CH 8

Chapter 8: …But Am I still pretty?

On the first day of orientation:

While the students were filled with excitement, it was a time when numerous tasks were pouring down on the professors.

Therefore, as usual, Violet was stressed.

The dark circles under her sharp eyes seemed to prove the amount of work she had to do.

The tension and stress that had been suppressed were about to explode, and the culprit was right in front of her eyes.

"What's your name?"

“Flan.”

Flan, a new student with impressive black hair and red eyes...

‘It’s definitely him.’

During orientation, Violet realized that her projection magic had been interfered with. And all of her senses as a magician were telling her that the boy in front of her was the culprit.

“Did you interrupt the orientation?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

"You don't know?"

“…… Ah, yes. I don’t know what you mean.”

However, the culprit's attitude was extremely vague.

He dismissed Violet’s question with a strange attitude that made her wonder if he was doing this on purpose.

‘He is even lying too?!’

However, Violet was not the type to just let it go right away.

Her intuition was so strong that she could even count the number of times she was wrong on her hands.

So, it was natural to trust her intuition rather than the student in front.

"Do you not know how serious this is? Not only did you interrupt the orientation, but now you are also pretending?"

“It’s because I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The boy’s expression of not knowing anything broke Violet’s remaining patience.

The reason she managed to hold back from even shouting was because she suddenly heard another professor’s voice.

“Professor Violet!”

When she turned her head, Professor Audrey was walking towards her from across the hallway calling out her name.

Blonde hair tied up in a ponytail on top of a neat suit...

She was a professor with an appearance that contrasted in many ways with Violet, who wore a wide robe and even a cone-shaped hat.

Come to think of it, they had planned to have lunch together today, but Violet only remembered the promise now.

Audrey came closer and looked back and forth between Violet and Flann. She seemed to be wondering what they were doing, standing in the hallway.

"Professor Violet, we should eat lunch now."

“Ah… I have something to talk about with the students for a while.”

“Oh, I see.”

As if understanding, Audrey crossed her arms and leaned on the side of the hallway. It meant she would wait until the story was finished.

Then, she suddenly rolled her eyes and looked at the student’s face, and said.

“Looks like the student didn't understand something.”

Violet shook her head vigorously.

"No, it's not that simple. This is a challenge to my authority."

“…… A challenge to your authority?”

Audrey asked further, tilting her head to one side.

Audrey was familiar with Violet's sensitive personality, but it was not common for her to show such a nervous appearance. So naturally, curiosity arose in her mind.

"What did the student do to challenge your authority?"

“… ….”

Violet just bit her lower lip and did not speak.

She did not even look at Audrey, the questioner. She just continued to stare at the student.

“Students speak directly. What have you done?”

Those were Violet’s words.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

At this point, Audrey was more curious about what happened to Violet than about today’s lunch menu.

"Violet, what happened exactly?"

“Professor Audrey.”

“Yes.”

“What happened to all the students who tried to interfere with the professor’s magic?”

“A student interferes with the professor’s magic… They receive disciplinary action. No, wait,  hold on...”

Audrey, who was pondering over Violet's words, suddenly widened her eyes.

“He did that?”

“Yes.”

'Why are you looking at me like that?' Violet was annoyed.

However, Audrey shook her head.

“That makes no sense.”

“Professor Audrey. Do you know that student?”

“Yes. I know. This way for a while…”

Placing Flan in the corner of the hallway, Audrey took Violet to another corner of the hallway.

"You're talking about that student Flan now?"

“Yes.”

“I don’t know exactly what happened…… He interferes with other people’s magic...? He can’t afford to do that.”

He didn't have the skills to do that?

He interfered with Violet’s magic and cut off the projection for a while. That was simply impossible.

“Professor Audrey seems to know that student closely.”

"Yes, of course. He came to me to ask questions about something he didn't know during the freshman welcome party.."

“Question?”

Audrey nodded at Violet, who narrowed her eyes.

“Yes. At first, I thought it was admirable that he was asking questions since the freshman welcome party.”

“Yes...”

“The textbook he brought then was the basic magic theory. He didn't even understand that and fell asleep. It doesn't make sense that he interfered with Professor Violet's magic.”

Violet’s eyes widen as she listened to Audrey's story.

‘"Is that even possible?’

If Audrey's words were true, it was an unbelievable story that he was interfering with Violet's magic.

“Besides, look at this.”

Maybe it was because Violet’s expression was disappointing.

Audrey showed something as she fluttered the stack of papers slung around her side.

Finding Flan's name and grade on the information sheet that listed the students' information, Audrey showed it to Violet.

[ F ]

“……!”

Flan's rank was the lowest possible, an F.

‘Did I get it wrong?’

At this point, Violet couldn't help but wonder if she was wrong about her own intuition.

‘Interference’ proceeds under the premise that the target was understood for granted.

Of course, it was impossible to interfere with something that one didn't understand.

A series of projection magic, the amount of mana output by Violet.

It was close to impossible for an F-rank freshman to understand and interfere with everything. No, it was impossible.

Audrey tapped Violet’s side with her elbow.

"And if you're curious, you can just watch it again in tomorrow's test. After all, Professor Violet is in charge of that, right?"

“Um… yes.”

Violet nodded at her words. 

Audrey's words were not wrong.

