Chapter 4
When Emily returned to the classroom, fortunately, the class had barely progressed and the teacher was just explaining the practice assignment.
The teacher, who saw Emily during class, gave her a small nod, beckoning her to sit down, as if she had already been informed by Kira.
“Then you will team up in pairs and practice. Each team should put the required magic to the pendant and submit it as an assignment.”
As Emily walked across the classroom with an awkward gait, her classmates, who glanced at her with a strange expression, became distracted with the teacher’s sudden assignment that they immediately forgot her existence.
“The deadline is this week.”
At the teacher’s words, all the students complained that the deadline was too short, but the teacher didn’t blink an eye.
Liam Karlov, the teacher in charge of illusion magic class, was a capable young teacher. With gray hair and unusual sky blue eyes, he was popular for his handsome appearance, and was famous for being indifferent to anything other than magic.
Karlov raised the glasses he was wearing and handed out the numbered tags to the students one by one.
Then he knocked on the classroom table, telling the noisy students to be quiet, and continued.
“The people with the same number are a team. When you have all the papers, move to your assigned seat.”
Emily also got up from her seat after receiving the paper handed to her by the student in the front seat, and Kira, sitting next to her, leaned her head to the side and checked Emily’s number and a disappointed expression flashed through her face.
“It would have been nice if we were on the same team. I can do all the homework for you.”
“Haha. I know right. We could have done a good job together, Miss Kira.”
Kira knew it was because of her that Emily had been bombed with water. Kira looked restless because she was afraid Emily would be offended, and Emily’s gaze towards her seemed somewhat complicated.
Emily, who couldn’t tell if she was lucky or unlucky not to be on the same team as Kira, couldn’t control her distorted brows as soon as she confirmed her partner.
“Oh… Miss Emily.”
“…Miss Sophia.”
Sophia stood in front of Emily, her hand, which held the paper, shaking with a shock expression like a squirrel who encountered a natural enemy.
When the perpetrator and the victim of the water baptism incident that occurred earlier in the morning unintentionally faced each other, they became very flustered.
They were silent for a while after calling each other’s names. Then, when Karlov knocked on the table and told them to sit down quickly, the two who came to their senses sat side by side.
“Now, now, if you already formed a team, start working on the assignment. This assignment will be reflected in the midterm exam, so you’d better work hard. And if you try to change teams, I will deduct 5 points each since it’s annoying.”
At Karlov’s words, the entire students complained, but he only waved his hand out of annoyance.
The freshmen, who felt the real nature of Karlov for two months, eventually sat down and started their assignments in earnest.
Of course, Emily and Sophia sighed and gave up on swapping teams.
“I… Miss Emily, I’m really sorry about earlier.”
At Sophia’s words, Emily glanced at her.
Sophia then shrugged her shoulders and lowered her gaze. Seeing this, Emily sighed briefly and spoke, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Because she didn’t really want to accept her apology.
“Miss Sophia, is your main element, water magic?”
“What? Oh, yes. That’s right. What is Miss Emily’s element?”
“Mine are wind and light, but rather than the wind and light magic itself, ‘sound’ and ‘illusion’ magic are my main elements. If I have to choose, my sound magic is stronger.”
“Oh… I see.”
Emily possessed a small amount of mana, and despite being able to use two types of magic, it was not very useful. Sophia nodded her head in response to Emily’s words.
“Then… shall we focus on my element? I’ll just put water in the pendant.”
“Yes, that’s a great idea. However, I think the score will be low if you just put in water, so how about putting in a little bit of wind magic and water with purification energy? To be honest, I thought of it because I need it these days.”
At Emily’s words, Sophia, who had been writing cursed letters day and night, flinched and trembled.
Looking up at her, Emily looked at Sophia with a smile as if nothing had happened.
‘Yeah, there’s no way Miss Emily wouldn’t notice.’
Sophia bowed her head in resignation.
Water can be either a curse or a purification depending on the medium. Of course, Sophia’s ability was so weak that even if it was a curse, she could only curse them by causing them to almost fall while walking, or smashing their new toe when passing by a chair, but still, Sophia felt a strong sense of guilt whenever she made a curse letter at Astina’s request.
‘…This is not why I’m studying so hard here.’
However, Sophia had no choice but to follow Astina’s orders as her father, Baron Ponce, was supported by Count Millet.
Since she was the only water mage in Astina’s group, it was natural for Emily to notice.
Moreover, there were many instances in which Emily received the curse that was aimed at Kira. With Astina’s poor magic, she kept holding onto innocent people, becoming more aggressive, and chased Sophia.
“…Yes. Let’s do that, Miss Emily.”
After nodding to Emily’s request, Sophia volunteered to take on most of the tasks.
Looking at Sophia smiling with her trembling mouth after a little bit of guilt disappeared despite carrying the burden of assignment on both hands, Emily thought it was hard to live because they were both stuck in the middle, but she ended up not saying anything.
* * *
After the magic class ended, it was lunchtime, and Kira and Emily were eating at the student cafeteria.
