The New Queen of the Academy
The midterm practical exam had begun. For the next week, we would have to move according to plan inside this mana-rich forest. Not a single misstep could be tolerated. Fortunately, the first step had gone smoothly. Just as Alicia instructed, I had provoked Professor Ivanov, and with my assistance, Alicia and I ended up in the same group. And so here we were, walking along the forest path with her at my side.
"It's creepier than I expected."
Alicia wrapped her arms around herself and glanced around. "It's fine. At worst, we'll only run into mid- or low-grade monsters."
I answered her casually. "Then we're lucky…"
"Though high-grade monsters do pop up from time to time."
"That's not lucky at all." Alicia ground her teeth, her face turning pale. She really had no courage to speak of.
"First time in the forest behind the academy?"
When I asked, the light in Alicia's eyes faded rapidly. "...I was holed up in the research lab during my first year, and from second year onward I only attended lectures anyway."
"......Must have been tough."
I shouldn't have asked. By the time I was expelled, it would have been around September, and after that she wouldn't have been able to participate in any academy events. To lift her mood, I brought up a slightly more hopeful topic.
"Just hold on a little longer. I'll make sure you forget all the hardship."
"Right… we have to get revenge."
"Yeah. We definitely will."
Alicia clenched her fists and swung them up to head height. I had no idea what she was doing, but I didn't comment. It was probably better that she wasn't overthinking things. If she'd had too many complicated thoughts, she might not have survived until I arrived at the academy. That was fortunate for me.
"More importantly, do you remember the plan?"
"Yeah. We protect the students who get targeted and bullied by Violet, right?"
"Oh… you actually remember."
"I'm not an idiot."
Alicia frowned as if offended, then immediately reverted to the expression of a puppy that had just been scolded by its owner.
"Can I really do this? I'm a researcher, not a fighter. I have no talent for combat."
"It's fine. Someone's helping you. You just need to take action. Chant your spells with the most shameless expression you can manage and swing your staff around. Everything else will take care of itself."
"Even if you say that…"
Alicia looked up at the sky. "Is someone actually there?"
"They're following us without being noticed, so don't worry. Just stick to the plan."
Right now, five of the continent's top-tier assassins were in this forest. Of course, they were concealing their presence, so Alicia had no way of seeing them. Still, she looked uneasy.
"Trust me. Once this week is over and we return to the academy, no one will be able to touch you. Then you can make the people who bullied you into your slaves."
"Ah, I already took back the business rights that Jayne Valentine stole from me by threatening her. Pretty good, right?"
"Yeah, well done."
Alicia wore a faint smile, as if recalling a sweet memory.
"Um… hey."
"What."
When I looked at her, she was fidgeting with her mouth. She seemed to have something she wanted to say.
"I'm sorry."
After all that hesitation, what came out of Alicia's mouth was surprisingly unexpected.
"Out of nowhere?"
"It's not out of nowhere!" Alicia shouted, clenching both fists. "Two years ago, when you were expelled, I said it was a false accusation. At the trial."
"You did."
"Honestly, I regretted it. I shouldn't have defended you back then. I should have just stayed quiet and lived my life. Because I stepped in for no reason, my family went under and academy life became hell."
I was a little surprised. Or rather, I hadn't expected her to be this honest. I had vaguely suspected she might regret protecting me, but hearing it directly was different.
"So I'm sorry. And thank you for not forgetting me and helping me again."
"...Well, me too."
I didn't have much else to say. Even though she had thanked me, I felt disgusted with myself for still harboring doubts. Either way…
"Take this."
"What is it?"
Alicia accepted the item I handed her and brought it close to her eyes. "Is this a gem?"
"It's a magic item that shows your location. They're a set of two."
"Ah…"
"Let's split up for now. We'll meet again when the sun sets, like we agreed."
"Okay."
Alicia nodded energetically, then made a V-sign with her hand and held it out. "For revenge."
"...Right."
"At least do the V-sign back."
Reluctantly, I made the sign. Only then did she wave and dash into the depths of the forest. Watching her go, I whispered, "Yel."
