Chapter 37

Isabel has changed since the incident at the castle wall.

First, she apologized for getting angry at her friends.

Her friends also apologized, saying they had spoken too hastily.

It was a warm scene that reflected Isabel’s usually upright behavior.

Isabel’s training intensity increased slightly compared to before. However, she began to hold back from overexerting herself.

Her perspective has widened. Instead of just looking at the short term like before, she decided to see further, broader, and over a longer period.

In this respect, Ban commented that Isabel’s potential for growth has increased.

Moreover, there was one noticeable change.

Her face, which had been losing vitality recently, became significantly brighter.

Even though it wasn’t back to the level it was before Lucas died, she regained her unique brightness.

She resumed her role as the cheerful heroine who lifts everyone’s spirits.

However, there was just one person she didn’t treat brightly.

“You know that scares everyone around, right?”

“If they get scared over this, they’re not cut out to be Jerion Academy students.”

“You’re saying that again. You’re too strict.”

“Other students are just too careless.”

That person was me.

About a week had passed since the incident with Isabel.

Isabel, who had been avoiding eye contact with me for some time, would attack me whenever she thought I would do something.

It seemed worse than the time she fiercely criticized Lucas.

“I’m totally hated now.”

When I returned from my confrontation with Isabel, Seron clicked his tongue.

Today, I scolded some kids messing around during morning class.

Isabel began to pick at me for it.

“Hey, Potato, why do you keep provoking Isabel?”

“I didn’t provoke her first. She charged at me.”

“Potato, it’s because you treat Isabel harsher than others.”

“Looks like you’re one of those types who can’t coexist with others.”

“Is that so?”

Seron tilted his head.

Speaking of which, has he really decided to stick by my side now?

“Why don’t you just reconcile with the other girls?”

Seron is still in a cold war with them. When I nudged him to make amends, he scoffed.

“I’m not particularly interested in them.”

“Sorry, I’m not interested in you either.”

“Crazy, what are you saying! I just realized it’s more comfortable to hang out like this.”

Seron said, crossing his arms and leaning against his desk.

“When you’re surrounded by girls, you have to be careful whether you like it or not. Holding back everything you want to say is tough enough.”

“Can you even hold back?”

Seron, the head-butting dinosaur, can hold back?

What kind of world is it for girls, anyway?

“Well, you don’t have to do that with me, right?”

“I wish you could hold back a bit too.”

“If that’s the case, I’d rather bite my tongue off and die.”

That’s a terrifying thing to say.

Seron has discovered the taste of being a lone wolf.

It’s too bad he needs to learn how to return to the pack.

As I clicked my tongue and looked up, I happened to make eye contact with Isabel.

Unlike earlier when she was nagging me, she met my gaze with determined eyes and then turned away.

If it were before, our eyes meeting would have ignited a fight right away.

Her attitude toward me has changed a lot.

To the other kids, it might still look like we’re quarreling.

But I knew there was something more than just anger simmering underneath.

Even I can’t grasp all her emotions.

But I understood what I felt from Isabel.

“A sense of rivalry.”

Isabel decided to uphold Lucas’s will and save everyone.

I decided to save everyone to shake off the stigma that Lucas’s death left on Jerion Academy.

Although the motivations differ, the purpose is the same.

From that, a sense of rivalry sprouted in Isabel.

“Not bad at all.”

I just need to be the spark that ignites the flame in her heart.

Many will be drawn to her brightness in the future.

After all, many of the people who were around Lucas initially gathered because of her light.

Surely, Isabel will fulfill that role excellently once again.

“Izabel has finally relaxed.”

However, there was someone moving in a completely different direction from this Isabel.

None other than Nikita Cynthia.

She was wriggling her small body to become the Disaster Dragon Maiden.

Screech—

At that moment, the classroom door swung open.

There stood Veganon, the instructor for the second-year Martial Arts class, who had just left after the morning session.

“Oh, I almost forgot to mention something.”

Professor Veganon scratched his head in annoyance and yawned audibly.

“There will be a team battle exam coming up soon.”

Act 3, Scene 5. The curtain for the team battles has risen.

“This team battle exam will be a public observation test, so the Empire’s important figures will be attending.”

Jerion Academy is a training facility established by the Empire.

So the people coming to observe would all be from key positions in the Empire.

“Inter-academy exchanges will start from Act 4.”

All students of Jerion Academy are citizens of the Empire.

As soon as the term “observation” was mentioned, the students began buzzing.

It was a reaction not seen last year.

“Do make sure not to cause any trouble. I can’t put up with budget cuts to the academy any longer.”

