༺ Fury (3) ༻
“Do you know why I challenged that insect to a duel?”
One day in the past. Morning.
The top-ranked dorm, Charles Hall.
Miya, the Priestess in her uniform, sipped her tea while looking out the window.
Since there was still plenty of time before classes began, Miya had tea time at her leisure.
[It seems you’re finally going to tell me.]
From Miya’s index fingernail, a small flame in the shape of a nine-tailed fox leapt out.
[Go ahead.]
“I want Senior Luce. But, she likes that Insect senior too much.”
Miya said this while thinking of Isaac, her silver-blue-haired senior.
“He doesn’t seem to have anything good going for him other than his face. He’s not even the most handsome man in the academy. What’s so great about him that Senior Luce makes such a fuss over?”
[Hmm.]
“Anyway, he’s important to Senior Luce. So, I decided to do a test.”
Miya smiled slyly.
“I will gradually cripple that insect. Play with him, make him mute, deaf, slowly, one by one, taking away everything that he has. Until one day Senior Luce begs me to stop. We have the power to do so.”
There was a story from when she was 13.
There was a man she wanted to make her subordinate.
The man had a family and therefore refused Priestess Miya’s proposal.
Miya took out the eyes of the man’s family members and then ordered him to become her subordinate before she did something worse.
The man had to follow her in silent tears.
If someone cherished something, to Miya, it was nothing more than prey to be hunted. It would always be a weakness to exploit.
Luce is no exception.
“To torment that insect while following the academy rules, a duel is the optimal method.”
Miya was willing to do anything to get what she desired.
No matter what happened to others, everything had to be sacrificed for her own sake.
She wanted Luce Eltania. Therefore, she decided to trample on Isaac’s life, whom Luce cherished. That was Miya’s ultimate decision.
Then, what is the reason for wanting to make a genius like Luce Eltania hers?
“One day, we have to devour the Zelver Empire.”
It was about strengthening the power of Horan, Land of the Fire Blossoms.
“If Horan reaches the top of the world, I will be its ruler. For that, monsters like Senior Luce need to be on my side. If even my prince becomes my husband, it would be perfect. Hehe, my mighty prince… I want to see him again…”
She planned to challenge the Zelver Empire, wage war, and trample on the lives of many to reign at the top of the world.
The reason she wanted to make talented individuals like Luce Eltania or Dorothy Heartnova her own was to achieve such a goal.
Here, the reason for Miya’s enrollment in Märchen Academy became clear.
Firstly, pursuing a love called ‘The Nameless Hero’. That was the main reason.
Secondly, recruiting talent, and creating subordinates. That was the second reason.
One day, Miya wanted to rule the world. If she could conquer the Zelver Empire, world domination would swiftly follow.
Coincidentally, Princess Snow White enrolled as her fellow student. This was a stroke of luck.
Being a representative of the Eastern nation, she could deepen the rift with the Zelver Empire.
It would have taken years of groundwork to make both countries resent each other.
Eventually, when the citizens clamored for war…
Miya, having laid the groundwork, would use Horan to devour the Zelver Empire.
In short,
Bringing talents like Luce Eltania to her side was part of her plan to realize this grand scheme.
“I’m excited.”
Miya grinned with flushed cheeks.
“Things got way more interesting.”
Present. Magic Department Duel Grounds.
The Clover Paladin, a male student with a benign appearance, sat in the audience and watched the arena with a smile.
Meanwhile, Ciel Carnedas intently focused on Isaac’s intrusion, having never seen the archwizard so enraged.
“Duel over! Class A Miya wins! Medical team, transport student Snow White! Quickly!!”
The referee urgently declared the winner and called the medical team first.
The healers, carrying a stretcher, went up to the arena and carefully moved Princess Snow White onto it.
Her body was covered in gruesome burns, especially the abdomen, which was in an almost unseeable state.
The healers quickly covered White’s body with a white cloth, and several of them immediately began emergency treatment with healing magic as they moved toward the grounds’ corridor.
