Chapter 4: Training Camp

Currently, Glenn, homeless and penniless, has been living temporarily in a room in the dormitory of the student union hall at the academy, using various makeshift excuses.

He’s increasingly indebted to the student council president, Rize, who pulled strings behind the scenes to make this possible… but he can’t afford to be picky.

And starting today, the students of Class Two will also be staying and eating together in the dormitory of the student union hall.

This marked the beginning of the training camp to prepare for the survival battle.

“Fwa…”

On the morning of the first day of the camp.

Glenn, who had woken up unusually early for a certain errand, decided it was too early to go back to sleep and too awkward to linger, so he left the student union hall to head to his promised destination.

It was the dim, early morning before students arrived, leaving the academy grounds eerily quiet and deserted.

The aged grandeur of the old school buildings and the flowerbeds in the courtyard took on a different charm than usual.

As Glenn forcefully filled his lungs with the crisp morning air and walked along…

“…Hm?”

Suddenly, Glenn noticed something.

At the end of the stone-paved path within the grounds, a lone girl stood.

She was Mabel, a female student from the model class.

Mabel was staring blatantly at Glenn as he approached.

Her demeanor clearly suggested she had been waiting for him here.

“…What are you doing in a place like this so early in the morning?”

Reluctantly, Glenn called out to her.

“Are you still not willing to withdraw from the survival battle?”

Mabel fixed her gaze on Glenn’s face and spoke calmly.

“You’ve already been shown such an overwhelming difference in skill. Isn’t it pointless to continue?”

“You went out of your way to wait for me just to say that? …You’ve got too much time on your hands.”

Glenn shrugged with a wry smile.

“Sorry to disappoint, but neither I nor my students have any intention of backing down. This academy is an important place to us. We’re not about to let newcomers like you do whatever you please with it.”

Glenn declared defiantly, causing Mabel to fall silent.

“Well, look forward to two weeks from now. We’ve got a super annoying but incredibly competent instructor on our side. …Super annoying, though. …Really annoying.”

“Just how much do you dislike that person?”

“Shut up. Just don’t come crying later, that’s all.”

With that dismissive remark, as if to signal the conversation was over, Glenn passed by Mabel.

…But.

“That’s not what I mean.”

At the moment they passed each other, Mabel muttered those words.

Glenn instinctively paused and turned back to look at her.

“…What do you mean?”

“No… This survival battle is dangerous.”

“Dangerous? Don’t be ridiculous. Magic competitions always come with a certain level of risk, don’t they? You guys, always looking down on us like that, it’s about time you—”

Glenn, unable to hide his irritation, was about to snap at Mabel when…

“That’s why I said, that’s not what I mean. That ‘Hidden Academy’ is—!”

Mabel locked eyes with Glenn, desperately trying to convey something…

“~~~ !?”

But she said nothing, her mouth merely opening and closing.

“Huh? The ‘Hidden Academy’… what about it?”

“Th-that’s… I mean… ~~~ !”

Glenn frowned and pressed her, but Mabel only continued to move her mouth soundlessly.

“…As expected… this body is already…”

Mabel pressed her hand to her mouth, as if giving up.

Then, with a frustrated glance at her hands, she abruptly turned her back on Glenn.

“What the heck was that about?”

“…No, it’s nothing. Excuse me.”

Leaving those final words, Mabel hurriedly walked away.

Glenn was utterly baffled. What on earth had she wanted?

But… then he noticed something.

“Come to think of it, Mabel… I hadn’t noticed before because of those tacky glasses, but… she kinda reminds me of someone. Who, though?”

Muttering to himself, Glenn watched Mabel’s retreating figure.

 

At that same moment—Sistine was also waking up.

She had been sleeping in the girls’ room in the dormitory of the student union hall.

Through the gap in the curtains, the dim morning light filtered in, and the chill peculiar to early mornings dominated the room. The soft breathing of her roommates—Rumia, Re=L, and a few other female students—could be heard.

Sistine, lying on the top bunk of one of the many bunk beds crammed into the room, pushed aside her blanket and sat up.

She climbed down the ladder beside the bed to the floor… and left the girls’ room.

Then, she washed her face at the washroom, changed into her exercise robe in the changing room, and left the dormitory.

“Come to think of it, with all the recent chaos, it’s been a while since I trained with Sensei in the morning.”

As she walked leisurely through the still-dark academy grounds, Sistine murmured to herself.

Last night, Glenn had personally told her, “Tomorrow morning, we’re doing it again,” and Sistine couldn’t suppress the buoyant excitement bubbling within her.

The sharp, cold morning air blew away the last traces of sleepiness, tingling her skin and sharpening her focus.

“…”

As she walked, her thoughts drifted to yesterday’s events—her complete defeat at the hands of that girl, Mabel.

The fact of her loss was a tremendous shock to Sistine…

(I really was getting full of myself, wasn’t I…)

Having defeated Jin, taken down a demon, and survived countless life-or-death situations, she had undoubtedly grown overconfident.

If she thought about it calmly, her recent victories in those dire situations weren’t truly due to her own strength—not entirely.

Sure, her own abilities played a part, but more than that, it was the enemy’s carelessness, luck, and the support of Glenn, Re=L, Rumia, and others. Factors beyond her own skill were far more significant.

—Our Sistine, with her rare talent, has a tendency to unknowingly become arrogant— Those were the words of her own father, Leonard.

(Yeah, I need to be careful. I’m still nowhere near good enough… I have to get stronger… for my own dreams… for Sensei, Rumia, and Re=L. That’s why I need to learn more from Sensei! I need him to train me!)

In truth, after the recent Fejite upheaval, Sistine had confessed to Rumia about the secret training sessions with Glenn, which she had kept hidden until then.

Hearing Rumia’s feelings for Glenn at that time made Sistine feel she had to be honest with her, at least with Rumia.

It wasn’t as if they were doing anything shameful, and the secret training was originally for Rumia’s protection.

But for Rumia, who had feelings for Glenn, it must have felt like Sistine was sneaking around behind her back.

Yet, as expected—or perhaps inevitably—

Rumia didn’t show the slightest hint of anger at Sistine’s confession. She simply smiled and cheered Sistine on. In fact, it almost seemed like Rumia had known about it for quite some time.

Truly, Sistine couldn’t help but admire the depth of her childhood friend’s heart.

(To repay Rumia for that… I can’t let one or two defeats get me down!)

With her resolve renewed, Sistine stepped into the magic arena.

There, a figure was already waiting.

“Ah! Sensei! Sorry for being la—…te?”

As Sistine rushed forward, she froze, realizing there were two figures, and her words caught in her throat.

“…Yo.”

There was Glenn, as usual, looking sleepy and languid—

“Good morning, Sistine. How are you feeling?”

And standing with her back to him, arms crossed and expression stern, was Eve.

“W-wha…!? Eve-san…? Why…?”

An intruder had invaded what was supposed to be her and Glenn’s private, secret time. Calling her an intruder might be rude, but that’s how it felt to Sistine.

Why was Glenn here with Eve?

To begin with, Sistine didn’t quite understand the relationship between Glenn and Eve.

She had heard from Rumia that during the Fejite upheaval, there had been significant tension between them… but yesterday, they seemed almost like bickering friends.

To the bewildered Sistine, Glenn declared bluntly:

“I’m done, White Cat.”

“…Huh?”

“Starting today, this woman’s taking over your training. I asked her to look after you. Good for you, you’re free from me.”

The sudden announcement left Sistine stunned for a moment…

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?”

Sistine let out a comically exaggerated cry.

“W-w-w-what!? Why!?”

“Well, it’s just…”

“Could it be, Sensei, you’re saying you can’t be bothered with me anymore…?”

