Chapter 35: Luce (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35: Luce (3)
The morning was incredibly refreshing.
I hadn’t slept this well since the day I defeated Garzia the Hermit. My fever had subsided quickly, likely thanks to the potent effects of Luce’s healing magic.
My body felt light—so light that I had to suppress the urge to run as I left Doris Hall, the dormitory for the academy's underperformers.
While the interior facilities of Doris Hall were outdated and inferior compared to the other dorms, the surrounding gardens—lush with greenery and accented by elegant Corinthian pillars—created a surprisingly beautiful atmosphere.
I headed for the gates with a spring in my step. Suddenly, I noticed the other male students leaving the dorm; they all had peculiar expressions on their faces. These were fellow Doris Hall residents, likely on their way to lectures just like me.
As they passed the corner outside the entrance, they were all stealing glances and whispering.
What is everyone blushing about?
It’s not like Dorothy Heartnova is standing out there.
Amused by the thought, I walked through the gates.
I glanced in the direction everyone was staring. For a moment, my eyes were dazzled, hit by that shimmering halo effect you only see when a world-class celebrity appears.
A girl stood there, holding her bag with both hands. Her long, straight, rose-gold hair was adorned with braids the color of morpho butterflies—the quintessential look of a high-born noble lady. The bright morning sunlight made her beauty stand out even more.
The moment her deep, oceanic blue eyes locked onto mine, my breath hitched.
“Hello, Isaac.”
It was her. Luce Eltania.
She greeted me with a radiant smile, waving her right hand.
The gazes of every male student in the vicinity instantly shifted to me.
…I’m screwed.
“The weather is lovely today, isn’t it?”
I stared at Luce in disbelief. She blurted out the cliché comment as if she had rehearsed it a dozen times.
I should have been more cautious, but I had accidentally drawn massive AOE aggro and was caught completely off guard.
“What’s with that face? Is the weather bad?”
This girl… The weather in my heart is what’s bad right now.
✦✧✦✧
There was a very specific reason I didn’t want students to see me with Kaya.
I was still just a Class D commoner.
If Kaya—a Class A noble from the Ducal House of Astrea—was seen eating or hanging out with someone like me, it would naturally set the rumor mill spinning. It was the perfect gossip for bored first-years.
And such rumors carried the risk of reaching Alice Carroll’s ears.
I wasn't worried about Alice simply overhearing something in passing. As the Student Council President, she was far too busy to visit the student cafeteria; she preferred to relax by drinking alone in private.
What I truly feared was Alice’s subordinate among my classmates. That person was a prospective Student Council member recruited by Alice, tasked with reporting every trend and rumor among the first-years back to her.
It wasn't just the Student Council, either. Märchen Academy was home to a powerful student faction known as the "Four Constellations."
To put it in political terms, members of the Four Constellations who joined the Student Council were the ruling party, while the remaining members acted as the opposition. Of course, the reality was a bit more nuanced.
There were already first-year recruits within the Four Constellations acting as spies. They gathered information for two reasons: first, to scout talent for their own factions, and second, to identify potential threats or useful pawns in other factions.
Their ultimate goal was to install a Student Council President from their own ranks, which would grant their faction enormous power within the academy.
Alice would likely use any rumor of a "troublemaker" as justification to intervene.
Perhaps the fact that I used 5-star magic during the dueling evaluation had already reached her. However, because there were other, more traditionally impressive students, that information had likely been buried for now.
But, well…
“Let’s eat together, Isaac.”
It happened during lunch at the Magic Department’s cafeteria. Luce suddenly approached me, set her tray down, and took the seat directly across from mine.
The stares from the surrounding students stung. Everyone looked shocked. Some were so flustered that orange juice was literally dripping from their mouths.
“Luce Eltania is eating with… Isaac?”
“No way…”
“That’s the first time I’ve seen the Top Seat smile like that.”
“Me too…”
“What kind of pairing is this?”
Of course, having the occasional meal with Amy or Mateo’s group never drew this much attention.
But Luce was the top-ranked student of the Magic Department at the prestigious Märchen Academy. She was the object of envy for the entire student body. Moreover, she was famous for being cold and indifferent.
This dramatic personality shift—showing her bright, friendly side only to me—was impossible to ignore.
It feels like I’m having lunch with a world-famous idol.
