Chapter 83

EP.83 Isaac Contention (1)

"I kind of ruined the mood, sorry."

Dorothy and I went outside the Pallas Hall and sat down on a bench side by side. The night air was rather cool.

The streetlights around the Pallas Hall, made of luminous lamps, cast a soft glow.

The flower beds surrounding us displayed a variety of mana colors.

"Kuh... Kukuku..."

Dorothy let out an awkward fake laugh and looked dejected. Feeling sorry for her, I couldn't hold back my laughter anymore.

It was just too hilarious and satisfying to see Razel get embarrassed.

"President? Why are you laughing?"

"That guy, he really hit the bullseye. Wow, really, senpai is the best...!"

Dorothy flinched and turned to look at me. She stared at me for a while, then turned her head and gave me a sly smile.

"...Huh. You're laughing because someone hit the bullseye? That's too much~."

Her tone was playful.

Dorothy seemed to be in a better mood because of my reaction.

'Oh.'

I had noticed it before, but up close, Dorothy looked like she had put extra effort into her appearance today.

The beauty of my favorite character was shining. Big sister, I'm dead.

Anyway, Dorothy was angry on my behalf.

The fact that my beloved character was angry for me, just like Luce during the end-of-term evaluation, made me feel quite proud.

I felt incredibly elated. It meant that I was precious to Dorothy.

I have no regrets in this life of being a Dorothy fan.

'Hmm?'

Dorothy, smiling. Her cheeks were quite red. A subtle smell of alcohol wafted over.

"By the way, senpai, did you drink a lot?"

"Not a lot, just a bit while waiting for the president? Big sister is a little tipsy!"

"Come to think of it, your tongue is a bit slurred."

Upon closer listening, it was true. Her tone had the characteristic coquettishness of a drunk woman.

"Well, what are you going to do now? It would be awkward to go back to the 3rd Hall. The 1st Hall... hmm. The 2nd Hall is prettier, so let's go there?"

The 1st Hall is where the student council president, Alice, will appear later to enjoy the party. I didn't really want to go there.

"That's good, but..."

Dorothy lifted her head and pointed towards the spire of the Pallas Hall.

"How about there?"

"But that's not the party venue, is it?"

"It's fine, the breeze is quite refreshing."

"......!"

How could this be.

Does she want to play alone with me?

"Let's go right now."

"Hehe, okay!"

Chara──.

A cluster of stars appeared around me. Gentle star mana enveloped my body.

Gradually, my body felt lighter.

As if in a weightless state, Dorothy and I began to float.

A beautiful cluster of stars shimmered around us.

"Senpai."

In the colorful cluster of stars, I extended my right hand to Dorothy.

I intended to escort her as promised. Even though I had already kept my part, it was necessary to fulfill my role now.

Dorothy stared blankly at my hand. Soon, she seemed to understand why I had extended my hand and smiled brightly.

Dorothy gently placed her hand on mine.

Her delicate, soft hand. Without holding it tightly, she just placed it there and giggled.

We ascended towards the spire of the Pallas Hall, propelled by the power of star mana.

At the top of the spire, I was surprised by how much space there was.

Moreover, the structures embedded with mana stones were displaying beautiful colors.

The enchanted scenery of the Merchen Academy spread out around us. It was beautiful, but falling would be fatal.

The music from inside the Pallas Hall leaked out, creating a rather pleasant atmosphere.

"Is this new to you?"

Dorothy and I sat on the railing and began to look out over the academy.

Even if someone accidentally fell, her starlight magic would keep them safe.

"Yes, it's my first time. The atmosphere is quite nice."

"Here, it's quite romantic, you know? I came alone last year, but today, it's just the two of us."

"I'm honored."

Without a mirror, I couldn't see my face, but I was sure it was quite relaxed.

"President."

"Yes."

"The president always pushes herself so hard. Today is the first day you can relax, right? Even put aside your usual training mindset."

"Yes, I'm taking a break by my own will."

"Hehe, I'll do whatever I can today! To help the president feel better!"

She had already been a great support just by being there, but I didn't want to seem too presumptuous, so I just said, "Thank you."

"First, what would you like me to do?"

Just as the music from inside the Pallas Hall changed to a sweet mood. It was the part in *Merchen's Magic Knight* where the hero and heroine danced.

The ballroom inside must have started a dance.

"Shall we dance?"

"Sure! Let's do it!"

We stood up and faced each other in a spot suitable for dancing.

I had just said it off the top of my head, but the idea of an outdoor dance under the moonlight with just the two of us started to feel a bit awkward.

However, as I wrapped my arm around Dorothy's slender waist and gently held her hand, the feeling wasn't bad at all.

The music was quite loud, so it wasn't awkward.

The moonlit night and the surrounding scenery were aesthetically pleasing. I found myself getting more and more absorbed in the atmosphere.

"I feel a bit elated."

Dorothy seemed to share a similar sentiment.

We danced to the melody that flowed like a butterfly, taking small steps.

Dorothy smiled and spoke softly.

