Jenella's Hidden Grudge
Jenella's skills were exceptional. An indisputable fact. But her opponent was rotten to the core. Her abilities were specialized for battling not "humans," but "massive monsters."
Boom!Rumble!Roar!
Flames clashed against flames. Who knew Bulria's affinity was also fire? Then what the hell was that water attribute he'd been using before?
Jayyan's peculiar fire attribute collided with what could only be called the epitome of orthodox flames—plain, unadorned fire.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The fires smashed together and vanished into the air. But neither stopped. They chanted their spells simultaneously.
"Burn them to ash."
"Rise up and blaze!"
Jenella's flames were optimized for large monsters, boasting destructive power and scale far superior to peers of the same level.
And then there was the even fiercer intent, vivid imagery, and her unique lightning attribute! These four elements intertwined, instantly bridging the gap in raw skill and firepower against Bulria.
The fireballs summoned above the two students' heads collided. An explosion far more intense than before engulfed the area.
Boom!Whoosh!
The massive shockwave swept over them both. Neither could claim superiority.
"Cough."
"Hack!"
A draw. They both spat blood and collapsed to the ground.
"……."
But a draw wasn't truly a draw.
Jenella was a commoner. She hid her secrets well and had outstanding talent, but publicly, she was just an unusual commoner.
Bulria? What about all the support he'd received, the teachings from his great mage father, his noble bloodline?
The moment it ended in a draw, a blemish had stained Bulria's honor.
"Cough… hack…… Is that all you’ve got?"
"……Not… over yet."
"Enough, both of you."
Their mana destabilized, canceling their chants. They flopped back down in the middle of trying to force themselves upright.
Jayyan calmed their mana flows and fetched potions, feeding one to each.
With her usual composed expression, she spoke.
"Without the safety measures, you two wouldn't have just gotten scorched—you'd have melted outright. Why push yourselves like that?"
"……."
"Fine. You don't want to talk? That's okay. But don't escalate this further. I hope today's fight clears the bad blood between you. It was a good match for both."
"……."
"Eugene? Could you take Jenella to the infirmary?"
"Sure."
Jenella was completely exhausted, unable even to walk. Eugene carried her on his back to the infirmary.
"Oh my. You two get along so well~"
"We're not like that."
"No need to be shy."
"I said we're not!"
They got her a private room. Eugene laid Jenella on the bed.
Just in case, he checked for anyone nearby or listening devices.
"Hey. Eodukshini."
-Guuuh…… Huh?
"Go block the door crack."
-Why me…….
"Wanna get beat, or just go?"
-I'll just go. Obviously.
With the door crack sealed, Eugene asked what had been bugging him.
"Why'd you pick a fight with him?"
"……I wanted to check something."
She pulled the blanket up to her nose, hiding her mouth.
"……That guy—the one who's gonna inherit the Arishion family later—I wanted to know if he was connected to the ancient monsters."
"How do you even tell?"
"The day before yesterday, I reached 2-circle. Now I can distinguish if someone's received power from an ancient monster or not."
A human detector, huh?
"So, results?"
"……No connection. Just a normal human."
"Huh. Then why now?"
Jenella's eyes were downcast and gloomy. Avoiding his gaze, she slowly spoke.
"My dad…… He fell because of the Arishion family. They framed an innocent man as a criminal…… Turned the work he was proud of his whole life into some forced 'atonement'."
A humiliation worse than death.
"So I hated the Arishion family. Hated their heir too, and his arrogant attitude pissed me off."
"You never showed it before."
"……Couldn't."
No power. No confidence she could handle it. No public justification to show others.
"I didn't want to look pathetic. I was weak. Lacked justification. The opponent was too big…… One excuse wasn't enough. So I waited for the right moment. Until I could do it. Until their family shook. ……Pretty pathetic, right?"
"Nah? Better than those reckless idiots who charge in without a care. Gotta know reality. And if you don't like it, change it. You did plenty well."
At least better than me, dying without resolving shit properly.
"You gave it your all. And all you did was provoke him a bit—it ain't worth moping over."
"……."
"Does Bulria know about your dad?"
"……Probably not. Details on my father are classified. And he wouldn't care about the current family head anyway."
"Then we're good. Don't sweat it. Oh, one more thing."
"?"
Their eyes met.
For a split second, hers wavered.
"That all there is to it?"
"……."
"Doesn't seem like it. Be honest. There's more, right?"
