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198th Episode: Festival Day 2 (3)

The village was still buzzing with energy.

10 PM. Even though it was almost time to sleep, people were not easily drifting off.

They wanted to savor this lively atmosphere for a lifetime. However, if they fell asleep too quickly, the day of the festival would be wasted.

This sentiment was shared by everyone, not just the commoners, but also the nobles. It was a pity that a time that came only once in five years could be squandered while sleeping.

Everyone shared a similar mindset. However, nobles had the privilege of enjoying the festival even in the cooled-down areas.

In the royal residence of the Aligieri Academy.

Princess Mirona stood on the balcony railing, looking out over the village.

As she looked up, the sky was brilliantly illuminated by stars.

Seeing both at the same time made her feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

‘It feels like a place I’ve known forever.’

In truth, she had felt such déjà vu since the day she enrolled.

Back then, she brushed it off, but in the current atmosphere, it stood out significantly.

It felt as if she had learned something here from someone long ago.

Especially amidst such a lively festival atmosphere.

-Please remain calm. If not, I know people who have ended up in the grave because of it.

This was something Lyman Begilius always told himself.

It didn’t quite align with his pursuit of purity, yet… strangely, he couldn’t shake it off.

What a strange place it was.

Lyman, this academy, and…

“Oh, I wondered where you went, and here you are?”

Mirona jumped slightly at the voice that came from behind her.

Unknowingly, all her nerves went on high alert—instinctive rejection of an unwanted presence.

It was the voice of her step-sister she didn’t want to encounter.

“Long time no see, Mirona.”

“Meloin…”

Meloin Fried Divine. The first princess, the child of the Emperor’s primary wife. The older sister who had pressured Mirona since childhood stood before her on the balcony.

Wearing a dress more ornate than what the youngest had on, emphasizing the complete opposite of Mirona, with her blue hair.

Her diamond earrings and the jewels embedded in her outfit defined her luxurious status.

“Did you come here to hide from me?”

Meloin spoke with an extremely arrogant expression.

It felt as if she was a snake looking down at a frog.

“Don’t delude yourself into thinking that staying quiet will resolve everything. Who in this place will see you as a pure child just sitting here?”

“….”

Though she smiled on the outside, there was a venomous undertone to her words.

Mirona sensed Meloin’s intentional malice, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“By the way, why didn’t you participate in the Tactical Banquet? If you stepped up, winning would be a walk in the park, and you might impress our father.”

Eventually, Meloin relaxed her smile and continued.

“Considering that skill of yours that injured my arm when we were little.”

“…!”

Mirona’s face froze at the guilt this prompted.

It was a clear fact that she had rendered Meloin’s arm unusable that day.

Even if she wanted to make excuses, guilt overwhelmed her, and all she could do was tremble while clenching her fists.

However, Meloin laughed again at her step-sister’s demeanor.

She had enjoyed seeing that kind of reaction from Mirona since they were little.

“If you had crashed down there pathetically, it would have lightened my anger a bit. What a pity.”

Meloin knew what Mirona’s weakness was.

Responsibility.

No matter how wrong something was, Mirona froze before her guilt.

It was a moment where Meloin thought she was more suited for the throne than this girl.

“You don’t really want to unleash your anger; you just want to enjoy watching your little sister suffer, right? Am I wrong?”

Suddenly, someone appeared without a sound, startling both of them.

A saint with striking green hair, reminiscent of rustling leaves, stood on the balcony.

Saint Nebia Chromag of Melody. Upon her remarkable presence, Meloin hastily greeted her.

“First Princess Meloin Fried Divine. It’s an honor to meet you, Saint.”

“Cut the pleasantries. All I can sense from your voice is the intent to devour people.”

Nebia dismissed the princess’s greeting coldly, tossing her hair back.

Taken aback by this unexpected attitude, Meloin stuttered.

“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Don’t you remember our meeting in the Imperial City?”

Not long after being chosen as a saint, Angela and Nebia had visited the Imperial City.

At that time, Nebia, filled with malice, had befriended Meloin, a member of her own race.

It was strange for her to act as if she had forgotten that friendship.

“Yes, I remember. I almost died knee-deep in your ugly voice that was full of jealousy towards your little half-sister who has nothing.”

“Why…”

Overwhelmed by the stream of insults pouring out like clear water, Meloin was left speechless.

Then, Nebia placed a hand on Mirona’s shoulder and said,

“Heard you say something about our Mirona princess crashing down pathetically. That makes me even more displeased.”

“Saint Nebia…?”

“What? Is it so strange for a student council secretary like me to side with the president?”

“Student council?”

From the moment she first met Nebia, it was clear she was not someone who would bow to others.

She had displayed tremendous ambition back then.

However, whatever happened during that time, such behavior was nowhere to be seen now.

The fact she had joined the student council meant she had joined the ranks of Mirona, whom she had been jealous of.

“Are you saying nonsense?”

Meloin was taken aback as Nebia shielded Mirona.

Seeing Nebia like this impressed Mirona.

“Even if she looks like a fool, she’s still my student council president. How could I just stand by while someone tries to suppress her?”

“Did you call me a fool?”

Mirona’s mood, which had been uplifted, suddenly crumbled.

Was that a compliment or an insult?

“And as you know, Princess, I can tell what someone is feeling through their voice. At first, I brushed it off, but now, you have an incredibly filthy heart.”

“Are you challenging us now?”