"President, I have something I want to do."

"...What is it?"

"Sometime when you no longer need to push yourself so hard."

"Yes."

"That... Regal's croissants are famous for being so delicious. Let's go and try them together."

"Sure. They must be really delicious."

"Ah, and did you know? Lake Frey in the Duchy of Astra is incredibly beautiful. I read about it in a book. Let's go there together."

"Sure. I'll take care of the snacks."

"The moss forest inside the Banthus Forest in Medelnuke is said to be very beautiful."

"Let's go together, later."

"Hehe, and also..."

For a while, Dorothy began to list the things she wanted to do. She looked like a girl, her eyes sparkling.

I knew she was gradually sorting out what she had in her mind.

I could feel the weight of her future plans, which she was sharing so freely.

Perhaps this was the true feelings of Dorothy that never appeared in *Merchen's Magic Knight*.

Maybe because she was drunk, or because the person she could open up to was in front of her, she was sharing such honest stories.

Dorothy, not being an official heroine, had almost no presence. Therefore, I had no clear way of knowing her true feelings.

All I could do was nod along to her words and remember the things she wanted to do.

"Even if you graduate first, I want to keep seeing you, President."

Stopping the dance and looking at me from close up, I answered calmly.

"I always intended to do that."

"...Really? The president is my fan, after all."

Dorothy smiled.

"I was worried for nothing."

Dorothy returned to my embrace and resumed dancing.

* * *

It was a strange phenomenon.

Kaya, who had been expressing her feelings towards Isaac with a hazy mind, felt as if her body was being controlled by someone else.

Then, from a certain day, she no longer felt like she was sleepwalking or dreaming.

A cute, coquettish voice began to echo in Kaya's mind.

─ 'Mr. Isaac, you're so cool.'

─ [Mr. Isaac, you're so cool.]

─ '...Huh?'

At first, she thought it was a hallucination, but now she was certain of the identity of the voice.

It was another personality of Kaya. It had taken on a concrete form and could now converse with her. In other words, it had developed a self.

Perhaps until now, it had been in an adaptation phase.

The two personalities shared memories, feelings, and senses. It was just that the personality itself had split into two.

It felt like a strange sense of oneness, being both another person and herself. At first, it was scary, but she soon got used to it.

She even felt grateful.

The other personality was brimming with confidence, something she lacked, and could express affection towards Isaac boldly.

Thus, Kaya quickly became close to the other personality.

"Phew..."

In the center of Pallas Hall, the Atla Hall. The 4-star event was interrupted by an unexpected incident, and the party area was now brightly lit again.

Moreover, one of the 4-star leaders, Mallock Briar, had suddenly disappeared, causing the 4-star event to be completely canceled for the night.

Despite this, the atmosphere of the party continued because the top students were gathered there to build camaraderie.

The peculiar thing was that the students' conversations were mostly about a specific boy.

"Really, how... Is Isaac in his right mind? Kissing Kaya's cheek... Look how flustered Kaya was!"

"Really?! I didn't see it? D, doesn't he care about his life...?"

"Wait, what are you talking about? I saw him holding hands with Lady Razel, who's Kaya?"

"What, what...?"

"What are you all talking about? He was flirting with Lady Keridna, right?"

"What are you saying?"

Why... The students' memories didn't seem to align.

Meanwhile, Kaya, who was in the middle of the party, didn't hear any of the students' chatter or the band's music.

She had been covering her cheeks with both hands and sighing continuously.

Her flushed face showed no signs of cooling down, and her eyes felt like they were spinning.

Her emerald eyes. The original Kaya. She had to take some time to compose her emotions.

[Happy?]

The other personality, Akishoku, seemed to whisper from behind her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

[Who knew Mr. Isaac would say, 'You're the prettiest here.' Ah, what should I do? I like it.]

'N-no, stop. I... I can't take it...'

She felt embarrassed to the point of wanting to die.

Who would have thought... When the party started and the surroundings darkened, Isaac would come close and whisper such sweet words in her ear.

It was completely unexpected. Akishoku, who had been looking at Isaac with affectionate eyes for a while, laughed wickedly and called for the original Kaya.

Kaya's eyes turned emerald again. She swallowed hard and clamped her hands over her mouth.

Isaac then left, saying he had something to do.

Kaya swayed as if she were about to faint. She stood there for a while, her body still heated.

In fact, it was just a fabricated memory after Mallock, the jealous one, was dealt with.

But to Kaya, it felt like a vivid memory etched in her mind.

[Hehe, Mr. Isaac must have a crush on us. It's worth all the effort I put into dressing up.]

'Phew...'

[Let's go kiss Mr. Isaac.]

'Wh-what?'

Akishoku, licking her lips.

[We're not a one-way street but a two-way street. We should leave our mark on Mr. Isaac's lips.]

'But... Even if that's true, I...? Mr. Isaac?'

[Don't you want to?]

It felt like a devil's whisper.

[I want to so badly.]

