Academy – Annie

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I returned to the dormitory from the training grounds and immediately collapsed onto my bed.

-Thump.

“Haa…”

I feel somewhat exhausted.

It’s not that my body is tired, but I enjoyed myself too much for the first time in a while, and I think I need a mental break.

“Umm…”

I rub the blanket with my palm, savoring the soft texture. I can feel the fluffy cotton inside through my fingertips.

The quality of the academy’s furniture isn’t bad. As a national institution, they certainly invest well.

By the standards of commoners, it’s several times better than what they have at home. It’s no wonder they make such strenuous efforts to get into the academy.

Before long, I roused my heavy body. Then, I stretched to loosen up.

“Huuu…”

I don’t want to get up so soon after lying down, but I always have to think about future plans.

First, I need to quickly review the current situation.

‘The plan is progressing without a hitch.’

As much effort as I’ve put in, Jade’s feelings for me have grown sufficiently. It’s hard to say this myself, but it wouldn’t be easy to resist the Lena I’ve been playing.

A strong and beautiful woman is kind only to him.

How could Jade, who has never been in a relationship, withstand that?

Moreover, it was clear that he had feelings for me from the start.

Now, I just need to provoke that academy delinquent even more…

“Ah, I forgot about that.”

Suddenly, I remember the Magic Stone I obtained from the den and open my Hyperspace.

Where did I put it…?

I rummage through the Hyperspace, which is filled with numerous items.

There are more miscellaneous items than I thought, making it difficult to find. This Hyperspace isn’t a junkyard; I need to organize it later.

“Here it is.”

I find a very small Magic Stone in the Hyperspace and place it on the desk. Then, I take out another large Magic Stone.

“Okay. Like this…”

I lift the small Magic Stone and bring it to the large Magic Stone, and they begin to merge.

-Shhh.

And looking at the merged Magic Stone…

“Hmm…”

There’s no change in size.

Was it this small?

I didn’t have high expectations, but it’s still disappointing. Still, it’s better than nothing.

Now that I see the Magic Stone, which has grown quite a bit, my expectations rise.

With this size, can I solve her curse?

When the plan at the academy is over, I will naturally go to the Holy Kingdom, and then I can meet her.

“How is she living…”

-Knock knock.

While I was having happy thoughts, I heard someone knocking on the wall.

“Huh?”

I turn my head towards the desk and see a switch on one end blinking.

I was too focused to notice.

-Press.

I press the small switch on the desk, and Annie’s voice is heard.

-Lena, can you hear me?

“Yes, I can hear you well. I was doing something else for a moment and didn’t notice.”

-You’re so busy even on the weekend. Do you ever rest?

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

From her voice, it seems Annie is bored again today.

“Are you studying hard?”

-Ugh, do you have to bring that up? I’ve done it to some extent, anyway.

“Really? Can I come and check myself?”

-D-Do you not trust me? You’re not really going to come, are you?

In fact, Annie lives right next to my dormitory room.

That means I can visit her anytime I want.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve become quite close to Annie.’

My first meeting with Annie was on the day I first came to the academy.

Annie was sitting right next to the seat I was assigned when I transferred to the academy.

‘You’re so pretty. How did you transfer here?’

‘You’re a swordsman? Can you show me your training later?’

She seemed happy that I, who happened to be sitting next to her, kept talking to me.

I would have ignored her if she were a male student, but Annie is cute, so I accepted her attention.

There’s no need to be cold to someone who’s cute.

Since we were interested in each other, it was natural for us to become closer.

After I started showing interest in Jade, the three of us started hanging out together like we do now.

In the meantime, Annie naturally found out that I happened to live in the room right next to hers in the dormitory.

Annie was so excited that she came to my room several times. Each time, I diligently stroked her red hair or pulled her cheeks.

‘Annie is so fun to tease.’

That time was like an oasis in the tedious academy life.

One day, Annie gave me a small object, saying she brought it from home.

“What’s this? A switch?”

Of course, I recognized what it was right away.

