Yuuya and Leonhardt walked side by side through the academy halls, heading toward the assigned classroom. Headmaster Eltharion had given them little information about the mission, only stating that their team would be waiting for them.
Yuuya had a sinking feeling about this.
As they arrived, Yuuya hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open.
Inside, an instructor stood at the front of the classroom, arms crossed, a self-satisfied smirk on his lips. His name was Instructor Brant, a noble who often turned a blind eye to his fellow aristocrats' faults.
Yuuya's stomach dropped as he spotted Cedric and his two lackeys lounging at a desk near the back, looking completely at ease.
His jaw tightened.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Leonhardt, oblivious to the tension, simply raised a brow. "Huh, Cedric's here too? Guess the academy picked some strong mages for this mission."
Yuuya barely resisted the urge to scoff.
Leonhardt didn't know. He had always been the type to judge people by their actions in combat, and since Cedric had never directly crossed him, Leonhardt had no reason to suspect the truth—that Cedric and his lackeys were nothing but entitled, incompetent troublemakers.
Cedric leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Oh? Looks like we'll be teammates for this mission. Try not to slow us down, commoner."
Yuuya clenched his fists but kept his face neutral.
Leonhardt, still unaware of the hostility between them, merely shrugged. "Well, as long as you guys can pull your weight, I don't see a problem."
Cedric chuckled, exchanging a knowing glance with his lackeys. "Oh, don't worry. We'll be the ones carrying this mission."
Yuuya shot a look at Instructor Brant, expecting him to shut Cedric down. Instead, the nobleman simply chuckled and shook his head.
"Boys will be boys," Brant said with amusement. "As long as you all get the job done, I don't care how you do it."
Yuuya's fingers twitched at his sides. That confirmed it. Brant was on Cedric's side.
Leonhardt, oblivious, leaned forward eagerly. "So, what's the mission?"
Brant finally straightened and cleared his throat. "Recently, rogue magic beasts have been spotted near the border of Paldia. Several villages have suffered attacks, and the kingdom has requested assistance. You will be stationed in one of these villages alongside a knight from the Paldia Knight Order, who will act as your guide. Your task is to eliminate the beasts and ensure the safety of the village."
Yuuya barely paid attention. His thoughts were elsewhere.
Why were Cedric and his lackeys chosen for this?
Then, it hit him.
This wasn't about merit. It wasn't about skill. It was about connections.
His eyes flicked back to Brant, whose smug expression made it clear—Cedric's family had arranged this.
"Great," Yuuya thought. "I'm stuck with these idiots for days."
.
In the days leading up to their departure, Yuuya focused on training. After an intense session, he approached Christina, who was cooling down after a spar.
"I won't be able to train with you for a while," he told her.
Christina turned to him, raising a brow. "Why?"
"I've been assigned to a mission by the Headmaster. We're leaving soon."
Her eyes widened before narrowing in frustration. "What?! And I wasn't invited?"
For a moment, Yuuya thought she was going to throw her sword at him. Christina hated being left out, and being excluded from an official mission clearly stung.
He quickly raised his hands. "The instructor selected the team members, not me."
Christina pouted, crossing her arms. "Tch. So I'm still not good enough in their eyes, huh?"
Her voice was bitter, but there was also a trace of sadness beneath her usual bravado.
Yuuya hesitated before saying, "You'll get your chance soon. Besides, I'd rather have you on my team than… some of the people I actually got stuck with."
Christina let out a snort. "Hah. Now I almost feel bad for you."
Despite her frustration, she seemed somewhat appeased.
Later that evening, Yuuya met up with Flora and Sena in the cafeteria.
"You're going on a mission?" Sena asked excitedly. "That's amazing! The Headmaster must really trust you!"
Flora smiled softly. "That's wonderful, Yuuya."
Yuuya nodded, but his eyes lingered on Flora. She looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Flora?" he prompted.
She shook her head, her smile still in place. "Just… be careful, okay?"
Something about her expression unsettled him, but he decided not to push.
After two days of travel, the team finally arrived at a small village near Paldia's border. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the modest wooden houses.
As Yuuya stepped down from the cart, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. The simple homes, the scent of the fields, the distant laughter of children—it felt like the village he had grown up in.
Before he could dwell on it, a stern-looking knight approached them. He was in his mid-thirties, wearing a polished breastplate with the emblem of Paldia's knight order. His sharp gaze swept over them with quiet authority.
"I am Captain Alric, of the 5th Platoon, Paldia Knight Order," the man introduced himself with a deep bow. His voice was steady, controlled, and commanding—qualities that immediately told Yuuya this man was a leader who expected respect. "I will be guiding you through this mission."
Alric led them to a house prepared for their stay. That evening, the villagers hosted a small banquet, celebrating the mages and knight who had come to protect them.
The trio been flirting with the village girls
While Yuuya and Leonhardt enjoyed the food and warmth, though he kept his guard up.
He had a bad feeling about this mission.
The morning sun had barely risen when Yuuya and Leonhardt stepped outside the house the villagers had prepared for them. The air was crisp, the scent of damp earth and morning dew filling their lungs. Captain Alric, already clad in his armor, stood waiting for them near the village entrance, his stern expression unwavering.
"You two are up early," he noted, adjusting his sword belt. "Good. Wake the others. We're moving out soon."
