Sword Saint Story: Starting from Zero Attack Power ~After being abandoned by my childhood friend, the princess, I enrolls in a magic school and ends up making a contract with the Demon Lord~ Volume 2 Chapter 2

 Chapter 2 Eugene speaks to the Headmaster

“Eugene, you made a contract with Demon King Erinyes, didn’t you?”  

Headmaster Uther’s sharp words pierced through me. His gaze was intense, a stark contrast to the bored expression he had while reading earlier.  

“Uh, well, there were various reasons for that…”  

As I fumbled for words, he cut in.  

“Fufu, no need to panic. I’m not blaming you. But it’s best if the ‘Holy Alliance’’s leader, the Holy Kingdom of Cardia, doesn’t find out. The people there despise Demon King Erinyes.”  

“…Right.”  

It’s a well-known fact.  

In the ‘Holy Alliance’ nations, being discovered as a follower of the Demon King means immediate execution.  

I’d like to say no one would worship a Demon King, but surprisingly, Demon King worship is deeply rooted in parts of the southern continent.  

The reason lies in the governance of Demon King Erinyes a thousand years ago. Her policy was one of ‘Sloth’.  

Live as lazily and freely as you please—that was her approach, apparently. Unlike typical Demon Kings, she didn’t massacre humans, making her rule unusually lenient.  

That said, she showed no mercy to those who opposed her, according to historical records—and from what I’ve heard directly from the Demon King herself.  

In contrast, the most widely worshipped deity in the southern continent, the Holy God, preaches ‘Order’ and ‘Diligence’.  

In other words, the complete opposite. Yet, for those who find such teachings stifling, the Demon King is secretly revered.  

There’s also the legend that Demon King Erinyes possesses “beauty beyond this world,” which likely plays a role. And I can confirm that part firsthand.  

With her appearance… it’s easy to understand why she’d be worshipped.  

I don’t worship the Demon King myself, but if my contract with her were exposed, I’d be in serious trouble. The inquisitors of the Holy Kingdom of Cardia are infamous for their relentless and brutal interrogations.  

…Am I safe? My expression must have betrayed my worry.  

“No need to be so pessimistic. To the rest of the world, Demon King Erinyes is supposed to be in a sealed slumber. Only you and I know she’s awake.”  

“Hiding it… to avoid causing unnecessary panic among the Labyrinth City’s residents, right?”  

“Exactly. There’s no benefit in letting people know the Demon King is awake. Besides, the seals in the great underground prison are impregnable. There’s no chance of her escaping.”  

“…Really?”  

I know how secure the underground seals are, but having met the Demon King in person, my concerns outweigh my confidence. She always seems like she’s plotting something.  

“Come now, I’m the one responsible for this city’s security. You don’t need to worry, Eugene.”  

Headmaster Uther flashed his usual confident grin.  

“I was half-expecting to be thrown into the sealed prison with the Demon King.”  

“Hahaha! That’s a good one. Well, if you were being controlled by Demon King Erinyes, I might’ve considered it, but from what I see, there’s no need to worry.”  

As he spoke, Headmaster Uther’s eyes glowed silver.  

—‘Sage’s True Eye’.  

The magical eye possessed by the headmaster.  

It’s said that nothing can be hidden from its gaze. It’s probably how he instantly recognized Sumire as an otherworlder.  

“My business is done. I wanted to check if there was anything off about you after your contract with the Demon King. You seem fine. Honestly, I figured she wouldn’t do anything life-threatening since she seems to like you.”  

His words made me pause.  

“…You were worried about me?”  

“Of course. The academy’s students are like family to me.”  

“Thank you.”  

I bowed sincerely.  

“Don’t mention it. Now, don’t you have something you want to ask me, Eugene?”  

“You see right through me, don’t you?”  

As expected, hiding anything from the headmaster is impossible. My biggest question, of course, was about that.  

“…Why did a ‘Divine Beast’ appear on the 20th floor?”  

“That… we’re still investigating.”  

His expression turned grim at my question.  

“Could it be related to the ‘Flame Godkin Tribe’ appearing in the ‘Zenith Tower’…?”  

