best for my dear Aestrea"
She teased me once again, giving me yet another wink as we were shown to a table near the window.
The inside of the restaurant was warm and elegant, with soft music playing in the background.
Candles flickered gently at each table, and the soft hum of conversation created a comfortable atmosphere.
As we sat down, Vivian looked across at me with a pleased smile splattered on her gorgeous face.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing..." She rested her head on her chin, looking at me with those shiny golden eyes.

"I'm just enjoying the fact that my star student is on a date with me. It's cute."

"You're strangely smug about this."

I replied back, leaning against the chair.

It was quite comfy.

'I should get one of these.'

I noted in the back of my mind.

"Of course I am! I worked hard for this, you know." She waved a hand dramatically before picking up the menu.
"Now, what do you feel like eating?"
"You're actually letting me choose?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Well no. I was just being polite."
She smiled back before calling the waiter.
This woman...
After a few minutes, the food arrived soon after—roasted meats glazed with spices, soft bread fresh from the oven, and bowls of fragrant soup.
We started eating, and Vivian immediately started the conversation which soon led to her experiences teaching students.
"And then he accidentally summoned a water spirit in the middle of class," Vivian was saying as she took a sip of her wine, taking breaks to let out a small laugh.
"The entire classroom was soaked within minutes. I swear I'll never forget the look on his face—completely drenched but still trying to act like it was intentional."
"Sounds like your students are a handful," I replied with a small smile.
If that happened with any of my classmates we'd probably laugh out loud, but in the end, I would buy him or her a meal.
"Oh, they are. But they're good kids… just like you." she smiled playfully.
"Ah, really? Then should I consider you a predator for taking a kid on a date?" I replied back with an even wider smile.
"You're man enough for that." she avoided my gaze for a while.
But soon enough, she started laughing as I did the same.
We were having fun.
Unfortunately, that fun was about to come to an end.
We left the restaurant about an hour later, the night now fully settled over the capital.
The streets had grown quieter, with only a few people wandering here and there.
Vivian slipped her arm through mine again as we walked, her heels clicking softly on the stone pavement.
"I told you I had the perfect place in mind."
She smiled proudly.
"Yeah, the food really was good."
I smiled faintly, feeling the soft moonlight glowing on my face.
Surprisingly, after seeing my smile, Vivian seemed to have frozen, her lips were slightly parted from each other as she stared deep into my eyes.
Click...
She took a step forward as her arm slipped away from mine, and reached out to the direction of my neck...
This...
I gulped down.
Wait.
Why does this look familiar?
Tap, tap, tap...!
The moment was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps.
Of course...!
Who the fuck ruined the kiss scene this time?!
I glanced to the side and saw a group of men stepping out from the shadows of an alleyway.
There were four of them, all wearing rough clothes and carrying poorly hidden knives. The man in front grinned wickedly, his eyes darting between Vivian and me.
This guy... he's a D-rank user, and thinks he can assault us?
"Well, what do we have here?" he sneered arrogantly.
"A couple out for a fancy night, huh? Looks like you've got plenty to spare. Why don't you hand over your wallet and make this easy?"
After hearing his words, my hand twitched toward where I normally kept my sword—though I hadn't brought it with me tonight.
Well, I guess I'll need to beat him up instead of cutting him.
But, before I could do anything, Vivian let out a soft sigh from behind me.

"Really?" she muttered with a disappointed tone.

In the next second, everything happened at once.
Swish!
Vivian stepped forward, raised her hand—and with a quick flick of her wrist, an invisible force erupted from her fingertips.

The robbers didn't stand a chance.

Crash!

All four of them were sent flying backward as though struck by a hurricane, crashing into barrels and crates with pained yelps.

The leader's knife clattered uselessly to the ground as he groaned, sprawled out in a heap.

I turned to Vivian, my mouth slightly open.

She dusted off her hands with a satisfied smile and turned to me, having the most innocent expression ever on her face.

"Where were we?"

My lips twitched upon seeing her face.
It's no surprise that her prestigious title is...
Red Devil.