I wondered if this was what people meant when they said they were so nervous they couldn't tell if the food was going into their mouth or their nose. That was exactly how I felt.
“How was class?” Luce asked, offering another rehearsed, cliché smile.
“I just remembered I have something to do. I’m leaving first!”
“Ah…!”
I hurriedly grabbed my tray and bolted.
Luce reached out toward me as if to stop me, but I couldn't bring myself to stay.
✦✧✦✧
Orphin Hall, Class D classroom.
Every eye in the room was fixed on me. Even Ian, who had a band-aid on his cheek after a scuffle with his familiar, Rex, was staring.
It was no wonder. Sitting right next to me was the Top Seat with rose-gold hair. She had her arms rested on my desk, leaning her cheek against them as she stared at me. The student who actually owned the desk was standing awkwardly in the back, too intimidated to speak.
“Luce, class is about to start. Shouldn’t you go back…?”
“I’ll go when the professor gets here.”
This was a Class D classroom. Luce belonged to Class A, the elite tier reserved for the top five students. Her mere presence made the air in the room feel heavy.
“What’s the deal between the Top Seat and Isaac?”
“Don’t you get that vibe? Like she really wants to be near someone she likes…”
“The Top Seat? Liking him?”
“Is that even a question?”
I could hear the whispers. Seriously… this was making me incredibly restless.
A choice I had made while relieved she hadn't recognized me as 'Greung' had led to these devastating consequences.
“Luce, I told you not to do this. You stand out too much…” I whispered.
“But I want to be near you…”
I kept my voice low, but the students with sharp ears caught it anyway. Their eyes widened.
“Did you hear that? Isaac is telling the Top Seat to get lost!”
“Wait, is the Top Seat the one chasing him?”
“Are you kidding me?”
I was at a total loss for words.
Just then, Professor Fernando Frost walked into the classroom.
“Let’s begin… hmm?”
Professor Fernando stopped mid-sentence when he saw Luce and me.
“You are Luce Eltania from Class A. What are you doing here?”
“…….”
Voom—
Luce’s gaze snapped toward Professor Fernando. It was a cold, sharp glare—one that carried a faint hint of a murderous threat.
For a brief moment, every student in the room felt a heavy surge of mana. I didn't need [Psychological Insight] to know they were all terrified. It gave me chills; my whole body trembled.
Luce had a habit of taking a defensive, hostile posture whenever others spoke to her, even if that person was a professor.
Professor Fernando, who was in charge of grading the Magic Department’s evaluations, was clearly familiar with Luce’s temperament. He simply narrowed his eyes and didn't push further.
“I’m leaving. See you later, Isaac.”
That’s why you have no friends, you dummy.
Of course, I didn't say that out loud. I just waved her off, mostly because I was scared too.
The student who actually owned the seat finally reclaimed it, letting out a massive sigh of relief. He looked like he wanted to complain to me, but he stayed as quiet as a mouse. He likely realized that messing with me meant messing with Luce.
After a moment, Professor Fernando cleared his throat.
“Before we begin the lecture, I have an announcement regarding the next performance evaluation.”
It was the final evaluation before the end of the semester.
“We will be evaluating your Magic Crafting skills. As mentioned previously, magic crafting is a highly efficient method for training mana control.”
Magic Crafting involved using mana to create physical objects. While called "crafting," it was more of an art form that sought "fleeting beauty" rather than practical utility. The difficulty varied wildly based on the design, and it was often used in performances.
Mana efficiency and control were vital in shaping elemental mana into a desired form. Together, these two skills were known as Mana Mastery.
The higher your magic efficiency, the less mana was required to cast a spell. As your mana control improved, you could shape magic more intricately. For me, it meant I could make the crude ice ladders I used to escape Charles Hall look a lot more professional.
Furthermore, it had the benefit of increasing casting speed. In my case, it would allow me to shorten the preparation time for [Frost Explosion].
In the game, this was just flavor text, but here, it’s real.
I could treat this as part of my training.
“The theme is ‘Elemental Flower.’ If you have an ice or rock element, it will be a Level 3 challenge. For other elemental types, it will be Level 2.”
It made sense. For ice or rock, once the flower was created, the work was done aside from the final carving. For elements like fire, water, lightning, or wind, the student had to constantly maintain the flower's form, requiring a much higher level of sustained Mana Mastery.
