Chapter 8

Before I knew it, I had apparently become the biggest “normie” in the class.

However, there was still someone who wasn’t convinced. I could feel a piercing glare directed my way.

It was Dolk—the fifth son of some minor country noble, if I recalled correctly. He wasn’t entitled to any land, but thanks to his connections, he already had a job lined up at a reasonably good company.

From my perspective as a commoner, he was a winner in life. Though, from his own perspective, he probably spent his time wondering why he had to be the fifth son instead of the first.

“It is true that Dark Magic contains spells for summoning familiars! However, a mere student of a magic school shouldn’t be capable of summoning something of that caliber!”

“Hmm? Dolk, what are you getting at?”

I could tell he was picking a fight, and I understood why. Bringing such a magnificent familiar to school was essentially like saying, “I’m a better mage than all of you.” Some people just weren’t going to accept that.

“I, too, can use White Magic to operate a White Golem. I wish to challenge your familiar to a duel against my golem!”

A “White Golem” is exactly what the name implies: a white golem. This is because the stones most suitable for controlling magic happen to be strikingly white. Depending on the model, some can reach ten meters in height, and they are highly valued as both a labor force and a military asset.

“A duel? That’s… a bit much for me.”

“No, you will accept! Until now, my White Golem was the finest in this class. But because of your familiar, that status is as good as gone! You have a duty to accept the challenge!”

It was true that if you had the skill to move a large golem, you’d never be short of job offers.

“Understood! We accept your challenge!” Cerulia declared.

“If Master runs away from a duel here, it will be remembered and recorded as a mark of shame forever. We have no choice but to fight!”

“But Cerulia, it’s dangerous!” I protested.

I hadn’t mastered any spells specialized for fighting golems. My school grades were good, but that was an average across all subjects; I didn’t have any abilities specialized for combat. I could conjure fire or wind as well as the next guy, but it should be impossible to silence a golem with just that.

“Master, there is no need to fear. I shall surely protect you.”

“No, I mean you’re in danger, Cerulia! What if you get hurt?!”

Cerulia stared at me for a moment, her face blank with shock. Then, for some reason, her eyes began to well up with tears. Just as I started to worry if I had said something cruel, she lunged forward and pulled me into an embrace.

“Master, you truly are so kind… I am so glad that I am your familiar…”

“Hey, you’re exaggerating… Of course I’m going to care about my familiar’s wellbeing.”

“I have heard that Dark Mages from centuries ago often thought of their familiars as nothing more than disposable tools.”

I guess there were some pretty terrible people among the old Dark Mages…

The atmosphere had shifted entirely to “our world.” Dolk, despite having initiated the duel, was somehow being left out in the cold. I almost felt sorry for him.

From the sidelines, I heard someone mutter, “Franz is such a normie, he should just explode already.”

I couldn’t really deny that I was a normie at this point.

“Now then, Dolk-san, was it? What will you stake on this duel?”

Right—duels had a rule where you had to put something on the line. If two people were fighting over a shared prize, the winner simply took it, but this situation was different.

“I am the fifth son of a noble and a first-generation Baron. This title is transferable, so I shall stake my right to the peerage.”

A Baron is the lowest rank of nobility and cannot be inherited by default. It perfectly reflected Dolk’s precarious position as a fifth son.

“Very well. Then, if we win… Master, is there anything you want?”

“Well, I don’t really have much money, I’m not from a special family, and I don’t own any land.”

It wasn’t that I was stingy; I just didn’t have anything to give.

“I understand. In that case, how about this: if we lose, I shall become Dolk-san’s familiar for three days.”

Cerulia made the declaration grandly. Dolk visibly gulped. That guy is definitely thinking about something lewd!

“F-fine… that will suffice…”

Voices from the peanut gallery began to ring out: “Dolk, you closet pervert!” “So you were just after her body after all!” “Nobles always have the weirdest fetishes.”

Dolk turned beet red and shouted, “Shut up! I never said anything like that!”—but I’m pretty sure they hit the bullseye.

“Hey, Cerulia, are you sure about this…?”

Personally, I was just worried about her. I absolutely could not let her become Dolk’s familiar. It was my duty to protect her.

“To give you the conclusion first: it will be perfectly fine,” Cerulia said with total confidence. “Besides, I am the one who said I would accept this duel, and I shall fight as Master’s representative. Master, please just watch and feel free to yawn while I handle this.”

Yeah, right. I can’t exactly yawn when Cerulia’s future is on the line.

“Then, we duel after school! The venue will be the magic school’s training grounds!”

Since the magic school has physical education classes, we have a proper field. Even though it’s a “magic school,” it’s not like we spend all our time in dark rooms throwing lizard tails and frog eyes into cauldrons.

“It’s good that this will be settled quickly,” Cerulia added with a nonchalant nod.
Well, whatever happens, happens.