The Academy’s Crude Pink-Haired Martial Artist

Somewhere in the depths of the Holy Kingdom.

Luna is there. But I haven’t seen her directly. The Harbar signifies reunification.

The divine power residing in Harbar, her miracles, did not reveal Luna’s form.

It merely indicated her location.

But from that illusion, I felt Luna.

There, somewhere underground, I am convinced that Luna is there.

I thought she would be sealed, with one arm torn off like in the vision I saw before.

Why? Why the Holy Kingdom of all places?

Why is Luna in the Holy Kingdom, the center of this unpleasant and creepy vortex?

Did she make peace, seal the Demon King, and return to the system? Then why is she sealed there?

The Demon King’s seal?

It doesn’t add up. It doesn’t make sense.

I don’t understand.

I cannot comprehend, but I knew her location.

I felt her presence. I also knew what I had to do.

So I’m going to the Holy Kingdom.

Instead, I’m going fully prepared.

No need to rush.

Having waited 400 years, waiting another month or two is nothing.

I hid my trembling hands into fists.

With the other hand, I popped a d’acuaz into Pina’s mouth.

“Hiie…”

Seeing Pina happily munching on the d’acuaz, my hot chest cooled down a bit.

“Please feed me too!”

Yurasia, who was being playful beside me, added to the mix.

“What does it taste like?”

“Strawberry flavor!”

As I was about to put the d’acuaz into Yurasia’s smiley mouth, I instead slipped my finger inside.

Her soft, wet tongue wrapped around my finger. I scratched it with my nail. Shack-shack!

“Ahhh… Heeek?!”

Yurasia trembled, her body patter-patter.

“Ah, ahhhee…!”

Unable to bite my finger, she opened her mouth, pouting in distress.

“Why, is it not good?”

Shackle-chuckle I kept scratching Yurasia’s pink tongue.

Then…

“Ah-ha.”

“Eh-hee…?”

I felt a zzt of hostility. Not malice, but a vague hostility that you wouldn’t notice unless you concentrated.

Are they plotting a surprise attack?

I pulled my finger from Yurasia’s mouth and scanned the inside of the wagon. At that moment, Yurasia seemed to sharpen her expression as if she was feeling something too.

Pina was still enjoying the d’acuaz.

Gailan was suffering from motion sickness, and Silina was staring out the window with a cynical expression.

And the coachman driving the wagon.

He was already watching the wagon from behind as he had dismounted.

How well-trained were the horses to continue on their own without the coachman?

The test had already begun.

What about the response to that? I hadn’t received anything.

Well, I suppose I’ll find out when I get there.

Hee-hee, I wrapped my whole body in mana.

Only then did Silina and Pina seem to notice something, turning their heads.

Silina probably felt it, while Pina must have heard it from the Flora.

“Hiie…?”

“Eliaar… yes, I see you sensed it first. Quick…”

“Uh? Uh? Why all of a sudden?”

Gailan still didn’t understand. No wonder.

The source of the hostility was quite far away. Gailan, just barely at 2nd Circle, had no way of knowing.

He might never have felt such blatant hostility in the first place.

These days, it’s because of that damned era of peace.

“I’ll go out.”

“Ah… are you going out yourself, Young Lady?”

“I hate the thought of walking to Anketin in this heat too.”

“Then, I’ll drive the wagon!”

“Sure.”

I opened the wagon door and jumped out. We had already passed the academy’s castle gate. The scenery around us was nothing but grassy fields and trees.

Where’s the source of hostility? Left.

I turned my head. A very faint hostility could be felt.

And as I turned my head, that hostility flickered.

Seeing such a quick response, is it a mage or an archer? It doesn’t matter much.

As I told Yurasia, I don’t want to walk to Anketin in this heat.

If they shoot arrows, I’ll snatch them; if they use magic, I’ll leave the wagon to Yurasia and rush at the examiner to subdue them.

“I hope they just shoot arrows…”

Muttering that, I moved toward the source of hostility. At the same time, my mana began to writhe.

Magic it is.

Sigh.

With a breath, I sprang forward.

*

Baladi Arsha, the new professor of the Academy, with her dark brown hair tied into both sides like dumplings.

Among the professors, known as the late bloomer in looks and experience, Baladi was assigned as an instructor for the final exam of the first-year students today.

There were many responsibilities as an instructor, but the first task was simple.

Under the summer sun, wait for the students’ wagon to arrive, and once I sense the wagon’s presence, break its wheels.

Other roles included protecting the wagons outside the students’ perception, chasing away bandits or mercenaries wandering in the mountains, guiding ordinary people to safety, and much more.