“Refer to your textbooks for examples. It is more effective to practice in pairs, helping one another. The evaluation will be in three days. Practice thoroughly. That is all. Let’s begin.”
When one student shouted, “Professor, what if I don’t have any friends?!” Fernando gave a cold, blunt response: “Then do it alone.”
I was still inexperienced with magic. This was a good opportunity to focus on my Mana Mastery for the next three days.
✦✧✦✧
“Is class over?”
As soon as the lecture ended, Luce was waiting at the door as if she’d been there the whole time.
A shiver ran down my spine, but I took a deep breath and kept my cool.
As far as I knew, this was the first time Luce had ever made a friend. She had spent her life with her heart closed off, so she didn't understand emotional boundaries. She was clinging to me to a burdensome degree simply because she didn't know any better. Her lack of common sense didn't help.
Seriously, what am I going to do?
In Magic Knight of Märchen, Luce never made friends. The only reason she ever broke out of her shell was through her romance with the protagonist. Therefore, being "just friends" with Luce was uncharted territory where my game knowledge didn't apply. I had assumed it would be a casual friendship like the one I had with Amy or Mateo, but I had been dead wrong.
I sighed.
In the end, I left the building with Luce. As we walked across the academy grounds, the Magic Department students stared. Their eyes were filled with a mix of envy, resentment, and pure confusion.
It was inevitable. Luce was the Top Seat, a primary heroine of the game, and one of the top five beauties in the entire academy—and here she was, giving me smiles she had never shown anyone else while following me around like a lost puppy.
These kids are really putting my heart through the wringer…
Under normal circumstances, I might have felt smug, but given my precarious position, I just felt helpless.
“Luce, I have somewhere to go…”
“Can’t you stay with me a little longer?” Luce asked, looking down as if she had anticipated my rejection. “I know you need to train, but… I’ve had so much fun today.”
Ugh, don't do the puppy dog eyes. It’s heartbreaking.
Judging by her reaction, ditching her now might backfire. Her desire to hang out would only intensify, making tomorrow even worse. And if she followed her impulses to the extreme and ended up kidnapping the protagonist, that was a straight shot to Extra Bad End No. 13.
This was an urgent mission. I needed to dial back the time I spent with Luce to a normal level, but I had to do it carefully.
Today, I would honor her wishes, spend some time together, and then have a serious talk. I happened to have the perfect excuse—something that benefited me and appealed to her desire to stay close.
“I’m going to practice my Elemental Flower crafting now. Doesn’t Class A have the same evaluation?”
“Yeah. Do you want me to help you?”
Her first instinct wasn't "Let's do it together," but "Do you want me to help you?" To Luce, magic crafting was clearly child's play. Still, having someone with her level of mana control help me was a massive win.
“I’ll be in your care, then.”
A gentle, genuine smile spread across her face.
We returned to Orphin Hall and found an empty classroom. We sat across from each other at a single table. I took off my coat and hung it on the back of the walnut chair.
It was evening. The sunset was bleeding through the windows, filling the room with a warm glow, though it wasn't quite dark enough to need a lamp yet.
“So, the flower required for me is a Level 3 challenge, right? And since you’re water element, yours is Level 2.”
“Isaac, do you know how to do it?”
“I can manage Level 2, but Level 3 feels a bit daunting.”
I opened the textbook to the Magic Crafting section and looked at the Level 3 example. It was a model of a hydrangea, and it looked incredibly intimidating.
“Let’s start with a warm-up.”
I rolled up my sleeves and began channeling mana through my hands onto the desk.
「Ice Generation (Ice Element, ★1)」
I started with something simple: a small model of a baby hippo and a cannon.
“What is this? It’s cute,” Luce remarked.
“It’s a baby hippo. Touch it and you’re dead. And this?”
“I’ve never seen that before.”
“It’s the Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon.”
“I don’t know what that is, but the craftsmanship is very high.”
Okay, I can do this.
Next, I successfully completed a Level 1 flower—a simple bloom with a few petals—and then a slightly more complex Level 2 flower. Luce quietly clapped her hands, whispering, “Wow, great job.”
Emboldened, I moved on to the Level 3 challenge: the ice hydrangea.
“I’ll try too,” Luce said, channeling water mana from her seat.