"I'm listening."
"Keep an eye on Alicia. Make sure she doesn't do anything unnecessary."
"Understood."
As Yel's presence faded while tailing Alicia, I began to move as well.
Episode 2. The New Queen of the Academy
Behind the academy, in the mana-rich forest. Though it had no official name, the students called it the Blue Forest. It was nothing less than a den of drugs. Louise Violet's inner circle enjoyed their narcotics inside the academy regardless of the rules, but the mid-tier students who lacked such backing would face immediate disciplinary action if caught. So they came here, to the Blue Forest, to avoid detection.
"As expected…"
After walking deeper into the forest, I saw students with syringes stuck in their arms, just as I'd anticipated. I didn't know their names or faces, but wasn't it against the rules to use drugs during an exam? Well, with noble parents backing them, they probably figured a scandal or two wouldn't matter. What pathetic lives. Not that I, who had clawed my way up by selling drugs, had any right to say that.
I hid behind a tree trunk and observed them. I could have disqualified them on the spot, or even beaten them senseless under the pretext of insolence until they came to their senses. But there was no need. If they wanted to drive their own lives into the gutter, why should I help? Scolding only works when there's affection behind it. Having grown up without parents, I knew that better than anyone.
'I wonder if Alicia is doing all right…'
I was more worried than I cared to admit. Her role was simple enough—just hold a staff and shout "Hyah, hyah!"—but somehow I had the feeling even that might be too much for her.
'How on earth did she even get into the academy?'
She had once been called the rising star of the academy's magic department, with professors fighting tooth and nail to make her their assistant. Well… academic achievement and personal intelligence weren't always connected.
***
Meanwhile—
"There!"
Alicia, who had been turning her head left and right wondering if someone was really following her, suddenly ducked at the sound of voices. She held her breath and activated mana sight. It was a high-level detection spell that allowed one to sense the mana every human possessed, even in places beyond normal vision.
After concentrating for a while, Alicia let out a light sigh and lowered her head. "...I can't see anything."
But because the forest was saturated with mana, she couldn't distinguish between the ambient mana and that of a person. Everything in her vision was blue. Left with no choice, Alicia deactivated mana sight and decided to approach directly.
'He said someone was following, so…'
Moving slowly to avoid making noise with the leaves, the voices gradually became clearer. Something felt off. Alicia focused her hearing by gathering mana into her ears.
"Whoa, this feels fucking amazing."
"Want me to give it to you?"
"The fuck would I give it to you for? You're basically a slave already—just in name."
She could hear vulgar conversation mixed with the panting and screams of female students. The situation was obvious. Alicia furrowed her brows and ground her teeth. If Eden hadn't saved her, she would have been the one suffering in that spot.
Alicia felt her body move on instinct. Not because Eden had ordered it, but of her own volition. No matter how naive and dream-filled with justice she was, that was her true nature. When faced with injustice, her body moved first.
"You fucking bastards."
When the two male students, hips thrusting like rutting monkeys, turned their heads, they found Alicia standing there with her staff raised. They stared blankly at her before bursting into laughter.
"What the hell? You joining in too?"
"Whoa… Alicia's turned into a total bitch too? We were getting lonely since you never came looking for us."
Alicia wasn't a combat mage to begin with. The only combat spells she could use were 1-Circle spells like Magic Missile or Magic Bolt. After the stunt she'd pulled with Professor Ivanov, had she gained some confidence?
Thinking that, one of the male students approached her. "Come here. I'll play with you."
Alicia bit down hard enough to crack her teeth, then chanted, "Explosion!" while swinging her staff. Nothing happened.
The man who had heard the high-level spell incantation from Alicia's mouth looked momentarily flustered, then smirked as if he'd expected as much.
"There's no way you can use high-level magic like that, Alicia. Just come here quietly."
It was at that moment—
"Hey… you!"
The chubby man behind him pointed a finger at the student's lower body.
"Why are you making such a fuss—...Huh?"
He looked down at his own crotch and couldn't hide his shock. The member that should have been there had been cleanly severed and was now lying on the ground.