It was a simple means of communication. It could only be used over short distances.

Still, it was quite an expensive item because it contained magic. I was surprised that she had prepared something like this.

“If you press that switch and talk, you can hear each other’s voices. It’s paired with the switch in my hand. It’s a way to talk even during dormitory roll call.”

She seemed proud of the idea she had come up with.

It wasn’t a bad thing for me.

It might be annoying if I had to do it every day, but it was a good opportunity to get closer to Annie and get various information about the academy.

“When I press the switch, a signal will go to yours. From now on, when you see the signal, press your switch too. Got it?”

After that, Annie would press the switch whenever she was bored and talk to me like now.

-Haa… But what am I going to do about the exam? I wish I was as smart as you, Lena.

“You have talent too. You’ll be able to go to the Magic Tower.”

-Magic Tower? I have to go…

The reason Annie longs for the Magic Tower is because she is a mage, but also because her brother is there.

Annie is the daughter of Baron Orden. They are poor for nobles, but I heard that both of her parents are good people.

A unique thing is that she has an older brother who is affiliated with the Magic Tower.

She briefly attended Veil Academy and received excellent grades, thanks to which she transferred to Rain Academy in the capital and graduated from there.

Last time, Annie talked about how she admired her brother and came here, and she boasted about him for a long time.

‘The Magic Tower is good. It’s also a place where I owe a lot.’

Magic Tower.

The Magic Tower, one of the most famous towers in the world, is the only center of magic on the continent.

There are a few similar ones, but they cannot use the name ‘Magic Tower’.

The tower, located in the center of the Broti Forest between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom, is endlessly stacked.

Only that place can use the name Magic Tower.

It’s no wonder that all mages dream of entering the Magic Tower. Just having the experience of being in the Magic Tower is enough to be favored by everyone.

I also received a lot of help from the Magic Tower in the past. My friend was a key figure in the Magic Tower.

The Magic Tower is one of the places in my plan. As long as I live as a swordsman, I inevitably need a skilled mage.

‘If I’m lucky, I might be able to meet Annie’s brother.’

After chatting about this and that, Annie suddenly asked if something came to mind.

-Lena, don’t you think Jade has been strange lately?

“Jade?”

-He’s always lying down listlessly, and he always has injuries on his body.

-Jade says it’s because of training and studying, but it didn’t used to be like that. Haa….

Annie’s sigh is heard, as if she is worried about Jade.

Annie is starting to notice Jade’s condition. I expected that Annie, who is quick-witted, would realize it by now.

“Maybe something else is going on? If he’s not telling us, it must be something he can’t tell us. Let’s wait for now.”

-Is that so? By the way, Lena, you’re so kind to Jade.

“M-Me?”

-Hehe…. Is what I’m thinking right?

“Ugh, whatever it is, that’s definitely not it.”

I stammered as if I had been hit on the nail.

-Well, I’ll wait until you tell me.

Then Annie said she would let it go as if she was doing me a favor.

“It’s not like that…”

-Hehe, okay. Then I’m going to go to bed soon. See you tomorrow.

“Ugh. Good night to you too.”

-Press.

I turned off the switch.

As Annie said, Jade’s condition is not normal. It’s something I intended to some extent.

At this point, it seems that the situation between Jade and that delinquent has progressed quite a bit…

It might be time to put the plan into action.

**

The weekend passed, and the day to go to the academy dawned.

It definitely feels like time is passing in an instant since I added an unplanned plan.

“I don’t think I’ve left anything out.”

Even if I did, there’s always a way to deal with it.

Anyway, having finished preparing to go to the academy, I left the dormitory.

On the way to the academy, I notice a girl with short red hair running from the side.

“Lena!”

Annie runs towards me and greets me happily, then suddenly makes a surprised expression.

‘Is there something wrong?’

Following her gaze, Annie’s eyes are on my clothes.

“Your clothes are new? Did you get hurt during a request?”

Oh… I knew she would notice, but it’s a little scary that she noticed right away.

