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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Elisa, did you do what I told you yesterday?”
During lunchtime, when everyone was feeling drowsy, Martina naturally sat next to Elisa and took out her textbook. This had become her designated seat for the past few days.
Elisa hesitated for a moment before nodding at her question.
“I, I asked…”
“And what did he say?”
As she asked, Martina recalled Elisa’s crush whom they had encountered yesterday. His face was covered in scars and burn marks regardless of his original appearance.
He was known as a beast, in contrast to the beauty of Karina, his escortee.
However, according to Martina’s investigation, despite his appearance that seemed suited only for combat, he was talented enough intellectually to receive love calls from various guilds, unlike his fierce exterior.
His combat ability was befitting of his reputation as the Saintess’s knight escort.
There were rumors that he was originally trash who relied solely on his family’s prestige, but he had easily subdued the 3rd Platoon Leader who possessed his family’s secret techniques and quite outstanding skills.
There were also rumors that during the final exam, he had led students caught in a rift, broke through the rift, and returned. And that he was working on a project with Headmaster Merlin.
‘Not all of it can be true.’
Even with the power of the universe, it couldn’t be to this extent.
That was the commonsense judgment.
Perinne, who was praised as a genius, Lewis, who was gaining attention for his outstanding swordsmanship, and Shuri, who received good evaluations as the top student in the Magic Department, were all average or worse in areas outside their expertise.
A swordsman doesn’t know how to use magic, and a mage has no way of knowing how to wield a sword.
But one thing seemed certain.
‘There are fewer things he can’t do.’
Cooking, construction, metallurgy, sewing, making delicate devices, weapon techniques, survival skills in the wilderness, a frightening resourcefulness.
A versatile man to the point where it was understandable that he was in charge of escorting the most noble being in the world, the Saintess.
It was no wonder he had so many competitors.
‘What kind of person receives love calls from more than ten guilds, not just one or two? Is he really human?’
Moreover, they were all guilds in different fields.
There were even rumors that he held a mage’s license, so every time Martina collected information about him, her head started to ache.
It was difficult to distinguish what was true and what was false.
“He, he, he said… he wants a, a s-sanctuary of the heart…”
“A sanctuary of the heart…?”
Martina’s expression became quite serious.
The difficulty was already high, and it seemed to be getting even higher, so it couldn’t be helped.
Martina asked Elisa with sincere eyes.
“Was there anything else besides that?”
“N-No…”
‘I can’t tell if he was just making an excuse or if he seriously thinks that way.’
In fact, she couldn’t even be sure if he had any proper interest in women.
He was a man who walked away without any change in expression even when Milia, whose appearance was not inferior to Elisa’s despite her slightly lacking figure, made a blatant pass at him.
It was obvious that any appeal to such a man would be fruitless.
They desperately needed some way to break through the situation.
‘It was easy with Lewis and Shuri since they had mutual feelings for each other… but this one won’t be easy.’
“For now, try to have as much contact with Sir Johann as possible and gather more information. What food he likes, what his hobbies are, what his main interests are…”
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never lose a battle.
In the end, information is necessary for a fight.
Martina organized her thoughts while busily working her brain.
‘First of all, the more you enter the same battlefield, the more important the appeal is. I’m sorry for Miss Milia, but for now, I’m taking Elisa’s side…’
“And would you like to take some ‘lessons’ with me?”
“L-Lessons?”
Elisa looked at her with a perplexed expression at the sudden remark.
Martina smiled softly at Elisa’s cute reaction and opened her mouth to explain the meaning of the lessons.
That’s when it happened.
“Martina, I’m sorry, but I’d like to talk about the group assignment…”
At the voice that abruptly interrupted, Martina’s gaze shifted to the side. A female student with a somewhat flashy appearance caught her eye.
“Bella. We’re in the middle of a conversation right now, so let’s talk about the assignment next time…”
“Isn’t our group assignment more important than relationship counseling?”
“There’s still more than half a month left until the group assignment deadline. And relationship counseling doesn’t take long either.”
“We don’t only have the group assignment.”
