Chapter 27: An Unexpected Request

“Thinking about it, I should also work hard.”

In the early morning, Alice changed her clothes, tidied up the room, and left the dormitory. The academy was still immersed in the afterglow of the previous night—quiet, with hardly anyone around. The atmosphere suited Alice just fine.

“Good! I’ll keep working hard today too!”

There were still two hours until class, yet Alice had woken up this early… In fact, she had maintained this routine for nearly a month. Every morning before class, she took an extra hour to jog, circling the academy three times as additional training.

In the past, Alice wouldn’t have done this. After all, as a first-year student, she was among the more talented ones in Teacher Christine’s class, ranking at the top. According to Christine, she had already reached the level of a second- or even third-year student.

Alice had always taken pride in her talent and achievements.

Until that person appeared.

[Liya…]

At first, Teacher Christine had tasked her with taking care of the little girl. But Alice quickly realized that Liya was surprisingly self-sufficient and didn’t need special attention. According to Christine, Liya had grown up as an orphan in the church, so such independence wasn’t surprising. Perhaps because of that upbringing, Liya seemed somewhat aloof.

However, as they interacted more, Liya gradually opened up. Together with Cecilia, the three became good friends.

But that day, Alice saw it with her own eyes.

The scene of Liya challenging Teacher Annie alone, their fierce and brilliant duel. That was when Alice truly realized that Liya, whom she had always treated as a little sister, actually possessed abilities far beyond her own. If she herself was a genius, then Liya was a prodigy of a higher order.

At this rate, she would eventually be left behind… A sense of crisis welled up in Alice’s heart.

Liya was only ten years old, yet she was already one of the academy’s highest-ranking [Twelve Knights]. Her talent was beyond doubt. In comparison, Alice was sixteen. Not even close to being a Twelve Knight—she wasn’t even in the Top Twenty (The Best). At best, she could compete with ordinary upperclassmen.

With such strength, she would inevitably be left behind.

Alice knew many similar examples: former close friends gradually drifting apart due to the gap in their abilities. It wasn’t that their bond was weak, but that the dimensions they inhabited and the worlds they saw were different. How could people from different worlds become friends?

So after that day, Alice made a decision.

She would work hard—not necessarily to catch up to Liya, but at least to reach a level where she could stand as a friend. No matter what, Alice didn’t want to become a stranger to Liya… and the same went for Cecilia.

Most people probably didn’t know, but Cecilia’s background was also extraordinary… To walk alongside her two friends in the future, Alice pushed herself to train even harder.

That was why, even though she was a mage by profession, Alice decided to engage in daily physical exercise. Teacher Christine had also said that even mages shouldn’t completely neglect martial arts, just as martial artists often learn enhancement magic.

“Yo, good morning, classmate.”

She encountered some diligent students on her run, which didn’t surprise Alice. So upon hearing the voice, she naturally turned and smiled in that direction…

“Eek?!”

Her right foot twisted, and she nearly fell to the ground. Alice stared wide-eyed at the speaker—for the obvious reason of who it was.

White hair, crimson eyes, a tall demon youth. A crooked smile revealed a pair of fangs. Just looking at him, one could feel the ferocity emanating from him… Without a doubt, it was a “familiar face” she had met yesterday.

“Y-Yagesi?!”

“Yagesi Beast. As you can see, a [Beast] demon.”

Seeing that Liya’s best friend recognized him so easily, Yagesi felt pleasantly surprised. He didn’t expect to be so popular at the academy. It must be due to his image as a cool and intellectual gentleman. If so, Liya probably had a good impression of him too.

Yagesi suddenly felt confident in his upcoming plan.

“Actually, the reason I came is… by the way, what’s your name?”

“Alice…”

Alice didn’t give her surname. Unlike Yagesi, who was of royal blood, Alice, like Liya, wasn’t a pure demon, so she didn’t have a demonic family name.

It was said that among the demon royalty, there were families that discriminated against non-pureblood demons. She wondered if Yagesi was one of them. After all, he was one of the Twelve Knights, the most ferocious among them. Why was he seeking her out?!—Alice thought nervously.

“I see. Alice, that’s a beautiful name.”

…It seemed he didn’t discriminate. Alice sighed in relief.

“Anyway, this time I came to ask for your help with something important.”

“H-Help… with what…” Alice asked timidly.

Indeed, how should he put it? Yagesi felt a bit troubled.

*Should I ask her to be my wingman? No, that’s too direct. I’m a cool and intellectual gentleman; being so blunt would ruin my reputation. ‘I want to go on a date with Liya, can you help me?’ Still too straightforward. I need to be subtle. Hmm… got it!*

Yagesi grinned (ferociously) and patted Alice on the shoulder, saying:

“I want you to come with me.”

*Come with me = ask for your help = I want to pursue Liya. This logic is both subtle and easy to understand. I’m a genius!*

“C-Come with you?!”

Alice’s face instantly turned pale. The magic circulating through her body erupted, and she instinctively prepared to resist…

“Oh?”

The rising magic power diminished hundreds of times in an instant. Yagesi’s eyes glowed with an eerie green light. Despite his handsome young face, he looked like a beast ready to pounce and tear into her, coupled with the nullification of her magic. Alice felt her legs go weak…

*(N-No! I can’t fall!)*

Her will, which had just wavered, stood firm again. She tapped her knee to steady herself and stared stubbornly at Yagesi.

*If I fall here, no amount of training will allow me to stand alongside Liya and the others!*

*I can’t fall! Absolutely not!*

“Uh, no need for that. I mean no harm, really!”

“I-I’m not afraid of you!”

“Ah…” Yagesi scratched his hair, looking troubled.

It seemed showing off a bit of his power had scared Liya’s best friend. That wouldn’t do. He was a cool and intellectual gentleman. Now was the time to reason with her and calm her down…

Yagesi raised his hand and swiftly knocked Alice unconscious with a chop.

“Forget it, too much trouble.”

A cool and intellectual gentleman knows when to prioritize efficiency. Knocking her out was simply more convenient.

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