I voiced my hypothesis. I hadn’t told her directly, but the ‘Flame Godkin’ who turned the 5th floor into a sea of flames and the ‘Divine Beast Cerberus’ that ravaged the 20th floor—both were anomalies on low floors. I wondered if they were connected.  

“No, those are likely separate incidents.”  

The headmaster dismissed my theory outright.  

“Really?”  

“Yes. As for Sumire-kun… we believe she was caught up in a ‘Mass Summoning of Otherworlders’ that happened on the western continent.”  

“A ‘Mass Summoning of Otherworlders’…?”  

What the heck is that!? Aren’t otherworlders supposed to be rare, appearing maybe once every few centuries?  

“The western continent is more heavily influenced by the celestial goddesses than the southern continent. It seems they’re taking measures in preparation for the Great Demon King’s revival. They likely want to use otherworlders with powerful abilities as trump cards against the Great Demon King. The western continent is geographically close to the Demon Continent, where the Great Demon King is said to revive.”  

“…The legendary Great Demon King who ruled the world a thousand years ago? Is it really going to revive?”  

It’s a rumor among people, but it doesn’t feel quite real.  

“Yes, that’s certain. But that’s not something a student like you needs to worry about, Eugene. Leave that to the higher-ups in the nations.”  

“You’re a king yourself, aren’t you…?”  

“Which is why I’m already on it. I’m gathering information properly. As for why the ‘Divine Beast’ appeared on the 20th floor… it’s still just a hypothesis, so I can’t explain it here.”  

“I see.”  

I backed off quietly. If the headmaster doesn’t know, no one does. Then a thought struck me.  

“If there’s a ‘Mass Summoning of Otherworlders’ on the western continent, could Sumire’s acquaintances be there…?”  

“Yes, I mentioned it to Sumire-kun as well.”  

“She’d want to meet them, wouldn’t she?”  

If she could reunite with someone she knows, it’d be the best thing for her.  

But Sumire hadn’t mentioned anything about it earlier.  

“She says she won’t go meet the otherworlders on the western continent.”  

“…Why not?”  

It’s a chance to meet someone she might know.  

“She’s lost her memories.”  

“…True. But meeting someone familiar might help her recover them.”  

“Perhaps, but Sumire-kun is now a ‘Flame Godkin’. There’s a chance the other person might not recognize her as an acquaintance.”  

“…I see.”  

Sumire isn’t human anymore—she’s reincarnated as a ‘Flame Godkin’. It’s unclear how similar her current appearance is to her previous life, but it could be completely different.  

“She says she’s scared to meet them without her memories and as a non-human. Understandable. Traveling to the western continent takes over ten days. She doesn’t want it to be a wasted trip.”  

“…Yeah.”  

Sumire’s situation must be much harder than I’d realized. I wish I could help her somehow…  

“By the way, according to Sumire-kun,” the headmaster said with a sly grin, “she’s not feeling so lonely lately thanks to you and Leona-kun. She says Lykeion Magic Academy is fun. Looks like I’m fulfilling my duties as her guardian.”  

His words made me feel a bit embarrassed. Sumire said that?  

“That’s good to hear.”  

“Especially when she talks about you, Eugene. Her face lights up. Seems like she really likes you.”  

“…Uh, well.”  

Sumire’s emotions are always so straightforward and easy to read. I’m aware she’s somewhat fond of me.  

“Not going to make a move?”  

What an outrageous thing to say.  

“No way! I’m her guardian!”  

What a thing to suggest.  

“I know how serious you are, Eugene. That’s why I entrusted her to you.”  

“That’s… an honor.”  

“But you left your homeland because of a broken heart, enrolled in this magic academy, and the only woman you’ve gotten close to is Demon King Erinyes. You even parted ways with that Saintess Candidate you had a good thing going with, didn’t you? You’re a student—why not enjoy some romance?”  

“Sara and I were never dating!”  

This conversation was derailing spectacularly. Why am I discussing romance with the headmaster, who’s also a king?  

