"...How did my life end up like this?"
Veriana Kalproten, the second-ranked first-year in the Knight Department, heaved a deep sigh that seemed to carry the entire weight of her shattered ambitions. The polished marble floors of the academy's grand hallway reflected her dejected figure as she gazed out through the towering arched windows at the sunset casting long shadows over the training grounds where she had once excelled.
The first semester hadn't even ended yet, a mere three months since she'd proudly strode through the academy gates wearing the Kalproten family crest with unwavering confidence and determination.
Her reputation as the proud heir of the illustrious Kalproten family and second-ranked first-year in the prestigious Knight Department was now nothing but a distant memory, dissolving like morning mist under the harsh light of recent events. The whispers that had once been filled with admiration now carried tones of pity and schadenfreude as she passed through the corridors.
She had been decisively defeated in the autumn tournament by the golden-haired scion of House Armian, her family's centuries-old rival whom the Kalproten family desperately needed to overcome to claim the coveted title of Margrave. The humiliating defeat had come not in a close match, but in a one-sided display that had left the audience murmuring in shock. The memory of her family's disappointed faces in the viewing gallery still burned in her mind.
Abandoned by the prince whom she had considered her reliable supporter.
And now, accused of having a contract with a demon she'd never even met, she had fallen into the clutches of Gerhard Goldenheim.
Just when she was about to reach the summit of the mountain, she fell off the cliff and was now rolling in the mud. Nothing could be worse than this.
'Aint Armian...!'
All the fame that should have been hers now belonged to someone else.
'He's thriving...! Damn that bastard!'
Yesterday, Veriana had seen it. The person she had wanted to befriend so badly, Balrosi Viston, showing Aint Armian an invitation to the yacht club.
'That should have been my place. I should have been the one receiving that invitation.'
The yacht club. A place in the academy where only children of high nobles with good family backgrounds and abilities could enter.
Veriana Kalproten, considering her abilities and family, should have absolutely been there, but everything had gone wrong after her defeat by Aint.
'But I can't just quit in the middle...'
This was the Imperial Armian Academy, not just anywhere.
The option of quitting in the middle was essentially the same as giving up on life.
"...That concludes today's lecture."
As the lecture ended and Veriana was gathering her textbooks, a shadow fell over her head.
"What do you want?"
Her face contorted at the sight of Aint Armian looking down at her.
"Want to have lunch together?"
"What?"
"You looked lonely sitting by yourself."
"And who do you think made me this way?"
Veriana growled.
After her defeat to Aint, when Rudger Schwaben began to treat her coldly, the students naturally followed the trend.
Though there wasn't anything direct, they naturally kept their distance, leaving Veriana alone.
"...Is it my fault?"
"Who else's would it be?"
"It's not a crime to try hard in a duel."
"...Sigh."
Since it wasn't wrong, Veriana couldn't find words to rebut. And that made her even more upset.
"Are you here to mock me? Why don't you leave?"
"If you dislike it that much, I'll just take the blame. Let's have lunch together. I'll apologize."
"Are you joking right now?"
"I'm serious."
"I'm warning you for the last time, get lost. Unless I'm possessed by a demon, there's absolutely no way I'll ever have a meal with you."
As Veriana got up roughly and left, whispers could be heard from around them.
"...It's not like I'm doing this because I want to."
Aint, left alone, sighed.
'Do I really have to go this far?'
'Of course, if it weren't for Lord Gardner, I wouldn't have recovered the family swordsmanship, so that's natural.'
Aint made a face of disbelief.
No matter how talented someone was, they couldn't achieve greatness if their technique didn't support them.
'I don't have no friends...'
And in truth, the reason was the same too.
In Aint's case, other students didn't approach him because they were wary of Rudger Schwaben.
Gardner was not only mindful of demons but also had the Schwaben in mind.
From his perspective, only the Armian were the rightful heirs to the Empire, so this was only natural.
'I'll try. Though I'm not sure if we can become friends.'
'No...'
Aint tried to make excuses as he left the lecture hall.
***
Bella Hoenne, a second-year student in the Knight Department, woke up from a nightmare.
"...Ah, no...!"
She sat up with a start, finding herself in a familiar room.
Sweat was pouring like rain, and naturally, her clothes were soaked.
With a burning thirst, she instinctively sought water.
"Here."
"Thanks."
Bella took a sip of the cold water handed to her and was startled.
"What? Luina? Why are you here?"
"Don't you remember?"
"Remember...?"
Only then did Bella recall the dreadful pain of her body burning as if it were on fire—no, it was actually on fire.
"Janice, that bastard...!"
A saint, they said. Where in the world is there such a saint!
Burning a person's body while they're still alive!
"Seems like you remember. How's your body?"
"...Bad. Really bad."
She tried to use her mana, but it wasn't good.