Leonhardt nodded and headed back inside. Yuuya lingered a moment longer, observing Alric. Unlike many knights Yuuya had met before, Alric carried himself with disciplined authority, the kind that came from years of real battlefield experience. There was no arrogance, no excess pride—just practicality and purpose.
A real soldier.
Yuuya respected that.
A few minutes later, Leonhardt returned, irritation clear on his face.
"They're taking their sweet time," he muttered.
Yuuya sighed. Of course they were.
Eventually, Cedric and his lackeys stumbled out of the house, yawning and stretching as if they had all the time in the world. Their uniforms were hastily thrown on, belts half-done, and their general sluggishness screamed laziness rather than readiness.
Alric's sharp gaze immediately zeroed in on them.
"You were given orders to be ready at dawn," he said, his tone cold and clipped. "This is not a vacation. If you can't follow basic commands, you'll be nothing but dead weight."
Cedric, clearly unused to being spoken to like that, scowled. "We're here to fight magic beasts, not take orders like grunts."
Yuuya braced himself for an outburst from Alric, but the knight simply stared Cedric down, unflinching. "Then prove your worth in the field," he said, turning his back on them. "Otherwise, stay out of the way."
Cedric's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Yuuya knew that silence well. It was the silence of someone who wasn't used to being put in his place.
With no further delay, the team set out toward the forest.
The strategy was simple:
Leonhardt and Alric would lead the charge as vanguards, taking on the beasts head-on.
The mages, including Yuuya, would provide support from the back.
Yuuya, with his superior magic sense, would detect the beasts before they could ambush the team.
At least, that was the plan.
But in practice, things quickly turned messy.
Yuuya found himself doing most of the work.
He was the one sensing magic beasts before they attacked.
He was the one calling out warnings.
He was the one adjusting their positions mid-battle to prevent a disaster.
And Cedric and his lackeys?
They were walking disasters.
One of them misfired a fireball, nearly hitting Leonhardt in the back. If Yuuya hadn't yelled a warning at the last second, Leonhardt would've been burned alive.
"Watch where you're aiming, idiot!" Leonhardt shouted, eyes flashing with anger.
"I-I just miscalculated!" the mage stammered.
Alric, furious, had to restrain himself from striking the boy. "Miscalculated? That wasn't a miscalculation—that was sheer incompetence!"
The other lackey wasted too much mana on unnecessary spells, nearly draining himself in the first few fights. By noon, he was panting, exhausted, and barely able to stand.
And Cedric?
Cedric was too busy giving orders that no one needed.
"Move forward!" he barked at Leonhardt and Alric—as if they didn't already know how to fight.
"Focus on offense!" he told the mages—as if they weren't already casting spells.
The worst part? He barely contributed himself. He only stepped in to cast a few mediocre spells before stepping back again, as if that alone justified his presence.
It was frustrating. Infuriating.
But Yuuya bit back his complaints and focused on getting the job done.
Despite the setbacks, they managed to eliminate the magic beasts over the next three days.
The creatures were mostly F to D-rank, nothing particularly dangerous. With Yuuya's ability to sense them from a distance and Leonhardt and Alric's solid combat skills, they systematically cleared out the threats.
By the time they finished their mission on the third day, Yuuya felt an enormous weight lift off his shoulders.
It was finally over.
Or so he thought.
That night, the village held another banquet in their honor.
The villagers, relieved to have the threat eliminated, prepared a feast of roasted meat, warm bread, and fresh fruits. The air was filled with the sound of laughter, music, and celebration.
For the first time in days, Yuuya let himself relax.
He sat at a wooden table near the fire, sipping a mild fruit drink, allowing himself to enjoy the atmosphere.
Leonhardt was laughing with some of the villagers, clapping one of the men on the back. Even Alric, ever the strict knight, seemed to enjoy himself, though he kept his drinking to a minimum.
Cedric and his lackeys, of course, sat at their own table, acting as if they were the reason for the victory.
Yuuya ignored them.
The mission was done. He wouldn't have to deal with them much longer.
"Nothing to worry about anymore."
He had no idea how wrong he was.
One of Cedric's lackeys suddenly passed behind him, casually patting his shoulder.
"Not bad, commoner," he sneered.
Yuuya ignored him. The drink in his hand was still cool, condensation forming along the glass.
The moment took a sip, his vision blurred. His limbs grew weak, and the world tilted.
"What…?"
His body collapsed before he could react.
As Yuuya collapsed, Cedric leaned back in his chair, stretching lazily. His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smirk, but wasn't friendly either.
"Hope you sleep well."
Unseen by the others, Cedric's lackeys dragged Yuuya's unconscious form into a storehouse.
Some time later, loud shouting jolted him awake.
His head pounded. His body felt sluggish.
As he struggled to sit up, the storehouse doors burst open.
Villagers stood outside, their faces filled with shock and fury.
Leonhardt looked in disbelief.
Cedric and his lackeys pointed at him, shouting accusations.
"You disgusting bastard!"
"How could you do this?!"
Yuuya blinked, confused, before his gaze landed on the ground beside him.
A girl lay there—her clothes torn, her body motionless.
His blood ran cold.
A strong hand grabbed his wrist. The knight instructor's voice was filled with rage.
"Yuuya, you are under arrest for assaulting this girl."
Yuuya's vision snapped into focus.
His body felt frozen, his mind struggling to catch up. The girl. The accusations. The hands grabbing his wrists. It was all happening too fast.
The reality of the situation hit him all at once.
They had set him up. And now, everyone believed it
Meanwhile Cedric on the back smiling