Colette Bloodberry.
The hidden boss of the High School Chapter, a monster that even veterans get annihilated by if they don’t follow the strategy properly.
But I’m not scared. In fact, I’m kind of relieved that I can take her down quickly.
“I’ll make you regret being born as a filthy demon.”
“Is that all you can say, lady?”
“Everyone here thinks you’re disgusting. Didn’t you know? Poor thing… Kekeke.”
The news of my duel with Colette spread through Cosmos Academy faster than expected.
Thanks to that, a crowd of students and faculty gathered around the field to watch me and Colette standing in the center.
“Are they really going to fight?”
“I heard Murmur initiated the duel oath first? Is she trying to get herself killed?”
“Ah… She’s been getting close to the princess lately, so she must’ve lost her sense of reality.”
The harsh words were familiar by now, but what caught my attention more was Nicasia’s pale face watching me from afar.
Is she feeling guilty? Well, at least the friendship level isn’t lying. The thought of a friend possibly dying must be tormenting her.
“Kekeke… Do you want to beg the princess for help now?”
“Murmur can beat you on her own.”
“Tsk, you’re so rude and clueless… I’ll have to punish you quickly.”
Colette smirked and pointed at me.
Most people would feel uncomfortable in this situation, but not me. I actually liked it.
“I! Colette Bloodberry, consider it an honor to duel you!”
“Murmur will fight for her friend.”
Colette took a stance to cast her magic.
Just as I expected.
The most disgusting part of fighting this lady is when the royal mages of the Magica Kingdom show up to reduce her casting time.
But not this time. She’s not the ‘Magic Minister’ right now, and she’s not judging me in an official capacity, so she doesn’t have the royal mages’ help.
“I’ll burn you to ashes!”
A red light erupted from Colette’s right hand, and I could feel the heat rising from the ground.
Bingo. Just as I predicted.
“Flame Strike!”
I dodged the pillar of fire erupting from the ground by stepping back.
Thank goodness. I can win this! She’s not casting high-level magic like Meteor, just intermediate-level spells!
“Hmph, you’re dodging like a little rat. How long do you think you can keep that up?”
Colette started casting again. As expected from someone who’s been trained in elemental magic for generations, she doesn’t use any fancy techniques.
I can win this.
The fight’s going exactly as I thought it would. Losing now would just be embarrassing!
“Is that kid… really the same age as me?”
“Let me double-check, but isn’t she the kid brought by the failed hero?”
I’m not about to lose in front of a lady who thinks money can buy everything!
“Murmur…! I’m not running away.”
“Hahaha! You little brat! What do you think you can do, struggling like that!”
Colette’s hand glowed red again. It doesn’t matter what spell she’s casting. I know it’s a fake-out.
What’s important is her hand. The light coming from it shows what element she’s channeling.
“Burn! Flame Strike!”
Fire is weak against water.
Water is strong against fire.
Basic常识. The fundamental principle that makes up the world of Legend of Academy.
“Water Spirit! Bubble Child! Naiara! Help Murmur!”
─ Poof!
I summoned the ‘Water Spirit Naiara’ and threw her at Colette with all my might.
It’s a cute, fluffy slime with white bubbles, but it’s the best attack I can do with a Level 1 summoning spell.
“Hahaha! You call that an attack? Kid? How stupid can you─”
If you think it’s just cute, you’re in for a rude awakening!
The moment Naiara touched Colette, she exploded into a cloud of steam, silencing Colette’s mocking laughter.
“… You’re full of tricks.”
“Is that what you see, lady?”
Colette gritted her teeth and started casting again.
This time, the element swirling around her right hand was blue.
“Eagle Strike!”
Another fake-out? So you admit I understand elemental advantages?
Are you really going all out against a 5th grader?
Eagle Strike uses the ‘wind’ element, so she’s trying to bait me into using fire.
But what I really need to use is ‘earth’ magic. The element around Colette’s body isn’t green wind, but blue water. Earth is strong against water.
“Earth Spirit! Sprout Child! Talorin! Help Murmur!”
Ignoring the wounds from the Eagle Strike grazing my shoulder, I summoned another spirit.
A heavy lump of mud with cute sprouts all over it. Some people say it looks like a chocolate slime.
“Talorin…! Sorry!”
Colette twisted her body to dodge Talorin’s tackle, but he’s not a soccer ball.
─ Thud!
Talorin landed with a thud and delivered a solid hit to Colette’s jaw.
“Huh, how…? You’re just a kid…?”
The earth spirit Talorin’s element reacted strangely with the ‘water’ element swirling around Colette.
Colette’s fancy dress was instantly covered in mud.
“Look at that… Hahaha!”
“Is Countess Colette losing?”
“No way!”
“Dear God, please bless this child who’s doing her best for her friend.”
I don’t need the Saintess’s blessing. Murmur can do this.
“That’s why. I told you. You need to apologize to Esme.”
