-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: A Peculiar Day
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After morning run, training with Aisha.
Morning martial arts class, slightly provoking Isabelle.
After lunch, student council paperwork with Nikita.
Afternoon joint class, ignoring Card and focusing on class.
Before dinner, preparations and information gathering for the mock battle.
Sometimes, extra student council work, following Nikita.
After dinner, reviewing lessons, homework, and training.
Bedtime at night.
This has been my daily routine lately.
If it were the old me, I'd be turning seven shades of green and probably just collapse into bed the next day after a routine like this.
But Vickerman's stamina is beyond imagination.
From what I can tell, this body could stay up for three days and nights and still be fine the next day.
Its abnormal stamina and recovery speed were that exceptional.
'Vickerman, this guy should have trained his body instead of trying to learn magic he wasn't cut out for.'
Why on earth did he make such a show of trying to learn magic?
Of course, I'm not entirely ignorant of Vickerman's story.
Vickerman's family, the Niflheims, was originally a mage family.
He desperately tried to learn magic, overshadowed by his older brother who excelled at it.
However, Vickerman was hopelessly untalented in magic.
To make matters worse, even his younger sister mastered 'Pioneer Magic,' showing the second coming of a great mage.
Vickerman felt miserable and became even more obsessed with magic.
'He couldn't develop his own strengths because of envy and jealousy.'
Ultimately, what's regrettable is just regrettable.
In any case, his strengths have become a huge asset now.
Stamina is power.
My stamina has increased so rapidly that I've come to understand what that phrase truly means.
"Senior, I've added a training routine that combines arm and chest exercises today!"
Perhaps that's why.
Aisha's training routines have become increasingly bizarre lately.
Aisha, with her ironclad stamina, seemed incredibly delighted to have a training partner.
Every morning, she would arrive even earlier than me, setting up the training equipment with a bright smile.
It seemed she had actually been quite lonely training by herself all this time.
"Senior, today's leg training routine. Let's wear these and run together before the morning run!"
Despite Aisha's bright face, the equipment she brought was getting increasingly unusual.
But seeing her so happy didn't make me feel bad at all.
More importantly, Aisha's training was definitely helpful.
"Training together is fun!"
Today, after finishing training, Aisha looked at me, sprawled out, and gave a cool, healthy smile, like something out of a sports drink commercial.
How on earth did she manage it? Aisha's stamina truly showed no signs of diminishing.
No wonder she has so much energy left over that she can swing a greatsword around for fun.
She used to have a somewhat cold image.
Now, far from being cold, I understand just how naive and wild she truly is.
Thanks to her, I was able to push myself up, staggering.
Seeing Aisha, who has even more stamina than me, sparks a competitive spirit within me.
Someday, I'll build up enough stamina to swing a greatsword around for fun too.
"Senior, it seems the training is paying off. Your body's getting better and better recently!"
"...Can you tell that just by looking?"
"No. My muscles are telling me."
Kid, what kind of terrifying thing are you saying?
But Aisha's words were true.
Whether it was due to the training or not, my body was definitely improving, even beneath the bandages of the veil.
The fact that my body is building up so quickly must mean his innate muscle quality is just different.
Vickerman really should have gone into martial arts.
"It's thanks to you."
"Ah, hehe, no, it's not. It's mostly thanks to Senior's hard work."
With a shy laugh, she swung her greatsword even harder, as if to shake off her embarrassment.
She's going to fly away at this rate, I wish she'd stop swinging.
"More importantly, Aisha, I'd like to try a mock battle sometime soon, for the upcoming mock competition."
I spoke before Aisha could literally send me flying.
"Could I do it with you?"
"With me?"
Aisha's eyes widened.
Then she slowly lowered her greatsword and soon grinned.
"I won't go easy on you just because you're my Senior. Is that okay?"
"Of course, that's what I want. It's fine if you're really rough."
"I look forward to seeing Senior unable to get out of bed the next day, legs trembling."
"Don't you think it'll be you instead? Aisha, you won't even think about getting out of bed that day, crying your eyes out."
"W-what in the world are you two talking about?!"
At that moment, an unexpected voice cut through our conversation.
When Aisha and I turned our heads, there was a girl with striking sun-orange bobbed hair.
Isabelle Luna.
The main heroine of the 'Flame Butterfly' arc, and the one I was struggling to prevent from taking a suicidal path.
Isabelle was looking at Aisha and me, her face flushed crimson from her ears down.
It seemed my face had already gotten on her nerves this morning.
We're steadily becoming enemies, I see.
Satisfying.
"Isabelle Luna, what business do you have this early in the morning?"
When I addressed her by her full name, Isabelle took a breath, then glared at me venomously.
"...You and I are on morning duty today."
Ah, now that you mention it, we are.
The training with Aisha had gotten so intense that I momentarily forgot.
"Aisha, let's finish our talk later."
"Yes, Senior. You worked hard again today."
Receiving Aisha's polite greeting, I walked towards Isabelle.
"I'm a mess like this, so I need to stop by the dorm."
