SWNOVELXO Chapter 11: Stay Away From Rin!
Lucien stood in front of a door, with his hands in his pockets. He would do anything not to enter this room and also not to meet the man behind that door.
'Tsk! Here goes nothing...'
He muttered and grabbed the knob.
His jaw was tight as he entered the lavish drawing room, where sunlight streamed over polished floors and velvet drapes, but the air felt like ice.
His father was already there, waiting for him. He knew his son would definitely visit him and here he was.
"Lucien," the man said smoothly, swirling a glass of red wine like blood in his hand. "You didn't come to your dorm last night."
Lucien said nothing. He stayed a few paces from the man, arms folded, expression cold.
"It shouldn't be any of your concern where I spend my night, Duke Vortellion," he frowned. "Besides, why have you come here?"
"I got an Intel of an unregistered omega staying at the academy. So I came to get it,"
"It?" Lucien asked. "The 'It' you're referring to is a person,"
"Does it matter?" His father carefully placed his glass on the table before leaning forward. "Besides, I saw something interesting this morning. A new face. Male... He looks so fragile, pretty and... those red eyes... he didn't look scared at all," His father's smile was slow and sharp. "Your taste is starting to resemble mine."
"Did you meet Rin?" He asked, stepping forward.
"Ah! Rin! That's his name, right?" His father rubbed his chin, wearing an interesting look on his face.
"You better stay the fuck away from him," Lucien said, voice low.
His father raised a brow, but the amusement never left his face.
"Why? He's not marked. Not registered. Not claimed by anyone. I could either have him collared and sent to the capital or include him in my 'Game'"
Lucien's fists clenched.
"Don't touch... him."
His father chuckled, picking up the glass and swirling it.
"It's cute when you think you can order me around. You forget whose blood runs through your veins."
Lucien didn't answer. He turned to leave, rage boiling under his skin. He already regretted coming to see his father. His father only visits the academy when there's work to do, regarding unregistered Omegas.
Since he was caught last night, he was supposed to leave today but instead... He had already seen Rin. So he won't leave yet.
'Shit!' he cursed inwardly.
"Bring him to me, Lucien. Or I'll come find him myself. I want to see the kind of person he is for myself,"
Lucien's steps paused.
His father sipped his wine. "You know how games work. The moment he steps on the board... he belongs to the highest bidder."
"Then I'll become the highest bidder. Even if it's not for Rin, I'll be leaving this academy soon,"
His father heard that and flinched.
Leaving soon? Why? No...
"You can't leave. Your graduation is in three months,"
"I don't have to wait for it," he waved his hand. "Also, don't think you can stop me, Duke,"
He concluded and left, slamming the door hard.
The duke remained at the spot, with his hand secretly clenched under the table.
"That jerk can't return home now..." He mumbled to himself. "Seems like I'll have to stop him myself,"
.
.
Back in the staff dorm, Rin dropped the box of gifts on his bed, sighing.
He'd barely escaped the Dean's office and Lucien's unnerving smirks. His head still buzzed, and worst of all...
DING.
He heard the system sound. It was different from before. This time, it was louder and clearer.
'The system is no longer half-dead, it seems so'
[System Online.]
[Host: Kim Myung Uploaded Successfully.]
[Current Vessel: Rin Elric — Omega.]
[Initiating Status Screen...]
Name: Rin Elric (Kim Myung)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Secondary Gender: Omega (Fake Beta)
Level: 2
Health: 80/100
Strength: 3
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 8
Endurance: 10
Libido: 1
Condition: Pheromones half-locked
Staring at the floating pink box, he sighed.
His stats were still the same, except that he had gone up by one level.
'How did I go up by one level?'
DING!
[Warning – Pheromone suppression limit will weaken with use.]
[Advice: Avoid prolonged exposure to triggers and suppress scent naturally.]
Rin flinched. "What the actual f..."
DING!
[Reminder: In the original timeline, the subject was murdered due to excess attention from the female lead and surrounding characters.]
[Recommendation: Blend in without attracting attention.]
[Progress: 0% success.]
"I am trying!" Rin growled, kicking the bed. "Don't fucking remind me! 0% progress???? Have I been doing nothing?"
Suppressant fatigue was creeping in. His body felt sluggish and hot despite the meds. He rubbed his neck where the scent gland pulsed faintly, uncomfortable even under layers.
"Fuck, I hate this omega life," he grumbled and sat up.
He turned to the box of gifts and started picking through them, lips twisting at the mix of chocolates, perfume, weird plushies, and letters.
"Why is there a bra in here again?" he muttered. "Did Elna not pick this one out?"
But one envelope stood out... plain, there wasn't a name on it. The others were pink or blue with stickers and love paintings on them. But this one was a thick paper and had no scent.
He opened it.
Inside was a folded letter. Elegant handwriting in blood-red ink.
Stay away from Lucien.
He doesn't belong to you. He never will.
Go close to him again, and I'll rip you to a million pieces
~Anonymous
Rin froze.
His heart stuttered. He checked the envelope one more time, flipping it to the other side. There was no name. He had no clue where the letter came from or the sender.
It was just a... threat.
DING!
[Warning - Targeted hostility detected.]
[Threat Level: Moderate.]
[New Mission Unlocked.]
[Mission Loading...]
Rin's eyes widened.
"A mission?" He seemed a bit nervous. "Of Course, it's a system... There should be missions,"
[Mission Loading Complete...]
Mission: Survive the Week.
Duration: 7 Days
Goal: Avoid critical encounters with known threats (Lucien's Lovers = Rin's enemies)
Reward: Unlock Basic Skill - (Pheromone Concealment Lv. 1) and +5 to all stats
Failure Penalty: Death. Again.
Progress: 0/3 Threats Avoided
.
.
Rin threw the letter away like it was on fire.
"What the hell is going on? First Lucien, now his lovers? And there have to be three of them..."
He sat on the bed, breathing hard. He wanted ramen. Peace. Sleep and more ramen.
Instead, he had an overpowered predator stalking him... and apparently a system with an attitude.
DING!
[Advice: Consider seducing a target to gain protection and delay elimination.]
[Suggested Target: Lucien Vortellion.]
Rin gawked. "Are you serious? He's the one who's gonna kill me!"
DING!
[Correction: In the original timeline, Lucien killed 'Rin Elric.' However, statistical simulations suggest seduction may delay death.]
[Seducing target may unlock harem...]
[Secondary Mission Available – Unlock Harem Route.]
{Do you accept? Yes/No}
"Harem? I'm a man. What do I need a harem for? Hold on..." He rubbed his chin as a grin crept on his face. "Harem... do you mean, ladies?"
Silence...
DING!
[NEGATIVE]
Rin tossed the system screen like it was a live grenade. "Keep your Men Harem and pending mission to yourself. I need sleep."
He buried himself under his blanket... and the smell of Lucien's shirt that still lingered faintly in his drawer.
He groaned, rolling onto his side.
"I just needed to survive and the harem route is a big no. Surviving is not that difficult, right?"
Right?
DING!
[Incoming Visit Detected.]
[Threat or Ally: Unknown.]
[Prepare for Encounter.]
"Unknown? Who the hell is it?"
There was a sudden knock at the door. A slow, deliberate knock.
Rin's breath caught.
"...Lucien?" he whispered.
There was no answer from the system. If it were Lucien, the system would have told him.
Another knock. Softer this time. Almost... gentle.
He stood slowly, barefoot, heart pounding as he reached for the doorknob. He prayed that he wouldn't regret it.
He flung the door open and froze.
It wasn't Lucien.
It was his father... His freaking father.