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"What?"
"My goal is to graduate from Elton Academy."
Sirims, who had been pursing his lips and wearing a questioning expression, slowly nodded.
"...Indeed, that's quite profound. You're determined to achieve it before graduation."
"Pardon?"
"Absorbing the archmage's mana to reach the level of a 10-star mage, that is. Or should I say magic swordsman? Isn't that what you're saying, that you'll accomplish it before graduation?"
"It's not necessarily my intention..."
"No need to be modest. Yes, go ahead and try. Davian Naone, who else but you could dare to take on such a task?"
Sirims, the head of the magic department, had eyes full of expectation.
Since he was looking forward to it so much, there was no need to tell him that Davian just wanted to graduate.
"Yes, I understand."
"Good. Let's go back to the testing grounds. I'll do my best to explain your ten-day absence at the faculty meeting. Still, you'll inevitably get demerits. And you'll get a zero on yesterday's test. This isn't some soft academy, you know."
"I'm grateful for that much, professor."
After the conversation, Davian and Sirims, the head of the magic department, returned to the grand hall.
The practical evaluation was still in progress in the grand hall.
"Next."
With flowing blonde hair and a doll-like appearance.
Latia Meridiem stepped forward.
Opposite her stood Karin Obelia, with black straight hair and a pale face.
The students watching the two murmured.
"Will Karin win again this time?"
"Nah, look who she's up against, it's Latia."
"Karin hasn't lost once, you know? And she won overwhelmingly every time."
"They wouldn't have arranged them in reverse order of grades for no reason, right? Latia must be amazing, that's why she's coming out last."
"I don't know. Did anyone expect Karin, who suddenly popped up out of nowhere, to beat everyone so easily? Even Colson, who's fourth, and Ellaim, who's third. They couldn't hold out for long at all."
"If Karin beats Latia too, does that mean our academy will lose to that royal secret weapon entirely?"
"What are you talking about? Don't you see? Davian's back."
"Oh? He is. Then things will be different."
"Different."
Meanwhile, Davian looked back and forth between Karin and Latia's faces.
'So they ended up facing each other.'
Karin had been making remarks that subtly disregarded the academy.
He figured that it couldn't be helped since she'd been receiving intensive education from the royal family since she was young as part of a secret project or something.
But that was just Davian's thought.
Latia, from the most prestigious magical family on the continent, didn't seem to think so.
There was a large glass tube lying horizontally between the two of them.
About 1 meter in diameter. About 10 meters in length.
Of course, inside the glass tube, which was protected by magic, was a large leather ball.
It was large enough to almost fill the inside of the glass tube.
The four elements magic practical evaluation.
The two people standing at either end blew wind element magic into the glass tube.
If they pushed the leather ball in the middle of the glass tube to the end of the glass tube on the opponent's side, they would win.
The relative evaluation in which two people compete in reverse order of grades in the first semester.
When one person loses, the next student takes their place.
The practical evaluation had been going on for about half the time when.
Karin raised her hand.
"When is it my turn?"
"Do you want to come up now?"
"Yes."
"Come up."
After that.
The leather ball never went over to Karin's side even once.
There was even a student who tried to endure stubbornly but got hit in the stomach by the leather ball that came flying in an instant and went to the infirmary.
After facing almost half of the magic department students.
Now, the only opponent left was Latia.
Luna and Liber raised their arms and shouted.
"Latia, fighting!"
"Latia! You can do it!"
Davian also watched their battle with interest.
'Who will win?'
Karin Obelia, the royal magic department's secret project.
Latia Meridiem, the genius magic girl from a prestigious magic family.
"Start!"
Wind element magic poured out from Karin and Latia's hands, respectively.
The powerful wind rushed into the glass tube as it was.
It was Latia's side that touched the leather ball first.
"Oh! The leather ball is going over to Karin's side for the first time!"
"As expected, Latia!"
How many spans had the leather ball been pushed?
"Not a chance!"
Karin pushed in even stronger mana.
The leather ball slowly began to move back towards Latia's side.
"Did you think I'd lose?"
Latia also increased the intensity of her mana.
The leather ball only shook violently in the center of the glass tube and did not move to either side.
"Great job, Latia! As expected! She's not being pushed back at all."
"Hey, isn't that kid named Karin amazing? Her opponent is none other than Latia Meridiem."
"Hey, is that the problem? Just look at the magic they're emitting right now. Are they really our classmates?"
"I guess so."
'She's pushing herself too hard.'
Davian's gaze went to Latia's face.
He could see a drop of sweat flowing down between her bangs and side hair.
'She's squeezing it out forcibly. To push Latia to this extent. They said it was a secret project, so she really is amazing. Karin.'
Davian turned his head to look at Karin.
She was frowning to emit mana, but she wasn't sweating like Latia.
'Is Karin a step above?'
Then.
Davian's gaze went to Karin's knees.
'They're shaking.'
It was subtle, but.
Karin's knees under her school uniform skirt were shaking.
'Karin is also squeezing it out forcibly.'
Davian was still standing near the door because he had gone out with Professor Sirims and came back.
On the other side, the magic department students were standing in a line.
