Chapter 9: Sparring with the Princess

Character growth in ‘Minorus Academy’ is determined by inherent talent stats.

Sayoreinne’s physical stats like stamina, strength, and agility were rock bottom, while her magical stats, including mana, elemental magic, and magical arts, were all maxed out at S rank. She was a classic glass cannon, easily taken out with a single strong hit.

Despite this, her all-S-rank magical talent made her incredibly powerful, though that power was usually directed at her allies. As a villain, she naturally appeared as an enemy.

The protagonist, Emelly, had all A-rank talents, allowing flexible development as a mage, a physical combatant, or a hybrid. Furthermore, her talents grew throughout the game, potentially reaching S+ rank in two areas. S+ was exclusive to Emelly.

With Emelly specializing in elemental magic like Sayo, the title of strongest elemental mage would inevitably shift to her.

My current opponent, Princess Euru, was a hybrid—talented in both magic and physical combat. With B-rank physical stats and A-rank magical stats, she chose to focus on magic.

She was likely the only other student besides Emelly with usable talent in both areas. In games, such balanced characters were versatile but often mediocre. Euru, however, was quite competent, especially in the early and mid-game.

Setting aside game knowledge, Euru’s mana capacity, magical arts proficiency, and elemental magic were all inferior to Sayo’s.

In short, Sayo couldn’t lose in a magic duel.

There were just over 400 first-year students, 150 of whom were mages.

These 150 mages would spar in pairs.

Five pairs would spar simultaneously before five instructors, while the rest observed.

Sayo and Euru, having paired up immediately, were in the first group.

Standing 20 meters apart, Sayo considered how to handle Euru. Euru had the weakest magic among the main mages, while Sayo, excluding late-game Emelly, was the strongest.

Snap

Sayoreinne opened her fan and held it to her mouth.

Humiliating the princess, with her condescending gaze and irritating red eyes, would be easy. That confident face would be contorted with shame—

‘…No, that’s not right. Am I feeling unwell? My mind control isn’t working well today. It’s best to keep it even and end the match amicably.’

Euru was a princess and one of Sayo’s favorite heroines. She didn’t want to cause trouble and needed to maintain a good image.

Maybe some pre-match conversation would help?

“Is there a reason you chose me as your opponent?”

“I don’t want to lose to someone like you. …And there are some things I want to find out. Pleased to meet you.”
Euru bowed her head slightly.

Indeed, if Sayo recalled correctly, she had a 0-3 record against Euru.

“Pleased to meet you, too.”

Sayo closed her fan and bowed her head slightly.

While five matches were happening concurrently, the fight between top-tier students Sayo and Euru naturally drew the most attention. Students gathered around to watch.

“Begin.”

The instructor’s indifferent voice echoed, and the match started.

Euru immediately dashed forward, closing the distance rapidly.

‘Physical enhancement. Just as I expected. She knows she can’t beat me with magic alone.’

In Sayo’s memory, their first-semester spars consisted of exchanging and blocking spells from a fixed position.

However, in the game, during their first second-semester spar, Euru incorporated low-level physical enhancement alongside her magic. Normally, students couldn’t switch to physical combat until their second year, but Euru explained she had received some training from a royal combat instructor during the break.

Her forward-leaning stance before the match had telegraphed her intentions.

Unfazed, Sayo channeled her mana and began constructing a formula. She employed the most basic and efficient method taught at the academy to slow down a physical combatant.

The quickly completed magic formula rapidly froze the surrounding ground.

The icy ground, with its drastically reduced friction, easily countered lower-level physical enhancement.

With her hastily learned skills, Euru couldn’t cover the remaining 20-meter distance on the slippery surface. Whatever plan Euru had, it was foiled.

“You! You knew I was going to use physical enhancement?!”

Sayo’s eyes curved into crescents, and her lips curled slightly upwards. She raised her fan to cover her mouth.

“Hee hee, don’t you think your stance was a little too forward-leaning? You practically announced it with your body. I had to be prepared, didn’t I? Or were you being magnanimous, like royalty, revealing your strategy and all—”

Seeing Euru’s scowl and fiery eyes, Sayo stopped mid-sentence.

‘…Why is she so emotional?’

