"Prince Wu Chen! It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Likewise, meeting you has been a pleasure for me too
"Hello Prince Wu Chen, I hope you could spare some of your time to attend my humble gathering"
I'll keep that in mind, if I have the time to spare, I will attend it
"Uhm, P-Prince Wu Chen… W-Would you accept this gift from me?"
Of course, your gift will always be remembered by me, and I will surely enjoy its content.
"Prince Wu Chen, regarding our deal about the acquisition of the 34th rooms in the 3rd Annex building…"
Of course, I am still contemplating on how I should advance the plan, rest assured…
Another day, another socializing and networking for Wu Chen, it has become such a repetition for him that it becomes taxing.
Every answer blurred with each other, each pleasantry melted with others, no genuineness in his everyday interaction for everything is a calculated chess move.
It's been like this every day for Wu Chen.
To expand his influence, he must be bold and interact with almost every powerful or influential individual within the Academy.
And now he was overwhelmed, too many promises he had made and not enough time to fulfill all of them.
A mistake of his part, but nothing cannot be fixed without some convincing.
But for the last 3 weeks, he barely has any time for himself, let alone to study.
Ni Len comes by and helps every now and then alongside Xiu, but they too were busy in their respective class and Gu Liang is buried in his own assignment.
"Hahhh"
He sigh, every now and then he realizes that he occasionally wanders without purpose, trying to avoid people.
He needs some time alone, and the current situation does not permit him to.
"Greeting Prince Wu Chen…"
And so, the day just passes by like some smoke in a strong wind.
The previously bright sky of bright blue leaks orange of dusk as the night rolls around.
What a fucking treat, he really wanted to just lie down in his bed.
But even in his own room he occasionally receives guests, so the notion is useless.
"Prince Wu Chen, fancy meeting you here…"
And now it's night.
Another blur, if it goes on like this me might've become a Fallen sooner or later.
"…Gosh"
Wu Chen sat alone on a bench in the middle of nowhere, technically it was hidden by Bamboo grooves, and no one went there accidentally.
"Prince Chen? What are you doing here?"
…
Gosh fucking damn it.
Where do they keep appearing from?
It's like someone is purposely sending the students his location to bother him.
Wu Chen is really in the middle of nowhere now.
In a place full of Ghost, their weaken voice inhibited by the Sect Array is terrifying, but it's better than hearing another 'Prince Wu Chen' again.
"…"
I wanted to train, I wanted to become strong
He thought, but not really, it was a Ghost talking.
How damaged is his psyche that he assumes the words of the ethereal to be his own?
"…Gu Tian"
He absents mindedly uttered her name.
They rarely meet with each other, now that Wu Chen is popular, Gu Tian with her timid personality cannot go anywhere near him without being bothered by pleasantries as well.
And Gu Tian herself too, has become somewhat of an eye candy.
Wu Chen even heard something about 'The Academy Auspicious Jewel' where Gu Tian, Wu Lizha and Laiza as well as Yuen and Wu Lixian. Even Nanming were nominated to be one.
Her names and figures were therefore coveted and become someone many fantasized and scrutinized about, her name is often included in their sick fantasy or mockery.
For Wu Chen himself, uttering her name becomes a sort of mantra to ward off his tiredness away like some kind of spell.
Saying it like that reminded him of her cheeky face, he always wondered what would happen if he pinched her cheeks.
Will she scream? Yelp? Or just let it happen shyly?
"Gu Tian…"
He tested the name once more, feeling his heart fluttering wildly when thinking about her.
And the act of Thinking anything except Socializing does help him to some extent, but it's just a temporary measure.
This musing of his continues until the sound he abhors permeates the night.
He hears the Crowing of distant rooster in their fiery temper to greet the dawn.
The Damned Dawn.
.
.
.
Southern Academy is a place where one can hone one's skills to prepare for their future, in fact every Academy works like this.
But given the fact that the Southern Academy stance on prioritizing the freedom of its students, alongside their inherent risk, has led to many interesting scenes not found anywhere in the other Academy.
That is, a living ecosystem and social sphere independent inside of the Academy, it's like its own City in-short.
Students of the Merchantry class holler their stuff, mostly food and makeshift beauty products.
Students of the Combat class hunt for games in the vast forest technically inside of the Academy.
And even Information brokers where one can seek information about others for a price.
Most of this specialized Class can only be accessed once they pass the First Semester.
But it doesn't stop another phenomenon that comes with this independent sociological sphere. High-class gatherings.
In fact, one was held right here, in a garden situated in a vast flat-plain. Offering magnificent views of the nearby Guzhiang Stone Forest, it's a top spot for this kind of gathering.
In this early morning, the girl of many Semesters converges and socializes, gossips, tell stories or simply develop their own network.
And eventually, the many girls form their own circle within the gatherings, based off interest, like, or even class.
Even though technically the Caste system is ignored here, it doesn't mean that the rules were up-hold.
