Chapter 37: Lucia (2)

Lucia returned leisurely to the lecture hall.

As for that boy? Let whatever happen to him happen.

Was he supposedly the first-year representative of the Magic Department? Whatever.

The students from the Swordsmanship Department, who had just been watching the spectacle, had instinctively gathered behind their leader.

Before Lucia’s return, they had taken the initiative to call over every Swordsmanship student in the vicinity to bolster their presence; meanwhile, those who had noticed the commotion from inside the classroom had abandoned their lessons to rush to the scene.

Now, the number of Swordsmanship students in the lecture hall visibly overwhelmed the others.

The students of the Alchemy Department breathed a sigh of relief, but they remained in a protective circle around Merlinlia, who was still seated. They gripped explosive items within their magic pouches, staring down the Magic Department students in front of them.

To them, it didn’t really matter whether Merlin could use magic or not.

Who didn’t like the top-ranked, gentle, kind, and beautiful elven princess?

More importantly, it was the Magic Department people who had been overbearing, stabbing at Merlin’s sore spot in the most cruel way possible.

They all understood the pain of being ridiculed over mana issues, and because of that, they felt even more heartache for Merlin.

Where were the teachers? The teachers were being stalled by Mary. After seeing the miserable state of that boy, the faculty had no choice but to deal with him first.

This wasn’t the first time Lucia had hit someone in this academy. Mary was already well-versed in handling the aftermath; it was truly a life of hard labor.

Stepping with a relaxed gait, Lucia slowly returned to the center of the confrontation.

She ignored the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere as if she had just gone for a stroll, casually picking up the previous topic.

Lucia’s burning gray eyes slowly swept over the Magic Department students standing beside Mahina, their faces now pale.

“Is an apology useful? You expose someone’s secrets and then hypocritically run over to say ‘sorry.’ And then what? If Merlinlia doesn’t accept it, are you going to spread rumors outside, saying she has a ‘royal temper,’ that she’s ‘immature,’ that she ‘rejected your goodwill,’ or that she’s ‘arrogant’ and ‘willful’?”

The Magic Department students were terrified by Lucia’s previous violent outburst.

Although they had long heard rumors about Lucia’s personality, it was the first time these first-years had witnessed it. For a moment, they were paralyzed with fear.

In a classroom, at this range, and in front of Lucia, the Magic Department students held no advantage.

In an instant, they were suppressed by her aura, left with no idea what to do except to look toward Mahina as if pleading for help.

“Then, what do you need us to do to appease your anger?”

Mahina remained calm. Her pink-blue eyes stared directly at the approaching Lucia, as if the group of hostile Swordsmanship students before her were nothing more than illusions.

Lucia stopped in front of Mahina, looking down at her, and spoke word by word.

“What do I need? The rumors of her meager mana are already out there. You’ve ruined her reputation. This is the equivalent of smashing a one-of-a-kind antique and then asking what needs to be done.”

Mahina’s voice remained steady, without a single ripple.

Her pink-blue gaze shifted past Lucia’s shoulder, landing on the figure sitting there, unsure of what to do amidst the explosive situation.

“Shouldn’t we ask for the victim’s opinion?”

Hearing this, Lucia let out a sneer filled with unabashed mockery and disdain.

“Hah, picking on the soft target?”

Mahina countered, her tone gentle and refined.

“We must respect personal opinions, mustn’t we?”

“Then let’s assume I don’t respect her opinion. I am not satisfied.”

Let the soft-hearted Merlin handle this?

Even if she was unwilling to forgive them, she wouldn’t be able to maximize the benefits of the situation.

It was better for Lucia to handle it herself.

“But… stating facts…”

“Mahina!”

Lucia’s roar erupted like a scorching shockwave.

The sound was sharp and saturated with fury, nearly piercing through the entire teaching building.

In the lecture hall, every student felt a sharp sting in their ears, their eardrums buzzing.

Lucia squeezed the words out from between her teeth. In her gentle gray eyes, her rage had solidified into something physical, as if it would come pouring out at any second.

“You crossed the line.”

“I apologize.”

“I don’t understand why you would rather destroy something you painstakingly built just to hurt her. Why exactly? What did she ever do to wrong you that allows you to be this self-righteous?”

Mahina lifted her chin, maintaining her flawless expression.

“I am simply seeking justice for the student you assaulted. Even if the Magic Department students were disrespectful to Merlin, that is a matter for the academy’s teachers to handle, rather than resorting to violent vigilante justice.”

Lucia simply watched Mahina, whose expression was beginning to crack, and took another step forward.

“I told you—”

She suddenly leaned in, thrusting her face almost directly against Mahina’s. Their noses nearly touched, and Lucia’s hot breath hit Mahina’s cold skin.

“Go ahead and sue me. Damn it, do it! If you’re not satisfied, come at me. Who’s afraid of who?”

Lucia continued.

“Go ahead and report it, I don’t care. You can apply for a duel if you want. Do you really think you’re guaranteed to beat me?”

“Calm down.”

Mahina’s body was stiff. She tried to lean back but was pinned in place by Lucia’s beast-like aura.

“I am very calm, Mahina. On the contrary, you, the one who is always the calmest, are the one who is acting strange. Think carefully, since the time we met on the battlefield when you were eleven—”

Lucia pressed further.

“Have I ever once belittled your past or your bloodline? Because even if things are facts, there are some scars that should never be uncovered in front of others. Do you understand?”

Mahina’s pupils shrank violently.

“I don’t understand. What exactly are you so anxious about?”

“I don’t understand either why you are angry to this extent.”

“Ha, yeah, is it because she can cure my headaches? Because she’s royalty and I have to step up? No, let me tell you, none of that matters. I just simply can’t stand the sight of her, and I can’t stand you. It pisses me off. She’s clearly a princess, yet she’s so timid.”

Gulp…

Merlin, who had been sitting to the side feeling like this had nothing to do with her, flinched at Lucia’s intimidating aura.

“Hah—”

Lucia let out a sigh.

“Then let’s leave it at this. The Grand Exam is about to start, isn’t it? Let the three of us compete. Don’t you look down on Merlinlia? Don’t you think magic is so special? Then let the Grand Exam decide the winner.”

“Fine.”

Lucia looked at Merlin sitting nearby.

“Are you participating?”

“I’ll participate,” Merlin said.

Mahina spoke up.

“Then, there should be stakes, right? Within the academy’s rules, how about the winner gets one request granted?”

“Oh? Then I want to add conditions. Since there’s a difference in our standings, you must rank at least two places ahead of Merlinlia to count as a win. For me to beat you, I also need to be two places ahead. Merlinlia only needs to be three places behind.”

“There is no need for that.”

Merlin looked at Mahina. The two, who had once been inseparable, locked eyes again.

“I will win.”

Even if she wasn’t a mage, she wanted to prove to Mahina that she wasn’t without progress. Even without specific handicaps, she would win.

She wanted revenge against Mahina. Is magic really that great?

It wasn’t that Mahina had abandoned Merlin; it was that Merlin had abandoned Mahina.

“But—”

Lucia’s voice grew heavy as she looked at the Magic Department students.

“The apology. You have to put on a show of doing it right now.”