“Yeah, in a way, that’s true. I can’t handle you anymore.”

“N-no way…!?”

Sistine’s face crumpled as if she’d been struck.

Was it because of her pathetic defeat yesterday? After all the guidance she’d received from Glenn, had her embarrassing performance caused him to give up on her?

Come to think of it, she’d taken his training for granted… but what if it had been a burden to Glenn, and he’d only been reluctantly going along with it?

“W-wait… please wait! I’m sorry about yesterday! I’ll… I’ll work harder! So—”

“No, even if you say that… I mean, there’s no point in me looking after you anymore, you know…”

“N-no… so you really gave up on me because of yesterday… sniff…”

As Glenn’s cold words hit her, Sistine hung her head, trembling with frustration and regret, tears welling up in her eyes.

Spaaan!

Eve’s whip-like low kick struck Glenn’s leg with ferocious force.

“Gyaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!?”

“You are so utterly tactless! Are you doing this on purpose!?”

Eve glared at Glenn, who was clutching his leg and writhing on the ground, her voice dripping with exasperation.

“That’s how you cause misunderstandings! Why can’t you understand a girl’s heart!?”

“Huh? Misunderstanding…?”

Sistine blinked, her teary eyes flickering with confusion.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, Sistine. Glenn hasn’t given up on you or abandoned you. He’s entrusted you to me to push you to the next stage.”

“The next stage…?”

“To put it simply… Glenn has nothing left to teach you, as you are now.”

“—!?”

Eve’s words made Sistine’s eyes widen in realization.

“Your style as a mage and Glenn’s are fundamentally different. You, with your blessed mana capacity, can fight head-on, while Glenn, with his meager mana capacity, has to scrape by and exploit his opponent’s weaknesses. Frankly, you two are opposites, completely mismatched as master and disciple.”

“B-but… Sensei has taught me so well until now…?”

“That’s what I’m saying. It’s over—for Glenn, not you. He’s been pushing himself to the limit to train you.”

Eve pressed her palm to her temple and continued matter-of-factly.

“Did you know? The only military spells Glenn can properly use are [Lightning Pierce], [Blaze Burst], and [Ice Storm]—the basic three attributes. But you’ve learned all sorts of spells from him, haven’t you? At an absurdly fast rate.”

Eve was right.

Black Magic [Blast Blow], [Air Blade], [Rapid Stream], [Shred Tempest], and more… Sistine had learned numerous military spells from Glenn.

But now that she thought about it, she’d never seen Glenn use those spells in actual combat.

“Of course, your effort and talent played a role. But even accounting for that, can you see how abnormal your growth and learning speed are?”

“Now that you mention it… why…?”

“His understanding of magic itself is exceptional. As much as it pains me to admit, I can’t match him in that regard. So, even though he couldn’t use those spells himself, he broke them down and tailored them to suit you, teaching them in such a way that you could use them.

Do you understand how much of a burden that must have been for him?

The spells you learned may have the same names, power, and effects as the standard military spells, but their inner workings are practically your own original magic. That’s the secret behind your extraordinary growth rate.”

“—!?”

“But now, Glenn’s reached his limit as your teacher. Your growth as a mage will stall if you keep learning from him. That’s where I come in.”

“…”

“You and I are the same type of mage—geniuses with exceptional mana capacity and control. Unlike him, I can enhance your natural strengths even further. …Well, this guy begged me so desperately, so I had no choice, you know. No choice.”

Sistine was a sharp girl.

She understood everything Eve was saying.

Most likely, if she switched from Glenn to Eve as her mentor, she could grow even more as a mage.

But—the thought of “graduating” from Glenn…

That realization filled Sistine’s heart with an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

“Get over it. Students eventually leave their teachers’ wings.”

Eve said those words mercilessly.

As Sistine stood frozen, unable to respond…

“…Well, you graduating from Glenn is still a long way off.”

“Huh?”

The unexpected words made Sistine blink in surprise.

“I told you, didn’t I? Glenn has nothing left to teach you, as you are now.”

Now that she thought about it, that was an odd way to phrase it…

“I’m just here to bolster your arsenal. Even though we’re the same type, my combat style isn’t something you can directly adopt, and no mage would reveal their full hand anyway, right? Once you’ve expanded your repertoire under me… go back to Glenn.

He’s such a softie, he’ll happily figure out how to use your unique skills, crafting a combat style just for you and training you accordingly.

Right now, you need to do the opposite of your classmates. Take the foundation you’ve built and make it bigger, stronger, and more solid, so you can build even higher. That’s all.”

“Eve-san…”

“Honestly… you’re such a handful. Almost like Sa…”

Eve started to say something but stopped, looking awkward and turning away.

Sistine stared at Eve’s profile in a daze for a moment…

“Eve-san… you’re really an incredible mage, aren’t you…”

Finally, she spoke, her voice filled with genuine admiration.

“I was only thinking about the short term, but you’re looking so far ahead…”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m only doing this because Glenn asked me. No choice.”

 

“Even so, you’re amazing… I can’t help but respect you.”

“Stop it. It’s embarrassing.”

With a huff, Eve brushed her hair back, her demeanor as prickly as ever.

In that moment, Sistine was certain.

If she followed Glenn and Eve… she could grow even more.

She could become strong enough to protect the people she cared about, truly strong in every sense.

“Glenn-sensei, Eve-sensei, I look forward to learning from you both!”

“Ugh, what a pain, but if I’m in for a penny, I’m in for a pound.”

“Hmph. Just so you know, I’m not as soft as Glenn. If you can’t keep up, I’ll leave you behind without mercy.”

“Haha…”

Sistine was starting to get a sense of Eve’s personality.

This woman seemed to need to act tough and push people away aggressively to feel at ease… despite her underlying kindness and care.

She seemed difficult to approach at first, but Sistine thought she was a remarkable woman, worthy of respect.

…Or so she thought.

(But what’s this uneasy feeling…? Why do I feel so anxious? Why does Eve-san feel like such a formidable rival…?)

For some reason, Sistine couldn’t stop the cold sweat from trickling down her back.

After all—

“Hah!? A favor!? Don’t mess with me, you jerk! How many do you think I owe you, huh!? Pay up already, you hear me!?”

“Hah!? What’re you talking about!? That’s my line! How many do you think I owe you!? Pay me back already, you blockhead!”

—Glenn and Eve were, even now, just bickering.

No matter how you looked at it, they were nothing more than two people who got along terribly.

(What do I do, Rumia…? I can’t stop feeling anxious and restless… I don’t even know why I’m so uneasy! I just am!)

Watching Glenn and Eve glare at each other fiercely,

Sistine could only continue to sweat profusely.

 

And so, the training camp for Glenn, Eve, and the students of Class Two began.

First up was early morning training.

Around 5 a.m., when Sistine’s secret training session ended, all the students sleeping in the dormitory were roused, and training began under Eve’s guidance.

Warm-ups, running drills… starting with standard exercises, nothing particularly noteworthy.

“Now… after a light warm-up to get the blood flowing, it’s time for the real thing.”

At the center of the arena, Eve gathered the students, brushing her hair back with a composed expression.

“The survival battle demands every aspect of a mage’s abilities—it’s a comprehensive test. The tricky part is that every individual needs to handle combat, reconnaissance, and exploration to some degree.”

“But, as expected, you all are overwhelmingly lacking in experience with interpersonal combat. Even if you’ve undergone magical combat training, it’s probably just been light sparring among yourselves, right? Well, that does have some effect, but to think you could improve significantly in just two weeks? Impossible.”

“So… what do we do?”