Gu Tian, who somehow got roped in into these gatherings belongs in a circle of the highest fame in this 'monthly' gatherings.
The Academy Auspicious Jewel.
Name reminiscent of the previous Tang Empress highly esteemed The Heavenly Jewel.
Not filled with those from a high-borne house or Great Clan. Just someone who is considered the Academy most beautiful students.
"Soo what do you guys think about this Academy most handsome students?"
A girl with auburn hair spoke, enthusiastically started a topic that has been shimmering in this conversation for quite a while.
"Hmm, a tough choice… There is soo many handsome boys here…"
To which another girl with silky hair responded, she rests her chin with both of her hands as she cast her gaze upwards, dreaming, maybe.
"So many cute one too"
Another one said, she is fair and breathtakingly beautiful.
She glances left and right to see if there is a boy peeking at them given that the place they choose to be in was open for all to see, and not very conspicuous spot at that.
Several other girls then chimed in, voicing their own opinion.
Gu Tian, who has been struggling to follow the ever-changing topics, chooses to retreat into the sideline.
She didn't talk at all even once over the duration of the Gatherings.
First, she didn't know anyone.
Second, she just got back from another failed Physical Class, and she just wanted to lie down to rest
Third, is she even qualified to talk about this topic?
She somewhat follows what this girl has been talking about, either food, perfume, beauty products and what-not, and now they are talking about boys?
Maybe because most of the girls here are sheltered, therefore they didn't get a lot of chances to meet a boy.
Gu Tian is technically sheltered, but she often escapes the confinement of her house and plays around with boys outside her manor.
In her eyes, boys are reckless, brash and insensitive.
Therefore, she didn't see the charm in their handsomeness if their inside were ugly.
"Wu Chen is a good candidate, no?"
A blonde girl chimes in. Hearing his name, Gu Tian can't help but to close in to hear their chatter a bit clearer.
"He's cute, and above all, he is a Wu Clan prince!"
"Yes! I've been dying to meet him, like, he is so cute it really makes my heart tingles"
"I-I've actually talk with him once, h-he's really kind too"
Hearing their words fading into the background as Gu Tian's heart race not with second-hand embarrassment from hearing that stupid playboy being associated with cute and handsome and dashing and kind and what-not.
She is not mad, no, impossible.
She is just… irritated.
Fortunately, the sound of her teeth grinding together cannot be heard from the endless chatter of the girls.
"I really, really wanted to scuff him and have my way with him~"
One said, eliciting others to chimes in and shares their own abhorrent fantasy.
"…"
Gu Tian could only shed her malice-filled gaze towards those low-born.
She bet they hadn't met him in person, she bet they cannot call him without using honorifics and his Clan name attached, in fact Gu Tian bet they could only dream about even going on the first name basis with him in the first place.
Yet Gu Tian has done all that, therefore it's only right that he belongs to…
"…What am I thinking"
Gu Tian swallowed her thoughts whole, finding the entire notion of competing with those ugly bitch stupid in the first place, she decided to go away from the gatherings.
It's the perfect time to do it too, she longed for a chance to get away from these nauseating gatherings, and now that everyone was engrossed with their own fantasy regarding the idiot playboy, it makes her quest a lot easier.
As she walked, and walked, and walked.
Her thoughts replayed those low-born words, even when their chatter died down and fade into the rustling of wind.
All they see is his mask, his performed self, not his real authentic self that Gu Tian has seen.
Their feelings for him are a simple desire, nothing more.
They just wanted the fame of being in a relationship with a Wu Clan Prince, not Chen.
As she thought about it, it seems that both him and Gu Tian shared the same fate.
Gu Tian always knows how others saw her as just a pretty princess, just an object to be admired and a flower to be gazed upon not for who she is, but because of what she is.
It's the part of the reason why she sinks herself into training martial arts to the point of near-death exhaustion.
The memories about how her kidneys ruptured because she recklessly tried to channel energy into her legs to allow her to move faster.
The acrid taste of her own blood as she vomits it alongside the acidic bile of her stomach, pain is a close friend and a nemesis of Gu Tian.
All because she wanted others to see her not as the Gu Clan Princess, not as the Candidate for the Dawn Star, not as a pretty girl but as herself, Tian.
'Tian means Heaven or Sky in the ancient scripture'
The words of her mom, replaying once more to comfort her anxious self.
She loves her so much, she is the only one in her past who truly loves her for who she is. The only beacon of light that shines down on her accursed life.
Her death at Dawn, shakes her so much that she feels like wanting to die, to follow her mother to the afterlife.
Yet she lacks the courage to do so, she is just a pathetic cowardly girl after all, no amount of martial training can change the self.
She decided to sit under a tree, its shade covering her from the morning tickle of dawn as those bitter memories rise once more.
"Damned Dawn…"
She muttered, cursing the world as much as she curses her own fate.