Romance Fantasy? The Principal's Ultimatum and the Call to Arms
Exactly three days after hearing about the future from Principal Ludwig Rich and holing up in the training grounds.
"No matter what choice you make, the Continental Academy will respect the will of all students."
"Those who wish to return home may do so. Even if you leave and return later, there will be no penalties."
"For those who stay to observe the situation further, the faculty and staff will remain as well. While full normal classes may not be possible, we will maintain them to some extent."
Ability users from prominent families were almost all being strongly urged by their homes to return or even leave the country entirely. Those from ordinary families or commoner backgrounds had nowhere better than the academy even if they left, so they preferred to stay. The principal, taking all this into account, avoided mentioning complete closure or full normalization. He simply stated that he would accept and accommodate everything.
"And finally."
"A path will soon open for students who seek revenge. Students who seek justice. Agreements have already been reached with the Empire and various nations."
"Enemies who have not yet escaped the Empire remain. Our academy will track them down and deliver judgment directly. Naturally, any students who wish may 'join the battle'."
It wasn't mere "participation." It was joining the battle. That word sent shivers through some students. This was exactly what they wanted. Not to be mere ornaments despite being ability users. Not to treat their powers as mere spectacles for the elite. They wanted to earn merits under the name of ability user, to demonstrate their dominance with true power. Many had awakened their abilities hoping for precisely this.
Even if they went out into the world, there were no wars. And even if there were, ability users weren't deployed. That might have been true in the past, but now both sides cited the massive casualties as reason to avoid it. Thanks to that, high-born ability users no longer risked death or severe injury. Naturally, they loved this state of affairs.
But ability users from ordinary backgrounds were different. For them, war was essential. Only by earning merits could they rise in status. Only by rising could they elevate their families and leave better prospects for their children.
And then the academy was attacked. Massive casualties occurred, with numerous deaths and injuries. Revenge already burned in their hearts. Now the principal had officially declared he would personally lead the revenge, waiting for volunteers to strike the enemy.
"I'll join the battle."
For Abel to declare his intent for these reasons was the most natural course. Kalligo, who had expected it, nodded along with Flam Phoenix, Portus Sparrow, and even Rel Carhan, as if they'd all seen it coming.
"No, Lord Abel!"
But Seria seemed desperate to stop him.
"It's dangerous. Shouldn't we leave this to the others?"
"That's exactly why I have to go. You only gain experience equal to the safety of the place. Miss Seria."
"But…"
"I came here to learn. Not out of revenge. And for that learning, fighting enemy ability users is the perfect opportunity, isn't it?"
He made it clear his reason wasn't clouded judgment from revenge, nor blinded ambition. It was a cool-headed decision that joining was best in every way.
With Abel persuading her like that, Seria couldn't argue further.
"Give it up, Miss Seria. Do you really think that Abel would back down with enemies right in front of him?"
"Impressive. Hey, Abel, was it? Come to our family later. I'll treat you right."
"Don't cut in line, you pyro. The Sparrow family will invite you first. You're our lifesaver—we'll welcome you as an honored guest as many times as it takes."
"If the chance arises, I'd like to cross swords with you once."
Already, Kalligo, Flam, Portus, and Rel had all decided to return home or to their countries. Not by their own will, but because they couldn't resist their families' strong demands. The academy subtly hoped they'd leave too. If worst came to worst and the Ability Supremacists killed any of them, the fallout would be catastrophic. The Empire's third prince. Sons of the top elemental masters. The prime minister's son. They'd be valuable assets in battle, but the risks outweighed the gains.
"So all four of you are heading back."
"I tried to stay, but with things like this… You get it, Abel. You know there's something scarier than death. Miss Seria, what about you…"
"I'll join the battle too."
What? Huh? Eh? Really?
Seria's bombshell declaration drew a barrage of sounds from the four men. Abel was just as flustered, so he had to double-check.
"Miss Seria? Not returning home, but joining the battle?"
"Yes. You just said it yourself, Lord Abel. It's the best chance to learn. So I have to go too. I'm still the weakest, and to become a star in the sky instead of a firefly, I need to work harder."
"That's true, but… Hmm."
Abel instinctively glanced at the four male students behind Seria. Their expressions varied, but their inner thoughts felt perfectly aligned.
'Convince Seria quickly! Tell her it's dangerous and not to go!'
That was it. They were definitely looking at him with those thoughts. The realization made Abel feel unfairly targeted.
If you're so worried, convince her yourselves. Why push it on me all of a sudden? Romance novel male leads always make the messenger do the dirty work at times like this? Do they have some curse that kills them if they say it themselves?
Something bubbled up in Abel. He gave the four a slight smirk. Whatever else, this time he wouldn't play along with their wishes.
"If that's Miss Seria's decision, I won't stop you. You're a proper ability user in your own right, and you've even awakened a new power this time, so it should be fine."
New power. Come to think of it, things had been too chaotic then to notice, but looking back, Seria's growth was astonishing.
Her original ability was tiny sparks. More coldly put, half-burnt ashes scattering around. Plenty in number, but weak and impossible to control individually.
Then, in the fight with Jureung, everything changed. Especially the butterflies born from the flames—that was the decisive shift. Abel, the other students, even the professors had been stunned. Such cases weren't unheard of, but they were far from common.
Abilities typically grew stronger through training and experience after awakening. "Stronger" usually meant greater power and versatility. A complete transformation in form, like Seria's, was extremely rare.
"Wait, hold on. Miss Seria. I don't think that's a good idea."
"Don't try to stop me, Lord Kalligo."
"Hear me out. Your ability has just undergone a major change. Right now, you need time to get a feel for how to wield and control it. What do the rest of you think?"
Catching Kalligo's cue, Flam and Portus nodded vigorously in agreement. Rel, who dreamed of being a warrior over the prime minister's son label, tilted his head like 'Why bother?' but soon followed suit.
"Miss Seria. Why do you think they call it 'joining the battle'? The place you're heading is a battlefield. No safety guarantees like at the academy. It's dangerous!"
Bringing up her safety finally swayed Rel.
"…"
The four men desperately persuading her. One woman stubbornly insisting on going. Watching the scene, Abel had no thoughts. It was exactly the picture he'd expected since correctly grasping the genre. They'd sort it out themselves. His job now was figuring out how to deal with the Ability Supremacists.
"I'm going anyway. If we don't risk the danger, we can't grow!"
"Miss Seria!"
"I'm an ability user. That's why I came to the academy, and with the expectations that come with it, I want to do my part."
Seria's resolve was ironclad. She wouldn't bend. In the end, the four gave up.
"Can't be helped, then. Guess I'll skip heading back to the imperial family too."
"Dad'll chew me out, but he'll be thrilled I gained experience when I go later. Right, water boy?"
"Hate to agree with the arsonist this time. Rel, was it? You?"
"…Going home just means hearing 'prime minister's son' again anyway. Better to be hailed as the young hero who caught the Supremacists."
Don't lie, you guys. You're obviously just trying to stay by Seria's side.
Looking at it this way, isn't the romance fantasy genre basically brainrot? How do these brilliant guys throw away logic and plausibility for one girl?
The situation flipped. Now Seria was trying to dissuade them from going, while the four insisted that if she went, so would they. Abel could only gaze at the sky with utter exasperation.