Kash raised his hand and spoke up.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Light sparring among yourselves has little effect. In that case, you’ll repeatedly engage in magical combat against an opponent far stronger than you, pushing yourselves to the absolute limit. That’s the only way.”

“…Huh? Wait, you don’t mean…”

“Yes, exactly.”

Eve flashed a chilling smile, beckoning with her fingertips pointed upward as she spoke.

“Come at me without holding back. All at once.”

At the sight of Eve’s demeanor, the students paled and swallowed hard.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything like knocking you out with a single blow. But you won’t learn without a bit of pain, so I’ll make it hurt just enough. I’ll go at a level you can barely handle.”

“Uh, um… so that means…?”

“Exactly. From now on, you’ll come at me with everything you’ve got until your stamina, mana, and spirit are completely drained, until you collapse from pushing past your limits. All together.

While fighting, observe my movements closely. Watch how I move, focus solely on defending against my attacks, and think only of landing a single hit on me. Become a machine with that one goal. Got it?”

It was a brutally simple training method, devoid of any logic or theory… but wasn’t this what people called hell?

“I’d love to teach you more gently, but we don’t have time. That’s why we’re holding this intensive training camp.”

“““…”“”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m incredibly skilled at gauging people’s limits during this kind of training. I absolutely won’t push your bodies to the point of breaking. But… if you pretend to hit your limit and slack off when you’re still far from it… you know what’ll happen, right?”

Whoosh!

A flame flickered to life at the tip of Eve’s right fingers as she gave a chilling laugh.

(((T-This woman’s a total sadist…!?)))

As the students grew paler by the second…

“Well then, this isn’t some formal training session, so… let’s get started!”

Eve declared, and—

“““Uwooooohhh—!”“”

With a cry of desperation, the students hurriedly scattered, surrounding Eve.

“《O violet lightning of the thunder spirit》—!”

“《O mighty wind》—!”

The students shouted their incantations one after another.

Toward Eve, who stood nonchalantly without defenses, a barrage of spells—violet lightning, gusts of wind, icy projectiles, fire arrows, and air bullets—rained down like a storm.

Eve, with light footsteps, dashed forward, chanting a spell with a composed expression.

—The arena was engulfed by a tremendous roar.

 

…

 

And so, with several breaks interspersed, an hour later…

“Well… not bad for the first day, I suppose?”

Eve stood calmly, surrounded by—

“Cough!… Hack, hack, wheeze! I’m… I’m gonna die…!?”

“Haa… haa… haa…!”

Students, utterly exhausted and on the verge of mana depletion, lay collapsed in heaps, like corpses strewn across the battlefield.

“Ugh… this is torture… cough, cough…”

“I… I can’t go on… I’m gonna throw up…”

Despite facing all the students at once—except Re=L—Eve hadn’t broken a sweat or even breathed heavily. Even Sistine was treated like a child.

The students couldn’t help but feel the staggering gap in skill between themselves and Eve.

“Seriously, how long are you going to lie there? The real work starts now.”

“““Whaaaaat—!?!”“”

The students let out cries of despair at Eve’s merciless words.

“…No, that’s not what I meant. The combat training is over for now. Pushing further would only harm your bodies.”

“Huh?”

Kash and Gibul blinked in surprise, caught off guard.

“But… didn’t you just say the real work starts now, Eve-sensei…?”

“Yes, exactly. In a way, it’s the most important task for you all right now. …Follow me.”

With that, Eve led the exhausted students to a room in the student union building.

 

It was the audiovisual room of the student union. A box-shaped magical device was set up to project recorded footage into the air using magic.

There, Glenn was waiting.

“Yo, looks like you all got worked pretty hard, huh?”

“Yeah, thanks to you…”

Even Gibul, usually sharp with his sarcasm, lacked his usual bite.

As the students wondered what they were doing there, Glenn flicked a magic crystal into the air with his thumb, showing it to everyone.

“This crystal has recorded footage of your combat training from earlier, captured with visual magic.”

“Huh… so that’s what you were doing all morning while you were nowhere to be seen?”

“Pretty much. Now, we’re going to play it back for you. Watch closely, got it?”

The students tilted their heads, unsure of Glenn’s intentions.

Glenn inserted the crystal into the projection device and operated it.

From the crystal attached to the device, footage of the students’ training was projected into the air like a window, playing back through light magic.

…

“…This is brutal.”

After a dozen minutes of playback, the students were red-faced, clutching their heads in embarrassment.

The footage showed them being utterly dominated by Eve alone.

…It wasn’t just about losing; the skill gap was expected.

The problem was…

“Ugh… what was I doing there? That spell was completely pointless…”

“…I wasn’t even watching Eve-sensei’s movements at all…”

“Wait, me!? Why did I cast [Gale Blow] there!? No matter how you look at it, that was obviously Eve-sensei baiting me!”

“Ughhh, I was getting desperate… This is so embarrassing, embarrassing, embarrassing…”

They hadn’t noticed during training, but now they saw their shocking incompetence and clumsy tactics, leaving them writhing in shame.

“Hold up, let’s pause it there.”

Glenn, watching intently, frequently paused the footage…

“Hey, Gibul. You see this? Your decision-making after rapid-fire spells is always slow. That’s why you’re taking unnecessary hits.”

Glenn pointed out each student’s issues and improvements carefully, teaching them how to address them.

“The disruption in your mana biorhythm after rapid-fire is unavoidable, but at least keep your body ready to move and stay aware of your surroundings.”

“Y-yeah, I get it… Ugh…”

“Hmm… Kash, you’re charging in too recklessly. This footage makes it clear—you’re mistaking recklessness for bravery.”

“Ugh… Yeah, you’re right… Sorry…”

“…Lynn. I know fighting isn’t your strong suit, so I won’t push you too hard. But at least try to keep your eyes open a bit more. Closing your eyes in battle, even if you’re not good at it, is fatal. I’m not saying you have to contribute to the fight, but you need to at least protect yourself.”

“Y-yes… I’ll try my best…”

The great reflection session continued solemnly…

“Ugh… When I get tired, my tactics get way sloppier than I realized…”

“For me, it’s just that my spell chanting speed is too slow. I need to cast faster…”

Sistine and Rumia, too, grappled with their shortcomings in magical combat.

Just then,

“Hey, Glenn. Why am I… the only one left out?”

Re=L, sitting at a desk in the corner, muttered softly.

Re=L was surrounded by a pile of reference books, her notebook open in front of her.

Her eyebrows were furrowed in clear dissatisfaction.

“Come on, Re=L-san. You need to focus.”

Next to her was Rize, the student council president.

At Glenn’s request, she was helping Re=L with her academic studies in magic.

“Ugh… Glenn, help. I want to join them.”

“You don’t need practical combat training. What you need is brains, brains. …Sheesh, you forgot everything you studied with Elsa the other day… Get it together and at least learn to use [Shock Bolt] properly.”

Then, Glenn turned to Rize with an awkward smile.

“By the way, sorry for dragging you into this, Fox…”

[T/N: Somehow, Glenn has started to call her ‘Fox’ lol]

“No, no. You’ve always helped me out, Sensei.”

Rize smiled gently.

“Besides… right now, the entire academy is on your side, you know?”

“…Huh? On my side?”

As Glenn blinked at Rize’s words,

“Glenn-sensei!”

Cecilia, the academy’s medical mage, burst into the room, out of breath.

“Cecilia-sensei?”

“Here… please use these if you need them. These are magical potions that quickly restore mana and relieve fatigue. Perfect for the students exhausted from training…”

“W-wait, those are ‘Revival Potions,’ aren’t they!? Such rare and expensive items… Did you make them yourself, Cecilia-sensei!?”

Cecilia, holding out the potion vials, smiled brightly at Glenn.