However, Baladi—cute in appearance and short in stature—often ended up being assigned unnoticed roles.

Still, Baladi was satisfied. Sniping from a distance was her most confident skill, and meeting many people was something that embarrassed her.

Baladi smiled brightly.

She thought this was the first time she could do something professor-like since joining the academy.

Just then, a wagon appeared in the distance.

Squatting in her spot, Baladi jumped up, aiming her staff at the wagon.

And then she was startled.

“Ah… I should have shown hostility first… ugh…”

She realized too late that she needed to release hostility before using magic.

When the students noticed, she could then use magic. That was Baladi’s responsibility.

Holding the staff with both hands, Baladi emitted hostility so the cute students inside the wagon could feel it!

But she really didn’t know how to release hostility.

In her life, she had never emitted hostility.

Born into a count’s family, living happily all her life, and with her head filled with flowers from birth, Baladi didn’t know hostility. So, she just glared with wide eyes ziiiing-.

“I am your enemy…!!”

Was that the correct approach?

The wagon’s door flew wide open. Baladi’s face, which had been frowning, lit up.

Then she fell into a moment of contemplation.

“Isn’t the distance too far to notice…?”

Could it be… a top student…?

Well… it’s not impossible for sensitive beastmen or mages to widen their cognitive range if they just focus.

Concluding this, Baladi aimed her staff to use magic. At the same time, from inside the wagon, a blossom of cherry blossoms peeked out.

“…Cherry blossoms?”

Narrowing her eyes to examine… was a person. With pink hair and pink irises.

A girl with an adorable appearance.

Her skin was so pale it was almost transparent, with fine features.

Her lips were tightly closed, and deep sunk eyes that didn’t match her age added an ethereal air about her.

A student with such an appearance.

No, a student with such lovely pink hair could only be one.

“…Eliarnes student…?”

The worst, most infamous wannabe delinquent of the Signia Class at the academy.

The one professors took care not to offend, the villainess.

Eliaernes Eustetia.

I seemed to have locked eyes with that very Eliaernes.

Is it a delusion? No! One side of Eliaernes’ mouth curved up…!

It’s terrifying… so, so terrifying!

Baladi momentarily ceased her mana.

I’ve heard that even other seasoned professors can’t handle Eliaernes easily, but why is that? I don’t know why, but there must be a reason.

“What, what do I do…?”

There’s only one option even after thinking about it.

Fire magic at the wagon’s wheel and overturn it.

I must prevent the wagon from moving. That is the first hurdle in the finals lasting fifteen days.

In the process of overturning the wagon, I must also cast another spell so that the students do not get harmed, and then discreetly retreat.

Baladi has been entrusted with a very important and challenging role.

Even now, I could see the other professors working hard, so I couldn’t just give up out of fear…!

Baladi was determined.

She focused on the wagon’s wheel. Drawing in a deep breath, she gathered mana.

What spell to use?

The answer was already predetermined, despite contemplating. The skill of the student driving the wagon was so excellent that it was much faster than normal speed.

I had no choice but to fire a missile to stop the wagon.

Baladi’s lips moved quickly.

At the end of her staff, refreshing wind gathered.

Unlike water, fire, or earth, wind-type magic has weak power. But it excels in subtlety.

In other words, the spell made of wind could be hidden from plain sight if the user sets their mind to it.

And the wind was created by Baladi’s ideation.

Moreover, in this case, the follow-up would also be easy. After breaking the wheel with wind magic, I could use the remaining wind traces to ensure the students’ safety.

Even for myself, it was a clever method.

Baladi, beaming with confidence, completed the incantation.

“Pleia!”

The wind gathered at the tip of the staff morphed into a butterfly.

Light and graceful flapping. But its speed could not be followed by the eye.

It was a charming, cute butterfly.

The butterfly shaped like the first one I became friends with in the garden my mother cared for…

Fwomp—!

The butterfly split in two.

“What…?”

Not only that, but two white hands ripped apart the butterfly’s body and its wings.

“Ah, ugh…?”

Baladi could not understand the situation.

The butterfly, the representation of my childhood dream…

My magic… was torn apart? How?

Her Circle was at the 7th Circle.

It was at the level to infuse ideation into her mana just like a 6th Rank martial artist. She infused ideation into this magic. Then it shouldn’t be unravelable without being in the same realm of ideation.

Moreover, Baladi prided herself on the cohesion of her mana as one of the strongest among fellow 7th Circle mages.

