Midterm Exams.
Originally, the exam was supposed to be held two weeks after the festival.
It's a dreadful schedule with training, then the festival, and right after that the exam, but since the classes themselves aren't extrely intense and the three are sowhat organically connected, it's not a burden to the students.
At least, to those who always put in steady effort.
"Exams aren't sothing you prepare for. They simply evaluate what you've studied all along."
And Luca was one of those students who always put in steady effort.
So then, which of them was surprised when asked if they were ready for the exam?
"E, exam?!"
It was Ottbo.
Seeing his overreacting response, Luca sighed as if it was a sha.
Now that his secret about his magic skills had been revealed, teasing him felt a bit an.
His family had put a restriction on him to prevent him from using magic, in order to favor the eldest son, so how could anyone bla him for that?
"Hm? Didn't you study regularly?"
Herote tilted her head at Ottbo.
Ottbo fidgeted and mumbled,
"I did... but... it didn't work very well...."
"If you've studied regularly, things should start coming to you now. Since the restriction is lifted."
"Huh?"
Seeing Ottbo's reluctant expression, Herote put her index finger to her cheek and looked slightly upward.
"Hmm... If you're a first-year in the S-class... do you know Romane Eglain's dual-core magic power theory?"
At Herote's words, Ottbo paused for a mont, then answered in a trembling voice.
"In magic, there's a core power called central magic power. Romane Eglain argued that by creating this core power in dual formations and aligning the magic formulas in parallel, the power of the magic could be doubled. However, because there were limits to which spells this could be applied, it wasn't recognized as a law."
"You know your stuff."
"No, wa-wait, how co...?"
Even Ottbo himself seed confused at what he had just said.
Herote tapped her head lightly.
"A mory restriction usually interferes and makes you unstable when you recall certain mories, so that you instinctively avoid the act. But there's no problem with learning itself. Knowledge you've built up doesn't disappear."
"Seriously...."
"If it were a really powerful restriction, it should have triggered even during drive magic. But if it was that strong, to make an exception only for drive magic would be impossible unless it was a true taboo."
Certainly, Ottbo had demonstrated knowledge of taboos in magic and alchemy, and had also been helpful with things like finding the magic stone bomb, among other feats.
"I can't say for sure since I just erased it without confirmation, but that restriction probably only triggered when you tried to use conventional magic. That's why things didn't go well during class. It likely didn't activate in other situations."
"Uh...."
"Let's just say I'm right. Because I am right."
Luca gave a smirk, watching her speak so confidently.
"Well, when it cos to magic, you'd be correct."
"Of course."
"And Ottbo. Isn't this a good thing? Now you can finally show your true skills to everyone else."
At Luca's words, Ottbo's eyes widened.
Then Herote spoke up,
"From what I've heard, it's been quite a while since your restriction was lifted, but you still haven't really practiced properly. You must still be unsteady. You'll have to train hard for the next two weeks, won't you?"
"I— I will train!"
Ottbo, full of resolve.
Luca grinned at him.
"I'm glad to hear it. I'll join you."
"Huh...?"
Ottbo looked unsure at Luca's words.
"But Luca, you're not really into magic."
"I might not know magic that well, but I'm quite good at fighting."
"Well, I do know that much."
Ottbo, who had seen Luca fight, knew that better than anyone.
"But I don't see why I'd need to fight?"
"... Is there no fighting in the Magic Departnt exam?"
"O-of course not! Mages rarely have to fight unless they're in a specialized departnt."
Unless one aid to beco a combat mage, it was rare for a mage to fight using magic.
Most mages spend their lives doing research or maintaining special magical artifacts.
"I see...."
Luca looked disappointed.
Ottbo seed to guess at his thoughts and asked,
"Luca, do you just want to beat up or sothing?"
"... Of course not."
Luca avoided his gaze a little.
Ottbo's eyes trembled slightly.
At that mont, Herote cut in.
"Still, the best way to regain your sense for magic is through fighting. When you're desperate, you use magic better."
"Huh?"
Ottbo looked flustered.
But Luca's eyes sparkled.
"If one of the continent's top three great mages says so, who am I to argue? What do you think, Ottbo?"
"Uh... Uuh?!"
Ottbo looked back and forth between Luca and Herote in confusion.
Both of them were grinning mischievously.
At tis like this, their teamwork was perfect.
"Ugh... All right...."
In the end, Ottbo agreed, his face a picture of misery, while Luca smiled slyly and placed his hand on his sword hilt.
"Good choice. I look forward to seeing how adept you'll be at magic by the ti Milia gets back."
"... Will do!"
Just at the ntion of Milia, Ottbo imdiately brightened up.
He was such a simple guy.
* * *
Ti passed, and it was the day before term started.
The dormitory was bustling as most students had returned.
Still, a few students were missing.
"Where did Abe go?"
"He's not coming back. His family decided to transfer him to another academy."
"Oh... Well, since Eltima isn't here, it's hard to say Hernan Academy is the continent's best."
"Herote is great and all... but she's just a mage."
"Exactly. If you co from a martial family, it's kind of awkward attending an academy where the head is a mage."
It seed the recent terror attack and the change in the academy head had had quite an impact.
