The deepest part of <Academy City Yord>. Where the central headquarters of the <United Student Council> is located. Here, the highest executive meeting of the <United Student Council> was taking place.

Beyond the door guarded by numerous students from <Aesir Girls’ High School>. The interior of the meeting room was very plain, consisting only of a large iron table, chairs, and miscellaneous reports.

Given that <Aesir Girls’ High School> is a prestigious school where daughters from military families gather, all facilities, including the school, avoid unnecessary luxury. This atmosphere extended to the <United Student Council> dominated by graduates from <Aesir Girls’ High School>.

In that plain and quiet room, three students were sitting. There should have been four students, but one was currently absent due to external duties.

A black wolf beastkin. A white-skinned elf. And the most powerful figure in the academy city.

Twitch Twitch

Among them, the black wolf ears of second-year Vice President Ziklide were twitching. She continued her report in a strict posture, her long black hair meticulously tied back.

“…This concludes the report on the 27 simultaneous kidnapping incidents that occurred up to early April. Since the northern incident where the President personally intervened, sightings of <Ratatosk> ‘believers’ have significantly decreased.” “…” “However, this could also be an enemy deception tactic, so I instructed the students trained in the ‘Ratatosk believer response tactics’ personally established by the President to remain vigilant through patrols.” “…” “And the movements of <Public Banna Boarding School> and <Svart Industrial High School> as well. Since the President’s inspection, they have been acting passively despite the increased exchanges between the east and north.” “…”

While briefing, Ziklide included subtle flattery, but Brunhilde, the President, did not react and continued reading the report. She wasn’t in this position to receive others' respect.

Rustle Rustle

Brunhilde turned the pages of the report with an indifferent gesture but then paused.

‘…Lara.’

In the middle of the paused page. There was a photo of a girl smiling brightly with bandages wrapped around her slender limbs while eating snacks.

Brunhilde stared at the photo for a moment.

“…”

Her cheeks puffed out like a hamster, adorably enough to make her heart ache. A smile filled with satisfaction, like a bud about to burst into bloom. Anyone who saw it would undoubtedly be mesmerized by the cuteness.

‘That’s very unpleasant.’

The thought of sharing Clara with someone else made her nauseous.

My rival. My nemesis. My pink. My spring breeze. My fragrant flower. Mine… Only mine…

‘And yet to share it…?’

Her fist clenched involuntarily.

Creak…

“…”

No… Burning with hatred over something that hasn’t even happened was unsightly.

Brunhilde unclenched her fist and looked at the photo again.

Seeing someone else eat was just a physiological act for survival. But the sight of someone enjoying their meal so much made her heart warm.

‘Crumbs… You’re eating too messily, Lara.’

She wanted to wipe them off but, unfortunately, it was just a photo.

‘…But who took this?’

It was probably a student from the Health Department… Someone had already seen the image she wanted to keep to herself. It was both disappointing and a bit infuriating.

‘No… I already have a memory to keep to myself…’

A faint scent of lavender-like hair brushed through Brunhilde’s mind. Even knowing it was strange behavior, a deep unpleasant pleasure rose from a corner of her heart.

A pale neckline. Guilt and sin. Loneliness and reunion. Pink lips, a fragrant breath.

Smelling Clara’s scent. It was a very cruel and one-sided act of greed.

It was like she would disappear from this world, so she desperately performed such dark acts. And the fact that the other party had directly allowed it made her feel both unpleasant and deeply satisfied.

“…”

A sticky sense of superiority oozed out. Only I can do that to her.

Only I… Only me…

‘I am your eternal rival―☆’

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

Brunhilde’s heart started pounding wildly.

But she didn’t want the sensitive high ether users, the Vice President, and the Treasurer, to notice, so she drew a small amount of lightning ether to calm her heartbeat.

‘[Grimnir]… Minimal output…’

Thump, thump, thump, thump… Thump… … … Thump― Thump―

Her heart returned to its regular rhythm.

“…”

Brunhilde continued to read the report without showing any emotion. Although her mind became slightly hazy when her heart momentarily stopped, it was manageable. The Vice President and Treasurer continued to repeat the meeting content they already knew as per procedure.

Rustle Rustle

The pages turned one by one.

