BXBX NOVEL Chapter 276: Academy Excursion (2)
During Semester 2 Year 2, the events to pay attention to were the excursion program and the Academy Clash. An important figure would come during the excursion program, and the「Fairy War」would break out during the Academy Clash.
“Ugh, aaack…”
Once I obtained the second 8-star familiar contract circle, I had to make a contract with Stone Turtle Gormos.
When I initially organized my plans, it seemed like I still had a long way to go, but I could feel the end approaching.
“Haaaa…”
White’s mana, which was intertwining with mine, suddenly subsided. Exhausted, White was about to collapse like a corpse.
I quickly withdrew my mana and supported White’s back.
“Are you okay?”“I-I feel like I’m going to dieee…” White whimpered in a hoarse voice, clearly overwhelmed.
For emergency treatment, I took out a pudding bar and tore open the wrapper with my teeth. First, I extended the bouncy pudding bar sideways.
Swoosh!
Merlin swiftly passed by at an incredible speed. The wind roared. In an instant, a third of the pudding bar was gone.
“Open your mouth.”
“Ah…”
When White opened her mouth, I shoved the pudding bar in. Her expression melted as she savored the pudding.
We go through this process at the end of every mentoring session. It was like training mana circulation using a magic tool.
However, since my mana constantly re-established routes, White had to face a new circulation route every time she completed one cycle.
As expected, White always struggled and whimpered, but by the end of the mentoring session, she felt her skills had improved and was satisfied.
After White finished eating the pudding bar, we headed back to the dorms. Dusk had already fallen, and the streetlights were illuminating the path.
“You did great, Princess White. I can support you if you want.”
“It’s fine, Merlin… I can’t ask for help with something like this…!”
White walked with her staff, weakly grumbling.
Seeing the seventeen-year-old struggling reminded me of myself last year.
Even while crying, she tried to handle everything on her own, which was admirable.
But, it was time to reduce seeing such a sight.
“White.”
“Yeees…?”
“Starting tomorrow, we won’t have much time for training.”
“What?”
“I will only help you with mana circulation like earlier.”
White stopped, and Merlin and I followed suit.
“W-why all of a sudden…?”
It was time for White to be independent.
I just needed to make sure she was training well and got the opportunity to interact with her mana.
“You’ve got the hang of it now, right? Continually teaching you every step as we’ve been doing is harmful to you.”
The mentoring quota had already been exceeded, and White knew it as well.
She looked like a baby bird, feeling afraid to leave its mother for the first time to fly on its own.
I stood in front of White.
“Do you think you can’t do it without me?”
“That’s not it…! It’s just a little, I don’t… No, I’m sorry for being stubborn…”
White lowered her head, tapped the ground with her staff, and walked past me. I saw a fleeting expression of regret.
Merlin approached me and whispered in my ear, “Sir Isaac, please understand. Princess White enjoys spending time with you. Though she looks like that, she has no one else to confide in at the academy besides you.”
Distrust of humans.
It was different from Luce’s hatred for humans or Dorothy’s subtle wariness that kept her distant from others.
White’s biological mother had been secretly trying to assassinate her. Fear, betrayal, and hatred must have deeply rooted themselves in White’s core.
In the midst of all this, I managed to become close to White by recalling my memories of playing ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.
For White, the time spent with me must have held special significance.
“Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to persuade him.”
“Yes… please do.”
“Well, then.”
After Merlin quickly responded to White’s request, she followed her.
I watched White’s back for a moment before quietly following her.
***The excursion program assembled a total of five participants. Among them, the key figure was undoubtedly the Priestess.
Although the list of participants wasn’t disclosed, the presence of escorts and exchange students from Horan quickly spread the rumors at the academy.
“I heard the real Priestess has arrived?”
“I heard that too. But what happened to the fake one?”
“No one knows.”
“That was a huge incident that could’ve led to an execution, right? At the very least, it must’ve been a gruesome end.”
The exchange students would go through a tight schedule for a few weeks and then stay at the academy for the second semester.
Miya, the Priestess, was someone I considered as a potential member of the Evil God Slayers. I would need to talk to her soon, privately of course.
***In the classroom of Class A. Professor Philip Meltron, who was in charge of the second-morning lecture today, made an announcement before starting the class.
