The Small Gap That Divides
As lunchtime arrived, Jenella stretched out her sluggish body.
Was it because this was a prestigious academy after all? She'd heard that the first day usually went smoothly, but they'd jumped straight into classes without any such grace...
Economics... did I really need to take this...?
She'd enrolled on her father's advice—that a mage needed not just magical skill, but knowledge of economics and how nations functioned. But...
It was way too hard.
She seriously thought her head was going to explode midway through.
Adria, who'd been sitting beside her, had checked out soul-first about an hour in.
"Ugh, I'm starving. Adria, Adria. Snap out of it already..."
"Huh? Oh?"
Her head had been bowed in a deep doze, a bit of drool glistening at the corner of her mouth.
Adria frantically wiped it away with the back of her hand and shot to her feet.
It was hard to believe this was the same half-corpse who'd been snoring moments ago.
"Alright! Let's go grab some food—food time!"
Jenella gave a wry internal smile at her sudden burst of energy.
Guess I'll have to use a free coupon...
Unlike Adria, born into royalty, Jenella was a commoner.
More precisely... the sole daughter of a man branded a traitor and exiled to the continent's fringes.
His death had pardoned all crimes, but it hadn't filled her empty bank account.
How many do I have left...?
Free coupons were distributed for commoners, but they weren't good for 365 days a year.
She vaguely remembered having about a hundred.
One hundred days...
She'd have to hustle for a part-time job or something within that time and start earning.
Adria, mid-stretch, blinked at Jenella rummaging in her pocket.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing..."
"What's with that polite talk? I told you to drop the formalities. I get it, we've only just met, so it might feel weird. Take your time. Anyway, let's hurry up and eat!"
Her sparkling energy made Jenella force a smile on the outside.
But inside, she was rotting away.
A tiny spark of jealousy, the kind any girl her age might feel.
Why wasn't I born into a family like that?
Why don't I have money like hers?
Surprisingly, human inferiority complexes stemmed not from vast gaps, but tiny ones.
A huge divide might not even spark envy... but a small one, close enough to touch yet forever out of reach, festered the soul even more.
"Let's go right away."
"Sweet! Off we go! What's for lunch today... Huh?"
Just then, someone blocked the two girls' path.
A student with bangs hanging down to his nose, exuding a gloomy aura overall.
"Um, excuse me..."
What the...?
Jenella felt an inexplicable creepiness and unease.
But Adria, used to dealing with types like this, switched to a smooth, professional tone.
"Yes? What can I do for you?"
"I, um... I'm a fan... Could I get an autograph...?"
"An autograph? Of course!"
"A-and... I want to get close to you, Adria..."
Adria clicked her tongue inwardly.
She'd seen plenty of this type.
Fans who approached pretending to be pure admirers, but wanted more.
"Sorry, I really appreciate the offer, but I'm super shy with strangers... Still! You're pretty handsome, so you'll find even better friends~"
"B-but I..."
Even her polite rejection went right over his head; he kept trying to push the conversation.
Adria felt a pang of awkwardness inside.
How do I shake this guy...?
She'd planned to quit the idol life for at least three years and live as a normal student.
Jenella noticed her discomfort and grabbed her arm, tugging gently.
"Adria. Let's go."
Adria shot her a grateful look.
"Ah, I should get going. Here's your autograph."
"..."
Adria handed it over politely.
But he didn't take it properly—instead, he let it drop to the floor.
"Oops..."
"...Just leave it. I'll pick it up."
"No, it was my mistake..."
"I said leave it!"
His voice suddenly sharpened, and Adria barely held back a scowl.
She bit it back, picked up the fallen autograph, shoved it into his hand, and let Jenella drag her away.
As they got some distance, he muttered in a sinister tone, like he'd been waiting.
"Stupid bitch thinks she's hot shit just 'cause she's pretty..."
Typical.
Adria swallowed a sigh.
Fans like him were everywhere, regardless of gender or age.
This is why I hate being an idol.
She figured she'd just stepped in shit and hurried to leave the classroom when the guy suddenly charged at her.
Mana brimming in his hands.
Adria's eyes widened as she yanked Jenella back.
"Jenella!"
"Yeah—huh? Eek!"
BAM!
"Argh!"
The door flew open like it might shatter, and someone burst in.
A boy with a slime on his shoulder, reeking faintly of herbs all over.
Eugene casually flung the door wide and boomed cheerfully.
"Let's eat! My treat today!"
Jenella and Adria had dodged just in time, but the gloomy guy hadn't.
He bounced off the door in the same charging pose, spinning away.
Thud.
No one paid attention to his pathetic sprawl. Adria, dumbfounded, shot back at Eugene.
"Top ten entrance exam ranks get free meals anyway, you know?"
"Huh? For real?"
What? Everything's free?
Jenella felt awkwardly embarrassed and shoved the ticket deep into her pocket.
I'll... donate it later or something.
"Then just come eat with us anyway."
Eodukshini on Eugene's shoulder yelled excitedly.
