"What took you so long?" Fran was waiting at the gates of the academy, wearing an outfit perfectly suited for what we had planned today.
"I arrived in time, though..."
"No. You clearly told me that after I finished my special classes, we'd meet up to train in the arena." She pouted, angrily poking my chest with her finger.
I exaggerated a groan, complaining about the terrible pain I felt as she continued poking me.
"This is your punishment for making me wait."
"Maybe you just arrived earlier than everyone else," a male voice interrupted. It was the third prince of the Raychmen kingdom, arriving with his bodyguard.
"Tch." She crossed her arms and glared daggers at the two newcomers. "I told you that only Alen and I were enough."
Theo flinched at her menacing tone. "I-I was against it, remember? It was Cecil who wanted to train with you both." He quickly retreated behind his trusted bodyguard.
"After Mr. Alen proposed a training day with princess Von Themys to make up for lost days, I just couldn't resist wanting to join in as well," Cecil explained, crossing his arms with calm confidence.
"Whatever. At least you might be of some use," she said, already walking toward the arena.
"Let's head to the sixth arena. No one goes there, so we won't be bothered—unless Crowbell is having his alone time there."
"Wasn't that the place where you got hurt?" the prince asked, recalling the arena's bad reputation.
"I got hurt not because of the arena, but because of my class with Teacher Crowbell."
"I told you that class is for weird people," Fran scoffed, still walking ahead of us.
"It definitely is for weirdos. I'm the only one who took that class, after all."
"Well... you're no weirdo..." I caught the faint shade of pink coloring her ears as her voice dropped lower with each word.
"That class must be only for masochists who like being tortured," the blonde prince joked with a shrug.
"Wh-what!? Don't say that!" She whirled around, cheeks red, and pointed accusingly at Theo.
"I mean... he's not wrong, though," I said. Attending that class really was only for people who could withstand suffering.
"Heek!" She spun back around, covering her face with her long, fluffy hair. "I didn't know you liked that..."
"What happened there, anyway, Mr. Alen?"
"Well..." I'd rather avoid this topic. "Training got too intense." That vague answer should be enough for now.
"And you're not leaving that class?"
"No. I personally think it's the class that suits me best."
If I can take advantage and learn from one of the better characters in the game, my survival should become guaranteed.
"As I said, it's a class for masochists."
Fran flinched at that comment.
I laughed as I spotted the entrance to the arena, marked by a large sign with a bold number six.
My three companions for the day looked around in surprise, letting out comments like, "This place is so clean," and, "There's a nice variety of weapons here."
I'm guessing Crowbell has recently been in this arena... he's the only one who'd spend their time cleaning this place.
Already in our sports uniforms, we wasted no time picking our preferred weapons.
I chose small wooden knives, Cecil took a wooden sword—but I was curious to see what Fran would pick.
Since you couldn't recruit her in the game, and she became a monster by the time you fought her near the end, her weapon choice had always been a mystery to the community.
She chose a wooden lance...
Honestly, it does fit her. It's definitely a weapon type she'd use.
As she warmed up, her refined, elegant movements made it clear just how much she'd trained with that weapon type.
"And you, crybaby prince—what weapon are you using?" Fran called to Theo, who was sitting in the stands with his arms crossed.
"Do you seriously think I'll participate in this feral activity? This is why I call you a barbarian," he replied, settling comfortably in his seat.
Fran threw her wooden lance at him. It struck the seat beside him with a sharp crack.
"Tch. I aimed too far away. Alen, you're helping me train my aim," she said, picking up another lance.
"Wh-what are you doing, you troglodyte!? You almost killed me!" Theo was trembling and sweating from his near-death experience.
"Be grateful I missed." She huffed and walked toward me.
"Hahaha. You should see your face right now, my liege," Cecil said, still calm and amused.
"Why aren't you defending me from that uncivilized princess, Cecil?" Theo demanded, pointing a shaking finger at his carefree bodyguard.
"Despite what she said, she didn't intend to actually harm you, my liege."
