Chapter 88

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 88

Chapter Title: Is It Okay to Treat Your Childhood Friend Like This After Years Apart?

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Hey guys, I'm seriously fucking pissed off, so come check this out (for real).

Surprisingly, the princess ended up on the Top Student's team with Yuyu-chan as the last member.

We were chatting about this and that,

when suddenly some blond guy shows up and starts cussing me out.

Turns out he's the Second Prince, a notorious playboy apparently.

But because I was hanging around with his little sister, he tries to kill me.

The First Prince, who's the Crown Prince and came with him, intervenes and we barely get past it,

but the guy pretends to leave then turns back and lays into me even harder.

Says if I don't wanna die, stay the fuck away from the princess.

Of course, the princess kept trying to stop this playboy prince too.

But this asshole has no sense of boundaries, fuck.

Thing is, he really looks like he could kill someone. I'm so pissed, what do I do?

Unable to calm my anger, I posted on the gallery.

Reading the gallery bros' comments helped me regain my rationality.

Yeah. I'm pissed, but there's nothing to gain here. Jot him down in the Death Note and bide my time.

Still, I didn't feel like responding.

I just ignored them and tried to head into the opening ceremony venue,

"Prince Akail. I'm sorry, but that kind of behavior isn't right."

Hisenna's voice came from beside me.

I whipped my head around in surprise, and there she was, wearing an expression I'd never seen before.

It was like she was barely holding back boiling rage. Gentle Hisenna.

"Exactly. The princess was the one who approached Ian."

And Chayuri too.

Elrim didn't say anything, but her face was grim.

Gasp. Touching.

Stepping up against a prince for me.

Of course, it was something only direct heirs of Archmage Duke families could say.

Still, I was grateful they stood up for me.

At the same time, it pissed me off that I couldn't do shit while getting dissed.

"Wha...? This bastard does that to me and now even Yuna...!"

For some reason, Akail looked even angrier.

No, now he seriously looked ready to throw a punch.

Seems like he's got some massive misunderstanding. It's not like that.

"Even if Ian is a commoner, his magic skills are the best among first-years. Ah, he sucks at written exams, but his practical skills are top-notch anyway."

Chayuri kept shielding me.

Thanks, but did you have to mention the written part?

"This is Merhen Magic Academy. I know your status as royalty, but picking on a talented mage here could be seen as a challenge to mage society itself, Your Highness."

Chayuri said with a voice cold as ice.

Akail, who had been spewing insults without thought, couldn't respond right away.

A strange tension hung in the air.

I finally understood the rumors about the complicated relationship between the empire and the Archmage Duke families.

Mages, a race obsessed only with magic, sat at the pinnacle of the world.

They formed a peculiar dynamic with the empire, the apex of normal society.

This seemed like a glimpse of the subtle tension between those two powers.

Killing me would just be offing one commoner.

But as Chayuri said, frame it right, and it could ripple through that delicate balance.

"...Tch."

Whether he'd thought it through or not, Akail backed off there.

Even a playboy couldn't mess with the balance between the imperial family and Archmage Dukes.

But things didn't end smoothly.

His expression changed, and he smirked unpleasantly.

"Fine. Direct heirs of the Archmage Dukes. But can you really say that? It means this commoner cadet's magic skills surpass even yours."

"That's the truth."

"Then if this guy's skills turn out to be shit, it'll be like you two spat in the face of mage society yourselves. Right? If he's the best first-year, that reflects on mage society's level."

This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guy. Typical royal, masterful political wordplay.

As Akail said, Chayuri's words could be spun as an insult to mage society by a hair's breadth.

Of course, only if my skills sucked.

If I shone, then Akail would be the one insulting mage society, just as Chayuri said.

"Is it okay if that gets out? That esteemed direct heirs of Archmage Dukes acknowledged a mere commoner mage as representative of mage society's face?"

"I said best among first-year cadets, not all of mage society."

"Same difference. It means he's the current state of mage education."

Why is this playboy suddenly so eloquent?

If he was gonna talk like this, why bother with the insults?

"Then he'll surely win the Subjugation Festival too."

"Overall win is impossible with upperclassmen around. But I'm confident in first-year top score."

This time, Hisenna responded.

First-year top score was our target from the start anyway.

"If we get first-year top score, Your Highness, you'll have to formally apologize to Ian. Otherwise, it'd be insulting all of magekind."

"If this guy performs properly and wins, sure."

"Y-Your Highness! When did you sneak off again! You absolutely can't cause trouble this time!"

Then an elderly imperial official came running, gasping for breath.

"Did you already start something...!"

