Make Sure to Give Me Your Review Later~

"Don't push yourself too hard."

Plan clicked his tongue and half-turned away. Becky, with a grievance she considered entirely legitimate, protested.

"No, no. I didn't push myself...!"

"Then you were just enjoying yourself. Either way, save it for when no one's watching."

....

But her words never reached him.

Becky, utterly deflated by the sight of that bizarre picture, could only gape. She'd endured plenty of humiliating moments in her life, but nothing quite like this.

"Just know it's a waste of time to begin with. You think watching that will actually help? The gap between that and real combat is substantial."

"...Ah."

Becky, who had been flapping like a sheet of paper, finally collapsed. Her mind went blank from the sheer shock of it all.

....

With that, Plan left. Alone in a space as wide as a living room, only Becky remained.

....

In Plan's mind, Becky had likely already been filed as 'Female Student #1: Excessively Interested in Weird Things.'

While she was still reeling from several types of shock she'd never once experienced in her life, a door in a different direction opened.

Becky's gaze drifted toward it instinctively.

Hair tousled as though just awake, face slightly swollen. The curves of a body that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a single shirt could not possibly conceal. It was Trixie.

Becky greeted her with a look of utter detachment. Trixie had no way of knowing what a catastrophe had just occurred.

"You're awake."

"What."

Trixie answered with her usual cold indifference.

The blue-haired girl combed her hair back with her fingers and began fastening the buttons of her shirt, then her gaze abruptly landed on the book in Becky's hands.

....

Trixie's fingers, mid-button, stopped dead. A moment later, the book in Becky's arms floated up and landed in Trixie's hands.

"You. You. What is this. Why are you touching a book like this."

Trixie's eyes flew wide open as she demanded. Becky no longer had the energy to deal with anyone else.

"It's your book, isn't it...."

"It is not my book, you know."

"You just called it 'a book like this' without even looking at it."

"What...."

Her face flushing bright red, Trixie muttered a jumble of random words to herself.

"Don't talk back. And this is confiscated. I'll... find the owner and return it myself. Consider it handled."

With a slam, Trixie shut the door.

"Good grief."

Still collapsed on the floor, Becky let out a sigh.

And then, quietly, she sank into thought.

After thinking, and thinking some more, she decided she was, in fact, furious.

"...!"

She immediately sprang up and rattled the locked doorknob.

"Hey, you! It's because of you that I—!"

◈

The moment I stepped into the hallway of the Magic Tower guest rooms, I ran into an unexpected figure.

A girl with striking blonde hair. Hailey Lumian. It had been quite a while since I'd last encountered her like this.

"...Hello, Plan."

Hailey greeted me first, a basket of some sort in her hands.

She offered me a reasonably bright smile, but her face was noticeably more haggard than before. I simply gave her a brief nod in return.

"So in the end, the Magic Department advanced to the finals in first place. That's really great."

Hailey spoke up abruptly.

"I just came to drop something off for Louis. But since we happened to run into each other, I wanted to congratulate you, too."

She tacked that on, looking at me with a face appeared quite amiable. A smile that didn't quite land, a congratulation that didn't quite land.

But then.

"Ah, Plan!"

Sepia, the deputy head of the Merhen Daily Magic Department Editing Division, raised a hand high and approached from the far end of the hall.

Professor Audrey was with her. Whatever the reason, Sepia's face was much brighter and more refreshed than the last time I'd seen her.

"The scandal — I'm not sure what they were thinking, but the Knight Department pulled all of it. What a relief!"

I'd wondered what she had rushed here to say, and it turned out to be about the scandal after all.

I recalled the conversation I'd had with Eliza, the deputy head of the Knight Department Editing Division, while exchanging blank cards. It seemed that had been effective in its own way.

"Whew. Honestly, there were quite a few things I was worried about. I trust Plan implicitly, of course, but the situation for the female students was a little ambiguous in some respects."

Sepia went on, animated.

"Anyway, in the end it was all pointless worrying~ Everything related to Plan somehow works out suspiciously well. Is it like the rumors floating around Trivia say — do you really speak things into existence?"

"That is, in fact, how the principle of verbal incantation works."

"Goodness, bringing up magic even at a time like this."

Sepia clicked her tongue and grinned. At the same time, she swept her gaze over me with an unreadable glint in her eye.

"Well, half-joking, half-serious... but, honestly, from the perspective of the female students, it might be a bit of a letdown. The scandal was a chance to stick right by Plan's side, after a...."

Sepia swallowed her breath.