“Hmm, I have a feeling you’re going to have a lot of trouble with women from now on, Eugene.”  

“What’s that supposed to mean?”  

“Just a hunch. Don’t worry about it.”  

The headmaster chuckled with a mischievous kukuku.  

His magical eye was still glowing silver.  

(I think his magical eye can predict the future too…)  

Did he see something? A slight chill ran through me.  

“W-Well, I’ll take my leave.”  

“Sorry for calling you in.”  

“No, thank you for explaining things.”  

I bowed and turned to leave the headmaster’s office. Just as I reached for the door—  

“You’re aiming for the 500th floor, right, Eugene?”  

His voice stopped me. Turning back, I saw Headmaster Uther reading a different grimoire.  

“Yes, with Sumire.”  

“Keep at it. When you clear the 100th floor, I’ll share some of my adventuring tales with you.”  

“…That’s an honor. I’ll do my best.”  

Headmaster Uther holds the second-highest record of reaching the ‘451st Floor’.  

Hearing his stories directly is a rare opportunity.  

Our current record, Sumire’s and mine, is the ‘20th Floor’.  

It’s presumptuous to even compare, but he sent us words of encouragement.  

I have to live up to that. I bowed once more and left the headmaster’s office.  

—The Next Day  

“Yah! Hah! Like this, Leona-chan?”  

“That’s it! You’ve got talent, Sumire-chan!”  

At the fifth training field plaza of Lykeion Magic Academy, Sumire was learning martial arts from Leona.  

By the way, Sumire joined the Martial Arts Club after Leona’s persistent recruitment. The club has a lot of female members, and they’re all friendly. It’s a good environment for Sumire, who doesn’t have many acquaintances.  

“Sorry, Leona, for having you train Sumire one-on-one.”  

As Sumire’s partner, I thanked her.  

“What are you talking about? If you hadn’t covered the cost of that ‘Droplet of Revival’, I’d be drowning in debt… I can’t go against you now, Eugene-san. Should I start calling you Eugene-sama?”  

“Spare me that.”  

“Haha, just kidding.”  

Leona laughed. While watching Sumire and Leona train, I practiced my forms with a wooden sword. Then, at one point—  

“Hoi!”  

Sumire unleashed a spinning kick in the air. A spark—chiri—flashed.  

(Huh?)  

The next moment, a massive trail of flames—bwa!—blazed through the air.  

“W-Wah!?” Leona hurriedly dodged.  

I could’ve blocked it with ‘Barrier Magic’, but I dodged just in case.  

“Sorry, Leona-chan, Eugene-kun!”  

Sumire rushed over, flustered.  

“What was that just now?”  

“It just… the flames came out on their own…”  

“That’s amazing, right? Activating fire magic just by moving your body?”  

Leona crossed her arms, impressed.  

In contrast, Sumire looked dejected, probably thinking she’d caused trouble.  

“Probably because the ‘Flame Godkin Tribe’ has immense magical power that’s overflowing. You should learn how to control it from a mage, separate from your martial arts training.”  

“Y-Yes!”  

Sumire nodded vigorously at my words. She’s my exploration partner and working hard for it. But—  

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”  

“It’s fine! I want to explore with you soon, Eugene-kun!”  

“Wow, so passionate! You two are totally showing off!”  

“N-No, it’s not like that, Leona-chan!”  

Leona teased us like this sometimes, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed. It’s not like I have any weird feelings for Sumire, but the headmaster’s strange comments didn’t help… That’s when it happened.  

“Hey, Eugene? We keep running into each other at the training field.”  

Someone called my name—a familiar voice.  

“Claude, you training too?”  

“Yeah, the weather’s nice. Gotta keep the body moving, or it’ll get rusty.”  

The voice belonged to Claude Percival.  

An elite in the ‘Hero Course’ at Lykeion Magic Academy, training to become a ‘Hero’.  

“Oh, is that the rumored girl from another world? Nice to meet you, I’m Claude Percival. Eugene and I have been friends since our first year. Hope we can get along.”  

Claude flashed a dazzling, charming smile. As usual, he’s such a flirt.  

