chapter_0212

Time flew by, and the day before the summer festival finally arrived. The atmosphere at Belium Academy was indescribably exuberant.

Starting three days ago, all elective and theoretical morning lectures had been canceled, and professors were going around evaluating the submissions and offering feedback.

Our club’s artificial dungeon was no exception.

Professor Jaina, the first to visit, was astounded by our idea and left shaking her head. Soon, word spread, and other professors followed suit, each taking a turn to experience the dungeon.

And they all had the same reaction as Professor Jaina. The theme was unfamiliar and exotic to the people of this world, which likely added to their fascination.

“It’s done!”

Of course, we didn’t build the dungeon ourselves. The Tower Masters, who had volunteered to be our slaves, did the heavy lifting. We only provided the ideas and blueprints.

The structure and content of the dungeon piqued the wizards’ curiosity and ignited their enthusiasm, especially when we offered to teach them magic in exchange for their labor.

“Ohhhhhh…! This is…”

After learning the mid-level Status Effect Release Magic, they eagerly tested their new spells on their unsuspecting colleagues, casting status ailments left and right. I wondered what kind of people they were.

“This is the first time I’ve seen students from other academies.”

Now, with less than 24 hours until the festival began, Laura, Priscilla, and I stood at the Academy’s entrance, waiting to greet our guests.

“Me too.”

“It’s understandable, given that they were never actually present in the story. I had the opportunity to see them when I could move freely.”

The two gave contrasting responses. I gently stroked Priscilla’s head as she leaned against me, then turned to Laura and asked a question.

“Do you know anything about the two academies chosen for the exchange? They must be quite different from here.”

I had received information about the individual students from Erestika, but it only included their profiles, not details about their academies.

“Both are academies that only admit nobles. They are fundamentally different from Belium Academy, which prioritizes ability. One of the Three Great Duke families of the Empire has a child enrolled in Lailah Academy, and I’ve heard that they’ve been using that fact to tease Rosemary Academy, their rival. It’s only natural, given their rivalry.”

The word “rival” brought back unpleasant memories.

As I tried to erase the memory of the school competition I had participated in as a freshman at Nobel University, two carriages appeared in the distance.

“They’re here.”

The carriages from Lailah Academy and Rosemary Academy arrived side by side, almost as if to emphasize their rivalry. They seemed to be picking up speed as they approached.

The carriages came to a stop right in front of the Academy’s entrance, and the doors swung open simultaneously. Students in distinct uniforms stepped out. Like us, they were the top students of their respective grades.

“I’ll go first. Any objections?”

A girl with long, ashen-gray hair stepped forward from the Lailah Academy carriage. Her confident stride and the silence from the three students from Rosemary Academy suggested that she was the daughter of one of the Three Great Duke families.

The girl, named Eichenhardt Renitus, knelt on one knee and bowed deeply before Laura.

“Eichenhardt Renitus, the next head of the Renitus Duke family and the eldest child of the current Renitus Duke, greets His Highness the Crown Prince. I have come to visit Belium Academy as the top student of the third grade at Lailah Academy.”

“Welcome, Eichenhardt. You may rise.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Eichenhardt stood up. She had a slender build and an air of malice about her, giving off the vibe of a typical villainous young lady. If someone were to personify the stereotype of a villainous young lady, it would be her.

“I hope you’ve been well.”

“Yes, Your Highness. It is all thanks to Your Highness’s grace.”

“You flatter me.”

“I…”

Before Eichenhardt could continue, Laura cut her off without hesitation. A brief silence ensued, and the two ducal young ladies faced each other.

“It’s been a while, Priscilla Agnes. How have you been?”

“Yeah.”

Priscilla leaned against me, nonchalantly accepting the greeting. Her proximity to me, though not as intimate as usual, was enough to draw attention.

Eichenhardt, intrigued by Priscilla’s behavior, turned her gaze to me.

“You must be the first-year top student, Mira Crate. Am I right?”

“Yes.”

“Your reputation precedes you at Lailah Academy. Even though you attend Belium Academy, there are rumors about you that are hard to believe for a first-year top student… I assume they’re not just rumors.”

Why was she using honorifics with me? Her appearance suggested that she was the type to speak casually to Laura, yet she was being overly polite with me. Perhaps she had a similar personality to Aria from the original story.

“Yes, they’re not exaggerated.”

I confidently asserted myself. After all, I had nothing to hide.

In fact, the rumors tended to underestimate me, so whatever expectations they had of me, the reality would likely exceed them.

Eichenhardt smiled at my response.

“Good attitude. I look forward to it.”

“……”

Priscilla, standing next to me, puffed out her cheeks and poked my side with her elbow. Laura also looked slightly displeased. Why were they reacting like this?

Eichenhardt finished her greeting and stepped back. The other nobles followed suit, offering brief nods to me. Laura’s eyebrows twitched as she noticed their lack of respect.

“I trust that you are aware of the reason for your early arrival, one day ahead of schedule.”

After the greetings, we headed straight to the Colosseum, the same magically enhanced Colosseum where we had our practical sparring lectures.

“Yes, Your Highness. It is to determine the order of the free sparring matches between grades.”