It was because ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hailey's expression, standing right next to her, had visibly soured. Sepia gave an awkward, forced cough.

"Ahem, I've been rambling on too long and there's another student here. Anyway, the conclusion is that all the misinformation has been corrected. You can rest easy!"

Had she finally finished? Could I stop dealing with this now? That was what I was thinking, when—

"Say, Plan~"

This time, Professor Audrey spoke up in a saccharine voice. She was, as ever, in a suit with her blonde hair neatly pinned up.

Like Sepia, Audrey seemed to have a great deal she wanted to say.

While I was guessing what she'd talk about, a name I hadn't particularly expected came up.

"I heard Professor Violet mentioned her lab to you?"

Violet.

Only after thinking for a moment did I recall that Violet had once intended to lend me her lab.

"Yes. I ended up using a guest room in the Magic Tower."

"Yes, yes. So, I think she wanted to at least bring you some food or books or something. She's currently in a meeting, so I came instead."

"That won't be necessary."

"At least pretend to accept graciously. She seems to think very, very highly of you, after all."

I was nodding absently when Audrey's gaze suddenly fell on Hailey, who was standing beside me.

Hailey bowed belatedly and greeted her.

"Hello."

Professor Audrey merely gave a flat nod in return.

"Pretty. Planning to give Plan a present?"

"...Pardon?"

Hailey flinched and asked again. But Audrey's gaze had already shifted to Sepia.

"The Editing Department's been busy these days, hasn't it? Work aside, having to clean up all the advances being recklessly made on Plan."

Audrey then spoke to me.

"Do be careful around women. It hasn't been long since the scandal died down.... At this rate, a new scandal's going to break. And now you're even dragging your seniors around with you."

Hailey's face, which had been awkwardly smiling, visibly stiffened. The voice that seeped between her lips was withered beyond her control.

"It's Hailey. Not a senior, a classmate."

"Ah, a first-year?"

"Yes. A Grade. You saw me during the exam...."

Audrey's expression turned slightly sheepish. Whatever she was thinking, she studied Hailey with an odd look on her face before breaking into an awkward laugh.

"Oh my, I'm sorry. I'm in charge of the second-years, and when it comes to first-years, you're the only one who comes to mind...."

"Goodness, if the message is done, come along now. Plan! We'll be off!"

Sepia took Audrey and sauntered away.

Thinking about it, a great many things had changed. Even more so compared to when I first entered the academy.

I spoke to the still-frozen Hailey.

"Are you not going?"

"Not going? You're asking me that right now?"

She probably thought she was answering as amiably as she usually did, but an irritation she couldn't conceal was already seeping into her voice. Saying that she wasn't managing her expression at all would be wasting breath twice over.

"You're the only one still standing here."

"...I'll deliver it in person. Thanks for your concern."

Hailey quickly regained control of her expression. She had clenched her jaw so hard that the muscles stood out, but even that soon vanished without a trace.

Click-clack.

But this time, the sound of high heels echoed down the hallway. Turning, I saw the Chancellor's Secretary walking toward me, her gaze fixed firmly on my face.

The moment our eyes met, she gave a faint smile.

"The notoriously elusive Plan. I finally see you."

"What business do you have."

"Naturally, I'm relaying a message from the Chancellor."

She handed me several sheets of paper.

A list of several professors, times, locations.... It wasn't difficult to interpret. It was an observation schedule.

"As you can see, an observation plan. The interest we hold in Plan is no longer limited to Plan's ability alone."

"No longer limited, you say."

"Yes. How much Plan can make the representative students grow... the Chancellor is keeping a close eye on that as well. We were hoping we might finally be able to observe your training at least once."

I quietly nodded. I would simply do what I had to do; even if someone observed the training process, nothing would change.

Having received my acceptance, the Secretary's expression brightened noticeably.

"Thank you. And congratulations."

With a smile on her face, she continued.

"I heard everything from the Chancellor. That you received an unlimited-use pass for the 'Witch's Forest'...."

The Witch's Forest. The shop that Chancellor Conet had recommended I absolutely visit, saying they dealt in clothing and accessories.

Only after hearing it did I remember. I hadn't yet had the time to visit, but what the Secretary said was true.

"And that a wand has also been promised, and if you win the Subjugation Festival, a dedicated van will be formed for you. I'll be rooting for you."

She pushed her glasses up. The corners of her eyes visible beyond the lenses were curved into crescents.

"Please just know that this is utterly unprecedented in the Magic Department. It truly is the first time the Chancellor has ever favored a student to this degree. Though, of course, a student like you is also a first...."

