Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Why Is This Happening?
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A few hours earlier.
While Jeron was in the middle of "Understanding Magic Circles" class, goofing off with Ciel as punishment for his sloth.
Artel was attending her elective, "Advanced Elemental Magic."
She had signed up for the class to further strengthen her signature ice magic.
"Glacial Barrier."
"Frost Mist."
"Rapid Freeze."
Following the professor's instructions, she cast a variety of ice elemental spells without a hitch.
"Hoo..."
The professor, stroking his stylish mustache, watched Artel's magic.
"Very impressive! Cadet Artel!"
He soon burst into admiration.
"Your mana control has noticeably improved since the last time I saw you. As expected, the talent of the prestigious Rosen Dal magic family is beyond doubt!"
But the professor's praise felt somehow off.
He was praising her bloodline more than Artel herself.
"As expected, Cadet Artel is the jewel of our Magic Department—a true jewel!"
The professor's effusive praise continued, but Artel felt no thrill from it.
She merely bowed her head mechanically and returned to her seat.
That aside, Artel had recently felt her own skills improving by leaps and bounds.
It was as if a blocked meridian had suddenly cleared, accelerating growth that had stalled for a while. A pleasant sensation.
The class ended, and as she packed her magic books to leave.
"Oh my, Artel. You're amazing. Your skills seem to grow every day since entering the academy."
Luna, who had been in the class with her, approached with a bright smile.
"Especially the way you use magic—it's so much more fluid than before. Like cold ice melting smoothly into water?"
Artel brushed off Luna's words as she stowed her magic books in her bag.
Luna's eyes narrowed as she watched her.
"You've been hanging around Jeron a lot lately... Is it thanks to him, by any chance?"
Artel paused at Luna's question.
Then she nodded calmly, affirming it.
"...It's true he's helped me a lot with magic."
"Hmm~?"
Luna made a slightly surprised face.
She stepped closer and whispered playfully into Artel's ear.
"So, what exactly are you two? Not dating, but maybe you have a little crush on each other?"
"Sigh, Luna. Sorry, but Jeron and I aren't like that at all."
Artel sighed and cut her off firmly.
"Jeron is..."
Just a friend who inspires me with magic.
She started to say that but suddenly closed her mouth.
Memories of recent moments with Jeron flooded her mind.
Was Jeron really just that kind of friend?
'Who has Jeron been to me...?'
The person who gave warm applause instead of ridicule to her clumsy magic imitation.
The person she shared her first-ever rebellion with.
The person who took down the demonizing boss in the dungeon in one shot and saved her.
And.
"Because it's fun being with you, Artel."
"No, just 'cause you look good."
The person who kept saying weird things.
Yet not someone she disliked.
Someone she actually wanted more praise and recognition from.
Someone whose gaze made her heart race and face heat up if she looked too long, so she couldn't meet his eyes.
"J-Jeron is, um..."
Her thoughts reached that point, and Artel felt confused.
"Ah, anyway, it's not like that, so don't misunderstand."
With that, Artel slung her bag over her shoulder and strode past Luna into the hallway.
But she felt strangely off.
Like she was fleeing the scene.
'Luna, why'd she have to say something so weird...!'
Was it because of Luna's teasing question?
Suddenly hyper-aware of her relationship with Jeron, her mind grew tangled.
Artel tried to shake off thoughts of Jeron as she walked the hallway.
But telling someone not to think of an elephant only makes the elephant appear more vividly.
Her head filled even more with thoughts of him.
"Artel. Class over for you too?"
Right then.
Jeron's characteristic lazy voice reached her.
Artel whipped around reflexively.
"Ah...! Jeron."
Forgetting her earlier efforts to clear her mind of him, she nearly greeted him warmly without thinking.
But she had to stop.
Because right next to Jeron was a girl she'd never seen before, pressed close.
Silver-gray hair and golden eyes.
A slightly slender, beautiful girl.
She exuded a mysterious aura like an untamed wild cat.
And that vibe was eerily similar to Jeron's.
Standing side by side, they somehow looked like they matched perfectly.
...Annoyingly so.
Maybe that's why.
"Who's this?"
Her voice came out shockingly cold—even to herself.
***
'Gah.'
I couldn't help but flinch.
Artel was at ice-queen levels I'd never seen...!
This was the kind of reaction you only got in the game if her affection hit rock bottom.
And suddenly like this?
Hadn't Artel been softening up lately?
Was it all my imagination?
The silver lining: that icy reaction wasn't aimed at me.
Her gaze was fixed solely on Ciel beside me.
'Sure, in [Stella Academia], Ciel and Artel are polar opposites...'
Artel, the cold model student and hard worker elite.
Ciel, the polar opposite—goofy 4D weirdo who crushed everything with raw talent.
They clashed badly, no doubt.
Worse, Ciel had zero social skills and couldn't lie...
Later in the game, she'd see Artel's desperate magic and casually drop, "Hmm─. Kinda meh─." without batting an eye.
A talent monster like that steamrolling Artel was naturally devastating for her.
Ciel's appearance was the trigger for Artel's story arc of getting overshadowed by geniuses.
In the game, putting them in the same party tanked synergy hard.
So I'd expected them not to mix, like water and oil.
But.
'No way it's this bad from the first meeting...?'
I hadn't anticipated this level.
In the game, their first encounter was just neutral.
Plus, Artel had been milder lately than in the game, so I thought it'd be fine...
This turned into the worst possible first impression.
'Why the hell?'
Since entering the game world, a few things had baffled me.
But this? No clue, no matter how I racked my brain.
'First things first—damage control.'
Feeling cold sweat trickle down my spine, I stepped between them.
If I didn't diffuse this vibe now, who knew what might explode.
"Alright, let's start with introductions?"
I forced a casual tone.
"Artel, this is Ciel Ifrit. The girl from the Magic Tower who showed up today."
Then I turned to Ciel.
"Ciel, this is Artel Rosen Dal, a fellow Magic Department cadet."
Ciel ignored Artel's murderous aura completely.
She scanned Artel up and down with interest, then beamed and offered her hand.
"Nice to meet you─."
Artel's brow furrowed deeper at the sudden handshake.
But Ciel pressed on.
"You're Jeron's friend too, huh─. I decided to be Jeron's friend starting today─."
Artel's face hardened further at Ciel's innocent words.
...This wasn't improving at all.
I jumped back in to smooth things over.
"Jeron."
Artel blocked me.
She no longer looked at Ciel.
She was looking at me.
Not with the cold eyes from before, but different from her usual gaze too.
A look I'd never seen in the game.
"Want to grab dinner? Just the two of us... right now?"
"...Huh?"
Her unexpected invitation left me stunned.
As I stood there frozen, Artel looked slightly anxious and asked again.
"...Don't want to?"
"Ah, no. Sounds good."
I nodded on reflex, and faint satisfaction crossed her face.
Only then did she glance at Ciel, declaring victory.
"Let's go."
With that, Artel gracefully headed toward the cafeteria.
I had no choice but to follow.
"Bye-bye─. Let's play again soon, Jeron─."
Ciel waved at our retreating backs.
"......"
Trailing Artel down the hall, I pondered.
'...What was that, just now?'
Seriously, why is this happening today?