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“You’re telling me to… leave the Magic Tower?”

What on earth is that woman talking about?

Caught off guard by such a sudden statement, I found myself at a loss for words.

Stella quickly corrected herself, saying it was a misunderstanding.

“To be precise, you need to come into our Magic Tower.”

Serena frowned and replied immediately.

“…Why should I do that?”

“Because if you go back like this, the Master of the Silver Tower won’t just let it slide.”

“What are you talking about…”

“Stop pretending.”

With that, Stella strode over to Serena.

“It was Master of the Silver Tower who ordered me to kill you.”

“……”

At that words, Serena fell silent, unable to respond.

Standing still like a child caught in trouble, she presented a bracelet to her.

“This bracelet was commissioned by the Academy from the Silver Tower.”

Upon seeing the bracelet, Serena flinched and looked at her.

“Ah, don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I reported you or anything. The homeroom teacher just noticed something strange after the match and requested an investigation.”

If the matter regarding the bracelet were to be made public, not only would she suffer, but the entire Silver Tower would lose its political standing and external image.

If that happened, both she and the Tower would essentially come to an end.

“If you come into our Golden Tower, we can defend you. I’ve already spoken to my Master about it.”

“…What’s your ulterior motive?”

“Ulterior motive?”

Serena burst out emotionally, as if she couldn’t comprehend.

“I wanted to kill you! So why are you doing this for me? Is this some kind of pity? I don’t need that!”

“…Did you really want to kill me?”

“Yeah! I wanted to kill you and take your place!”

“That’s a lie.”

“Not a lie! I really…! Wanted to kill you!”

“Then why didn’t you kill me back then?”

“That’s…!”

Stella interrupted Serena, who was left speechless.

“Is it because you thought this is a bit much? Is it because you thought killing was too extreme? It’s not that, is it?”

As Stella’s blue eyes came closer, Serena felt as though she could see through her innermost thoughts.

“You don’t want to win like this, do you?”

“…”

Feeling exposed, Serena couldn’t say a word.

“I’ll give you a rematch.”

*

A little while later, the two stood in the empty sparring hall, facing each other, each holding a staff.

“An invisible shield will form if you feel your life is in danger,” Stella said as she released her magic power.

Around her, chunks of silver-tinged rock began to orbit her.

“Is that the famous Stellar Magic?”

It was the unique magic that manipulates the stars in the sky. I’d seen it briefly before, but it was a different class of magic.

‘What is her real intention?’

I had intended to ignore it and leave, but the atmosphere was pressuring me to stay.

However, Serena didn’t feel particularly bad about it.

What was this emotion? The frustration and irritation I had felt before were now mixed with excitement and an inexplicable rush.

The girl in front of her was glaring at her without a single opening or a moment of relaxation.

It was as if she acknowledged her as a worthy opponent, and nothing else came to her mind.

“I just want to enjoy this moment.”

Waves of mana surged around Serena.

Her eyes were no longer void of power or consumed by rage.

They were filled with anticipation and excitement.

“This time, I’ll definitely win!”

“…Bring it on!”

The flame energy gathered at the tip of Serena’s staff.

Incinerate!

Intense flames concentrated at the end of her staff.

In an instant, a beam of fire shot out in all directions.

Zzzzz!

Planeta!

As Stella chanted her spell, the meteorite chunks surrounding her formed a protective barrier.

The roaring laser beam collided with the meteorites, creating a sizzling sound.

‘What durable resilience!’

Serena’s flames had the power to melt steel, yet it couldn’t break through. This meant that those silver rocks were tougher against heat than steel.

“If fire won’t work, then I’ll use water!”

Dousing the flames, Serena quickly gathered droplets in her hands and compressed them.

With the water’s energy compressed to its limits, she raised her staff and unleashed it.

Geyser!

The stream released cut through the ceiling like water from a waterjet.

“Hey, wait…!”

“Take this!”

As Serena swung her staff down, a blade of water pressure crashed down.

Kakakakaka!

Stella desperately leaped sideways to avoid it.

The spot where she had been was cleanly sliced in half along with some meteorites.

“Wow… this is no joke.”

“If you think you can kill me, then go ahead! Bring it on!”

“…You’re entertaining.”

For several hours following that, the sounds of magical clashes filled the sparring hall.

*

‘I lost.’

It was a clean defeat, no less.

Using fire magic, she raised the temperature of the stars and rained down destruction, and with ice magic, she lowered the temperature to throw ice chunks.

She had been countered with her own techniques, and more powerful ones at that.

“I don’t even have the strength left to lift a finger.”

Serena collapsed to the ground.

“Haah… ha… you finally went down, huh? Kids these days have good stamina.”

