After joining Linen, the three departed the dormitory, heading towards the Spring Cup celebration venue. Hysteria walked cheerfully ahead, humming to herself, while Linen and Elena lagged slightly behind, quietly discussing their experiences from the recent competition.
Due to their spectacular performance in the Spring Cup, the trio attracted attention unlike anything they'd experienced before. Previously, at most, a few strange older-sister types obsessed with Linen's looks would stealthily follow them around. But now, even high-ranking seniors who typically ignored lower-grade students murmured about the three.
"Are those three the ones who stood out so much this Spring Cup?"
"Looks like it. That guy is Linen Norton, the prince with 'dead blood.' Didn't expect him to actually have real skill in Arcana."
"Those two freshmen girls next to him aren't simple either. The red-haired one seems to be a princess from the Flame Rose Empire, and the one in the white dress doesn't have any special background, but apparently she's a rare Illusion Arcana mage. Plus, she used at least three artifacts she crafted herself during the contest. Definitely not ordinary."
"I've heard some rumors—the girl in white is actually a court Arcana mage discovered by Prince Linen. She'll directly enter the imperial court upon graduation."
"Seriously? Entering the royal mages straight out of graduation? Hell, I'd backstab my own dad for that. What about the princess?"
"She's a star slave that Prince Linen is deliberately grooming."
"Huh? What kind of wild rumor is that? Who told you that?!"
Still, as the passersby stared at their departing figures, a peculiar feeling settled over everyone.
Rather than mere companions or Prince Norton and his two followers, the three seemed more like…
"…A family of three?"
Somehow, everyone around simultaneously arrived at the same odd conclusion.
"Yeah, they totally look like a couple taking their pet for a walk…"
In fact, Elena, whose hearing was exceptionally sharp—and who naturally possessed the ability to hear people's inner voices—caught most of these whispered discussions clearly. Her fair, delicate neck flushed faintly red, and her head sank lower and lower in embarrassment.
"Lift your head up, Elena."
Suddenly, Linen's voice reached her from the side, causing Elena to jump slightly in surprise. When she glanced at Linen, she saw his gaze fixed straight ahead, expression calm and composed, as if he hadn't heard any of the surrounding gossip.
But that's impossible, isn't it? Linen's primary Arcana element is 'Wind.' The spirits of the air carry sounds directly into his ears. He'd have heard those murmurs even more clearly than I did.
So… was he deliberately ignoring the idle gossip?
No, it's not just Linen—even Hysteria can ignore such pointless remarks.
"Being talked about is the mark of someone exceptional. And this is only the beginning. As long as you're shining gold, gossip will always follow. You should start getting used to this now."
Linen spoke quietly, eyes still fixed ahead.
"Ah, yes!" Elena couldn't help responding formally. Her expression became slightly downcast. Although they were peers, Linen occasionally showed maturity and composure that made her feel inadequate.
Besides, his advice was undeniably true.
Linen, meanwhile, was extremely satisfied with her reaction. A qualified villain never missed an opportunity to suppress the protagonist, especially Elena, whose affection was dangerously high—she had to be harshly humiliated!
Thinking this, Linen decided to add one more stab. He tilted his head slightly, adopting a deliberately arrogant expression, and taunted again:
"You're someone I've chosen. Don't tell me this is all you amount to?"
Yet Elena, whose spirits had initially dropped at Linen's criticism, suddenly felt her heart skip a beat at those words.
Did…did Linen just say he's chosen me?
All her troubled feelings instantly flew away, and now Elena's mind echoed only that single phrase.
A sweet happiness filled her heart, giving her a sudden burst of youthful courage.
Hesitation means defeat—Elena, this is your moment!
"Li—"
"Don't listen to that guy's nonsense, Elena!"
Suddenly, Hysteria rushed back, grabbing Elena's arm tightly.
"Just ignore the words of these insignificant passersby. However, if someone really annoys you…"
Hysteria flashed her sharp little fangs:
"Then you should teach them a good lesson!"
She whipped around abruptly, glaring fiercely at the senior students, immediately causing them all to shiver uncontrollably:
"Hey! Which one of you just called me a pet?!"
Hysteria's sudden outburst made Elena giggle softly. Her earlier nervousness and unease were largely dispersed, though it also dissipated most of the courage she'd painstakingly gathered. Still, there was an advantage: Hysteria, who'd previously seemed a bit "in the way," had now fallen behind.
Doesn't that mean…now I'm alone with Linen?!
Now was exactly the right opportunity!
"Li—"
"Wahaha! If it isn't the Norton brat! Looks like you lot are more composed than even I expected!"
A spherical crystal orb suddenly appeared out of nowhere, floating toward them. Linen instantly recognized the voice coming from it.
"Good afternoon, Headmaster."
Linen bowed slightly.
