Book 1 Chapter 899
899.
“So, Senior Hark decided to get a job in the Arhi Kingdom?”
Leo nodded at Kal’s question.
“Wow…”
Hark’s face, genuinely happy to finally be free from Leo on graduation day, came to Kal’s mind.
Hark, who had declared himself liberated, shaking hands with each student council member and offering words of encouragement.
Even Hark’s gaze towards Kal had held pity.
But to be caught by Leo again after only half a year.
A similar emotion to the one on Hark’s face back then now appeared on Kal’s face.
‘This isn’t the time to be pitying Senior Hark.’
Kal’s own school life wasn’t going smoothly enough to be pitying someone else.
Besides, wasn’t the fate of his third year, second semester, currently at stake?
‘Focus.’
As Kal composed himself, Leo asked.
“By the way, Kal. Who are you going to the dance party with this time?”
“Huh?”
Kal’s eyes widened at Leo’s sudden question.
Then he scratched his head.
“Well, I haven’t really thought about it?”
“You haven’t asked Eliza to go?”
“Huh? Oh, no. Not with Eliza. We’re in a secret relationship.”
Leo said, looking at Kal, who scratched his head with an awkward smile.
“Still, you’d want to go with her, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course I’d want to. But we can’t have unnecessary rumors, can we?”
“Unnecessary rumors… I thought the two of you were quite serious?”
As Leo spoke, recalling the future he had seen through Silode’s illusion magic, Kal nodded.
“We are serious. But the future we saw is still just a possibility, right?”
“Hmm.”
Leo let out a light breath, chuckled, and nodded.
“It is a possibility.”
“Getting all excited just because we saw such a future is a bit… Haha.”
“Kal.”
“Hm?”
“You’re a cool guy.”
“…?”
Kal, who had a puzzled expression for a moment, grinned and looked triumphant.
“Hmph. I know. That I’m a cool guy.”
“If you know, have a little more confidence.”
“Huh?”
Leo patted Kal’s shoulder.
“Try not to have regrets. This moment only happens once in a lifetime.”
“Hmm…”
“If you’re not careful, someone else might snatch her first, you know?”
After saying that, Leo left first.
Watching his retreating figure, Kal murmured blankly.
“Wow, he’s really cool. I bet I could never create that kind of atmosphere even if I tried my whole life?”
“You’re stating the obvious.”
“Ugh?!”
Kal flinched at Chelsea’s voice from behind him.
“Make some noise! It’s bad for my heart!”
“You’re just insensitive.”
Kal sighed, "Phew," looking at the smiling Chelsea, and asked.
“Is it your turn already?”
“Yep.”
Since they couldn't stick to Leo constantly, Kal and Chelsea decided to take turns guarding Leo.
This was possible because Chelsea recognized Kal as a collaborator.
“I’ll go keep an eye on Chloe’s movements.”
“Okay.”
“Be wary of Sia.”
“I know!”
Chelsea nodded and then followed Leo.
“Leo oppa!”
She greeted Leo with her usual unadorned manner.
Kal nodded, seeing her composed demeanor, seemingly oblivious to the dance party.
‘Good, it’s going according to plan.’
With a meaningful smile, Kal moved to mark Chloe.
Meanwhile.
Leo glanced at Kal and muttered with a chuckle.
“He’s going to have a hard time.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Just talking to myself.”
Chelsea, who had tilted her head at Leo’s words, looked at the vanished Kal.
Kal was walking down a secluded path, humming a tune.
At that moment—
*Whoosh!*
He heard the sound of something cutting through the air. Kal flinched and lunged forward.
*Thwack!*
Something embedded itself in the ground where Kal had just been standing.
Kal’s mouth hung open as he saw it.
“Juen’s… magic bullet?”
It was a non-lethal magic bullet that he had made for Juen.
As it was non-lethal, getting hit by it wouldn’t be life-threatening.
The problem was that it hurt like hell.
‘Did Juen shoot it? No, Juen would never do such a thing.’
