Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage’s Book

Binaeril identified the essence of the bond that tightly connected the two individuals. It was a sense of debt, or perhaps guilt, or even remorse. Whatever name it bore, at its core, it was a sense of responsibility. The foolish Rike probably thought Sylvia’s sister died because of her. Equally foolish, Sylvia believed she needed to atone to Rike for her sister’s wrongdoing.

It was a sad story, but knowing it didn’t give Binaeril the means to help them. The lingering emotions from the past were something they had to resolve on their own. However, Binaeril knew one way to break through the current situation.

“Sylvia, you said you owe Rike, right?”

“Then you’ll do anything to clear up the misunderstanding Rike is currently facing, won’t you?”

“Misunderstanding? That’s different from what you said before. Earlier, you said she received special treatment because she’s a princess.”

“People hate her because they think she’s unqualified. But I disagree. I told the Dean and Rike that as well. Why don’t you ever listen to the end of what people are saying?”

“Then you’re saying the princess…”

“Rike is more than qualified. I know it far better than you, who treat her like a child needing protection.”

Sylvia was displeased with Binaeril’s tone but decided to hear him out.

“So what should I do?”

Binaeril explained his idea.

“Would you really go that far? Do you truly think that method will work?”

“We have to try. Do you think the timid princess will solve it on her own if we just wait? She’ll just worry endlessly. So, what do you think? Will you try?”

Sylvia’s hesitation was brief. She was ready to do anything for her lord.

“Of course.”

In the training room, the Dean of the Magic Tower and the imperial princess were left in a somber mood.

“They’re both thinking of you, Princess.”

Rike smiled sadly.

“Yes, I know.”

“They just have different ways of showing their care.”

“Indeed.”

Seeing Rike’s gloomy expression, the Dean couldn’t find words to comfort her.

Rike hesitated before speaking up.

“Master.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to withdraw my recommendation now?”

“Binaeril is right. I mean his initial point. It’s true that you accepted me as your disciple because of my status, and that’s why you recommended me. If I weren’t a princess…”

“Don’t say that.”

Dean Yulio cut her off firmly.

“Your capabilities are more than sufficient. You just haven’t had many opportunities to show them yet. Do you know how many students I have trained with these hands? Trust me.”

Seeing that Rike was still unconvinced, Dean Yulio added a word.

“Would the regent stand by idly if you returned without accomplishing anything?”

“I’ll submit a leave of absence and visit the palace in our homeland. After my sister’s situation is resolved, I can return, and it won’t be too late.”

Dean Yulio shook his head.

“Scala isn’t long. Princess, please, just be a little more shameless. Once the exams start, no one will question your talent.”

“…What exactly is my talent?”

“You know it, don’t you? Your talent is…”

At that moment, the door to the Dean’s training room burst open, and an employee came running in.

“Dean! There’s a fight!”

“A talent for brawling… Damn it, hey! Don’t you know how to knock?”

The employee, bowing apologetically, explained the situation again.

“A fight has broken out in the square where the students gather. You need to come quickly.”

“A fight? Is it a brawl?”

“No, it’s just two people.”

“Then just subdue them. Why are you calling me?”

“Well…”

The employee glanced around nervously.

“It’s the tournament winner and the runner-up.”

At the unexpected news, the two stood up abruptly.

“What? Did you say the princess of the Empire? How could someone from the imperial court shamelessly enroll at Elfenbine?”

Binaeril shouted loudly for everyone to hear in the square where the students were gathered.

“Oh? It’s Binaeril, the tournament winner.”

“The winner is here? Really.”

The students’ eyes started to focus on Binaeril one by one.

“Some people fought hard to get selected, but some just sat back and got chosen. Isn’t that too unfair?”

The crowd nodded in agreement with his words.

“Princess or not, it doesn’t matter. If she came to Elfenbine, she should follow Elfenbine’s rules. No one would complain if she was skilled in magic and had real ability, right?”

Binaeril asked, looking at the student next to him.

The student, caught off guard, responded hesitantly, “Y-Yeah, that’s right.”

“Then she should at least come out and show her skills. If the princess is really a talented student, no one would object.”

The dissatisfaction simmering among the students started to take shape through the mouth of the tournament winner. Binaeril cleverly unified the students’ voices with the opinion that “as long as there’s ability, selection isn’t a problem, regardless of status.”

It was now time for the next actor to take the stage.

“Hey, don’t slander the princess.”

Sylvia took on the role of the antithesis in this play. Since the day she entered Elfenbine, Sylvia had been sticking close to Rike. Naturally, the students saw her as Rike’s ally.

