Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Mad Dog Principal Nihe Pruna
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“Hey, did you hear? There's a princess from the Sisly Empire among the new students this year.”
“I see.”
“The Raishion Ducal House is part of the Sisly Empire, right? So, what's Her Highness the Princess like?”
“I don't know.”
It wasn't an empty excuse—he truly had no idea. He didn't even know what kind of relationship the pre-possession 'Elric' had with her, and in the novel...
『“Shouldn't a noble refrain from such vulgar behavior to demean others, miss?”』
...she appeared occasionally but had no real connections to the main characters. She disapproved of those who bullied Chloe, but that was it. She didn't seem particularly fond of the novel's male lead either.
'Beats me who she is.'
Even the information 'Elric' had provided made no mention of her. All he knew was her name: Irene Sisly.
The scraps of info he did have seemed like the kind of general knowledge any member of the empire might possess. Nothing suggested any personal ties.
“Ahaha, really? Still, being from a ducal house and the princess, don't you run into each other now and then?”
“Do I have to know her just because we cross paths?”
Elric shot Nihe a cool glance. Yes, this was all an act. It was what 'Elric' would have done.
“Mm! Right, no need to know her that well.”
The way she brushed off his prickly response with a laugh made Nihe Pruna seem like quite the good-natured person.
'By the way, Nihe Pruna? The name rings a bell...'
Was she a major character in the novel? It felt familiar.
This 'Elric' body boasted terrifying memory and comprehension for the knowledge he'd gained since arriving here, yet it stubbornly refused to recall his past life reading the novel or his time as Yeo Si-un. What a biased hunk of meat.
“By the way, Elric, do you like fighting?”
Elric scowled at Nihe's question. Her words had reminded him of the top student versus professor sparring event.
“Not interested.”
This was sincere. Liking fights? As a frail modern man who'd never thrown a punch at anyone, combat itself was something to avoid.
“Not interested? Then what about sparring with a professor later? It's tradition, right?”
“I'll just go through the motions. They won't expect a student to beat a professor anyway.”
“Through the motions?”
Nihe's tone shifted in an instant. The contrast from her prior bubbly speech made it all the more stark, and Elric glanced at her before continuing.
“I'm not into fighting, and they're not expecting me to win. No reason to go all out, is there?”
Elric's logic was sound. Even as top student, no one would seriously expect a fresh enrollee to defeat a professor with years of specialized research.
Whether half-hearted or full throttle, he'd lose anyway. Why waste the effort? Elric and 'Elric' agreed on that much.
“Makes sense.”
Nihe nodded as if convinced.
“—But.”
Suddenly, her eyes gleamed.
“That'd be no fun.”
Mana surged into her body in a flash. Elric frowned at the terrifying flow of mana.
“What the...!”
Elric whipped around to meet Nihe Pruna's gaze.
Starlight swirled in her eyes. Overwhelmed by that transcendent gaze, Elric took a step back.
“Nihe Pruna! What is the meaning of...!”
Calling her name, Elric finally realized her true identity.
“Houser Academy top student Elric Raishion! In my authority as professor, I, Nihe Pruna, challenge you to a duel!”
'You're not a professor—you're the principal!'
She was none other than the academy's principal and the story's most unhinged archmage, Nihe Pruna.
'This is insane...!'
No, there were limits—sending the principal against a freshman? This academy was utterly deranged!
The academy staff would weep in protest if they heard. They had no intention of deploying the principal.
This was meant to be a show—a guidance spar between the top freshman and a mid-tier professor. A gauge of the new class's level and instant entertainment from day one.
The professors didn't go all out either. Like Earth's WWE, perhaps.
But when the opponent was the story's ultimate mad dog principal...
Such a scripted exhibition was impossible from the start.
...Of course, none of it made sense if the principal was stepping in to begin with.
“Ahaha! Elric Raishion! I don't hold back even against freshmen! So give it everything you've got!”
Nihe laughed merrily as she gathered mana in both hands.
Her signature plant magic bloomed from her palms, racing to bind Elric's body. Terrifying speed.
'Crazy!'
No way—going full power on a freshman from the jump?! Elric inwardly screamed as he leaped back. Nihe's vines grazed where he'd stood.
She was serious, but even in a student-professor bout, getting caught pathetically in the first clash would incense 'Elric's siblings Joel and Silua.