“If any students get injured during training, don’t hesitate to let me know, okay?”

“C-Cecilia-sensei… Um, thank you so much…”

As Glenn accepted the potions, still stunned…

“Hmph! Glenn-sensei! Let me lend you my strength as well!”

Baron Zest, an authority on mental domination magic, suddenly appeared before Glenn via spatial teleportation magic.

“Some students may struggle with offensive spells that harm others! For them, I recommend mental domination spells over attack spells! For those interested, I’ll personally teach the art of mental domination as an offensive tool… especially to cute girls! Fuhihihi…!”

“Uh… well… that’s actually really helpful, but…”

Glenn’s cheek twitched at Baron Zest’s blatantly ulterior motives.

“Fuhahahahaha—! My eternal friend and rival, Glenn-sensei! I heard you’re training students! In that case, use my latest invention!”

Professor Orwell, the magical engineering expert, stormed in and shoved a bizarre suit at Glenn.

“This is the ‘Hyper Great Ultra Deluxe Exercise Muscle Suit,’ developed over a decade by the genius of the century—me!”

“What’s with this tacky, embarrassing bodysuit…?”

“When worn, the embedded magical formulas automatically begin physical enhancement, turning the wearer into a muscle-bound macho man overnight! In other words, just wearing it makes you ridiculously strong!”

Orwell presented Glenn with a panel.

“…How does this even happen?”

The panel showed a dramatic before-and-after comparison: a scrawny boy transformed into a muscle-bound figure with log-like limbs.

“I prepared forty of these amazing suits for your class! Be grateful! Fuhahahahaha—!”

“Idiot—! Who’d use this crap, you moron—!?”

“And… this one I made during a break from working on the suits, just something I threw together.”

Next, Orwell casually tossed Glenn a magical device resembling a balance scale.

“This junk can remotely control forty crystal-shaped artificial familiars at once, recording footage from forty perspectives simultaneously. It lets you caption each student’s movements individually. Compared to the ‘Hyper Great Ultra Deluxe Exercise Muscle Suit,’ it’s trash, though.”

“No matter how you look at it, this is a million times more useful!”

“Fuhahaha—! If you need anything else, just call on Orwell=Schuzer anytime! Fuha—hahahahaha—!”

Having handed over his items and rambled on, Orwell left with a boisterous laugh.

“Sheesh, these guys…”

“Come on, Sensei. Everyone wants to help you.”

At Rize’s knowing smile, Glenn scratched his cheek awkwardly.

His attitude was far from straightforward, but the support from so many people, in various forms, was genuinely appreciated.

“Yare yare, speaking of which… where the heck did Celica run off to at a time like this?”

Trying to hide his embarrassment, Glenn changed the subject.

“Sheesh, I’m working my butt off here…”

“Oh, about Professor Arfonia… No, never mind.”

Rize, arms crossed, gave a cryptic smile.

“Hm? Fox, do you know something about Celica?”

Celica had left a few days ago, saying she had business to attend to, and hadn’t been heard from since. Knowing her, Glenn wasn’t too worried, but he was starting to get concerned.

“…No need to worry. Right now, the professor is working very hard on her ‘job.’”

“Job? What’s she up to…?”

Just as Glenn was about to press Rize further,

“Glenn. We need to talk.”

Eve, with her usual haughty demeanor, approached him.

“I want to discuss the individual training plans for the students. Since you’ve been guiding them all this time, I’d like your input. Can you come with me for a bit?”

“…Sure.”

Reluctantly, Glenn gave up pursuing Celica’s whereabouts and followed Eve.

Rize smiled at Glenn’s back as he walked away.

“Glenn-sensei, do your best. …Everyone in the academy is counting on you.”

“Yeah, got it. …It’s a pain, though.”

Glenn responded to Rize over his shoulder.

 

…And so began the days of Glenn and the students’ intensive training camp.

The mornings started with Eve’s grueling Spartan combat training, followed by Glenn’s reflection sessions.

During lunch breaks, they drilled the issues identified in the reflection sessions under Eve and Glenn’s supervision, practicing relentlessly.

After school, they faced Eve in magical combat training until dusk. Glenn addressed each student’s specific issues and challenges individually, tackling them one by one.

After dinner, another reflection session. Then, the students used compressed sleep magic at the camp dorms, collapsing like mud—only to be woken at dawn for another day of brutal training.

Glenn and Eve worked in tandem, forcing the students to gain experience in interpersonal magical combat against a far superior opponent through sheer repetition—an ordeal of grueling intensity.

Eve’s practical training was extraordinarily harsh.

She showed no mercy to the students.

She claimed she was holding back significantly, but to the students, it didn’t feel that way at all.

The thought of what would happen if Eve could use her left hand sent shivers down their spines.

Naturally, the students’ bodies were drained to the core day after day, left in tatters. The training, continued with forced healing through medical magic, was practically torture.

The students were overwhelmed by a level of hardship they’d never experienced before.

Yet, there were no complaints—no one tried to escape the camp.

This was because they gradually began to understand the kindness beneath Eve’s strictness.

At first glance, her methods seemed unnecessarily harsh, but at their core was a desire to help them win.

“If you can’t keep up, that’s your problem.”

“If you don’t like it, quit.”

Despite her dismissive attitude, Eve patiently and earnestly guided the students, never abandoning them.

She was simply an utterly tsundere contrarian.

Still, the first three days were truly hell.

The students were unilaterally crushed, too exhausted to speak or even eat properly.

The concurrent end-of-term exams were, predictably, a disaster, and the atmosphere in the camp dorms on the first night was abysmal.

The only thing keeping them going was their determination to protect the academy and prevent Glenn from being fired. That was all they could cling to.

A change emerged on the afternoon of the fourth day.

“…Alright. Up until now, I’ve been facing all forty of you at once… but starting today, I’ll take on thirty, with the remaining ten rotating out.”

“…Huh? Why?”

“Just do it. Hurry up and get ready.”

And so, the hellish training resumed.

They couldn’t even handle her with forty—how could thirty make any sense?

Every student thought so, and as expected, Eve trounced them soundly.

“…As expected. They’re at the age where they’re growing the most, and the high-quality practical training we’re putting them through is clearly having an effect.”

“Well, they’d never get this kind of insane combat training in regular academy life.”

“Their determination plays a part, too. If they were just being forced, this training wouldn’t work. It’s effective precisely because they’re committed. …Hmph, seems like they really look up to you.”

“Shut up, leave me alone.”

At the end of that day’s training,

In the twilight, as the exhausted students sprawled on the ground, Eve and Glenn talked about something, but the students’ foggy minds couldn’t process it.

From that day on, the training began to shift slightly.

The number of students Eve faced at once decreased—first by two, then by three…

Each session saw a gradual reduction.

And while the first three days had left the students so exhausted they could barely eat…

“Oooohhh—! It’s overrrr—!”

“I’m starvingggg—! Food! Gimme foodddd—!”

After a few days, they seemed to get used to it, and before they knew it, they were eating heartily three times a day.

Every mealtime, a corner of the student cafeteria was taken over by the tattered students of Glenn’s class, turning into a battlefield of ravenous kids.

And during the reflection sessions with video footage—

“Hey, Gibul. That maneuver just now wasn’t half bad, was it?”

“…Hmph.”

At the start of the training camp, the footage only showed clumsy, embarrassing maneuvers, with Glenn giving nothing but criticism. But gradually, the number of times they were praised started to increase overall.

The students’ high level of dedication also played a part.

“Hmm… here. This is where I always get shot by Eve-san…”

As they gained a bit of leeway, the students began gathering in the lounge of the student hall before bedtime, using a borrowed video playback magic device to hold impromptu strategy meetings and study tactics.