「Water Generation (Water Element, ★1)」
My head felt like it was going to explode as I tried to focus on the design of every single petal. Controlling mana with such delicacy was grueling. In the end, I produced a block of ice that looked more like a piece of porous granite than a flower. Level 3 was simply beyond me.
On the other hand, Luce produced a breathtakingly sophisticated hydrangea. The water maintained its shape perfectly, with a complex, rapid internal flow that made it look like a miracle of physics.
“…….”
“…….”
Faced with the best and worst possible results, we both fell silent.
“P-Pretty good,” I said, breaking the silence. It was more than good; it was perfect. It stung my pride just a little.
But if I could learn from her, I’d improve much faster.
“I’ll help you, Isaac.”
“Thanks… huh?”
Suddenly, Luce placed her hands over the backs of mine.
I flinched at the sudden contact, but I forced myself to stay calm as she began pouring out mana to create a mold made of water. I began flowing my ice mana into her mold.
“Don’t elementalize your mana yet. Just let it flow freely for now. Remember this sensation.”
Luce’s voice was soft, tickling my ears. Her pale, slender hands were warm and soft against mine. Her water mana flowed gently over the back of my hand.
The light blue ice mana, not yet solidified, began to take the shape of an elaborate hydrangea, filling the mold Luce had created. It was like pouring juice into a tray to make popsicles. Luce’s water was flowing so fast that it didn't even begin to freeze despite my ice mana being right there.
Wow, this is incredible.
How could something so difficult become so easy? A hydrangea so detailed it was hard to believe it was my own mana was nearly complete…
“I’m going to release it now.”
“Not yet!”
“Aah!”
When Luce tried to pull her mana back, I panicked. I hadn't fully turned my mana into ice yet because I wanted to refine the details even further.
But Luce had already withdrawn the mold before I could stop her. She tried to re-stabilize the mana when she heard me shout, but it was too late.
My un-elementalized mana and Luce’s mana clashed, triggering an elemental reaction.
The culprit was the Mana Force Field—the natural repulsion that occurs when raw, unshaped mana from two different living beings collides. It’s the same reason I couldn't just manifest [Ice Generation] inside an enemy’s body.
The unstable water and ice mana exploded outward like a burst pipe.
Splaaaaash!
Light blue mana scattered into the air while the water from Luce’s spell drenched us both.
In an instant, we were both soaked to the bone.
Water dripped from my hair. Luce stared at me, her face glistening with droplets. We sat in silence for a long moment, staring at each other, until…
“Pffft… Hahaha!”
Luce burst out laughing.
“Ahahaha! Hahahaha!”
…What’s so funny?
She laughed so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes. It was the kind of genuine, belly-aching laughter you get from a perfectly timed joke.
To be honest, the situation was ridiculous. The more I thought about it, the funnier it got. I started laughing too, caught up in her infectious joy.
“Oh, that’s so funny…! My stomach hurts…”
Come to think of it, this was the first time I had ever seen Luce laugh like this. In the game, she was always stoic, at most offering a faint, mysterious smile. It was a strange, fluttering feeling.
“…I took it right to the face.”
“Hahahaha!”
Luce doubled over again at my comment. We laughed together for a good while.
“Here, let me wipe that off.”
Luce stood up, grabbing a handkerchief from her uniform jacket on the chair. She leaned across the desk toward me.
“You could just use ‘Evaporate,’ you know.”
“You can’t evaporate magic that’s already soaked into the fabric.”
Luce focused on dabbing my face.
'Evaporate' was the water equivalent of my 'Defrost'—it undid the magic. But even in the game, while you could remove standing water, it didn't magically dry wet clothes or remove stains.
As she leaned in, I looked up—and my breath hitched at the sight.
Luce was leaning directly over me. Her white shirt, now translucent from the water, clung to her skin. I could clearly see her black lace underwear beneath the fabric. My eyes darted to the side, then back to the view, then away again in a frantic loop.
“Where are you looking?”
“…!”
My heart sank like a stone in a thriller movie.
I looked up, guilt-ridden, only to see Luce peering down at me. Her face was flushed a soft rose hue, and a mischievous, playful grin spread across her damp face, her skin glistening in the warm sunset light.
“Isaac… you pervert.”
Luce’s voice was a low, intimate whisper that tickled my ear like a feather.
In that moment, time seemed to stand still.