“No. It’s just that the clothes were torn, and it was awkward to repair them, so I bought new ones.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Aren’t you worrying too much?”

“Of course I trust your skills… But you have to be careful. I’ll cry if you get hurt.”

Annie grabbed my arm and looked like she was about to cry. She must have imagined me getting hurt.

‘Annie is cute today too.’

By the way, she seems to have a bit of an obsessive tendency. If she’s like this with me, she’s going to suffer a lot in the future.

“Hehe, I told you not to worry.”

-Stroke, stroke.

First, I stroke her red hair to reassure her.

The top of Annie’s head is right at the height of my mouth, so it’s not easy to stroke. I wish she was a little smaller.

“Ugh, why do you keep stroking my head every time I see you?”

“Because Annie is cute?”

“Ugh…”

Annie puffed out her cheeks as if she was dissatisfied with my words.

But she probably doesn’t really hate being stroked. If she did, she would have pushed my hand away a long time ago.

I wanted to pinch those chubby cheeks too… but she would really get angry, right?

That’s how I headed to the academy, talking about this and that with Annie.

When we arrived in front of the classroom, we opened the door and went inside.

-Creak.

As soon as we entered the classroom, people’s eyes turned to us.

Then, a male student hesitantly approaches me.

“Um, are you free today? I have hard-to-get theater tickets…”

“You know I’m going to refuse, right? It’s rude to do that when you know.”

I coldly rejected the male student’s advances, to the point where it felt harsh.

“S-Sorry…”

Then the student retreated with a hurt expression at the merciless rejection.

I have been living diligently to receive attention and admiration from many people at the academy.

Besides, since I am beautiful and strong, many boys have fallen for me and approached me or confessed.

Unfortunately, I can’t reciprocate these friends’ feelings.

Looking around, I saw Jade lying on his desk.

I immediately approached Jade and spoke to him.

“Jade, didn’t you sleep well?”

At my words, Jade lifts his face.

“Umm… I couldn’t fall asleep.”

He probably couldn’t get the events in the forest last night out of his head. It must have been too much of a stimulus for Jade.

I carefully examine his face and find a wound that looks like he was hit by someone.

“You have another wound on your face. Did you get it from training yesterday?”

“Yeah…”

Jade nods at my worried words.

“You did that last time too. I told you not to overdo it.”

“Oh, are you two being all lovey-dovey?”

Suddenly, a swaggering voice is heard from the side.

Looking towards the source of the sound, there was a male student sitting with his legs on the desk.

“Lena, what’s so good about Jade that a woman like you is approaching him?”

That brown-haired man, who is the epitome of a delinquent, is named Doran.

His full name is Doran von Zesto.

He is a member of the Zesto family, a fairly powerful count family in the Rica Kingdom.

As befitting a noble, he was originally attending Rain Academy in the capital, but he was reportedly kicked out here due to poor grades.

As far as I know, the current count is quite an outstanding person… but his children must be a disaster.

“Why don’t you come to me instead of that guy? Wouldn’t a count’s family member like me be better than a commoner?”

“Haa… Me with a trash like you?”

“Trash is too harsh. At least I’m stronger and richer than that guy, and I have a higher status. What’s lacking?”

“Pfft.”

I scoffed at Doran’s words. Then, I provoke him, who is lost in self-admiration.

“What are you talking about, when you were kicked out of Rain Academy because of your poor skills and came here…”

“…”

My words must have touched Doran’s reverse scale, as his expression instantly hardens. He has a high sense of pride, but it’s funny how he can’t stand something like this and trembles.

“Lost your words?”

“…Okay. Let’s see what happens in the future.”

Yes, you need to be more angry at me.

The more you do, the more beautiful the end of the plan will be.

While a tense atmosphere was being created between Doran and me.

-Creak.

The front door of the classroom opened, and the academy professor entered.

It’s a good time to cut off the situation.

“Hmph… Doran, you’re not even worth my time.”

“You…!”

“You better be careful not to get kicked out of here too.”

I turned my back on Doran, who had blazing eyes, and went back to my seat.