Variables

A young woman entered the classroom, drawing attention from every student in the room.

Her glossy raven-black hair cascaded down her shoulders in smooth waves, framing her delicate, porcelain-like face. The woman's icy blue eyes glistened with intelligence and a glint of coldness, captivating anyone who dared to meet her gaze.

Her student uniform, perfectly tailored to her slender figure, accentuated her graceful movements as she confidently made her way to an empty seat in the front row.

Every male in the classroom was momentarily stunned, even I lost my train of thought for a second, however, I quickly regained my composure.

'What the fuck are you doing here!?'

My face became something of a twisted mixture between disbelief and dread. I could feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead as panic rose within me.

Why is Luna, one of the protagonists, suddenly entering the classroom?

Trying to calm my racing thoughts, I quickly scanned the room, making sure that this really was the room of the Mana Control club and not some twisted nightmare or hallucination.

Unfortunately, I was indeed in the right place.

'Kee-p... C-alm...'

I clenched my fists under the table, desperately trying to hide my slightly trembling hands and maintain a composed exterior.

Luna wasn't supposed to be here, she should've picked the hand-to-hand combat and Ice Magic class, not Mana Control.

Her presence in this club could only mean one thing - the story is already going off-script.

'How did this happen...'

Glaring daggers at her slender back as she settled into her seat, I asked myself.

Did I do something to alter the course of the story unknowingly?

No, it couldn't be my doing. All I did was 'permanently borrow' the Ashen Armor and it shouldn't have affected Luna's choices in her club selection.

Unknowingly, my fingers began clenching the edge of the desk, leaving deep imprints in the wood.

Only after I felt splinters piercing my skin did I realize the strength of my grip.

'Shit.'

Abruptly releasing the desk, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

I was reacting too emotionally and impulsively.

Huff... Huff...

Taking a few calming breaths I allowed my mind to clear and my thoughts to settle.

Okay, Luna joined this club and this is definitely a deviation from the original storyline of the novel. I doubt that the Demon attack that is bound to happen during our outing will play out as expected now.

But I shouldn't panic just yet.

This was still salvageable.

All I need is for a specific Demon to die during the attack and if Luna was there, I could use her to kill him without even acting myself.

With a plan forming in my mind, I opened my eyes and glanced around the room.

Looking at all the students gathered, I slowly began to create a web of possible scenarios in my mind.

Unfortunately, I was no genius strategist and didn't have a high Intelligence stat, so I wasn't able to cook up elaborate plans or anticipate all the variables that could come into play.

All I did was successfully cause myself an even bigger headache than I originally had.

"Can I sit here?"

Suddenly, a sweet yet, for some reason, disgusting voice interrupted my thoughts.

Lifting my gaze, I instantly found the person who spoke.

The Demon Contractor was standing in front of Luna with a polite smile on his face. It would've been a charming sight if I didn't see the eerie darkness that lurked behind his eyes.

For a moment, both Luna and the Demon Contractor stared at each other in silence.

I, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel a small smile creeping onto my lips.

As if Luna would allow a random person to sit next to her without any hesitation. I more or less knew her response already. I was the reader of the novel, and I knew Luna's character inside and out.

Except for her brother and Arthur, she was wary of every other male character she encountered.

Too much had happened in her past for her to trust easily.

Being constantly chased after by many men for her wealth or body, Luna had grown to be cautious and guarded.

In her eyes, men were always motivated by ulterior motives, and she had learned to keep her distance.

"No, I prefer to sit alone."

And as I expected, Luna politely declined the Demon Contractor's request. Her blue eyes held a firm resolve, and the Demon Contractor's smile faltered for just a moment before he nodded and moved back to his original seat.

As I observed this exchange, a glimmer of hope flickered within me.

Maybe everything wasn't as bad as I had initially thought. As long as Luna remained vigilant and continued to trust her instincts, the possibility of her falling into the Demon Contractor's trap would be greatly diminished and she would be a great help in the outing.

"..."

Staring at her for a few more moments, I redirected my gaze toward the youth with blue hair.

These two are unknown variables, now is the question of how to use them to my advantage.

Before I could dive into my thoughts once again, the door to the classroom swung open and the president of our club entered the room.

"Sorry for being late, everyone."

He waved his hands with an apologetic expression as he made his way to the front of the class.

The after class club was finally beginning.