“You all know that the Academy Clash will be held in a month, correct?”
❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ 「Act 11, Academy Clash」.
It was a stage for duels, gathering participants from various academies. Even if you weren’t a participant, you could join as a spectator under the academy’s guidance.
As the name “Act 11” suggested, it was an official scenario. During this time the「Fairy War」would break out.
“It’s one of the large-scale events held in the Empire every three years. We’ll gradually start accepting applicants. We plan to select participants through a competition, so if you’re considering participating, keep that in mind.”
“Kugh, finally…”
From the back seat, I heard Lisetta’s low cheer. As someone who loved fighting, she must have been eagerly waiting for this announcement.
While Märchen Academy was considered the best academy in the Empire, it didn’t mean the strongest individuals were all gathered here. Other academies also had unbelievably strong individuals hidden in various corners.
It was similar to how geniuses weren’t only enrolled in the top university in my home country. Just as geniuses were spread across universities below the top tier, the same logic applied here.
“And I believe you all know about the excursion program. This lecture will include two exchange students.”
“Exchange students?”
The person who reacted again was Lisetta in the back seat. It seemed she was the only one who didn’t know.
Out of the five exchange students gathered at Märchen Academy today, two were aspiring magic students. They would experience the second-year Class A lecture this time, guided by the faculty.
In the first morning lecture, they experienced the first-year Class A lecture, so now it was our turn.
“Let them in.”
Two girls entered from outside the classroom door.
A girl with ash-colored hair styled neatly, Taryn Bartin, glanced at me and blushed, lowering her gaze.
Is it because of what happened two days ago?
She seemed like a typical adolescent girl.
Next to her stood a gentle-looking girl with long, sleek black hair, exuding a mysterious aura.
Miya
Lv: 167
Race: Human
Elements: Fire
Danger: X
The true Priestess. Her talent in magic was not just exceptional, but overwhelming.
With each step she took, her black pearl-like hair swayed, revealing her golden earrings. Her appearance and movements exuded an intense intellectual impression.
Miya glanced at me and gave a bright smile. It felt like a fresh floral breeze was flowing around her.
The Class A students were visibly surprised to see Miya among the two exchange students.
“This one is Taryn Bartin and the other is Miya. I’m sure you all remember the incident during the Grand Festival last semester. This girl has nothing to do with that incident. They look identical because they are twin sisters.”
“They look exactly the same…”
Surprisingly, Ciel wasn’t sleeping and muttered to herself.
Is her rehabilitation not done yet?
When Miya entered the classroom, I noticed the slight awkwardness in her otherwise graceful steps. It seemed she hadn’t fully recovered enough to move smoothly yet.
“Then, you two can sit wherever you feel comfortable.”
With only five people in the classroom, there were plenty of empty seats.
After bowing to Professor Philip, Miya and Taryn climbed the steps to find their seats.
Taryn glanced at me and sat nearby, too shy to sit right next to me.
But Miya was different.
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Hmm?”
“May I sit here?”
Without hesitation, Miya approached me and greeted me in a gentle voice.
“Sure, I don’t mind.”
“Hehe.”
She then sat down next to me with a graceful gesture.
Silence filled the classroom. Kaya looked surprised, Ciel had a curious expression, Lisetta frowned, and Taryn stared at Miya in bewilderment.
Of all the empty seats, she chose to sit next to me.
I had noticed from the beginning that the seat next to me had become an unspoken no-go zone due to the invisible power struggle between the top seat Luce and the second seat Kaya. Miya intentionally ignored this and sat next to me.
Luce’s gaze slowly turned towards us. Her lifeless blue eyes ominously fixed on Miya.
The classroom was filled with a tense atmosphere, enough to make even me feel uneasy. It was a silent pressure for Miya to move to another seat.
However, Miya just smiled brightly. The radiance from her seemed to dispel Luce’s oppressive aura.
The source of this radiance was her innocence, stemming from her lack of common sense.
Although she had been betrayed by her trusted sister Mei, Miya had spent years wandering in dreams, unable to experience the world fully. The purity of her childhood had not yet faded.
The current Priestess was immune to Luce’s hostility, completely unaware of the tension.
“Uhm… let’s start the class.”
As the atmosphere in the classroom suddenly changed, Professor Philip broke out in a cold sweat.