The busy days had flown by. 

I considered staying a bit longer, but unfortunately, the academic schedule was packed.

A major event was about to start soon.

Regretfully, I clicked my tongue. The members were in tears at the news of my departure again.

"Captain…!"

"Why must you make us wait once more?"

"I wish we could serve you just one more night…!"

Why do they act like this? Though it wasn't my first time, their reactions still felt overwhelming.

I forced myself to appear indifferent as I stepped away.

Two people waited for me by the door.

A girl with long silver hair and a middle-aged man with striking red hair.

I greeted them in turn.

"I’ll be stepping away for a while."

"Yes, Master."

"Haha! Have a safe trip."

With the two of them around, I felt more at ease.

Though the members were all strong, they were also unpredictable, which made me anxious.

"Take care of Astro for me."

"I’ll ensure all the information you requested is collected before you return."

"I’ll take care of our little fox guests!"

"Haha, good."

With their reassuring responses, I left the basement feeling at ease.

"Then, let’s be off."

And so, I returned to the academy.

---

"I think I spent the weekend well, don't you?"

"Perhaps."

"Though it was a bit tiring… it was nice seeing familiar faces."

"The children certainly seemed to be doing well."

"Hehe."

We walked down the corridor on our way to class, with the snake, the fox, and the driver walking side by side.

I asked casually.

"How was your weekend, Miss Regia?"

"Huh, what?"

"I was wondering how you spent the weekend."

"Oh… well, I just wandered around the academy here and there. The place is so big that there are still places I haven’t explored…."

"Fascinating."

That's the protagonist for you.

She seemed genuinely curious about her surroundings.

In the original story, she was just like this—wandering around, meeting people, building connections.

Personally, I liked the gentle atmosphere it created.

‘I'm glad she's enjoying herself.’

I smiled faintly.

Seeing her bloom like a solitary flower in a background that treated her as an outsider was beautiful.

It softened the hardened parts of my heart.

In that tender mood, as I walked along in high spirits—

"Student Yuda."

A voice suddenly called out.

Turning around, I saw an elderly man with a distinctive, bushy beard.

He exuded an air of sophistication.

"May I have a word with you?"

One of the academy’s professors stood before me.

A veteran instructor responsible for [The Limits of Magic Manifestation], he was a respected figure at Galimar.

He was admired by many students.

"It’ll only take a moment."

"Professor Raphael."

"I didn’t expect you to even know an old man’s name like mine."

"They call you the wisest sage, after all. I’ve heard of your reputation."

"Heh… I like how smart you are."

The old man chuckled approvingly.

Though he was known for his warmth toward students, his friendliness felt unusually overt.

I could guess where this was heading.

I listened quietly as he continued.

"I have a proposal for you."

"Please, go ahead."

"Would you be interested in delving deeper into magic?"

"…"

So, it’s finally come to this.

It was a familiar bait, and the conversation was progressing exactly as I expected.

I sighed inwardly.

‘How many times is this now?’

It was the same thing day after day.

Ever since that intense duel, the staff had been seeking me out as if they had a pact.

They all had the same purpose.

"Our research lab has been short-staffed lately. We’re considering taking on a promising student as an apprentice…."

Professors were vying for me.

Perhaps due to my recent, shocking performances, offers were coming from everywhere.

This was the seventh offer today alone.

They were approaching aggressively, as if in competition.

Offers for apprenticeship, assistant roles, even positions as their successor.

Professors were jockeying for position, and I had to smile politely every time.

"So, what do you think?"

"It’s a generous offer."

I smiled slightly, using my polite tone again.

"But…"

"But?"

"It’s a bit sudden, so I need some time to think it over."

"I understand. You've probably received similar offers."

"It might sound arrogant, but… could I have some time to consider it?"

"Of course."

The old man nodded readily.

"You’re cautious."

"I’m sorry."

"No, I like it. You have the makings of a great mage."

"Thank you. I’ll let you know when I’ve made a decision."

"Very well. Until next time."

With that, the professor reluctantly turned and walked away.

Watching his retreating back, Irene, who had been watching from the side, sidled up to me.

"That’s strange."

"Sorry?"

"You. You have no intention of joining anyone, do you?"

"I suppose that’s true."

"Then why don’t you just say no?"

The fox narrowed her eyes, tilting her head as if she genuinely couldn’t understand.

"If it’s really bothering you, why not just turn them down firmly instead of leaving it vague every time?"

Was she really that curious?

To an observer, it must seem like I was playing a prank with no intention of committing.

I answered quietly.

"Because I feel bad."

"…What?"

"They’re all people who think highly of me. I feel bad about rejecting them outright."

"That’s… unusually cautious and considerate. Doesn’t suit you at all."

"Now that’s harsh."

But it wasn’t exactly wrong.

After all, I did look a bit ominous.

The world was bitter if it misunderstood a warm heart because of appearances, and I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

I continued.

"And if I leave things open, I can always use it to my advantage later."

"…?"

"I could probably ask for favors from them a few times."

People tend to feel more anxious about being left in limbo than being outright rejected.

With the entire Galimar faculty eager to recruit me, I was planning to turn this situation to my advantage.

The longer I postponed, the more desperate the professors would become.

They’d go out of their way to show their sincerity.

"I feel a little sorry for them, but… I’m just playing with them for a bit."

My academic record, privileges, and lifestyle would be that much better.

They saw me as a ‘raw gem’ worth fighting for.

Of course, there might be drawbacks if I took it too far.

"I have confidence I can manage it well."

"…"

"Why do you look at me like that?"

"…"

"Irene?"

"…"

A perfect plan.

