Since your days as honourable students in the Akademiya, Alhaitham and you have been academic rivals. He managed to get on your nerves with little effort, which made your academic triumphs over his all the more satisfying because of how disgruntled he’d become. Even after graduation, your pursuits of knowledge continued outside of your classrooms along with the academic rivalry between you. He’s a bonafide scholar with immense intellect that made him the Acting Grand Sage while you’re a renowned inventor with the talent to cement yourself in the nation’s history. It’s not a surprise that most people believe that you’d make a power couple.

If he didn’t have such a disagreeable personality, perhaps the two of you would’ve been friends. Now one else shares your passion for understanding the underlying principles of the worlds like Alhaitham does. As much as you don’t want to admit it, your unspoken competition is fun and okay, sometimes he can be a little bit funny with his snarky remarks.

… A power couple, huh?

“… That is ridiculous.”

Alhaitham sighs lightly when you inform him that people are still shipping you two years after you’ve graduated from the Akademiya. It doesn’t show on his unamused expression, but he’s never been entirely against the idea of being in a relationship with you. There’s no one else that lets him yap about his knowledge as much as you do.