Isaac, wanting to watch over White until the end, walked briskly alongside them.
“Senior… I… saac…”
White weakly moved her cracked lips.
It seemed she regained consciousness thanks to the healing magic.
“White!”
Isaac shouted.
Tears flowed from White’s eyes.
“Why am I… so pathetic…? Why am I… so pathetic…”
Overwhelmed by her emotions, White couldn’t hold back her tears.
Her sobbing voice seemed to constrict Isaac’s heart.
Isaac shook his head and offered consolation in an urgent voice.
“No, you did well. Really well…! Truly, the grit you showed to never give up was a showing worthy of being my mentee. You did well, White.”
“Why, why am I like this…”
Isaac’s voice did not seem to reach White.
She just sobbed, covering her eyes with her burned hands.
The medical team then took White away through the corridor.
Isaac stood still in front of the corridor, quietly watching White leave for a while.
“…”
Isaac steadied his breathing.
He took off his round glasses and raised his head, staring into space.
What the Miya had done was not a duel…
…It was nothing but cruel torment.
Thus, within Isaac, who cherished White, the cold of the bitterest of ice ages raged.
“Student Isaac.”
The referee approached Isaac from behind and spoke.
“The order of the duels is predetermined. First, you need the agreement of your opponent, and you must also arrange with the next in line, students Mateo Jordana and Jack Schneider, to change the order-“
“Mateo!!”
Isaac shouted in the middle of the referee’s explanation.
Mateo Jordana, a second-year male student with short brown hair sitting in the audience, flinched at the sound.
The shout of the Nameless Hero, an archwizard with the power to destroy the world at any moment, caused him to grow tense.
His eyes, usually kind, now bore a cold and murderous look as they fixed on Mateo.
“Change the order.”
That one command was enough.
Mateo responded in a frightened voice, “Y-yes!”
Jack Schneider, who had been miserably defeated by Isaac last year, nervously nodded along with Mateo.
For Jack, it was the first time seeing Isaac, who usually had a gentle demeanor, with such a murderous intent.
“Well then… Now we only need student Miya’s agreement. Student Miya, is it okay to proceed with the duel without a break?”
“Absolutely.”
Miya smiled like a fox, as if pleased. After all, the duel with Snow White, the first-year bottom ranker and a weakling, hadn’t drained much of her mana. There were no problems.
Isaac climbed back up to the arena, facing Miya with a distance between them.
The referee returned to his position.
The judges and the students all looked at the arena with tense faces.
[Miya.]
The voice of the familiar, Mae, lingering on Miya’s index fingernail, echoed in her mind.
[If needed, I’ll intervene.]
‘Don’t intervene under any circumstances. Shut up and stay still. This is an order. There’s no need for you to get involved against this insect.’
Miya scolded the Nine-tailed fox through her mind.
She had no intention whatsoever of summoning her familiar against Isaac.
Already considering herself stronger, her pride wouldn’t have allowed her to resort to using her familiar.
“Seems like you’re really angry, huh? You must have developed plenty of affection while mentoring Snow White?”
Miya asked in a taunting tone.
However, Isaac, with his eyes downcast, gave no response. His silver-blue bangs covered his eyes.
It seemed as if he was concentrating on something.
“This damn insect. Daring to ignore me…”
Miya frowned and grumbled in a low voice.
“Well then, The means are unlimited. No surrender for the first minute. If one side faints or becomes unable to fight, the duel immediately ends! Approach the duel with respect for each other!”
After the referee finished the formal explanation,
“Ready, duel start!”
He announced the start of the duel by raising his arm.
The referee stepped back, leaving only Isaac and Miya in the vast arena.
Isaac loosened the brooch on his tie and took off his school jacket, clutching it in his left hand.
With Zhonya’s staff in his right hand, he fiercely struck the ground and glared at Miya, unleashing a ferocious blast of ice mana.
A light blue magic circle instantly unfolded behind him.