Eichenhardt was the first to respond.

“I don’t mind the order, but it would be embarrassing to fall too early. After all, this is a sparring match that carries the pride of our academies.”

The reason we were gathered here a day early was for another main event following the boss monster raid: the free sparring matches between grade-level top students, which had been added a week before the festival. It could be team battles, tournaments, or free-for-alls; the format and order were up to us.

It was a case of adults’ circumstances, as Erestika already knew our strengths, but the other academies’ principals seemed to want assurance.

“Well, if you consider my past self, it would be quite embarrassing, Your Highness.”

A bit of tension arose, mainly due to Eichenhardt’s one-sided hostility toward Laura. Laura, however, remained unfazed.

Priscilla, on the other hand, was exuding hostility for a different reason. The others were giving me sideways glances, probably because Priscilla was sticking close to me. I could hear whispers of “dare to” under their breaths.

Perhaps they were reacting to Priscilla’s proximity to me, but I couldn’t be sure.

“Your Highness, actions speak louder than words. Instead of wasting time talking, why don’t we gauge each other’s strength directly?”

“I welcome it. How about we start with the first grade?”

“Yes, Helpen?”

“Yes!”

“What about you, Mira?”

“Alright.”

We nodded to each other. Helpen, the male student from Lailah Academy, stepped onto the sparring arena first, and I followed suit. As I walked past Laura, she whispered in my ear.

“Show them what you’ve got.”

“I know. Don’t worry.”

Laura’s request indicated that she wanted me to do more than just win; she wanted me to make a statement. I wondered if there was some backstory I wasn’t aware of.

As we activated the magic on the Colosseum, I felt the protective magic against critical injuries envelop my body and then fade away. With that, we were ready.

“Then, let’s begin.”

Laura, with her characteristic haughty smile, started the countdown. Priscilla, standing next to her, waved her hand casually, showing no signs of tension.

“Get ready.”

I faced Helpen, who held a long broadsword. I brandished my nominal spear in response.

“Start!”

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‘……Huh?’

Eichenhardt blinked.

As soon as the Crown Prince’s signal was given, Helpen, who was standing in the corner of the arena, collapsed with a critical injury warning. His limbs twitched uncontrollably.

‘What just happened?’

Did I see it? No. I didn’t even see him move, let alone attack. The match had ended so quickly that Eichenhardt couldn’t perceive it. Everyone else was equally stunned.

Only the Crown Prince and Priscilla remained unfazed, as if he had expected this outcome.

‘No way.’

Eichenhardt anxiously bit her nails. If her mother saw this, she would scold her for such unbecoming behavior, but she had no time to worry about that now.

‘I need to show them what I’m capable of…’

She glanced at Laura, her eyes narrowing slightly. Laura’s appearance had become more feminine, but he was still undeniably handsome. Eichenhardt shook her head to clear her thoughts.

The whispers and murmurs in the Colosseum grew louder as people reacted to the unexpected outcome of their top student being easily defeated by Belium Academy’s first-year top student.

‘I need to step up now.’

I snapped out of my thoughts, realizing the situation. If I didn’t show my strength, I would become a laughingstock and fail to live up to the expectations of the Crown Prince, who will choose me as his future confidant.

“Impressive, Mira Crate.”

Eichenhardt strode forward. Originally, I had planned to face the Crown Prince in a sparring match under the pretext of determining the order of the grade-level matches. However, the situation had changed, and it was now time to adjust my plans.

“It seems the rumors weren’t exaggerated. If you don’t mind, would you be willing to face me directly? I’ll give it my all.”

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He agreed, being as polite as possible to avoid offending the Crown Prince. Earlier, Laura had given him a stern look just for smiling at her, so he knew how sensitive the situation was.

“Sure.”

Eichenhardt inwardly rejoiced at his acceptance and registered herself as the next opponent. She stepped onto the arena, brandishing a rapier, and faced him.

If she waited to react, it would be too late. In this situation, SheI had to rely on her instincts. It was time to show the power of Eichenhardt Renitus, the century’s genius of Lailah Academy.

Mana surged throughout her body, enhancing her physical abilities.

“Bring it on!”

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“……?”

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in an unfamiliar ceiling.

“What… What happened?! Ahh!”

As I tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot through my head, causing me to wince.

“Are you alright? How do you feel?”

The second-year top student from Lailah Academy, who had been sitting on a small chair next to the bed, rushed to support me.

Eichenhardt slowly sat up, looking around the room. There was a white bed, white curtains, and the overall atmosphere felt like an infirmary.

“…… What happened? Why am I here? What about the sparring match?”

My head was fuzzy, and I couldn’t piece together what had transpired.

Why was I lying here? I remembered accepting Mira Crete’s challenge, facing her, and using my body enhancement magic, but…

“Well… I didn’t see it myself…”

The second-year top student hesitated, twirling her long hair, which fell to her waist, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

“The Young Lady fainted after getting a knuckle sandwich, and the Crown Prince laughed about it…”

Eichenhardt froze.

A knuckle sandwich? From whom??

“WHAT?!??!!!”

Her voice reverberated throughout the infirmary.