A Shattered Earring
"...Useless."
"What's this, Princess? Are you getting up?"
"Yes. There is no point in waiting any longer."
"Why not wait a bit more? Even if not all of them, someone might make it back."
"I wish that were the case, but it seems they were far more incompetent than I anticipated."
"?"
No mana was being transmitted.
The mana paths I had connected to the fools who stood up to help me had all been severed. Naturally, I wasn't the one who cut them. They had been forcibly severed.
"...That means."
"Yes. It seems they are all lying face-down somewhere."
"Aw, and here I thought we'd have an easy ride..."
"I suppose one should never rely on the incompetent."
Stella knew better than anyone that her words were somewhat absurd. Incompetent fools. Well, it wasn't entirely wrong. Since they couldn't even manage the bare minimum expected of them, they had no right to complain about being called useless. They were still green, after all.
However, it wasn't as if they completely lacked skill. Since not much time had passed since admission, the gap between students wasn't that wide yet. Except for a few exceptional individuals, everyone's skills were roughly on the same level. That was why she had accepted just about anyone as an ally. It wouldn't have made much of a difference regardless of who she brought along.
Yet, every single one of them had been defeated. Students who should have been hunting in packs. And they hadn't been picked off one by one, either. Judging by the timing of the severed mana paths, they had been taken down all at once.
...Which meant they had run into an anomaly.
"The Proctor?"
"Most likely. We should keep that lowborn thing in mind as well."
"Ah... Right. She was out there too."
What on earth were her father and that old hag who pretended to be young thinking? She couldn't comprehend why they had allowed a walking time bomb into the Academy. That old hag was always going on about how 'children are innocent' and whatnot, so she might have easily agreed, but... To think even her father would let the seed of a devil inside.
"But hasn't she been pretty quiet lately?"
"...Hmph. It is likely due to the new counselor the old hag brought in. I must admit, she has an excellent eye for talent."
"Princess... Calling the Principal an 'old hag' is a bit much..."
"But she is an old hag. It is a well-known fact that she is an ancient crone who has lived far past her prime."
Why did everyone hesitate to call that old hag what she was? No matter how she looked at it, that old woman was far too shameless.
"It makes me sick to see her acting like a youth when she is already well over a hundred. Whenever I pass by her, she practically reeks of decay—"
"P-Princess! Isn't that going a bit too far?!"
"What? It is the truth. No matter how respected an elder she is, the fact that she is old remains unchanged—"
Shatter!
One of the earrings dangling from Stella's ear shattered with a sharp, violent ring.
"Ahem. A truly venerable age, indeed. Sometimes, even I feel proud to be so well-acquainted with such an esteemed figure."
"Princess..."
"W-what? What is it?"
"I told you to stop when you had the chance..."
"What? I-I didn't do anything?"
"Sure, sure."
...Damn it. That old hag. Just how long had she been watching? Shouldn't she be busy right now? There was absolutely no way a single magic bullet falling from the sky to graze her earring was a mere coincidence. The old crone was definitely watching. She might pretend not to care, but she was incredibly sensitive about her age.
My life at the Academy is going to be miserable from now on. Should I act cute and throw a tantrum later? Just the thought of having to soothe her petulant mood was already giving her a headache.
"..."
"..."
"Why is everyone so quiet? Haha! Youth is so fleeting! You should enjoy it while you can! Time flies, after all!"
The Principal's cheerful laughter echoed through the monitoring room. But absolutely no one believed she was actually laughing out of genuine amusement. And for good reason. The Principal had suddenly barged into the monitoring room, claiming she had some free time, only to be hit dead-on with such verbal abuse. Just as the staff were wondering if Stella's remarks were safe to ignore, the target of those remarks had heard them firsthand.
Her reflexes were terrifyingly fast. She had gathered mana in her hand and fired in an instant. A magic bullet had pierced straight through the wall, shattering Stella's earring in the blink of an eye. The distance between this room and the arena was immense... As expected of the Principal. She was absurdly strong.
"...Ah, Counselor Ophelia. Please stay behind for a chat. There is a student whose mental state sorely needs some restructuring."
"Understood..."
The other teachers were casting pitying glances my way. ...If you feel that sorry for me, couldn't you at least try to help? I turned to them, practically begging for assistance with my eyes, but everyone studiously avoided my gaze. Cruel bastards. A deep sense of betrayal washed over me.
"Well, whatever. What's done is done. I'll deal with it later."
"Princess, you have absolutely no plan..."
"Silence. How was I supposed to know that old hag was listening?"
For an old crone who was always busy, why did she have to drop by now of all times? Of course, the impending aftermath was terrifying. ...But it wasn't something she could solve right this second. For now, it was best to focus on the immediate task at hand.
