Visit my patreon to see photos of the characters for free.
patreon.com/zennin12
The two most prominent rising stars in the Magic Department. First and second place in the final exams. They had already dueled twice.
Beatrice and Chloe, whether seen by themselves or by others, were in a relationship that couldn't be amicable. Even setting aside their rivalry, their personalities themselves were a problem.
Both came from foreign countries, not the Kingdom, but neither was intimidated. They didn't easily give up and clung to things tenaciously.
One had never given up despite suffering from a chronic illness her whole life, and the other had the tenacity to claim and maintain the position of the Archmage's disciple amidst countless competitors.
It was an issue that went beyond simple competitiveness.
Moreover, another wall called 'talent' had been erected between them. Chloe and Beatrice would probably never become close.
As if convinced of that, an unsettling air flowed between them.
"...…"
"...…"
There were no vague taunts or retorts. They simply glared at each other.
Despite that, it created a much heavier atmosphere than an exchange of words. Passersby and students, driven by their survival instincts, slowly backed away from the two.
A fight that started with words could end with words. But if they didn't even exchange words, it was impossible to end it with words.
As an ominous and heavy tension filled the air, and their mana started to leak out, it was a third party, and yet not, who broke the silence.
'…Th-this! Quick! Quickly do something!'
'What? What are you talking about?'
'Quick! That crazy menopausal bitch dares…!! Anything! Something that can be seen from afar! Big!'
'Huh?'
Flinch.
Future Chloe, who had been quiet until now, suddenly burst out, urging Chloe. Chloe, her mind reeling from the sudden outburst, could only blink, the heavy atmosphere forgotten.
And as she stood there blankly, her arm moved against her will.
Future Chloe was directly possessing her and moving her body.
"W-wait!"
"Chloe, you…?"
"This isn't right!"
Moreover, as her arm moved to use [Chain Binding], Chloe was so flustered that she voiced her thoughts aloud.
Beatrice reacted with suspicion, but that wasn't a concern right now.
First, she had to calm down her future self.
As [Chain Binding] was already activated and chains began to rise from beneath her feet, Chloe desperately shouted inwardly.
'Calm down! If you unleash magic here, we're finished!'
'I don't care! I'll control it so there are no casualties…!!'
'That's not the point! We'll be finished with Adam!'
'…Ah.'
To persuade her future self, mentioning the Finance Director was effective in many ways.
Of course, even aside from that intention, Chloe was sincere.
'He's already busy with the restoration and reconstruction efforts because of the terrorist attack, and if we cause any more trouble, we're really finished!'
'…You're right, I got carried away. Sorry.'
'Yes. But why did you suddenly lose it? Why were you trying to unleash something?'
'That's—'
Just as future Chloe hesitated, about to say something.
Beatrice, who had been watching Chloe raise her arm, activate magic, mutter to herself, and now frown in silence, quickly absorbed the mana from her artifact.
She could now maintain a near-constant state of mana exhaustion, so she could reach that state with just a small amount of mana without wasting it on [Illumination].
"I don't know what you're suddenly trying to do, but…"
"What?"
"I can consider that magic you just cast as you picking a fight, right?"
[Fireball]
And Beatrice, having seen the [Chain Binding] that Chloe briefly activated, made a very logical judgment.
In line with the previous atmosphere, she responded to Chloe's magic with magic. She didn't hesitate since duels like this on the streets were common at Grandis Academy.
However, she wasn't actually planning to unleash the magic.
"Try using magic again, and it will be truly irreversible."
"…How arrogant."
It was merely a threat and a show of force.
She chose [Fireball] for that reason. If she truly intended to fight, [Fireball] was inefficient. With Beatrice's skills, she would have used other more efficient magic first. Teleportation magic, for example.
But in actual combat, the inefficient [Fireball] was most suitable for a show of force. The intensely burning ball of fire on Beatrice's hand was visually striking and demonstrated her power.
Although Chloe had activated magic first, she canceled it midway, so Beatrice also intended to stop there.
That's why…
What happened next was something no one present could have predicted.
"Huh?"
"…Huh?"
Firstly, Beatrice's chronic illness remained. She had merely found a workaround by reaching a state of mana exhaustion and using the mana from the artifact; she hadn't actually cured her illness.
Secondly, the magic that future Chloe was trying to use by possessing Chloe wasn't ordinary [Chain Binding]. It was [Chain Binding] amplified to a level beyond Rank 7, something the current Chloe, a Rank 5, couldn't achieve.
