To The Academy (2)

The provocation came out of nowhere.

At first, I was taken aback, but soon I regained my composure.

‘…What is this?’

I frowned as I looked at the person who came in suddenly.

I looked her up and down.

A short woman, not much taller than Meowi, was glaring at me with fierce eyes.

A leather jacket with a dragon tattoo.
Flashy piercings on her ears.
Band-aids, tattoos, and small scars all over her body gave off a strong scent of a rough life.

‘Are those her party members behind her?’

There were three more women with a similar vibe to her.
They all seemed to be melee dealer classes.
Rather than hunters, they felt like a group of bullies who would grab passers-by and demand, ‘Got any money?’

“Seriously. Even if I try to ignore it, I cannot because it is too much to understand.”

Ha! With a haughty attitude, the leather jacket approached.

She looked at me and then at Meowi for a moment and burst into laughter, like she was dumbfounded by something.

“A month? You’re trying to pass this exam after only a month’s preparation? Do you think this is a place where kids gather for fun?”

Even so…
Why has she been provoking us since earlier?

When I stared back, the leather jacket spat on the ground with a cocky attitude.

“Even if a woman says that, hearing it from a man is just ridiculous. What? How many years do other hunters take? Are we a joke to you?”

Tak.
The leather jacket tapped me on the chest with a sneer on her face.

“…!”

Those actions made Meowi raise her eyes fiercely.
When she lowered the shield on her back, the leather jacket said, ‘Oh, want to try it out with me?’ and giggled at us.

―…? What? What is it?
―Looks like a fight?
—Well, it is a common occurrence. Hunters are basically a group of angry people.
―Geez, it’s like they have a curse that makes them die if they don’t fight for a single day.
―Oh, I cannot stand watching fights anymore.

The small commotion soon caught the attention of the surrounding onlookers.

Taking advantage of the attention, the leather jacket turned to the party members behind her.

“Hey, guys~ Don’t you guys find this ridiculous too?”

The trio laughed like they were watching a comedy skit.

Anyway, I slowly analyzed why this leather jacket woman was like this.

No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed like there was nothing to gain from having a fight for such a stupid reason.

‘…Could it be?’

I soon noticed it.
This overly exaggerated performance.
The way they seemed to gain confidence once attention was focused on them.

‘It’s obvious they’re trying to make a strong impression.’

Even in the world I originally lived in…
No, there’s no need to go that far; even in ‘GAL,’ events like this happen occasionally.

There were those who, right from the start, would use childish performances to make others perceive themselves and their group as strong.

It was a petty thought that they needed to establish momentum to pass the exam.

Of course, from my perspective, it was laughable.

No matter how you look at it, the leather jacket was clearly unfit to pass.
There was no need to even consider her [Class].
Her invocation of magic itself was incomplete.

It was a clear sign that she couldn’t properly control the power she had.

She barely passed the first test.
She was a chaff that couldn’t enter the real second test.

“Hey, scum. Don’t lower the standards here, and go drink more of your mom’s milk.”
“I think it’s more necessary for you than for me to do that.”
“…What?”

The leather jacket one was stunned, not expecting a counterattack.
I gave her the same mocking smile.

“You’re pathetic… Need to suck harder, huh? Oh, you don’t have a mom? Then, sorry.”
“You, you son of a…!”

As the furious one in the leather jacket approached, Meowi stepped forward.
Fluffing up her fur and taking a combat stance.
But an even faster chill spread than between those two.

“…!”
“…What?!”

Click, clack.

A calm yet distinct sound of footsteps could be heard. The source of the sound was a stylish woman wearing a mask and a hat.

“That’s enough.”

Her cold words dominated the atmosphere.

“……”

Gulp.

The woman in the leather jacket barely swallowed her dry saliva past her throat.

A chilling sensation, so cold it made her neck shiver, was felt.

Glance.

She took a sidelong look to figure out what it was.

‘…Icicles?’

Several palm-sized icicles were rotating around her neck.

Even the slightest movement would drive them deeper, and the instinctive realization that it could sever her aorta in an instant set in.

―What, what is this? Did you see the magic just now?
―…No, it was too fast… But who could cast such powerful ice magic?

Murmuring voices.
The woman, unaffected by the gathering gazes, took off her mask and hat.

At the sight of the beautiful woman with flowing, glossy purple hair and a cold expression, a shocked exclamation burst from the lips of the one in the leather jacket.

“[S-Snow Ice]?!“

―What?! Did she just say [Snow Ice]?
―That promising talent?
―The Ice Witch? Really?

[Snow Ice] Moon Bora.

A specialist in the ‘ice domain’ who had recently been attracting attention and interest from various places.

A C-rank hunter, but even among C-ranks, there were differences in levels.

