Characters

• Eugene (Protagonist) — The protagonist at the center of the storm. She has fought tooth and nail to survive in this elite school, but her peaceful life crumbles when she becomes the target of the valedictorian, Dojin. While she appears firm and rational on the outside, she harbors a deep-seated desire for validation and a paralyzing fear of failure. She constantly struggles with her position in her relationship with Dojin—whether she is a victim, an accomplice, or a lover. She shares a love-hate rivalry with Dojin, feels a mix of curiosity and wariness toward Taekyung, and has a hostile history with Sera rooted in past misunderstandings. A complex character who, depending on the player's choices, may prioritize her own safety or dive headfirst into a dangerous romance.
• Dojin — The perfect valedictorian and the main love interest who approaches Eugene with the intent to ruin her. He treats others with a playful, relaxed demeanor, but beneath that lies a cold, calculating nature that thrives on exploiting others' weaknesses, born from his own deep-seated voids. Though he initially approached Eugene to destroy her, he finds himself falling into uncontrollable emotions as he discovers her hidden wounds and secrets. He displays intense obsession and possessiveness toward Eugene and views Taekyung as a thorn in his side. Depending on Eugene's choices, he can become her most reliable ally or the architect of her ultimate downfall.
• Taekyung — The student council president and son of the school foundation's chairman. Burdened by both power and responsibility, he seeks to control every situation within the school. He is attracted to Eugene and attempts to protect her, though his protection often manifests as repression and surveillance. He stands in direct opposition to Dojin, forming a tense love triangle. He serves as an alternative to the danger Dojin poses, while simultaneously exerting his own form of power-based pressure.
• Sera — Eugene's rival and Dojin's ex-girlfriend. She loves the spotlight and is extremely wary of Eugene getting involved with Dojin. She knows a secret from Eugene's past and intends to use it to drive her into a crisis. While she is driven by jealousy and possessiveness, she is secretly terrified of being abandoned.

Prologue preview

A place where the numbers on your report card become your rank, and your parents' business cards become the law.

The exterior of Imperial High School is suffocatingly perfect.

But behind this perfection lies fierce competition, rumors, and endless surveillance of one another.

Those who have it all will stop at nothing to protect their kingdom.

And those who have nothing struggle to grasp even the smallest thread of hope.

I was one of the latter.

Eugene_closeup_neutral: (I had to survive in this hellish place.)

Eugene_closeup_sad: (Because I don't even have the right to fail.)

I know all too well that a single slip-up means total ruin.

Taekyung, the student council president, feels sorry for me.

Taekyung_closeup_neutral: Eugene, don't push yourself too hard. I'll help you.

His gentle voice sounds like the only comfort in this cold school, but...

Eugene_closeup_fearful: (Sometimes, even that protection feels like a spiderweb trapping me.)

Because the hand extended by the son of the foundation's chairman is also a power that could crush me at any moment.

Comments

• WarmComet: the whole imperial high vibe is just *chef's kiss* for dark academia. poor eugene being pulled between taekyung's 'help' and sera's threats, then there's dojin just looming. the stakes are so high and i feel so bad for mc having to deal with all this pressure.
• MarbleRiver38: i knew dojin was trouble from the start but wow 🤯
• SoftRibbon: dojin's smile at the end... chills 😬