“Maybe our attacks are too predictable…”

“Now that you mention it, even though we know a bunch of spells, we always end up using the same ones.”

“Maybe we need to mix in some other spells to diversify our attacks…?”

They thought, experimented, got beaten down, and received feedback on what to improve.

They thought again, experimented again, got beaten down again, and received more feedback.

Days filled with wholehearted training flew by in the blink of an eye…

…And then, on the evening of the tenth day.

During the usual reflection session.

Thinking it was about time, Glenn projected and played back a comparison of the students’ training from the first day and today…

“…W-What’s this…?”

“No way… seriously…?”

Every single student couldn’t hide their shock and unease, standing there dumbfounded.

Because—

“I-is this really us…!?”

—Compared to the first day, their maneuvers had improved dramatically.

They were still getting thrashed by Eve, as always, but the difference in the quality and polish of their performance was obvious at a glance.

To the students, unable to hide their astonishment at their own rapid change and growth—

“There’s nothing to be surprised about. With the foundation in magic that you all have, it’s only natural you could perform at this level.”

Eve, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, said matter-of-factly.

“It’s just that you were severely lacking the training to make use of it, so your potential was going to waste.”

“W-Wow…”

“Of course, it’s not like you’ll keep improving indefinitely like this.”

Eve issued a warning to tighten the focus of the awestruck students.

“Don’t forget that there’s a limit to what you can build on your current foundation. This growth you’re experiencing is only possible because of the foundation Glenn has built for you so far. If you want to keep growing as mages, never stop working diligently to strengthen that foundation. Don’t get cocky, and listen well to Glenn’s teachings. …Got it?”

“Yes, Eve-sensei!”

The students replied in unison, their voices perfectly aligned.

“W-What’s that…? What’s gotten into you all?”

Eve blinked in surprise at their unexpected reaction.

“No, it’s just… we’re really grateful to be taught by you, Eve-sensei!”

“Thank you so much!”

Faced with the students’ beaming smiles, Eve’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she turned away.

“…It’s nothing. This is just my job, so there’s no need for thanks.”

Even as Eve brushed them off with her usual curtness—

The students kept smiling, their expressions filled with unwavering trust in her.

“Haa, listen up, you lot. Are you getting soft? The training camp isn’t over yet. The remaining days are for polishing your skills. I’m going to be especially tough starting tomorrow, so brace yourselves.”

“Yes, please guide us!”

As expected, the students shouted back cheerfully in unison.

Eve could only sigh, half-glaring as if to say, What’s with these kids?…

“…Yare yare.”

In front of her, Glenn shrugged with a somewhat complicated expression.

 

And that night—

In the lounge, Kash led the group, joined by Kai, Rodd, Alf, Bix, Cycer, Luzel, and more—most of the boys from Class 2.

As usual, they borrowed a playback device and were intently watching footage of their training.

“…We’ve… gotten stronger.”

“Yeah, we’ve gotten stronger…”

Kai responded to Kash’s murmur.

“But… sure, we’ve gotten way stronger compared to before the camp, but… will it be enough against that monstrously strong model class…?”

“Yeah… honestly, I’m kinda worried.”

Kash admitted his true feelings in response to Rodd’s words.

“Hey, everyone. I think what we need right now is confidence… the belief in ourselves.”

When Kash turned to the boys and said that—

They all nodded quietly in agreement.

Above their heads, the playback device projected the training footage like a window, playing on.

They recalled the hellish training days they’d endured…

“Let’s go, everyone… Now’s the time to test ourselves.”

“Yeah, you’re right, Kash. This is a wall we have to overcome…”

With that, the boys exchanged glances and stood up.

Dressed in their tattered training robes, worn out from the intense camp, they left the room with resolute steps, brimming with determination.

 

Meanwhile, at that moment—in the large bathhouse of the student hall’s dormitory.

Eve, having shed her clothes in the changing room and let her hair down, wrapped a bath towel around her body and stepped into the bathhouse.

She turned on the faucet on the wall, letting hot water from the shower cleanse her body.

Her flawless, radiant skin—unmarred by a single scar despite her life of battle—and her gracefully curved, perfectly proportioned feminine form shimmered in the foggy mirror amidst the steam.

The hot water felt soothing as it flowed over Eve’s sweat-soaked body from the training.

(Hmph… Even with the considerable handicap I’m giving them, making me break a sweat like this… Those kids are better than I thought…)

With a faint smirk, Eve let the cascading water caress her elegant neck, the gentle swell of her chest, the alluring curve of her slender waist, and her lithe legs.

After thoroughly cleansing herself, Eve turned off the shower and headed to the bath.

The massive marble bathtub, large enough to swim in, was filled with steaming hot water, the white vapor so thick it obscured the opposite wall.

“…Fuu.”

Sinking into the bath, she let out a sigh.

The faint fatigue etched into her body seemed to melt away, dissolving into the water.

The heat of the bath gradually, ever so slightly, unraveled Eve’s thoughts, softening them into a hazy blur…

(It’s strange… Lately, my heart feels… lighter, somehow.)

Eve found herself thinking such things.

(When I was in the military… When I was blindly following Father… I never felt like this…)

But then—

The moment Eve noticed the new emotion budding within her—

A shiver ran through her.

She was gripped by an indescribable terror.

(No… No way…! Thinking that these days aren’t so bad…! That being an instructor might be fine… I can’t let myself think that, Eve…!)

Clenching her teeth and clutching her head, Eve steeled herself.

(I’m Eve! Eve Ignite! The proud heir of the Ignite lineage…! I’m stuck in a place like this for now… No… No way… I can’t let it end here…!)

Renewing her resolve, Eve glared at her left hand.

The left hand that had once been severed, robbing her of her magical ability.

(That’s right, for the sake of the Ignites…! I have to live for that! Otherwise, what was I even born for!? I’ll restore this left hand, and one day, I’ll definitely make Father…! So I have to stay strong…!)

As Eve grappled with her turbulent doubts and inner conflict—

She sensed multiple presences beyond the bathhouse’s entrance door.

From the faint, excited chatter, it was likely the girls from Class 2.

“…”

In the bath, Eve took a calm, deep breath. Controlling emotions was the most fundamental skill for a mage.

(…Alright.)

Pushing her swirling conflicts to the back of her mind…

“As expected, bath time is the best part, isn’t it!?”

“Haha, yeah, it is.”

“Mm.”

Leading the group, Sistine, Rumia, and Re=L, their bare bodies wrapped in towels…

“Oh, Eve-san, you’re already here?”

“Hehe, mind if we join you?”

“Um… excuse us…”

Wendy, Teresa, Lynn, and the other girls from Class 2 flooded into the bathhouse.

In an instant, the serene and tranquil atmosphere transformed.

The bathhouse became a lively, noisy space filled with countless alluring figures playfully splashing about.

High-pitched voices echoed incessantly, reverberating through the enclosed space.

“…”

It was no different from any group of women gathering in a bathhouse, whether students or female soldiers.

Unfazed, Eve kept her eyes closed, surrendering herself to the warmth of the water.

Soon, the girls, having washed their youthful bodies, began joining Eve in the bathtub…

“Hey, Eve-san, are you really a soldier in the Imperial Army!?”

“Yeah! Your skin is unbelievably gorgeous! Oh, it’s amazing!”

“And that vibrant, flame-red hair is so stunning! It’s beautiful!”

“Hey, hey, do you have any skincare tips or something!?”

In no time, Eve was surrounded by the girls.