“Um, I’m Sumire Sashiogi. I’m Eugene-kun’s exploration partner…”  

As Sumire nervously introduced herself—  

“My, my, already hitting on a girl? Typical Claude.”  

A voice as cold as ice cut in. Claude’s expression froze.  

“L-Leona…?”  

“Long time no see.”  

Despite her icy tone, Leona smiled brightly.  

Claude apparently hadn’t noticed her, hidden behind Sumire and me.  

“(…)”  

The tense atmosphere made Sumire and me exchange glances.  

“Y-Yeah, you doing okay?”  

“Forgetting about me and having fun with all sorts of girls—that’s you, right, Claude?”  

“It’s a misunderstanding. I wanted to see you sooner, Leona, but I’m banned from the ‘Martial Arts Club’.”  

“You’re banned from the ‘Swordsmanship Club’, the ‘Archery Club’, and most of the ‘Mage Clubs’ too, aren’t you!?”  

Claude… what did you do?  

No, I can guess it’s nothing good.  

Claude deflected Leona’s accusations with a smile, though sweat beaded on his cheek.  

“(…)”  

Sumire and I could only watch their charged exchange in silence.  

Their conversation went on for a bit. Eventually, Claude seemed to give up on staying.  

“Sorry, Eugene. I wanted to hear about your fight with the rumored ‘Divine Beast’, but… another time. Sorry for interrupting, Sumire-chan.”  

“Just get out of here already.”  

Leona was relentless with Claude. But he didn’t back down.  

“Leona.”  

“What?”  

“I’ll come see you again.”  

“…Liar.”  

“I mean it. See ya.”  

With a wave, Claude walked off. What kind of nerves does that guy have?  

““…””  

The three of us left behind stood in awkward silence for a while. Even someone as clueless about romance as me could tell that Leona and Claude had some history.  

But it’s not like I could just pry into it carelessly. As I was thinking that—  

“Hey, Eugene-kun, is that guy really your best friend?”  

Sumire brought it up.  

“Yeah, we’ve been friends since we started at the academy. He’s a dragon knight, and I take care of his dragon in the Biology Club.”  

“Wow, a dragon knight! That sounds so cool!”  

“…Not cool at all.”  

Leona cut into the conversation.  

“Leona-chan, do you know that guy well?”  

“Oh, uh…”  

Whoa! Nice one, Sumire!  

It was a bit bold, but she steered the topic toward Leona and Claude’s relationship.  

“…We dated a while back. Just for a bit… We’re done now.”  

“Ehh!? Really!? Oh… I guess I shouldn’t pry too much.”  

“No, it’s fine! I don’t care anymore. Listen, Sumire-chan.”  

With that, Leona started talking about how she and Claude got together and what happened after. It seemed like she really wanted someone to hear her out. Not wanting to interrupt the two girls getting excited, I decided to step away and practice my sword swings.  

“…That guy was seriously the worst!”  

“But he was pretty cool, and you two looked good together, Leona-chan.”  

“Stop it! …Well, he is kinda cool.”  

“…Still like him?”  

“Not at all!”  

“Really?”  

“… …”  

Even from a distance, I could hear their conversation. Girls really love talking about romance, don’t they? It reminded me of how my childhood friend used to squeal about who got together or broke up at the military academy. Maybe that’s just how it is everywhere.  

Practice didn’t resume for a while that day.  

—Seven Days Later  

We stood at the entrance to the final labyrinth, ‘Zenith Tower’.  

Sumire had gotten the hang of basic martial arts. Her magic control was still shaky, but… we couldn’t spend all our time preparing if we wanted to aim for the 500th floor.  

“You’re back, Sumire.”  

“Yup! Starting from the 21st floor!”  

Since we’d defeated the floor boss on the 20th floor, we could use the labyrinth elevator to go straight there.  

We resumed our challenge of the ‘Zenith Tower’.  

◇ Lykeion Magic Academy, Biology Club, Sixth Sealed Prison, aka “The Disaster” ◇  

“Hey, how you doing?”  

I waved at the wyverns and griffins drawn by the bait.  

