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chapter 33
“Tsk, there’s less than a month until the regular meeting anyway.”
Although Count Remembrance held a lower rank than him, he was the real power controlling the border’s military authority.
No matter how high-ranking a duke was, he couldn’t turn away someone like this at the door.
“Show him in.”
He spoke irritably, and the attendant quickly stepped aside.
Not long after, Count Remembrance arrived at the duke’s office.
His pink hair, contrasting sharply with his harsh face, softened his impression slightly, but the moment anyone saw his blood-red eyes, no one could say he looked kind.
The sturdy count bowed to the duke.
“Your Excellency.”
“So, is the border secure?”
“Thanks to Your Excellency’s grace, the soldiers’ morale is high. However…”
Hearing the count start to lay the groundwork, Winter almost wanted to cover his ears.
“Your heir has grown considerably, but the successor position is still vacant, and recently, voices of concern have been rising.”
“…Aren’t there two candidates for successor? I’ve delayed it deliberately because I wanted to be cautious…”
“I’ve received news from your daughter.”
Contrary to his appearance, Count Remembrance was a devoted father with two children: one a maid working at the duke’s estate, the other a professor at the academy.
Whichever child had delivered the message, it was obvious what news he had brought.
“Your daughter has awakened as a magician after twenty years.”
“….”
“I understand fully why Your Excellency has delayed designating a successor until now, but it must not be postponed any longer.”
Count Remembrance’s gaze glowed red.
Even the duke had to take a step back here.
Looking up at the count with a softened expression, he said,
“…Very well. That is only proper.”
“Truly?”
The surprised count widened his eyes. The duke’s love for his eldest son was so well-known that he hadn’t expected him to yield so easily.
“We’ll discuss this in detail at the next regular meeting. For today, let’s leave it at that. Would you like some tea before leaving?”
“No. My wife is waiting at home, so I shall return.”
It was their wedding anniversary today.
The count smiled faintly and left the office.
He had no idea that as soon as the door closed, the duke’s expression had turned icy in an instant.
All the first-round matches of the tournament had ended.
The main tournament consisted of seven rounds in total.
If one followed the principle of one day of matches followed by three days of rest, it would seem like the tournament would run for an entire month—but that wasn’t the case.
The number of matches decreased exponentially in later rounds, shortening the rest periods.
In other words,
“I can keep the promise.”
I had told Larisa, “I’ll take care of all your back pay and bonuses within a month.” I could keep that promise.
The prize ceremony would be held right after the finals.
“This is Professor Edward, in charge of the elective ‘Practical Survival Skills.’ Please take care of him.”
My thoughts scattered as the professor at the podium greeted us.
The young professor, neatly dressed in a suit, seemed just as refined in character.
The best thing? He wasn’t a magic-focused professor.
“No tiring magic-related chores during class.”
I quietly put the snack bag I had been eating into my drawer to be a good student.
Professor Edward continued, his blue eyes shining.
“As you know, after graduating from the academy, most of you will serve as soldiers or mercenaries.”
‘Practical Survival Skills’ was primarily chosen by students in the swordsmanship department, most of whom were talented commoners, so that made sense.
Honestly, I hadn’t expected to take this course.
“What on earth was Canis thinking with this…?”
A noble, non-magical, untalented-in-swordsmanship girl like her had absolutely no need to learn practical survival skills.
“Did the duke force her to?”
A reasonable suspicion. Since course registration was done at home, parental involvement was likely.
Still, why the duke pushed Canis into the swordsmanship department remained a mystery.
“…So, you will conduct the collection assignment in groups of three.”
“Hah.”
What did the professor just say?
I resolved to avoid wandering thoughts during lectures.
A student raised a hand.
“Professor, can we freely choose our group members?”
I silently prayed.
“Please, assign them!”
Hear my desperate plea!
“That’s for you to decide yourselves.”
Damn it.
The professor ignored my plea.
“Write down the names of your group members and submit them to my office. Students who finish forming their groups early may leave. That’s all.”
After the first lecture, the professor left with a relaxed expression.
