Endymion Lin found himself puzzled as he followed Ryan's gaze, and then his eyes widened in surprise. What a stunning beauty!
She could truly be described as having an angelic face and a devilish figure. Her exquisite features were perfectly set on a striking oval face, with long, jet-black hair cascading down to her waist. A sleeveless, form-fitting top paired with a short skirt showcased her long, slender legs, exuding a hypnotic allure that clashed violently with her glacial gaze. Long before she even approached, Endymion could already feel the frost of her presence creeping over him.
"Could this be Celina Lioré?" he wondered quietly, glancing at Ryan's oddly nervous reaction. This cool, sexy beauty seemed to match the description of Celina Ryan had given.
"Ryan, where were you last night?" the girl, who seemed to radiate coldness, walked directly toward them, fixing her gaze on Ryan. Her voice was as crisp and melodic as before, but it carried an underlying chill that sent a shiver down Endymion's spine. Despite it being summer, he felt as though winter had suddenly arrived.
"Uh, Ice, I—I—" Ryan stammered, clearly rattled by her presence. Based on how he addressed her, it was clear she wasn't Celina Lioré.
"Ice?" Endymion couldn't help but smile slightly. The name suited her perfectly.
"What are you laughing at?" the girl—Ice—shot a frosty glance at Endymion.
"Huh? You're asking me?" Endymion pointed to himself, mouth agape. He hadn't expected her to come after him.
"Of course I'm asking you!" Ice sneered, her voice icy. "If not you, then who?"
"Ice, this is my friend, Endymion Lin. We were together last night," Ryan quickly interjected, eager to avoid further trouble.
"You were really with him last night?" Ice turned her cold gaze to Endymion.
"Uh…" Endymion looked at Ryan, who was silently begging for help. He sighed and nodded. "Yes, we were discussing a few things."
"Hmph, Ryan, next time you're staying out all night, let me know beforehand, or there will be consequences!" Ice seemed to accept Endymion's explanation. After warning Ryan, she turned and walked away.
"Phew, that was a close call!" As soon as she was out of earshot, Ryan exhaled in relief.
"Who is she?" Endymion asked curiously. This guy was supposedly obsessed with dating all the beautiful women at Nodding Academy, so why was he so terrified of this one?
"Her name's Tan Bingbing—or 'Ice' as Ryan fearfully called her—she's my fiancée," Ryan said with a long, pained sigh.
"Fiancée?" Endymion was surprised. "She just mentioned you staying out all night. Do you two live together?"
"Yeah, her family lives near the academy, and I stay with her," Ryan replied, looking even more miserable. "Honestly, I don't want to live there, but I don't have much choice. I'm too afraid of her to refuse."
"Haha, living with her must be pretty inconvenient for your… dating plans, huh?" Endymion teased.
"It's not just inconvenient—there's no opportunity at all! You don't know, this girl controls everything I do. It doesn't matter what I'm up to, she's always there, checking up on me. If I'm late getting home at night, I'll get an earful from her." Ryan looked miserable. "She's so controlling. Whatever she does or says, I can't oppose. And she's violent—every time I try to push back, she just uses brute force to shut me down."
"Aren't you an Esper? How can you not stand up to her?" Endymion asked, puzzled. He didn't yet know exactly what Ryan's abilities were, but he didn't expect him to be so helpless against a woman.
"My Esper powers aren't useful in a fight," Ryan replied with a shrug. "Her martial arts skills are incredible. If we're using mechas, I'm no match for her either. Let me tell you, she's already a mecha knight." Ryan looked completely defeated. "So yeah, I'm stuck with her for life!"
Endymion couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Ryan. He had always seen him as the carefree type, but now it was clear that his fiancée was a source of constant torment.
He patted Ryan's shoulder and tried to offer some comfort. "Well, hey, at least Tan Bingbing is beautiful and has an amazing figure. Having a fiancée like that isn't the worst thing, right?"
"Oh, don't bring that up, man!" Ryan groaned. "Seriously, she's top three in looks and body at Nodding Academy, no doubt. But what's the point?"
"Wait, there's more?" Endymion raised an eyebrow. By this point, they had entered the cafeteria and found a seat.
"Yeah, she's my fiancée, and we live together, but to this day, I haven't even touched her hand. She's like a damn ice sculpture! Gorgeous to admire, but try touching it and you'll freeze your fingers off!" Ryan sighed deeply. "It doesn't matter how beautiful or sexy she is—what's the use if she won't even let me get close?"
Endymion was at a loss for words. Having a fiancée like that must be incredibly frustrating.
Mecha and Military Addition:
Nodding Group, one of the top ten conglomerates in the Galactic Alliance, had its hands in many industries. However, its most important business remained mecha production, supplying more than 40% of total mecha demand across the Alliance—including the dreaded Eclipse-class assault units used by Special Ops.
Endymion's Train of Thought:
As Endymion reflected on these memories, a warm sense of happiness filled him.
Suddenly, a soft tug on his sleeve jolted him out of his reverie.
...