Chapter 48
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: 25. Wilderness Festival
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After Professor Clay's boring lecture finally ended.
"Th-then, see you next class! E-Evan!"
"Yeah. You too."
Leaving Hye-ra, who was waving her hand vigorously behind me, I headed toward the dormitory with light steps.
Enjoying the breeze brushing against my cheek as I walked.
Every time the rustling texture of the blue moss in my pocket touched my hand, I felt utmost satisfaction.
The contract with her had gone more smoothly than expected, so the urgent fire was out for now.
'Smooth sailing.'
All that was left was to hand over the materials, including the moss, to Hye-ra for potion production and sell off the finished potions.
Just imagining it made my pockets feel heavier, and I couldn't help but whistle a tune.
I'd never planned to rely on my family in the first place, but this sealed the farewell completely.
[My liege.]
"Speak."
[But about those potions... how do you plan to sell them? From what that girl said earlier, they won't be easy to move, right?]
It was a reasonable question.
The academy strictly prohibited private profiteering activities.
Especially expensive items.
For example, the potions I wanted to sell would naturally draw attention.
"I've got ways."
There were merchants who quietly bought up goods even within the academy.
I knew exactly where those guys nested.
If worst came to worst, I could get a weekend pass, head outside, and do some legwork—no need to worry.
The key was simply not getting caught.
[As expected of my liege. You had it all planned out!]
I let Tundra's flattery, insisting he believed in me, flow in one ear and out the other as I quickened my pace. That's when it happened.
"Oh, big brother!"
"Oh dear. I wondered where you'd gone—you're already ahead."
Familiar voices came from behind, so I turned my head.
Celine Dreadnote and Elysia were approaching with quick steps.
'...Tried to slip away alone without running into them.'
I sighed inwardly but opened my mouth toward them without showing it.
"...I've got some business."
It wasn't a lie. I just wanted to get back quickly and take a nap.
That counted as business, sure.
"I-is that so... That's a relief. I thought... you were avoiding us..."
I deliberately ignored Celine's faint mutter, barely audible.
"Exactly. We're hurt, Young Master. We took the same class, and you leave first?"
Elysia pouted her lips, pretending to sulk.
That look was pretty cute...
'Dangerous.'
A favorite acting cute is bad for mental health, they say.
"...Sorry. Next time, we'll go together."
In the end, I brushed it off vaguely and started walking again.
The two of them naturally fell in step beside me.
As we headed to the dormitory with them flanking me on both sides.
"Hey! Didn't you hear me tell you to stop?"
A sharp shout pierced my eardrums.
The sound came from a spot not far from the dormitory.
"...What was that?"
Celine turned a worried gaze toward the source.
I followed suit and saw an unsettling scene unfolding there.
Figures in flashy uniforms surrounded one person, creating an intimidating atmosphere.
At the center stood the familiar silver-haired girl, Iris, holding her head high.
"Freshman like you. No greeting for your seniors?"
A girl who seemed to be one of the seniors snapped at Iris with venom.
"Ah..."
I'd figured it was about time for this, but I hadn't expected to run into it so soon.
'Already starting, huh.'
It was the early-semester village drama where seniors "disciplined" freshmen under that pretense—one of The Glory's initial events.
In the original story, Iris would stand up to those thugs, imprinting her presence on her year.
But there was one problem.
'Why right now?'
It happened early in the term, but no one knew the exact timing.
In other words, a random event.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
We were far enough away that the sparks probably wouldn't fly our way, but you never know.
If those guys deliberately picked a fight with us, it'd drag us into a hassle.
"If you want senior treatment, show the dignity to match."
Iris replied confidently, without a hint of intimidation.
Her eyes glared unwaveringly at the seniors.
'But there are quite a few of them.'
No matter what, it was a random event. The seniors picking a fight should've been two or three at most.
Unless my eyes were wrong, there were at least five or six visible.
And look at those eyes.
They didn't look like they were just enforcing discipline.
What, did she insult them or something? Why so furious?
"Bitch from some no-name family."
"Arrogant thing dares to... Top rank and you think you're hot shit?"
"Ha. Is ganging up to bully a senior-worthy act?"
Oh, protagonist through and through. Every word hit like a bone-breaker.
"Th-this bitch...!"
Their faces flushed red at her provocation.
A mere freshman defying seniors—unforgivable to their pride.
"Enough. We'll fix this junior's rotten mindset like proper seniors."
As the woman raised her hand like she was about to slap Iris, a male student beside her grabbed her wrist.
He let out a sleazy grin and stepped forward slowly.
"Oh my. What's that..."
"This is bad. We have to stop them...!"
No matter that they were seniors, the girls weren't the type to ignore such injustice.
Startled, they moved to intervene in unison, urgently.
