Practical Exercise

After that, Kate told me about the S-Class we were in.

She said that while the academy was full of tense little clashes, the truly outstanding students at the very top had room to spare, and carried an aura completely different from the lesser students.

Above all, she said that His Highness the Third Prince—Felix von Elmia—who had held first place in S-Class ever since enrolling, was someone who lived in a completely different world from ordinary students.

“He’s the Third Prince, and the top student of S-Class. He’s never once dropped to second place. He misses a lot of days because of official duties, but well, he really feels like someone above the clouds in all kinds of ways.”

The reason Kate spoke of him that way became obvious at a glance when I saw him arrive at the academy in the afternoon after finishing his official duties.

Hair like spun gold.

Well-shaped features resembling His Highness the Second Prince, who had been involved in countless romances.

Even though he was the same eleven years old as me, his straight posture and dignified bearing made him look more adult than an actual adult.

There was always a crowd gathered around him.

Adults and teachers connected to official business.

And on top of that, there seemed to be plenty of students approaching him because they wanted to get close to him.

(He really does feel above the clouds)

At his side was always a male student with graceful manners.

Roy Edwilde, the heir of House Edwilde.

Given their family positions, perhaps they were in a lord-and-vassal sort of relationship.

(He looks extremely intelligent too)

In terms of class ranking, Prince Felix was apparently first, but somehow I felt that Roy-kun might actually be the smarter one.

“Also, the transfer student in F-Class has been a hot topic lately. Apparently she’s from a commoner background, but she can use a light-attribute spell that no one else can use. They say even the teachers and His Highness the Prince are interested in her.”

(There’s a girl who sounds exactly like a protagonist…!)

I could not help but shiver.

My instincts, sharpened by reading countless romance novels, were telling me this.

This is absolutely the kind of girl the prince ends up taking a liking to and calling “interesting.”

Now that I thought about it that way, Roy-kun also felt like a handsome and popular love interest.

(God is telling me… become a graceful villainess here)

In romance-novel terms, it seemed like a villainess noble girl was being called for, but I was not the kind of person to fit into such a predictable story.

Like the villainesses in my favorite novels, I had to show off such a graceful and cool villainess performance that even the main characters would fade into the background!

To come up with a strategy, I took Kate to the rooftop.

It was locked and we could not get in, so we decided to hold our meeting in the landing-like space in front of the rooftop door.

“You came well, Kate.”

“No, you dragged me here.”

“The time has come to begin the plan.”

I spun around in front of the rooftop door and brushed back my hair.

Then I drank grape juice from the cafeteria out of a wineglass.

“You brought that wineglass with you?”

“To make the plan succeed, careful preparation is necessary.”

After swirling the wineglass and enjoying the aroma, I sat on a spare desk and crossed my legs.

“In the near future, I am going to become enemies with His Highness the Prince.”

“Enemies? Why?”

“It is fate. He and I are cursed by the world. We can never walk the same path.”

With a melancholy expression like a scene where I was revealing an important secret, I let out a deep breath.

The truth was just that being opposed as a villainess was cooler, but of course I was not about to say that out loud.

“So there are complicated circumstances…”

Kate said with a surprised look on her face.

“Can’t you get along with him?”

“I can’t. It’s unfortunate, but it cannot be helped. And I will also become enemies with the transfer student in F-Class. That girl has talent great enough to shake this country. And she will become my lifelong archenemy.”

“Can you see the future, Mythia?”

“…I just know. I know it in a way I can’t help.”

I lowered my eyes, then raised my gaze.

“I want you to help me, Kate. You’re the only one I can ask something like this of.”

“I don’t really get it, but sure. It sounds interesting, so I’ll help.”

I relaxed my cheeks at Kate’s nod.

I had already gained my first ally, and the plan was off to a smooth start.

(Now then, it begins here! My graceful villainess academy life!)

As I struck a cool pose with the wineglass in hand, Kate laughed a little before saying,

“But you really are relaxed. The next class is the practical exercise that also affects next month’s class reshuffle.”

“Come to think of it, it was some important class, wasn’t it?”

So much had happened that I had completely forgotten.

The last class of the week, rumored to be important.

“What kind of class is it?”

“It’s a ‘practical exercise on spell activation and control,’ and this time the theme is basic attack spells. I’m not very good at attack spells. My compatible attribute is earth magic too, so it’s kind of plain.”

