What is it?
“Why is the protagonist here?”
Yoo Eun-ha started to sigh while rubbing her temples as I glanced at her with a look demanding an explanation.
“That… I accidentally showed you the message, sorry. Sister…”
“It’s fine, it’s good to have more people around.”
Though she said it was fine, Yoo Eun-ha was looking at Seo Ji-an with a very worried expression.
Suddenly blocking my path to Seo Ji-an, it seemed like she was about to introduce me…
“Seo Ji-an, this is Se-ah from earlier, don’t suddenly rush at her…”
“President! Nice to meet you!”
-SPLAT!
The instant she saw my face, Seo Ji-an broke through Yoo Eun-ha’s attempt to stop her and ran towards me. She immediately started shaking my hand rapidly at a speed no one else could see before Yoo Eun-ha restrained her again.
“Sister, you’re still a patient, take it easy.”
“Pfft, you’re crazy strong anyway. Just look at the mana flowing through your body. President, you’re an offensive magician, like Ah-rin, right?”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Hmm… let me see…”
Baek Sia seemed to have gone down to prepare for today’s match, judging by the empty seat. Sakura and Ecclesia were there.
“Since popcorn is set on the empty seat… She’ll be back soon, right? That’s Seong Ah-rin’s pillow.”
Seeing the two empty seats, I was confident Seong Ah-rin and Baek Sia would come here after their match… or so I thought. Then, considering this is the part where the protagonist and Baek Sia meet, they might not be friends yet.
Then, who does the empty seat belong to…?
“Sister, please sit here.”
“Thank you.”
It was my seat.
As I sat in the chair carefully prepared by Yoo Eun-ha, some of the first-year students nearby turned their heads to look at me.
“Why is Yoo Eun-ha here with the Student Council President…?”
“I don’t know, maybe trying to transfer to the Student Council?”
“In that case, should I ask too?”
“….This is annoying.”
Before I had to say something, Yoo Eun-ha abruptly unleashed a merciless killing intent toward the first-year students.
“Wow.”
The intimidated first-years quickly turned their heads away in panic. Thanks to that, we could watch the match comfortably.
Next to me, Yoo Eun-ha and Seo Ji-an sat after the burst of killing intent. Though Seong Ah-rin’s constant attempts to approach me were annoying, Yoo Eun-ha conveniently blocked them every time.
“By the way, what’s Na Yoo-bin up to?”
I saw that the application was submitted, but I don’t know what they’re doing…
“Now! For this match… Hong Bi-yeon from Class A, second year and ranked 50th in the year vs… Seong Ah-rin, first-grade top entrant and current vice-top student!”
-Wowaaaaa!!
“Go, Ah-rin!”
Watching from the audience seats, the match was as entertaining as a sporting event.
Just like boxers coming out from the blue and red corners, Hong Bi-yeon and Seong Ah-rin slowly walked out from the academy’s symbolic blue and gold columns.
While Seong Ah-rin lazily took out her practice wand issued by the academy without even looking at Hong Bi-yeon, Hong Bi-yeon took out her wand with a complicated expression on her face.
“I’ve never seen a mage battle before!”
“Typically, battles between mages…”
“Generally, the battle comes down to who can better control their magical power. In the previous match with the vice-president and the top third-year, they could at least exchange some spells… but battles between magicians usually end quickly. Especially when there’s a big difference in rank.”
Ecclesia’s assessment was accurate.
Seong Ah-rin had the low-quality practice wand provided by the academy, while Hong Bi-yeon held what looked like a high-performance mithril wand, likely from home.
“Judging by the equipment alone… Hong Bi-yeon is the clear favorite.”
“That senior’s gear looks amazing… right?”
“Don’t worry, Ah-rin’s really strong.”
As Sakura worried about Seong Ah-rin’s victory, Seo Ji-an confidently declared her win without any doubt.
“Who do you think will win, President? 50th place… she’s in the same Class A as you.”
“Hmm… personally, I’d like to cheer for Bi-yeon since she’s in our class.”
Well, the outcome of this match was painfully obvious.