-Food! Food! Finally, food!
"Why're you, a damn slime, so obsessed with eating?"
-What? I'm not a slime, I'm a divine beast! "Last time you said you weren't?"
-Th-that was...
Adria reached out pitifully at the bickering pair.
"Eodukshini, c'mere. Aww, you poor thing, stuck with such a lame owner. Right?"
-Waaah!
"Cute's all that matters."
-Yeah! I'm cu—huh? What?
Tch. Not falling for it.
Adria pouted in disappointment, and Eodukshini froze in shock.
Eugene, as if just remembering, approached the guy who was barely coming to.
"Hey."
"Ugh... Wh-what the hell are you?"
"What am I? The friend of the girl you were harassing, asshole."
"Like you'd be her fri—!"
He grabbed his hair and yanked him up, the guy's eyes glaring at Eugene with jealousy and rage.
"I've been watching her way longer than you! I've been a fan longer!"
"Unbelievable."
Eugene chuckled dryly and stepped closer.
Opening!
The bangs-kid's eyes gleamed as he lunged.
But Eugene casually grabbed both wrists and twisted them in impossible directions.
Crack!
"Aaaagh!"
"Aaaagh? Hurts, huh? Does it? Hurt?"
He left the mangled hands dangling and grabbed the collar with both fists, glaring fiercely.
Murderous intent filled his usually playful eyes.
Even from afar, the blatant hostility had been palpable...
"I heard everything. What was that? 'Pretty face bitch'? That's fan talk? If you wanna be friends, you don't say shit like that. You're not a fan—you're trash."
What pissed him off most was the dropped autograph and the pale faces of Jenella and Adria.
He'd seen those expressions plenty in his past life—staring back from the mirror, over and over.
He never wanted to see them again. Especially not on his first real friends.
Ashy had asked him to come, but hell, it was a good thing.
Otherwise, he'd never have known.
I'll take the hate myself.
If Adria hadn't said she wanted a quiet life, he'd have stayed back or handled it covertly.
But after years in the spotlight, she was burned out and wanted normalcy at the academy.
What choice was there? As her friend, he'd step up.
...Though it'd blow any shot at normal for her. Still, better than constant harassment.
He might get called a bully with muscle or a delinquent poser...
Whatever.
Friends mattered more than rumors.
"Y-you..."
"You shut the fuck up. Speak properly. Want me to slam you into the door again? She gave you the damn autograph—say thanks and fuck off. She said no, so why keep pushing? No eyes? No ears? No brain? Don't know the word 'no'? Everything on you just decoration? Huh?"
"Wh-what gives you the right to butt in?!"
"What right? She's my friend!"
Slap!
He backhanded the guy's cheek.
As his head snapped sideways, Eugene wrenched it back by the collar.
Tears welled in the swollen face's eyes.
Pity him? Nah. To Eugene, he was just another bully from his past life.
Trash didn't deserve human treatment.
"Hurts? Huh? Think about how much it hurt her? She's an idol, so she toughs it out—means jack shit to you? Go die."
"Th-this is assault...!"
"Your words weren't violence? Quit your bullshit and apologize. Oh, no mouth handle? I'll install one. Snap—there, got your handle. I'll break it off, you just talk. Easy, right?"
Every word dripped with lethal intent.
The boy had started defiant, but paled and trembled with each syllable.
"Huh? No answer? Wanna die for real? What're you lot staring at? Wanna go first? Got a show?"
He bellowed at the students crowding the doorway; they scattered in terror.
Good enough.
Eugene tightened his grip, then dropped his voice to a deadly growl.
"Remember this. Touch my friend again, and that's your funeral."
He released the collar; the guy collapsed shaking, head bowed.
A sour stench rose.
"Ugh, reeks."
Eugene fanned his nose and stood.
Adria watched, torn between scolding and thanking him.
"Huh? What?"
His casual question made her blurt out.
"Are you insane?! What about the fallout...!"
"Fallout? Why bother? Principal's my backup."
"Principal ain't a black card."
"Plus, it's easier this way. Plant the fear early—they'll target me, not you."
"Then you get hassled!"
"Friends, right? And if these punks gang up, even better. Sweep 'em all at once."
"Still...!"
Adria's retort died in her throat.
He was right.
No one would touch her now.
Not just 'cause she was no ordinary student—a precious princess—but because Eugene was the academy's notorious troublemaker.
With him marking her as protected, no one would dare.
But that in itself...
She wasn't weak. Yet trapped in the 'idol' mold, bold moves were tricky.
His care was touching, but something... felt off in her chest.
"But..."
"No buts."
Eugene spun coolly on his heel.
"Anyway, food time. I'm starving."
He strode out first. Once clear, he secretly pumped his fists.
"Damn, I was badass."
Eodukshini, now fully awake on his shoulder, deadpanned.
-...That one line woke me right up.
Adria's sharp ears caught it all.
She burst into a soft laugh despite herself.
"Haha..."
Seeing that side eased her worries.
Because we're friends.
His words echoed faintly in her mind.