Recalling his junior in the Department of Magic, Kal quickly assessed the situation.
Kal and Juen had a very good relationship.
He had been her mentor and mentee, and even recently, Kal had been supporting Juen.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t believe Juen would snipe him.
‘Did someone else steal Juen’s magic bullet? But why?’
Kal, who was furrowing his brow as he couldn't quite grasp the situation, flinched again at another surge of killing intent and deployed barrier magic.
*Thwack!*
An arrow flew and struck the barrier magic.
That arrow was also Kal’s creation.
A non-lethal arrow.
It was an item that Millia, the top student of the first-year Knight Department, frequently bought.
Kal felt goosebumps rise.
A situation where something he made was targeting him.
And seeing the arrow, Kal understood the situation.
‘This… I don’t know why, but…’
Cold sweat ran down his face.
‘It looks like Juen and Millia are sniping me…’
Thinking that, Kal quickly cast a speed-boosting support spell.
Kal’s body instantly sped up.
Of course, this much wouldn't be enough to escape their sniping.
So Kal quickly poured a supporting potion, taken from his pocket, into his mouth.
*Bang bang bang! Swish swish swish!*
Simultaneously, magic bullets and arrows began to pour down on Kal.
“Agh! What the hell is going on?! Why are you doing this to me?! Juniors!”
Kal’s scream echoed.
***
Chelsea, chatting with Leo as they walked, suddenly felt someone’s gaze and stopped talking.
Turning her head towards where the gaze was coming from, Chelsea became wary.
‘Illiana.’
Hidden behind a large roadside tree planted in the grass, Illiana was peeking out with only her face, staring intently at Leo and Chelsea.
Her appearance seemed almost like a wild animal stalking its prey.
‘What is it? Her pattern is a bit strange?’
Chelsea tilted her head.
Normally, Illiana would have charged headlong, but she was watching the situation from afar.
‘Could she be planning some kind of strategy too?’
Chelsea wore a serious expression.
No matter how simple Illiana was, she had been continuously prevented from approaching Leo, so she must have noticed that she was being monitored.
In that case, it wouldn't be strange for her to formulate a plan.
‘How will she come out?’
Chelsea was trying to anticipate Illiana’s move.
“Illiana. What are you doing there?”
Leo spotted Illiana and said.
But Illiana, as if she really had become a wild animal, *whoosh*— hid behind the tree and then ran away.
“Why is she acting like that?”
As Chelsea tilted her head, Leo said.
“It’s probably because you two bother her.”
“Ugh.”
“Apologize to Illiana later.”
“Uh, okay.”
Chelsea hunched her shoulders and nodded.
Illiana, who had been observing Leo and Chelsea, sat down on a nearby bench and crossed her arms.
‘Are Chelsea and Kal on the same side?’
Illiana tilted her head, recalling their cooperative efforts.
Illiana disliked complicated things, but at this moment, her brain was working faster than ever.
In fact, she felt like her head was overheating, but she endured it.
With the sole thought of preventing anyone from going to the dance party with Leo, Illiana racked her brain and deduced a certain situation.
‘Senior Elena seemed to be in a bad mood recently, didn’t she?’
If Elena was in a bad mood, Kal suffered the most.
‘It wouldn’t be strange for Kal to be acting as Senior Elena’s minion.’
Of course, this was just a process.
“Sia. You’re there, aren’t you?”
*Flash!*
As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Sia descended from the tree branch where Illiana was sitting.
“How did you know?”
“Because you weren’t seen all day. I thought you were hiding somewhere to keep an eye on me.”
“I’m sorry.”
Chen Sia gave a slight bitter smile.
“But I really want to go to the dance party with Young Master Leo.”
Illiana made a sullen face and looked at Chen Sia.
Chen Sia then looked apologetic.
“Just tell me one thing. Kal and Senior Elena are in a cooperative relationship, right?”
Illiana asked for confirmation.
She judged that Chen Sia would have the information.
“That’s right. How did you know?”