(Ugh… Why are these kids so attached to me? A cold, charmless woman like me can’t be that interesting to talk to…)

Even as she thought this—

“Tips, huh? Well, I do order some Narmi oil and use a little…”

Feeling it would be rude to ignore them, Eve gave a safe, vague response.

“Kyah! Narmi oil!?”

“So fancy!”

“As expected of Eve-san!”

But the girls squealed with delight at Eve’s bland reply, making a huge fuss.

“Hey, hey, what was your first battle like, Eve-san!?”

“With someone like you, I bet you were totally amazing, right!?”

(…What’s with them?)

Ignoring Eve’s bewilderment, the girls kept chattering excitedly at her.

“W-Well… Even I was nervous during my first battle, I suppose? That was, let’s see, four years ago…”

Swept up by their enthusiasm, Eve found herself uncharacteristically talkative.

The girls listened to her stories with glee, the excitement building and building…

And then—

 

BOOOOOM!

“Gyaaaaaaaah—!?”

“Luzel—!? The wound’s shallow, hang in there—!”

“Kash! This is probably a magic trap triggered by gender…!”

“Damn it! Fall back! Fall baaaack—!”

 

From the hallway outside the bathhouse… there was what sounded like an explosion and screams.

“…Huh? Eve-san… did you hear something strange just now…?”

“Dunno. Probably your imagination.”

Unlike the confused girls, Eve, sinking deeper into the bath, kept a straight face.

Then—

“Um… Eve-san?”

“Haha… mind if we sit next to you?”

“Mm, Eve. Let’s bathe together?”

Sistine, Rumia, and Re=L, having finished washing, slipped into the bath beside Eve.

“…Fine by me.”

The usual trio, huh?

With no reason to brush them off, she replied as such.

(I knew Re=L was close to Glenn from our military days, but… for some reason, Sistine and Princess Ermiana are attached to him too…)

Eve stole a glance at the three girls.

“Haha, the water feels great, doesn’t it, Eve-san?”

“It really is the perfect temperature, isn’t it?”

“Mm.”

Sistine, Rumia, Re=L… even conservatively, they were undeniably high-caliber beauties.

Re=L aside, Eve couldn’t fathom why girls like them would be so attached to Glenn.

Surely there were plenty of better guys out there if they looked.

“U-Um… Eve-san, what’s your real relationship with Glenn-sensei…?”

As Eve pondered this, Sistine cautiously broached the subject.

“I heard you were his superior in the Imperial Army before, but…”

“Haha, well… it’s just that you and Glenn-sensei seem so close, like you’re really comfortable with each other… I couldn’t help but wonder…”

“N-N-N-No ulterior motives here, none at all! It’s just, you know, Sensei’s such a sucker for beautiful women! I’m just making sure he doesn’t do anything rude to you, Eve-san—!”

Sistine and Rumia danced around the topic, and then…

“Hey… Eve, do you like Glenn—glub?”

Re=L, cutting straight to the point, was grabbed by Sistine and Rumia on both shoulders, her face half-submerged in the water.

“R-Re=L!? W-What are you saying!?”

“Haha, Eve-san, that’s not what we meant, not at all…”

(What are these girls misunderstanding…?)

Utterly exasperated, Eve covered half her face with one hand and sighed.

(Is this just how girls their age are? Even Re=L… I thought she had zero interest in this kind of boy-girl stuff, but… is she hitting that age too?)

“S-Sorry, Eve-san! For asking something weird!?”

“That was rude, wasn’t it!? Prying like that is wrong, right!? Sorry!”

“Glub glub glub…”

Sistine and Rumia frantically shook their heads, apologizing.

Re=L, half her face submerged, glared with narrowed eyes.

“Haha! T-The water feels great, doesn’t it, Eve-san!?”

“It’s really the perfect temperature, isn’t it!?”

“Glub glub glub…”

Trying to forcibly change the subject, Sistine and Rumia kept sneaking glances at Eve.

“Haa…”

Eve let out another big sigh and said,

“Relax. There’s nothing between me and Glenn. Nothing like what you’re imagining.”

“W-What, imagining!?”

“I’ll apologize in advance, but… I don’t really like idealistic guys like him who lack even a shred of tact. Besides… he hates me, too.”

“!?”

Sistine and the others fell silent at Eve’s blunt words.

“Hate…? Sensei… hates you, Eve-san?”

“I’ll skip the details, but during a certain mission, I used someone important to him for my own gain, abandoned them… and let them die. There’s no way he’ll ever forgive me. Ever.”

“That person… could it be…?”

Sistine hesitated awkwardly, glancing at Re=L.

Re=L shook her head slightly, apparently unaware of the specifics.

“Anyway, rest easy. There’s no way there’d be any romantic nonsense between me and him.”

With a curt remark,

Eve rose from the bath, ready to step out.

“Ah… um, sorry…”

“It’s fine, don’t misunderstand. I’m not offended or anything. I’ve just been in the hot water for a while, and I’m starting to feel lightheaded…”

At that moment—

 

CHUDOOOOOOOOON!

““““GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?””””

“Kash!? Kashhh! It’s hell over here too—!”

““““GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!””””

 

From outside the large bathhouse’s window, there came what sounded like an explosion and screams.

“…Huh? Eve-san… did you just hear something strange?”

“Dunno. Probably your imagination.”

Eve, having climbed out of the tub, wrapped a bath towel around herself and combed her hair with a cool expression.

“Anyway, I’m not the kind of person you think I am. Sorry, but I’d do anything for my own gain… I’m a much more despicable, lowlife woman.”

Leaving those words behind, Eve exited the bathhouse.

Faced with Eve’s retreating figure, neither Sistine nor Rumia could find anything to say.

Eve called herself a despicable woman… but they couldn’t believe that was true.

Because, for just a fleeting moment… when she spoke of letting someone dear to Glenn die…

For that brief instant, Eve’s face looked as if she might burst into tears.

…By the way,

“Blub blub blub blub… (Sistine, Rumia… it’s getting hard to breathe…)”

Re=L still had the lower half of her face submerged in the water.

 

“…Hmph, what a sinful man. What’s so great about that blockhead, anyway?”

Having changed after her bath, Eve fanned her flushed body with her hands as she walked down the corridor.

Along the way, she passed a pile of soot-covered, unconscious “male-student-like things” collapsed in a heap… but she didn’t spare them a glance, striding past with a brisk air.

As Eve headed straight toward the room she’d borrowed in this lodging building,

She noticed a door about ten meters ahead in the dim corridor, slightly ajar, with light spilling out from within.

(That’s… Glenn’s assigned room, isn’t it?)

Lately, that room had become a miniature city that never slept, its faint lamp glowing until the wee hours of the night.

“Hmph…”

For some reason, a thought struck her.

Eve passed by the room… and headed straight for the kitchen.

 

Knock. Knock. Knock. Three sharp raps echoed through Glenn’s room.

“It’s me. Can I come in?”

“…Yeah, do whatever.”

Glenn replied carelessly, and Eve stepped inside.

The room, originally just a sparse dorm space from the academy with only a bed, desk, and table, was now in a sorry state.

The floor was littered with books and stacks of papers, leaving no room to step, and the desk Glenn was hunched over, clutching his head, was buried under a mountain of books and manuscripts.

Above his head floated several glowing windows projected by a playback device using light magic.

“…Still at it?”

Eve approached silently and placed something on Glenn’s desk with a clink.

“…”

Glenn didn’t even glance at it, wholly absorbed in his work.

When Eve peered at his hands, it was as expected.

Glenn was furiously scribbling notes on the individual challenges faced by each of the two groups of students and their upcoming training plans.

Every night lately, he’d been at this until late, wrestling with video records and documents.