‘Us’ referred to the royal family as a whole. This was clearly provocation against the royal family.

However, considering Nebia held the authority of a saint, it was a fierce clash.

If the two were to collide, it was likely both would fall.

Knowing this well, Nebia eased her hostility and smiled.

“Heh heh heh. I’m just worried about you, Princess Meloin.”

“What do you mean…?”

Nebia slowly approached Meloin.

Grabbing the shoulders of Meloin, who was stepping back in fear, she whispered into her ear.

“The filthier your heart is… the easier it is to fall for lies.”

“Eek!”

“With that attitude, you wouldn’t even be able to see through a petty scammer’s tricks, would you, Princess?”

“Get away from me!”

Princess Meloin screamed, startled as if she had heard a ghost.

While speaking, Nebia infused her enchanting magic into Meloin’s ear.

Her words slipped in through Meloin’s ears and took root in her brain.

“Ah…”

Meloin’s strength drained from her hands as if she had been subjected to some ordeal.

Mirona noticed a hint of what was happening but didn’t intervene.

They shared the same goals now.

“Now disappear. Until I say so, don’t even think about coming near us.”

“Y-yes…”

That once fierce Meloin moved her lips weakly.

She exited the balcony with an expression that had lost all her fervor.

Watching Meloin leave, Nebia shrugged her shoulders.

“Are you alright? President.”

“Thank you so much.”

Just by hearing Mirona’s voice, it was clear.

How much had she been tormented by her sister Meloin? Even after being chased away in such a drastic manner, she didn’t express any dissatisfaction.

“You no longer need to hold onto such a person. She is now your enemy.”

“Yes…”

Now even her father, the Emperor, might become an enemy.

Since becoming president of the student council, she had become wary of the royal family’s mysteries after the Jason instructor incident.

Having grown up gaslit since birth, she could not distinguish whether the royal family was good or evil.

But she started to realize the truth recently.

“Don’t get caught up in trivialities when your one and only mother is in danger.”

“….”

Mirona’s mother, Miriam Kirien Divine.

She was essentially the only family Mirona could claim.

Being treated as a concubine, Mira had always faced persecution, and now she was rumored to be confined somewhere.

The only one capable of orchestrating that would be the Emperor.

“Saint Nebia, you’re so kind.”

“What did you say?”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Surprised by the sudden remark, Nebia fumbled her actions.

She nearly lost herself in the brilliance radiating from Mirona’s kind face.

“Concern? I simply dislike the idea of a perfectly fine family vanishing. So don’t misunderstand and think I’m being kind.”

Nebia had lost all the family that once existed in her memory.

Though her mother was still alive, she treated Nebia more like a tool than a daughter.

Her father and older brother were murdered, and as a result, her mother lost her humanity.

If she hadn’t become a saint, Nebia would have ended her life long ago.

“My goal is purely vengeance.”

The root cause of her family’s downfall.

The grudge against the royal family that killed her father and brother shone in her green eyes.

*

Second match of the Tactical Banquet.

A team battle to determine the survivors of Group B was unfolding.

Just like Group A, there was a fierce battle for survival this time as well.

This fight involved various spells flying from all directions.

Bang!!!-

Swooshhh!-

A wide-ranging blast spell and lightning magic swept through competitors like falling leaves.

Among them, there was a strong warrior from the previous Group A, yet the moment he got swallowed, he was immediately eliminated.

However, one participant endured the elemental storm.

[Divine Beast Transformation]

Fox ears and nine tails sprouted from one participant’s body.

With robust vitality, she withstood each elemental spell.

“A m-monster…”

The magician who had triggered the elemental storm grimaced.

In an instant, the girl shot dozens of arrows, eliminating other participants, and even took down the magician with a single slash of a double-edged sword.

Covered in burn marks, the Yokai clan girl recovered swiftly.

Luska Mad Eye triumphed gracefully.

[Group B Winner – Luska Mad Eye]

Numerous spectators cheered and praised her victory.

Jenny, who was watching the battle from the audience, spoke up.

“She’s gotten stronger. What do you think, Radon?”

This time, the question was directed at me. My thought wasn’t much different.

“Already, Luska has been to battlefields before enrolling. At the very least, she has more combat experience than you.”

That wasn’t all.

Except for Lyman, no other students at Aligieri possessed better physical abilities than Luska.

As I subtly warned, Jenny actually smiled wider.

“Then I’m even more excited!”

Beside her, Ray was also impressed.

“I knew it! The one advancing to the finals would be her!”

From the moment he first saw Luska, Ray felt something unusual.

And throughout her fight, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut in awe.

She was the first person he’d seen win after taking multiple magical hits head-on.

“But our sister’s ice magic will win. Now she can handle it more accurately.”

“Of course. Has she ever disappointed us?”

Jenny shrugged, matching her younger sister’s expectations.

Then Ray, with an even brighter expression, said,

“Then she absolutely must win. Just like our mom did.”

Suddenly, Jenny’s expression stiffened. At the same time, the dependable aura of her shoulders slumped.

“Huh? Why does your face look like that?”

“Huh? It’s nothing.”

With a vague response, Jenny immediately turned back to me.

Her face was now shrouded in a dark mood, and she whispered into my ear.

“I have a favor to ask. Radon.”

“….”

“When the final match of the Tactical Banquet approaches… take Ray and get out of the village.”

I accepted the earnest request of the girl without hesitation.

Surviving as an Academy Scammer.

 

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