Chapter 652
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Challenge
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***
The morning classes were underway.
As was typical for the start of the semester, all the students were having a hectic time.
After lunch, it was time for afternoon classes.
Eliza spoke to Nella.
“Nella.”
“Yes? What is it, Eliza?”
“That’s unsettling. Go fix it, quickly.”
Eliza said, pointing at Iliana.
There, Iliana was reading a book with perfect posture.
All day long, Iliana had been the very picture of a perfect honor student.
She acted flawlessly as a student, treated those around her with a gentle demeanor, and read continuously.
*Rustle—*
Just then, as she swept her hair back like Celia, a collective gasp of admiration erupted from the first-years gathered for their combat studies class.
Literally, a flawless honor student.
Naturally, from the third-years' perspective, the sight was rather uncomfortable.
Just then, Karl, who had been quietly watching Iliana, spoke up.
“Looking closely, it seems like she's copying Celia, Chloe, and Nella.”
“Huh?”
At his words, Chelsea tilted her head.
“Why?”
“How should I know?”
“It's creepy. Let's go ask her why she's doing that.”
Chelsea grunted as she stood up and approached Iliana.
Nella followed behind her.
“Nella.”
“Yes? What is it, Karl?”
“Why are you bringing that with you?”
Karl asked, pointing to the morningstar held demurely in Nella's hand.
“Just in case I need to use it.”
Seeing Nella's wry smile, Karl nodded.
*‘Right. No matter how nice she is, a Lumerne girl is still a Lumerne girl.’*
The place where Chelsea, Karl, and Nella took Iliana was behind the equipment shed on the training grounds where combat class was held.
“What's going on?”
Iliana asked with a puzzled expression, and Chelsea replied.
“Be honest. Who are you?”
“What are you talking about, Chelsea? It's me, your friend Iliana.”
“Then why are you acting like you've lost your mind?”
“I'm perfectly fine. Hehe. What a strange thing to say.”
Watching Iliana cover her mouth and giggle, Nella let out a small groan. “Ugh...”
“Why?”
“She's similar to me, but something's unsettling about it. Have I been making people feel this uncomfortable too?”
Seeing Nella worry with such a serious face, Karl shook his head.
“No way.”
“That's right, Nella. You're not the problem. The problem is Iliana.”
“Should I really give her a little tap on the head?”
As Nella raised her morningstar and asked, Karl stroked his chin.
“Hmm. It's risky, but... it seems like the only way.”
“Yeah.”
Nella stood before Iliana with a serious expression, morningstar in hand.
Seeing Nella poised to actually strike her, Iliana's expression momentarily faltered with panic.
“Wait? What are you doing? Calm down, Nella.”
Looking at Iliana, who still spoke in a calm voice, Nella said seriously.
“This might hurt a little, but bear with it, Iliana. This is all for your own good.”
“How is killing me for my own good?!”
Iliana shrieked.
“Thank goodness. It's the usual Iliana.”
“What? So you weren't crazy, you were just putting on an act this whole time?”
“So it was nothing after all.”
Nella let out a genuine sigh of relief, while Karl and Chelsea wore expressions that said, ‘I knew it.’
Just then, Eliza came around from behind the shed.
“Karl. Do you have any potions for magical beasts?”
“Ooh! Of course, my dear customer!”
Karl quickly dashed over to Eliza.
As Eliza, with a bored expression, pulled a gold coin from her pocket, she noticed Iliana and spoke.
“It seems you've returned to the usual Iliana Raden.”
“What on earth is my usual image that you react like that just by looking at my face?”
“Unlike before, you're now wearing your usual ditz-like expression.”
Eliza's taunt made Iliana flare up.
“Hey! Karl! Don't do business with her! I buy a lot from you!”
“Eliza is a better customer than you.”
“Is our friendship worth less than your sales?!”
“Yep.”
“Kyak!”
Iliana, her eyes blazing, grabbed Karl and shook him violently.
Watching Iliana, Chelsea wore a look of disdain.
“Why were you putting on such a ridiculous act anyway?”
