Chapter 33
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: 000 More Until She Collapses (6)
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‘Whew, that was close.’
Vivian bolted out of the infirmary, her face drained of all color.
It had really been a close call.
It was a situation where she could have easily been caught, but the school nurse had been distracted elsewhere, saving her skin.
The nurse staring at her palm and muttering, “...Motherly love?”—even thinking back on it now, Vivian still had no idea what that was about. But the important thing was that she hadn’t been found out.
‘What a relief...’
Vivian leaned against the hallway wall after sprinting for a while, letting out a sigh of relief.
Moments later, as her senses returned, she realized what she had just done.
‘Am I... insane?’
No matter how frustrated she’d been lately, trying to masturbate in a classroom? She wasn’t in her right mind.
‘Still...’
A wave of self-loathing crashed over her for what she’d done, but amid that disgust, one feeling refused to be swallowed.
‘It was warm.’
Recalling Eugene’s hand supporting her brought a faint smile to Vivian’s lips.
It felt like the first genuine smile she’d worn in ages.
‘Eugene...’
Thinking of him seemed to ease her tension, and suddenly she needed the bathroom.
She fidgeted her legs as she headed to the restroom at the end of the hall—then icy glares stabbed into her.
“...”
It was that familiar atmosphere from the Beatrice household.
Vivian’s body shrank back instinctively.
The kids glaring at her now were the same ones who’d been laughing and chatting with Eugene just moments ago.
She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact as she tried to slip past, but one girl in the group spoke loud enough to be heard.
“So shameless.”
If the Beatrice family had any real status left, they wouldn’t dare say something like that. But the girl who spoke came from a house far superior to the Beatrices—untouchably elite.
And she wasn’t the only one.
Most nobles at Carnea Academy wielded more power than the Beatrice family ever could.
The Beatrices had been something once, sure—but that was centuries ago.
Now, they were just a faded name clinging to relevance.
“Eugene got hurt because of her, and she’s leaning on him for support? Is she clueless or just that shameless?”
“She knows. That’s why she’s doing it.”
“I’m saying it out of pity. Her sister at least has some talent—what does she have? Nothing.”
“...”
Vivian couldn’t muster a single retort.
It was all true.
No—even if it wasn’t, she would have just prayed for the moment to pass without fighting back.
As Vivian stood there, head bowed in silence...
Thud!
Sudden agony exploded from her back, sending her tumbling across the floor.
‘Wh-what? What’s happening?’
It terrified her.
This inexplicable situation terrified her beyond words.
Huddled in the corner, trembling...
“Now she’s tripping over nothing. Vivian, someone might think we’re bullying you. What are you doing? Get up already.”
“S-sor...ry...”
She didn’t know what she’d done wrong, but she apologized anyway.
Otherwise, something even scarier would happen.
That fear consumed her.
As she staggered to her feet, the girl tripped her again, and Vivian rolled across the bathroom floor once more.
“Oops, sorry. Couldn’t stand the pitiful sight. You get it, right?”
“...I... I was wrong. Please forgive me...”
Vivian apologized again.
What had she done wrong?
She had no idea.
Maybe she’d been wrong from the moment she was born.
As self-hatred threatened to engulf her once more...
“Stop it! This is going too far!”
Yuria, the highest-ranking girl in the group, shouted.
She stepped forward and extended a hand to Vivian.
“Here, grab on!”
“...”
Could she really take that hand...?
She hesitated, but Vivian was too weak to refuse even this.
“Th-thank... you...”
As the teary-eyed Vivian reached out gratefully...
「Water」
A torrent of water poured down on Vivian’s head as Yuria cast her spell.
Drip, drip, drip.
Water droplets trailed down her purple hair.
The others burst into laughter at the sight of Vivian, soaked to the bone.
“Hahaha! What is that?!”
“She actually tried to grab it.”
“No conscience at all.”
Even as the others howled with laughter, Yuria whispered calmly.
“Stupid bitch. You really thought I’d touch your filthy hand?”
“...Why... to me...”
“Why?”
Yuria sneered at Vivian’s question.
“You piss me off. A useless thing like you fawning over Eugene—that’s why you get this. Think about it. Who’d help a creepy loser like you? Eugene’s too nice to say it, but he finds you annoying as hell inside.”
...For the first time, it wasn’t fear she felt.
It was rage.
She wanted to scream that Eugene wasn’t like that.
But she couldn’t.
Deep down, Vivian believed he found her annoying too...
