Time to rewind a bit, it’s Day 3 on the deserted island.
The combo of Princess Beatrice, the unknown Ruth Spero, and the commoner Millia.
“…Is this really okay?”
“Y-Your Highness? Is there a problem…?”
“There’s no problem, that’s the point.”
Everything is going smoothly.
Despite the expectations, there really are no issues.
Beatrice looked around their makeshift ‘base’ they had created themselves.
A well-built log cabin, meat drying on a rack, traps set by the stream nearby, and even a rough chair they had some extra time to make.
Right now, she was sitting on that chair, munching on coconuts with Millia.
So smooth.
It’s way too smooth.
‘I never expected Millia to be this capable.’
The reason things are going well isn’t solely because of Beatrice’s determination or Ruth’s Rank 6 status. Sure, they played a part, but
the biggest credit goes to Millia.
Surprisingly, Millia isn’t just an ordinary administrative worker, she’s a Rank 3 mage!
“With skills like this, shouldn’t you be in the field of magic instead?”
“Well, uh… How could I…?”
“If Ruth can chop and move logs, then designing the cabin, traps, and drying racks with magic is all Millia, right? You didn’t get that student council membership recommendation for nothing!”
“You’re overpraising me…”
With a Rank 6 Ruth and nominal Rank 5 Beatrice, it might look like Millia is overshadowed, but a Rank 3 mage is anything but ordinary.
There are ranks below her, like Rank 1 with barely any magic power and Rank 2 with just a bit of magical capability.
Most of the continent’s population falls into this category. Even a finance director that Beatrice knows is a Rank 1.
While many commoners are found in administrative work, most are Rank 2, very few reach Rank 1. Having even a bit of magic power gives a huge advantage in physical abilities or mental acuity.
In the long history of the administrative field, there have been hardly any top-ranking graduates who were Rank 1. The most recent one was Adam Keynes two years ago, with the previous one being about 20 years before that.
So, while Rank 2 was expected, she never thought Millia would be a Rank 3 mage.
‘Honestly, she lacks talent to go beyond this.’
Even if she’s not top-notch, her skills in using telekinesis and cutting magic to create things are quite impressive. One could believe she’s a craftsman from the carpenter’s guild instead of a new student.
With the joy of hitting the jackpot, Beatrice asked brightly.
“Is becoming a carpenter your dream?”
“Eh? Um… Yes, I guess?”
“With skills like this, you could’ve joined the guild right away!”
“Uh… I really wanted to come to the academy. It would help my career.”
“True, that does make sense.”
A mere Rank 3 mage carpenter is amazing, but a Rank 3 mage carpenter from Grandis Academy holds an even better value.
Beatrice gently looked at Millia, who seemed a bit anxious, and nodded in understanding.
Though Millia’s eyes were trembling, Beatrice didn’t think much of it since she was just faced with royalty.
As they chatted and enjoyed their coconuts, suddenly…
Thud!
“…I got it.”
“Ruth! Did you succeed again?”
“I’ll start the butchering, so you both look away.”
“Y-Yes! Understood…”
Crack!
The one responsible for hunting and food, Ruth, began to butcher a dead boar right there.
It was a bit rough, but the girls had gotten used to Ruth’s work over the last few days. The gruesome sounds of chopping meat and breaking bones echoed through the area.
After about 10 minutes, the perfectly butchered boar meat was hung on the drying rack, with blood or entrails washed away in the stream.
Initially, the smell of blood was unfamiliar, but after a few days, they had gotten used to it.
“By the way, Ruth, you seem really experienced in butchering and survival, huh? You were the one who first scouted the area for building, after all.”
“Of course, I’m Rank 6!!”
“I’ve just had a lot of chances to do this. I’ve been in worse conditions for much longer.”
“Worse…? Like a battlefield?”
Pause.
Ruth momentarily froze at Beatrice’s curious question, then shook their head and continued washing the knife in the stream.
“…Just various experiences.”
“Regardless, it’s quite reassuring.”
“Yes!”
Millia made their home, traps, and drying racks while Ruth successfully secured more than enough food.
So, what was Beatrice supposed to do?
“Oh, it’s about time. I’ll go clean up.”
“Y-Your Highness?”
“Millia?”
“No matter how I think about it, isn’t that my job…? Cleaning the bathroom, something for a princess to do?”
“That part was already decided, right? The least useful one does the chores.”
“Your Highness! How can you say you’re useless…?”
“Right? Ruth is in charge of food, and Millia, you built this entire operation. So, all the miscellaneous tasks are my share. It’s just natural division of labor.”
“Your Highness…”
Quite literally, she takes care of everything else.
