Chapter 100 — Growing Divides

1

Three more days passed.

Anais finally appeared in the classroom after a long absence.

As the door creaked open, all eyes in Class A turned toward her.

Her eyes, filled with a burning intensity yet cold in their gaze, scanned the room.

Without a word or reaction, Anais slumped into her seat.

The only sounds in the classroom were the clattering of her preparing for the lesson.

‘God, I’m so exhausted. Isn’t that senior being too harsh?’

Anais silently cursed Manus as she rubbed her weary eyes.

She felt like she could collapse at any moment.

But with the help of mana, she barely managed to stay conscious.

She was too tired to greet her classmates, so she simply made eye contact without saying anything.

Starting tomorrow, she’d have a little more time, so maybe she could start repairing her relationships with her classmates.

Though the atmosphere was awkward, she didn’t feel the energy to actively fix it.

‘I’m so tired—’

She had pushed herself to the brink of collapse, barely avoiding passing out before coming to class.

She almost hadn’t even had the chance to wash up before heading to school.

‘…Anais.’

Kael watched Anais with concern, noticing the exhaustion in her eyes.

There was nothing Kael could do to help her right now.

She considered speaking up but quickly realized that doing so might only earn her a harsh response.

For now, it was better to wait until emotions had settled down.

Kael decided to focus on her studies instead, knowing that everything they learned from now on would be crucial for the upcoming evaluations and midterms.

‘Focus, Kael. Just focus.’

‘I’m sorry, Kael. Once I’ve recovered a bit… and once I can stand before you with confidence, I’ll apologize properly.’

Conflicting thoughts passed between them.

Anais glanced at Kael, who was looking straight ahead.

Her deep, unwavering eyes didn’t waver today, either.

For a brief moment, Anais felt a surge of emotion, but she quickly reminded herself of the futility of those feelings and returned her gaze to the front.

Those caught in between the two were practically sitting on pins and needles.

The awkward tension in the air was so thick it felt suffocating.

‘This is hell.’

Pearson secretly sighed and shook his head.

Melanie, meanwhile, simply observed the two with curiosity, showing no particular reaction.

When the professor entered the room and noticed Anais, he was visibly surprised.

Missing three days of class would significantly impact her grades.

And considering the recent significant events, there was news to convey…

But more than anything, he was concerned about her health, as she didn’t look well at all.

“Anais, it’s been a while. What happened these past few days?”

“I wasn’t feeling well.”

“I see. Taking care of your health is also a part of your responsibility. Being sick is tough and lonely, isn’t it? So make sure you take better care of yourself.”

“…Yes.”

Anais responded in a voice that was hoarse and cracked.

The professor nodded warmly and began the lecture.

Today’s lesson was particularly complex.

The room filled with the sound of chalk tapping against the board, students taking notes, and pages of notebooks being turned.

Today, the students seemed particularly focused.

Perhaps that’s why the professor’s lecture was more passionate than usual.

“-That’s all for today. Anais, please follow me.”

Anais nodded silently, her movements slow and unsteady.

As she staggered out of her seat, Pearson called out to her, concern evident in his voice.

He whispered, but loud enough for her to hear clearly.

“Hey-! Anais-! Are you okay-?”

“…”

Anais nodded once before shuffling off.

Something about seeing her, always so lively, now moving like a zombie, felt off.

And then there was this nagging feeling that poked at Pearson’s heart.

It made him pout his lips and caused his eyes to tremble—a feeling of disappointment, no doubt.

Pearson stared blankly as Anais disappeared beyond the classroom doors.

The friend he felt closest to had just walked away.

“Pearson, aren’t you going to follow her?”

“…It’s better to leave her alone right now. She looks like she could collapse at any moment. What could I do? I’d just be in the way.”

“But still…”

Melanie tried to nudge him into action, but Pearson shook his head.

Manus and Anais had told him to trust her for now.

Even though she looked exhausted and seemed ready to fall over at any moment.

Even though Manus didn’t seem concerned about her condition, he had to endure it.

Clenching his fist until it almost crushed in his grip, Pearson suppressed his frustration.

The feeling of being utterly powerless was overwhelming.

He wanted to get stronger.

A powerful desire ignited within Pearson’s heart.

[Interference begins.]

Until a voice echoed in someone’s mind, signaling a shift in fate, Pearson quietly nurtured the flames of his resolve.

Strong desires can bend fate.

Pearson’s path began to twist.

---

#2

Anais held the parchment in her hand and read the words written on it.

Hmm, I see.

Ten signatures…

Couldn’t she just ask anyone, and they’d do it?

The Flois family wasn’t the most illustrious of noble houses, but it was still a reputable one.

The radiant flames they produced were often compared to the sun itself.

Though small in scale, they had their own research facilities for magic, and their military power and wealth were immense.