Is that really something the professor should say?

But unflappable Veganon yawned again, turned around, and left.

“For the team battles, we have to form teams.”

This time, unlike last time, I can’t team up with the first years.

It’s an academic exam, so we can only form teams within the same year.

There are five members for the team battle.

Two front-line members, two back-line members, and one healer.

Just as my eyes met Seron’s, he held up three fingers.

“We have you and me for the front-liners, Potato. We just need to find three more.”

“Where do we find four?”

Of course, I wasn’t looking at Seron.

Realizing the meaning behind my words, Seron’s forehead flushed red.

As I heard her fuming, I fell into thought.

We need to achieve a good score in this team battle.

Among the people attending, there’s one person I must befriend and secure their sponsorship.

To do that, we have to lead the team battle to victory.

“I can lead the front-liners, no doubt.”

But for the back-line, we need someone with good firepower.

The problem is, I don’t have anyone who fits that bill in the back-line.

“There is one person, but…”

That guy is a wild one, so who knows?

“There’s a girl too, but…”

She’s even wilder than him, so I have no idea.

“Also, I can’t rely on the Saint this time.”

Last time, I had a valid reason to persuade the Saint.

The Saint is a kind of hidden card.

A hidden card isn’t something you can just spam.

Trying to use him in the team battle would only mean filling in the gaps.

He would exert power similar to regular believers for fair competition.

“Is there no way?”

Eventually, I got up from my seat for the sake of certain victory.

“Where are you going?”

“Getting some bread delivered.”

“Bread? What for?”

Seron looked at me incredulously.

But for me, that was the best option.

＊ ＊ ＊

Nom nom—

In front of me was a small figure eagerly munching on bread.

Her hair, shining like it contained starlight, was a deep blue.

Dangling earrings hung in her ears, and there was a star-shaped freckle.

Sharine Sazarith.

The top student of the Magic Arts department.

“Nom nom, so you want me to join your team for the group battle?”

Today, too, Shirine said lazily, holding out her face.

She tasted the bread before my proposal, licking her finger.

“Why should I?”

Then Shirine tilted her head.

It was a genuine question as to why she should join my team.

“Why not just finish your bread first and then speak?”

“This was given to me by Hanon because he likes me.”

What a delusion.

Still, Shirine didn’t let go of the bread and wore a lazy smile.

“Then tell me something encouraging that would make me want to join Hanon’s team.”

Sharine, the top student of second-year Magic Arts.

She must have already received countless offers to join teams.

Sometimes, if she feels like it, she whimsically joins any team.

So everyone takes their shot, hoping to catch her attention.

And Shirine asks them the same thing.

What’s the merit for her to join their team?

Their answers were set in stone.

“We’ll come in first in the team battle.”

That’s something anyone can say.

But I knew better.

“You don’t have any interest in the team battle, do you?”

The team battle counts toward exam scores.

Thus, students are desperate to get good scores in the team battle.

But what about Shirine?

Despite being the second-year top student in Magic Arts, she shows no interest in her scores.

The sole reason she’s at the top is that her magical genius was recognized more than any other by the second-year Magic Arts professor.

The second-year Magic Arts professor is a strict meritocrat.

His grading system relies solely on how much magical talent someone possesses.

With her talent that seems to appear once in a millennium, Shirine is given the highest score regardless of her results.

Some claim it’s bias, but everyone studying Magic Arts realizes it.

Shirine’s talent doesn’t warrant scores that aren’t given to a top student.

Thus, Shirine, even with no interest in scores, remains the top student.

“So what merit would this team battle have for you?”

Once I hit the nail on the head, Shirine’s eyes narrowed.

“Hanon knows too much about me.”

“Then propose something else.”

Shirine’s eyes shone with interest.

“Your father.”

And just like that, Shirine froze.

“I’ll show you how to get back at him.”

In that moment, Shirine’s eyes widened.

“Lynn!”

Just then, one of the girls with honey-blonde hair, reminiscent of the sun, entered the empty Magic Arts classroom during lunch break.

Isabel Luna.

She suddenly appeared and saw Shirine and me, her eyes went round in surprise.

“Huh?”

It was as if she was asking why we were together.

The closest best friend and rival.

Seeing us both, Isabel stiffened.

“Oh no.”

Caught off-guard, I froze too; I didn’t expect Isabel to appear at that moment.

A silence hung in the air between us.

Shirine was fazed by my statement.

Isabel was frozen at the sight of Shirine and me together.

I stood still, surprised by Isabel’s sudden appearance.

In an instant, the situation turned into a complete mess.