I WAS The Rank–1 Hero-Chapter 107: A Maiden in Love?

—Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

The alarm clock was beeping on the wooden table resting beside a large, fluffy queen-sized bed. A figure rested on it, a small face framed by crimson hair. Her light breathing filled the room with a pleasant harmony.

—Beep! Beep! Beep—

"Mmm..." she lightly mumbled, rolling her delicate body slightly. Her white, slim fingers with red nail polish slammed the alarm clock shut.

The morning light was barely filtering in through the curtains covering the window.

Rubbing her eyes, she struggled to open them. Her crimson pupils were breathtaking when the sunlight fell on them, displaying them like red rubies shining under golden light.

Maybe her eyes were the reason she was given the name Ruby. A name fitting for her. A name that identified her. It was a name given to her by her mother—or so she remembered.

Despite being abandoned at a very early age, she had only a few memories of her mother. But one thing was clear—she had been left alone. Maybe her mother had left her, or maybe… she was dead.

She didn't want to think about it anymore.

Ruby stretched both her hands and let out a sweet morning cry.

"Haaaaaaaaa....!"

She blinked, rubbing her eyes until her vision became clear.

Tilting her head to the table, she noticed the time. 04:00 A.M.

She always woke up this early, as she had to handle both the Academy and Hero work simultaneously.

And today was supposed to be a big day for her—

She stepped down from her fluffy bed, still in her nightgown, which was loosely exposing her skin beneath. She walked toward the shower room.

On her way to the shower, her eyes landed on a small cube-sized box on the table. It was neatly wrapped as a gift with a cute ribbon on top.

She had no family, but this gift was supposed to be for the only person she considered family—the boy who had changed her way of seeing the world. Because of him, she woke up early every day with a smile. He wasn't just someone she cared about—he was the reason her world no longer felt empty.

Two days ago, it had been his birthday. She hadn't gotten time to attend nor to celebrate with him due to all the press conferences she had to handle.

She had only been able to buy this small gift for him. But now, she was unsure whether she would give it to him or not.

Her hands reached out for the small gift box. She picked it up, and as she did, a memory surfaced in her mind. She remembered how, just a few days ago, she had shouted "Happy birthday!" to him without caring about her surroundings.

It was just a simple birthday wish… but the way she had said it, and the way her heart had pounded at that moment, had felt like a confession of love.

Just remembering it made her face heat up.

"What is wrong with me?" she sighed, gripping the gift box with both hands and hugging it tightly to her chest.

"It was just a gift..." she muttered, her eyes partially closing while her grip on the box tightened. "Why am I hesitating so much these days...?"

It was true—she had noticed it herself. For the past few days, she had been acting like a little girl whenever she thought about Zane, the boy this gift was meant for. She always found herself clumsy and air-headed when she was around him.

These behaviors didn't suit a Rank-7 Hero.

Nor the Headmistress of an Academy.

But either way…

"He turned eighteen..." she whispered to herself. "He's an adult now—"

The moment she spoke it, her face became even redder, and her head burned like lava.

"W-What am I thinking?!" she scolded herself, ruffling her bed hair before straightening her posture.

Will he like it? she thought, shifting her gaze lower and tracing her fingers over the box.

"Maybe… I shouldn't have bought this..."

She was uncertain about giving this kind of gift to a boy, and her uncertainty was valid.

Because inside the box… was a ring.

Yes. A freaking ring!

"Maybe a bracelet was the right choice after all," she sighed. "This is because of that damn creepy shopkeeper."

She clenched her fist, remembering her frustrating shopping experience for Zane's birthday.

At first, she had stumbled into a weird shop, where she had met a creepy shopkeeper who kept forcing her to buy some 'Motivational Scarf.'

"What a weird thing to sell."

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

She had initially chosen a black hoodie for Zane. It was simple, but good-looking.

But then, that damn creepy shopkeeper had shown her this ring, telling her, "This ring will strengthen the bond between the giver and the taker."

It was obviously a scam.

And yet… Ruby had completely lost her mind the moment she heard that.

The ring, however, had something about it that attracted her to it instantly.

It was made of platinum, with two small diamond-like jewels on it—one red and one white-silver.

It perfectly matched Ruby's and Zane's eye colors.

"I should have consulted Master," she groaned, regretting her decision now.

She stared at the gift box for a while. She almost dropped the idea of giving it to him, before a thought surfaced in her mind.

"Wait..."

She held the box in front of her eyes.

"Maybe it wasn't a bad idea after all."

Indeed!

Just think about it—whenever Zane wore this ring, he would always think about Ruby.

It was a wonderful gift.

"Hmmm..." She made a decision. "And to be honest, Zane wouldn't think too hard about this stuff."

"Heehee hehe…!" She started giggling, nodding her head multiple times.

"Ah! I almost forgot!"

Tapping on her wristband, a message appeared on the holographic interface.

"I have to show this to Zane today..."

"And then—"

Her gaze shifted back to the gift box.

"I will give it to him then."

"…Eh?" She suddenly recalled something.

"Wouldn't it be weird for a Headmistress to meet with her Academy's student late at night…?"

What a strange thing to think.

"No. No. No." She hurriedly brushed it off, her ears turning red. "I-Its not like I'm going to do anything weird."

'What am I thinking?!' She slightly slapped both her cheeks, trying to shake off the thoughts creeping into her mind. 'Calm down, Ruby…'

"…And," her voice softened, a small pout forming on her lips, "it's unfair. I was his very first friend—so why do I get to celebrate with him last?"

They had known each other for three years now. They shared almost everything—or at least, Ruby never hid anything from him. And despite all that, she was the very last person to celebrate his birthday.

That wasn't fair.

So today, she would change that.

"Yes." She had made up her mind.

She would celebrate his birthday properly.

A pleasant smile spread across her face as she placed the small gift box back on the table. She lightly tapped her chest, feeling the rhythm of her heartbeat—fast, loud, like a drum pounding inside her ribcage.

It always happened when she thought about him.

Whenever this feeling surfaced, she felt warm—too warm, as if her entire body was heating up from the inside out.

"How did things end up like this…" she murmured, gently brushing a strand of her crimson hair behind her ear. "…I can't seem to hold it back anymore."

She already knew.

Why she avoided meeting his eyes. Why her heart always raced when he was near. Why her mind wandered whenever she thought about him.

She wasn't dumb.

She knew.

She had just been too embarrassed to admit it.

"Sigh…"

Falling for someone younger than herself—by two years and five months—it wasn't something that happened often. But in Ruby's case, it was inevitable.

She had been abandoned at a young age.

She had lost the love of a mother before she could even understand what it meant.

And to make things worse, she had been trained relentlessly, turned into a soldier, used as nothing more than a tool to fulfill orders.

Her life had lost all meaning. She had lost her reason to exist.

There was even a time she truly wanted to end it all.

But she didn't.

Because she met him.

Someone just like her. Someone whose fate mirrored her own. Someone who could make her smile with just a few words. Someone who trusted her without a second thought.

Because of him, her world became brighter.

Because of him, she no longer felt alone.

After all that—how could she not fall for him?

"I am hopeless."

Ruby buried her face in her hands. "Mmmmmmmmm…!"

Truly, a maiden in love.

She never imagined herself being like this, flustered over things like this. But here she was, overthinking every little detail.

She groaned, lightly turning her head left and right, still burying her face in her hands.

"Ugh… this is ridiculous."

Yet, despite her complaints, a soft smile lingered on her lips.

Because no matter how hopeless she was… She wouldn't trade this feeling for anything in the world.

"~Hehe."