[Daughter, it’s crucial to understand the assets and people you can use.]

[To bring glory to the family, you must know when, where, and how to use our resources wisely.]

Anais recalled her father’s words.

He had often spoken of their family’s identity and the importance of power.

She had always been reluctant to wield the power that could be called a privilege.

Nobility, especially members of a great house, had a presence so overwhelming it was almost destructive.

Wherever they went, people feared that power.

This time, she planned to use it.

‘Ten signatures should be easy.’

There were dozens of people connected to her family.

With a little effort, she could easily clear the first hurdle.

She didn’t plan on asking Kael or any of the others who had climbed the tower with her.

This was her penance for causing them trouble and her journey to stand on equal footing with Kael.

Anais decided to start with Class B.

First… let’s see, maybe I should start with the Bauer family’s servant.

“Since I was told to rest well today… I’ll go to sleep as soon as I get back.”

She felt like she could drop dead from exhaustion.

She staggered toward Class B.

Once again, she was living a peaceful life, unaware of when she might be thrust into the depths of despair.

As the girl with the red hair entered Class B, all eyes turned to her.

Normally cheerful, she now looked worn out, giving off an eerie vibe.

Maybe that’s why everyone immediately lowered their voices.

“…Can you sign this?”

“Huh? S-sure.”

Livy was visibly shrinking in on herself.

Ever since that incident, she had been living as quietly as a mouse.

Occasionally, Melanie would assign her tasks, and she was slowly returning to a normal life.

But the fear from that time still haunted her, coming back as nightmares.

The secret she couldn’t share with anyone was slowly eating away at her.

Though she wasn’t even aware of it.

“Here. For the Student Council President… Good luck.”

“…”

Anais nodded with her weary face.

And so, the rumors of the red-haired zombie spread throughout the first-year class.

Along with a subtle resentment against the Golden Snake House, whose members currently held the Student Council President positions in both the second and third years.

“Isn’t it time for our Eagle House to take the President position?”

“If Leveli-Malito takes the President’s seat, we could control the entire Student Council. That would be great.”

Eagle House.

The clubroom that served as the base for Leveli-Malito.

Here, capable commoners gathered to discuss the upcoming Student Council President candidates.

In the second year, their plans had been thwarted by the overwhelming genius of Alano.

In the third year, they didn’t dare challenge Nia of the Abrel family, a monstrous figure with dragon’s blood.

And the fourth year was out of the question.

But this time, they had a chance.

“What about that commoner mage?”

“She doesn’t seem to be getting along with the nobles these days. They’re pretty distant.”

“Is that so? Hmm…”

Life within Leveli-Malito was strictly hierarchical.

But because anyone with talent could aim for a leadership position, there was little discontent.

A student from Eagle House, who wielded a massive sword as tall as himself, grinned wickedly as he contemplated the possibilities.

Noble? Commoner?

It didn’t matter.

What he desired was power, influence, and strength.

Power and influence.

Those had always belonged to the nobles.

“It’s time to shake up the academy. Hey, it’ll be tough for her to get signatures. Help her out.”

“Do you think she’ll accept?”

“She will. People do things they wouldn’t normally do when they’re desperate.”

His sinister smile made even his fellow club members uneasy.

But first, he had to lay the groundwork.

As he polished his greatsword, he paused to give instructions.

“Oh, and spread the word among the nobles today.”

“Spread what?”

“That she might come over to our side.”

“Ah, I see… Understood.”

Someone handed him a parchment filled with ten signatures.

On it, the name “Castro” was written.

A commoner who aspired to become the king of warriors.

His story resembled that of a hero from a tale he had heard somewhere.

A commoner with nothing, who rose to become a hero praised by the people of the kingdom and the empire.

Castro had always dreamed of becoming a hero.

But heroes were never alone.

A true hero needed powerful allies.

‘Not these scumbags, but real comrades.’

A hero always had strong companions by their side.

A grand mage who could unleash devastating spells.

A guardian who stood firm on the frontlines.

A healer who could mend any wound.

A hero needed such powerful allies to support them.

And among his peers, there seemed to be someone worthy of being a grand mage.

During the evaluation period, her magic had been impressive.

‘People like Manus and Alano wouldn’t even give us a second glance.’

But what if a commoner were to turn their incredible talent against them?

They had seemed pretty friendly up until now…

Castro smiled grimly as he imagined the future.

Some might call it a foolish dream.

But chasing that dream was the true path to becoming a hero.

[You possess a talent that shines brighter than anyone else.]

[You can become a hero. Unleash your talent freely.]

A commoner.

But his talent shone so brightly that his parents had spoken those words.

And Castro, as always, engraved those words in his heart as he resolved to walk his chosen path.

Unaware of what fate lay at its end.

–TL Notes–
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