Chapter 203: End of a Semester 3
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the academy’s one and only Grand Festival!”
The announcer’s voice boomed through the air, the same familiar, enthusiastic tone as last year, echoing even into the waiting areas where participants gathered.
As the roar of the crowd filled the arena, the hype for the Grand Festival kicked off once more.
Unlike last year, however, there was a noticeable difference in the crowd.
While the number of visitors remained relatively the same, this year’s audience was dominated by ordinary citizens—people from nearby towns and cities who had come to watch the spectacle.
The usual swarm of adventurer guild leaders, knight order scouts, and prestigious magic tower representatives were few and far between.
It made sense.
Most of those influential figures had likely already identified their targets during the first semester.
They knew who they wanted to recruit, and the Grand Festival was no longer about discovering hidden talents but more of a spectacle for entertainment.
It had shifted from being a fierce battleground for scouting talent to something more akin to a grand show for the public.
Despite that, the festival still held weight for the students.
Grades were still being evaluated, and our performances today would factor into the overall rankings for the semester.
Even if the festival had taken on a more relaxed atmosphere compared to last year, no one could afford to slack off.
Every fight, every display of skill, was being closely monitored by the academy staff, and our results here would determine our standings moving forward.
For those confident in their written exam scores, like me, there was some comfort in knowing that today’s performance wouldn’t make or break their rank—as long as no one else from the same class or a lower class managed to outshine them during the festival.
For most of us A-Class students, a rank change wasn’t really something to lose sleep over. Our positions were more or less set in stone.
At this point in the semester, we had already solidified ourselves within the class hierarchy, and any real shifts were unlikely.
However, with the absence of the twins, there was a chance that a few students from B-Class would be promoted to fill those vacancies next semester.
Those students would be eager to prove themselves, and that alone would keep things interesting.
My overall rank had remained relatively stable throughout the entire semester.
I made sure to put in just enough time into studying for the written exams, and as a result, my scores were well above average in that department.
While physical prowess and mana control dominated the academy’s focus, the written exams still played a role in determining a student’s standing.
It wasn’t just about brute force, after all—strategy, theory, and knowledge mattered too.
Speaking of stats, mine had shown a decent improvement since the start of the semester.
My physical and magical abilities had grown stronger, but more importantly, I had learned how to refine and control them better.
My overall growth hadn’t stagnated, but I knew that if I wanted to stay competitive and maintain my rank next semester, I’d need to keep up the pace.
Some of my peers were advancing quickly, and I couldn’t afford to be left behind.
But beyond the immediate concerns of rank and growth, there was a much larger issue looming on the horizon.
With one year already behind me, my inevitable confrontation with Liyana was drawing closer by the second.
I had no doubt that the events surrounding her would reach a critical point before the end of my second year.
And when that happened, Lucas would need to unlock that crucial skill.
The divine energy within him was something even the Saintess would be drawn to, and the moment he unlocked that ability, she’d surely become infatuated with him.
It was almost a guarantee.
Still, nothing in this world had gone as predictably as I once thought.
Too many variables had emerged, too many things that could go wrong.
And if, for whatever reason, Lucas failed to unlock that skill in time, I might have to intervene sooner than I had planned.
‘Since he already has the holy sword, the scenario should go smoothly… I hope, like seriously I really hope so!’
As my thoughts drifted, the crowd’s roaring cheers gradually died down, signaling the start of the Grand Festival.
The announcer’s voice echoed across the stadium, explaining the rules.
The match-ups were traditional—first years versus second years, and third years against fourth.
It was a grand event designed to showcase the talent and potential the academy had nurtured.
But this semester was a bit different.
The announcer took extra care to clarify the exceptions, since there were many personal duels happening outside the standard pairings.
That likely threw off some spectators, but with how many students realizing the loophole placed in the system it wouldn’t be weird to find some fixed and planned matches here and there.
I couldn’t help but think of the matches set up for today.
Rose and I were paired up, Kagami versus Seo, and then there was Lucas and Janica.
From what I heard, Lucas and Janica had applied for their duel at the very last second. Knowing the two of them, they respected each other deeply, so it was unlikely they’d hold back.
Their fight could easily become one of the highlights of the festival.
With Lucas wielding the Holy Sword and Janica’s reputation as a fierce and talented knight, I could already feel the excitement building around that duel.
It was bound to draw attention from scouts and students alike.
As I tried to focus, I began calming my mind, channeling mana through my body.
The warm sensation spread through my limbs, awakening a familiar energy deep inside me.
Controlling and manipulating mana had always felt strange to me, ever since I first arrived in this world.
It was something that didn’t exist in my old life, and for a long time, I struggled to understand how to wield it effectively. Let alone even have the thought using it.
But now… now it felt more natural.
My stats had been steadily improving since the start of the semester, and with them, my mana control had grown more refined.