"Tch, you still have the nerve to greet me politely!" Sorgana bluntly snapped, clearly irritated.
"As expected of you, Linen Norton! Because of your 'heroics,' the entire Misty Valley dungeon was practically destroyed! The other teachers and I spent the entire afternoon stabilizing it just enough to keep it from collapsing completely. Do you have any idea how many Mana Stones we'll need to fully repair it—"
"My mother will pay for it anyway," Linen replied calmly.
Sorgana, who had just been preparing a lengthy tirade of grievances, immediately felt every complaint she'd prepared choke in her throat from this simple, devastating punchline.
Damn little dragon brat—why does what he says always make so much sense?!
"But you didn't specifically seek me out through the communication crystal just to talk about trivial matters like this, right?"
Linen asked with mild curiosity.
"Ahem—of course not." Sorgana cleared her throat, adopting a slightly more formal tone.
"As I mentioned, most teachers are currently busy fixing the Misty Valley dungeon and probably won't make it to tonight's award ceremony. So, there were some matters I needed to inform you of in advance."
"Was the destruction really that severe? If necessary, I could have Mother allocate additional funds with just one word."
Linen offered casually.
This would've been difficult for him previously, but now, having essentially gained full official authority as a prince, requesting funding for the Academy was fully within his rights—especially since Eden Academy was a key project strongly supported by his Empress Mother.
Why do I feel like he's just showing off now…?
Imagining herself rolling around tugging at Tivira's skirt hems each time she had to beg for academy funds, Sorgana once again felt that bitterness that couldn't be spoken aloud.
"Hmph, forget it. Your minor mischief alone couldn't possibly damage the dungeon to such a degree. There were… other complications. Anyway, tonight many teachers might not make it to your award ceremony."
"Ah, but I suppose you wouldn't care about superficial things like that. I've already prepared your reward; you definitely won't be disappointed. Bye now!"
As she finished speaking, the crystal ball neatly bounced into a spatial fissure beside it. Linen's brow furrowed slightly.
As expected, things aren't as simple as I thought. Clearly, the Tower of Chronomancy interfered in the exam again, just without being detected. Linen considered for a moment whether he should tell Sorgana about the abnormalities with the Earl of Mist and that strange black mist, but decided against it.
Since all the teachers had rushed to repair the dungeon, they'd obviously already discovered traces of interference by the Tower.
A super illusion that allowed thousands of students to train simultaneously, posing no real threat yet effectively improving their abilities—its value was beyond mere mana stones. Any damage had to be taken seriously. With just one maneuver, the Tower had tied up most of Eden's instructors. If it was intentional, this was indeed a clever move.
"What's wrong, Linen? Did something troublesome happen?"
Seeing Linen's troubled expression, Elena asked worriedly.
"No, it's nothing. That's something big shots should worry about. It has nothing to do with us."
What Linen said was true. If even a peak human existence like the Eighth-Ring Arcana Master Sorgana couldn't handle it, worrying himself would be pointless. Better to anticipate the rewards from the Spring Cup.
"Alright!"
Seeing Linen regain his composure, Elena couldn't help but smile, relieved.
Then, she glanced around:
Hysteria hadn't returned yet.
The Headmaster and teachers wouldn't appear anytime soon.
Most students had already headed into the banquet hall. Few people lingered around; no familiar faces nearby either.
Now—surely now—it's finally my turn!
"Lin—"
"Oh hey, it's you, freshman!"
A cool female voice suddenly rang out.
Elena: o(╥﹏╥)o
Who is it this time!?
The two turned toward the voice. Sitting atop a gargoyle statue, casually chewing gum and staring down at them, was a cool-looking girl with dark red hair, wearing a provocative short top and hot pants.
"…Valera?" Linen hesitantly tested the name.
"It's Vanya!" the red-haired girl corrected him sharply.
Linen remembered now—this was the leader of the Golden Court team that had been decisively eliminated by his own group during the Spring Cup. Seeing her appear now, he suddenly felt a headache forming.
She did say something about this matter not being over yet… But why would she pick now, right before the award ceremony, to cause trouble? Does she really hate me that much?
"Alright, Senior Vanya, what do you need? Let me guess: you want an Arcana duel with me?"
Linen rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"Hmph! Isn't that obvious? I said before, the Spring Cup wasn't finished between us."
Vanya hopped down lightly from her perch.
"Our match during the Cup wasn't exactly fair, neither to me nor to you."
Her tone carried an obvious implication. During the competition, Vanya's side had an overwhelming numbers advantage, yet she, as the main force, had been sneakily eliminated by Hysteria before she could even enter the battle or command her team.
As for Linen's group, they'd each received varying levels of blessings during the trials, significantly inflating their strength. It'd be stranger if Vanya could accept that quietly.