The appearance of a promising candidate, expected to become an A-rank hunter in just a few years, caused a commotion around them.

The leather jacket sent a questioning look, and Moon Bora slowly responded.

“Do not touch my acquaintances recklessly.”
“…!”

This statement evoked an even more surprising reaction.

[Snow Ice] was known for traveling alone.

This was due to Moon Bora’s unique combination of a shy personality and a distrust of others.

In any case, her unique cold expression combined with this.
A misunderstanding arose that she wouldn’t even look at anyone below her level.

Such a person used the term acquaintance.
This meant that the skills of those two people were outstanding enough to catch Moon Bora’s eye.

“…I-I apologize.”

The leather jacket shamefully tucked her tail.
The vigor from earlier had completely disappeared.
As someone at the bottom, it was proof of quick calculation.

“You’re wrong.”
“…Pardon?”
“You’ve got the wrong person to apologize to.”

The icicles at her neck swirled around and pointed at Yu Seha and Ma Hana.

The face of the person in the leather jacket twisted at the indication to properly apologize to the two.

‘No matter what, to these kinds of people…’ she thought.
Then, Moon Bora’s words made her snap to attention.

“By the way, there’s chalk on your neck.”

It was already cut.

At those words, the woman in the leather jacket quickly looked down.

It was as Snow Ice had said.

The cut chalk was rolling on the ground like trash.

It had been cut so cleanly that it showed a smooth surface.

A cutting power that was chilling.

Only then did the woman in the leather jacket realize that Yu Seha’s sword was half-drawn from its sheath.

Could it be that his [Speed] was so fast that she hadn’t even noticed it?

The complexion of the woman in the leather jacket turned deathly pale in an instant.

She realized belatedly that if this had been inside a gate, she would have already been dead.

“…I-I’m sorry. I overstepped my bounds.”
“……”

Without looking at Yu Seha, she bowed her head.
Then she glanced at Moon Bora, who nodded.

“…You may go now. Don’t do anything foolish again.”

Moon Bora’s words were as cold as the icy chill that emanated from her.

The one in the leather jacket swallowed dryly and bowed deeply.

Along with the rest of the party, she began to hastily flee, casting cautious glances.

Moon Bora shot a piercing glare at the gathered onlookers one last time.

“…What are you all looking at? Am I some kind of spectacle to you?”

At her words, the onlookers began to murmur and hurriedly made their way to the examination hall.

It was none other than the promising Moon Bora, known by the nickname “Snow Ice.”

Everyone knew that getting on her bad side would seriously impact their future as hunters, so they all hurriedly ran away.

Thus, only three people were left in the auditorium.

“……”

She glanced sideways.

Moon Bora, with her arms crossed, subtly turned her gaze to the side.

She then let out a small sigh.

‘…Haah.’

This is why she didn’t want to step forward.

Sure enough.

Yu Seha was looking this way with a broad smile on his face.

It was a truly radiant smile, but…
Moon Bora sensed a strange unease from his smile.

‘…What is that expression?’

It was as if he found her so adorable that he wanted to take a bite.

“What is it? Why are you staring like that?”
“…Hehehe.”
“…Wh-what is it?!”
“You’re still as cute as ever.”
“…Wh-what?”
“I said you’re cute. Do you want me to say it again?”
“A-are y-you c-crazy?!”

At Yu Seha’s dizzying remark, Moon Bora felt a headache coming.

She felt it the first time they met, too.
This man had no awareness of how harmful his actions were.

“Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, it was resolved well.”

Hmph, resolved what?
She could have sorted it all out herself if she wanted to.

“No need for thanks. I didn’t want to see it either.”
“But I have one question.”

Yu Seha suddenly closed the distance.
Moon Bora took a step back, startled.

“Wh-What is it?”
“Why didn’t you acknowledge me earlier?”
“Wh-What are you talking about? This is the first time we’re–”
“No, we made eye contact. I even nodded, but you quickly turned away, and it hurt my feelings.”

Yu Seha acted as if he were genuinely saddened, putting on a deceitful performance.

And the naive Moon Bora was fooled yet again.

“Ah, um. Sorry about that. It was impolite–”
“Just kidding~ I was just teasing you.”
“…Eek, eek, eek!!!”

Moon Bora’s face started to turn as red as a ripe radish.

She made a deep resolution in her heart.

Someday, she would teach this arrogant man a big lesson.

Step.

“…!”

It was at that moment.

Moon Bora belatedly realized the presence of the last companion from the footsteps heard beside her.

“Oh, it’s been a while. Miss Bora.”
“Ah, yes…”

Ma Hana.

The girl whom she drove a painful stake through the heart with her harsh words.

Moon Bora, the person in question, gulped, and swallowed her dry saliva.