“Ridiculous? Didn't you see how the first-years couldn't even look at me without blushing?”
Iliana straightened her posture and swept her hair back.
“It's because they were all captivated by my charm.”
“Ah, I just figured out why I felt so unsettled.”
Chelsea frowned.
“That habit of flipping your hair. It's exactly like Celia Jerdinger's.”
“Hmph. I took some inspiration.”
Seeing the smug Iliana, Eliza looked at her as if she were pathetic.
“You copied Celia Jerdinger just to look good in front of some first-years? Are you an idiot?”
“Ehei. I didn't just copy Celia. I copied Chloe and Nella too! And you, Chelsea!”
“Me?”
Chelsea looked puzzled.
“There was nothing similar to me at all.”
“Of course there was. You're a phony. I studied how you hide your true nature and applied it.”
“What?”
“I said I referenced your phony act a lot.”
“When have I ever put on a phony act?”
As Chelsea scowled fiercely, Iliana immediately scrunched up her face.
“Are you stupid? You don't even know you're being a phony?”
“Ah, that's the usual Chelsea.”
“That arrogant tone is definitely Chelsea Llewellyn.”
Karl and Eliza commented.
For a moment, Chelsea's small fists trembled.
“My dear brother~ Leo~ Nella~ You know~”
“Bwahahahahaha! It's exactly... *Gah!*”
Watching Iliana perfectly mimic the tone Chelsea used when talking to Leo, Abad, and Nella, Karl burst into laughter.
Naturally, Chelsea didn't hesitate to plant a dropkick into Karl's side before turning on Iliana, her eyes flashing.
“What! Why! I was just copying your usual self!”
“When have I ever acted so stupid-looking?!”
“Both of you, calm down.”
Nella put down the morningstar in her hand and calmed the two bickering girls.
“Nella! Iliana's impression just now wasn't like me, right?”
“Um...”
“So mean!”
Chelsea pouted.
“It's just that the feeling and tone were similar. Of course, you have a much cuter feel, Chelsea.”
“Right?”
“Blech. 'Cute,' she says.”
“You are so dead today.”
Chelsea growled at Iliana, who was making snide remarks from the side.
Eliza watched Karl clutch his side and struggle to his feet with a look of pity.
“Why do you let her hit you like an idiot?”
“It's not like I wanted to get hit. If you felt so sorry for me, why didn't you help?”
“I didn't feel that sorry for you. Shouldn't you take responsibility for what you started?”
“So heartless.”
Karl clicked his tongue and stood up straight.
“Anyway. So? You were copying the honor students?”
“Yep. I copied Celia because her usual behavior is that of a perfect honor student, and Chloe because she's overflowing with elegance no matter who you ask. Nella and Chen Xia are both mature, so I debated which of them to copy, but I figured if I started using formal speech, people would think I'd really lost my mind. So I copied Nella.”
“You looked plenty crazy already.”
Eliza scoffed.
Iliana pouted at her.
Chelsea, who had been watching the situation with an annoyed expression, smiled faintly.
Seeing that little devil's smile, Karl discreetly distanced himself.
“Why didn't you copy Eliza?”
“Eliza's usual behavior is nothing more and nothing less than a thug's. There's nothing worth copying.”
Iliana snorted with a laugh, and Eliza's eyes shot wide as she lunged for her, but Karl held her back.
“So. Why on earth were you copying the honor students?”
Chelsea asked, crossing her arms, and Iliana replied.
“I was trying to become very mature.”
“You think the underclassmen will follow you just because you act mature? Your true nature will be revealed soon enough.”
“Whether it's revealed or not... you never know until you try, right? Besides, I wasn't doing this for the underclassmen.”
“Then who?”
“I was trying to appeal with some unexpected charm. Like, 'Iliana Raden has a mature side, too~'. I saw it in this book.”
Iliana showed them the book she had been reading.
When she removed the cover, the real title was revealed.
“‘Even a Fool Can Seduce the Opposite Sex’? What is this stupidly titled book?”
Chelsea looked at it with disdain.
“Who are you trying to impress by reading a book like this?”
“Who else? The class president.”
“What?”