They’re monsters, but they’re highly intelligent. They recognize me as a member of the Biology Club.  

I pulled large chunks of meat from a ‘Magic Storage Box’ and tossed them out with a poi-poi.  

“Kuu♪” “Gurururu♪” “Kyukyukyu♪”  

The monsters let out cheerful cries at the sight of food.  

They’re almost cute… no, they’re still pretty intimidating.  

Flying monsters like wyverns and griffins grabbed the meat with their sharp talons and returned to their nests. All the monsters kept here have “owners.”  

Naturally, those handling monsters are tamers, and almost everyone in the Biology Club is one.  

I’m probably the only exception—a swordsman in the Biology Club.  

I was forced into the club by the headmaster’s orders, since I’m the only one who can enter the great underground prison where the Demon King and mythical creatures are sealed.  

It feels a bit unfair that I, not even a tamer, have to take on weekly monster-feeding duties for the Biology Club.  

That said, I’ve grown fond of the club’s monsters, so it’s not all bad…  

As I was thinking about that—  

“Yo, Eugene!”  

A dragon knight in dazzling, stylish armor approached me.  

“Claude, you’re at the Biology Club’s pens again? Got nothing better to do?”  

“Nah, I’ve got a date with a girl later. Just squeezing in some time to visit my best friend☆.”  

“So you are free. Help me out.”  

“Hey, hold on!”  

I roped Claude into helping with the feeding. The pens hold medium to large monsters. They’re relatively docile, but they’re still monsters. Normally, I wouldn’t trust just anyone with this, but Claude from the ‘Hero Course’ should be fine. We managed to finish feeding the monsters without issue.  

I tossed Claude a glass bottle of water from the ‘Magic Storage Box’.  

“Whoa!”  

He caught it effortlessly. The bottle, chilled from being in the storage box, was ice-cold. I grabbed one for myself and chugged it down.  

“So, what’s up, Claude?”  

“Man, you’re cold. I came to congratulate you, obviously. Nice job breaking through the 30th floor!”  

“…You saw that? Thanks.”  

I was a bit embarrassed but thanked him sincerely.  

Yes, Sumire and I had successfully cleared the 30th floor a few days ago.  

We were currently in a rest period.  

Claude seemed eager to hear about our labyrinth exploration.  

“The 30th floor’s boss was an Orc King, right? Not exactly a tough boss, but taking it down with just the two of you? That’s unheard of for explorers!”  

Claude laughed, and he was absolutely right, so I could only give a wry smile.  

“Sumire’s magic control is still rough. I’d like to add other explorers to our party, but with her magic going wild, it’s tricky.”  

“I saw, I saw. When that orc tried to attack Sumire-chan, she screamed, and the whole area turned into a sea of flames, right? Man, that was hilarious!”  

“It’s not funny…”  

I sighed. Truth be told, that’s how we got through the 30th floor. The Orc King led a horde of orcs, and Sumire’s magic took out the most.  

Not that she meant to…  

Sumire and I aim to reach the 500th floor as explorers, but the final labyrinth isn’t a dungeon you can conquer with just two people. Controlling Sumire’s magic and finding teammates are our current challenges.  

“Eugene, you struggling to find explorer teammates?”  

Claude’s expression turned slightly serious.  

“We’ll look for some slowly. We’re only at the 30th floor.”  

I answered casually. For now, the two of us can explore safely. The bosses on the 40th and 50th floors might be a bit tough for just us, though…  

“If you need a hand, call me anytime. I’ll help out.”  

“You? Don’t you already have a party?”  

His offer made me tilt my head.  

Claude’s an ‘A-Rank’ explorer who’s already cleared the 100th floor.  

His party, ‘Blue Fang’, is a renowned group of warriors from the ‘Blue Sea Federation’, or so I’ve heard.  

I can’t imagine why he’d want to help us, who just barely cleared the 30th floor.  

“‘Blue Fang’ is a stiff party formed by people from my homeland, carrying the pride of the Federation. I can’t move freely, and we haven’t explored much since clearing the 100th floor. I want to explore with a more laid-back group.”  

