Chapter 55 | The Witch's Golden Trait? This Villain Farms It First!

Traveler's Street.

As the largest commercial district of the Imperial Royal Magic Academy, it was typically only open to students on weekends.

Drink shops, book archives, grocery stores, auction houses... its massive layout practically encompassed every form of entertainment imaginable.

Of course, as part of the campus, the currency circulating here was naturally not the Ziwei gold coins of the outside world, but—

【Ding! You have successfully spent 10 academy points.】

【Account Name: Lynn von Reinhardt】

【Year: 1】

【Current academy points: 90】

“Hey, are you kidding me? A tiny trinket like this costs ten academy points?”

A first-year's starting points were only a hundred, okay?

Lynn fiddled with the academy badge on his chest that had just broadcast the notification, grumbling as he stuffed the newly bought hairpin into his pocket.

If he hadn't seen that the style suited Lilian quite well, he would never have bought such an overpriced item from that unscrupulous merchant.

Standing to the side, Anna took in his entire sequence of actions.

It was a cherry blossom hairpin carved from pink crystal. Delicate streams of magical light were sealed within its petals, and with just a slight infusion of mana, it would scatter firefly-like specks of light over the tips of one's hair.

Pink, tender, and cute. No matter how one looked at it, it didn't seem like something Lynn would use himself.

Anna's amber eyes narrowed slightly.

He must be buying it for little Pera.

Right after entering the academy, he had rushed over to pick out a gift for Veronica. Hmph, at least this guy had a bit of a conscience.

But...

Recalling how her close friend's eyes would unconsciously light up whenever Lynn was mentioned after returning from the North, Anna still felt a faint trace of annoyance rise in her heart.

He hurt her so deeply in the past. Now, he thinks he can just coax Pera back by buying some pretty accessories?

【Emotion Points +80】

Sensing the incoming Emotion Points, Lynn glanced at the gently smiling "Sasha" beside him.

What on earth is this girl imagining now?

He didn't speak, his gaze continuing to sweep across the stall before finally stopping on another hairpin.

“Boss, wrap this one up too.”

Anna's expression froze slightly.

...Too?

She cleared her throat and spoke in a seemingly casual manner.

“Is Classmate Lynn buying a gift for a friend? Maybe I can give you some advice?”

“Oh?”

Lynn's interest was instantly piqued.

To be honest, as a rough guy who believed clothes could be worn as long as they didn't smell, Lynn was really not good at fashion coordination and aesthetics.

‘But if the noble and elegant Imperial Princess from the game is here to advise, she'll definitely be able to give a lot of good suggestions, right?’

“Do tell, do tell.”

Seeing the youth before her asking so humbly, Anna decided to drop the pretense and get straight to the point.

“If you don't mind me asking, what is the general temperament and appearance of the person you're gifting this hairpin to?” Right after saying this, she gasped coyly. “Of course, if it's inconvenient for you, Classmate Lynn, then...”

Lynn picked up the laurel hairpin and gestured with it against the sunlight. “Ah, there's nothing I can't say. It's just for an old friend of mine.”

“As for her appearance... she's probably a reasonably pretty, blonde little shorty. Her temperament...”

“Well, she always looks like everyone owes her half a million.”

“...”

It took a massive amount of mental effort for Anna to connect the image he described with Veronica.

This guy, the blonde little shorty he mentioned...

Probably, maybe, possibly... refers to little Pera?

“Cough, cough, I think I generally understand what you mean.” She cleared her throat twice.

“It seems your friend is a lady with dazzling, golden long hair, a youthful yet elegant posture, who strictly abides by etiquette. Am I correct?”

Right... right?

Looking at the smiling, narrowed eyes of the girl before him, Lynn nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, exactly.”

“Hmm~ I see...” Anna drawled, taking a closer look at the second hairpin Lynn had chosen.

The hairpin was woven with fine gold wire into laurel branches and leaves, with a clear blue gemstone embedded in the center. The style wasn't flashy, yet it carried a touch of elegance and holiness.

Hmm... she had to admit, this really suited little Pera quite well.

At first, she had even hesitated over whether she should deliberately help Lynn choose a style that Veronica hated the most, so as to ruin his chance of coaxing Pera back. But in the end, she gave up on the idea.

Forget it. No matter how much she wanted little Pera to see this scumbag's true colors, she couldn't do it at the cost of hurting her...

Thus, within a brief minute, Lynn witnessed a spectacular show of changing facial expressions.

Anna's tranquil, pretty face went from confused to gloomy, and finally, she cast a slight glare at Lynn with her beautiful eyes, thinking she was being subtle.

With a sweet smile on her face, her voice trembled slightly with reluctance. “This hairpin really suits your friend~ It seems your relationship with your friend is...”

“...very good.” Although it was a standard compliment, Lynn felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.

This one was for Veronica.

Then who was that pink cherry blossom one from earlier for?

The smile on her face remained gentle, but her gaze gradually grew subtle.

To go out of his way to pick matching gifts for his ‘friends’ right after entering the school~ What a truly grand ‘friendship’~

So that was it.

This was the man Pera was once again pining over?

Coaxing his childhood friend and an unknown wild woman at the same time, yet he could actually act as if it were completely natural.

A womanizer.

Experienced.

And completely devoid of guilt.

【Emotion Points +100】

“...”

The continuous stream of Emotion Points finally confirmed one fact for Lynn, which was—

The Imperial Princess Anna before him, whom he was meeting for the first time, seemed to be genuinely extremely displeased with him!

...I didn't seem to provoke her, did I? It couldn't be some unknown side story from the background setting acting up again, right?

‘Could it be that I really have some sort of taunt aura that comes with being a minor villain?’

What exactly about him buying Lilian and Veronica a gift each was worthy of Her Highness the Princess getting this angry?

It couldn't possibly be because—

She wanted one too?

Lynn glanced at Anna's aqua-blue long hair, then scanned the remaining accessories on the stall.

Anna immediately noticed his actions. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.”

“...”

He was absolutely picking out a third gift just now, wasn't he? He even wanted to buy a hairpin for a strange girl he just met?

Anna puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

As expected, he's a philandering playboy who never turns anyone down!

【Emotion Points +80】

Again!

...Reasonably speaking, as the grand Second Princess of the Empire, her chest—er, her mind shouldn't be this narrow, right?

Lynn's gaze shifted downward imperceptibly for a brief moment.

Yes. At least in the physical sense, it wasn't narrow.

“Classmate Lynn?”

Anna noticed his gaze, her smile growing even more gentle.

【Emotion Points +30】

Lynn immediately shifted his gaze away, shaking the laurel hairpin in his hand. “Since the expert says it's suitable, I'll buy this one.”

“Boss, how many academy points?”

The stall owner had been waiting on the side for a long time, and upon hearing this, a warm, enthusiastic smile immediately spread across his face.

“Junior has great taste! This laurel hairpin was crafted from a Tier 3 water-attribute magic crystal. The gemstone in the center not only helps the wearer focus their mind, but also has a weak purifying effect. It is perfect as a gift for an elegant lady—”