Chapter 1. Betrayal
The glow of my monitor bathed my darkened room in a soft blue light, flickering slightly as I clicked through yet another dialogue choice. My fingers hovered over the mouse, my mind half-focused, my body running on nothing but caffeine and sheer addiction.
This was my third all-nighter in a row, but I wasn't about to stop.
Academy of Roses.
It was just another eroge I had picked up out of boredom, something to pass the time between my dead-end part-time job and my uneventful daily routine. But somehow, it had consumed me. The branching storylines, the intricate character relationships, the way each choice could lead to wildly different outcomes—it all pulled me in like a whirlpool, refusing to let go.
And yet, there was one thing about this game that pissed me off.
Cassius Lancaster.
I clicked through another scene, watching as the elegant, violet haired nobleman stepped onto the academy grounds. Dressed in a pristine white uniform with gold embroidery, Cassius looked like he had everything. He was rich, handsome, engaged to one of the main heroines, Amelia Everhart. On the surface, he seemed like he was destined for greatness.
But I knew better.
In every single route, he was a joke.
His fiancée would always fall for the protagonist, Leon Stroud, leaving Cassius to flounder like a fool. Sometimes he was merely ignored, cast aside like an afterthought. Other times, he was outright humiliated—walking in on Amelia cheating, being beaten in a duel, or even getting expelled from the academy for one reason or another.
I gritted my teeth as I watched Amelia's sprite appear on the screen, her long silver hair flowing behind her as she gazed lovingly at Leon.