Confirming Serena had fallen, Stella spread herself back out in relief.

“Haah… ha… I’m really such a mess.”

It reminded her of old, forgotten memories.

Once upon a time, there were comrades who had believed in her and followed her.

“Hyungnim! How are you so strong?”

“I want to be like you, Hyungnim!”

“You never paid attention to me even once! Hyungnim!”

Lost in her own thoughts, she hadn’t even looked around.

She had brushed aside and ignored the hands that had reached out toward her as if they were bothersome.

“The result of that is this pathetic state.”

If only she had looked around a bit more back then, or if she had thought more seriously about forming relationships, would things have changed?

“…No, it wouldn’t.”

At first, she had tried.

She had treasured relationships with others, always taking care of those around her.

She had paid attention to others’ gazes and tried to respond to them.

Yet her fate continually demanded her to do good.

And even now… was this really her own will?

“Is this really the right thing to do…? I just don’t know anymore…”

*

“…Hmm… yawn…”

“Are you awake?”

Stella opened her eyes to find herself lying in a chair in the audience section.

“I’m thirsty… water…”

Just then, a round glass bottle flew from the side.

Catching it with one hand, Stella inspected the bottle.

“What’s this? A potion?”

“Just a drink.”

“A drink?”

When she popped the cap and sniffed, a sweet fragrance wafted up.

“If you think it’s poison, then don’t drink it.”

“That’s not it! I’ll drink it.”

The blue liquid inside the bottle went down Stella’s throat in a few gulps.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

“It’s delicious! This is an ion drink!”

“Ion drink?”

“Wow… after a workout, nothing beats an ion drink!”

Stella downed the remaining drink in one shot.

“What a strange person you are.”

As Serena turned away, she noticed a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

“I got one too, so I’ll give it to you!”

Saying that, Stella pulled out something black wrapped in plastic from her pocket.

“…What’s that?”

“It’s cookies I made! I was so tired staying up all night making these!”

“Is this a cookie?”

By the looks of it, it appeared to be something that would be unhealthy if eaten.

Is she mocking me?

But with that bright, innocent face, she could probably win an acting award if this was all an act.

“…Then just a bite…”

With trembling hands, she brought the black lump to her mouth, and she tasted something indescribable.

‘Spicy…? No, salty? Why does a cookie taste like this?’

She nearly fainted, feeling her head spinning.

Somehow keeping her wits, she leaned against the chair, and Stella rushed to support her.

“What’s wrong?! Was it that good?!”

“You… if you have complaints, say them, you bad girl.”

“…Huh?”

“Try some yourself, you jerk!”

“Eh…? Ouch, wait!?”

Serena stuffed the remaining cookie into Stella’s mouth.

“Ugh…! Spicy! Salty! Water…! Water!”

*

After the ruckus passed, the two sat on a bench outside the Academy watching the students leave for home.

“So… will you come to our Magic Tower?”

“…Why are you doing all this for me?”

At that question, Stella stared blankly for a moment before casually replying.

“Well… because it’s a waste.”

“…A waste of what?”

“Yeah, your talents would be a waste if it just ends here.”

At those words, Serena froze for three seconds.

“Hmph! It doesn’t make me happy to hear that from you!”

Even as she said that, her fingers fidgeted, unable to find their place.

“Really! You seem to particularly have talent in synthesis magic! Not to mention your ice magic; you can even synthesize five elements! There’s probably no mage our age who can do that!”

“That’s… just because my family is an alchemist family, I guess. We like to combine things.”

“Alchemist? So that drink was something you made?”

Serena slightly nodded while turning her head.

“Wow, to make your own drink! That’s amazing! Aren’t you going to make a fortune selling that? You have talent in alchemy!”

Stella excitedly chattered, and for some reason, her shoulders began to gradually lift with enthusiasm.

“Hey…! Don’t just say that. Come to our Magic Tower and stay with us. I’ll take good care of you as a senior~”

“…It annoys me when you say you’re my senior.”

“That’s because I’m stronger than you!”

At that remark, a vein popped on Serena’s forehead, but she couldn’t think of a retort.

“…Give me some time to think.”

“Is there something else you want to do?”

“…I’m not sure what I want to do yet.”

“…It doesn’t matter; what’s important is what you want to do. You don’t have to follow someone else’s answers. So you’re not dropping out, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“Great! So make sure you attend class properly tomorrow, okay?”

Saying that, Stella stood up and left.

Left alone on the bench, Serena began to reflect on the words she had heard in their conversation.

“…What do I really want to do…”

Serena fiddled with the empty bottle in her hand, lost deep in thought.

 

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