The move bordered on impropriety, pressing close to Lan Xinyi. His arm felt the exquisite touch of her dewy-soft skin through her thin uniform. Yet Mirror October harbored not a shred of lustful thoughts; it was merely a lingering habit from his past, slightly ambiguous.
“My apologies, that was rude of me,” he said, withdrawing his arm without a trace of awkwardness, calm as if nothing had happened. It wasn’t that Mirror October sought advantage. Bluntly, would you feel aroused by something you instinctively hated enough to grind your teeth?
“Thank you so much. I’d have made a fool of myself otherwise,” Lan Xinyi replied. The feverish blush on her cheeks faded quickly as she composed herself from that lapse, silently cursing her loss of control. In that instant when Mirror October held her, Lan Xinyi truly felt the presence of someone long gone… as if that person still fiercely protected everyone, so reassuring she couldn’t help but be immersed.
This slender, almost fragile beauty of a boy, Mirror October, always struck precisely at Lan Xinyi’s most vulnerable defenses.
“You’re an A-Class hero. How could you ever embarrass yourself?”
“You never know,” she said. “Just now, I was careless and let you…” No man had ever dared to brazenly embrace the Winter Empress like that! Though this mature woman appeared poised, she’d never shared such intimate contact before.
Mirror October saw Lan Xinyi’s awkward struggle to respond. He offered a soothing smile, letting the matter drop. That ambiguous contact had bridged the gap between them. Unbeknownst to Lan Xinyi, the polite distance she’d kept had vanished completely.
Like a trusted old friend, or an object of unconscious fascination…
Only Mirror October, with his ever-clear mirror heart, noticed her swift shift. For others, this meant good fortune; for him, it likely meant trouble. She was an A-Class hero. The Central Bureau wouldn’t ignore the Winter Empress—necessary inquiries were inevitable.
“Teacher, which subject do you teach?”
He showed just the right hint of confusion. Such yearning from an ascetic-looking handsome man was irresistible. Even Lan Xinyi, who saw shadows of the past in him, felt her ears flush red again. He was simply too alluring!
This pure, mirror-like boy had a devastating effect on mature women. She nearly blurted out “the health and hygiene course—little brother, want to see something nice privately?” but rationality held, sparing her image.
“…Professional butler etiquette.”
“Oh, that’s an incredible course. I never expected you to teach it, Teacher,” Mirror October said, his crimson eyes lighting up. He raised his phone, showing the ranking of butler course importance. Lan Xinyi’s class was the most essential!
Just as he eagerly continued, his expression froze. Approaching was Ruosui Jing, chatting and laughing with pretty girls. Though their academies had vastly different statuses, chance encounters happened. Mirror October hadn’t forgotten his disguise as a good brother.
He stopped, face lighting up to greet her. But she merely glanced at him and Lan Xinyi, eyes revealing a trace of deep disgust.
The groups passed by. Ruosui Jing ignored Mirror October completely. Such behavior hurt pride. Couldn’t she maintain basic politeness? Probably feared losing face—his past reputation wasn’t great, but this sister was truly annoying.
Inside, he remained calm as an autumn lake, undisturbed like crystal. Yet naturally, he showed a hint of hurt. Such a reaction fit his gentle brotherly role, didn’t it?
“Is that… your ex-girlfriend?”
Lan Xinyi wore a subtle expression. As a mature woman, she read the intense hostility in that girl’s gaze. It felt as if… she’d seduced the boy beside her into corruption.
“No, my sister,” Mirror October replied, face unnaturally pale. His smile looked pitifully forced. Ununderstood by others, his path was destined for near solitude. For him, the Jigsaw Sect he founded might be the only true other half.
Compared to Ruosui Jing, the reserved Mirror October wasn’t eye-catching. She was beautiful and outstanding; no one would link them as siblings. Even Lan Xinyi first thought they were lovers. How interesting—the sister a hero, the brother a butler.
“Her name is Ruosui Jing, isn’t it? Your sister, October.”
“Hm? Do you know Ruosui too, Teacher?”
He hadn’t investigated and didn’t know Lan Xinyi was dean of the Butler Academy, so he seemed surprised. But as an A-Class hero, even a regular instructor had channels to learn things.
“Her enrollment caused a sensation. In the first round of hero aptitude tests, she broke records and was slated to become a future S-Class hero.” A slated S-Class hero, already fawned over. But to veterans like them, she was just an immature child.
Exceptional talents naturally grew proud. Yet talent didn’t guarantee achievement on a hero’s path. Rank didn’t equal combat power. Unless it was SS-Class or someone like Mirror October with an insurmountable leap, differing by one rank still allowed defeat—or even death.
“October, do you want to become a butler for your sister’s sake?”
“No, Teacher. I chose to become a butler to observe more heroes.”
Mirror October still smiled gently. Yet, for some reason, in that brief instant, Lan Xinyi sensed a bone-chilling coldness from him, sharper than the Winter Empress’s ice…