“So know your place from now on. No more clinging. Or you’ll wish you were dead.”
With that casual threat, Yuria laughed and strolled out of the bathroom.
Vivian stared blankly into space for a moment, then murmured.
“S-sor...”
Again. Always again.
“I’m sorry...”
It was always like this.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry...”
I was always like this.
No one ever loved me. No one acknowledged me.
Alone on the bathroom floor, Vivian just kept apologizing.
The day had finally arrived.
Class 5’s sparring exam day.
There were currently 29 students in Class 5.
One short for perfect pairs.
In Academy’s Tamer, the homeroom professor would fill in for the empty spot.
...And our homeroom professor was Loreos.
As long as I wasn’t the one paired with him out of the 29...
“Come at me.”
Loreos stood firm in the arena, beckoning me.
Why do bad premonitions always hit the mark?
‘Fuck...’
Compared to my starting stats, I’d grown shockingly fast thanks to my Tamer traits and more.
With Telekinesis added, I’d be untouchable even in Class 4, not just 5.
Even without it, pure magic—casting speed, mana efficiency—put me in Class 5’s top tier.
But...
Wind Blade
Bang!
This opponent was way too bad.
“Hm...”
Loreos retracted his fist, humming thoughtfully.
‘Does that even make sense...?’
He wasn’t some knight forged in battle or a frontline brute—he was a pure mage.
No defensive spell, just a punch that erased my magic. Normal?
‘...How is this the guy who retired from injury?’
By game start, Loreos was already sidelined as a professor, so his full power never showed.
But every battlefield legend mentioned prime Loreos.
‘Whew... At least it’s not zero points.’
I needed decent marks to jump straight to Class 1 for second-year placement.
Second year had Class 1-exclusive events. Had to make it.
Wind Blade
I cast as fast and hard as I could.
Bang!
Predictably, no dice.
“...Power’s up.”
A hollow laugh escaped me.
A measly 2% boost on basic magic, and he noticed.
As I stood dumbfounded, Loreos continued, misreading me.
“Right. Hesitating on spectators hampers your true skill.”
「Rise ─ Earth ─ Wall」
Rumble!
A wall twice my height enclosed the arena in an instant.
Now it was just me and Loreos inside.
“Alright then... Treat this as real combat from here on.”
Thud!
The moment he finished, he kicked off the ground and closed in, swinging a fist.
I ducked; wind whistled past my ear.
‘What kind of mage is this?!’
Wind Blade
Wind Blade
Wind Blade
I spammed spells while fleeing.
Not like Lucia’s high-speed or multi-casting.
Ignoring mana allocation or structure—just chant and visualize. My unique trick.
“Good!”
Loreos dodged a Wind Blade with a tilt of his head, grinning fiercely.
“More! Hit me with more!”
I fired Wind Blades over and over, but none touched him.
As mana drained and I gasped for breath, Loreos stroked his chin.
“Sparring’s not enough, after all.”
Suddenly, he raised one arm overhead. Terrifying mana condensed above his hand.
“Block this before I finish chanting. Like your life depends on it.”
「Strike down」
「Storm」
「of the Wolf’s」
「Fangs」
⟨ Storm of the Wolf's Fangs ⟩
I’m dead.
That hits, and no defense saves me.
I hurl spells to interrupt, but they vanish in his mana before reaching.
He finished chanting.
‘Ah...’
Kaboom!
Storm spikes rained everywhere; the enclosing wall shredded apart.
“Hmm... Sparring just won’t cut it... Guess it’s that method after all...”
Somehow, his control was perfect—no scratch on me. But the wall’s roar left my ears ringing.
“...Can we call it here?”
Once dust settled and my hearing cleared, I asked Loreos.
“...Hold on a bit. I’ll find a way that suits you.”
Ignoring my question, he patted my shoulder with a “trust me” look.
“...?”
“Exam’s over. As promised, everyone except Vivian Beatrice—dismissed.”
Whatever nonsense that was, at least the test ended.
With his permission, the class chattered off.
“Whew...”
I slumped in the arena, catching my breath.
I knew he wouldn’t kill me, but witnessing advanced magic up close left my legs jelly.
As I sat recovering, someone approached.
“Um, Eugene...”
Turning toward the voice, I saw a familiar face.
The school nurse.
“...?”
Before the question formed, she blushed and spoke.
“Uh... Eugene, is your stomach okay now? If not... Mommy—I mean, teacher—can rub it again...?”
....Fuck.
No normal people anywhere.