Martina’s eyebrows twitched at Bella’s brusque voice.
Bella stared at Martina with a cold gaze, unperturbed by the sharp look. As the gazes of the two, who were practically rivals, clashed in the middle, Elisa, who had become a third party, fidgeted restlessly and glanced back and forth between the two.
“D-Don’t f-fight…”
“Elisa, we’re not fighting.”
“That’s right. Why would we fight?”
Even as they said that, the two did not avert their gazes. The staring contest had already turned into a battle of pride.
Martina found it tiring to engage in a battle of nerves with Bella, who had been clashing with her at every turn since the start of the second semester, but she couldn’t back down.
If she backed down once, she would continue to be pushed back in the future.
However, Bella turned her head as if finding such a staring contest trivial and looked at Elisa. Elisa flinched and tried to avoid her gaze as their eyes suddenly met, but Bella spoke to her regardless.
“Elisa. Wouldn’t it be better to practice magic more instead of wasting time on relationship counseling?”
“Uh, I, well…”
“Oh my, is the third-ranked student saying that to the previous semester’s second-place student?”
Fire ignited in Bella’s eyes at Martina’s remark. With a pained expression as if a sore spot had been poked, Martina glared at her with her arms crossed.
Elisa cowered in fear at their faces that looked like a fight would break out at any moment.
It further fueled Martina’s anger.
“Bella. Apologize to Elisa right now.”
“I was merely giving advice.”
“…You’ll regret acting so abrasively. Bella Asher.”
“Will I really?”
Bella stared at Martina with a spiteful face, then turned her gaze back to Elisa.
“As I said before, I was simply giving sincere advice. It’s not empty words. It seems you’re not in a state to have a proper conversation, so let’s talk next time.”
Bella gave Elisa one last glance and returned to her seat.
The nearby students who had been watching the situation nervously sighed in relief and looked at Martina. Martina had a clearly displeased expression, but she didn’t stop Bella.
She knew Bella wouldn’t listen anyway.
“Elisa, are you okay?”
“Y-Yes…”
“Don’t mind what Bella said. She’s just being spiteful.”
Elisa nodded with a gloomy face.
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“It’s a nice day.”
As I was watching Karina and the kids chatting behind me, someone suddenly spoke to me.
When I turned my head, an unfamiliar yet familiar face met my eyes.
Why are you talking to me?
I stared intently at the unpleasant-looking girl.
Why on earth was she talking to me?
There was no way she had any connection to me. And she wasn’t the type to approach me without a reason.
Whether I was perplexed or not, the girl in question spoke to me in a strangely seductive voice.
“Your name is Johann, right…?”
“…That’s right.”
I turned my gaze and blankly stared at the back of Karina’s head. I didn’t know what this girl’s goal was, but I intended to feign disinterest.
I had no desire to get involved with a troublesome woman.
“I heard a lot about you from Elisa. They say you’re a capable person…”
“…”
“Oh my, are you ignoring me?”
“I’m on duty.”
“Wouldn’t it be okay for just a moment? Surely no one would dare harm the Saintess?”
It wasn’t entirely wrong, but it wasn’t something I could readily accept either.
Didn’t crazy bastards just rampage a few months ago? Moreover, this world is only peaceful on the surface, but it’s rotting on the inside and could fall apart at any moment. It wouldn’t be surprising if a traitor emerged among the students.
Especially coming from the girl in front of me, there was even more reason to be suspicious.
“No.”
“But you answered kindly when Elisa talked to you…”
So what?
The unpleasant girl was acting unpleasantly too.
I gave her a dismissive glance as she spoke with eyes full of jealousy while casually mentioning Elisa’s name, and once again issued an order to leave.
“Go away.”
“Hmph… Fine.”
Ugh, so spiteful.
I glared at the back of Bella’s head as she walked away, then turned my gaze back to Karina.
Her pink hair was wrapped in a veil.
As I stared at the purifying pink hair, I suddenly frowned at the unexpected variable that had appeared.
…Why did the mastermind make contact with me?
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