Kira, who had been concentrating on eating the salad, looked at Emily and asked if she was somehow concerned about the first assignment in the illusion magic class.
“How are you going to proceed with Sir Karlov’s assignment this time, Miss Emily? I’m going to put the fire in the pendant, and I’m going to make it an offensive magic.”
“Certainly, Miss Kira’s fire is quite powerful. The results will come out well. Our team will put water in it. Sophia is a water mage, so I think she can handle it better than me.”
“I see, Miss Emily’s magic is great too, but it’s a pity. Isn’t the magic that’s popular these days a kind that can be combined delicately like Miss Emily’s magic? It’s a good idea to create a combination for commercial use.”
“I’m not at that level yet. But commercial magic, it sounds pretty good.”
Convinced by Kira’s suggestion, Emily nodded and echoed her words.
Certainly, powerful magic is not unconditionally preferred these days. In the past, they used powerful magic such as burning, cutting, or flying to defeat enemy countries or protect humans from monsters. However, as the war-free period was prolonged and the number of monsters gradually decreased, monsters could no longer be seen except in areas away from the capital or in deep forests like the Academy.
As the demand for offensive magic gradually decreased, the mages began to hone their skills to become more detailed, breaking free from the magic of growing mana significantly.
For example, magic for convenience in life, such as magic letters and movement magic.
The number of mages who commercialized these magic skills was also increasing.
Certainly in that respect, Emily’s ability to handle two spells was quite useful.
“Come to think of it, if it’s commercial magic, there’s probably a life magic class, right?”
“Yes, that’s right, Miss Emily. I heard that it is still possible to apply for additional classes. How about finding out later?”
“Yes, I’ll have to take a look. Thank you, Miss Kira.”
Emily finished eating, thinking it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take additional life magic classes. Kira, who looked at Emily with a proud expression, focused on eating the salad again.
* * *
“Miss Kira, are you taking a walk today?”
After lunch, Emily and Kira were taking a walk in the main garden as usual when suddenly a familiar voice called them up.
“I greet the second prince.”
“Oh… I greet the second prince.”
Emily and Kira turned around, where Lucas, with bright blond hair, was looking at them with a smile.
And behind him were the expressionless Ethan Valenti and somewhat sleepy-looking William Chase.
As they approached, Kira lowered her gaze and greeted Lucas formally, and Emily, who was nervous, hurriedly greeted him after Kira.
It was fortunate that an informal greeting was enough because they were inside the academy. Emily moistened her dry mouth with saliva, thinking that if it were outside, her legs might have twisted and fallen due to tension while greeting.
“Why are you both so formal? Please be at ease.”
As Lucas spoke in a disappointed tone, Emily and Kira smiled awkwardly as if they didn’t know how to react to his words. Lucas then smiled kindly and took a step closer to Kira.
“I didn’t coincidentally run into you today while taking a walk as usual, I came here on purpose. I just happened to have a favor to ask of Miss Kira.”
“What…”
When Kira raised her head in wonder and looked at Lucas, he gave her a bright smile.
“Can you join me as my partner at the welcome party for freshmen in a few days?”
Kira’s eyes opened wide at the words. Emily, who was standing behind, was also surprised with her head still lowered. It was unprecedented for a member of the imperial family to have a commoner as a banquet partner, even if it was only at the Academy.
“…Yes? What do you mean?”
Surprised by the unexpected invitation, Kira asked back without realizing it, and Lucas, who raised one eyebrow gracefully, looked at her as he touched the corner of her mouth.
“You’re not going to refuse, are you?”
Frustrated by his words, Kira forgot what to say and hesitated, and Lucas decided to take her silence as acceptance, and told her that he would send Kira a dress with the same concept as his clothes, and looked at Emily standing behind Kira.
“Miss Emily is also a close friend of Miss Kira, so I hope you can join us.”
“Ah…! Yes, Prince. I understand.”
Emily, who remained frozen with stiffened shoulders, hoping that he would move away quickly, was surprised when her name was suddenly called, and immediately bowed her head.
“Yes, as always, your friendship is very impressive.”
“I, It’s nothing great. Thank you.”
Emily answered him, her lips quivering. These days, Lucas praised Emily for her good friendship with Kira every time he encountered her.
Whatever his true intentions, his praise gave Emily a sense of being beaten with *carrots and sticks. A compliment is a compliment, however it still didn’t change the fact that *she was sick from being beaten and couldn’t even eat.
*carrots and sticks – the use of a combination of reward and punishment to induce a desired behavior.
*I think Emily meant that she was tired of feeling threatened/forced to agree with the prince’s words and couldn’t even feel a sense of reward despite being complimented by the second prince lol
“Then have a good afternoon, both of you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Thank you.”
“Then, goodbye.”
Satisfied with Emily and Kira’s answer, Lucas turned his back and left. Valenti, who was following Lucas with William, suddenly stopped walking and looked back at Emily.
tl/n: lol i feel so sorry for Emily and Kira TT bro (2nd prince) can’t take a hint
