Chapter 52

“Excellent. Very excellent.”

The magician in charge of the training gave an enthusiastic round of applause.

The target of this praise was none other than Riana, who had just created a perfect flame.

The problem was, while the magician was giving Riana a proud look along with the applause, all the other trainees were glaring at her with eyes full of envy and hatred.

‘That can’t be real skill. She must be using some hidden magical equipment!’

‘Yeah, that time she failed before was probably just for show. To hide the fact that she’s getting special treatment!’

Riana was well aware of the negative thoughts behind those gazes directed at her.

At first, it was heavy and burdensome, but now her mindset had changed.

‘All I have to do is focus on what I need to do. That’s enough!’

After all, once she passed the exam and entered the Magic Tower, she wouldn’t have to deal with these trainees anymore. Inside the tower, her skills would matter more than her background.

She steeled herself, thinking she just had to endure the glares for a little while.

But that hardened resolve…

On the day she received the applause, Riana returned to her room late after practicing the same spell repeatedly, her body exhausted.

And what she faced was…

“Wow, she’s back, she’s back!”

As soon as she opened the door, her roommates, who had been gathered together, quickly scattered to their own spots, giggling.

Riana already sensed something was off, but she never imagined something like this would happen.

*Crash-*

Without realizing it, Riana clenched her fists.

One leg of her bed was broken, causing it to tilt, and the warm, cozy blanket had been roughly torn, with half the stuffing spilling out.

Even her pillow had completely disappeared.

There was no need to guess who had done it.

“Oh no, what happened? Your bed is a mess.”

“Teehee…”

“Look at her face. Serves her right.”

The three roommates, who had quickly scattered to their spots, had now gathered again, snickering.

At that moment, a flame ignited in Riana’s heart.

“…You guys.”

With her eyes filled with intensity, Riana glared at her roommates.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“Why are you asking us? We didn’t do it. When we came back after dinner, it was already like that.”

“Why are you accusing us? Why do you think we did it?”

The trainees only grew more aggressive.

Riana quietly raised her hand and pointed at one of them.

“Your nails.”

“My nails? What about my… Oh.”

The trainee she pointed at quickly hid her hands.

There was stuffing from the blanket stuck under her nails, which she hadn’t noticed.

“No, this is from when I was fixing my own blanket!”

“…Right, of course.”

Riana calmly walked toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see Bestie. You know the rules, right?”

“What rules… Wait, no way?”

The trainees’ eyes widened as they remembered something they had forgotten.

“Remember now?”

Riana gave a faint smile to the visibly panicked trainees.

“Trainees are not allowed to harm others. If it is determined that harm was done intentionally, the offender will be permanently disqualified from the exam. You didn’t forget that rule, did you?”

“It wasn’t intentional!”

“Yeah, right! We did mess with your bed, but it wasn’t to hurt you! We knew you were coming back late after practice, so we were just trying to tidy up your bed for you…”

“…Can you just shut up?”

Riana couldn’t smile anymore.

Her voice turned cold.

“I’m going to see Bestie right now. I think there’s enough evidence, so you better think carefully about what you’re going to say to her.”

“No, please! Just forgive us this once!”

“What’s the point now? You shouldn’t have done something that requires forgiveness in the first place.”

Riana turned away indifferently.

“You… you cowardly b*tch!”

‘Cowardly b*tch.’

The sharp, venomous words struck Riana, forcing her to stop in her tracks.

“You cowardly, evil b*tch! You started from a different place than us, didn’t you? Don’t you think the problem is you, not us?”

“I’m a coward… evil…?”

“Yes! The rumors are already out. You’re hiding magical equipment that makes your magic work better, and you pretend to practice late to hide the fact that you’re using it. Did you think no one would notice?”

“…Fine, think what you want. Go ahead.”

Riana started walking again.

But then.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Riana felt a murderous intent from behind.

She turned around to see one of the trainees pointing a practice staff at her.

“You’re not going to Bestie!”

“Think carefully. Put down that staff now. You know what you’re doing, right?”

“It’s do or die now!”

The trainee’s face twisted into a strange smile.

“My family is dirt poor. We’re barely scraping by! I’m the only hope, and now because of you, I’m about to lose my qualification. If that’s going to happen…”

The trainee gripped the staff tightly.