“Hmm, I see…”  

Seems even elites have their own struggles. Still, having Claude’s help would definitely be a boon. He’s one of the few ‘Hero Course’ students at Lykeion Magic Academy—a hero in training.  

He’d be a reliable ally. There’s just one issue.  

“Our current third member candidate is Leona.”  

“…Seriously?”  

“Leona’s close with Sumire, you know.”  

“Y-Yeah, I get it…”  

Claude clutched his head at my words. I figured he’d react like that. She’s his ex, after all. Being in the same party would be awkward as hell.  

“If you can get along with Leona, I’ll call you.”  

“…Y-Yeah.”  

Claude’s face twitched at my words. His offer to help was appreciated… if only he didn’t have such a bad habit with women.  

After that, we chatted about trivial stuff before parting ways.  

By the way, when he asked, “How far have you gone with Sumire-chan?” I gave him a good smack on the head. Between Ellie and the headmaster, why does everyone steer the conversation that way?  

“Come on, you’re leaving a cute girl like that single? You’ll regret it when she gets a boyfriend later.”  

“That’s your thing, not mine.”  

I shot back at Claude, but it’s true that explorer pairs often end up as couples.  

Me and Sumire…? I’m her guardian, though.  

(But still…)  

She’s a beautiful girl. The guys at the academy won’t leave her alone. Hmm…  

Claude’s words stuck in my head that day.  

◇ Sumire’s Perspective ◇  

“Starting today, Sumire Sashiogi-san will be joining our fire magic class. I’m sure you all know her—she’s an otherworlder. Rin-sensei has been guiding her on the basics, but she may still be confused by many things. If she’s struggling, please lend her a hand. Now, Sumire-san, please introduce yourself.”  

“Y-Yes…! I’m Sumire Sashiogi. I’m joining this class starting today. Please take care of me.”  

I gave a short greeting and bowed with a peko.  

I was greeted with not-so-subtle applause—pachi pachi pachi.  

(Ugh… will I be okay?)  

Normally, Eugene-kun or Rin-sensei are around to help me, but they’re not here now.  

They’re the ones who suggested I take the fire magic class, saying it’s better to gradually join other students rather than stick to one-on-one lessons. It’s been a while since I came to this world.  

Fewer people look at me strangely now, which also means fewer people give me special treatment.  

The seating was free, so I nervously sat in an empty front-row seat. Focusing hard to catch every word of the teacher’s lesson, I was interrupted.  

“Sumire-san, Sumire-san.”  

The girl next to me called out.  

“Huh?”  

I turned to see a serious-looking girl with glasses.  

…She looked familiar. Did my expression give that away?  

“I’m Theresia Caticut. We met once in the student council room. Do you remember?”  

“Oh! Theresia-san, I remember!”  

It came back to me just now.  

My voice might’ve been too loud—the teacher shot a glance my way. I listened attentively to the lesson after that, but some parts were still tough.  

“Ugh…”  

As I groaned in confusion—  

“Sumire-san, about the teacher’s explanation earlier…”  

Theresia-san quietly explained it to me.  

“…Oh, I get!”  

Kiin koon kaan koon—the bell signaling the end of class rang. It’s kind of like the bells in my old world.  

Wait, no, that’s not important—I need to thank her!  

“Theresia-san! Thank you for explaining earlier!”  

“No, no, helping someone in need is only natural.”  

Theresia-san smiled elegantly. So kind…! As I felt touched, I couldn’t help but stare at her appearance. Long, almost black-gray hair and a serious look with glasses.  

(Wow… Theresia-san is super pretty up close.)  

The type who looks plain but is actually stunning when you pay attention. I knew girls like her in my old world—class rep vibes.  

A capable beauty! I want to be friends!!  

“Theresia-san, you’re a mage, right?”  

I wanted to know more about her, so I asked. Since she’s in the mage class, it seemed obvious, but—  

“Well, it’s a bit grandiose, but my profession is ‘Sage-in-Training’.”  

“A sage!?”  

That sounds amazing! It’s gotta be, right?  