Yet, it shattered in one blow? With bare hands? So easily?

Seeing the torn butterfly made her gloomy.

She delayed in her judgment, searching for a reason.

It was a common noble lady’s response, who had never felt or emitted hostility, growing up as a potted flower in a greenhouse.

“Hello?”

So Baladi didn’t even respond to the greeting of the student appearing before her.

Baladi was on the shorter side. That’s why people usually overlooked her, but the girl standing before her was even smaller.

Naturally, her gaze fell.

Even from a distance, her appearance was adorable, but up close, she was so cute that it made you gasp.

Is this student a delinquent? A villainess?

Could the rumors have been distorted?

While pondering such thoughts, Eliaernes smiled brightly.

“What should I do now?”

Her voice was also lovely…!

Baladi’s heart ached.

“…Y-yes…?”

“The professor’s role was to suppress the wagon, right?”

“Y-yeah…? You’re right…? To secretly suppress it… but the students in the wagon must not get harmed. But… I’ve been caught like this—”

“Then I can do the same thing, can’t I?”

Eliaernes giggled cutely.

But, doing the same?

“…The same? What do you mean?”

The moment Baladi questioned.

Thud—

Eliaernes’ tiny fist brushed the tip of Baladi’s chin.

Baladi’s body crumbled down.

Watching the fallen Baladi, Eliaernes decided to just catch her.

It seemed she was a new professor, but leaving her in this hot sun fainted wasn’t right.

Extending her arms, she grabbed the professor’s body.

And then she dragged Baladi and sat her up against a large tree.

“If I leave you here and go away, won’t you just get caught by the bandits or something…?”

At that moment, her bracelet vibrated.

-This is Wivir Arkand, the chief professor. We will protect Professor Baladi, so please return to the wagon, Eliaernes student.

“Oh… understood.”

-And, just a moment please.

“Yes?”

-It seems Eliaernes student’s bracelet is malfunctioning. We will send someone soon; please wait in your spot. It should only take one minute.

“Malfunction? Well, yeah. Understood.”

Glancing at her bracelet, Eliaernes slowly nodded.

Meanwhile, Wivir, who was monitoring the overall situation of the first-year students within the academy, let out a subtle sigh.

In the background, the loud laughter of Leona and the Flame Sovereign echoed…

“Nya-ha-ha-ha! Eliaernes is seriously insane?! Without a second thought, she punched a professor!”

“Eliaernes certainly resembles… ahem, the courteous personality of Vice Headmaster Leona. Could it be due to the master-disciple relationship…?”

So does that mean Stella will end up resembling her personality in the future too?

To show even a bit more… I must present this greatness of mine, the Flame Sovereign.

Having thought that, the Flame Sovereign stroked his chin.

At the same time, Leona snapped her fingers.

“What? I’m nothing like that crazy one!”

“…Leona, do you genuinely think that?”

“What’s with that question? Do you think I’m a lunatic?!”

Leona’s tail puffed up.

Realizing this right away, Wivir cautiously whispered.

“Um… Could you please bring Professor Baladi back to the academy? We’ve driven off all the bandits, but you can’t be too sure… I’m counting on you. Oh, and Eliaernes student’s bracelet also needs to be delivered.”

The request itself was laughable.

Wivir and Leona were the ones dispatched to prepare for such a situation. Of course, Wivir has no authority to command the six pillars at will.

So he bowed his head and begged…

“Hmm, I shall go myself. Is this bracelet the one I take? That seems correct.”

“Hey! Don’t run away!”

Leona reached out her hand, and the Flame Sovereign slipped out the window like a spark escaping the flames.

“Speeding away is the only thing they are annoyingly fast at… Tsk, Wivir, do you want a drink?”

“I, I’m fine…”

“Then I’ll just buy two of what I want to drink?”

“…Thank you.”

“Nihihi.”

Bang!

In an instant, the situation room fell silent, and Wivir let out another sigh.

Originally, the plan was for the students who lost their wagon in the first attack to band together with their group and move on foot to Anketin.

Then, in the subsequent attacks, they would have all their belongings taken and be evaluated for the finals with nothing but their bare bodies…

But Eliaernes defended her group’s wagon.

Not only that, she took down a professor…!

“…Hah.”

To stand guard over the wagon and protect belongings.

It’s not something entirely unfamiliar since taking on the professorship.

However, this student was the first to punch a professor without a hint of hesitation.

Seeing that there were no major issues relayed from the upper authorities seemed to imply there wouldn’t be any, but for some reason, it felt like this year’s finals would unleash unforeseen events.

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