“…”

Flipping through the report again, she saw the photo of Clara. Seeing Clara’s dazzlingly beautiful appearance again made her instinctively cover the photo slightly.

‘Phew…’

How can such a cute creature exist? It truly was a magical pink.

Brunhilde thought anxiously.

‘Next time… Should I send more snacks? I thought sending food for someone else to eat was an insult, but… she liked it so much…’

She eats as I command. She eats the food I send. She follows my tastes. Somehow, a sharp and rising feeling welled up inside her.

“…!”

Brunhilde felt deep satisfaction from within.

‘I should instruct Bell at the garrison to engage more actively with <Central Prism Academy>.'

She wanted to know more about Lara. To spend more intense and fulfilling time than the lost year... Preparation was necessary for that.

Brunhilde, lost in thought while flipping through the report back and forth, was being watched by a detached gaze.

“…”

An elf girl with light lemon-colored hair tied back. The third-year Treasurer, Erda, from <Holy Alfenheim High School>. She looked at the chattering Ziklide and the daydreaming Brunhilde.

“…Hoo.”

Erda shook her head.

In a desolate clearing a bit away from <Central Prism Academy>. I had driven a truck here with Maya, under the excuse of going for a drive.

Whenever I tried to leave the room, the chicks would follow me, teary-eyed. The minimum physical activity they would allow was sitting in the passenger seat and enjoying a drive.

‘Really… It’s been weeks, and I’m fine now.’

Really. I swear to the heavens. Everything except my ether was healed. Even the stains on my palms had almost disappeared, leaving few scars.

‘The fact that they allowed me to walk alone only three days ago… At this rate, I don’t know when I’ll be able to resume training.’

But if I trained openly in the main hall, I might not set foot outside for a month. So I shamelessly asked Maya, who had been staying as a guest for a week, to drive me here.

‘I don’t know how long she plans to stay.’

I had asked Maya out of concern about her not returning.

-But Maya, is it okay not to go back? You’re the head of the Facilities Engineering Department♪ -If the Facilities Engineering Department facilities handle the processes the Materials Engineering Department wants, everything will break. So I told my kids to each hide out wherever they know.

In short, the Facilities Engineering Department had declared a strike. And since <Svart Industrial High School>’s blockade actions were nothing new, everyone was evading until things calmed down.

Gulp, gulp

Maya was lounging in the vehicle, sipping water from a flask. Even though she was with me, she really didn’t care what I did.

She might have been curious about what I was doing, but she never asked or cared, as if it were a kind of belief.

‘When the entire <Mimir Industrial High School> was in danger, she was so serious…’

I left that drowsy gaze behind in the noon sun and walked a few steps away from the truck, drawing a practice weapon from my back.

Swoosh―!!

A blade over a meter long descending with a gust of wind. It was a much larger greatsword than the straight sword Alvit used. Of course, it was much cruder compared to the crafted items given to my juniors.

‘It’s enough for practice.’

I held it stably.

“…”

Just gripping the greatsword and taking a stance. My body, which used to tremble whenever I held a weapon, was now steady.

‘No rejection reaction.’

I could use a weapon. Feeling a thrill, I began to replicate the movements I had seen countless times during my days as the [Pink Spiral].

Numerous enemies. Numerous students. Numerous competitors.

Among them, those who used the ‘greatsword’ would strike.

From the sky to the ground. A vertical slash. A very basic strike.

I swung it.

Swoosh――!!

The descending greatsword made a threatening sound. Then, following the wind flow, I changed to a diagonal horizontal slash.

Swoosh――!!

With a swift turn of my view, the greatsword completed an ordinary horizontal slash. Finally, I turned my body for a spinning slash.

Swoosh――!!

“…Hoo.”

A cross slash and a spinning slash. Basic moves that even elementary school girls could perform in this world. The greatsword followed these basic sword techniques accurately under my control.

Although there was no ether application, no awe-inspiring sword aura cleaving the sky, not even a gust of wind. It was just a simple swing of the sword… A very ordinary strike.

“…I did it.”

I did it. I finally did it. I succeeded in delivering that ordinary strike.

For two years, all I did was tremble and drop my weapon.

“I finally have weapon affinity♪”

Declaring that. I felt a pleasure as if my brain was being zapped with electricity.

