Chapter 115: Chapter 115

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Unexpected Jealousy

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Vanesha in front.

Sharin Sazaris behind.

A desperate crisis.

What could I do here?

I'd overcome countless crises until now, but at this moment, my mind was a blank slate.

Beyond the window, a dark entity began to stir.

The being Vanesha summoned from the other side was approaching.

A hair-trigger situation.

Sharin was in danger of being attacked.

"Vanesha!"

I immediately grabbed Vanesha's shoulder firmly.

Startled by the sudden touch, Vanesha flinched and looked up.

Her eyes wide, she stared at me.

"I came to Jerion Academy with an important mission. If we cause a commotion here, it'll all be for nothing."

Vanesha's eyes darted as she looked at my serious face.

Then she raised both hands and gently cupped her cheeks.

"I-if you're going to be so bold, oh my, this maiden feels quite shy."

As she said this, Vanesha glanced at my face repeatedly.

I felt the entity from the other side beyond the window quiet down.

I'd been saved.

"So, Vanesha, please bear with me just a little, for my sake. There are circumstances. You can understand me, right?"

Vanesha looked up at me with sparkling eyes.

But then her gaze, devoid of emotion, shifted past my shoulder.

"Is that also 'circumstances'?"

Sharin stood there with a bewildered expression.

Then she opened her mouth and let out a long yawn.

She probably just wasn't interested in the current situation.

It was just like Sharin to be so nonchalant after setting off a bomb.

"...Yes."

Hearing my reply, Vanesha let out a breath, then raised her hands and suddenly hugged me tightly.

At that moment, Sharin spun around to face me, her hair bristling.

But I had no time to worry about that.

"Understood. This maiden believes anything her husband says. For you, my husband, are clearly the one who will save the world!"

Well, I am doing something similar.

"My husband, then, this maiden must go find some supplies, so I'll be off."

Vanesha smiled sweetly, then pulled away from me.

As she passed Sharin, she clicked her tongue with a fierce expression and left.

I had somehow overcome the crisis.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips.

"Hey, hey, hey."

Just then, Sharin had somehow approached my side.

Then she started pounding my back with her dainty fists.

Sharin's fists inflicted no damage on my body, which had gained a steel-like physique.

Even knowing that, Sharin diligently kept pounding.

"Who was that person?"

"An associate professor who just joined the Magic Department."

"But why would an associate professor hug my husband?"

Is this girl seriously planning to keep calling me 'husband'?

I grabbed Sharin's wrist, stopping her from still pounding my back.

"It's a bit complicated. I stole the Bandage of Veiling from her."

Sharin knew I was in disguise.

Upon learning that the source was Vanesha, Sharin's eyebrows subtly furrowed.

"So then, tell me."

Sharin looked at me, her eyebrows still raised.

"Does that person know my husband's true form?"

Of course, she does.

But I couldn't answer immediately.

Because I sensed an unpleasant mood from Sharin.

My eyes blinked.

Sharin was looking at me with a thoroughly sulky expression.

It was the first time Sharin had so openly displayed her emotions.

And I knew what emotion she was revealing.

'...Jealousy?'

Of course, jealousy exists even among friends.

Just as one might feel jealous if a friend seems closer to another friend, jealousy is a complex emotion.

It can certainly happen between people of any gender.

But the jealousy I saw in Sharin now was subtle.

"...She does."

Hearing my answer, Sharin slowly lowered the hand I was holding by the wrist.

She looked disheartened.

"Oh, I see."

Sharin said nothing more and simply walked away towards the class.

Watching her back, I quickly followed after Sharin.

"Sharin."

"I'm your fiancée, but I don't know. But she does, huh."

"Sharin, wait a moment."

"I even helped you with the magic engraving and everything. So that's how it is, huh."

Sharin seemed to have no intention of listening to me at all.

How did it come to this?

Leaving my troubled expression behind, Sharin entered the training ground.

Just then, students training could be seen there.

She glanced at my face, then spun around and walked off towards the Magic Department.

She seemed thoroughly sulking.

I didn't want my relationship with Sharin to go awry.

But the emotions she revealed complicated my thoughts.

"Oh, Prince Sweet Potato!"

Just then, Seron spotted me and bounced up and down in place, waving her hand.

She was like a dog wagging its tail like a propeller when its owner returns.

If only everyone were as consistent as Seron.

I shook off my complicated expression.

Deciding to think about the Vanesha and Sharin matter later, I first went towards Seron.

"How have you been?"

"Why, do you think I'd be looking like death without you?"

Seron puffed out her chest, yet her excitement was palpable.

"You were moping around looking like death for a while, though."

"Ugh!"

At that moment, Hania suddenly popped out from beside her and pointed out Seron's behavior.

It seemed Hania had been looking after Seron while I was away.

"You looked like a lost puppy without its owner, I just couldn't ignore it."

"N-no, I wasn't."

Seron whistled and turned her head away.

Yet, she cast furtive glances, gauging my reaction.

"Welcome back."

Hania greeted me, ignoring Seron's antics.

And then she whispered softly, so Seron couldn't hear.

