"The Shelley Chamber of Commerce scholarship has just been established. Luciel first sold medicine at the Shelley Chamber of Commerce's pharmacy shop. The president of the Chamber, Dino, and my teacher are good friends..."
"Bellis, you... you know what I mean."
Bellis fell completely silent, her eyes filled with conflicting emotions.
She was too smart to miss what Helen was implying. How could she not understand?
It turned out that without even realizing it, she had been benefiting from the very person she had always looked down upon: her brother Luciel.
If she weren't Luciel's sister, why would she have been chosen for the Shelley Chamber of Commerce's scholarship?
She had always thought her talent and hard work had been the reasons why important people took notice of her, but now that she thought about it...
There were many students at the Academy of Magic who were more talented, diligent, and hardworking than she was. So why was she the one to get the scholarship?
The answer was simple: it was because she shared the same last name as Luciel.
A wave of emotions surged in Bellis's heart: guilt, shame, frustration, and humiliation. Her pride, the very thing that had fueled her for the past three years, seemed to crumble.
Bellis's voice was low as she muttered, "I need to be alone for a while."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.
"Bellis..." Helen called after her, frustrated. But in the end, she sighed softly.
"I hope Bellis can figure it out."
The fourth-grade competition became far more exciting.
Both academies won a few rounds, with the most impressive being Marris from the Knights Academy, who won three games in a row.
Luciel also noticed Lawrence in the competition. He won a game as well.
Lawrence, a true genius in the third grade, would have been the star if Luciel hadn't stolen the spotlight with his brilliance. Sadly, Luciel's brilliance was so overwhelming that Lawrence almost faded into the background.
By the time the fourth-grade competition came around, the Magic Academy had won once, bringing the score to a tie. The energy in the arena began to rise as everyone eagerly anticipated the fifth grade competition.
"I'll go."
A voice rose from the crowd, and the students began to murmur excitedly. It was Ferranstu, the chief student of the fifth grade.
However, with Luciel's promotion to the fifth grade, the title of "chief student" was now in question.
From the Magic Academy, a plain-looking young man in a robe stepped forward. He too was a genius from the fifth grade, and his confidence was evident as he walked onto the stage.
Ferranstu frowned and scanned the field before speaking. "Where is Windsor? Why isn't she here? You're not my opponent."
The young man, grinning, responded, "You're not qualified to tell Windsor to fight."
"There's no one in your Knights Academy who has that privilege."
The youth's eyes gleamed with open contempt. It was clear he, too, was another of Windsor's admirers.
Ferranstu's eyes flared with anger. Without another word, he drew his sword and rushed forward.
The young man, undeterred, began chanting his spell. Ferranstu's movements were swift, his figure leaving a long trail as he closed in on the youth.
Just as Ferranstu reached him, the young man released a fireball the size of a head, hurling it directly at Ferranstu.
Ferranstu quickly pulled back, raising his sword to block the attack. The young man seized the opportunity to distance himself.
The two locked into a dance of attack and retreat. This "kite-flying" tactic, where magicians and knights try to outpace each other, was clearly understood by the young magician.
Ferranstu found himself in the role of the kite chaser, and for more than ten minutes, the two tangled. Ferranstu finally got close, but the young man, unwilling to be defeated, conceded rather than be struck.
Despite winning, Ferranstu's expression soured. The battle had drained him of energy, and the outcome felt like a hollow victory. Not only had he failed to land a blow on his opponent, but the magician's shield remained intact.
The Magic Academy students cheered as their representative stepped down from the stage.
The second student from the Magic Academy, a girl with a cautious demeanor, stepped up next. She was even more elusive than the first young man, and Ferranstu, despite his determination, struggled. While he won, the match left him breathless and tired.
In the third match, the Magic Academy finally gave Ferranstu an opening. But when he tried to break through his opponent's wind magic, he failed, feeling the weight of his regret as he lost the round.
By this point, the Knights Academy finally understood the Magic Academy's strategy.
"The Magic Academy is using wheel tactics to wear down our fifth-grade experts, preparing the way for Windsor to win!"
"This is a cunning move!"
Realizing the tactic, the Knights Academy quickly switched its strategy. Originally, they had planned for Byrne to play second, but instead, they sent in another fifth-grade master.
But then, Windsor stepped onto the stage.
Windsor, a true magician-level powerhouse, wasted no time. With a blank expression, she unleashed powerful ice magic, the likes of which were far stronger than anything a ninth-level magic apprentice could muster.
The eighth-level apprentice knights of the Knights Academy couldn't even withstand her magic, let alone avoid it.
Windsor won three consecutive rounds, putting the Knights Academy in a panic. Finally, they sent in Byrne.
Byrne, showing the strength and composure of a fifth-grade overlord, dodged three of Windsor's low-level magic attacks and began closing in on her.
"Good job!"
"Too strong, Byrne!"
"If Ferranstu hadn't been delayed by the tactics, he could have matched Byrne's performance."
Windsor's expression became more serious as she prepared for the battle. With a clear call, she uttered: "The Art of Frozen Seal!"
Windsor's wand swept through the air, and a thick layer of ice spread across the stage. Byrne staggered, and his sword began to freeze.
"This is... Intermediate Magic!"
A murmur swept through the crowd. Intermediate magic was a different league altogether from basic spells. While knights could practice intermediate combat techniques, only true magicians could use intermediate magic, and its power was much greater.
Byrne, with a pained expression, continued to struggle. His sword became encased in ice, forming a massive icicle.
"Roar!"
Byrne growled and shook his hand, cracking the ice on his sword.
"Micro-level swordsmanship!"
A gasp ran through the audience.
"Only those who've mastered micro-level swordsmanship could break the ice of Windsor's technique... but Byrne's mastery may not be enough to shatter it completely."
"Still, this is impressive. Few fifth-graders have reached such a level in swordsmanship!"
For a moment, it seemed like Byrne might turn the tide, but as he closed in on Windsor and prepared to strike, something unexpected happened.
Just as Byrne's sword swung toward Windsor, it appeared to hit an invisible wall. The backlash sent him flying across the stage, tumbling helplessly.
"What?!"
A stunned silence followed, and Windsor's voice rang out coldly.
"Even with the third stage of swordsmanship, don't expect to break my magic shield until you reach true knight level..."
Thank you for reading .