Magic Academy Mayhem: A Class Full of Maniacs - Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Each faculty had its own commercial street. After breakfast, Cynthia spent most of the day strolling through the business district.

During that time, she drew all sorts of looks from plenty of people. But although there had been no shortage of controversy and insults hurled her way during the match, now that they were actually face-to-face, none of them dared to rush up and shout at her. At least they knew better.

Setting aside the fact that Richter was following her around like a little shadow, Cynthia’s final day of vacation was exceptionally pleasant.

That evening.

She had just left the commercial street and was on her way back to the dormitory when Richter suddenly handed her an exquisitely crafted brocade box.

Cynthia didn’t take it. “What’s this?”

Richter opened the box.

Inside was not a gemstone necklace or anything of the sort, but a Magic Seed radiating a faint golden glow.

“I said it back on the deserted island. This is my thanks for the ointment.”

Cynthia had nearly forgotten about that. She was just about to refuse when Richter said, “Are you going to reject me again, Captain?”

His eyes remained fixed on her, staring straight at her without looking away.

Cynthia didn’t avoid his gaze either. Perhaps it was because she truly did have a preference for ice-blue eyes, but she always seemed to have just a little more patience for him.

Staring at each other like this was a little funny. For some reason, a mischievous streak rose in Cynthia, and she deliberately teased him. “What if I say yes?”

Richter suddenly smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes. “Then I’ll keep pestering you until you accept it.”

One moment, he sounded like a clingy, haughty young master; the next, his words turned faintly dejected and resentful. “Why do you always reject me, Captain? It’s like you really hate me.”

Cynthia thought back on it.

Whether it was the first potion or all the things that came afterward, she really had rejected him many times.

The first time had simply been because she didn’t want to owe a favor to a teammate she had only known for a few days, someone who was still half a stranger.

Later, after they became somewhat more familiar, refusing him had already become a habit.

Moonlight fell over his silver hair, and no matter how she looked at that face, he seemed a little downcast.

Something stirred in Cynthia’s heart. She turned her palm upward and raised her eyes to meet his. “I won’t reject you this time.”

Richter seemed not to have expected that answer. It wasn’t until he placed the brocade box in her palm that he seemed to come back to himself.

“Does that mean you’ll still reject me in the future?” he asked, pushing his luck a little.

“Depends on my mood.” Cynthia put the gift into her Storage Ring. Since a few other people were glancing their way, she didn’t linger and started toward the dormitory.

The person behind her seemed to let out a cold huff. Under the moonlight, their shadows overlapped.

Cynthia suddenly asked, “How tall are you?” She had previously estimated him at 188 centimeters, but looking at him carefully now, she had the feeling this guy was more than 188.

“?”

Richter clearly didn’t understand how the topic could veer so far off course. “…189.5 centimeters.”

“189.5?” Cynthia laughed. “You’re weirdly precise.”

But this guy was only fifteen, right… His genes really were unfairly good.

Cynthia joked, “That height is just right. Don’t grow any taller.”

She had thought he would be dissatisfied and mutter about it, but Richter only replied calmly, “Mm.”

Cynthia glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

He probably hadn’t taken it seriously.

“What about you?” he suddenly asked.

Cynthia said, “I’ll answer you after I turn eighteen.”

Richter asked, “Why?”

Cynthia answered as if it were perfectly obvious. “No reason.”

This body was still developing. Perhaps because of the excessive exercise this month, she had grown about three centimeters.

At present, she was at least 175 centimeters. Who knew whether she would grow more later?

She had no intention of setting her height in stone.

Their conversation was very childish, without even a hint of the ruthlessness and decisiveness they had shown on the field.

But… it was only at moments like this that one suddenly remembered they were still just fifteen- or sixteen-year-old kids.

–

After the vacation ended, the five faculties’ Team Competition arrived.
The Team Competition was on a much larger scale than the Individual Competition, and the academy placed particular importance on it.