Climbing for coconuts, cleaning the bathroom, washing clothes, checking on the drying racks, keeping an eye on food thieves, cleaning the area, preparing meals, and patrolling the vicinity.
Everything is within reach for anyone with a healthy body. For now, that was Beatrice’s role.
‘…Using magic is more difficult than I thought.’
In this exam, where she couldn’t bring an artifact, her clever plan was to create a space within her body to hold the artifact’s magic power.
Thinking about it, it was indeed a crazy idea. While Rank 7 knights and martial artists create imaginary organs to store energy in their dantian, mages really don’t have to do that. Why would a being made up of magic need to store it?
However, unbeknownst to the reason, the magic residing in Beatrice’s heart was uncontrollable.
So, for the past month, Beatrice had been researching creating a space to hold magic—what she called a Mana Heart.
‘Was it a success or failure? It’s a success in its own right.’
Perhaps it’s because she is recognized as a genius by even the grand mage. She succeeded in creating a small space in her body that holds absorbed magic through artifacts without harming her life.
In the past, she wouldn’t have been able to create any space due to uncontrollable magic; her body would’ve torn apart.
Anyway, the magic contained in that space, although a bit unstable, doesn’t overflow or go out of control.
It was her most significant achievement and an innovative method.
Yet…
‘It’s just too small.’
The space is just too small. Currently, it has less magic than Millia. Even a single high-tier spell could drain her magic completely.
Therefore, Beatrice planned from the start to take care of the odd jobs.
…It’s somewhat calculated, but if a princess does such work, it naturally makes a bigger impact. It makes it easy to feel accomplished.
Surely it would help with her scholarship as well.
‘Even so, bathroom cleaning feels a bit much.’
But she’s grown somewhat accustomed to it now. Using an outdoor toilet, she’s realized things aren’t so bad when one lets go of a few things.
Maybe I’m surprisingly suited for this kind of life.
As Beatrice thought about it and was about to stand up to do some work…
[Supply will run out from this moment.]
“…!!”
“W-What’s this?!”
“We gotta go! Everyone grab your gear!”
With the amplified booming voice of magic, something falls out of the sky from above on the island.
That’s rule number 6. That’s why we were told to watch the skies.
A box that drops randomly at a random time and place.
Inside it are supplies like food or water, survival kits, and it plays a significant role in ensuring students without survival knowledge don’t give up halfway through Day 3.
As soon as they confirmed the supplies, Ruth, sword in hand, leads Beatrice and Millia rushing out.
If no one was guarding, the supplies kept at the base could be looted!
Thud…!!
Crack!
Beatrice, limited by her low magic power, still has her talent intact.
She squeezed all the magic she could from her Mana Heart and cast the most advanced defensive magic. Even if Chloe was around, a normal student would have a tough time breaking through those barriers.
It wouldn’t take long to verify the supplies, so they could quickly return. Losing even one person would be a shame during the supply scramble.
Seeing Beatrice’s magic, Ruth and Millia picked up their speed. The acceleration magic Millia had cast was sparkling beneath their feet.
Tap-tap!
After running for a while…
The team of Beatrice finally spotted the supply crate dropped in the not-so-large plains in the middle of the island.
“I knew you’d get here first, Ruth the Knight.”
“…As expected.”
“Seriously, how are you so fast…?”
“I-I’m outta breath.”
The time was already in the evening, the sky painted orange.
While they slowed down for Beatrice and Millia, Ruth was still a Rank 6 knight, and those limitations meant nothing when running.
However, there was someone who arrived at the box faster than them.
Clad in full plate armor in sweltering heat, and a large sword that matched their height strapped on their back, was the eccentric.
The youngest knight to ever be knighted.
The youngest knight, Kaern Deste.
With a fierce smile, he only had his eyes on Ruth.
“It hasn’t been the right timing for a while, but today is the day to settle it!”
“…I must have told you this many times. According to the rules, violence between students is prohibited.”
“What does that have to do with it! There’s no need for outside restraints when knights duel! Come, let’s draw swords, Ruth the Knight!”
Though he sounded crazy, Kaern is indeed a dominant Rank 5 knight. Among martial artists, aside from Ruth, he typically scores lower against opponents like Risha.
Moreover, he possesses speeds that rival Ruth’s despite wearing that bulky armor.
Why he’s not taking off his armor in this hot weather, why he calls himself a knight when he isn’t, and where his teammates are, are all questions.
But objectively speaking, due to this young knight, all three of them were forced into action.
While Ruth faced Kaern, Millia and Beatrice needed to lift the heavy supply crate.
“If you charge in, you’re disqualified. Your scores matter too, don’t they? If you want to get out of that position you hate at the baron level.”
“…You’re still a bothersome one, aren’t you? I don’t know how you know my situation so well.”
