“If that were really the case, then saying you’re following me would be quite embarrassing,” I said, my tone sharp. “But you wouldn’t choose to come this way when there’s an easier route, would you?”
Exactly. I had intentionally taken this less convenient path, knowing if she followed me here, it meant she was indeed tracking my movements. She could have easily taken the more straightforward route, but she chose this less practical one. There was no way she wasn’t following me if she ended up here.
“T-That was…”
“Well, unless you actually prefer this route,” I said, weaving a deliberate lie to give her an out. “It would be pretty dumb of me to accuse you of following me.”
“R-Right, um…” she stuttered, struggling to find a way out. I stepped aside to let her pass, offering a slight bow before she quickly walked away.
I watched her disappeared in the distance. She was following me. I knew that, but the reason was something I couldn’t find. I could have just push her to say the reason to me, but I didn’t want to scare her and force her to, which was why I let her away.
I finally let go of my sight out of her and then continued to walk back to my dorm room.
***
The third and final day of the physical exam had arrived, and it was the most grueling yet—duel day. This part of the exam required each student to face off against another in a one-on-one battle. It was a pure test of skill, so unique abilities were off-limits. You could only use weapons, and the choice was yours. Whether your opponent wielded a sword, you could opt for a firearm, a bow, or whatever suited your style.
Opponents were paired based on rankings, meaning the first and second-ranked students in the bronze class would duel, followed by the third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and so on, all the way down to the 99th and 100th. If a class was missing a student—like ours, since Shredica was no longer here—the 99th-ranked student would have to face the winner of the first duel in their own class, either the first or second-ranked, depending on who emerged victorious.
I was sitting at 89th in the bronze class rankings, which meant my opponent would be Trill Felian, ranked 90th.
“That sucks, dude. You’re up against Felian,” Raymond said, his voice tinged with sympathy. He was comfortably in the top ten, and his opponent was ranked 10th.
“Well, you’re lucky. You’re paired with Yr,” I remarked. Raymond’s opponent was Yr, the laziest person in the bronze class.
“That’s exactly why I’m relieved,” he said with a grin. “With her as my opponent, I don’t have to break a sweat. I just need to wait for her to yawn and doze off, and then I win.”
I didn’t think Yr would take the match seriously either—she was more likely to fall asleep on the spot.
“Well, best of luck to us,” I said, giving him a friendly pat on the back.
The time came for Raymond’s match. Yr sauntered onto the stage with her usual lack of enthusiasm, while Raymond strutted with a confident smirk plastered on his face. He was clearly convinced he was going to win. He carried a grimoire that radiated a faint, fiery glow. I knew that this grimoire was designed to intensify fire spells.
Yr yawned as she took her place. She wielded a massive scythe, far larger than her own body. I hadn’t known she preferred a scythe as her weapon. But given her eccentric nature, it wasn’t too surprising that she’d choose something so unconventional.
Both of them took their positions, standing five meters apart.
The referee ascended the stage, scrutinizing both competitors with a keen eye before asking if they were ready. Raymond, brimming with confidence, nodded immediately, his eagerness evident. Yr, however, responded with nothing more than a languid yawn, barely acknowledging the moment.
“Fight!”
The referee’s command cut through the air, and the match began. To make a long story short, Raymond ended up losing. He had forgotten one critical detail about Yr—she was as unpredictable as she was lazy.
***
“Leon!”
My girlfriend, Titania, waved and called out to me. She had finished her duel and, though she lost, she wasn’t hurt too badly. Now that it was lunch break and half the students had completed their matches, I had been comforting Raymond, who was in tears, ashamed after being defeated by Yr, whom he had thought he could easily beat. And then, she came.
I walked over to Titania, and she immediately latched onto my arm, pressing her breasts against me with a cheerful smile.
“Let’s have lunch!” she said, practically dragging me along with her.
“Uh, okay. Bye then, Raymond. See you later,” I said as I waved off Raymond. Duncan took over comforting him. For the record, Duncan had won his match. Given his immense size, it was no surprise he’d win on sheer strength alone. The only thing that held him back was his own lack of intelligence, but when it came to raw power, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Titania and I found a spot to sit and enjoy our lunch. Fortunately, the area wasn’t crowded, so we didn’t have to deal with too many curious stares. Whenever we ate together, we often attracted unwanted attention.
“What time is your match?” she asked, her cheeks stuffed with food, crumbs and bits scattered around her mouth.
“It’s set for a little after sunset. And by the way, don’t talk with your mouth full,” I said, grabbing a tissue. “You might choke yourself.”
I carefully wiped away the crumbs and smudges from around her mouth, and she closed her eyes, her expression softening as she felt my touch.
After she swallowed, her gaze met mine, eyes filled with concern.
“I’ll definitely be there to watch you, Leon! But are you sure you’ll be okay? I heard Trill Felian is your opponent. They say that even if someone tries to surrender, she keeps attacking until they’re down.”
I’d heard the same rumors. Trill Felian was notorious for her ruthless, instinct-driven fights. As a lion beast person, her pride was as fierce as her combat skills. She wasn’t just fighting to win; she was fighting to dominate, to make sure everyone knew her superiority.
“Please, Leon, be careful. I don’t want to see you hurt,” she said, her voice trembling with genuine concern.
I responded by pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek, feeling her skin warm beneath my lips. Her cheeks flushed with a deep, rosy hue.
“Don’t worry,” I said softly, my lips lingering for a moment longer. “I’m not planning on losing. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.”
Titania understood that I wasn’t as inept as others might think and that I preferred to stay under the radar. That’s why she was worried that if I didn’t give it my all, I might get hurt while trying to hide my true abilities.
But I had my reasons for taking this match seriously. If I could beat her, I might just catch her interest.
