Chapter 168: Fury (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 168: Fury (3)
“Do you know why I challenged that insect to a duel?”
One morning in the past.
At the top-ranked dormitory, Charles Hall.
Miya, the Priestess, sat in her uniform, sipping tea while gazing out the window. Since there was still plenty of time before classes began, she enjoyed her tea at a leisurely pace.
[It seems you’re finally going to tell me.]
From Miya’s index fingernail, a small flame in the shape of a nine-tailed fox flickered into existence.
[Go ahead.]
“I want Senior Luce. But she’s far too fond of that insect of a senior.”
Miya spoke while picturing Isaac, her silver-blue-haired senior.
“He doesn’t seem to have anything going for him other than his face. And it’s not even like he’s the most handsome man in the academy. What is so great about him that Senior Luce makes such a fuss?”
[Hmm.]
“Anyway, he’s important to Senior Luce. So, I decided to conduct a test.”
Miya smiled slyly.
“I’m going to gradually cripple that insect. I’ll toy with him, make him mute, make him deaf—slowly, one by one, I’ll take away everything he has. I’ll keep going until the day Senior Luce begs me to stop. We have the power to make that happen, after all.”
There was a story from when she was thirteen.
There was a man she wanted to make her subordinate. However, the man had a family and refused the Priestess’s proposal.
In response, Miya tore out the eyes of the man’s family members. She then ordered him to become her subordinate before she did something even worse.
The man had no choice but to follow her, weeping in silence.
To Miya, if someone cherished something, it was nothing more than prey to be hunted. It was a weakness to be exploited.
Luce is no exception.
“To torment that insect while staying within the academy rules, a duel is the optimal method.”
Miya was willing to do anything to get what she desired. No matter what happened to others, everything had to be sacrificed for her sake.
She wanted Luce Eltania. Therefore, she decided to trample on the life of Isaac, the person Luce cherished most. That was Miya’s ultimate decision.
Then, what was her reason for wanting to make a genius like Luce Eltania hers?
“One day, we have to devour the Zelver Empire.”
It was all about strengthening the power of Horan, the Land of the Fire Blossoms.
“Once Horan reaches the top of the world, I will be its ruler. For that to happen, monsters like Senior Luce need to be on my side. If even my Prince becomes my husband, it would be perfect. Hehe, my mighty Prince… I want to see him again…”
She planned to challenge the Zelver Empire, wage war, and trample over countless lives to reign at the pinnacle of the world. Her desire to recruit talented individuals like Luce Eltania or Dorothy Heartnova was merely a means to achieve that goal.
Here, the true reason for Miya’s enrollment in Märchen Academy became clear.
First, pursuing her love, the ‘Nameless Hero.’ That was her primary motivation.
Second, recruiting talent and creating subordinates.
One day, Miya intended to rule the world. If she could conquer the Zelver Empire, world domination would swiftly follow.
Coincidentally, Princess Snow White had enrolled as her fellow student. This was a stroke of luck. As a representative of the Eastern nation, Miya could deepen the rift with the Zelver Empire. It would have normally taken years of groundwork to make the two countries resent each other.
Eventually, when the citizens clamored for war…
Miya, having laid the foundation, would use Horan to devour the Zelver Empire.
In short, bringing talents like Luce Eltania to her side was part of her grand scheme.
“I’m excited.”
Miya grinned, her cheeks flushed.
“Things just got way more interesting.”
*
Present. Magic Department Duel Grounds.
The Clover Paladin, a male student with a benign appearance, sat in the audience and watched the arena with a smile.
Meanwhile, Ciel Carnedas stared intently at Isaac’s intrusion. She had never seen the archwizard so visibly enraged.
“Duel over! Class A, Miya wins! Medical team, transport student Snow White! Quickly!!”
The referee urgently declared the winner and summoned the medical team.
The healers rushed onto the arena with a stretcher, carefully moving Princess Snow White onto it. Her body was covered in gruesome burns; her abdomen, in particular, was in a state too horrific to look at.