Eve’s presence had been a major factor in the students’ rapid growth… but Glenn’s meticulous work in identifying issues and adjusting training plans as the students evolved day by day was just as crucial.

Thanks to the detailed materials Glenn diligently prepared for every student, Eve could tailor their training to be far more effective.

That said, crafting challenges and training plans for every single student was grueling work.

Glenn’s entire being radiated an unmistakable, deep-seated fatigue.

“Ha… Have you been getting any proper sleep lately?”

Eve peered at Glenn’s profile, exasperated.

“Huh?”

Without sparing her a glance, Glenn dipped his quill in the inkpot and continued writing.

“Look in a mirror sometime. Those dark circles are awful. You’re a mess.”

“Shut up. Leave me alone.”

Glenn yawned, stretched, and cracked his shoulders and neck with a pop.

“This is nothing. The students are the ones with the real burden, you know? If I, the root of all this mess, don’t at least do this much, what good am I?”

“…Hmph. Surprisingly passionate, aren’t you?”

“Hah… That’s my line.”

Glenn leaned back in his chair with a groan, staring at the ceiling.

“You’re something else, too. Handling my ever-changing training instructions for all forty students without a single complaint? Thanks to you, those kids are growing like bamboo shoots.”

Glenn could never have done it alone.

He could teach them culture and devise challenges and training plans, but as a mage, Glenn was an unorthodox type through and through.

He could never provide the kind of disciplined, effective training that someone like Eve, a true orthodox mage, could deliver.

“…Guess I should say thanks. You’ve been a big help.”

“It’s nothing. It’s my job right now.”

“Hmph… As expected of the empire’s renowned《Lord Scarlet》, huh? You know, you might be better suited to teaching than being a soldier.”

“…Shut up. Mind your own business.”

Ignoring Eve’s sullen retort, Glenn tapped the haphazardly stacked papers on his desk, straightened them, and turned to hand them to her.

“Here. The students’ challenges and training plans starting tomorrow. Look them over later…”

“Hmm? Let’s see.”

For some reason, Glenn’s words faltered mid-sentence, but Eve took the papers and began skimming through them.

“Ha… You really pay attention, don’t you? How do you even notice these tiny details? Hmm… Now that you mention it, those kids do have these weaknesses…”

“…”

“Alright, looks good. Starting tomorrow, I’ll focus on these points for their training…”

“…”

“…What? I’m actually praising you for once, and you’ve been quiet this whole time.”

Eve noticed Glenn’s exasperated stare and narrowed her eyes, visibly annoyed.

“No… What’s with that outfit…?”

At his comment, Eve glanced down at herself.

Fresh from the bath, Eve wore a thin, low-cut shirt. Until moments ago, she’d been warm, so her robe was merely draped over her shoulders, not properly worn.

Her body had cooled by now, but her nape, arms, cleavage, and thighs… the elegant lines of her figure were on full display, undeniably alluring and defenseless.

“S-shut up… It was hot after the bath, okay!?”

“Even so, don’t come into a guy’s room dressed like that! Are you an idiot!?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? I’m a soldier! Even if I’m a woman, military folks don’t fuss over stuff like… H-hey, stop staring like that, you pervert!”

WHACK!

Eve had maintained a composed expression until that point, but her face suddenly flushed red. She slammed the stack of papers into Glenn’s face and hurriedly pulled her robe closed to cover herself.

“GYAAAAAAAH!?”

The force and impact sent Glenn tumbling off his chair.

The carefully organized papers and documents scattered everywhere.

“Argh, seriously!? Why’d you do that!? What did you even come here for!? I’m busy, don’t mess with me! Shoo, shoo! If you’re done, get out!”

Glenn roared at Eve, practically snarling.

Eve flicked her hair back and said with a huff,

“…That’s harsh. And here I went out of my way to brew you some tea.”

“…Tea?”

Only then did Glenn notice the tea set placed at the edge of his desk.

It was likely freshly brewed; steam still rose from the teapot.

“…Y-you… made tea… for me…?”

“Jeez, you don’t have to act that suspicious. How rude. There’s no poison in it, you know.”

As Glenn eyed the tea set like it heralded the apocalypse, Eve calmly poured tea into two cups.

“This is an order. Take a break. You look absolutely awful right now.”

“An order? Your current military rank is lower than mine was back in the day… though I’m retired now, so whatever…”

“Shut up. Be quiet.”

And so,

The two settled into a late-night tea time.

“…”

“…”

But it was silent.

Sitting at the same table in the same room, facing each other, they sipped their tea without a word.

“…”

“…”

Finally, unable to bear the silence any longer,

“…So, how is it?”

Eve asked bluntly.

“What?”

“The tea I brewed. Say something about it, at least.”

“It’s goddamn awful.”

Glenn answered without hesitation.

“Bitter, astringent, and just plain bad. How do you even manage to make tea this terrible? Got a grudge against tea or something? Man… you’re still hopeless at this.”

“Hmph… Whatever.”

Eve seemed to know her shortcomings, merely huffing in response.

Cooking was supposedly one of Eve’s hobbies, but for some reason, she was spectacularly bad at it.

“Jeez… take a page out of Sera’s book. That girl…”

The words slipped out of Glenn’s mouth unbidden.

Crap, landmine… Glenn realized too late, trailing off.

“Yeah… the tea that girl brewed… it was really delicious…”

Eve muttered softly, then fell silent.

She gazed at her reflection in the crimson surface of the tea, as if confronting herself in a daze.

“…”

“…”

And so,

Eve showed no sign of leaving the room.

Glenn couldn’t bring himself to tell her to go.

An awkward, heavy silence settled between them.

…How much time had passed?

“Hey… Eve. Why… why did you abandon Sera back then?”

At last, Glenn steeled himself and asked.

His words brought a memory to the forefront of their minds… the incident from two years ago.

The day the Special Missions Annex lost《The Empress》Sera Silvers forever… that fateful day.

The incident where Eve’s decision delayed Albert’s support… resulting in Sera’s death.

The incident where Eve sacrificed Sera to secure victory.

“Right after Sera died… I was so furious, you know. I blamed you, cursed you out. But lately, with everything that’s happened, I’ve finally cooled off. I think I can face that incident calmly now.”

“…”

“And when I think about it calmly… no matter how I look at it, your decision back then just doesn’t add up.”

“…”

“Sure, you’re a cold, efficiency-obsessed, glory-hungry jerk who treats us like pawns and works us to the bone. But even so, you weren’t the type to make such a blatant ‘sacrificial pawn’ move.

Like that social ball incident—on the surface, it looks like you’re sacrificing pawns, but you always manage to cover them at the last second. That’s the kind of maneuvering you do.”

Eve remained silent, her eyes narrowed, maintaining her wordless stance.

“And… you and Sera were so close, weren’t you? Well, maybe it was more like Sera pestering you one-sidedly… but for someone as prickly and friendless as you, she was your only friend, right? So why…?”

“…”

“What the hell happened to you back then?”

To Glenn’s question,

 

—Father, why!? This is the moment to send《The Star》to support《The Fool》and《The Empress》! Please, if we don’t—!

—No. They are mere pawns of the Ignite family.

—Your only concern should be eliminating the traitor《The Justice》and maximizing our gains with utmost efficiency. That is the Ignite family’s creed. Defy it, and—

 

The nightmare that had haunted Eve since that day replayed vividly in her mind…

At last, breaking her heavy silence, Eve spoke.

“Nothing happened… Nothing at all.”

“…”

“I sacrificed that girl for the sake of victory… That’s all.”

Now it was Glenn’s turn to narrow his eyes and fall silent.

Eve, as if throwing caution to the wind, declared,

“Hmph… I won’t make excuses now. That’s right. I made the decision to abandon her. I killed her. I won’t run or hide from that choice. Hate me if you want—hate me as much as you like.”