Like a bird permitted to run at 100 kilometers per hour finally getting wings. Though it couldn’t even fly at 50 kilometers per hour, it could now see the open sky and vast land ahead.

Finally. I could see the same view as the other students.

‘I can reach the realm beyond the extreme, challenge the legends of this world.’

With Hilde. Walking the same path. It was now possible.

“…!”

Tears of emotion welled up.

In the dusty wilderness, I swung an ordinary strike alone, shedding tears. It was humble but the joy of becoming ‘the same’ as others was immense.

I wanted to savor this feeling more.

“Special move―☆”

In that state, I drew the small amount of ether accumulated over the past few weeks. The red energy didn’t gather to a formidable degree as before, but it was enough to summon hearts and stick them onto the greatsword.

Creak― Creak―

The red hearts slowly spiraled along the blade of the greatsword. They began to ‘vibrate’ naturally, steadily enveloping the weapon.

‘If I can master [Basic Ether], [Vibrating Ether] is just a matter of proficiency…’

Although I couldn’t use more due to the lack of ether… I prepared the ultimate technique available with second-stage ether manipulation.

The energy that ‘resonates’ with the world, gathering countless hearts to bloom a flower of death. The hearts spiraling around the blade gradually heated white, making a creepy sound.

Creak, creak, creak…!!

It looked like a bouquet held by a bride. A flower of resolve, filled with a girl’s love and excitement.

First special move [Red Flower Darjeeling]

Not a brute force emission by punching. But a swordsman’s exquisite technique that follows the sword’s path.

I swung the greatsword, which had turned into a faint white flower.

A spiral resonating with countless hearts. Though it contained not a speck of [Unique Ether]. The brilliant scattering of petals was beautiful enough to make one stop and watch.

Swoosh――!!

Like a storm invading a flower field. The beautiful petals of hearts whipped up by the sword aura tore through the air.

Swinging the flower sword.

Swoosh――!!

And the destructive energy disappearing in an instant. Though the ether contained was negligible. It was cleaner and more threatening than punching. If one had the same understanding of ether manipulation, the difference would be several times.

‘I finally understand why other kids were terrified of fighting the [Pink Spiral].’

Just emitting overflowing ether like blasts and fighting barbarically with brute force. Compared to ether martial arts using weapon affinity, it was no different from a savage.

‘Damn developers… Blocking Clara from knowing this joy…’

I was grinning, feeling proud, wiping the nosebleed that had started.

“…Hehe☆”

Next time, I’d like to try using a different weapon.

Waking up Maya, who had fallen asleep at some point, and on the way back. I had taken Maya’s flask and was washing off my nosebleed with the water.

‘It’s a relief I could wash it off quickly.’

Maya, holding the steering wheel, started talking nonsense.

“By the way, why do you guys only eat the same type of canned corn every day?” “Huh? What do you mean―☆ We’re healthy girls who don’t have picky eating habits♪”

She knows our school’s situation well, yet she asks the obvious.

“No, I mean… didn’t you find it odd seeing the boxes those cans came in?” “Huh…?”

Maya glanced at me and spoke.

“They all came from the same company, the same factory.” “Huh…?” “Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but the batch numbers were similar, which was kind of creepy.” “Hmmm…”

I didn’t get what she was saying. Canned corn… I only remember eating it without thinking…

‘Ah.’

Then I remembered something about that company’s canned food.

-Lara… Why do you eat this stuff? And so much of it… -Uh, um―☆ It’s a product from my favorite company♪ -I see.

Hilde had stared at the can’s label intensely.

‘In truth, it was bulk discard from another school that I got cheaply, but I was too embarrassed to tell Hilde, so I lied…’

Embarrassed by the sudden memory, I held my head.

“Sigh…☆”

Other than that memory, nothing particular came to mind.

As I was deep in thought, I noticed a figure moving in the distant wilderness.

Maya seemed to notice it late and hit the brakes.

“Oh.”

“Huh? What’s that☆”

A student wearing ragged clothes was sitting on the path we were driving on. She raised a trembling hand and spoke in a weak voice.

“P-Please help… You outcasts…!” “…?” “…Oh☆”

Drooping purple cat ears. One of the strongest in the academy city. Seeing who was in the truck, she was shocked.

“N-No, no, no… [Spiral]?!” “Hello, pee cat―♪”