The Extra's Rise

After the massive incident at the Tower of Magic—the attack, the cultists, Evelyn, nearly dying, all of it—I took a step back.

For the first time in a long time, I restrained myself from jumping into more madness.

I still had to recruit for Ouroboros, my future guild. I still had plans, ambitions that needed groundwork.

But that could wait.

For now, I just wanted to breathe.

To relax.

And, of course, to train.

Summer break passed in a blur of quiet days and steady growth.

The one event I couldn't avoid, however, was Seraphina's Sweet Sixteen at Mount Hua Sect.

It was a grand affair, as expected from a princess of one of the strongest sects in the world. Lanterns lined the courtyards, casting golden light against the twilight sky. Musicians played soft melodies on traditional instruments enhanced by mana, their notes floating through the night air.

And, of course, all four of them were there.

Rose. Cecilia. Rachel. And Seraphina—the birthday girl.

All of them had gathered in one place.

And as the night stretched on, as laughter and conversations blurred into something almost too perfect, I realized—

It was time.

I couldn't delay it any longer.

I needed to confess.

To all four of them.

A Moment of Truth

I led them away from the main hall, away from the music and celebration, until we reached a quiet terrace overlooking the mountains.

The moon was high, bathing the world in silver light, while the distant peaks of Mount Hua stood silent and unmoving, like ancient sentinels watching over us.

The four of them stood there, watching me expectantly.

Rachel tilted her head, her sapphire eyes curious. "What is it, Arthur?"

Cecilia crossed her arms, smirking. "You're being dramatic."

Seraphina, as composed as always, simply watched me, waiting.

And Rose…

Rose already knew.

I took a breath.

No turning back now.

"I love all of you."

Silence.

The wind stirred, carrying the scent of cherry blossoms from the gardens below.

Rachel's eyes widened. Cecilia blinked. Seraphina, for the first time in a while, looked genuinely surprised.

Rose? She just smiled.

"I know."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Of course you did."

Cecilia narrowed her eyes. "You love all of us?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Rachel let out a breath, staring at me as if she were trying to memorize this moment. "You mean it?"

"I do."

Seraphina's gaze softened, her usual calm expression shifting into something warmer. "And you're telling us together?"

"Because I respect all of you," I said. "I won't lie, and I won't pretend to choose one over the others when that's not how I feel."

Rachel laughed softly, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous."

Cecilia sighed dramatically, but there was no real frustration in her tone. "You really had to make this complicated, huh?"

Rose just looked… content. Like she had expected this outcome all along.

Seraphina, ever the quiet one, stepped forward.

"Then," she said, her voice calm but certain, "I accept."

I blinked. "…Just like that?"

She tilted her head. "If I didn't want this, I would have told you already."

Rachel rolled her eyes, smiling. "Yeah, yeah. I accept too. You're lucky I already figured this would happen."

Cecilia sighed again, then smirked. "Hmph. Well, obviously I'm not backing out now. You're mine. Ours, I guess."

Rose?

She stepped up to me, reaching out, fingers brushing against my cheek.

"You already know my answer," she whispered.

Then she kissed me.

Soft. Warm. Certain.

And just like that—

The others joined in.

Rachel huffed. "Well, if she gets a kiss, so do I."

Cecilia grabbed my collar and pulled me down. "No way am I letting you get away with just that."

Seraphina, not one for dramatics, waited until they finished—then kissed me too, slow and deliberate.

I stood there, dazed, processing what had just happened.

Four incredible, powerful, beautiful girls.

And they all…

They all accepted me.

Rachel chuckled. "You look overwhelmed."

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "I mean, can you blame me?"

Cecilia smirked. "Get used to it."

Seraphina nodded. "From now on, we're all in this together."

Rose rested her head against my shoulder, smiling. "So, Arthur?"

I glanced down at her. "Yeah?"

She grinned.

"Are you happy?"

I let out a slow breath.

Looked at them.

Then smiled.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am."

__________________________________________________________________________________

I spent the last few days at Mount Hua, lingering in the company of the four girls who had somehow—against all odds—become mine, and I, theirs.

There was something surreal about it.

Seraphina's quiet presence, Rachel's sharp wit, Cecilia's endless teasing, and Rose's unwavering confidence—each of them pulled me in different directions, yet somehow, it all fit.

But all good things had to pause—if not end.

And so, after one last night beneath the lantern-lit courtyards, where laughter mingled with the sound of the wind whistling through the peaks, I returned to Avalon.

Because summer was ending.

And it was almost time to return to Mythos Academy.

Back in Avalon, our home was alive with the kind of nervous energy that only came with goodbyes.

Not just mine—

Aria's, too.

She stood by the door, arms crossed, looking decidedly unimpressed at the fuss my parents were making.

"This is so unnecessary," she muttered under her breath.

I smirked. "You say that now, but wait until you actually have to live in the dorms."

Slatemark Academy was in Avalon, yes, but like all elite academies, its students were required to stay on campus. Even Aria, despite the fact that she could probably walk home in twenty minutes if she wanted to.

My mother, in particular, was not handling it well.

She fussed over Aria, straightening the hem of her uniform for the tenth time, brushing invisible dust off her sleeves, and muttering about whether or not she had packed enough food, warm clothes, emergency supplies—

"Mom." Aria groaned, stepping back. "I'm not going to war."

My father chuckled from the side, hands in his pockets, watching the scene unfold with barely concealed amusement.

"You'd think she was shipping you off to the frontlines," he teased.

Mother shot him a look.

He wisely shut up.

I, meanwhile, was only half-listening.

Because as much as my mother fretted over Aria's departure, I could see it in her eyes—

The way she kept glancing at me, like she wanted to do the same thing but knew she couldn't.

Because I had already left once.

And now, I was leaving again.

"Arthur."

I turned as my mother stood before me, eyes soft.

She didn't say anything at first—just reached out and fixed my collar, the same way she had done a hundred times before.

I smiled. "You okay?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "You ask that like I have a choice."

I laughed. "You'll be fine. You survived a whole year without me."

"That doesn't mean I liked it," she muttered.

My father clapped me on the shoulder. "Try not to cause any international incidents this time, alright?"

I raised an eyebrow. "That feels like an oddly specific warning."

He grinned. "It's you. Specific warnings are required."

Aria snorted. "Agreed."
Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire

I rolled my eyes. "You're all hilarious."

But despite the teasing, despite the easy conversation, the weight of the moment settled in my chest.

Another year.

Another step forward.

One path leading to Slatemark Academy.

The other, to Mythos Academy.

We stood there for a moment longer, the four of us in the doorway, caught in the quiet before everything changed.

Then—the moment broke.

"Alright," I sighed, adjusting my bag. "Time to go."

It was time for my second year at Mythos Academy.