Chapter 35: Baptism by Fire

The opponents were five men clad in leather jackets—mere ruffians with no signs of magical power or enchanted items.

After a brief exchange of words, they quickly left the store first, clearly intending to ambush Lucy and Abet.

‘Not bad for practice.’

There was no better training than real combat, especially for Abet, who had no prior experience. Lucy intended to use them as a mean to help Abet understand ‘personal combat.’

After contemplating for a moment, Lucy retrieved the tutorial staff from her inventory and handed it to Abet.

“Miss Abet, do you know how to use attack magic?”

As they walked through a dimly lit alley after their meal, Lucy and Abet found themselves surrounded. Four men blocked the front, while one lingered behind them.

The leader of the group, twirling a dagger, sneered as he split it open with his tongue—a practiced move suggesting experience.

“You kids skipping school to loiter around a place like this? Delinquents always need discipline, and I believe in good old-fashioned corporal punishment. If you cooperate, I’ll simply take your clothes and money and let you go. I’m a gentleman after all.”

The thugs behind him chuckled, making crude jokes about Lucy’s black hair and Abet’s blonde locks. Their wordplay was terrible enough to make both girls frown.

“Miss Abet, I’ll handle the four in front. Think you can take the one in the back?”

“Yes… Leave it to me!”

Though she answered boldly, Abet’s trembling grip on the staff betrayed her nervousness. It was expected—she had no real combat experience. That was precisely why Lucy had brought her here.

‘Practical experience is key to becoming stronger. She needs this.’

The men laughed uproariously at Abet’s stance.

“Pfft, what’s with that flimsy cane?”

“You brats just entered the academy, didn’t you? Think you can fight us?”

Unfazed, Lucy picked up a wooden stick from the roadside and approached them. The leader smirked. “Will you even leave a scratch with those scrawny arms?”

Lucy answered by swinging the stick straight at his face.

BAM!

With a dull impact, the man collapsed, teeth scattering onto the ground like falling petals.

“H-Hey… Wake up…”

“You’re not dead, are you?”

“Damn it! Get them all at once!”

The remaining thugs, who had been mocking just moments ago, rushed at Lucy. She simply leaned the stick against her shoulder and waited.

For someone of her level, skills weren’t necessary. She swung at the right moments, breaking limbs with each impact.

The last thug tried to flee, but Lucy yanked his leg out of joint, ending the encounter.

With them subdued, she turned back to Abet.

Abet was still engaged in a standoff with her opponent. Every time the thug advanced with his dagger, she countered with ‘air cannon’ magic, pushing him back. However, her attack power was weak, and he had no better means of closing the distance. The cycle repeated endlessly, neither able to gain the upper hand.

Lucy silently observed their stalemate.

Abet once again fired a shockwave, and once again, the man braced himself against it.

If she wanted to end this, she needed a stronger spell—but her only alternative was the unfinished ‘Fireball’ technique, which lacked the necessary control for effective use.

“This brat! Let’s see how much longer you can keep this up!”

The thug’s face twisted in anger, his murderous intent clear.

A cold sweat dripped down Abet’s cheek. She knew she was losing ground. Her magic reserves were depleting, while the thug remained persistent. Once she ran out, she would be defenseless.

‘I have to land a decisive blow before my magic runs out.’

But how?

Admit defeat and ask for Lucy’s help? No, that wasn’t an option. This was the first task Lucy had assigned her. She couldn’t disgrace herself so soon.

Then, she recalled what Lucy had told her about the staff—it could store magic.

‘If I enchant one spell and cast another separately, I can use both at once!’

Determined, Abet prepared her counterattack.

“Shockwave again? Come on, come on! I’ll withstand it this time, and then I’ll break your hand!”

But this time was different.

She imbued her staff with Air Wave and simultaneously prepared Fireball in her free hand.

“Euaaaaah!”

With a battle cry, she fired both spells. The air cannon propelled the fireball forward at an accelerated speed.

The resulting explosion engulfed the thug in flames.

As the smoke cleared, he lay unconscious.

Abet collapsed to the ground, her legs trembling.

“I… won?”

She glanced between the fallen thug and her own hands in disbelief.

Lucy walked up to her and offered a hand.

“Good job.”

“I couldn’t have done it without Your staff! Thank you!”

Abet humbly brushed off the dust on her clothes, her usual politeness returning.

Lucy smiled faintly, feeling like a veteran training a rookie. It reminded her of the days in ‘Ragnarok.’

“I’ll give you the staff as a gift.”

“Huh?! I—It’s fine! I can’t just accept something so valuable…”

“It’s just a freebie,” Lucy shrugged. “I don’t need it. Take it.”

“…Thank you.”

Abet didn’t refuse twice.

“But just accepting it like this feels wrong… How should I repay you?”

“I’m not expecting anything in return. But if it really bothers you… could you do me a favor?”

“Yes! Please, anything!”

Academy Library.

Lucy and Abet sat side by side, poring over old books piled on the desk, gathering information.

A few days ago, Lucy had asked Abet to research the ‘Human-Male War’ from the past. Abet had thrown herself into the task wholeheartedly.

So far, they had found:

• 20 books from the palace archives.
• 37 books from the academy library.
• 13 books from Lihiberi’s mansion.

A total of 70 ancient books.

Now, it was just a matter of combing through them.

Classmates passing by observed them with curiosity—the princess of a country working together with the daughter of a traitor.

As a result, the bullying and verbal abuse directed at Abet had all but disappeared.

After all, the reason for her ostracization had been her father’s betrayal, selling Lucy to the enemy. But since Lucy herself had befriended Abet, the bullies lost their justification.

It was an unexpected blessing for Abet.

At the same time, Lucy, who detested the idea of school violence happening in her name, felt relieved.

However, there was one person who was not pleased with this change.

A female student stood in the shadows, watching with jealousy burning in her eyes.

“That seat was supposed to be mine…”