Across the five academies, there were eighty teams in total. The rules for the Team Competition were also single-elimination.

This time, however, every participating team would compete in the same venue: Starfield Arena. Matches were divided into a first half and a second half, and there would no longer be simultaneous matches.

Each day, twenty teams would be drawn at random and split into ten groups for one-on-one matches. The losing side would be eliminated on the spot, while the winner would wait for the next round to begin.

There were five matches in the first half and another five in the second.

At that pace, half of the eighty teams would be eliminated in four days.

Cynthia and her teammates arrived at the venue early that morning, but the random draw placed their match in the first half of the second day.

They had originally planned to head back, but Griffin forced them to stay and watch the matches.

With no other choice, the five of them found the least crowded area, tucked away in the farthest corner, and sat down.

There were still a few minutes before the matches began. Cynthia had barely taken her seat when a pink-haired girl walked straight toward them.

People were constantly moving through the spectator stands, so Cynthia paid no attention-until the girl stopped right in front of her.

“Cynthia, I heard you beat Abel half to death?”

Cynthia looked up at the girl standing before her, who was nearly a head shorter than her and about 155 centimeters tall.

She wore Tinglan Academy’s black-and-pink uniform. Her extremely long, fluffy pink hair was tied into twin tails, the slightly curled ends falling to her thighs.

Her features were delicate and petite, her lips as pink as peach blossoms. Her fair, flawless cheeks looked soft to the touch, and her pink-and-purple heterochromatic eyes shone like gemstones. Even the half-heart-shaped ahoge sticking up from the top of her head was especially adorable.

The girl’s background was just as illustrious. She was the only daughter of the Belagren Ducal Family, which governed the southern region-Lomita Belagren.

If Cynthia remembered correctly, this girl had no relationship with the original owner of this body. After they were six or seven years old, they had not even exchanged a single word.

Whether at banquets or while studying at the Imperial Academy, Lomita had treated the original owner as if she were invisible.

And in the original owner’s memories, aside from knowing Lomita’s identity, she had never been particularly interested in her, so there was no other impression to speak of.

In the novel Cynthia had read, Lomita had barely had any presence either.

But according to cliché, someone like this was usually here to pick a fight.

Cynthia propped her elbow on the armrest, rested one side of her face in her hand, and said with leisurely composure, “That’s right. I almost killed him.”

As she spoke, Cynthia observed Lomita’s reaction. She saw the girl abruptly lower her head, her hands clenching into fists.

Cynthia lifted a brow.

She was so cute. Surely she hadn’t been blind enough to fall for Abel, had she? Was she about to attack now?

“What? Are you here to avenge him?”

The question struck like a bomb. Lomita snapped her head up in shock, the joy she had nearly failed to suppress just now vanishing completely, leaving only a sense of absurdity. “Are you insane? What does that guy even count for? Why would I avenge him?!”

There was no anger on that adorable face, only an indescribable disgust startled out of her by Cynthia’s words.

She wasn’t here to seek justice for Abel, and she had no friendship with the original owner. Then what reason could she possibly have for making this trip?

Cynthia grew a little interested and looked at her lazily. “Then why did you come to find me?”

“Hmph.” Lomita sat down directly in the empty seat to Cynthia’s right, crossed her arms, and snorted. “Don’t flatter yourself. I didn’t come to find you. It just so happens that the viewing spot I had my eye on is here too.”

“Is that so? What a coincidence.” Cynthia glanced toward the corner, where a girl was secretly peeking in their direction, her face full of worry.

Families at the top of the pyramid, like ducal and marquis families, would generally choose people of similar age from among other nobles to grow up alongside their own children.

Whether attending school or anything else, they would do it together. If Cynthia remembered correctly, the girl in the corner was Lomita’s personal maid, the one who accompanied her.

If this was truly a chance encounter, there was no need to make her maid hide so sneakily.

Noticing the gazes her four teammates were casting her way, Cynthia gave a small shrug, indicating that she didn’t understand either.