What she felt was incredibly pure mana. The sensation was so soft and gentle, like water flowing, that she hadn't even thought to block it out beforehand.

Looking back now, she realized that each and every sensation was not something a mere freshman could experience.

...Something was bothering her, but there was no evidence yet.

In the end, Violet approached Flan and scratched her head nonchalantly.

“Go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on you though.”

With that brief remark, she handed Flan a piece of candy.

It was unclear whether Violet felt sorry for grabbing him or had targeted him.

Flan bowed his head and put the candy in his pocket before leaving the hallway.

‘...She's really like a witch.’

With her pointed hat, candy, and dark circles under her eyes, Flan's impression was only that.

◈◈◈

‘I must be careful.’

It was safe to say that the level difference between students and professors was the difference between heaven and earth.

It was not good to be noticed by a superior. Especially if you're a student caught between a student and a professor.

‘Ariel.’

‘I’m sorry, Professor Kaplan. It was because I didn’t know.’

‘I haven’t said anything yet.’

‘I’m so sorry, Professor. It was because I didn’t know.’

Memories of the past suddenly come to my mind.

It seemed like it was only yesterday that I was working with assistants, but when I woke up, I was a student.

But because I had been a part of the Academy before, I was able to adapt to situations pretty quickly.

I vaguely remember the way my students acted and thought it would work. But the whole time I followed it, it was uncomfortable, as if I was forced to wear clothes that didn’t fit my body.

'What are those students doing now?'

“First of all, the test.”

Anyway, the most important thing right now was the rank test tomorrow.

For now, that was the top priority and the most important thing to pay attention to.

What kind of magic in what field would be tested in what way?

In fact, those things were secondary. I already had the magic theory in my head.

What I needed right now was the method to implement that theory.

‘How to implement it.’

The mana and body I had now were not enough to implement those theories. No, they were completely lacking.

Like a dreamer who only dreams, a magician with only theory were only half.

'Where will I train my body to grow in the future?'

There were many things to consider, such as whether scrolls were allowed and if yes where could I get them.

As I was pondering over these thoughts, I noticed a familiar red-haired leaning against a tree in the corner.

No matter how I looked at it, the red-haired head belonged to Becky, 

She held a piece of hard-looking bread in one hand and a glass of milk in the other.

Regardless of what the food was, eating it alone made her look pitiful, like a drenched rat.

"Well, this is perfect timing."

I took a step back.

◈◈◈

ㅡShe is a complete beggar.

This was the sound she heard as soon as she left the classroom.

Just by hearing that, Becky knew who was talking to Flan.

Aria Fontaine.

The history of her hating Becky goes way back. Since she was young, she rejected Becky because she was a commoner.

After graduating from the Basic Magic Institute, Becky thought she would never see her again, but in the end, they met again at the Merhen Academy.

She hated it. She was upset. She was angry. She was annoyed.

...But, what could she do?

She took a bite of the hard bread.

Apart from quietly attending the academy, there was nothing else she could do.

If she were to fight back, Becky would be the one to suffer more.

ㅡShe only talks to guys. Her intention is too obvious.

That words were unfair too.

Because they bullied her, she had no choice but to hang out with boys.

ㅡAt the freshmen' welcoming party, she even sprayed a lot of perfume to hide her poverty.

… Yes that was right.

However, she only put perfume on it because she was afraid of smelling like a nuisance to others.

It was just such a simple intention.

‘Is the smell weird?’

Suddenly, she put her sleeve up to her nose and smelled the perfume.

She couldn't really distinguish whether it was good or bad. This was the cheapest thing she could buy with the money she had.

ㅡEveryone hates her. Because she doesn't know her place.

But she really wanted to strongly deny that statement.

At least, she knew her place really well.

Because she understood her place so well, she was alone even during lunchtime.

"Chew, chew..."

The bread, which was already hard, was even harder today. She pounded her chest because she felt like it was stuck in her throat.

While drinking the milk in her other hand, Becky recalled the next thing she heard.

ㅡI'm not a noble either.

That was exactly what Flan said.

Looking back at those words, she blinked again without realizing it. What was it?

'Aren’t you a noble?'

She saw the mansion where Flan lives, and she saw the maid calling Flan, Young master.

After Flan said those words,

Hearing the sound of Aria and other girls leaving the classroom, Becky ran away as well.

So why did he say those words?

As she took another bite of her bread, she thought about various possibilities. Then, one idea suddenly sparked like a flame.

“For me?”

What if he said that just to be on her side?

“…… That’s not it.”

She shook her head as she was dumbfounded even thinking about it.

After thinking about this and that, the pattern of his family suddenly came to her mind.

‘A flaming sword.’

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed like a symbol of a knight family.

Well, if a boy from a knight’s family attends the Department of Magic, he might want to hide it.

Yeah, that was it.

‘But still, maybe…’

Maybe there was a reason why he wanted to side with her a little... ...a little bit.

Taking another sip of milk, she felt a complicated mix of emotions and took out the hand mirror from her pocket.

A girl with red hair was reflected in the mirror.

Red hair and pink eyes.

When the hair and eye colors were similar, it was often considered a symbol of commoners, so no matter how she looked at it, she was a commoner.

‘…… But am I still pretty?’

The moment she thought so.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Flan showed up so suddenly.

-Ah!

Startled, Becky squirted milk into the air.