As I grinned in satisfaction, I noticed her strange expression.

Her black eyes bore into me, as if saying, ‘Of course, you’d do that,’ with an annoyingly insolent look.

I asked, feeling a bit awkward.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"…"

"That’s just how the world works. It’s not like I’m the weird one here."

"…"

Nothing.

She didn’t even say anything.

Not her usual criticisms or anything—just silence.

Her reaction was strangely irritating.

Grabbing her gently swaying tail in mild annoyance, I squeezed it.

"Yikes!"

"This is your punishment."

"W-wait, uh…! I didn’t even say anything…!"

"It’s your insolent look that’s the issue."

"Eek! Stop… it feels so weird!"

"Take it graciously."

The lively back-and-forth continued, as her cries filled the air between us for a while.

---

The endless onslaught of wild professors.

The overwhelming demands to mentor me seemed to ease a bit after a few days.

It didn’t seem they’d given up.

"I’ll think about it carefully."

I had repeated that response to nearly every professor by now.

Though it was hectic for a few days…

All things considered, I suppose it’s for the best.

After that duel, it was nice to finally have some peace.

So, I was enjoying a calm day, basking in the summer sun…

"Hello."

Or at least, I thought I was.

Until a girl greeted me suddenly.

"Been a while."

As I enjoyed my walk alone, someone approached.

Her platinum blonde hair shimmered in the warm breeze, and her blue eyes resembled the ocean.

There was an aura of calm around her.

"Your Highness…?"

It was Charlotte.

Just as I thought the professors had finally backed off, the princess herself approached me.

‘This is actually… good.’

A beloved character from the game.

And Charlotte, one of the story’s pillars, had come to talk to me first.

It was a joyful situation.

I smiled brightly.

"It’s an honor to meet the Empire’s first star."

"Nice to see you."

"What brings you here?"

"I just wanted to see you."

"See me?"

"Yes."

She nodded calmly, her gaze fixed on me.

After watching me for a moment, she suddenly leaned forward.

Before I could react, her nose pressed against my chest.

"…"

"Your Highness?"

She sniffed, as if taking in my scent.

"Sniff, sniff."

What kind of fourth-dimensional move is this?

As I stood there with a question mark floating above my head, she finally pulled away, a faint smile on her face.

A translucent glow surrounded her.

"You smell fresh."

"Excuse me?"

"A cool, wintery scent."

"A wintery scent?"

"It’s a compliment."

"I see."

An enigmatic person indeed.

Last time, she complimented my clean smile; now, it was

 a cool scent.

Was it her way of showing favor?

"Though I don’t quite understand, I appreciate the compliment."

"Mhm."

Charlotte blinked, and suddenly, her hand was on my head, gently stroking it.

A soft ‘pat, pat.’

‘She’s treating me like a baby.’

Even knowing my strength, she reacted with such innocence.

So, I decided to play along for a while.

Her standing on tiptoe to reach up was adorable.

As she continued stroking, she suddenly spoke.

"That was unexpected."

"Pardon?"

"The duel from a few days ago."

"You mean with Lady Vanity?"

"Yes."

Come to think of it, this was our first conversation about that.

Charlotte tilted her head.

"I was surprised. I thought you’d kill her."

"What? You thought I’d kill her…?"

"You didn’t?"

"Of course not."

"But she offended you. She was slandering you everywhere."

"That’s hardly a crime worthy of death."

What did people think of me?

Everyone kept asking if I’d kill someone.

They didn’t know how gentle-hearted I was.

"You really are intriguing."

"Am I?"

"What kind of person are you? A good person? Or a bad one?"

"That depends on your perspective."

"True."

Charlotte nodded solemnly.

Our conversation flowed oddly, and we exchanged a few more words.

"The midterms are coming up."

"Already next week. Quite a tight schedule, wouldn’t you say?"

"I’m looking forward to it."

"Sorry?"

"I said I’d be watching."

She must be referring to the group allocation exam.

Recollecting the short memory, I chuckled softly.

"Next week, I look forward to it."

I murmured to myself, smiling faintly.

Several days passed, and the midterms were drawing nearer, causing the academy atmosphere to grow tense and cold. With students more sensitive to the pressure of exams, the air felt as frigid as ice.

- As announced, the upcoming midterm exam will be conducted in groups of three. 
- Each student is required to form their group of three and submit the names to the supervising professor. 
- Galimar Academy wishes each student the best of luck in proving themselves.

The notice arrived two days before the exam—a last-minute requirement. 

Though students were surprised by the announcement, they scrambled to form their groups of three to participate.

I was no exception.

"Prince... is-isn't our group still missing someone?"

"Don't worry, Regia."

The midterms required teams of three, which meant that even with Regia and me, we still needed one more member. But I wasn’t worried.

"We still have a friend to join us, don’t we?"

I smiled brightly as I walked toward our final member—a girl with ocean-blue hair pulled into twin buns, slumped over her desk.

"Lady Vanity."

Just as I approached, however…

"Stand back."

Someone stepped in front of me.

I looked up to see a boy with striking green hair, exuding an unmistakable air of authority.

"Yuda Snaikers."

A tense atmosphere radiated from him, and the insignia of the Vanity family was proudly engraved on the sword at his side. I recognized him immediately.

"I won’t stand idly by while you act as you please."

Ruska Vanity.

Emilia’s twin brother and one of the early antagonists in the story, meant to be an extra obstacle.

His blue eyes narrowed in a glare as he fixed his gaze on me.

"I will protect Emilia."

With a bold proclamation of his intentions to shield his sister from what he seemed to believe was a sinister threat, I blinked and thought to myself.

What on earth is he doing?