"Hold on."
I stopped them with a hand.
"O-big brother?"
"...Young Master? Why..."
"Stay put. She can handle it herself."
I said calmly to the girls, who looked at me like Why stop them?
This was purely Iris's stage.
The chance for her to shine as the protagonist.
Us butting in would only hinder her growth.
Iris could handle a crisis like this on her own.
Besides, she wouldn't lose to trash like that.
"I'll say it once more. No intention to apologize for your wrong actions?"
"I don't think I did anything wrong."
"...Even as this year's top freshman, aren't you taking us seniors too lightly?"
Even in the tense atmosphere where a fight seemed imminent.
She didn't blink.
"Not taking you lightly."
Instead, she smiled leisurely, mocking them.
"You're just not worth the response."
'Wow.'
An exclamation slipped out unwittingly.
Sure enough, when she went for verbal jabs, she went all in.
I'd raised her with a no-holds-barred trash-talk build before too.
"...Fine. Just a crazy bitch then."
The male student shrugged with a scoff at her provocation.
Then his face twisted viciously as he raised one hand.
"Not treating you as a junior anymore—a mad dog. And mad dogs need a good beating."
Crack.
A faint aura rose from his massive palm, rivaling even Barkhan's grip.
'Wow. Even pulling up aura? Intent to kill?'
His actions so far could be excused as a bad senior tradition.
But the aura blooming in his hand said otherwise.
Aura had lethal power on its own.
"See? I have to step in. Spirits, lend me your power..."
"Miss Elysia."
I grabbed Elysia's wrist as she tried to call on her spirits and quietly shook my head.
"She'll be fine."
That much was nothing to Iris.
Before my words finished, the guy's hand, gleaming with murderous intent, swung toward Iris.
"You idiot! How could you actually use aura?!"
"...Leave it. His eyes are rolled back—he can't be stopped anyway. He'll take responsibility."
Some came to their senses late, speaking in panic.
But it was too late to rein in the man who'd lost his reason.
Whoosh!
The massive palm, laden with killing intent, sliced through the air toward Iris's face.
Anyone could see it was hard to dodge—possibly lethal.
But Iris herself didn't flinch.
Instead, only a look of utter disdain.
Clap!
With a crisp sound, the male student's wrist halted midair.
Iris had casually grabbed it with one hand.
"...That all?"
Iris asked with a cold smile.
"All that senior bluster, but your skills are pathetic."
"Y-you bitch! Let go?!"
Only then did he panic, straining with all his might to pull free, but Iris's grip was like stone.
Rather, the mana pouring from her hand eroded his aura relentlessly, refusing release.
"Let go? Sure."
Iris pretended to release, then twisted his arm clean back.
Crunch!
"Gaaah!"
A gruesome sound accompanied a agonized scream.
"My arm—my arm!"
"Want more?"
He rolled on the ground clutching his arm—quite the pitiful sight.
Even his screaming comrade's friends stood frozen, mouths agape at the unexpected turn.
They'd meant to just intimidate.
Never dreamed it'd escalate like this.
"Should've stayed quiet then."
Iris dusted her hands matter-of-factly.
Her voice held no emotion, like brushing off dust from her clothes.
"Next time, it won't end with an arm?"
Her chilling warning, delivered without expression change, drained the color from the bystanders' faces.
No matter how dim those guys seemed, they had the skill to enter the academy.
Having seen Iris move once, they'd realize she was far from ordinary.
"...Iris Riel. You'll regret this."
They said nothing more, hastily supporting the still-screaming guy and fleeing.
Their retreating backs looked downright comical.
"Wow..."
Celine Dreadnote and Elysia gazed at Iris in admiration.
Seemed entranced by her clean takedown.
A "favorability up" popup might as well float over their heads.
'Protagonist indeed.'
I chuckled inwardly.
This scene was memorable in the original too, but seeing it live packed extra punch.
Still.
'This isn't the end.'
If only the event wrapped here.
Unfortunately, no.
This was just the beginning.
In the original, after Iris beat those thug-like guys.
They'd hold a grudge and raid her room at night.
Of course, she'd repel them too, leading to their expulsion ending.
The issue was she could get hurt in the process.
'Does she room alone?'
Unlike the original where Iris shared with a roommate, she was in a single now.
Meaning, the plot where she teamed up to fend them off wouldn't apply.
She'd face them solo.
No matter how strong Iris was.
A midnight ambush by numbers could injure even her.
Superior skill or not, a nighttime raid alone meant hardship.
And grudge-holders wouldn't hold back on methods.
'Should I help?'
I pondered briefly, then shook my head.
No reason for me to meddle in the protagonist's growth.
It was a trial for her to overcome alone.
What could go wrong?