With a dry, cold laugh, Eve finished.

“…Is that so? Then I won’t ask anything more.”

Glenn’s icy words struck Eve like a blow.

Once again, an awkward silence descended between them.

(…I’m such an idiot. A complete fool.)

In the silence, Eve could only mock herself inwardly.

If she spilled the truth now, admitted she didn’t want to do it, that she regretted it, and shed a few pitiful tears, she could probably win Glenn’s sympathy.

She might even be able to use his compassion to her advantage later.

A woman’s tears are a weapon. If she wanted to live cleverly and shrewdly, that’s what she should do.

But… despite her calculating mind and cunning, Eve lacked the dexterity to pull off such a sly maneuver.

(This is fine. Because it doesn’t matter about Father or the family… In the end, I made that decision. This is my sin… It’s something I have to carry.)

Clink.

Eve set her now-empty cup back on its saucer.

“…I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

Leaving the tea set behind, Eve stood to flee the unbearable atmosphere…

“Yeah… I won’t ask anything more.”

Glenn’s voice called out to her retreating back.

“So… talk to me someday. On your own terms.”

“…!?”

Eve froze in place.

Glenn didn’t meet her eyes, staring off into the distance.

“…”

“…”

The rift between them hadn’t fully healed.

Too much had been lost for either to approach the other openly.

But for just a moment, it felt like something had begun to thaw… a faint shift in the air.

“W-what are you talking about…!?”

Eve tried to storm out, fleeing from Glenn.

But in her agitation, she tripped over a stack of books piled on the floor.

“Kyaa!?”

Eve’s body suddenly tilted—

“Eve!?”

Glenn reflexively kicked his chair back, stood up, and reached out to her—

Crash!

The two of them tumbled to the floor, entangled.

“Ow, ow, ow…”

Eve muttered instinctively, but she realized her body didn’t hurt as much as her words suggested.

The reason being…

“…Hey.”

“Ah.”

Eve was straddling Glenn, who lay flat on his back on the floor, pinning him down.

It seemed that in the heat of the moment, she had instinctively used Glenn as a cushion.

“Ah, w-well… s-sorry about that… I didn’t mean to…”

“Forget the apology, just get off already. Look at yourself.”

“…Huh?”

Prompted by his words, Eve glanced down at her own appearance.

In the shock of their fall, the robe draped over her shoulders had slipped off, her shirt’s front was wide open, and its hem had ridden up. Her slender legs were fully exposed, and her ample chest, along with glimpses of her black lace undergarments, peeked out intermittently.

To an onlooker, this scene would undeniably look like Eve was seducing and pinning Glenn down.

“W-w-w-what—!?”

Eve, blushing as red as an innocent maiden, froze like a statue.

Click!

“Sensei—! Thanks for working so late! We made you a midnight snack—!”

“Hehe, the three of us worked together to make it—!”

“Mmm. Eat… huh?”

At that exact moment, Sistine, Rumia, and Re=L burst into the room unannounced.

““““…””””

An overwhelming silence fell over Glenn, Eve, Sistine, and Rumia.

“Glenn and Eve… what are you doing? …Practicing combat grappling?”

Re=L, the only one oblivious to the situation, muttered as the trigger.

“E-Eve-saaaan!? W-w-what in the world are you—!?”

“Whoa… s-so that’s how you just go and pin someone down… whoa…”

Sistine let out a shrill, bewildered scream, while Rumia, her face bright red, covered it with both hands—though she peeked through her fingers, intently watching Glenn and Eve.

“W-w-w-what boldness!? I-is this what adults do!? Is this how grown women make their move…!? A-awawawa!? N-n-no way! This is a school—!”

“Eve-san… so you really feel that way about Sensei…”

Sistine and Rumia were now thoroughly caught in a whirlwind of chaos.

“Ugh… what is with these kids…?”

Eve, covering half her face with one hand, could only let out a deep, exasperated sigh.

“…Just get off already. You’re heavy.”

Glenn, too, could only release a similarly weary sigh.

 

After that, the misunderstanding was somehow cleared up.

And so, it was decided that they’d all have a late-night snack together.

The basket of sandwiches—made for Glenn, though clearly far too much for one person—was now surrounded by the group, who ate and chatted merrily. However…

“…What’s with this seating arrangement?”

To Eve’s left and right sat Sistine and Rumia, with Re=L directly across from her.

Glenn was positioned diagonally opposite Eve, the farthest from her.

“Huh? Oh, n-no particular reason!”

“Haha… yeah, no reason at all.”

Yet both Sistine and Rumia were oddly wary of Eve.

“…Look, you two. It seems like you’re still misunderstanding something, but…”

Eve, exasperated, tried to explain herself, but…

“T-this is—! Um… r-right! It’s just that we’re protecting someone as charming as you, Eve-san, from that shameless Sensei who might try to pounce—!”

“White Cat… what do you take me for?”

Sistine, still flustered, spouted nonsense, and…

(Ugh… I won’t lose… Mmngh…)

Rumia was staring at Eve with the eyes of someone sizing up a rival.

And so…

“Hey, Glenn, is it good?”

“…”

“I worked really hard on that one. …A strawberry tart sandwich.”

“…Yeah, it’s good. Kinda a new texture, this.”

“Really? …Good. Eat more.”

While Sistine and Rumia were busy keeping Eve in check, Re=L, sitting beside Glenn, offered him her sandwich with an innocent expression.

In this moment… Re=L had completely stolen the advantage.

“Tch, noisy bunch as always, no matter where or when…”

Glenn, munching on the overly inventive dish of a strawberry tart stuffed between bread, looked fed up when…

He suddenly noticed something.

Among the scattered papers and documents strewn across the floor… was a peculiar note.

“…Hm? What’s this?”

He picked it up and held it to the lamplight.

The text was incredibly hard to read.

It was as if someone had desperately scribbled it with an unimaginably heavy pen… that kind of writing.

From the barely legible text, he could just make out parts of it—

 

—To Glenn Radars.

—The ‘Hidden Academy’ is a trap. ×××××××. Stepping inside ××××××.

—Do not use fire. You’ll be ×××, and ×××. Absolutely, do not use fire.

—Beware of Alicia III. Her true identity is ×××××.

 

“…What the hell is this?”

Glenn felt a chill run down his spine.

He had no recollection of this note.

If it was someone’s prank, something felt off.

The paper was common, the ink likely store-bought. The language was standard common tongue.

Yet, the note… it carried a desperate urgency that no mere prank could convey, a blood-like intensity seeping from it.

The sense of crisis and foreboding in every stroke of the text… just looking at it made him feel ill, as if his sanity was being chipped away.

“…Tch.”

A headache began to throb, and Glenn tore his eyes away from the note.

Before he realized it, his entire body was drenched in cold sweat, pouring like a waterfall.

Amid the noisy scene of Eve and the others, Glenn sank into thought.

The words that stood out most in the note were… undoubtedly ‘Hidden Academy’ and ‘Alicia III.’ Like most, Glenn was well aware of the rumors and stories surrounding those two terms.

But rumors were just that—rumors. The ‘Hidden Academy’ was an official project established by the academy. There shouldn’t be any danger.

Yet… something about it felt deeply unsettling.

“…”

Logically, the note was a prank. It had to be a prank.

The sensible thing would be to laugh it off, tear it up, and forget it entirely.

But—

“…Hey, Eve.”

Glenn thrust the note in front of Eve, who was chatting with Sistine and the others.

“…What’s that?”

“I’ve got something to discuss with you…”

Eve looked at Glenn’s unusually serious expression with a hint of suspicion