One of the students' gaze was fixed on Davian.
It was Luna Pueri.
'Davian... why is he staring so intently at Latia's face and Karin's legs, taking turns...'
Luna's eyes went to Latia's face.
'Even I have to admit that she's really pretty... Latia.'
This time, it was Karin's legs.
'White. Thin. Long. ...Aren't they incredibly beautiful? Karin's legs!'
Luna's face became tearful.
Liber nudged Luna's shoulder.
"What are you doing, Luna."
"Uh, huh?"
"You have to cheer for Latia! Are you going to let Latia lose to that annoying royal secret weapon?"
Liber made a megaphone shape with her hand and shouted.
"Latia, fighting!"
Luna also followed Liber and shouted in confusion.
"Latia, fighting!"
Karin let out a smile.
"To cheer just because we're from the same academy. After all, you're just a bunch of immature kids who gather here and laugh and joke as academy students."
Latia's eyebrows twitched.
"What?"
"Isn't that right? I had some expectations because they said it was the best academy on the continent, but when I came here, it was just full of kids who were just thinking about playing and having fun. I think some of them are even dating?"
Karin pushed in even more mana.
Latia did her best to not be pushed back.
"That's not true."
"What do you mean it's not true. You can tell just by looking at your skills. Do you know how much suffering I've gone through? But you guys were just gathered here playing like this, so it's only natural that there's a difference in skill."
Elton Academy.
Latia liked this place so much.
Before coming to the academy.
Born as the eldest daughter of the Meridiem ducal family, she monopolized the love of the family elders.
Everyone revered Latia.
Of course, only on the surface.
As the daughter of the duke's family, she didn't even need to fetch a glass of water herself.
She only had to focus on studying and training magic.
However.
That place was nothing short of hell for Latia.
The family elders' excessive expectations of the magical genius girl.
The jealousy and duplicity of people who didn't show it on the surface but constantly tried to undermine Latia's self-esteem.
The burden of not being able to betray the expectations of the family.
There were more than one or two times when she wanted to run away right away.
But after coming to this Elton Academy.
Latia was finally able to escape the pressure from the family.
Except for that freak Davian, there was no big problem with her real skills, which she was so worried about.
And the friends she met.
They didn't have excessive expectations of Latia.
They didn't envy or be jealous of Latia either.
They praised her when she did well.
And they cheered her on when she was lacking.
Friends who accepted Latia as she was and showed their sincerity.
Not only that, but everyone has their own goals and does their best in everything.
Instead of being bloodshot to put each other down, they are committed to growing according to their own paths and goals.
Meal time with friends every day.
After-school training with friends.
Exams and various tests prepared with friends.
A play prepared with friends.
An adventure where they formed a gray bear exploration team and left.
She didn't show it much on the outside.
Latia liked her friends and this Elton Academy so much.
'But what? A bunch of immature kids laughing and joking?'
Latia squeezed out even more mana.
"It's not all like that..."
"What do you mean it's not like that. Your gang is the same, too? I thought you had something great because you were always gathering together."
'Gang?'
Latia trembled.
"If you're jealous..."
Woo Woong.
The glass tube began to resonate.
"Say it honestly..."
Karin's expression contorted.
The leather ball inside the glass tube became flattened as if it would burst at any moment.
"Say it!"
Thwack!
It happened in an instant.
The leather ball passed through the glass tube in an instant and hit Karin's body.
Karin flew back for a long time and rolled around.
Crack. Crack.
Cracks began to form in the glass tube protected by magic.
Crash, shatter!
It shattered as it was.
"Eek!"
"W-what!"
"Get out of the way!"
Thud.
Latia, who had poured all her mana in an instant, collapsed on the spot.
"Latia!"
Luna and Liber ran to Latia.
The teaching assistants were busy checking if any students were injured by the broken glass shards.
Professor Sirims ordered a teaching assistant to take Karin to the infirmary.
Davian stood blankly and looked at the fallen Latia.
She seemed to have regained consciousness with Luna's healing magic.
'I knew she got stronger by obtaining the Stone of Enlightenment, but.'
Davian slowly walked towards Latia.
'So I thought she wouldn't be pushed back by Karin, but...'
Davian asked.
"Hey, Latia. Are you okay?"
Latia nodded with difficulty.
Her face was pale and her lips were blue.
'Latia Meridiem. You've become too strong. You must never change like in the previous timelines.'
Student cafeteria.
Latia and Karin, who had used mana excessively, were still in the infirmary.
Bellum asked.
"So. You're saying that only 10 minutes passed there, but ten days had passed here?"
"Yes."
"How is that possible? Is that even possible?"
Liber answered instead.
"It's possible. When we went to find the Stone of Enlightenment, we stayed for three days, but time didn't pass here at all."
"Oh, that's right. You said that happened then, right?"
Bonita pointed to the necklace placed on the table with her chin.
"So. This is the last trace of the archmage? A necklace with a red jewel?"
"Yes."
There was no need to tell the story that the archmage's heart was contained here or that he had already absorbed that mana.
"It's a bit anticlimactic. It's just a necklace."
Liber slammed the table and stood up.
"Just a necklace!"
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