Seeming to realize she was rambling, the Secretary cut herself off at a reasonable point.

"In any case, enjoy your breakfast, and I will see you at the training grounds. We'll prepare to observe shortly as well."

Even at the very moment the Secretary was leaving, Hailey stood rooted to the spot, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠still holding the basket.

As for what her expression was like.

I didn't bother to check.

◈

Today, Martin was just messing around, same as always.

With the finals of the Subjugation Festival right around the corner, he was riding the department's excited atmosphere, messing around and drinking with his group every day.

"Martin, we're drinking again tonight, right?"

"Of course we are. Get a headcount."

The faces of the Magic Department mages had been bright lately.

It was a fact you could grasp without even looking at their faces, just by opening Trivia. In every single post, you could feel everyone was visibly thrilled.

But then.

"Huh."

A somewhat familiar figure caught Martin's eye.

Someone was walking with pink hair painstakingly hidden under a robe. Without a moment's hesitation, Martin fell into step behind them.

"Aria?"

At Martin's call, the footsteps of the robed figure stopped dead. Their head awkwardly turned toward Martin.

"...Martin?"

"It is you. Was it really you? When did you get discharged?"

"Just now."

Aria Fontaine.

The one who'd gotten hit with an Extreme Poison Scroll while working on an assignment with Plan, and consequently ended up indebted to the infirmary.

She glanced around and asked.

"Anyway, how did you know it was me?"

"Your hair's all sticking out of your robe, you idiot."

....

As if she'd had absolutely no idea of that fact, Aria pointlessly grabbed her robe tighter and pulled it further over her head.

As she did, she studied Martin's appearance. Before long, her gaze landed on the lipstick marks on Martin's neck.

"Still chasing women, I see."

"Don't look at me like that. I enrolled in the academy to meet better women in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the first place."

"...And what is that tacky business card."

Martin's business card, which was supposed to be white, now faintly held a glow-in-the-dark sheen.

"Ah, this?"

Martin pointed at his card with his index finger.

"Yushia did it. For all of us."

"Yushia.... What's that chick even do, anyway. Is that your current girlfriend's name?"

"You wouldn't know even if I told you. She's the one who transferred in while you were laid up in the infirmary."

Aria narrowed her eyes.

"Is she pretty? She probably is, seeing how proudly you're wearing that trash around."

"Her face, yeah, I like it. Not just to a tolerable degree. I like it a whooole lot."

"The mark on your neck — is that her handiwork too? Cover that up."

"Hey. I wish it were."

Martin shook his head and went on.

"But chicks like that only chase their owner until they die. Like a puppy."

"Can't even charm one woman. Tch."

"What can I do if I'm not the owner?"

This time, Martin studied Aria's appearance. She was clutching something tightly to her chest.

"Aria. But what's that?"

"What, this? What do you think it is."

Sparks flew from Aria's eyes. The paper crumpled slightly, as if she'd tightened her grip.

"Plan. That bastard's weaknesses."

"Does that guy even have any weaknesses...?"

"Of course he does. I wrote down everything I observed while facing off against him during the exam."

"Hmm...."

That seems completely useless.

Martin barely managed to swallow the words that had risen to his throat. For the moment, Aria's expression was just far too serious.

Instead, he asked something else.

"So, why'd you suddenly write down his weaknesses?"

At Martin's question, Aria's eyes went wide.

"They say that Plan kid is going out as the representative for the Magic Sword Grand Festival."

"You got news even in the infirmary?"

"After I regained consciousness. Through the newspaper."

She continued in a voice thick with fury.

"I'm going to personally tip Ivan off about Plan's weaknesses, and make him suffer a crushing defeat."

"...Ivan?"

"Yeah. The Knight Department's first-year representative. Ivan."

"...?"

Martin's head tilted.

"Why Ivan all of a sudden? Why give it to him?"

"The first discipline of the Magic Sword Grand Festival. Combat. Because the Knight Department representative is Ivan. You moron."

"Aria. That's already over."

"Sure, in a way it is already over. How would Plan beat Ivan... I know the outcome's obvious, too."

Aria ground her teeth together.

"But just in case, I'm still tipping him off. Because I don't think I'll feel better until that bastard Plan suffers a crushing defeat."

"Oh.... I see."

"Move. I'm busy."

Aria spun around sharply and started walking.

Martin stared blankly at the back of her head for a moment, then at some point, he burst out laughing — a short, sharp sound.

"Hey. Aria!"

He raised one hand high and waved it back and forth.

"Make sure you tell me all about it later~"