“It’s the runner-up!”

“But isn’t she on the princess’s side?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen her with the princess during classes.”

“Slander? I’m just stating the facts. Or does the cowardly princess need to step up and show her skills? Right?”

Binaeril taunted her. He didn’t mean it seriously; it was all part of his plan. Sylvia, hearing Binaeril’s insults, rolled up her sleeves.

“You’re gonna get it from me today.”

“You can’t be serious… right?”

Sylvia seemed serious. Binaeril barely dodged her fist that flew like an arrow and gave her a questioning look.

“Hey, you should go easy!”

Sylvia responded with her eyes.

“It wouldn’t have the same impact.”

“They’re fighting!”

“Where? Who and who?”

“The winner and the runner-up are having another go at it!”

Sylvia continued her attack without holding back. Binaeril dodged the first punch and blocked the following kick with his arms, which stung with pain. It hurt this much even without using enhancement magic?

As the fight broke out, the students formed a wide circle around them. Binaeril whispered softly, “Just pretend to hit me.”

“You’re the winner, right? The best mage here. That means you can handle all my attacks without a problem, right?”

It seemed Sylvia had no intention of going easy. This was outside of Binaeril’s plan. Had he provoked her unnecessarily? If Sylvia was serious, Binaeril couldn’t afford to take her lightly.

The commotion drew the attention of the staff, who joined the crowd.

“What are you doing!”

“Stop! Unauthorized duels on campus are forbidden!”

“Eden, keep them from getting too close,” Binaeril whispered into his ring. Eden, who had seeped into the ground, pushed the earth up like a wave.

“Whoa!”

“What’s happening!”

People stumbled and fell, creating a wide-open space. Binaeril dodged Sylvia’s fierce attacks, anxiously waiting for the next phase of his plan to unfold.

At that moment, a figure, a head taller than the crowd, came into view. It was Dean Yulio.

“What are they doing?” Dean Yulio observed the spectacle from a distance.

Sylvia was attacking furiously, while Binaeril mixed defense and offense, glancing desperately in Yulio’s direction.

‘…Is he asking for me to stop this?’ 

It occurred to Yulio that if Binaeril wanted the fight stopped, it probably wouldn’t have started in the first place. There seemed to be no reason for them to come to the square where everyone was gathered.

Binaeril’s intention was clear: ‘All they need to do is show their skills.’

“Hmm…”

Binaeril had set the stage on purpose. Dean Yulio glanced at Rike.

“Stop them.”

Rike pushed through the crowd towards the fighting pair. She didn’t mind being criticized; she could endure that. But she couldn’t stand her friends being torn apart because of her.

“Stop, please stop!” she cried. As she got closer, the clash between the two intensified. The thunderous noise of magic and force drowned out her voice. She needed a way to stop them.

“It’s the princess.”

“The imperial princess has appeared.”

“Is that her?”

The ground had risen around Binaeril and Sylvia, forming a basin-like arena. Rike stepped onto the edge and walked through the flurry of magic. The students murmured as they watched her, but those stares didn’t matter anymore. Stopping the two was all that mattered.

To stop the fight and ensure no one got hurt, Rike chose carefully from the spells she remembered. She knelt and placed her hands on the ground, reciting the incantation.

“Doubt the ground beneath you, for where you stand shall become a mire.”

The ground beneath Binaeril and Sylvia suddenly sank, trapping them knee-deep. The watching students, as well as Binaeril and Sylvia, were astonished. Using elemental magic to alter a large area was a third-tier spell or higher.

“Stop,” Rike declared, panting as she spoke to them. “There’s no need for this because of me. The mage’s rank is not important to me. It’s okay, so please stop fighting.”

Binaeril pushed himself up from the ground and approached Rike.

“Rike, well done.”

“Look around.”

The surroundings were quiet. All the dissatisfied students had clearly witnessed Rike’s capability. Sylvia also pulled herself out of the mud, a scrape on her calf where she had caught on a stone.

“Oh, Sylvia. You’re hurt.”

“Oh, I’m fine…”

Before Sylvia could protest, Rike took hold of her leg and cast another spell. A radiant light emanated from Rike’s hand.

“A healing talent…”

Many were seeing this rare talent for the first time. Binaeril beamed widely. Dean Yulio, watching from a distance, also broke into a broad smile.

“Good, good. Now no one will raise any objections. This is excellent.”

The teacher’s heart swelled with pride at his student’s accomplishments. And Dean Yulio…

…was called to the Tower Master’s office for failing to intervene in the students’ fight.