"Luca! Milia's back too! Shall we go have a al with her?"
"Let's do it. But..."
Luca gave Ottbo, who ca running over with a bright smile, a strange look.
"Are you really going like that?"
"Huh? Why, what's wrong...?"
"You know the reason I'm asking."
Ottbo, flustered by Luca's remark, turned his head to the side.
"Isn't it a bit late now?"
"... Tch. She's not the type to care about that sort of thing."
Luca shook his head, giving a little nod.
"Lead the way."
"Yep!"
Luca and Ottbo headed to the restaurant where two people were already waiting.
Milia and Isella were waiting, having already ordered food.
Milia seed delighted as she spotted Luca approaching.
"Luca! Long ti no see!"
"It's only been a month, hardly that long."
"Really? It just feels much longer for so reason."
Milia chuckled, then waited for them to sit down and looked at Ottbo.
"So, are you waiting for to comnt on your face?"
"Eh? Oh..."
Ottbo was startled, and Milia sighed.
"How did you get so beat up? Who hit you?"
Ottbo's face was covered with bruises. Of course, that was the result of the training with Luca.
Luca said matter-of-factly,
"He usually gets healed every day and shows up fine, but today he didn't get healed. Must be he's hoping for so attention from you."
"L-Luca! That's not it..."
"Is that so? So why did you need healing every day?"
Milia asked, looking genuinely curious, and Luca gave a wry smile.
"Why don't you ask him directly?"
"Speak up, Ottbo."
Milia imdiately turned to Ottbo. Ottbo, anxious, squeezed his eyes shut and blurted out,
"I can finally use magic properly now!"
"What do you an?"
At her puzzled look, Ottbo explained the whole story: how the restriction had been broken and how, training with Luca, he'd regained his feel for using magic.
"... A restriction? That explains a lot. I always wondered why you couldn't keep up, even though I taught you so hard."
Milia clicked her tongue.
To think the reason Ottbo couldn't keep up despite her efforts teaching him was because of a restriction...
It was both surprising and exasperating.
"I sparred with him for two weeks, and he's got a decent sense for fighting. Honestly, I was impressed."
"Heh. I guess it's from all the ti watching you fight."
"Oh? You've watched a lot of fights?"
Milia showed interest in Ottbo's remark.
"You all seem to have had plenty going on during break, huh?"
"'You all,' huh."
Luca raised an eyebrow.
Milia giggled.
"Should we go first with our story?"
"Milady."
Isella, who had been quiet, looked at her with slight concern.
Luca wore an odd expression, and Milia nodded.
"It's alright. I'm not sure where to start, but to sum up—"
Milia pulled sothing out.
"I got betrayed. Again."
"?"
It was a letter with an unfamiliar seal.
Ottbo, sitting next to her, recognized the seal.
"Isn't this the seal of the Partigel Duchy?"
"Right. Which ans..."
Milia wore a half-helpless smile.
"I was being used by them from the very start."
At that mont, a hint popped up in Luca's mind.
[The Undying Princess]
– Brid Seteg Hernan's false identity; Get close to Milia Fille. (○)
– Rescue Milia Fille and Isella from danger. (○)
– Find the source of the darkness surrounding Milia Fille and Isella. (X-〉○)
– ??? Help Milia Fille and Isella amass a power to resist crisis. (X)
– ???
– ???
"...?"
He had been just sitting there, and the hint updated itself.
* * *
After returning to the imperial palace, Milia and Isella had gone through many things.
They t the other princes, t people from other ducal families, and t the emperor. Here's what they learned.
It had beco a well-known fact that she had entered the academy.
Milia never thought her identity would remain secret forever—but she hadn't thought it would be exposed so quickly either.
Investigating the background, she ca across the Third Prince, kinz Tora Hernan.
"Hmph. You're still alive and well, aren't you?"
"Oh my, brother. I'm only here thanks to you~."
"Ugh! Calling brother. Your face must have grown thicker."
"Hehe. It's all thanks to you."
"Tch. I shouldn't have trusted those idiots in the Partigel family."
"You sure made good use of the devil's power, didn't you?"
When Milia brought up the devil's power, kinz Hernan smirked.
"That's right. Even soone as dense as you must know what kind of power that is."
"You must have really feared my knight to resort to such a power. That carries quite a risk, doesn't it?"
"Haha! Risk? What risk are you talking about?"
kinz Hernan let out a mocking laugh.
"You gonna tell father? Or the church? Or maybe the academy's head?"
"I'm not planning to. If talking would change things, you'd never have used that power in the first place."
"Ha ha ha! So you didn't just co to the academy to have fun after all."
kinz Hernan must have liked her answer, as he laughed again and pulled sothing out to toss to Milia.
Isella swiftly caught it and examined it, eyes wide.
"Milady, this..."
"That's a gift. It ca from a lowly woman's womb, but since you—my sibling of shared blood—struggle so hard, I couldn't help but shed a tear."
"A gift...?"
Milia accepted the letter from Isella and her eyes widened.
"This is...!"
"It's from the Partigel family. Not from that idiot Theodore, though."
kinz Hernan gave a sly grin.
"It's from Lord Obrola Partigel himself, the head of house."
The letter bore the official seal of the head of the Partigel family.
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