Then chaos broke out.
“Looking for someone to be in my group!”
“Hey, you’ll be with me, right?”
“Damn it! I’d rather be with a mouse than you!”
The laughter of popular students filled the classroom.
I, the loner, was left awkwardly alone.
I’d never been hurt by criticism or whispers about Canis, but now I faced the purely realistic pain of “We’re told to form our groups ourselves, but I don’t have anyone I know. Haha.”
If this were a comic, my aura would be flickering with sound effects…
Bonus: my nose would be pointed.
Damn!
“I can’t believe I’m hoping someone would start a fight with me.”
Why? Why?
Even in this romance-fantasy world, why am I still playing ‘K-Loner Survival’?
Usually, in a fantasy romance, if there’s a joint task, the male leads swarm around asking to team up.
I held my head for a moment, then gave up.
“Well, someone will be left. If not, I’ll do it alone.”
“Hello, Princess.”
The saying goes: to live by risking death, to die by risking life.
“It seems you haven’t decided your group yet. Would you join me?”
“Is this ancestral wisdom?”
Just as I had given up, an acquaintance I hadn’t noticed arrived.
“Aiden?”
“You’re only noticing me now.”
He smiled wryly.
“I called out earlier, but you didn’t respond even once. I thought you were going to drop Practical Survival Skills.”
“Hmm…”
I didn’t hear him at all. Did he even call?
But now, questioning the truth would be pointless.
“Fine.”
“Oh, Aiden! Did I finally succeed in recruiting you?”
Thud. As I agreed, a cheerful voice rang out in the classroom.
It was Felix, notable for his red hair.
Aiden frowned at the arm draped over his shoulder.
“Remove that.”
“Ah, why so cold? We’re in the same group!”
“I never said I’d be in the same group as you.”
“Well, you don’t have a choice, do you?”
Aiden’s refusal was met with a smug expression.
“This is a group of three. You don’t have a friend besides me.”
“What nonsense? There are plenty of people who like me…”
Aiden turned sharply, looking around the classroom, speechless.
It was already empty.
Apparently, swordsmanship students were so close from their grueling training that none of them were left behind—they all went to write the group roster.
“Hahaha. Then let’s work well together from now on!”
“….”
Thus, a strange trio was formed.
Having scheduled an outing for the assignment on Saturday, I immediately moved to the next classroom.
Unfortunately, the second period was Advanced Magic Techniques.
“I’ll announce the results of the pop quiz.”
Professor Bernoua, with a look as if he had bitten into something unpleasant, stared at the papers.
“First place, Canis Escliff.”
The classroom stirred.
“What? That’s impossible!”
“She finished in ten minutes!”
“Was it rigged?”
“No, she’s a 20-year-old manifestation user…”
Whispers of disbelief filled the room, but now mixed with awe and envy, unlike before, when only hostility and doubt had existed.
Now, I was a full-fledged magician.
Even their doubt was simply instinctual discomfort at my changed abilities—they had to acknowledge me in the end.
“Professor! Didn’t you say if we left early, we’d get zero if it wasn’t perfect?”
A student asked, trembling while holding my test paper.
Bernoua’s face darkened.
“Escliff, you scored full marks.”
The commotion grew louder.
They had the same test and could see the gap between us.
“They didn’t even try to find fault with my solution.”
Of course, my solutions were flawless, though they could have tried to make excuses like, “This method isn’t in the academy curriculum, so it’s invalid!”
“At least they have a bit of conscience.”
As I reached for my test paper comfortably, I accidentally saw the scores in his hand:
[Daen Grace – 42 points (2nd)]
[Bella – 27 points (3rd)]
…Bella was third?
“She’s better at studying than I thought.”
I thought she was completely dumb after her low-level behavior at the library.
“Wait, professor! I can’t accept this! She was last in school a month ago!”
Correction: maybe she really is dumb.
I calmly watched Bella storm out of her seat.
The moment her eyes met mine, Professor Bernoua sighed and commanded,
“Escliff, solve questions one through six on the board.”