“That's too much!”
“Ahaha! What? Polite speech now? A bit late for that?”
“No, that's not...!”
You hid your identity! Elric glared at her in disbelief.
“Too late for manners now!”
You weren't even fazed to begin with! Elric rolled aside to dodge Nihe's assault. Massive plant pillars relentlessly pierced his former position.
'Damn...!'
Dodging forever was a losing game. Since it had started, he needed to trade a few proper blows.
Otherwise, he'd be done for—by the principal or his siblings.
Elric calmed his gaze and gathered mana in his hand.
Time to show the results of a month and a half of nonstop study. Not that anyone knew.
His—and 'Elric's—specialty was space and dimension magic.
Perfect for deflecting such attacks.
Fwaaah—
Mana in Elric's hand warped space with a spell. Nihe's incoming plants passed through his domain—
and immediately veered back toward the caster, Nihe.
“Hah?!”
Nihe's eyes lit up at the ingenious magic.
She'd heard he specialized in space magic.
Expected him to be good at evasion, so she'd opened with high-speed barrages.
But he evaded physically while hijacking her own spells with space magic to counterattack.
'Perfect!'
Even if they'd crossed his domain, they were once her spells. Seizing control so effortlessly just because they entered his space.
Her spells, as a famed grand archmage.
'This kid's a crazy genius!'
Nihe grinned with satisfaction.
This top student was a monster.
'Ugh...!'
The opposite for Elric, who felt like he might actually die.
He'd figured it might work, but the mana drain was no joke.
Controlling spells in his domain sucked mana out in chunks. Grand archmage wasn't a title earned on looks.
'Damn it...!'
And she fought for control without mercy. She'd been caught off-guard by the novelty at first, but only briefly.
In the end, they were her spells, and Nihe vastly outclassed Elric.
'In that case—!'
Magic battles meant his loss.
Space magic boasted potent cutting and severing power.
If he couldn't seize control, skip the tug-of-war.
Elric dodged, stopped redirecting, stood firm, and took a deep breath.
“What? Giving up already?”
Nihe looked disappointed but hurled more plants. Asking if he'd quit while pressing the attack—pure her.
But.
If he were quitting, he wouldn't have blocked the first spells.
Elric channeled his vast internal mana,
Kuung—
erecting a space barrier that sliced and nullified everything approaching him.
“Huh?”
Nihe was momentarily captivated by the spell's mystery and the exquisite mana array.
'Wow...'
The barrier around Elric differed entirely from his prior distortion field. Pure defense and annihilation.
No control tug-of-war needed. Anything touching it vanished.
A freshman of merely eighteen with such judgment, mana, and talent.
“Ahahaha!”
She loved it. Absolutely loved it.
Nihe cackled with near-maniacal glee, launching thick vines at Elric.
Kwa-gwang—!
They smashed into his barrier, shredded, and evaporated.
The total annihilation thrilled Nihe.
'How is this possible? How?!'
Space and dimension magic ranked among the highest difficulties.
Progress was slow, practitioners few. Talent was rare to begin with.
Nihe, a grand archmage of her stature, had seen space magic before.
But this application? Unprecedented.
Still.
“If you go defensive, I'll win!”
Attrition favored the one with more mana.
And space magic was notoriously mana-hungry.
No genius could sustain it forever.
Of course.
'Am I nuts? Trying to beat you?'
Elric never intended to win.
Nihe Pruna, Houser Academy principal, was one of the story's top monsters. Fans even joked the author kept her offscreen for balance.
How could even genius 'Elric' beat her, with her age and experience advantage?
He'd taken enough hits, burned enough mana.
Time to get caught.
Elric casually released the spell, feigning mana exhaustion.
Kwak—
Nihe seized the opening, vines binding his body.
“...I lose.”
He conceded cleanly.
—Hng~
Nihe saw through the obvious ploy. Even as a madwoman, she was a brilliant mage.
Even so,
'I like him.'
Exceptional talent, vast mana, guts to stand against her, and knowing when to fold.
Everything hit the mark.
'Fine, I'll play along.'
Of course, he'd pay for this someday. Nihe's eyes gleamed slyly.
And among those watching with interest,
'Wooow...!'
was a woman with strikingly beautiful features.