I think Rin-sensei said it’s a profession that can use both attack and healing magic.  

“…In training, though. I’m still far from calling myself a sage.”  

Theresia-san smiled as she said it.  

“That’s still incredible! I mean, my magic just goes off on its own…”  

I said glumly, and Theresia-san looked surprised.  

“That’s impressive in its own way, though.”  

We broke through the 30th floor recently, but my magic keeps going wild. Eugene-kun says, “Don’t worry about it,” but I’m a bit anxious.  

We’re aiming for the 500th floor for my sake, but I’m the one holding us back. Then I noticed Theresia-san staring at me intently.  

“Theresia-san?”  

“Oh, sorry… Are you and Eugene-kun lovers, Sumire-san?”  

“Ehh!?”  

What a sudden question!  

“N-No, it’s not like that! Eugene-kun and I aren’t… like that, yet.”  

“…Yet.”  

Theresia-san put a hand to her chin, as if pondering something.  

“Are you close with Eugene-kun, Theresia-san?”  

No way—could this beautiful Theresia-san be after Eugene-kun!?  

“Oh, no, not me. The student council president…” She dramatically covered her mouth. “Oh, my, that was a slip.”  

The student council president is Sara-san, that flashy, idol-like girl with black hair, right?  

…She’s totally head over heels for Eugene-kun. I see—Theresia-san is close with Sara-san. Maybe she won’t want to be friends with me, then. As I was thinking that—  

“Fufu, don’t worry about that. I’m the student council’s secretary and a noble from the Holy Kingdom of Cardia. In Cardia, treating otherworlders kindly is a strong ‘Teaching’ from the Goddess of Fate. The academy’s rules also say to treat otherworlders with care. …But aside from that, I’m personally interested in your ‘Flame Godkin’ magic, Sumire-san.”  

Theresia-san gave a mischievous smile. It could just be polite small talk, but I felt she meant it sincerely.  

“Then, how about we grab some tea—”  

I was about to invite her when—  

“Hey, Theresia-chan, I’m here to pick you up!”  

Before I knew it, a boy was standing nearby. I hadn’t sensed his approach at all. Wearing sparkling, stylish armor, he looked familiar. A handsome blond guy.  

“Claude-kun, our meeting time is later, isn’t it? Please wait.”  

“I just couldn’t wait to see you, Theresia-chan.”  

“…Honestly!”  

It was Claude-kun, Eugene-kun’s self-proclaimed best friend.  

And Leona-chan’s ex. I’d like to get along with him since he’s Eugene-kun’s friend, but him being Leona-chan’s ex makes me hesitate.  

“Oh? Sumire-chan?”  

“…Hello.”  

Claude-kun noticed me and I gave a slightly awkward nod.  

“Whoa, you and Theresia-chan are friends? I’ll get out of your way, then. Theresia-chan, I’ll be waiting at the usual spot.”  

“Yeah, yeah, see you later.”  

Claude-kun waved with a hira-hira and left the classroom. Theresia-san followed him with her eyes. She seemed to brush him off but didn’t seem to mind him.  

“Um, are you close with Claude-kun, Theresia-san?”  

“No, not at all. He’s so persistent. I went to dinner with him once, and suddenly he got all chummy.”  

Theresia-san sighed dramatically. But her gesture gave off more of a “not entirely displeased” vibe than someone annoyed by an unwanted suitor.  

(Hmm…?)  

Could Theresia-san and Claude-kun be… a little close?  

But Eugene-kun said Claude’s flirty with every girl.  

“Sorry, I’d love to talk more with you, Sumire-san, but…”  

“No, no, you have another appointment, right? Another time, then.”  

“Yes, let’s have tea next time.”  

With that, Theresia-san left the classroom with light steps.  

I returned to the dorm that day feeling a bit uneasy.  

◇ The Next Day ◇  

“Hey, Sumire-chan, listen! Claude asked me to go out with him again!”  

During a break from basic training with the Martial Arts Club, Leona-chan came up to me.  

“W-Wow… That’s great, Leona-chan!”  