“I thought about it.”
Chen Sia looked at Illiana with a strange expression.
‘I see how Kal managed to win Chelsea over.’
Illiana mentally organized her thoughts.
She was surprised at how well her brain was working, even to herself.
‘She probably lied to the class president that Chelsea was going with Abard.’
That would make the situation fit.
‘Then the Kal and Chelsea alliance will be easily resolved.’
If she told Chelsea, it would collapse on its own.
Meanwhile, Chen Sia looked curiously at Illiana, who was rapidly thinking.
‘Was Illiana-yang always this good at deduction?’
Illiana suddenly stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m not telling you.”
Chen Sia gave a regretful smile, looking at Illiana who answered sullenly.
‘She must be really upset.’
She did feel sorry.
Chen Sia thought to herself, vowing to definitely cheer Illiana up.
‘Still, Illiana-yang doesn’t seem like she’ll give up easily.’
Even Chen Sia didn’t suspect that Illiana was preparing a "drowning strategy" (pulling others down with her).
Meanwhile.
Illiana was lost in thought about one thing.
‘Even though I vowed to destroy it if I couldn’t have it… I can’t actually destroy the class president.’
She had been angry and thought she wouldn’t let anyone else be Leo’s partner, but she couldn’t actually do that.
She considered writing a letter but shook her head.
‘Even if I ask him to go with a letter, with the class president’s personality… he’d tell me to say it directly if it’s important.’
Illiana pouted her lips.
Leo had been mature ever since his first year.
But as mature as he was, when he was firm, he was firmer than anyone else.
‘That’s the class president’s charm, though.’
Anyway, even if she gave him a letter, there was a high probability he wouldn’t accept.
She couldn’t complain that other kids were bothering her either.
This was a competition.
Complaining wouldn't lead to victory, even if she received comfort.
Illiana knew well that this was Leo’s strictness.
And because of that kindness and strictness, she had grown.
She couldn't lean on Leo now.
Crucially…
‘It would be admitting defeat.’
Illiana’s distinct pride reared its head.
‘This 'destroy if I can't have it' strategy would be best if I could pass the class president off to a safe third party…’
Would there be such a person?
Illiana, who was walking down the dormitory corridor, tilting her head, stopped.
In the distance, she heard the familiar voices of two people.
“Duran. Do you have a moment?”
“What is it, Nella?”
“About this dance party. Would you like to go with me?”
“…”
‘Wow. Nella. You finally worked up the courage?’
Illiana cheered for her friend internally.
“To me? Thank you for the offer.”
Duran replied, a little flustered.
But that was only for a moment.
He returned to his usual calm voice.
“But I’m sorry. I’ve already agreed to go with Celia Zerdinger.”
“Ah…!”
Nella’s dismayed voice was heard.
“Duran! Were you and Celia… like that?!”
Illiana unwittingly interjected into the conversation.
Duran wore an indifferent expression.
“Celia Zerdinger is merely an opponent to be overcome.”
“Ah. Well, I guess. You and Celia. Celia and Abard would be more believable.”
Illiana nodded.
“How did you end up going together?”
When Nella asked cautiously, Duran said matter-of-factly.
“It just came up during a sparring match early this morning. If it’s Celia Zerdinger and me, there won't be any strange rumors.”
That was true.
The moment Celia and Duran denied it, there would be no scandal.
Knowing that, the two must have chosen each other as partners.
Considering their families, they were also suitable partners for each other.
“I’m sorry, Nella.”
Duran apologized sincerely once again.
“If I had asked first, would you have gone with me?”
“…There’s no reason to refuse.”
“Yeah. That’s enough.”
Nella smiled faintly.
“Thank you for your time.”
“Alright.”
Duran bade farewell and left.
Nella sighed regretfully.
Illiana, who had been staring intently at her, murmured.
“Found it, a safe locker.”
“What are you talking about, Illiana?”
“Nella.”
“Hm?”
“Why don’t you go to the dance party with the class president?”