“The class president is mature, right? The book said to appeal to a mature person with mature charm. So I was just following its advice.”
“...”
Chelsea's mouth gaped open, and Nella's eyes went wide.
Karl scratched his head vigorously.
Eliza curled her lip into a sneer.
“Why don't you just get naked and try to seduce him?”
“Ah! That! The book said that's the ultimate move!”
“What kind of trashy book is this?!”
Chelsea used her wind magic to tear the book to shreds.
“What are you going to do after you seduce Leo?”
“Isn't it obvious?”
Nella asked with a puzzled look, and Iliana laughed with a “Hmph.”
“I'll become the First Lady!”
***
Hearing the commotion from behind the school shed, Chen Xia smiled faintly.
“They're as boisterous as ever today.”
Chen Xia said with a slight smile.
At her words, Celia let out a small sigh.
“I just hope they don't cause any trouble.”
“With so many underclassmen around, do you think they'd disgrace our year?”
“Hmph, if it's those idiots, they're more than capable of it.”
Duran scoffed at Chen Xia's remark.
For once, Celia nodded in agreement.
Watching the two of them agree for a change, Chen Xia tilted her head and spoke.
“By the way.”
“Yes?”
“How were Elena and Lil?”
Celia's and Duran's faces hardened slightly.
“...They were strong.”
Celia said with a frustrated expression.
“I thought we were skilled enough to win... but we were too immature.”
“Don't you think the result would be different if you fought again?”
“If you're testing us with some pointless question, then stop.”
Duran scowled at Chen Xia's words.
“You should know that would be meaningless.”
The test yesterday was, in the end, a mock battle.
But Celia and Duran, as well as everyone else who was there, knew.
That even for a mock battle, yesterday's defeat was a critical one.
Yesterday, the third-years could have definitely won against Elena and Lil.
But despite that, they lost twice.
The first defeat was the result of their arrogance, of underestimating Elena and Lil.
The second was a loss due to a lack of experience.
Both defeats signified that the third-years were still immature.
As Duran said, winning by fighting again would be meaningless.
Because in a real battle, they wouldn't get a second chance.
*‘Starting from the third year, real missions begin.’*
While the first and second years were for mission training, from the third year onward, they would have to solve problems occurring all over the world in Lumerne's name.
As hero candidates, they would begin to truly put their lives on the line.
And it wasn't just their own lives they would be responsible for.
They would become responsible for the lives of the many people before them.
“There are no second chances when lives are at stake.”
Chen Xia nodded at Duran's words.
“Don't forget that feeling.”
“Were you trying to give us advice?”
“Yes. We're classmates, but I'm still older than you, Celia and Duran.”
Chen Xia said with a shrug.
“Seeing you two so downhearted didn't sit well with me.”
At Chen Xia's words, Celia sighed softly.
“Sorry to have worried you. But we don't plan on staying down. We've realized what we're lacking.”
Celia swept her hair back.
“From now on, we plan to fill in those gaps.”
“That's Celia for you. A flawless honor student. In that spirit, this big sister will give you one more lesson.”
Watching Chen Xia pat her on the head as if she were a proud child, Celia narrowed her eyes.
“Even so, could you please not treat me like such a child?”
“What lesson do you intend to give?”
“Yes?”
Chen Xia's eyes widened at Duran's question.
“What's so surprising?”
“No, it's just... I thought you would be offended if I offered advice, Duran.”
“What do you take me for?”
“What else? Xia here probably thinks you're an arrogant bastard, too.”
“If you're looking for a fight, draw your sword, Celia Jerdinger.”
“I'd like that.”
“Now, now. Both of you, calm down.”
Even amidst the murderous atmosphere between the two, Chen Xia kept her bright smile.
“The lesson isn't anything grand. I'm just going to show you how a potential enemy we might face from our third year onward fights. And also, how you'll be able to fight once you've overcome your weaknesses.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Smiling at Celia's confused expression, Chen Xia began to walk.
*Step, step—*
“What is it?”
“Young Master Leo.”
Chen Xia said, stopping in front of Leo.
“Fight me.”