Chapter 63

63. The Third's Skill (5)

Luna had various over-the-counter medicines in her possession.

It was as if she had raided the infirmary.

The pile was so high it reached Luna's chin, giving a clear idea of how much she had brought.

A mountain made of over-the-counter medicines.

Luna approached with determined steps and then dumped them all on the desk.

"Open up."

Luna, that's sexual harassment.

Before I could finish that thought, Luna roughly pried open my mouth.

Then she shoved the medicine in.

All of it.

"Chew."

Crunch, crunch—

Um, Luna, don't you have any water?

Sizzle—

Yeah, saliva is enough.

What do I need water for? Hahaha.

Swoosh—

A child behind Eurydia offered me water.

When Eurydia tried to pass the water to me, Luna snatched it away.

Then she poured it into my mouth.

Naturally, my shirt got wet.

"Hehe, thank you, Miss Luna. Thanks to you, I'm alive."

"Shut up."

Luna didn't look happy at all.

It wasn't because I held hands with a girl.

It was because I held hands with someone other than her.

"Miss Luna, hello? Do you know me?"

"No."

"Oh, is that so? I'm Eurydia. Let's be friends, okay?"

Wow, a crazy stalker vs. an ISTJ with no empathy.

It's a truly heart-stirring confrontation.

Slap!

Luna slapped away Eurydia's outstretched hand.

The children behind her immediately took a battle stance.

"Everyone, stay calm."

"But—"

"I said stay calm, didn't I?"

She said it with a smile.

But everyone could feel the subtle thorns hidden in her words.

"Miss Luna, what are you trying to do?"

"What are you trying to do? Why are you approaching me?"

"Well... to foster communication. We are classmates, after all."

"Shit."

Was it hard to hold back the curse she spat out in front of everyone?

Eurydia shuddered.

"Oh my, you look fierce despite your cute appearance. Miss Luna, you might get into real trouble. I'm more terrifying than you think."

"Is that so? I'm more terrifying than you."

"Hmm~ Miss Luna, you should know when to show restraint. You've lived this way until now, but it's just been luck."

"Why don't we have a fight?"

Crack—

Luna cracked her neck again.

"Is it really necessary to do this? We can resolve this through conversation. We're not animals, after all."

Eurydia took a step back, signaling her intention to calm down.

She was considering Luna's feelings, even at the cost of her noble pride.

The problem was—

"Stop talking and fight. The winner gets him. Let's make this the rule."

This meant that our Luna was no different from an animal.

"Ha! You really are an animal. I'm disappointed, Miss Luna."

"Whether I'm an animal or not, it doesn't matter. Don't take Zero from me. He's mine."

"Are you trying to possess a person? That's completely disregarding the other person's feelings—"

"You have many. I only have him."

The classroom fell silent.

Luna was right.

Behind her, only I was sitting.

Behind Eurydia, countless children stood.

At first glance, it seemed like a situation that would evoke sympathy.

But the children didn't seem to feel sympathy.

"Oh my, oh my! What a world!"

"Did you hear that?"

"'I only have him?' Squeal!"

The Eurydia faction had a higher proportion of girls.

Perhaps that's why they interpreted the situation differently.

"Are those two in a relationship?"

"How passionate."

"To declare it so boldly in front of so many people. How! He's such a cute prince, completely!"

They were misunderstanding. Thinking we were in love with each other.

The problem was, Eurydia was also a girl.

A fifteen-year-old girl deeply immersed in romance.

'No! Even so, she's the leader of a faction. She should make a cool judgment...!'

"Heaven! How romantic."

...Is she not doing it at all?

Eurydia's previously fierce expression had softened and become mushy.

"What? You're not going to fight?"

Luna raised her fist.

But Eurydia only looked at Luna lovingly.

"Hmm, I see. I understand."

What do you understand?

"I'll back off today. Next time, it won't be for recruitment—"

No, don't back off. Just stay here!

"For an alliance proposal. I can't break the bond between the two of you."

No, there's no bond to break in the first place!

"Hehe, then we'll be off. Miss Luna, always be happy."

"..."

Whoosh—

The Eurydia faction disappeared like the wind.

As if to give us time alone.

The children who had been watching the scene with interest also left the classroom.

They had mysterious smiles on their faces.

"What? Boring. Anyway, those who can't do anything just talk a lot."

"Hehe, I was lucky. Miss Eurydia is quite strong."

"Yeah~ I won."

I sighed slightly.

The consecutive attacks by Teron and Eurydia.

I was completely flustered.

'Well, apart from being targeted by Teron, there doesn't seem to be a big problem.'

A minor (?) issue, a minor issue.

More importantly, lunch was a priority.

"Hehe, then I'll be off. If we don't hurry, we might have to wait in line."

Thump—

Luna grabbed my collar.

Then she pulled me towards her.

"Where are you going? We need to wrap things up."

"...Wrap things up?"

"Yeah, did you enjoy talking to the other kids? You were smiling."

"I usually smile... but—"

Luna gripped my collar even tighter.

Too close. I could see her eyelashes.