Her thoughts and actions were bold. Kaya wondered how such a personality could have emerged from her.

'......'

Isaac was her first love. She had imagined kissing him countless times.

Even though she felt embarrassed, she couldn't deny Akishoku's question.

Kaya closed her eyes tightly and then opened them. Her eyes instantly turned a luminous blood red.

"Really, you're not honest at all."

Akishoku, with a wicked smile, left the party.

On the other hand, a female student was leaning against the wall of Pallas Hall.

She was dressed in a beautiful blue dress. Her rose-gold hair was neatly braided, adorned with a morpho butterfly headband and a gem-like blue flower hairpin.

All the passing students turned to look at her. The beauty of the rose-gold-haired girl was enough to make anyone turn their head.

She was Luce Eldania, the top student of the first year in the Magic Department.

The meeting with the Eldork Tower was quite beneficial. She could hear vivid stories about practical matters that she couldn't learn at the academy.

After the meeting, Luce returned to the top-tier dormitory, the Charles Hall, got dressed by the maid, and came to Pallas Hall.

If everything had gone as planned, the meeting with the Eldork Tower would have taken much longer.

But Luce couldn't bear to miss the party and wanted to play with Isaac.

So, she quickly extracted the key information from the meeting and ended it quickly.

[Luce, you're back.]

[Vel, a return like the wind!]

A small black raven and a small beluga whale familiar, wrapped in water mana, flew to Luce. They were the Raven Familiar-Gallia and Vel.

The raven familiar landed on Luce's outstretched wrist, while Vel floated around her.

They had been searching for Isaac at Luce's command and had just returned.

[It seems Isaac visited the 3rd Hall. From what I heard, he seems to have a partner now. They went outside together.]

Luce hadn't heard that Isaac had a partner.

She hadn't even asked if he had one due to the meeting with the tower.

Still, the mental blow was unavoidable.

"Partner... As expected, he has many friends besides me..."

Luce's soft voice echoed in the night air.

She only had Isaac as a friend, but he had many friends.

The annoying fact resurfaced, and Luce clicked her tongue and looked down.

[Before leaving, I heard that Isaac got hit by a guy named Razel...]

The raven familiar couldn't continue and swallowed hard.

Luce's indifferent eyes turned towards her at a terrifying speed.

"What did you say?"

Her voice was low and restrained, but it carried a chilling aura of killing intent.

Isaac was Luce's sore spot. He was the only man who had ever made the girl, who couldn't open up to others, open her heart.

So, if someone messed with Isaac, Luce would be furious.

The raven familiar also had affection for Isaac, but it couldn't compare to Luce's.

Perhaps she had said the wrong thing. The raven familiar started to sweat.

[Vel, I brought news of Isaac's mischief!]

"......?"

Vel, who had just interjected, seemed oblivious to the tension.

The beluga whale familiar, unable to read the atmosphere, continued excitedly.

[From what I heard, he kissed Kaya's cheek, held Razel's hand, and flirted with Keridna! Of course, I don't know who they are!]

"......"

[And then he escaped the party! Quite impressive, Isaac! This brave beluga whale Vel, I see you in a new light! Hahaha!]

Vel explained what he had heard in a cheerful, boyish voice.

The beluga whale familiar, oblivious to the tension, continued excitedly.

A dark and cold aura began to emanate from Luce. It grew stronger with each word Vel spoke.

The raven familiar swallowed hard. A deep shadow fell over Luce's eyes.

The students wouldn't have been talking about Isaac like that for no reason.

Luce thought Isaac wasn't the type to casually flirt with women.

But there must have been something that made it look that way.

[What do you plan to do, Luce?]

The raven familiar asked, worried.

"I need to find Isaac."

Luce's eyes swept over the Pallas Hall.

What had he been up to while she was away, and what had happened to him?

The story about getting hit by Razel, the story about his mischief... Luce couldn't just let it go.

This became the catalyst, and finally, Luce resorted to her last resort.

Swish.

A magical tool she had prepared in advance popped out from inside her sleeve.

A small stick. When activated, it would instantly release mana to bind the target.

A powerful restraint device made from Luce's mana, prepared by the Eldania family.

"I should be the one by Isaac's side right now."

Luce didn't want to harm Isaac's healthy relationships. It would be against the law and morality.

But if he had been hit, as the raven familiar said, and was flirting with any woman, as Vel said...

Luce wanted to use a bit of force to make sure Isaac stayed by her side.

Protective instinct, possessiveness, affection for a friend... All these emotions were tangled up in her heart. Her feelings for Isaac were far from simple.

[But Isaac has a partner now... Do you plan to ignore her and take him?]

"Yep."

Luce's firm answer made the raven familiar flinch.

"Everyone, including Isaac and his partner, has someone else to replace them. One person disappearing wouldn't matter. But not to me."

It didn't matter if she was being selfish.

Luce desperately wanted to see Isaac and be with him.

"To me, there's only Isaac."

Luce moved with a cold expression.

First, she decided to deal with one person and then go see Isaac.