Chapter 66

It's a bit short. Sorry.

My mornings start early. Perhaps it's a trait of being the son of a farmer, but I usually wake up before sunrise.

Mirei seems to be almost the same as me; she wakes up when I start getting ready in the morning.

We finish our morning preparations together and have been going to the fields together for the past few days.

When Mirei first came to my house, she was quite surprised. Compared to the capital, which is supposed to be narrow, we have a relatively large field.

Still, it's just a bit more than a home garden, and it's not nearly large enough.

Thanks to accelerated cultivation, we can still ensure a harvest, but compared to my hometown, it's like a sparrow's tear.

Since that day when I inadvertently proposed to Mirei, she has been commuting to the academy from my house.

I've always liked Mirei, so it's a happy thing, but there's still a bit of embarrassment.

I try to maintain my composure, which is a kind of male pride.

But Mirei doesn't care and has become quite bold since the proposal.

It was an almost irresistible proposal, but I'm not the kind of guy who would take it back after saying it.

...Still, if I had to say, there should have been more mood, right? A better situation.

I was so angry at the border lord that I vowed to get revenge if anything happens in the future.

"Hey, Owl, what's this creepy-looking fruit?"

While doing morning farm work, she seems to have found the "Cooking Fruit."

I had asked Mirei to harvest leafy vegetables and grapes, so she hadn't noticed it, but she finally found it.

"That's called a 'Cooking Fruit.' When you infuse it with magic, the taste changes depending on the attribute."

"Wow! There's a fruit like this? It's surprising given its appearance."

To try it out, I picked one and sweetened it, then let her taste it.

"! This is so delicious!! I could eat it all day!"

It's no wonder Mirei liked it. It's much sweeter than the fruits sold in the market or those picked from the labyrinth.

It has a sweetness like a variety of fruit that has been selectively bred to increase sugar content, so it's bound to be delicious.

I recently realized that you can change the sugar content by adjusting the amount of magic infused, so if I really try, I might be able to mass-produce sugar from this fruit.

...Well, it's a bit late for that now.

In the end, Mirei ate two more and skipped breakfast. The fruit is about the size of a pear, so it's no wonder.

I made lunch for both of us and we headed to the academy together, but we parted ways at the school gate because we're in different grades.

When I got to the classroom, everyone was buzzing, and the atmosphere was different from usual.

I found Ray and Marco and asked them what was going on. Apparently, there's a special class today, and we're supposed to gather at the outdoor training ground in the afternoon.

Professor Monica is away on business for a few days, and it seems this was decided during that time.

I was wondering what we would be doing when, as usual, the guys who are good at explaining showed up.

Mob A: "Hey, Owl, have you heard about the special class this afternoon?"

Mob B: "From what we heard, it's supposed to be a mock battle with Class 1-1."

"Mock battle? What's the point of that?"

"Why a sudden mock battle, I wonder?"

"Hmm, and it's with Class 1-1, which is concerning."

Ray and Marco also seemed to have the same doubts.

Mob A: "Some say it's to get back at us for winning the school festival."

Mob B: "And with Professor Monica away, they're using other professors to organize a beating under the guise of a special class."

Mob A: "I heard from a third-year that Class 3-1 is involved in this."

...Hmm. This could be bad.

If it were just me, I could handle it, but with the whole class, it's a bit more complicated.

"By the way, don't the princess and the duchess's daughter in Class 1-1 have something to say about this?"

Mob A: "Apparently, they haven't been to the academy for about a week due to family matters, for some reason."

Mob B: "While I don't think the whole of Class 1-1 is bad, it's safe to assume that a few to several third-years are involved."

I thought the princess and Alice would stop this farce if they were here, but it's not that simple, is it?

On the other hand, it could be that they targeted the absence of the two due to their official duties.

Mob A: "By the way, you're apparently the main target, Owl."

Mob B: "Yeah, that's for sure. I heard the same thing."

...What?

According to them, they think I was the main force behind the success of the school festival.

Sure, I might have been the main force, but the success was due to everyone's efforts. Why me?

"Why me?!"

Mob A and B: "......"

They obviously avoided my gaze. Suspicious.

"If you know something, it's for your own good to tell me..."

I subtly directed a bit of killing intent at them, and they easily opened up.

Mob A: "Actually, after the school festival, I got so excited about winning first place that I bragged a lot..."

Mob B: "And I ended up saying how great Owl was..."

Mob A and B: "We're sorry, Owl☆"

They apologized without any real remorse and fled at an incredible speed.

...It's entirely their fault! Well, I should have told them to keep quiet, so I'm partly to blame too.

Still, it's fortunate that I found out in advance that I'm the target.

This gives me a chance to prepare.

...Hehehehehe. Since they're challenging me, I'll make them regret it thoroughly.

Still, our generation is called the generation of geniuses, so I shouldn't be complacent.

"Are you okay? From the look on your face, it seems you're fine."

"Indeed, with Owl's strength, there should be no problem."

It seems the expectations for me are quite high. The only issue is how to win.

I don't know the strength of Class 1-1, but it's unlikely I'll lose. Still, I'm a commoner in Class 10.

If I win too decisively, I'll stand out even more, but I have no intention of losing.

I need to win while holding back to some extent, but if I'm too strong, it could be problematic.

I can only hope that the nobles targeting me are not too smart...

Owl prayed, but his prayer reached no one.

I'll update bit by bit.

I'd be happy if you could rate and bookmark it.

I caught a cold and couldn't write as much as I wanted. I apologize.