Chapter 22: It was my golem…

I looked at Aria with a calm gaze. Her pale disgusted face and trembling legs brushed against my sight.

Suddenly, I felt as if her appearance resembled a soaked mouse in the rain, and involuntarily, the corners of my mouth curled up. I observed her with a momentary leisurely attitude as she trembled in fear.

“What… What have you done? It was my golem…"

Aria muttered incomprehensibly.

Memories of her acting arrogant and annoying toward me came back to my mind. And I briefly pondered what kind of punishment would be appropriate for her.

The warning should always be clear.

At least enough for her not to crawl back again, no, to the point where she couldn't.

The easiest and most convenient means was, of course, fear. 

Thinking about that, when I snapped my fingers, the golem swung its massive fist into the air.

If that flaming fist were to strike the ground, it would be like a meteor crashing down. Aria, meeting the gaze of the golem's fist, slumped down in fear.

Aria alternated her gaze between me and the golem, as if considering the dreadful situation she had anticipated.

"W-What... What are you trying to do? Ah, no?"

I remained silent. I didn't feel any sympathy or pity towards her.

She would experience pain equivalent to death.

However, since Violet had cast a protective spell on the students, she would never die.

I checked my remaining mana. After the golem swung its fist once, my reserves were almost depleted, but it would be enough at this level.

I manipulated the golem to strike Aria with its fist. 

- Grrr... 

The golem emitted a grotesque sound, reminiscent of nails scratching a chalkboard.

"Hey... Hey! W-Wait... Wait a minute! Hey, you bastard!"

Aria was almost screaming.

Regardless, I pondered how to allocate my time for the remaining day after the lecture.

'What should I do to make good use of the day?'

"You, you, you f*cking murderer! You are a crazy b*stard! Save me!"

After finishing the meal, I planned to engage in training.

Next, I would provide guidance to the Trivia customer and would read magic books in the library...

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

My contemplation was shattered by Aria's scream. It was the moment the golem's fist was about to strike her body.

- Thunk! 

I flicked my finger and shattered the golem.

The intricately summoned creature transformed into a mere pile of rocks, scattering in all directions.

"Ugh! Ugh!"

Still, Aria tightly closed her eyes and covered her head with both hands. I parted my lips and called her name.

“Aria.”

"...?"

She slowly opened her eyes. I pointed with my chin at the shattered golem.

'One. Two. Three.'

Aria's face slowly turned into astonishment. I left her alone and started walking towards the audience seats.

The outcome was already decided. The professors would surely give victory to me.

"You, you... you! You bastard!"

Aria's voice, filled with rage, reached my ears, but I ignored her cleanly.

Then, all of a sudden, the energy I felt from behind became unusual.

- Shwoosh!

I unfolded a rapid freezing scroll. Immediately, the surrounding area froze, enveloped in chilling cold.

There wasn't much around, frozen, except for the slightly ridiculous sight of Aria being frozen with a red scroll, ready to be thrown at me.

It seemed like she was about to throw it at me, but the scroll she held in her hand was completely different in color from the one Violet had given her.

'Didn't she already use up the three scrolls she had?' 

It was an unidentified scroll with an unknown source.

The scroll in her raised hand was frozen awkwardly, and as it slid down, its effect was activated.

The purple liquid pouring out of the paper was immense.

"...!"

Aria screamed with her eyes. Her eyes almost rolled back as they were drenched in the pouring purple liquid above her head.

I simply watched her.

‘Is it paralysis?’

The wider the area of the liquid touched, the more her mana faded. It was a liquid with a paralyzing effect.

If she received treatment within enough time, she could recover; otherwise, she would have to give up on using magic.

I felt no anger or sympathy towards her. I simply thought that she finally faced the consequences that matched her level.

Meanwhile, Violet and Professor Leonard appeared and restrained Aria.

“Student Aria, can you hear me? Student Aria!”

The professors quickly took action, and the ice around Aria completely shattered.

At the same time, the whispers of the other students from their seats began to pour into my ears.

"Aria... What's going on? What happened?"

"Is it real? No way."

"It doesn't seem like a problem... What is that...?!"

With foaming at her mouth, Aria collapsed to the ground.

"Ugh... Ugh... Cough... Cough!"

Her blood vessels turned purple, and Aria writhed in pain. While Leonard patted her shoulder, Violet carefully examined the bright red scroll.

At one moment, Violet's eyes widened.

“!”

Professor Leonard came to Violet’s side, probably thinking that it was strange for Violet to show such a reaction. Soon, his eyes widened as well.

Violet pressed her forehead with one hand and let out a deep sigh. With trembling lips, she spoke.

"...Aria Fontaine is disqualified for cheating."

And as if she almost forgot, she hastily added a remark.

"Today's lecture ends here. No, it's over! Everyone, leave immediately!"