And thirdly…
Due to the aftereffects of the forced cancellation of the magic, future Chloe's potent mana scattered into the air.
Woooong!
"Ugh…!"
No matter how used to it she was, mana exhaustion was a state where a mage's body instinctively sensed danger. Naturally, they tended to act based on instinct rather than reason for survival.
Accordingly, Beatrice's body absorbed the potent mana that suddenly appeared in the air.
And naturally, the mana of the artifact that Beatrice was controlling also wavered.
"This…!?"
It was a coincidence that occurred because Beatrice, despite overcoming her chronic illness, had never encountered a mage above Rank 7. As with any workaround, there were corresponding side effects and drawbacks.
If it had been mana at the Rank 6 level, she could have somehow controlled it with her talent. But the mana of a Rank 7 mage, especially one at the top level, was on a different dimension.
Beatrice lost control of her magic and body, her mana-exhausted body absorbed future Chloe's mana, and…
…her chronic illness relapsed.
"Run!"
"…!!"
[Fireball], instantly freed from Beatrice's control due to her relapse, devoured the mana of the Rank 7 mage, greatly increasing its size.
Instead of running at Beatrice's warning, Chloe quickly cast a spell.
'I have to suppress it somehow!'
'Yes…!!'
[Chain Binding]
And right after that.
BOOM!!!!
Along with a massive burst of flames…
Purple chains enveloped the fire.
***
"…So that's what happened? Is that correct?"
"…Yes."
"Yes…"
"Huh."
It was a sight to behold.
Not just the state of the two building destroyers, but the surrounding buildings and streets were a mess.
"Fortunately, there were no casualties… but three buildings were destroyed by the flames and chains, twelve street trees were broken, and since it happened in the market street, the property damage… ah."
"F-Finance Director?"
"Finance… Director?"
"Student Milia, please calculate the total."
"Y-yes."
While I held my forehead and rubbed my face, the building destroyers seemed to be cowering, but I ignored them and asked Milia, who had accompanied me, to do the calculations.
I picked up Milia on the way here because I thought she might be needed. I refused Circe's pleas for one more minute of sunbathing and sent her back to her basement lab.
Seeing her frowning but still diligently estimating the cost of the buildings and various materials, I was glad I brought her along. This was the Finance Department of the academy.
Now then.
"F-Finance Director? That female student, is she perhaps…?"
"Student Beatrice."
"…Yes."
"Are you really curious about that now? Seriously?"
"…I apologize."
I was quite angry this time.
Honestly, causing a commotion like this on the streets? It was an everyday occurrence at Grandis Academy. There was a reason why repair costs were classified as fixed expenses.
But what really angered me was…
That the culprits were Chloe and Beatrice.
"Student Chloe, Student Beatrice."
"Yes."
"…Yes."
"I'm very disappointed in you two."
"...…"
"...…"
Do you not know me? Of course you do. I told you during your last duel. I don't care if you fight, but please do it in the arena or the training grounds.
Beatrice had even been to my dormitory, so she roughly understood how much effort I put in, and Chloe had worked with me, so there was no need to explain.
How should I put it, it felt like being stabbed in the foot with a trusted axe.
I was truly pissed off.
'Do they think I'm a pushover?'
Did they really think I was easy because I was lenient with them? I had been considerate of them because they were students and I was a faculty member, but it was unacceptable for them to take that as permission.
My eyes narrowed as I saw the building destroyers fidgeting with their hands clasped together. They had been quiet for a while, why were they doing this now?
The timing was especially bad.
"Do you not know that there was a terrorist attack on the academy just yesterday?"
"No…"
"We… know."
"And yet you caused this incident? If anyone had been hurt here, the damage would have been greater than the terrorist attack. I thought you two were close to me, was I mistaken?"
"N-no!!"
"Absolutely not!"
"Then you did this knowing that? I'm disappointed once again."
Chloe and Beatrice looked sullen at my firm words. But if I didn't firmly put them in their place this time, they might cause another incident like this.
I was already struggling with the reconstruction costs and using extra credit as bait to exploit the students, and now these two, who I thought I could trust, had caused this incident.
I couldn't help but sigh, even as I tried to suppress it.
"I finished the calculations. The total is… about this much."
"…Oh dear."
The damage wasn't significant compared to the scale of the magic, but it was still an unexpected expense.
Milia, noticing my displeasure, quickly retreated, and as I tried to calm myself down and looked at the building destroyers again.
"…Grandis Academy regulations, Chapter 7, Article 2."
"Student Beatrice?"