"I heard the news about Lady Sharin Sazaris."

She's got sharp ears.

Indeed, Hania assists Iris.

At that point, the imperial ears must have been wide open.

'The engagement news will be out soon, too.'

The Blue Magic Tower Master wants to manifest Jerion's magic.

To keep me alive rather than kill me, she would somehow rush the engagement announcement.

"Sorry, it just happened that way."

"I understood the circumstances pretty much as soon as I heard. I know it was an unavoidable choice for Hanon."

Hania was very understanding.

"More than anything, you were keeping up the act for my sake, weren't you? For me, I was grateful for that time."

She wasn't just understanding; she was an angel.

Hania is a goddess.

"I suddenly feel like crying."

"Why would something like this make you cry?"

"Hania, you're the best girlfriend."

"Hmph, well, at least you know now."

Hania puffed out her chest slightly, a hint of pride on her face.

"Anyway, I think our 'dating' relationship can end here. It seems I've pretty much sorted out the people who had feelings for me. And most importantly..."

She curled the corners of her lips, as if most pleased.

"That dog—no, Associate Professor Barcov—isn't interested in me anymore."

That was truly unexpected news.

Associate Professor Barcov, who had dared to launch a tactical confession attack.

To think he could no longer be interested in Hania.

"More importantly, that guy didn't get fired during the boycott incident."

"His family is influential, so they didn't seem interested in corruption."

"So he's only interested in women, then."

If anything, he was consistently *that* kind of guy.

But it was even more surprising that such a man had given up on Hania.

"Associate Professor Barcov found a new lady, you see."

"That's surprising again. Who is it? That poor person?"

"It's the new associate professor in the Magic Department, Vanesha."

And my face froze.

Barcov.

He's finally decided to commit suicide.

"Thanks to that, I'm comfortable now. Since they're both associate professors, they'll sort it out themselves."

Hania tended not to care as long as it didn't harm her.

However, my face grew serious in contrast.

Because knowing Vanesha's personality, I figured if Barcov tried a confession attack, she would literally kill him.

"...What's wrong? Are you so disappointed that we're not a couple anymore?"

Hania asked, scrutinizing my expression.

"It is sad that my first relationship is ending like this."

"It's mutual, so just accept it. More importantly, please go see Lady Iris later."

"Alright, ex-girlfriend."

"Good luck, ex-boyfriend."

Hania coolly walked away after that.

It was a very clean breakup.

"What's going on?"

Seron, who had been listening quietly, suddenly poked her head out and asked.

"A scary story about Associate Professor Barcov getting murdered."

"That's a good thing, though."

It is, though.

"More importantly, Prince Sweet Potato, I made it to the Top 32 in the preliminaries. How's that, pretty amazing, right?"

Seron puffed out her chest, boasting about herself.

Seron in the Top 32...

Achieving such a result across all academies in the world was truly incredible.

Seron, it seems encouraging her paid off.

I raised my hand and ruffled her hair haphazardly.

"You really did great."

"Oh, uhm."

Perhaps not expecting my genuine praise, Seron flinched, bringing her legs together.

Then her eyes darted away, and she quietly turned her body.

"I-I need to go train more."

Seron, embarrassed, simply ran off.

As I slowly lowered my hand, which had nowhere to go, another familiar face walked towards me.

Honey-blonde hair fluttered.

With her hair a little longer than it had been in the first semester, she stopped in front of me.

Isabel Luna.

She was the main heroine of the "Flame Butterfly" arc.

"You, you're back."

I had been immediately captured after my private match with Isabel.

But Isabel had read the will to survive in my eyes.

So it seemed she hadn't worried too much.

"Well, well, the celebrity has arrived."

Isabel had gained immense fame after showcasing the Goddess's Wings in the private match.

Although my capture by the imperial soldiers had caused a slight lull, her fame was clearly destined to grow.

After all, she was a person who had awakened the Goddess's Wings, something only spoken of in legends.

It would have been stranger if she hadn't become famous.

"Stop flattering me. You and I are no different."

Unfortunately, my side is mostly notoriety.

Having used ancient dragon magic and been captured by the Imperial Knights, it was only natural.

"You knew everything back then, didn't you?"

"I knew to some extent."

If I had truly judged it dangerous, I would have run for my life.

"You really are something."

Isabel looked at me with a face that had much to say, then stopped herself.

She also knew that I had deliberately gone all out to encourage her.

"...You and I haven't settled things yet."

As she said, Isabel and I hadn't settled our match yet.

"I feel like I already know the result without even trying."

"I wonder how long your smugness will last."

Isabel said that, a smile playing on her lips.

"But I don't dislike that so much anymore."

Had her feelings changed during this time?

Isabel's face looked much brighter than before.

"Oh, and there was another commotion during the private match."

"A commotion?"

Was there something that could cause a commotion even after Isabel's Goddess's Wings and Celestial Dragon Transformation?

"Azure Flame."

From Isabel's lips, the Unyielding Azure Flame was mentioned.

"She, who took second place in this private match, declared that she would transfer to Jerion Academy."

A big fish had been caught.