The simple announcement of the result was a true rapid freeze. The wide training ground instantly froze over.

I quietly returned to my place.

Unlike when I entered the arena, there was no murmuring as I returned to my spot.

Only Becky managed to say something.

"Hey, F-F-Fran. What's going on? What happened?"

“I won.”

"Okay, but how? Why is Aria in that state?"

Explaining how I won seemed bothersome.

From interfering with Aria's magic to utilizing the scrolls... It would be a pain to explain every detail and a waste of time.

So, I decided to only answer why Aria was disqualified.

"She had scrolls that she brought with her. She reaped what she sowed."

"What...?! So it's cheating! Come to think of it, the color of the scroll was different... She'll face disciplinary action?"

'Most likely.'

I carefully recalled Violet's words. She said today's lecture ends, no 'over' here, so there shouldn't be any problems if I leave immediately.

I had a lot to do.

I had to train, I had to read, and if I had time, I planned to think about how to remodel Trivia.

I took a step forward, and Becky hurriedly followed.

"Hey, Flan. Where are you going? No... Can I come with you?"

The moment my foot touched the ground outside the arena.

As if awakening from a trance, all the students started murmuring at once.

◈◈◈

The fairness provided by the Magic Department of Märchen Academy was limited to learning.

In other words, it means that there could be as much discrimination in the living spaces.

It was not natural for the Academy to promote discrimination, but naturally, there were various differences because commoners couldn't bring what nobles bring.

For example, the private building built near the Academy dormitory by the Fritz family was such a case.

The ballet room, where orange light poured like sunlight, was bright even at night. A girl, who could be called a work of art, calmly stretched her body. 

Her pure white ballet costume and blue hair like a lake, were artworks in themselves. The artwork created by God was alive and breathing.

The name of the artwork was Trixie von Fritz.

She had been restless since the mock battle. Despite achieving overwhelming victory and obtaining a good score, she felt this way.

The reason was none other than Flan.

Trixie was experiencing unexpected confusion because of an unidentified commoner male student.

It was not because she harbored affectionate feelings or anything of the sort. It was simply because of the image he showed during the mock battle.

As Trixie closed her hands, she recalled the scene she witnessed.

It started when something like a barrier appeared in front of Trixie's eyes. Trixie, who was sitting alone in the corner, used her magic and created a space where she could peek inside.

Thanks to that, she saw scenes that other students couldn't see.

Continuing with ballet movements using her legs, Trixie recalled the scenery from back then. Unknowingly, she narrowed her brows.

‘Overwhelming.’'

When thinking about it, that was the first word that came to her mind.

Aria, who was cornered in a dead end, trembling like a scared mouse. Flan, as if summoning the golem himself, controlled it.

‘And his leisure attitude.’

Aria screamed like a soul trapped in hell, at that moment the golem, driven by Flan's will, strucked like lightning.

Flan simply flicked his finger and crushed the golem.

Aria, unable to control her anger, took out a scroll but was immediately subdued by Flan. The mock battle ended that way.

Trixie’s legs traced elegant curves with each consecutive movement. 

Her thoughts continued.

‘How on earth...’

Trixie’s question was merely that.

How could he have such skills when he entered as an F-rank student? How could a commoner have such wit? How could a freshman interfere with the golem's inner system...

Elegantly standing on one toe, Trixie began to piece together the puzzle lingering in her mind.

The mysterious sensation she felt from Flan when Aria failed to produce mana crystals in succession. Also, he had been training at an advanced difficulty level. Looking back now, it wasn't a mistake in choosing that difficulty level.

'Flan, what was he doing...'

“Uh!”

In an instant, Trixie stumbled as her ankle twisted. It was disconcerting. It was the first mistake she made in a long time.

"..."

Rather than the pain, she was more shocked by her own mistake. In her lowered gaze, Trivia, adorned with a sophisticated ribbon, entered her field of vision.

“Teaching Auction.”

At the same time, she muttered involuntarily.

'Flan said he took that teaching auction.'

‘… Perhaps.’

Rapidly, he escaped from the F-rank and became a genius of the A-rank, able to undergo advanced training. If the reason for that was because of the teaching Auction...

All the puzzles fit together. Using the floating magic, Trixie put Trivia in her grasp.

“Whew.”

Taking a deep breath, she counted the days.

There were only two days left for solving the problem on the Agora Board that she had proposed first. If things continued like this, she would end up losing.

She would have to beg and rely on someone she didn't even know the name of.

Restlessly, Trixie fidgeted with Trivia. If this "Teaching Auction" could provide the answer to the problem on the Agora Board...

However, maybe she was mistaken about it. There was no response to the earlier message. Should she try contacting him again? But her pride still didn't allow it...

Then, at that moment.

"...!"

Finally, the cover emitted a blue light.

She received a reply.

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