Before the blade could pierce Ren Castor’s skull, Jameson Sparrow’s hand shot upward and caught it midair.

Everything happened in less than a second.

"Are you alright?" Jameson asked, turning toward Ren.

Ren could only stiffly nod, still frozen from what had almost happened.

Then suddenly—

Jameson felt a sharp tug from behind.

His leather jacket was forcefully ripped off his shoulders without warning.

He turned around, trying to keep the same composed posture, only to see Cassien standing there.

"I’m so sorry about that, let me take off this jacket so you sweat less..." Cassien paused, staring at Jameson. "Guards! Someone has blood on their clothes!"

Cassien leaned toward Jameson’s ear.

"Are you alright? I’ll get you some medics. Not trying to disturb your little moment here, but I’d feel horrible if I didn’t have the guards escort you somewhere safe. I’m so sorry, I know this is all my fault."

Guards from inside quickly ran toward the three of them.

Everyone’s attention was stolen.

Even the pretty girls, whose eyes were all on the [Third Rate Villain].

"Oh my gosh! Not my dear Jameson!"

Jameson looked at Cassien one last time, gritting his teeth.

"Fucking bastard!"

"Shut up, dipshit," Cassien whispered. "I’m here trying to protect you, and this is the thanks I get?"

"You did this on purpose! I’ll kill you!" Mana rapidly escalated around Jameson’s body. "I told you, the next time we meet will be your last!"

Cassien giggled.

"I don’t think you’d want to do that right now..."

Just as Jameson was about to cast his first spell, the guards swarmed the both of them.

"Sir, we must take you to the infirmary for examination. This much blood is a disaster. What could’ve possibly happened?"

"I swear, this is nothing. Just let me go!"

They restrained Jameson with force, their bear-like strength making escape impossible.

"How did the guards at the front even let him inside? Did they not check under his jacket? Send him to the infirmary, quick."

Cassien forced fake tears into his eyes.

"A-as soon as I saw that, I almost felt like crying for him." His stutter made it even more convincing.

"Let me go!" The more Jameson struggled against the restraints, the harder they held him down.

But one person who formed a magical circle just beneath Jameson in an instant changed everything.

"Sleep."

That single word made Jameson collapse instantly.

"Take him while he’s down, come on."

"Poor guy, he must’ve gone through something before arriving here."

"Tell the guards at the front to be more thorough next time."

Somebody approached Cassien.

"He must be a friend of yours."

Cassien covered part of his face with one hand, sniffling before spitting to the side.

"He is. A very close one. Is everything going to be alright?"

"Don’t worry, kid. He looks fine. We’re just taking him in for some questioning for now."

Cassien smiled beneath his hand.

"Good."

"What was that, kid?"

Cassien quickly cleared away his fake tears.

"It was nothing."

The guard nodded before all of them walked away from the scene.

As Jameson was taken away, the crowd’s stares lingered on Cassien for only a moment.

Soon enough, everyone returned to whatever they had been doing.

Though some still watched the guards drag Jameson away, all that blood having gone unnoticed until Cassien removed his jacket.

Even Cassien wondered where all that blood had come from.

Still, he had more important matters to attend to.

Cassien turned around and spotted the protagonist, still frozen in shock as he watched Jameson being taken away.

’If he’s trying to change the novel, then I’ll change it for my own benefit.’

Just as he approached Ren, the pole aligned in the middle lifted itself further upward magically, while every light around them dimmed.

Then, Rosguard Academy’s entrance ceremony began.