“You… you…! How dare you, you little brat!”
Colette’s face twisted in rage as she bent her waist slightly.
“What’s going on?”
“I can see Murmur barely dodging that lady’s attacks, but…”
“Barely? She’s hurt! Her clothes are torn and burned!”
“More importantly, how does she know summoning magic?”
Amid the whispers, Colette gave a cruel smile.
“Kid. It’s time to wake up from your dream.”
“Lady. Aren’t you ashamed?”
“Against a filthy, ugly demon like you, I have to go all out!”
Colette started channeling water element in her right hand and earth element in her left.
“What’s she doing?”
“She’s… she’s trying to dual cast!”
“Really? Isn’t that super hard?”
“That’s why she’s the Magic Minister of the Magica Kingdom!! That countess is really strong!”
There’s no way I can dodge this attack completely. Murmur’s stamina isn’t great, after all.
I’ve been taking hits all along, and my stamina’s been draining steadily.
“Flame Strike! Earth Arrow!”
The heat at my feet is proof of Flame Strike. Dodging that is easy, but she didn’t dual cast for nothing. The Earth Arrow will hit me square in the head if I try to dodge.
Then… turn the crisis into an opportunity!
“Water Spirit! Bubble Child! Naiara! Help Murmur!”
This time, I summoned Naiara at my feet instead of my hands.
I know it’s crazy, but…!
─ Boom!
“That…! What’s she doing?!”
“She… she’s flying! That idiot’s floating in the air!”
“Is she insane?!”
The explosion from the water and fire elements sent my small body flying into the air. Thanks to that, I dodged the Earth Arrow too!
“Fire Spirit! Ember Child! Emberon! Fire!!”
I grabbed the slime radiating heat with my right hand and hurled it at Colette. It was soft and warm in my hand, but as it flew toward Colette, it spewed dangerous red flames.
You better be careful! Emberon is way hotter than a hand warmer!
“Ugh…! This…! This nonsense…!”
Colette’s right hand was instantly burned red, and she glared at me with hatred, but this isn’t over.
“Wind Spirit! Zephyra! Give Murmur wings!”
Blood started dripping from my nose. I’m hitting my limit already. My mana isn’t infinite. Even if it were, casting this much in a row would be exhausting!
But just hold on a little longer, just a bit more and I can win!
“Ahhhhh!!!”
Shiny feathers and fluffy clouds enveloped me. Just as I thought, they’re soft and squishy! I love low-level spirits for this reason!
Thanks to that, I landed gracefully right in front of Colette, close enough to feel her breath.
“Ugh…! You…! You’ve been tricking me all along…!”
The wind element scattered the earth element, creating a dusty haze that blinded Colette. My eyes were protected by the fluffy cloud, so I was fine.
As a demon, Murmur shouldn’t get this close to Colette, but it doesn’t matter.
“You dare come this close to me…!”
“Lady, did you forget?”
There’s no way the ‘Bloodberry Heirloom’ is here.
“Do you know how hard Esme worked today?”
This is the chance Esme Bloodberry created.
She held onto the heirloom desperately to keep me from dying, creating this opportunity that should’ve been impossible.
“I don’t care! I can tear you apart right now!”
Colette frantically raised her right hand from her waist.
The water element started gathering, but I’m not scared. She can’t use that spell.
She needs to ‘cast’ it. The only reason I’ve been dodging her attacks so far is because of that casting time!
“Lady! Listen up!”
Blood dripped from my nose again, but I gathered all my mana into my hand.
“This is…! The spell Esme taught Murmur!”
Low-level spells don’t have casting times.
They’re weak, but they’re enough.
A low-level spell is enough to punish a trashy person who torments their niece instead of showing love!
I’ll show you the power of the grimoire Esme gave me at friendship level 1!
“Stone Ball!”
I clenched my right fist and punched upward with all my strength.
My cleanly extended fist sank deep into Colette’s stomach.
“This can’t be…!”
─ Boom!
Colette couldn’t withstand the mana explosion from the shattered Stone Ball and was sent flying into the air before crashing back-first onto the ground.
“What… just happened?”
“Did Murmur really… land a hit just now?”
“Did she? Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on, but that little kid…”
“No way! Did Countess Colette lose? This can’t be right!”
“Brother… Can I be friends with a demon?”
Lachesis came to watch too. But is that okay? Are you going to get scolded by your brother again and mope all day?
“Cough… Haa, let’s focus on the lady first…”
I wiped the blood dripping from my lips and approached Colette. First, I need to teach her a lesson.
There’s something I need to finish, something I need to say.
“You little brat, you…!”
Colette spat blood and glared at me from the ground.
“Listen carefully.”
I poured all my strength into the words I prepared for this moment.
“Apologize to Esme.”
『Hidden trait unlocked!』
“Apologize to Murmur’s friend!”
【■■ Path】
After winning the duel with Colette, I received an unexpected reward.