It was different from Sayoreinne’s usual suppressed anger. Normally, Sayoreinne would have responded with a subtle smile and a polite but barbed comment.

But now, seeing Euru’s frustrated expression, Sayo felt a surge of satisfaction and expressed it openly.

“I thought you’d changed, but I guess you’re still the same.”

With a sneer and a sharp voice, Euru extended her arm, launching a fireball.

Sayo, who had been distracted but still circulating her mana, countered with her own fireball.

“…That was a slip of the tongue. I apologize.”

“You—even with that expression and those words, it just sounds sarcastic, you know? Or are you doing it on purpose?”

The explosion and the heat melted the ice, creating a thick mist that obscured their vision.

Euru used the cover to charge at Sayo again.

‘I’m not sure what my expression looks like right now, but it’s probably not apologetic.’

Sayo was flustered. Preoccupied with unfamiliar emotions, she couldn’t maintain her composure or focus on her magic. Her recent period of stability had made her careless.

‘Calm down. This is what I’ve been practicing for, isn’t it? Focus on the task at hand.’

Regaining some composure through mindful control, Sayo saw the red-haired girl right in front of her.

Sayo calmly drew out refined mana threads.

Euru took her final step.

Following Sayo’s hand movements, the mana threads formed a formula.

Euru’s right fist pulled back, ready to strike.

Sayo completed the formula, bringing it into manifestation.

Euru’s fist shot forward, splitting the air, reaching Sayo’s left cheek—

—Bang!

“Ugh…!”

A shockwave erupted from Euru’s chest, throwing her backward with force.

Sayo remained standing, her expression unchanged, while Euru lay sprawled on the ground, motionless.

The victor was clear.

“Sayoreinne Meirel. Winner.”

The instructor declared Sayo’s victory.

“As expected… she showed no restraint against the princess…”

Someone muttered from the crowd.

Euru had apparently been knocked unconscious, perhaps hitting her head during the fall. The instructor, looking slightly displeased, instructed Sayo to take Euru to the infirmary and stay with her until she woke up.

Sayo wrapped an arm around Euru’s waist, using mana-powered telekinesis for support, and headed towards the nearby infirmary.

‘I overdid the Air Shock. It was close, and I panicked a little.’

The spot where Euru’s fist had grazed her cheek was slightly red and tingling.

‘I guess I skipped the ‘getting scolded by the professor’ event since she’s unconscious.’

In the game, Euru’s poorly executed physical enhancement earned her a sound scolding from Professor Brynn, who criticized her lack of skill and emphasized the need for proper training and integration with her magic. Since she was a princess, it was more of an annoyed lecture than a reprimand.

Arriving at the infirmary, Sayo laid Euru on an empty bed. The divine mage on duty said Euru had suffered a mild concussion and would wake up soon.

Sitting beside the bed, Sayo looked at Euru, lost in thought.

‘Sayoreinne hates being stared at, but… that’s not the only reason for my reaction. Sayoreinne’s style is more insidious, not this open confrontation. She’d never directly mock or ridicule someone in public.’

‘It felt similar to how I reacted right after possessing Sayoreinne—unable to control my emotions, acting reflexively based on her muscle memory.’

‘Sigh, thinking about it won’t get me anywhere. I don’t have a status screen, a helpful fairy, or a guiding voice from the stars.’

All Sayo could do was wait. She had no clues to work with. She could only hope for some hint as time passed, either through further synchronization with Sayoreinne or gaining more control as Juseong.

Giving up on the fruitless contemplation, Sayo, with nothing else to do, simply gazed at Euru’s face.

Her fiery red hair spread across the pillow, the aftermath of their spar. Long, beautiful eyelashes. Slightly parted lips, drawing breath.

‘Beautiful, as always.’

Euru was her favorite heroine.

Sayo reached out and stroked Euru’s cheek. Smooth skin. A pleasant feeling. She placed her fan on the bed and leaned closer. Her fingers traced Euru’s red lips. Her right hand brushed Euru’s red hair.

‘Beautiful.’

For a long moment, Sayo savored the feel of Euru’s hair, eyes, nose, lips, and the nape of her neck.

She leaned in even closer.

She brought her face close to Euru’s.