For a moment, I recalled Theresia-san and Claude-kun’s friendly interaction from yesterday.  

But I kept that to myself and matched Leona-chan’s excited mood.  

“That guy was all, ‘I can’t do without you, Leona!’ Ugh, what a pain!”  

Leona-chan gleefully kicked a sandbag.  

Just a few days ago, she was cursing “That jerk Claude!” while kicking the same sandbag.  

“So, are you getting back together?”  

“Hmm, I dunno…”  

She said that, but I bet if Claude-kun pushes, she’ll totally say yes. She looked so happy. Watching her, I decided to forget about Theresia-san and Claude-kun’s conversation. Yeah, I’m overthinking it!  

“So, Sumire-chan, what’s up with you and Eugene-san?”  

“Huh?” The topic suddenly turned to me.  

“Have you two kissed yet or what?”  

“N-No way!?”  

I was shocked. Eugene-kun and I aren’t even dating…  

“You gotta step it up! Eugene-san’s popularity is skyrocketing lately. Taking down ‘Divine Beast Cerberus’ single-handedly? He’s got serious potential. Plus, his dad’s a big shot in the Empire. If you’re not careful, some other girl’s gonna snatch him up!”  

“W-What…”  

Leona-chan’s intensity overwhelmed me, but I understood what she meant.  

Eugene-kun’s cool, comes from a wealthy family, and is super strong in this sword-and-magic world. Of course he’s popular. I heard he doesn’t have a girlfriend right now.  

But if some cute girl confesses and they start dating… would she join our two-person exploration team? And would I have to watch them flirt in front of me?  

(That’d be brutal!!!)  

No way, no way, no way! I could never handle that.  

“Why don’t you confess to him on the next exploration, Sumire-chan?”  

“C-Confess!? …Uh, umm, I dunno…”  

“Oh? You’re kinda into the idea?”  

“Wait, wait! What about you and Claude-kun!?”  

“Uh, we’ll talk about that later…”  

“Tell me first!”  

We got caught up in that kind of talk. …Thanks to that, I couldn’t calm down until our next exploration.  

—Zenith Tower Entrance  

“Starting from the 31st floor today, right?”  

“Yup!”  

“…Sumire?”  

“Let’s do this!”  

I linked arms with Eugene-kun as we walked. He seemed a bit surprised but didn’t pull away. …Would we look like a couple to others?  

The first floor of the ‘Zenith Tower’ was crowded with people, including students from Lykeion Magic Academy. I felt their gazes, but Eugene-kun didn’t seem to care.  

“Sumire, are you getting used to handling your magic?”  

“Uh… kinda?”  

I’ve been listening attentively in magic classes and getting guidance from Rin-sensei. My magic outbursts have decreased, but magic is still tough for an otherworlder like me.  

“No rush. Let’s take it slow.”  

Eugene-kun smiled, considerate as always.  

Ugh… this natural heartthrob!  

“I wish you could teach me magic, Eugene-kun.”  

I tried acting a bit spoiled.  

“I can’t use attack magic, you know.”  

He gave me a troubled look. Oh no! I messed up.  

“N-No, I didn’t mean it like that!”  

“I know.”  

Before I could explain, he patted my head..  

(Ugh… he’s so unfazed.)  

Maybe I’m not being bold enough? But Eugene-kun’s kindness made me feel comfortable.  

I thought, maybe this kind of relationship is fine for now. Then—  

“…Eugene.”  

A small voice, clear as a bell, called his name.  

Turning toward it, I saw a beautiful girl with glossy black hair, like a fairy.  

(That girl…)  

It was my second time seeing her. The first was at the student council building. She’s the student council president, right?  

“Sara?” Eugene-kun’s voice held a hint of surprise.  

“What’s…”  

“Eugene!!! Why haven’t you come to see me!?”  

Sara-san, the student council president, threw herself into Eugene-kun’s chest, just like the first time we met.  

—If you’re not careful, some other girl’s gonna snatch him up! 

Leona-chan’s words echoed in my mind.  

(The flag got triggered way too fast!!!)  

My peaceful labyrinth exploration life was already crumbling.