“Burn her to ashes, leave nothing behind!”

Those words were both a curse and an incantation.

A flame shot out from the tip of the staff, flying straight toward Riana.

“Ah, ah…”

‘I haven’t learned any defensive spells yet.’

Just as the flame was about to reach Riana’s nose.

*Poof-*

The moment the flame touched Riana’s nose, it scattered and disappeared.

And then, a moment later.

*Weeeee-*

A loud alarm sounded throughout the accommodation.

“What… what is this?”

“…Phew.”

The door opened, and Bestie, who had been standing there, let out a deep sigh.

Bestie shook her head, gently pushed Riana aside, and calmly addressed the trainees who had harassed her.

“The staffs you trainees use have a special spell on them. It automatically nullifies any magic directed at another trainee.”

Then, with a warm smile, she asked, “Pretty useful, right? It’s a feature made for people like you.”

“B-Bestie! We were just…”

“Just?”

“We… we were just…”

“Take your time. You can speak slowly because…”

Bestie’s smiling face gradually turned eerie and terrifying.

“Since you attempted to commit a crime using magic, you are no longer ordinary people. You will be punished under the stricter rules of magicians. The crime of using unauthorized magic. The punishment for that crime is…”

Bestie lightly shook her head, and the staff of the trainee who had shot the flame suddenly transformed into chains.

In an instant, the chains wrapped around the trainee, binding her tightly and causing her to collapse to the floor.

“Flogging. Congratulations, you’ll receive a magician’s punishment before even becoming one. You’ll make a great example for the other trainees.”

The sound of chaotic footsteps echoed as guards clad in armor emblazoned with the emblem of Rostia Magic Tower stormed in.

“Heretics. Take them away. No need to be gentle.”

“Yes!”

“Wait! Bestie, I’m just a trainee! How can I be a heretic… Ah!”

The trainee struggled, but the rough guards dragged her out without mercy.

“Everyone, step outside. Let’s all watch together. It’s a great opportunity to learn what happens when you misuse magic.”

The trainees, caught up in the commotion, all stepped outside.

Bestie turned to leave, and Riana was about to follow when…

Bestie glanced at the remaining trainees in Riana’s room and added in a cold voice, “What about you? Aren’t you coming out?”

“We… we didn’t use any magic!”

“You didn’t use magic, but…”

Bestie paused, pulling out a small crystal ball from her pocket.

She stroked it, and a scene unfolded before their eyes: the trainees gathered around Riana’s bed, tearing apart the bedding and breaking the bed’s legs.

“That cowardly, dirty b*tch! Ruin everything!”

“This feels so satisfying. But it’s not enough. What should we do next?”

“How about breaking her staff?”

“Haha, that’s a great idea!”

After showing the gruesome scene, Bestie calmly put the crystal ball away.

“Don’t think you can escape. You won’t be flogged, but after the flogging, you’ll be expelled too. Come out.”

“…Yes.”

The trainees had no choice but to follow Bestie out.

The wide plaza of Rostia Magic Tower.

Though it was late, magical flames illuminated the entire plaza brightly. The trainee who had attacked Riana was tied to a punishment platform in the center, unable to move.

“Guards, get ready.”

“Yes.”

*Whoosh-*

The guard swung the whip a few times to warm up, and the terrifying sound made everyone gathered there flinch.

When the guard signaled readiness with a nod, Bestie turned to Riana.

“Now, Riana. It’s your choice.”

“My… choice?”

“Yes. Whether or not to punish a heretic is up to the victim. Will you generously forgive, or…”

Bestie didn’t finish the sentence.

All eyes were on Riana.

But even then, the trainees whispered among themselves.

“If she has a conscience, she’ll let it go.”

“Riana’s the real bad one here. Think about how angry people who didn’t get special treatment must be. She has to know that.”

“Right. If she still asks for punishment…”

“She’s just trash!”

Riana was overwhelmed, her vision swaying from the chaos.

‘I didn’t do anything wrong. I just worked hard, and someone’s scheme made me fail the exam. So why…?’

For the first time, Riana felt something from these judgmental, reckless people.

‘Disgusting…!’

A feeling of disgust—dirty and ugly.