episode_0022

The schedule at Galimar Academy flowed busily. As an educational institution called the best across the continent, its curriculum also boasted a high standard to match. New students were no exception. They weren’t even given time to adapt. Lectures overflowing with specialized knowledge, including all sorts of dissertations. A torrent of assignments like rain. A Spartan education that seemed to say, ‘If you can’t even do this, you don’t deserve to be at Galimar.’ All of this had happened in just one week. “This is madness.” “I’d heard about Galimar’s reputation, but… I never imagined it would be this much.” “Did you all finish your assignments? I just can’t understand it…” “More importantly, the practical exam is in two weeks, right? Why are there eight exams in one semester?”

Class A, called the brilliant future of the Empire. It was a class where only top-tier students gathered, but even they were not safe from the clutches of academia. No, rather, they were being rolled even more severely. As they belonged to the advanced class, a responsibility two times heavier weighed them down. “Before we begin the lecture… all assignments for Class A will be three times that of the regular classes.” “Outstanding talent requires commensurate fertilizer.” “This is a directive from the Dean-nim. Please complete it excellently.”

Was it strange that there were no dropouts yet? Perhaps because they were all elites raised in prestigious families, they seemed to have prepared to some extent. Of course, they did exchange complaints among themselves.

“Hehe.” Of course, it was none of my business. As I idly twirled my pen, the pink creature sitting next to me timidly spoke up. “Y-Young Master-nim…?” “Ah, Regia-yang.” “Um, while I was doing the assignment, I, I ran into a part I didn’t understand…” “Oh my~ It seems I’ll have to help you!”

I had long since graduated from the academics of the original work. I had repeated countless studies during the time I was searching for a happy ending. In other words, unless it was the latest thesis from a magic tower or alchemist, nothing could surprise me. “Let’s see… it’s a problem dealing with the limits of illusion magic, isn’t it?” “Yes, um, I kept getting paradox as the only conclusion, no matter how many times I tried to solve it…”

In that sense, our protagonist’s newbie behavior was enough to stimulate the heart of a veteran. Her tearful green eyes. “It’s, it’s too difficult… I c-can’t, s-solve it.” “It’s not difficult. This type of problem is simple if you use ‘Illya’s Formula.’ I’ll show you myself.” “Heh?”

I smiled brightly and snuggled up next to her. Was she flustered by my enthusiastic attitude? Regia showed a cute reaction. Her face seemed to be blushing slightly too. “Alright, alright, focus.” “Ah, mm… Yes.”

I slowly solved the problem for her. As I was finishing the assignment, the fox watching from behind muttered. Irene, with an indifferent expression. “Unexpected.” “Yes?” “I didn’t know you were good at studying too.” “Hehe, I’m quite the honor student, you know?”

I felt my shoulders puff out for no reason. The feeling of being helpful to the protagonist. There was an indescribable, subtle joy. “It’s perfect. I’m glad you seem to have understood it properly!” “Y-Young Master-nim explained it so kindly… Hehe, thank you.” “You’re a commendable student.”

I finished the private lesson with a beaming smile. Time had flown by while doing the assignment. We got up from our seats. “Shall we head back now?” “Yes, yes…!” “Is it finally over?”

We left the quiet library. As we stepped out of the space filled with the scent of bookshelves and paper, sparkling sunlight touched our eyes. A cool breeze immediately blew. Whoosh-. The scenery as we walked out of the building was spring. Freshly blooming flower petals, the tender ripple of swaying bushes, and the gentle warmth of the non-stinging temperature. We crossed the peaceful path.

“The weather is nice today.” “Indeed.” “I’m realizing it anew, but… Galimar’s campus is truly beautiful.” “It’s an academy the size of a small city, you know.” “There’s a reason it’s called the best.”

As we exchanged light chatter, a group walked toward us from the opposite direction. They were also first-year students. Were they also going to do assignments? I tried to pass by with a light glance, but everyone’s atmosphere was a little strange. Blatant glaring stares. “So that’s the man Young Lady Benity spoke of?”

I listened for a moment. When I used a ‘lie’ to boost my hearing to its limit, I could hear the students’ murmuring voices. It was a sound filled with hostility. “He doesn’t look as strong as I heard… How did he get the top spot?” “Oh, didn’t you see him in the class placement exam?” “I only heard that Her Royal Highness, the Princess, withdrew.” “She’s such a mysterious person, after all.” “She must have thought it was trivial. She must have decided he wasn’t worth dealing with anymore.” “Indeed, she’s certainly capable of that.”

They probably couldn’t imagine I was listening. It was quite a distance away, after all. Unfortunately, big bro can know everything. Even if you’re talking on the other side of the continent, big bro can hear it if he puts his mind to it. I smiled ominously. ‘Is it Emilia again?’

I chewed on the name I’d briefly heard. A week had passed since the semester began, but my reputation among the students was still poor. I hadn’t really shown them any significant accomplishments. Most students thought I was a fluke. Even the few who didn’t were ‘neutral’ individuals who found it difficult to judge me yet. Emilia played a significant role in this public sentiment. “I’ll make you regret it.” Perhaps it wasn’t just an empty threat. She was thoroughly carrying out the warning she’d issued. Manipulating public opinion and chipping away at my reputation. It seemed she intended to isolate me first and then slowly devour me… It was quite entertaining to watch.