Thud!
“I can’t hold back any longer! Here I go!!!”
“…Oh no.”
Crack! Clang!!
Kaern stomped hard to accelerate, swinging his large sword down at Ruth.
Despite the weight and intensity of the strike, Ruth blocked it with one hand. Though it was normal for Ruth since they were limited to using one hand, it clearly showed the difference in their potential.
Of course, Kaern didn’t mind, attacking with a barrage of strikes instead.
“I’ll make you use both hands, guaranteed!”
“…Not yet.”
“Then I’ll just force that moment out of you!”
Growl!
“You…!?”
At that moment, Kaern’s great sword amassed something that looked like sword aura.
Then it swiftly struck down at Ruth!
WHAM!!!
A tremendous noise erupted, trees uprooted, winds roared, smoke billowed, creating a massive crater due to the impact.
The clash began, shocking Beatrice and Millia, who were secretly retrieving the supplies.
“Sword aura…? Did Kaern Deste truly reach Rank 6!?”
“…No, Your Highness. It’s merely appearance.”
“Hmm, so it appears he still falls short of a true rank six.”
As the smoke cleared, there was Ruth standing, having blocked the previous attack with one hand.
Beatrice gasped in disbelief, and Ruth answered simply with slightly altered eyes.
“…Could it be from the entrance ceremony?”
“Precisely! That day, Ruth the Knight, you showcased sword aura and I’m merely imitating it! If I keep training like this, I might just hit Rank 6…!! Fighting you was such a good choice! You’re the best teaching material!!”
“Tsk.”
Had he truly swung his sword without any foresight? It seems like interruptions to the midterms weren’t a smart choice either.
Finally, the other students, drawn towards the supply crate, flinched at the giant hole in the field, while Beatrice and Millia, who were on guard, gathered the supplies.
“Stop! Kaern Deste, violence between students is strictly prohibited in this exam!”
“Oh, enough of the coconuts…”
“Lower your sword, Kaern Deste. You’re disqualified.”
Coming from afar were the exam supervisors and several professors surrounding Kaern and Ruth.
Among them, a certain female professor was lamenting something, but anyway, even though Kaern was disqualified in this midterm exam after just one exchange, he looked satisfied. It seemed he felt that fighting Ruth had been a significant help, though hints of regret lingered as he hadn’t dropped his sword.
Kaern continued to keep his blade aimed at Ruth, and as he stubbornly defied warnings, the exam supervisors began to flare their magical powers.
In that slightly escalated atmosphere…
“What is going on here?”
“Who… Adam, the Finance Director?”
“It’s the Finance Director speaking!”
“I-I thought you were with the Headmistress! What brings you here…?”
“I came on the request of Supervisor Dalcoon. The Headmistress is behind me, but I came to check the scene first.”
The finance director with bleached hair and wearing a worn-out robe stepped into view.
“…Oh.”
As the gathered students and exam supervisors whispered and panicked or went silent,
Ruth looked squarely at Adam emerging from the jungle.
The setting sun, the cigarette in his mouth, and the slightly lowered head, his eyes gazing upward as if to say ‘What on earth are you doing?’
He appeared less weary than before, almost as if he had just woken up. His previously bloodshot eyes had returned to normal.
He looked completely ordinary, aside from the relief from fatigue, much like the finance director she had met before.
…And yet, because it was exactly that, something felt familiar.
“Ah, ah…”
“R-Ruth?”
“Ruth!”
Memories overlapped. The memories of ‘before’ forcibly latched onto her vision.
Yes, it had been the same back then.
When the academy crumbled, when the Headmistress was killed, when Chloe left with Adam, the news rang clear.
Ruth had roamed away for a while before reaching a small kingdom on the outskirts for a reason.
And what they saw there was…
The same dusk, that image of Adam, cigarette in hand, slightly lowered head, looking up.
And there hadn’t been any indication of fatigue at all.
Behind him had been a burning castle. A burning village. Corpses burned to ashes. Crows flying around, feeding on the dead.
Only death and ruins overspread that place.
It was then Ruth had met Adam. Had met him.
That’s why…
Clang!
“W-Wait, Ruth!? Put the sword down! What’s going on…!!”
“Ruth Spero! Put your sword down! Why are you pointing it at the Finance Director?!”
“I’m protecting the Finance Director!”
“…?”
“…Ruth student?”
Ruth had no way of knowing.
Whether the person standing in front of her was the one who had helped the perennial bottom-tier student like herself or merely the ordinary finance director Adam Keynes.
…Or perhaps, the Adam Keynes who had roamed the world in flames alongside Chloe, causing destruction.
There was no way to…
Be sure.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