The healers quickly covered White’s body with a white cloth. Several of them immediately began emergency treatment with healing magic as they hurried toward the corridor.
Isaac, wanting to stay by White’s side until the very end, walked briskly alongside them.
“Senior… I…saac…”
White weakly moved her cracked lips. It seemed she had regained consciousness thanks to the healing magic.
“White!” Isaac called out.
Tears flowed from White’s eyes.
“Why am I… so pathetic…? Why am I… so pathetic…?”
Overwhelmed by emotion, White couldn’t hold back her tears. Her sobbing voice felt like it was constricting Isaac’s heart.
Isaac shook his head, offering consolation in an urgent voice.
“No, you did well. You did so well…! Truly, the grit you showed—refusing to give up until the end—was a performance worthy of my mentee. You did well, White.”
“Why… why am I like this…”
Isaac’s voice didn’t seem to reach her. She simply sobbed, covering her eyes with her burned hands.
The medical team then hurried White away through the corridor. Isaac stood still for a long moment, quietly watching her leave.
“…”
Isaac steadied his breathing. He took off his round glasses and raised his head, staring into the empty air.
What Miya had done was not a duel.
…It was nothing but cruel, senseless torment.
Within Isaac, who cherished White, the cold of the bitterest ice age began to rage.
“Student Isaac.”
The referee approached Isaac from behind.
“The order of the duels is predetermined. First, you need the agreement of your opponent, and you must also arrange with the next in line—students Mateo Jordana and Jack Schneider—to change the order—”
“Mateo!!”
Isaac’s shout cut through the referee’s explanation.
Mateo Jordana, a second-year student with short brown hair sitting in the audience, flinched at the sound. The shout of the Nameless Hero—an archwizard with the power to destroy the world at any moment—made him go rigid with tension.
Isaac’s eyes, usually kind, now bore a cold, murderous look as they fixed on Mateo.
“Change the order.”
That single command was enough.
Mateo responded in a frightened voice, “Y-yes!”
Jack Schneider, who had been miserably defeated by Isaac the previous year, nervously nodded along with Mateo. It was Jack’s first time seeing Isaac, who usually maintained a gentle demeanor, radiating such lethal intent.
“Well then… Now we only need student Miya’s agreement. Student Miya, is it okay to proceed with the duel without a break?”
“Absolutely.”
Miya smiled like a fox, looking genuinely pleased. After all, the duel with Snow White—a first-year bottom-ranker and a weakling—hadn’t drained much of her mana. She was perfectly fine.
Isaac climbed back onto the arena, facing Miya with a wide distance between them. The referee returned to his position. The judges and the students all watched the stage with tense, expectant faces.
[Miya.]
The voice of her familiar, Mae, echoed in Miya’s mind from her fingernail.
[If needed, I’ll intervene.]
‘Don’t intervene under any circumstances. Shut up and stay still. This is an order. There’s no need for you to get involved against this insect.’
Miya scolded the Nine-tailed Fox mentally. She had no intention of summoning her familiar against Isaac. Since she already considered herself the stronger of the two, her pride wouldn’t allow her to resort to such measures.
“Seems like you’re really angry, huh? You must have developed quite the bond while mentoring Snow White.”
Miya taunted him.
However, Isaac gave no response. He kept his head down, his silver-blue bangs casting a shadow over his eyes. It seemed as if he was concentrating on something deep within.
“This damn insect. Daring to ignore me…” Miya frowned, grumbling under her breath.
“Well then! The means are unlimited. No surrender for the first minute. If one side faints or becomes unable to fight, the duel ends immediately! Approach the duel with respect for one another!”
After the referee finished the formal explanation, he raised his arm.
“Ready… Duel, start!”
The referee stepped back, leaving only Isaac and Miya in the vast arena.
Isaac loosened the brooch on his tie and shrugged off his school jacket, clutching it in his left hand. With Zhonya’s staff in his right, he struck the ground fiercely and glared at Miya, unleashing a ferocious blast of ice mana.
A light blue magic circle instantly unfolded behind him.