Hong Bi-yeon, who couldn’t even properly cast a single spell in the entire match, suffered a humiliating defeat when her own magic backfired on her, losing to Seong Ah-rin who was using the academy’s free low-end practice wand instead of her personal alternateum wand used in the entrance exam.
“Though Seong Ah-rin might have been considerate in her own way…”
Unfortunately, this consideration only fueled Hong Bi-yeon’s inferiority complex, which would become the main cause for her later resorting to illegal drugs and going berserk.
“…Personally, I don’t like people who deliberately hold back in a fight.”
“!”
At my obvious discomfort and furrowed brows, the first-year group began to awkwardly avoid my gaze.
“I understand, overwhelming your opponent with sheer power would… remove all enjoyment from the fight. And there’s a chance Bi-yeon could be seriously injured by Ah-rin’s attack. There was consideration involved, definitely.”
While still drinking my cola in my seat, I watched Hong Bi-yeon’s tragic figure getting hit by the very magic she herself cast.
“…And, with this, the match has ended! Seong Ah-rin has advanced to the 128th round by defeating Hong Bi-yeon using only Hong Bi-yeon’s own magic!”
“Ah… This is going to be a huge psychological blow.”
“Yes, as everyone knows, magic involves creating a magical formula using mana and then launching it using magical power. Everyone knows that, right?”
“Reversal involves completely analyzing the structure of the spell and changing its contents… essentially destroying the opponent’s magic. But Seong Ah-rin…”
“Used the reversed magic by changing its path… and launched it back at Hong Bi-yeon. Using reversal, which is typically used for destruction or redirecting, as a direct attack…”
“Yes, it’s an act of completely disregarding the magician.”
“I’ll be away from my seat for a moment.”
I quickly stood up. The reason is simple.
“Now’s the time to meet.”
To ensure Hong Bi-yeon doesn’t take the drug and finds a better path forward.
…
…
Lost.
-KABOOM!
And completely.
“Damn it, DAMN IT ALLLLLL!!!!”
No matter how much she was toyed with, she’s still a Class A, 50th place second-year student.
But it was an overwhelming defeat.
‘Your pathetic fireballs, I can analyze and reverse them without even looking.’
She could endure that. Her pride as a mage was broken long ago anyway.
She could endure showing her ridiculous figure when her own casted magic got reversed and used against her attack.
She could understand being defeated by someone using the academy’s lowest-grade wand while she used her expensive wand.
But there was one thing she couldn’t endure.
Seeing her teacher’s disappointed expression when looking at her… and…
“Didn’t even look at me once during the fight.”
Throughout the reverse, Seong Ah-rin never once looked at her.
Her pride as a mage was already shattered before she entered the academy, and after falling, she couldn’t stand the pitying eyes of those who offered her a hand.
“Uaaaaaah!”
She didn’t want it.
-KABOOM!
By now, there was blood streaming from her forehead.
As someone approached her, offering a towel, she glared at them with a voice full of stress and irritation, assuming they were another Class A first-year mocking her.
But…
“Do you want revenge on Seong Ah-rin?”
Listening to the person approach while shaking a black liquid, Hong Bi-yeon’s eyes glimmered with the first hope of defeating Seong Ah-rin, ignoring the loss of her humanity promised in his words.
Rather, she was actually listening.
But her already ruined mind, broken by the comparison to Seong Ah-rin and the criticism and mockery from her classmates, decided that the side effects didn’t matter anyway.
“The method is simple, just drink it.”
“What do you want? If it’s money, I can pay…”
“There’s no price, we just need you to test our new drug.”
With that, the figure disappeared into the darkness as Hong Bi-yeon tried to grab them.
But nothing was in her grasp.
“With this… I can kill that wretched girl.”
It was definitely said to take effect immediately. Considering this was the perfect chance to kill that irritating person and everyone who looked down on her while her mana was drained, Hong Bi-yeon was about to drink the black liquid.
“Hold it.”
“…Yoon Se-ah?!”
Before someone restrained her with telekinesis.