Warming up my insides, I prepared my body for the fight ahead while keeping my mind cool and sharp.
Although the thought of Rose one-shotting me, much like what had happened to Senior Alice, lingered in the back of my mind, a flicker of confidence rose within me.
I wasn’t the same slouch I used to be back then.
Sure, Rose had grown stronger too, but I had also honed my abilities.
The past semester wasn’t wasted, and I wasn’t about to be blindsided this time around.
Given Rose’s talent for overwhelming opponents with her intricate spellcasting, my priority would need to be on evasion—dodging her attacks rather than trying to block or counter them head-on.
My sword skills had naturally sharpened with each bout, each swing, and each kill.
But focusing solely on swordplay would just lead me to hit a wall eventually, especially against an opponent like her.
I had to broaden my horizons. Rose wasn’t just a powerful mage—she was a perfect opportunity for me to test myself against a new type of challenge.
If I could keep up with her, maybe even land a hit, that would prove how far I’d come.
But as much as I wanted to plan out my strategy for the duel… I had a more pressing issue at the moment.
‘I really need to pee…’
My match with Rose was right after Gilbert’s, and since his was third on the lineup, I had plenty of time before mine began.
With that in mind, I stood up from my seat and hurried toward the bathroom.
Kagami, who was still lounging nearby, glanced at me for a second, likely wondering where I was going, but when he saw the look on my face, he didn’t bother to ask.
Instead, he just laughed, a knowing smirk plastered across his face.
How he could tell just by looking at me, I had no idea, but I decided to ignore his annoying laughter and continue on my way. I had more important things to focus on.
But just as I reached the door to the bathroom, a lively female voice called out from behind me.
“Hello, friend.”
I stopped in my tracks and turned around, curiosity immediately piqued.
Standing there was a woman dressed in gray robes, her appearance mostly concealed beneath the fabric.
Yet, something about her felt familiar, as if I had seen her somewhere before.
My mind raced, trying to place where I had encountered her before.
“I finally met you, Riley Hell~”
The voice was almost playful, like she had been waiting for this moment.
My eyes narrowed as I turned to face her fully. “Do you know me?” I asked, unable to mask the suspicion in my tone.
“Yes, you’re quite famous, after all,” she replied with a chuckle, her voice light yet somehow carrying an undercurrent of something far more serious.
She began to circle around me, her gaze sweeping over me from head to toe as if I were some kind of curiosity she had to study in person.
I didn’t like it.
My body instinctively tensed; my hand twitching closer to my sword hilt. Something about her was… off.
My instincts screamed at me that the woman before me wasn’t just some random stranger who’d happened upon me by coincidence.
She was dangerous.
But why?
“Hehehe, you don’t have to reach for your sword, you know. I won’t bite~” she said casually, her lips curling into a mischievous grin.
Despite her words, my instincts didn’t relax.
She giggled and finally took a step back, as if satisfied with her assessment, before nodding to herself, touching her chin thoughtfully like an investigator pleased with their findings.
“Yup~ yup~ the rumors really didn’t do you justice, at least based on your appearance that is… though I wonder if your skills live up to those rumors~” she continued, her eyes glinting with amusement. “I heard you have a match with the golden child this time. Is it true~?”
My brows furrowed. “How’d you know that?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, but the question came out sharper than I intended.
The information about my match with Rose wasn’t public.
It wouldn’t be announced until the actual event started, and only a handful of people knew about it in advance.
There was no way she should’ve been aware unless someone leaked it.
But who? Only Rose and I were aware of our upcoming duel, and the only person I’d confided in was Kagami.
And Kagami wasn’t the type to gossip or spread information recklessly.
As for Rose, while she was popular, she wasn’t the kind of person who’d let this slip either—especially since it wasn’t in her best interest to reveal her opponents beforehand.
Then how…?
“Ah~ looks like my actions riled you up for a bit,” she said with a playful tone, her smile never wavering. “But please, don’t worry. I mean you no harm. Hehe, I just really wanted to see you for myself, you see. Please don’t take everything I just said and did too seriously~”
She giggled again; the sound light yet unnerving.
“Since the first match is about to start, I’ll get going now, Hehe, please do show me something fun once your match begins. Bye-bye~”
With a final wave, she disappeared in a flicker of wind, her figure vanishing as if carried away by the breeze.
The air where she had stood moments ago crackled with faint, lingering sparks of mana.
They shimmered for a brief second before dissipating into nothing, leaving me standing there, frozen in place, my mind racing.
The strange encounter left a bitter aftertaste.
As the realization began to sink in, a cold sweat started to form on the back of my neck.
That aura… that flicker of wind and the mana sparks that followed her departure that mimicked butterflies….
As the realization began to sink in, a cold sweat started to form on the back of my neck.
A terrible thought crept into my mind, one that I really didn’t want to think about.
‘Haha… it can’t be, right?’
It’s too early for that biological bomb to show up!