"Nah. Nothing happened, Halba. Let's go. We'll be watching."

Akail sneered at me and turned away.

The official Halba, clueless, apologized to us profusely and followed.

Apparently, Akail's playboy antics weren't a one-off.

"You okay, Ian?"

"I'd heard rumors the Second Prince was a playboy, but I didn't know he was that guy."

"Hmph! No need to suck up to a scrub prince like that!"

With Akail gone, the three backed me up.

I was honestly grateful. They'd stood up for me.

But at the same time, I felt pathetic for not saying a word.

"Thanks. And..."

Still, I couldn't just take the disrespect lying down.

There was only one thing for me to do now.

"We'll win first-year in this Subjugation Festival. No question."

"How was it, big bro?"

During the opening ceremony, in a secluded spot far from the venue.

Away from prying eyes, Yuna was alone with one of her big brothers.

"Interesting guy. A commoner with spirit, but he rationally judges situations and knows when to back off. Must've been pissed, but controlled his emotions well."

"His magic skills are as I said—exceptional. A first-year rivaling upperclassmen."

"We'll see that today. What bothers me more is..."

The prince fell into thought.

A curious commoner, for sure.

Could pull him to our side, but there were thorny issues.

"What really bugs me is his ties to the direct heirs. Two of them defended him. Doesn't seem like a normal relationship."

"True, the student council president too—being backed by direct heirs is intriguing. But that's why he'd make a powerful card if he joins us."

"Yeah. Gotta watch closely."

"More importantly, are you okay, big bro?"

Yuna asked carefully.

They shared a goal and both worked toward it, but her brother bore more sacrifices.

Yuna even felt guilty for escaping the imperial battlefield to Merhen.

"I'm fine. The playboy act is actually helpful? People listen without me persuading them."

"...Haha. If you say so."

Akail smiled like he truly was okay.

He was used to it now, and more importantly, their greater purpose mattered.

Some might call it rebellion. But they believed it would make the empire great again.

"You good hanging with those mage bastards?"

"No big issues. Actually nice not getting unconditional deference just for being royal."

"Yeah. Maybe that's what royalty really is."

Akail and Yuna chuckled lowly.

"Opening ceremony's ending soon. I have to join the subjugation battle, so I'll head back, big bro."

"Got it. I'll watch from the VIP seats."

They parted with a perfunctory farewell.

Returning to their respective positions.

The girls helped out, and it turned into 'This guy's the best first-year, so you're dissing mage society, prince?' vibe.

Top Student wrecked him with killer rhetoric.

So if I'm first-year #1, that playboy prince is fucked.

Said he'd apologize on his knees if so.

Gonna show 'em with skills anyway.

Posted the update on the gallery and steeled my resolve.

The opening ceremony finally ended, and the main event—the cadets' Subjugation Battle—was about to begin.

Chayuri went to Yuna with Nayu.

Left were me, Hisenna, and Elrim.

"Huff huff... We can get first, right Ian?"

"You talked big in front of the prince, now what's this."

"Now that it's real, I'm nervous."

"I-I-I m-me, f-fi-first, show-off, interested yaa!"

"So you know you're a show-off."

Hisenna and Elrim were extremely tense.

Makes sense; it was the biggest event since enrollment.

Looking around, especially first-years looked super nervous.

Me? Not tense at all.

Thanks to steadily reading Meditation King's meditation posts.

Shocking part? I'd read that much and still not even 10% done.

Before the real start,

the rules were announced again via broadcast.

Lots more elements, but like 'Red Light Stitch', they're optional zones.

Broadcast ended; only teleport to the field left.

Took a bit to prep the teleport.

"First thing, scout terrain. If we drop in a bad spot, move immediately."

"Heh. I'll show you right at the start—get hyped!"

"Don't flop from showboating, please."

While chatting strategy during wait,

someone approached our trio.

"Ian? Ian!"

It was a woman's voice I'd never heard.

I turned toward it. There stood a female cadet I'd truly never seen.

"Know her, scrub?"

"Someone you know?"

Hisenna and Elrim asked, but I couldn't answer.

'Cause I really didn't know her.

Brown-haired cadet.

Cute face, but features screamed commoner.

Something nagged at me the more I looked.

"Seriously, you forgot? You ignored me at the entrance exam too!"

Entrance exam?

"...Ah."

That word jogged it.

It was so fleeting, I hadn't even realized it stuck in memory.

Right before entrance exam, the brown-haired girl who recognized me.

Thought she knew the body's original owner back then.

"Is it okay to treat your childhood friend like this after years apart?"