After a BOOM of a powerful explosion, as the rising dust cleared and the landscape beyond was revealed, I smiled like a victor.

“…Well, that attack was more impressive than I expected.”

Leon, with a dazed expression, uncrossed his arms and gripped the broken stick with both hands.

Inside, I let out a cheer of victory.

Hooray! I won! Maybe I’m a bit stronger than before?

As I indulged in this strange thrill, Leon cleared his throat and asked.

“Cough, um, miss. I have a question—where do you rank in terms of strength among the first-year students? The strongest is probably Yoon Si-woo, who recently joined our side. Even including him, you should at least be in the top three, right?”

“Top three? I can’t even crack the top five.”

I slowly counted the original main characters on my fingers.

First off, Yoon Si-woo firmly holds the number one spot, and it seems like Sylvia and Dwight are vying for second and third place.

Then there’s Florene, the super-strong girl who was a candidate for the original heroine, and Marin, the one who wields ice and water.

Just considering them, it was clear I wasn’t in the top five.

Upon hearing my answer, Leon murmured with a shocked face.

“…We were considered a golden generation back in our day, but these kids nowadays…”

After muttering something incomprehensible, Leon recovered his senses and spoke to me.

“Miss, to be honest, I don’t quite understand why you want to become stronger. If you diligently improve your body and abilities at the academy, you could eventually become one of the notable heroes. Just how strong do you want to get?”

Even though Leon was giving me high praise, I still felt significantly lacking.

Just thinking of the original work made this level seem pathetically insufficient for the future, especially now that the witch, who didn’t appear in the original, had started to directly interfere…

With those thoughts swirling in my mind, I finally spoke up.

“Strong enough to fight the witch.”

At that, Leon burst into laughter.

“Ahaha, miss. It’s really nice to see someone aiming high.”

He chuckled for a moment, but when he realized I had no further reaction, he gradually hardened his expression and asked.

“…You’re not joking, are you?”

When I nodded, Leon’s eyes grew wide as he spoke.

“…Miss, I’ve fought several high-level monsters on the front lines, and even some decent heroes would get wiped out by them in a group. A witch would be several times stronger than those monsters. Do you understand that you’re saying you want to become strong enough to face such monsters?”

I merely nodded in silence.

Leon seemed to ponder for a moment, then walked over to the weapon rack and pulled out a sharp spear instead of a training weapon. He drew a long line in the ground and looked at me with a serious gaze, more intense than I had ever seen.

“I said I’d help you become strong, so I’m taking this seriously. If you’re earnest, I’ll help as much as I can. But first, show me your resolve. If you truly want to get stronger, step over that line.”

Leon pointed at the line on the ground with his spear.

I nodded at his words and walked towards the line.

Even as I approached the line, Leon didn’t make a move.

One step forward.

Two steps forward.

Three steps forward.

And even as I lifted my foot to finally cross the line.

At the moment I crossed it, I noticed he looked slightly surprised, yet he nodded solemnly and said.

“Got it. Since I promised, I’ll help you. Now then…”

Just then, my phone rang.

It was the phone I’d set aside for training.

“Ah… It’s my phone. Just a moment…”

I raised my hand for a moment and took the call.

As I pressed the button, I heard Sylvia’s voice, filled with excitement, on the other end.

[Ah, Scarlett! I suddenly have free time this afternoon, so I thought it would be good for us to go shopping today as we’d planned last time.]

I glanced around and replied in a small voice.

“Um… Now? Right now it’s a bit…”

When I answered like that, Sylvia responded with a tone full of disappointment.

[Oh… It seems like you must have something to do… Alright then. How about we just take a bath together this evening instead…]

Upon hearing that, I felt an alarm go off in my head.

Wait? If I don’t go shopping today, do I have to take a bath with her? That’s not okay!

“W-Wait a second! Thinking about it, it seems like today might work after all!”

[Wow! Really? Then it’ll probably take me about 30 minutes to return, so let’s meet at the mansion in a little while!]

“Got it! See you in 30 minutes at the mansion!”

As I shouted that, I bowed apologetically to the bewildered people around me.

“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry! Something urgent came up, and I really have to go!”

“Uh? Um… If there’s something urgent, then you should go…”

“I’m really sorry! Then see you next time!”

After continually bowing and apologizing to a bewildered Leon, I ran toward the mansion.

If I’m late, I’m doomed!

*

Watching Scarlett dash away in a daze, Mei shook her head briefly to clear her thoughts and spoke to Leon Lionel, who was silently staring at the line he had drawn in the ground.

“…Um, is something wrong?”

“Ah… Sorry, I momentarily forgot you were here. Just had a lot to think about…”

Leon answered, but it looked like his mind was still wandering elsewhere.

Mei, who had been gazing at the line he had drawn, cautiously asked.

“Um, is there something about that line you drew on the ground?”

It seemed like Leon was trying to test something, but Scarlett had passed it so effortlessly that it had sparked Mei’s curiosity about what it meant.

After pondering for a moment, Leon glanced at her and said.

“…It’s kind of a test, but would you like to give it a try too?”

At Leon’s suggestion, Mei tilted her head slightly, nodded gently, and approached the line, just like Scarlett had done.

Step by step, as she walked towards the line, she suddenly felt a strange sensation.

One step.

A chill coursed through her.

Despite the bright sunlight shining down.

And two steps.

Before she knew it, her hands and feet began to tremble.

Cold sweat started to trickle down her back.

Despite the reluctance, she took a third step.

The chill transformed into an unnerving fear that made her teeth chatter.

Cold. Chilling.

And scared.

Scared? Of what?

As Mei looked beyond the line, she realized where her fear was stemming from.

The man standing beyond the line.

He was practically screaming with his whole being.

“If you cross that line, I will kill you,” he seemed to say.

Though she’d already seen that he wouldn’t act, the intense, thick aura of murderous intent made her feel as if her head would be pierced by his spear if she crossed the line.

Even facing that enormous monster in front of the gym hadn’t felt this terrifying.

She would die. If she crossed the line, she would surely die.

Her breath quickened.

Even though she understood it in her mind, her body wouldn’t move.

About to cross this line? Are you crazy? It felt like her legs were shackled.

Her body was persistently rebelling against her determination to step over the line.

Scarlett did it, so I can do it too.

Even as she thought and wished for that, her body refused to budge.

Fuming at herself for being unable to overcome that fear, tears began to well up.

“Stop it.”

With that voice, the overwhelming sensation that had tightened around her disappeared in an instant.

Leon swiftly caught Mei’s crumbling body.

“I can’t… I just can’t cross. Scarlett did it, but… I can’t…”

“That girl is unique. You are normal.”

Looking down at Mei, who was sniffling in his arms, Leon spoke with a bitter expression.

Honestly, he couldn’t have imagined she would cross so fearlessly.

No matter how strong someone’s willpower, overcoming the fear of death isn’t something easily done.

However, she had crossed that line as if she didn’t care when death would come.

Was it her desire to become stronger or something else entirely?

Regardless, a promise is a promise.

Talent development… When do the academy classes resume? Should I ask the other squad leaders for help?

Thinking for a moment, Leon sighed as he glanced at the girl who had fainted in his arms.

“…I’m going to hear it from my daughter.”

As expected, he got an earful from Leonor, who was furious about what he had done to their daughter.