"Is that so? Then why did your stomach, which was hurting, suddenly get better?"

"Well, it just... got better somehow?"

"Oh, was it a fake illness?"

"Ah! Now that I think about it, the medicine Miss Luna brought must have worked."

"That's cold medicine."

"Huh?"

"It's cold medicine. I gave it to you by mistake."

Ah, a mistake.

I see? So you were setting a trap?

Our Luna has grown so much. Setting such traps.

"Cut it."

"Huh?"

"Cut it. It's dirty."

Luna was looking at my hand.

The hand Eurydia had held.

So, does she mean to cut it...?

"If something dirty gets on mine, it's natural to cut it off, isn't it?"

"There are ways to clean it, right?"

"It's fine, it won't hurt. Really, it won't hurt at all. It's just like cutting your nails."

Then why do the words 'hand' and 'nails' exist separately?

But it was useless. Luna's eyes were filled with madness.

Yeah, I've decided. From now on—

'I won't talk to other kids.'

I extended my hand towards Luna, who was approaching with her mouth open.

Crack!

* * *

"Oh my, look at that. She's biting his hand!"

Outside the classroom, a group of girls had gathered.

Most of them were from the Eurydia faction.

"What does it mean?"

"It's a way to express affection. Marking territory to show that someone belongs to you. It also implies a lack of affection."

"Indeed, Miss Eurydia! You are so knowledgeable."

And Eurydia was among them.

Watching someone else's love affair through the window.

What could be more interesting than this?

"Oh, now she's biting his head."

"Biting the head means trust."

"Trust between lovers... how beautiful."

Zero's screams were inaudible to these children.

They only saw it as a pink aura.

"But I'm worried. Couples formed at the beginning of the semester usually break up."

"That's true. Long-term relationships are not easy."

"Is there anything we can do to help?"

"I'm not sure, but Miss Luna seems to have difficulty communicating with others."

Luna's fierce personality.

Although Zero often accepts it, there are times when it seems difficult.

'It's not easy.'

Eurydia, who had faced Luna, felt this acutely.

That's why she wanted to help even more.

Luna's love for Zero seemed genuine.

A burning love that made her willing to fight dozens of children!

"We'll support them from behind."

"Great!"

"Everyone, join hands!"

"Ooh!"

Thus, without Zero and Luna knowing,

a secret fan club was formed.

* * *

While Eurydia was forming the fan club,

a storm was brewing in the Teron faction.

"Lord Teron! Are you going to let that guy keep causing trouble?"

"Causing trouble? He seemed to have a better personality than I thought."

"No! He subtly ignored Lord Teron!"

Sigh.

Teron sighed.

Was it because he mentioned the second place?

The children's enthusiasm had been fueled.

"Alright, let's say he ignored me. But is there a need to provoke him? He doesn't seem interested in the Eurydia faction either."

From Teron's perspective, Zero was just an observer.

An observer who wouldn't get involved even if Eurydia was tormented.

Such a person didn't need to be provoked.

This was Teron's thinking.

"Isn't the authority of the Teron faction at stake? Please, let me handle it! Dealing with a fly like him is no big deal!"

"No! Let me, Godner! I will definitely avenge us!"

They were truly frustrating.

How could these people, who lack skills, defeat Zero?

They thought Zero was just putting on a show.

After all, the only thing Zero had shown was the fight with Godner.

"Didn't you hear what Mr. Caron said?"

He not only discovered a hidden passage but also demolished a wall to block dozens of ants.

It was impossible to demolish a solid wall with ordinary skills.

He must have used a technique as powerful as magic.

"It was probably a hole he found while running away."

"The wall was demolished using a dirty trick, no doubt."

Godner and Jepa.

These two, who usually fought, were now ganging up, making Teron's headache worse.

'Is my eye broken?'

To him, Zero clearly looked strong, but everyone else thought he was weak.

Teron was experiencing cognitive dissonance.

Woof woof!

Meow meow!

In the end, Teron decided to grant their request.

'What a pity. He's a guy I really like.'

But if he doesn't follow me, he's no different from a pebble on the road.

I also need to take care of those who believe in and follow me.

"Leaders, gather. We're starting the meeting."

The meeting was long.

Teron intended to show the true power of his faction this time.

"For starters, we'll target a kid named Luna. We'll observe Zero's reaction afterward."

If they feel the power of the Teron faction, there's a chance they'll join on their own.

That's why Luna was chosen as the sacrificial lamb.

"Who will be the bait?"

"I have a good candidate. A southern noble who doesn't belong to any faction. He has no friends, so there's no need to worry about resistance."

"A good target for a demonstration."

The academy is a miniature of the political world.

But not all noble children participate in the political struggle.

There were a few groups who, after saying that it wasn't their business and that they should maintain the dignity of nobles, stuck together.

"A demonstration will make them realize."

They will feel fear and submit on their own.

Those who resist will join Eurydia, but such people are not welcome here.

It means they are fools who can't even compare forces.

"I'll leave this to Godner."

"Thank you!"

The curtain was raised on the first-year faction war.