"As expected, I'm challenging you to a Dark Arcana Duel. Do you dare accept?"
Her eyes turned sharp and fierce.
Dark Arcana Duel? Linen had heard of it before—a duel format like a Dark Duel, except instead of playing cards, it was real Arcana combat with stakes involved.
But no matter. Linen had numerous trump cards in hand, confident he wouldn't lose. Settling things decisively now, letting Vanya understand the gap between them clearly and preventing future harassment was actually beneficial.
"I accept."
"Good!"
A trace of appreciation flashed across Vanya's eyes. She pulled out a spatial ring:
"If I lose, this ring is yours. You can exchange what's inside for fifty academy credits. That's significant—not only for freshmen but even upperclassmen."
Linen nodded slightly. He knew the value of credits well. Even as the Spring Cup winner, he'd only earned twenty credits. Vanya betting fifty at once was indeed sincere.
Seeing Linen accept, Vanya continued:
"However, if I win, you must pay your own price." She suddenly turned her head away slightly, cheeks flushing faintly, "You'll have to date me."
"Alright, but I won't los—wait, what!?"
Linen wondered if he'd heard wrong.
"W-what's wrong with that?"
Vanya's pale, indifferent cheeks and neck turned visibly red, "You already agreed—no taking it back!"
Linen fell silent. But since he'd agreed, there was no reason to back out now. Besides, he really didn't believe he'd lose.
Just as Linen prepared to step forward, a slender arm suddenly blocked his way.
"According to academy rules, if a team member is inconveniently challenged, another team member can accept on their behalf, correct?"
"Linen, your ceremony is about to start. Please allow me to duel in your stead."
It was Elena?
Linen never expected the gentle Elena to step up at this moment. Moreover… he'd never seen her look so frightening—dark eyes narrowed, lips pressed thin, tiny fists clenched. It was as if she bore some deep personal grudge against Vanya. Did those two have some unresolved issues?
Linen felt slightly lost. How he wished that intense gaze was directed at him instead!
Vanya also frowned slightly:
"You? Are you even up for this?"
She remembered this girl, but Elena hadn't made much of an impression. Just an auxiliary mage daring to challenge her?
Yet since just now, Elena had released an oddly fearsome aura that made even Vanya's heart shudder slightly. Did I somehow offend her?
"Please allow me this duel!" Elena's voice was even firmer. Linen could only nod in acceptance.
At worst, if she lost, he'd simply refuse to pay up. Besides, Linen was genuinely curious about Elena's true strength as the protagonist. He'd have to face her sooner or later—knowing her better in advance would help.
Vanya snorted coldly, striking first. A sharp Wind Blade cut through the air, aiming straight for Elena's throat. Elena responded without hesitation—it turned out to be an illusion, and a hidden artifact activated immediately afterward, striking Vanya's chest. A protective spell flashed, knocking Vanya back—artifact makers could use their own crafted items during duels.
Both of them are going straight for the kill right away?!
Are girls' fights always this ruthless?
Even more surprising to Linen was that Elena was actually holding her own against Vanya, the second-ranked student of Golden Court!
So this is a girl fight? Too exciting!
Just as Linen watched enthusiastically, someone gently tugged his arm.
Platinum-blond hair styled elegantly, exquisite yet indifferent features, dressed in a refined black-and-white dress. Turning his head, Linen saw Novie quietly standing by his side.
"Novie? When did you get—"
Before Linen could finish, the blond girl suddenly tiptoed and kissed him softly on the lips.
"Shh. Onii-chan, can you come with me for a bit? Elena is quite busy right now—no one will disturb us~" Novie's eyes sparkled, smiling sweetly.
"So you're the one who sent Vanya after me?"
Linen sighed helplessly.
"Not exactly. I just casually let Vanya know about your whereabouts. In the end, it's Onii-chan's fault for being too charming." Novie puffed her cheeks in feigned jealousy.
Suddenly, her expression shifted seductively. She tugged lightly at Linen's sleeve, leaning close to whisper into his ear, while her other hand subtly lifted her skirt hem slightly:
"Will you come with me now? Perhaps we can do something even more exciting together~"
Her warm, sweet breath tickled his ear. Linen's eyes widened in shock.
Damn… black stockings!
He suddenly realized he had absolutely no reason to refuse.
...
Five minutes later, Elena dodged another fierce attack from Vanya, eyes filled with determination.
"You… Elena, you're the strongest freshman support mage I've ever faced!"
Vanya couldn't help but acknowledge Elena sincerely. This girl was nothing like the fragile mage she initially seemed.
Yet Elena didn't respond.
Strong or weak—none of that matters to me.
But since this duel is for Linen, I definitely won't lose!
Especially since he's watching me right now!
She glanced toward her source of motivation:
Eh? Where's Linen?!
Elena: ??