SSS Talent: From Trash to Tyrant

Chapter 467: Chapter 467: The Fifth Legendary Character [I]

Trafalgar remained beside Zafira after finally getting rid of the people who kept circling around him like flies around spilled wine. For the first time in a while, the space around him felt breathable.

That peace did not last long.

Aubrelle approached first, elegant as always, and beside her came Xavier au Roquefort. With them walked a woman Trafalgar recognized the instant he saw her.

It was her. The same woman he had caught sight of earlier and then lost among the crowd. His attention sharpened at once, though nothing showed on his face.

Before that thought could go any further, Aubrelle had already reached him. Trafalgar leaned down without hesitation and kissed her briefly. Natural enough now that neither of them needed to think about it. When they separated, he looked toward Xavier.

”How are you, Trafalgar?” Xavier offered his hand with an easy grin. ”You came back just in time for the exams.”

”You don’t need to remind me. I know that very well.”

Xavier laughed. ”We’ll have to spar again after so long. I might surprise you with something new this time.”

”Oh?” Trafalgar’s mouth curved faintly. ”That means you got something valuable, then. Fine, we can do that.” His eyes narrowed slightly. ”And what does your mother think about my absence from the academy?”

Xavier shrugged. ”What can I tell you? It was inevitable. Besides, Selara and my mother both have a good opinion of you. You don’t need to worry.”

”That’s what I’ve been told,” Trafalgar said. ”But hearing it from the son of one of the directors makes me feel a little better. I know families don’t hold as much influence inside the academy.”

Xavier blinked once, then nodded. ”Fair enough. Oh, right, I almost forgot. This is my sister.”

Trafalgar looked at her properly now. Long blue hair. Light eyes. A beauty that stood out quietly rather than loudly. But what stood out most was something else entirely. She kept looking at him. Not in the usual way people had tonight, not out of fame or calculation. It was too focused for that, as if she wanted to confirm something every time her eyes returned to him.

Only he seemed to notice.

Trafalgar extended his hand first. ”A pleasure. Trafalgar du Morgain.”

She took it without hesitation. ”Vivienne au Roquefort. A pleasure.”

The introductions continued naturally with Zafira and Aubrelle as well, and for a few moments the conversation stayed on harmless things, the sort of ordinary exchange expected in a place like this.

But Trafalgar’s mind had already gone elsewhere. He had spent part of the Council looking for that face.

And now it had walked straight up to him.

The conversation continued for a while with trivial things. Aubrelle stayed close to Trafalgar for a bit longer, and before leaving she told him softly that they would see each other soon. Trafalgar nodded and replied that they would. After that, Zafira’s eyes shifted through the hall until they landed on her father. Malakar had already come out of the Council, so she excused herself and went to join him.

Not long after, Valttair came out as well. He did not say anything to Trafalgar, but when their eyes met for a brief moment, the meaning was the same as always. There were expectations on him now, larger than before, and he was expected to meet them without fail. Trafalgar already understood that much, so he did not need words. Valttair moved on quickly, no doubt already thinking about business, alliances, and whatever else men like him handled in places like this.

That left only three of them. Trafalgar, Xavier, and Vivienne.

A moment later, Xavier heard his name from across the hall. His mother, Althea au Roquefort, was calling him over, probably to introduce him to someone important. Xavier let out a small breath. ”Looks like I have to go for a moment.”

Trafalgar almost laughed at that. The life of the strong and rich was always like this. Always another person to greet. Another connection to gain. Xavier excused himself and walked off, leaving the two of them alone.

Now Trafalgar could think more clearly.

He remembered her from the game. A legendary character. Not someone known for monstrous combat power, but for something much stranger. She could copy appearances, identities, even the presence of another person almost perfectly. It was something even Caelum could not truly do at this level, because Caelum could only take forms created through his own power. Vivienne was different. She could become someone else in a way that felt real. And then there was her other ability, that strange skill that made people want to agree with whatever she said.

But what bothered Trafalgar most was something else entirely. Xavier had told him before that he was adopted. That he only had one brother, and that brother had died and become part of his power.

So then who exactly was Vivienne?

For a few seconds, neither of them said anything. Vivienne stood there with the same composed expression as before, her light eyes resting on Trafalgar just a little too often to feel accidental. Up close, it was even easier to notice. She was calm, but not relaxed. As if she had also been waiting for this moment.

Trafalgar did not bother dragging it out. ”You’ve been looking at me too much all this time.”

Vivienne blinked, clearly caught off guard by how direct he was. ”Ah... sorry. That wasn’t my intention.” Then, after a brief pause, she tilted her head slightly. ”But do you know me? Earlier, near the balcony, I saw you looking at me too.”

’She noticed that too.’

”Yes,” Trafalgar said. ”Actually, I wanted to speak with you.”

That made her go quiet for a second. The contradiction hit him again, harder now that they were alone. Xavier. Adopted. One dead brother. No sister. And yet here she was, introduced naturally as Vivienne au Roquefort, carrying the same surname, standing close enough to him that no one would question it.

A legendary character whose whole existence revolved around stolen identities.

Trafalgar looked straight into her eyes. Then he dropped the courtesy entirely.

”Who are you?”