Chapter 17 : The Villainess’s Crisis?

Due to a faculty meeting, the academy’s professors gathered in one place.

“Did something happen? Today isn’t the usual day for a faculty meeting.”

“I don’t know. I was suddenly called here too..”

Usually, they receive meeting materials in advance and attend the meeting.

Without any of that, everyone sat down with a puzzled look at the sudden gathering when the door opened and the president came in, and everyone stood up.

“Hahaha, please sit down.”

Judging from the fact that he was smiling as usual, I thought it wasn’t an emergency, but then.

‘Flinch’

He scanned the professors with a cold gaze.

“During the joint training between Class A and Class B of the first-year students this time, I sensed an abnormal phenomenon.”

“……..”

This is a place where the best talents in the empire have gathered.

But an abnormal phenomenon? I’ve never heard of it.

Professors, composed of an average of 7th to 8th circles, didn’t even sense it?

That only the great archmage, the president of the academy who reached the 9th circle, sensed it.

There’s only one possibility.

That mages below the 9th circle couldn’t even sense this phenomenon.

But still, no damage occurred.

The president sighed after checking the professors’ puzzled expressions.

“This is still troubling. We’ll strengthen our security and request support from the Magic Tower.”

Requesting support from the Magic Tower means calling the Magic Tower Lord, but that crazy woman is coming to the academy?

At that time, Bellia Snake, the professor in charge of the magical combat class, raised her hand.

“If a 9th circle mage was involved in the academy, there is no way that traces would not be left behind.”

“Hmm, this is just my thought, but it may not be a 9th circle mage.”

The faces of the professors who heard those words turned pale.

If it wasn’t a 9th circle mage, there is only one possibility.

That there was a possibility that it was a 9th circle dark mage.

A mage of the same circle can’t beat a dark mage, so if a 9th circle dark mage invades the academy?

Only the 10th circle Magic Tower Lord at the Golden Magic Tower would be able to protect the academy.

But that’s also a problem.

If the Magic Tower Lord comes to the academy, who knows what she’ll do.

Is it right to call upon a greater evil to stop evil?

Did she read the professors’ expressions?

The president was smiling listlessly.

“Let’s just put up with it for a while. Just in case that crazy…. no, if the Magic Tower Lord does anything, report it to me immediately.”

Even the gentle president calls the Magic Tower Lord a crazy person.

And this news was conveyed to the Golden Magic Tower.

A being with long black hair fluttering and red eyes flashing while reading a letter.

The Magic Tower Lord, a 10th circle archmage who leads the Golden Magic Tower.

Serene Ignis.

A being who took the Magic Tower Lord position for the first time in the history of the empire from the magic noble family, the Terez dukedom.

The Magic Tower Lord who heard the news chuckled.

“Ahaha! Did you see this, darling!?”

“Magic Tower Lord, please don’t call me darling. People will misunderstand.”

She smiled and handed the letter to her aide, and the aide’s expression hardened as he checked it.

“If it’s true, then it’s a serious matter. Are you going right away?”

“Of course! I want to see our cute juniors!”

On top of that, she was also moving to track down the rats that existed in the academy.

The joint training with the second-year students began.

The method was a survival.

Each team received a pendant, and the team that protected it until the end would win.

As an illusion magic unfolded in the training grounds, it instantly changed into a maze-like space.

Ruby-senpai was leading her team members, who were marveling at the illusion as they touched the walls.

“My name is Ruby Ceres. And we’ll be moving, so be sure to keep a lookout as you follow me.”

“Yes!”

Unlike me, who replied brightly, they were wary of their surroundings.

They were all visibly tense, should I loosen them up a bit?

“Miss, you can’t.”

“I didn’t do anything?”

“I can tell just by looking at your eyes.”

I was stopped beforehand because of Eve, who knew me too well.

Scary, so scary.

While moving through the maze-like space, when I looked down at the ground, I saw a block that was protruding out as if saying, ‘Please step on me.’

And without hesitation, I stepped on it with my foot, and as soon as I did, something was fired from the wall.