No matter what, I couldn't go like this, covered in sweat and dust.
At that, Isabelle let out a deep sigh and suddenly threw a bag at me.
I realized belatedly that it was my bag.
When did she even bring it?
"...Card gave it to me on her way here this morning. She told me you were here. Your uniform should be in there."
So that's why she came here.
But despite that, the problem remained.
I looked at Aisha with an expressionless face.
"I just said it, didn't I? I can't go like this."
Just because I have a uniform doesn't mean I can put it on while covered in dust and sweat.
"That, I can fix for you."
At that, another person emerged from among the bushes.
With a small star-shaped tattoo near her eye and numerous earrings dangling, she looked at me with languid, down-turned eyes.
So she came with this one.
One of Isabelle's close friends.
Sharin Sazares, from the Department of Magicology.
She was the top student in Magicology for the second year.
Weak to morning sleep, she let out a long yawn, then pulled out her staff and gestured.
Then, water droplets emerged from my body, absorbing the sweat and dust before disappearing.
Skilled water magic.
"Clean now, right? Belle, let's go. I wanna go to class and sleep."
As Sharin clung to her, calling Isabelle by her nickname, Isabelle nodded.
Then, she cast a displeased glance at me.
She must mean for me to follow since she fixed the problem.
A rebellious impulse surged within me, but I held back.
I didn't want to get demerits for being late for duty either.
Even if students didn't care, building a diligent image with the professors had many advantages.
So I slung the bag over my shoulder and turned my body.
At that, Isabelle frowned sharply and grabbed my clothes.
"Where are you going? We're on duty, remember?"
"I'm going to change over there. What, are you going to follow and watch? You have a perverted hobby."
"Ah, no, ugh, sorry for grabbing you. Go get changed."
To apologize in this situation.
It showed her character that she would earnestly apologize, even to someone she considered an enemy.
I left Isabelle, who was fumbling in embarrassment over her mistake, and headed towards the woods.
Then, from afar, I inexplicably felt Sharin's gaze on me.
Her languid eyes held an unreadable expression.
Sharin was a variable for me too.
Her character trait was capriciousness to begin with.
So much so that she would suddenly say, 'I don't want to do this anymore,' and retire mid-battle.
Sharin's capriciousness was as severe as a debuff.
However, her skill and stats were unparalleled, so in urgent situations, she was sometimes hired as a mercenary, and people would resort to "prayer meta."
Praying, "Please, let Sharin's caprice not flare up today."
Now that such a game had become reality.
I couldn't gauge the extent of Sharin's capriciousness either.
'There's nothing good to come from getting entangled with her right now.'
I rummaged through my bag, changed my clothes, and came out.
At that, Isabelle, as if she had been waiting, quickly turned and walked away.
I gave Aisha a nod and immediately followed.
The three of us walked with almost no conversation.
There was no need to mention the silence between Isabelle and me.
Sharin, weak to morning sleep, kept yawning and swaying as she walked.
"Sharin, you need to walk straight."
"Uuugh, I'm sleepy."
Because Sharin was weak to morning sleep, there were many such events where Isabelle would forcibly wake her and take her along.
Originally, Lucas would have been the one here.
If Lucas were here, the atmosphere would have been amicable.
Talking about today's classes or recent academy rumors, etc.
They would have enjoyed various casual conversations.
'But because of duty, somehow it ended up being me.'
All we had was a bleak atmosphere.
It was Sharin who first escaped that uncomfortable silence.
Having arrived at the entrance of the Department of Magicology, she was about to part ways first.
"Have a good class today, and don't fall asleep in the morning."
"Mom, I wanna sleep five more minutes."
"Sharin, Mom's not here."
Isabelle stroked her head, soothing her as she clung.
Isabelle seemed to be in a slightly better mood when with Sharin.
But even Sharin couldn't ultimately fill the void Lucas left in Isabelle's heart.
It meant Isabelle's extreme choice was inevitable as long as Lucas wasn't there.
When I stared at that scene, Isabelle turned to look at me.
Ah, time to pick a fight.
"You'll be late for morning duty."
"...Are you one to talk?"
That's true.
But I brazenly pushed on.
Since I'm destined to be hated anyway, I might as well be thoroughly hated.
"Your friend, Lucas, was probably as laid-back as you, too."
Isabelle's face instantly turned cold.
She bit her lip tightly, then let go of Sharin.
"You won't be able to say things like that again soon."
She glared at me with hateful eyes, then quickly turned and walked away first.
Hate stacks are steadily accumulating.
Let's keep up the effort.
Today's duty work will probably be in a very chilly atmosphere.
'Might as well go.'
Now quite used to it, I followed behind Isabelle.
Thump!
But that was immediately stopped.
And by an unexpected person at that.
"...Sharin Sazares?"
"Hey, hey there..."
She held my wrist tightly, drawing out her words.
Then, her indigo hair, which seemed to sparkle like the Milky Way, tilted to the side.
"You, why are you disguising yourself like that?"
Oh, hell.