"……No. Just wanted to check."
"Yeah? I'd think different."
Eugene smirked, grabbing an apple from the nearby table and peeling it.
"Your level's about even with Bulria Arishion's right now. Add your unique attribute, and you could tie—or win with luck. Either way, it's a win for you. Losing wouldn't look weird, and a tie shakes his mentality, drops his status."
"……."
"Word'll spread about today. Rumors that he lost to me, Ash, and two commoners. Eyes'll be on you too. You didn't think about that at all?"
Scrape, scrape.
Thud.
He neatly sliced the peeled apple in half.
"I don't know everything, but we've hung out enough these past month since enrollment. I think I get you. You're not the type to do shit without thinking. Not against the 'strong' at least."
He bit into an apple half, locking eyes with Jenella. Hers trembled faintly.
"Rumors spread now, he's still fine. But looking ahead?"
Bulria Arishion. His family was one of the duke houses, no doubt powerful.
But the top? No. Actually, the weakest among dukes.
"What if the Sage dies later, and the questionable heir becomes head without proving himself? The house weakens. And that's not all. Right now, 'conveniently,' there's that back alley mess tied to them."
The lowest of the low. But Eugene could make it happen. Or even Jenella could.
Proof?
Just prove she's better than the head. And make sure the head can't prove shit.
Maybe drop them from duke to count. Or wipe the family out entirely.
"Am I overthinking?"
"……Not wrong. Yeah. I thought that. No matter what happens, it doesn't hurt me."
Jenella sat up, hugging her knees to her chest, head bowed, avoiding his eyes.
"……I wanted to tear it down. He'd keep rising, clueless about what his father, his family did. So I wanted to scratch that facade."
"How you feeling now?"
"……Dunno."
"Figured."
If anything, it was like venting on a criminal's kid. But Eugene got her anger. He'd been the same.
Innocent?
To the victim, they're both the same. Blood of the hated one. And what she hated was likely the 'whole family,' not just the head.
No one helped her dad. Let him rot. And now sprouts grow from that filth, ignorant of the truth.
……Should I help?
He pondered briefly.
Jenella would keep clashing with the Arishions. She'd die for sure. No matter how talented, a lone commoner couldn't take a massive house.
But what if not alone?
"Jenella. Look up."
"……."
"Now."
At his whisper, she lifted her head.
Their eyes met.
Eyes are windows to the soul, they say. Especially in kids—they can't hide it.
"Want help?"
"……What?"
Decision made. Mana oath? Who cares.
He'd come into the world to stop the Calamity. Straightening out hero candidates before they went astray was part of it.
He'd confirmed Jenella as a hero candidate. Or even if not, didn't matter. Hero criteria?
The guy bullying the maid was a hero candidate too. No reason Jenella can't be.
Fuck the standards.
"I hate those bastards too. What they did? Mocked my god."
Truth was, the god probably wouldn't care.
The War God wasn't benevolent. Her love touched only the main god and her priests.
But priests speak for the god. So their will could become the god's, right?
"So I'll help."
Thus, he'd make Jenella a hero instead.
Didn't know the criteria, but getting strong would do. To get strong, eliminate threats that could kill her.
"……It'll drag you in."
"You fight alone then? That's suicide."
"……That's why I came here."
"Really? Is that what you want? Your dad? No—do you want that?"
Jenella clamped her mouth shut. Tears welled in her eyes.
Uh, crap…… Didn't mean to make her cry.
She bowed her head again. A mumble leaked through the blanket.
"……It was a lie. Yeah. Dad told me not to. Just live how I want. ……Even without the duty, I'd have done this."
"Then it's settled. You're doing it by your will, I'm helping by mine. Good enough?"
"……Yeah."
Eugene offered her a handkerchief. She wiped her tears, blew her nose into it.
Wait, not the nose…….
Realizing it, she wrapped it in nearby tissue and pocketed it.
"Sniff. So what now? Big family—killing one won't end it."
"Nah. Kill one, it's over."
"?"
"Most effective's the Sage. Or the heir, Bulria Arishion."
But not the ideal way.
Honestly, Bulria was innocent. If he knew the truth, maybe different—but that depended on his role.
A puppet with no power, his father's plaything. In his past life, like kids studying, going to college, getting jobs per parents' wishes?
……Gotta see.
"……Don't like that."
"Me neither. So we think."
Then.
Knock knock.
Someone rapped on the infirmary door.