Graduation was finally coming.

Preparations had already started, and you could feel it in the way people talked, the way groups gathered more often than usual, and even in the subtle excitement that lingered in the air. Conversations that used to revolve around training or rankings were now slowly being replaced with talks about the future. About becoming magic knights. About what came next.

A lot of cadets were clearly thrilled.

Especially those who had been stuck in the silver and bronze classes before everything in the academy changed. For them, this was more than just graduation. It felt like a second chance, something they probably thought they’d never get. You could see it in their faces, in the way they carried themselves. There was pride there, and relief too.

On the other hand, the ones from the gold class didn’t exactly share that same level of excitement. Well, some of them.

It wasn’t hard to understand why.

They had spent all their time in the academy fighting to stay at the top, constantly pushing themselves just to remain in the gold class. It wasn’t something they were just handed. They earned that position, held onto it, and defined themselves by it. So hearing that people who never reached that level could now graduate alongside them and become magic knights too... yeah, that didn’t sit well.

Still, there wasn’t much they could do about it.

Complaining wouldn’t change anything. The system had already shifted, and most people were happy with it. That alone was enough to push things forward.

Right now, the majority mattered more than a handful of dissatisfied elites.

As for me, I was just walking toward the academy, taking everything in as I went.

The changes weren’t just limited to the people. The academy itself was already undergoing major adjustments.

With the help of the dwarves, the administration had decided to renovate all the dormitories. And when I say all, I mean every single one of them.

Since the class system had been completely removed, there was no longer any point in separating students into gold, silver, or bronze categories. That structure was gone. Because of that, the dorms had to reflect the new system too.

Before, the difference was obvious.

Bronze class dorms were... well, you could tell they were bronze. They got the job done, but that was about it. Silver class dorms were better, more comfortable, but still not exactly impressive. Then there were the gold class dorms, which were on an entirely different level. Spacious, well-designed, and honestly a little too luxurious for students.

That gap was exactly what they were trying to erase now.

Going forward, there wouldn’t be any visible difference. No hierarchy in living conditions. Just one standard for everyone.

Of course, there was one exception.

The gold class dormitory itself.

That building wasn’t something they could just tear down and rebuild like everything else. It was one of the oldest structures in Milham, practically a piece of history at this point. Destroying it would’ve caused more problems than it solved.

So instead of removing it, they chose to use it as a model. And remodel it a little bit.

The new dormitories would be rebuilt to resemble the gold class dormitory’s design. In a way, everyone would be living at that level moving forward.

Because of all this renovation work, the dorms were completely empty.

Cadets had been instructed to return to their respective homes for the time being.

With dwarves handling the construction, though, things were moving fast.

The whole project was expected to be finished in about a month.

And because of that sudden free time...

I ended up dealing with Agneis a lot more than usual.

Not that I was complaining or anything.

If I’m being honest, sex with Agneis was always good. Consistently good.

While walking along one of the academy paths, I noticed someone sitting alone on a bench near the fountain.

She wasn’t doing anything in particular.

Just sitting there.

Looking at me.

That alone was enough to tell me who it was before I even got closer.

I walked over and sat down beside her without saying anything at first.

"It seems like your mission to make the Princess into a Queen is already in motion," she said, breaking the silence. "With that last quest of hers, it looks like you’re finally done dominating her."

Estelle.

And yeah, she had that same mischievous smile as always. The kind that made it feel like she was watching a show and I was the main character without realizing it.

"I don’t even know how you managed to find that out," I said.

"We’re the same, after all," she replied casually, her smile not fading. "And from what I can see, you’re also maintaining a steady rhythm with the Vice Commander of the Magic Knights. That makes two fragments of Lilith falling in love with you."

She tilted her head slightly, studying me like I was something interesting.

"I honestly didn’t expect you to pull something like that off," she continued. "But here you are, moving exactly in the direction Lilith wants you to."

She leaned back just a little, clearly enjoying herself.

"So, how about you add me to your collection too?" she said. "I don’t think having me in your harem would really change the chances of Lilith reincarnating, right?"

Straight to the point, as usual.

"I don’t see a reason to do that right now," I answered. "The only reason I even had sex with Veronica in the first place was because it was necessary."

"Oh, so that’s how it is," she said, nodding slowly. "So you’re not going to touch us if it doesn’t benefit you. Got it."

There was a brief pause, but she didn’t seem bothered. If anything, she looked amused.

"But you do realize you’re slowly falling into Lilith’s hands, right?" she added. "At this pace, you’ll end up in her grasp before you even notice. And by then, you might already be out of the body you’re using now."

I glanced at her.

"What is that supposed to be, a threat?"

"No," she said with a small shrug. "Just some random advice, I guess."

She stood up from the bench, brushing off the back of her skirt like it actually mattered. A small, unnecessary gesture, but it fit her.

"Oh, and one more thing," she said, turning slightly. "I broke up with Senior Duncan. So I’m available now, I suppose."

She looked at me again, that same playful expression returning like it never left.

"If you ever feel like coming to me, just say it," she said with a wink. "I’ll spread my legs for you anytime."

Then came the flying kiss.

She turned and walked away like she hadn’t just dropped that so casually.

So... She broke up with Duncan?

That part stuck with me for a second.

It was surprising, sure.

But at the same time... not really.

Considering how she acted, how she treated things like they were all just part of a game, it wasn’t that hard to believe she had never taken it seriously in the first place.

Still, the timing was interesting.

Very interesting.