Chapter 62
“A Sense of Discomfort in the Mock Battle” [Demon Princess Arc II]
The air at the academy in October was clear and refreshing.
The clouds hung high, the leaves were beginning to turn gold, and the sand in the schoolyard drifted lightly on the wind.
It had been only a few days since the new students had entered, and Class Cross was suddenly full of energy.
“Being called senpai isn’t so bad, is it?”
Rutia puffed out her chest, her blue eyes gleaming.
“Don’t get too full of yourself. You’ve always been pushy, but when people start relying on you, the responsibility gets heavier, y’know?”
“Responsibility? I merely intend to show the proper dignity befitting my husband’s wife!”
“Who’re you callin’ wife! We ain’t even registered yet!”
Their usual husband-and-wife comedy routine echoed through the schoolyard at lunch, drawing laughter from the second-years.
Then, the new students approached.
At their head was Lilicia—walking in neat formation, yet with a lightness that made them seem to float.
It wasn’t just her beauty that drew eyes.
Even the way they balanced their weight as they walked was unnaturally precise—controlled, but without stiffness.
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“Let’s have a mock battle,” Lilicia said softly—but with a gleam of challenge in her eyes.
“I believe we can learn faster if we cross hands with our seniors.”
And so, an impromptu match was arranged: Second-Year Class Cross vs. First-Year Class Cross.
The crowd was large—students from other classes gathered as well, and soon the schoolyard was ringed with spectators.
“All right, the rules are simple,” Kai said, standing between both sides with a whistle in hand.
“No serious injuries. I’ll keep a barrier up, so don’t worry—but if you send anyone flyin’ into the school building, that’s a deduction.”
“Teacher’s deductions are brutal…” someone muttered, drawing a ripple of laughter.
The students bowed to one another, and the mock battle began.
Three first-years stepped forward.
Wind, lightning, and ice—three types of magic were woven at once.
Their casting speed, the precision of their control—none of it looked like the work of beginners.
“—!”
The second-year vanguard raised a shield.
A roar and flash filled the air, and a cloud of sand billowed upward.
But—
“…What is this?”
The second-year holding the shield gasped.
The magic they should have blocked completely seemed to glide over the surface, leaving behind a faint, pressing weight on their bodies.
It wasn’t a direct impact, nor a forceful push.
It was like a stone dropped into still water—the ripples spreading out naturally.
The next instant, Rutia and Lilicia stepped in at the same time.
Rutia’s flaming sword bloomed like a crimson rose.
Lilicia’s wind-forged blade met it—deflecting, but not distorting its shape.
Their clash produced almost no metallic sound; only the vibrations in the air made the spectators tremble.
“They’re evenly matched…!”
“A first-year standing toe-to-toe with a second-year?!”
The onlookers buzzed with excitement.
But Kai’s expression was different.
His brows furrowed deeply, and he pressed a hand to his forehead, studying them intently.
(…I knew it. There’s no fluctuation. Any normal spellcaster’s magic has a little “noise” somewhere—but hers doesn’t. It’s too smooth, too perfect.)
Lilicia was smiling—not with arrogance, but with pure joy.
Rutia pressed her lips together, responding with all her strength.
“Stop!”
Kai’s sharp voice cut through the tension.
Both girls froze instantly, ending the match with such precision that even the drifting sand hung still.
“…Magnificent.”
Kai lowered his whistle and exhaled deeply.
“Both years did real well. But this is where we stop.”
Applause broke out as the mock battle came to a close.
Lilicia turned toward him, her forehead glistening with sweat. She smiled without wiping it away.
“Professor, how was my technique?”
“…Too beautiful,” he murmured.
“Normally, there’s always a little roughness left over. But yours… it’s like the surface of a mirror pond.”
Lilicia didn’t answer. She only smiled and looked away.
For a brief moment, Kai thought he saw—deep in her indigo eyes—the shadow of a tightly locked door.
“Kai!”
Rutia burst in, clutching his arm.
“Why are you only praising Lilicia? I worked hard too!”
“O–oh, of course! Your flames were splendid as always.”
“Splendid? That’s all?”
“Uh… perfect… No, better not score it at all!”
“Then just say that from the start!”
Laughter and applause rose again from the stands, the heat of the battle melting into a warm, relaxed air.
(…What is she, really?) Kai wondered. No—there’s no need to pry. As long as she’s sittin’ in my classroom, she’s my student. That’s enough.
He came to that quiet conclusion, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Above him, the autumn sky stretched high and clear without end.