"And what makes you think I wouldn't?" Fran's voice turned cold and challenging.
"If you actually aimed at my lord, I would have stopped it with no problem." Cecil smirked—a rare, uncharacteristic challenge in his tone.
The two locked eyes in an electrifying stare-down: the cold, deadly glare of the villainess against the calm smirk of the strongest first-year.
They both gripped their weapons.
"Snowfall of the north that covers both land and the tallest mountains, envelop my weapon and let it drink the blood of my enemies!"
"[Snow Infusion]!"
Their voices rang out together, ice forming along their weapons—sharp and strong enough to shatter stone.
They both inspected each other for a long moment, already planning what moves they should do to win the spar.
But... did they really see it as only a spar?
From the way they looked at each other, it clearly seemed like they were intending to go all out on this fight.
They leapt at each other, trading a flurry of rapid, powerful strikes.
Fran's style was like an elegant dance, waiting for openings to counterattack. Cecil's style was orthodox, precise—almost mechanical.
Cecil's talent when it came to magic is amazing, having affinities with four of the nine possible elements—those being dark, fire, ice, and lightning. Fran's only known affinity was ice—the same magic she would one day use to freeze the entire world.
Having more affinities is a sign of more power and incredible mana reserves. While having a single affinity is seen as inferior. However, having a single affinity means that the specialization makes the mage a powerful force.
With no ring to confine them, they moved all around the arena.
"Surging electricity, strike my foes!"
"[Jolt]!"
A tier-two electric spell burst from Cecil, sending a wave of energy outward.
"Akh!" Fran, too close to dodge, was paralyzed for a brief instant—just enough for Cecil to slash with such force that she was sent flying back.
She stabbed her lance into the ground to stop her momentum.
"Iceborn soldiers, rise from below!" she chanted, using the distance to her advantage.
"[Ice Stalagmite]!"
Jagged ice spikes erupted underfoot. Cecil was just outside the spell's quick-cast range.
The frigid peaks spread with a constant hiss of icy wind—masking the sound of Fran's next spell.
"[Iceball]!"
The orb shot upward, curving toward Cecil as it fell—but it was only a distraction.
I noticed the ice stalagmites near Fran had been broken in a line pointing toward Cecil. A moment later, Fran charged straight along that path, lance forward.
Cecil realized too late—her attack struck his chest, forcing him to his knees.
Struggling to stand, he finally rose and bowed. "I concede this round."
"Hmph." She crossed her arms and turned away with a prideful smile.
"Impossible! Cecil couldn't have lost to you!" Theo shouted as he rushed down to us.
"A lowly noble like you wouldn't understand the difference in our strength," she replied coldly.
"I'm not a lowly noble! I'm the second prince of the Raychmen kingdom!"
"Hahaha, doesn't this disrespect make you want to fight for your honor, my liege?"
"Wha—no, that's your job!" Theo's face flushed at Cecil's remark.
"One I'm happy to take on," Cecil replied, steadying the prince.
"If you can't even win against that barbarian of a princess, you should try harder," Theo huffed.
"That was a nice plan," I said to Fran with a smile.
Her cheeks turned red, her prideful posture softening. "Ahah... yes... th-that's what you'd expect from me. Keep praising me, peasant."
"Casting two tier-two spells is impressive. No wonder you're second in our class. And those movements were incredibly smooth and elegant."
"A-aha... th-that's right." Her face grew redder with each compliment. "Th-that's enough, I've had my fill of... n-nothing! You can stop now."
"It's a shame I didn't join in the fight. I was too entertained to interfere."
"You should've entered, Mr. Alen—the fight would've been even better with you in it."
"Yes, I also wanted to test myself against you."
"What do you mean by that?" Theo asked.
"A..." She paused, then turned scarlet, glaring at the blonde who'd caused it. "It's none of your business."
Theo flinched and hid behind Cecil.
Cecil clapped his hands. "Why don't we go for round two?"
"So soon?"
"See what I had to train with," I told Fran, remembering my first day in Zagressa's class.