“I think earth magic is really great, though.”

Soil is incredibly important for growing good crops, after all.

“Thanks. Four months ago I was around seventieth place. Not just below S-Class, but near the bottom even in A-Class… This time, I need to at least get a slightly better rank.”

After saying that bitterly, Kate looked at my face.

“Are you good at attack spells, Mythia?”

“Attack spells, huh. I—”

That was when I realized it.

‘You have no aptitude whatsoever for anything but household magic. Do you understand? You have dragged my name through the mud. You have disgraced the name of House Lumiore.’

…I can’t use attack spells at all.

I had thought I could bluff my way through if it was a bottom-tier school, but the academy I had accidentally enrolled in because of a misunderstanding was the highest-level magic academy there was.

There was no way I could get through it with household magic alone.

(W-what in the world am I supposed to do…?)

“M-Mythia, are you okay!? Your eyes are rolling back and you’re sweating like a waterfall!”

“I-I’m fine. There’s no problem at all.”

“You do not look fine at all…”

The warning bell rang, and the two of us returned to the S-Class classroom.

“Today we will conduct a ‘practical exercise on spell activation and control.’ First, let us move to the training grounds.”

The teacher led us to the training grounds.

“This month’s exercise concerns the activation and control of area-of-effect attack spells. From here, each of you will cast an area-of-effect attack spell at the twenty-eight magic-measurement spheres placed in designated positions. As long as it is not a support spell, you may use multiple spells. Your score will be determined by the amount of damage dealt to all the measurement spheres and the time required before activation.”

(Area-of-effect attack spells are one of the hardest types of attack spells…)

As I listened to the explanation, I clutched my head inwardly.

(I can’t even use normal attack spells… my school life might already be over)

I could predict what would happen next without even thinking about it.

‘Go! Attack spell!’

‘What is that tiny flame?’

‘It’s a spell for lighting cigarettes.’

‘I believe I told you this assignment required an attack spell, not household magic.’

‘I can’t use attack spells…’

‘Expelled. Permanently banned from the magic world as hopelessly incompetent.’

‘My school life is over…!’

No, that would be bad.

If that happened, I might end up delivering an “Thank you for everything punch” straight to the teacher’s face with a running start as a last memory before it all ended.

(I was just starting to get the feeling I could have a cool villainess-style academy life… no matter what it takes, I absolutely have to bluff my way through this)

Thinking of a way to survive, I watched the classmates with the earlier attendance numbers take the test.

A section about the size of a tennis court, enclosed by stone walls. The impact of the spells cast toward the twenty-eight evenly spaced measurement spheres stirred the hair of those of us watching from a distance.

As expected of S-Class students at the hardest school, their attack spells seemed to surpass even those of adults in quality and precision.

On average, twenty of the measurement spheres showed values at the measurement limit.

I was trembling because the level was far too high, but the other students watched as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Next, Kate Filthlet.”

Kate stood in the designated position.

At the signal to begin, she activated an orange-glowing spell formula.

What she cast was an area-of-effect attack spell that launched earth projectiles.

The range was good, but only seven of the measurement spheres showed values at the measurement limit.

“Only seven.”

“Shouldn’t she be ashamed to be in S-Class?”

I heard whispered voices.

When I went up to greet her, Kate pressed a hand to her temple and said,

“I’d do better if it were written work.”

“You don’t need to worry about it. I think what matters is doing the best you can, Kate.”

From my perspective, since I couldn’t use attack spells at all, the fact that she could use an area-of-effect attack spell already made her amazing enough.

Next to stand in the designated position was Roy Edwilde.

The heir of House Edwilde, who always stood by His Highness the Third Prince.

A golden spell formula came to life.

I caught my breath at the lightning spell he released.

A flash of lightning that bleached my vision white.

The instant it flashed, brighter than daylight, a roar and rumble shook my eardrums.

It was magic so exceptional that anyone could tell at a glance that it was on an entirely different level.

The number of measurement spheres showing the limit was twenty-six.

Naturally, it was the highest record so far.

(But the Third Prince, who stands first in S-Class, is even more amazing than this)

What kind of magic would he use?

Fortunately, the Third Prince’s turn came soon enough.

A shining blue spell formula.

For an instant, I felt some kind of presence, and then the light grew even stronger.

