[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-extra-s-rise":3,"chapter-the-extra-s-rise-the-extra-s-rise-chapter-68":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Extra's Rise",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1513403,1965,"Chapter 68 Paired Evaluation (3)","the-extra-s-rise-chapter-68",68,"\u003Cp>\"What's this?\" Cecilia's voice lilted as she sauntered up to me, the picture of mischief wrapped in an Imperial princess's composure. Her smirk alone could ignite a diplomatic incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She leaned closer, crimson eyes gleaming with that maddening spark of hers. \"Did I surprise you again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was such a Cecilia thing to say. Casual, teasing, and utterly infuriating. I resisted the urge to groan. 'God, she's such a hassle,' I thought, forcing my expression into something neutral.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the novel, this evaluation had been a spectacular disaster for Rachel and Cecilia. They had failed so colossally that their F grade became a running joke among the other students. But this wasn't the novel anymore. Somehow, their fractured dynamic had turned into an A+ performance. And from the look Cecilia was giving me, it wasn't just coincidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps,\" I replied evenly, my gaze steady as hers sparkled with satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cecilia's smirk widened, her cheeks taking on a faint flush. \"You really…\" she began, pausing as though debating just how dramatic to be. Finally, she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper, \"I'm going to shock you so much one day that you'll kneel before me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn't already known she was a bit unhinged, that statement would have done it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Crazy,' I thought, watching as she turned on her heel, her golden hair swishing dramatically as she walked away. She was practically radiating self-satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could fully process her departure, my attention shifted to Rachel, standing a few steps away. Her sapphire eyes were locked onto us, her expression a strange mix of irritation and something sharper. The moment our eyes met, she turned her head with an almost theatrical air, clearly trying to pretend she hadn't been watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rachel wasn't the jealous type—not in the conventional sense. But she was perceptive. And right now, she looked both annoyed and a little hurt. 'I should fix this,' I thought, sighing inwardly as I headed toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, Rach, congrats,\" I said lightly, hoping to steer the conversation somewhere neutral.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't reply. Instead, she kept her head turned, as if the very sight of me was an affront to her existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blinked, caught off guard. 'She's cute when she's mad,' I thought absently, then mentally kicked myself. Not the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sorry,\" she said at last, her voice tinged with sarcasm, \"was my gaze annoying you and your… 'fun' time with Cecilia?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way she said \"fun\" was like someone spitting out something unpleasant. Her tone could have melted steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That wasn't a fun time at all, Rachel,\" I said earnestly, resisting the urge to laugh at her theatrics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rachel turned her head slightly, finally meeting my gaze, her sapphire eyes narrowing. \"Really? Because it sure looked like it from here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed, running a hand through my hair. \"Cecilia's just—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A hassle?\" she interrupted, her brow arching. \"Or are you actually enjoying her little games?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She's a handful,\" I admitted, earning a skeptical look. \"But I'd hardly call it enjoyable. Honestly, if you could read my mind during those conversations, you'd know I'm spending most of them wishing for a fast-forward button.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rachel's glare softened, though she didn't entirely drop her guard. \"She's not exactly the most… stable person,\" she said carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm aware,\" I said, glancing briefly toward where Cecilia had disappeared, her presence like the aftermath of a small tornado. \"But you don't need to worry about that. She just likes stirring the pot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rachel studied me for a moment, her arms crossed. Then, with a sigh, she finally relaxed. \"Fine. But if she gets any ideas about dragging you into her chaos, don't come crying to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grinned. \"Noted. And for the record, I'd rather team up with you than her any day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened briefly before she looked away, muttering something about how I \"shouldn't make it a habit to flatter people.\" But the slight pink tint to her cheeks didn't escape my notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last two pairs performed better than they had during practice. Lucifer and Jin managed a B+, while Ian and Ren scraped an A-, both respectable scores for the evaluation. It was clear everyone had made progress, though some more begrudgingly than others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Seraphina. She stood apart, her usual air of serene detachment firmly in place, but something was different. Her gaze lingered in my direction—subtle, yet unmistakable. Then, without a word, she pulled out her phone and began typing furiously, her lips moving in what seemed like a whispered monologue to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no idea what she was saying, but the sheer intensity of it sent a shiver down my spine. 'I can't hear her,' I thought, 'and maybe that's for the best.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deciding that Seraphina's mutterings were a mystery for another time, I shifted my attention and made my way to Rose, who was standing near one of the holographic displays, the soft glow reflecting off her glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Congratulations on your grade, Rose,\" I greeted her with a warm smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rose turned, her own smile lighting up her face. \"Same to you, Arthur! A+—look at you!\" she said, her tone teasing but genuinely happy for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We slipped into an easy conversation, catching up on how everyone was faring after the evaluation. Rose had that rare talent of making even the most mundane subjects seem engaging, and I found myself grinning more than I realized. But then I noticed something odd—her gaze kept flickering to the side. It was subtle at first, just a glance every now and then, but soon enough, it became impossible to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is something wrong?\" I asked, tilting my head in curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rose rubbed her arm awkwardly, her cheeks tinged with faint embarrassment. She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. \"It's just…\" She paused, her lips tightening for a moment before continuing. \"Cecilia and Rachel are staring. A lot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blinked. \"Staring?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rose gave a tiny nod, trying—and failing—to appear nonchalant. \"Yeah. Like, laser-focused staring. You know, the kind where they think they're being subtle, but they're absolutely not.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I resisted the urge to look immediately, though the idea of both Cecilia and Rachel staring daggers—or possibly plasma bolts—at us was more than a little unsettling. \"What are they even staring at?\" I asked, trying to sound casual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rose shrugged, but her lips twitched into a sly smile. \"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because I've stolen all of your attention?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stolen? That implies I'm a finite resource,\" I said, trying to match her playful tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Arthur, anyone who knows those two knows you're their favorite limited-edition collectible,\" she teased, crossing her arms with a faux-serious expression. \"They're probably trying to calculate how much time I'm allowed to have before they swoop in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed, shaking my head. \"You're overthinking it. Rachel's probably just… tired. And Cecilia? Who knows. She's Cecilia.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rose smirked, giving me a pointed look. \"Right. And here I thought you were the tactical genius who could read people like a book.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Some books are written in languages I'd rather not learn,\" I replied, earning a soft laugh from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even as we continued chatting, I couldn't help but feel those gazes on me, sharp and unrelenting. Cecilia and Rachel weren't just watching. They were calculating, scheming—each in their own way. And while I wasn't entirely sure what they were planning, I had the distinct sense that my peaceful moment with Rose had a countdown timer attached to it.\u003C\u002Fp>",1261,"2026-06-06T05:13:22.849Z",1,"novelbin.me","5d3b8d78f9e198fbe4094ee4870c4d303f2c85becdc0d4782881369275b77f36","the-extra-s-rise-chapter-69","the-extra-s-rise-chapter-67",1100,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-extra-s-rise-cover.jpg"]