"Get ready, Charlotte. They are heading this way."
"Just because we're childhood friends, you order me around like a servant... Excuse me, but I am still a Duke's daughter, you know?"
"Just get ready. We have no more allies left to help us. Since it has come to this, we might as well go out with a bang."
"Sigh, what a miserable fate..."
Crack, crack.
As Stella cracked her knuckles and warmed up for the impending battle, Charlotte spoke up, looking thoroughly exhausted.
"Princess, but no matter how much I think about it, isn't this a bit much?"
"What is?"
"I mean, does it make any sense for a princess to fight with her bare fists? Why don't you learn swordsmanship even now? Or spearmanship? There's archery, too!"
"Not interested."
"But why?!"
"This is what I am comfortable with."
Everyone complained about her lacking elegance and whatnot, but in a real fight, such trivialities were utterly useless. Dignity as a princess? Fine, whatever. But in the heat of battle, instead of wasting time worrying about appearances, one should be focused on landing another blow. Forcing herself to use an ill-fitting sword just to look dignified and losing as a result would be far more humiliating.
"...Haa. I give up. Just buff me."
"Very well, my knight. The Queen is making her move. Cover me."
"Yes, yes, Your Highness."
A few minutes passed as Stella applied her enhancement magic to both herself and Charlotte. Soon, a woman with silver hair clad in a pure white sister's habit appeared before them, accompanied by a student dressed entirely in black, forming a stark contrast.
"...I knew it would be you two."
"Ah, hello, Princess."
"A pleasure. ...I believe a few students headed in your direction."
"Ah, those bastards? They're probably sleeping soundly by now."
"..."
As expected, their suspicions were correct. For whatever reason, a fight must have broken out while that ominous thing and the Proctor were traveling together. ...Fools. They should have avoided the conflict. If they had targeted just one of them, even if they couldn't defeat them, they could have at least worn them down.
Indeed, enhancement magic wasn't always a blessing. It filled people with a false sense of omnipotence, making the impossible seem achievable. Once they were able to perform feats they normally couldn't, they became blind to the vast gulf in skill between themselves and their opponents. Surrounded by several other buffed students, they must have charged in without a second thought, completely oblivious to the fact that their opponent was an insurmountable wall, regardless of any enhancements.
"This works out perfectly. Since there are two of them, I will handle that wild beast. Charlotte, you take the Proctor."
"Wait, why?! I-I won't be able to hold out for long!"
"It is fine. I will finish my fight quickly and join you."
Did Stella's words wound her pride? Orca let out a fierce, predatory smirk.
"Quite the bold claim. Is it because you're royalty? Your arrogance is through the roof."
"This is not arrogance. It is called confidence."
"Everyone who talked like that in front of me ended up kissing the dirt. Want to try?"
"...Very well. I quite like your spirit."
The tension was palpable. In this volatile moment where both sides were searching for an opening to strike, the silence was shattered by an entirely unexpected presence.
"Hey, Leo... Can't we just go back?"
"Shh, be quiet...! We might get caught... Ah, have we already been spotted...?"
"...What are you doing here?"
"Ah, hello... Haha. We're just passing through, so could you please carry on with what you were doing?"
That boy... she remembered him. Leo, was it? It was so bizarre for an orphan with absolutely no background to possess a relic that she had conducted a background check on him. There was always the possibility that he was an assassin's secret apprentice or the disciple of a hidden master. Yet, the fact that he truly had nothing in his past was what surprised her the most. Since he had managed to enter the Academy, his potential was undeniable, but his current skills were still nothing to write home about.
And the girl riding on Leo's back was...
"Aileen."
"..."
"I thought you had no intention of entering the Academy. I never expected you to go back on your word."
"...I was forced to enroll."
"I figured as much. Didn't I tell you it was better to just give up?"
"..."
Tsk. She still hasn't gotten her head straight. Where had all her past glory gone? Of course, a master is always a master, so she must still possess some skill, but her body had been rusting away for years. She was no longer the person she used to be.
"If you have no intention of fighting, get lost. You useless things are only in the way."
"Stella. You..."
"I know, Aileen. This makes you angry, doesn't it? There is no way someone like you wouldn't be furious."
She smirked at her old friend, just as she used to provoke her when they were children. This girl was always like this. Even if she turned away pretending not to care, a tiny bit of provocation would easily reel her in. ...Just like this.
"You really know me too well..."
"W-wait? Lady Aileen? What are you doing—"
"Dieeeeeeeee!"
"Uwaaaaaah?!"
"Haha! Charlotte! Stop them! The charge is attempted regicide!"
"Sigh..."