The next moment, everything in the training ground was frozen solid.

Blue liquid oxygen wet the surface of the ice.

All twenty-seven measurement spheres showed the measurement limit.

“S-so amazing…”

While everyone was left breathless, I felt something like a faint snag.

(For an instant, I felt something like a strange trace of magical power)

But it was truly only the faintest thing, and it seemed entirely possible that I was mistaken.

Neither the teacher nor my classmates seemed to have noticed, so it was probably nothing worth worrying about.

More importantly, I had to think with all my might about how to get through this exercise.

“Next, Mythia Lumiore.”

When my name was called, I grimaced.

Of all times, it had to be right after the highest score.

I had been looking for hints while watching my classmates’ magic, but I had not come up with a single way to survive this.

At this rate, it was inevitable that the atmosphere would become painfully awkward with everyone thinking, Huh? What is that pathetically weak spell?

And in that situation, getting expelled and banned from the magic world was more than possible.

“She’s just standing there.”

“Did she lose her nerve?”

I heard chuckling voices.

(Some way… there has to be some way…)

How could I use household magic, which had lower output than basic attack spells, to deal major damage over a wide area?

What suddenly crossed my mind was a phenomenon I had once heard about and found surprising.

(If I use that—)

I jolted.

I nurtured the tiny seed of an idea in my mind and pieced together a way to turn it into reality.

The teacher spoke in a cold voice.

“Mythia Lumiore. Begin at once.”

Ignoring the impatient teacher, I stepped into the designated position while buying time.

(There should be a chance. Now all I can do is unleash the very best I’m capable of)

I closed my eyes.

I steadied my breathing.

I focused my awareness.

(Go! My anti-expulsion spell!)

In that instant, the spell formula that activated dyed the surroundings in brilliant light.

That day, the gazes directed toward Mythia Lumiore were strongly tinged with curiosity.

The transfer student who was rumored to have solved a first-class mage exam question.

What kind of magic would she use?

Not only her classmates, but even the teachers were deeply interested, and among them were several teachers who had come to observe during their free time.

(So this is a let’s-see-what-you-can-do situation)

There were classmates watching her with measuring eyes.

(There’s no way she’s anything impressive)

There were classmates watching her with eyes like they were looking at an enemy.

(They say she’s self-taught, but just how much can she really do?)

There were teachers observing her with interest.

A unique tension, different from that surrounding the other students, wrapped around the area.

In the silent training ground, so still it felt as though even the sound of rolling gravel could be heard, the spell formula Mythia activated was completely unlike any magic they knew.

The simple spell formula, utterly unlike that of an area-of-effect attack spell, resembled household magic, and yet it was also different from the commonly known sort, filled throughout with refined ingenuity and contrivances.

Above all, what was abnormal was the extraordinary volume of magic power poured into it.

A small girl controlling a spell formula on the verge of shattering with a balance so fine it was barely maintained.

The next moment, what spread out as if enveloping the measurement spheres was a swarm of small white things.

That snow-like substance rapidly grew more intense.

A teacher who scooped up one flake that had drifted away from the swarm with his hand understood the identity of the powder and was bewildered.

(Sugar? Why sugar…?)

There was a household spell that created a small amount of sugar.

Her magic was an application of that.

It streamlined the spell formula and abnormally enhanced both the output and the amount produced.

However, generating sugar would have no effect whatsoever on the measurement spheres.

(What in the world is she…)

As the teacher watched in confusion, he suddenly realized that she was using wind magic meant for cleaning to whip up the sugar.

(Could it be—)

Powdered sugar, found anywhere.

And yet under certain specific conditions, there was a phenomenon in which it caused a major accident.

A natural phenomenon in which suspended dust ignited explosively because the surface area in contact with the air increased—a dust explosion.

The next instant, a powerful light flashed and filled their vision.

A blast of scorching wind and shockwave.

A roar like an earthquake and a thunderous crash that hammered the eardrums.

The scorching wind hit them like a blow and drove them back.

A pillar of red-black flame tall enough to reach the sky engulfed the training ground.

No one understood what had happened.

It was unquestionably firepower worthy of matching the highest record of the day.

Twenty-six of the measurement spheres, all but the one at the farthest edge, registered the measurement limit.

The small girl who had unleashed a blast surpassing the fire spells cast by the other S-Class students simply flipped her long hair as though it were nothing at all.