I instantly spread a barrier to block it, but it was an arrow…?

Luckily, the end was rubber-coated, so if you got hit, it would only hurt.

And Ruby-senpai was glaring at me with an intense gaze.

“Why did you step on it?”

“It was made for me to step on, wouldn’t it be sad if I didn’t step on it?”

“……”

She covered her face with one hand and gestured, and Eve and Lucy, who were nearby, came closer and subdued me.

“Miss, please just stay still until the training is over.”

“Please, Miss.”

While I was held captive by Lucy and Eve, we continued our search and came across another team.

They seemed wary of us, but after confirming that I was being held captive by Eve and Lucy, they looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.

“Help me, woodcutter! The hunter is trying to hurt me!”

“Please be quiet!”

“888!!”

Because of Clea, who covered my mouth, Ruby-senpai was in a 1 vs 5 standoff.

A second-year senior on the other team was looking at Ruby-senpai with a pitiful gaze.

“Should we… pretend we didn’t see anything?”

“No, thanks. Come at me.”

She took out her sword and began chanting, and a bright light shone from her sword, blinding our vision for a moment, and then she charged in and started fighting.

The opposing team wasn’t in sync, and their actions only interfered with each other, and because of that, their pendants were exposed.

Ruby-senpai took advantage of that opportunity to break their pendants, and the opposing team was engulfed in a bright light and disappeared.

As she put away her sword and turned around, she checked us, who were tangled up, and sighed, then she approached us.

Have I ever been treated like baggage in my life?

Me, the lady of the magic noble family, the Terez dukedom!?

When I puffed out my cheeks and protested, Ruby-senpai poked my cheeks.

“Are you sulking?”

“It was dangerous!?”

“Whose fault is it?”

“Of course, it’s my fault!”

Ruby-senpai, who was speechless at my boldness, took the lead and told us to follow her.

When we followed Ruby-senpai, a wide open space appeared with a bright light.

Inside, other teams were facing each other.

“It was designed so that everyone would gather in one place at the end.”

“It is.”

There were five teams currently facing each other.

If any one of them moved carelessly, they could become the target of everyone.

Seeing that they were in a situation where they couldn’t move forward or backward, I suggested a solution.

“Should we aim for the back?”

“That… are you really a lady of a dukedom? Have you ever lived in the back alleys…?”

“Of course not! Even though I wasn’t raised preciously, I grew up going through all sorts of trials and tribulations.”

I smiled and whispered in Ruby-senpai’s ear.

That I had a very good plan.

As I stepped forward, saying that it was a good idea, all the teams’ attention turned to our team.

And then Ruby-senpai opened her mouth.

“Come at me, cowards.”

Huh? My suggestion was for each team to send out one member and fight with their pendants on the line?

How did the story get distorted?

“That’s different from the method I suggested?”

“It’s the same anyway.”

I looked at Ruby-senpai, who was laughing, saying that it’s the same whether we fight one or many, and I realized it.

Why I was so obsessed with Ruby-senpai.

She’s as broken as I am.

Following Ruby-senpai, who was drawing her sword and preparing her magic, I took out my staff from my pocket, and a huge tremor filled the open space.

This is not a magic that a normal mage can use.

I quickly spread a barrier to protect the students, and a being appeared, tearing through the barrier in an instant.

A young girl with long black hair fluttering and red eyes appeared.

“Ahaha! Whose barrier is that? It’s pretty good!?”

Judging by the madness in her laughter, she’s not an ordinary girl.

And then, the mana I felt.

She’s hiding it very thoroughly, but I can tell.

At least 9th circle. No, maybe even higher.

At that time, a woman wearing a golden robe appeared, following behind her.

There is only one place in the empire where you can wear a golden robe.

Only mages affiliated with the Golden Magic Tower can wear such clothing.

And if you confirm that golden line around them, they are at least a 7th circle mage.

“Magic Tower Lord! This isn’t the place!”

“This place looks much more fun to me?”

My eyes met with the girl, who had curious eyes, and she strode towards me.

The smile on her face disappeared, and she looked at me with a cold, expressionless face.