“As expected, the Benity name is indeed formidable.” They were the ones who reigned over the Empire after the Imperial Family. Students had no choice but to be wary of the villainess, whether they liked it or not. They never knew when their necks might be on the chopping block. Of course, I didn’t think Emilia would go that far. She was just quite twisted by her inferiority complex, but her personality wasn’t so broken as to lay hands on someone’s life. She was just your typical villainous young lady, you could say.

“Still, it’s starting to get annoying… What should I do?” How should I play with this to make it fun? As I fell into thought for a moment, Irene, who had been lurking nearby, whispered. “Benity, you mean… the blue-haired one we ran into before?” “That’s right.” “Still going to kill her?” “I don’t know why the conclusion always goes there.”

Does she really want me to kill someone? As I stared with a bewildered look, the fox awkwardly averted her gaze. “…Never mind then.” “Do I really look like such a bad person?” “You walk around smiling ominously with a face full of bloodlust; wouldn’t anyone see you that way?” “I told you, this is just how I look.” “Another lie.”

To discriminate against people based on their appearance. It truly was a sad world. Did I choose to be born looking like this? As I pouted my lips in indignation, a sudden cry rang out. “N-No…!”

“Hmm?” A voice filled with timidity. Where I turned, there was the pink girl. Her trembling yet raised head looked quite pathetic. What was she trying to say? “Y-Young Master-nim… isn’t, isn’t a bad person!” “Oh?” “What?”

“Young Master-nim is a g-good person. Not bad at all…” “My goodness.” I automatically covered my mouth. What did our protagonist just say? That I’m not bad? “Y-Young Master-nim is a w-warm person! He, he is scary, but! But he’s not bad…!”

Her green eyes flickered restlessly. Yet, it was a sentence she pronounced clearly, as if f-m-s-mustering courage. A protagonist diligently defending me! How could I not be moved by this? I should immediately shed about 30 liters of tears. Unable to contain my surging joy, I replied with a wide, blossoming smile. “I’m so moved, Regia-yang.” “Y-Young Master-nim, he, he always helps me a lot…” “Mm-hmm.”

This was the right reaction. She was very different from a certain ungrateful fox somewhere. I wished she’d learn a thing or two. I quietly glared. “What?” “Are you perhaps feeling nothing after seeing Regia-yang?” “No.” “Really?” “…I said no.”

She wouldn’t admit it to the end. Was she asking for a challenge? With a mischievous heart, I firmly grabbed her luscious orange tail. “Eek?!” “That’s your punishment.” “W-Wait, you…! No, not my tail! It’s sensitive, I told you… Hee-hee?!” “Accept it sweetly.”

The boisterous conversation continued. The path back to the dormitory was going to be a little louder.

***

Several days passed. It was the time when students were gradually adapting to academy life. They say humans are creatures of adaptation. Even the students who were ground down by Galimar’s tight schedule now seemed to be finding their own pace. I, too, was living as if flowing with the current. “Fluke Top Scorer.”

Unfortunately, the bad rumors persisted. Far from subsiding, the situation was worsening day by day. It seemed she was truly enraged. Was it because I had provoked her too much last time? Still, nothing major had exploded yet. More precisely, it was the stage of laying the groundwork to set off something big. It looked like a stage was being prepared. I could instinctively grasp it. Something interesting was about to happen. ‘I’m looking forward to it.’

Even as a sense of crisis brewed, the troublemaker was simply having fun. And so, the waiting continued. Today, something big finally arrived.

“Oh dear~ What kind of situation is this?” The scene that greeted me as soon as I entered the classroom. A few students, including the villainous young lady, were surrounding the protagonist who had fallen to the floor. “Y-Young Master-nim…!” Regia sobbed as our eyes met. She didn’t look like she’d been hit anywhere… Perhaps her legs just gave out. It seemed she had been severely harassed while I wasn’t around.

“Excuse me.” I approached the spot where the children were gathered. After a few steps, a figure blocked my path. “I wondered where you’d run off to, abandoning a commoner… You’ve finally appeared.” Blue hair. Arrogant tone. I curved my eyes into a smile, as if I had expected this.

“Because I thought someone might be hoping for my appearance.” “How presumptuous.” “I’ll take that as a compliment.” “Hmph.”

Emilia scoffed lightly. Her lips were clearly curved in a smile, but in reality, it was utter contempt. “That arrogance ends now.” “Hmm?” “Today, I intend to bring you down. Did you enjoy playing the fake top scorer all this time?” “Thanks to you, I’ve been enjoying it quite a lot.” “I hope what happens after this is just as entertaining.”

Immediately after her taunt, the girl brought her hands together. Her elegantly moving fingers peeled off her white gloves. Beneath them, pure white skin was revealed. The next action was perfectly clear. Thwack-! Following that, the glove the girl threw fell to the floor. Without even a chance to react, Emilia recited her prepared line with clear pronunciation.

“I, Emilia Benity, in the name of honor and order, challenge Juda Snakers to a duel.” A duel. A fight unavoidable for honorable nobles. She was a girl determined to settle the score. “The price of defeat is… leaving Galimar Academy, at the victor’s discretion.”

A strange light shone in her blue pupils. The surrounding students began to murmur. As if they hadn’t expected such a stake, the children all looked at us with shocked eyes. The atmosphere heightened, feeling ready to burst. “Your answer?”

Everyone’s gaze focused. They seemed to be waiting for an answer. An ominous smile played on my lips. Without hesitation, I uttered what they wanted. “I accept.” Wow. A duel for expulsion. This is going to be so much fun.