"Property damage within the academy caused by a student is covered by the academy, and if it's excessive, it's charged to the student. It's a regulation I know well."
"What does that mean…?"
So you're saying the academy should pay for it?
Just as my expression was about to darken.
"But right now, I'm just an employee of a grocery store, not a student."
"…?"
"That means I don't fall under the scope of that regulation. And naturally…"
"Naturally…?"
"It means I'll take responsibility for the compensation for this incident."
Beatrice, speaking so confidently, was, how should I put it…
…glowing with a halo behind her?
My anger and annoyance melted away. Instead of frowning, a smile naturally spread across my face.
Beatrice, was she a goddess?
"Oh, there's no need for that."
"No. I intend to take full responsibility for what I've done. I will compensate you, even if you refuse."
"As expected of Student Beatrice. I knew I could trust you!"
I hereby withdraw my support for Beatrice. Beatrice and I are one, and any criticism of Beatrice is an attack on me!
While I was mentally becoming one with Beatrice, Chloe said,
"O-of course, I'm the same!"
"Student Chloe?"
"I, who have the Finance Director's trust, should have stopped this, but the princess's chronic illness was worse than I thought. I, who you 'entrust with tasks,' should also take responsibility!"
"Wait, what are you talking about?"
"What else? It means the Finance Director and I trust each other enough to exchange personal favors. Unlike someone who works part-time at a grocery store."
"…Finance Director, is that true?"
"Huh? Yes, it is."
"...…"
"Why are you looking at me like that? Finance Director, then shall we have a chat 'like last time'? Of course, excluding that outsider princess."
What was this?
My anger had subsided because Chloe and Beatrice said they would take responsibility for the compensation, but…
The conversation suddenly took a strange turn, and the atmosphere became awkward.
"Finance Director, there's something I wanted to give you. Come this way, leaving that clingy bitch behind."
"What? Are you done talking?"
"It's a very important item for the Finance Director. Would you please not interrupt? Finance Director? Come on."
Hmm?
An important item? Could it be… that?
I couldn't resist Chloe's force as she tried to pull me away, so I was about to calmly dissuade her, but Beatrice's words were quite tempting.
My deliberation was short-lived.
"Student Chloe? I'll be with Student Beatrice for a moment, please let go."
"F-Finance Director. How could you…"
Why did she look like she had just lost her country?
Sigh, it couldn't be helped.
"…Student Chloe."
"Huh!?"
"Could you please clear up the debris around here while I'm gone? You know, like last time at the research lab… you're the only one I can trust and rely on."
"E-even if you say that…!"
"Please, Chloe."
"…Yes."
Good, that's settled. The incident happened in the market district, so even though it was compensation, I had to spend money to clear the debris immediately, and now I had the labor secured.
Leaving Chloe, who was beaming with a slightly ecstatic expression, I walked towards Beatrice… What?
Why was she making that face again?
"Did you whisper something to Chloe just now? That bitch even used a soundproofing spell in that short time."
"What do you mean 'that bitch'? She's your classmate."
"We're already on bad terms in many ways. Anyway… follow me."
Leaving Chloe behind, diligently cleaning up the debris, I followed the slightly sullen Beatrice and noticed a grocery store that was still intact amidst the chaos.
Inside the empty grocery store, perhaps evacuated due to the commotion earlier…
"I work here."
"Is that so…?"
It was a bit late to ask this, but… you're a princess, right? Are you really working part-time to buy artifacts?
No, more importantly, were those really work clothes?
'Are work clothes supposed to accentuate cleavage like that?'
Were those work clothes or a social gathering dress? It seemed a bit excessive.
…Or was it? Maybe it was actually economical since it used less fabric? It seemed reasonable if I thought of it as a cost-saving measure.
Since it was plausible from a financial perspective, I let it slide.
No, more importantly…
"What is this important item you wanted to give me that you brought me here…?"
"This."
"Isn't that a basket?"
A grocery basket filled with fruits and small breads.
She wanted to give me this? I was grateful, but did it need to be this secretive?
As I hesitated, a bit surprised by the unexpected gift,
"You should look at the bottom."
"…Gasp."
Hello? I'm a gold coin, and this is a jewel!
──That's what the precious metals filling the bottom seemed to be saying.
"B-Beatrice… Princess?"
I very naturally switched from addressing Beatrice as a student to a princess, and…
Beatrice, whether intentionally or not, placed her hand on her cleavage and smiled.
"Are you satisfied with the groceries?"
"I'm very full."
I knew it, damn it…!!