About forty percent remained.
The towns I still needed to check.
If only I had seen a manga, I could find the place that matched the scenery best, but since that wasn't the case, it seemed to be taking quite a while.
Fortunately, Yoon Ha-min had been helping me.
Thanks to him, I was able to make some progress.
If Ha-min hadn't helped, the town search would have been compromised, and I wouldn't have completed this much.
While I was grateful to have covered more than half, today wasn't particularly a good day.
Though I was happy that Ha-min helped on Monday and Tuesday, today was Wednesday.
The day of our weekly test.
I looked in the mirror. My expression inevitably darkened, as Wednesdays always put me in the worst mood.
Ivory hair framing my gentle features.
Purple eyes stared back at me from the mirror.
"...Fighting. Just raising my rank by one place would be enough..."
I muttered to myself. Thinking that only I could change myself and my surroundings, I straightened my blazer and headed out.
Language, Math, History.
The written exams went fairly well.
Just as being Korean doesn't guarantee perfect scores in Language, I made a few mistakes, and I missed some problems in Math too, but it was within the expected range.
History was a bit concerning, but thanks to studying hard this time, I was able to answer to some extent.
I could easily write down the content I remembered from the novel, so I was hopeful about my grades this time.
The practical exam was the problem.
I needed to destroy a scarecrow with magic, but the scarecrow seemed to mock me.
As if saying, "Do you really think someone like you could destroy me?" or "Can you even scratch me?"
With many people watching from behind, once again, I was the only one left.
"..."
Using abilities is actually simple.
You just need to draw in mana and release it. In other words, mana passing through an ability user transforms into that user's ability.
For Kanna, this wasn't easy.
Whether she couldn't expel enough mana at once or couldn't properly receive it, she couldn't manifest her ability properly.
I gritted my teeth.
The electricity crackling from my hand was so frustrating.
"Ugh...!"
While everyone else could at least crack their scarecrows, some even half-destroying or completely destroying them, why couldn't I do anything?
Why wouldn't this electricity even reach the scarecrow?
"Aaah!"
With everyone watching, I thought I heard snickering from somewhere.
Perhaps because of that, I became more desperate. I developed a stubborn determination.
Crack, crack.
I felt the current flowing through my hands grow slightly stronger.
I wondered if it might actually reach the scarecrow this time.
But before that, my vision began to blur.
The scarecrow suddenly appeared to split into two, then three.
Unless the scarecrow had some cloning ability, I must be seeing things, but why?
Why...?
This power hadn't even reached there yet, so why?
My body staggered. I felt a tickling sensation under my nose and tried to scratch it with my left hand, only to find it wet with liquid.
"...A nosebleed?"
Just as I muttered this, I heard my homeroom teacher's voice.
"Kanna! It's a mana out!! Stop using your ability!"
With those words, my vision darkened.
Collapsing helplessly, I could finally meet the gazes of those watching from behind.
The teacher's shouts seemed to come from far away.
I suddenly realized that the looks directed at me had always been of this nature.
The Academy's meritocracy was harsh and brutal, unlike any school I knew.
Forget about using abilities—I couldn't even reach the scarecrow before collapsing from a mana out. What would they think?
"That one's already ruined. She probably won't even make a proper hero."
If that's the case, is there any point in becoming friends with her?
They would likely distance themselves from me with such thoughts.
They would mock me for pouring out all my mana yet failing to inflict even a single wound on the scarecrow.
They might even talk about me behind my back.
I hated that, so I pushed myself, but it only made me more miserable.
I furrowed my brow and closed my eyes.
*
"...Ugh."
I groaned as I sat up.
My mind still felt foggy, but thankfully, it wasn't as distant as before.
"You're awake."
Orca was sitting in a chair beside the bed.
Her slightly cold expression showed no sympathy or pity toward me.
Even that gentle smile of encouragement was gone.
Her beautiful flowing golden hair and sharp blue eyes were directed at me.
Feeling intimidated, I answered meekly.
"...Yes."
I wondered why Orca was here and looked around.
The answer came surprisingly easily.
"I asked the school nurse to leave us alone. She said it was fine since everyone's taking exams and no one would come here."
"Oh, I see... But why?"
Thinking she might have something to discuss privately, I asked nervously, and Orca glared at me.
The atmosphere felt murderous.
"I'll be brief. I'd like you to stay away from Yoon Ha-min."
That's what Orca said.
There was no need to ask why.
"While you were lying here with a mana out, the practical exam ended. The combat exam and rescue exam also ended. But do you know what? Yoon Ha-min couldn't complete several questions on the written exam."
"...Ah."
"I know Ha-min has been showing interest in you lately, but continuing this won't bring good results for either you or him."
I immediately understood what she meant.
Orca Ramiris was angry.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, I'm the top rank this week. But I didn't want it this way. Kanna, I appreciate your hard work, but please don't ruin someone else with it."
I felt my lips trembling.
I thought I had enough courage to be disliked.
But seeing her trying to push me away out of concern for Ha-min, I couldn't find that courage.
It was impossible for me to say it was none of her business.
How could I push away someone who was speaking harshly out of concern for someone else?
I could only bow my head and answer softly.
"...I'm sorry."
Orca wanted to beat Ha-min at his best.
But I was the one who ruined that and pulled Ha-min down to second rank.
That not only upset Orca but could also provoke resentment from teachers who wanted him to be top rank, or from classmates who looked up to him.
Orca probably approached me knowing I was the cause, but I was afraid that if other teachers or students found out, they would ask why the bottom-ranked student was interfering with the top rank.
Could my situation get any worse?
"...I'll be careful."
"Please do."
With that, Orca walked away.
This is what hero society is like.
Since it involves saving people and protecting this city, there can be no compromise when it comes to ability.
In the midst of this, I had pulled down the one person who seemed destined to be top rank.
That confident attitude of walking my own path even if I was disliked was nowhere to be found.
I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to be hated more or end up in an even worse situation.
Since it was just a problem of mana depletion, there were no marks on my body except for traces from falling to the ground.
I quietly got up from the bed and left the infirmary.
The hallway was somewhat quiet.
Since it was exam day, everyone seemed to have finished early and gone home.
I thought I'd grab my bag and head back.
As I was heading to the classroom, I saw Yoon Ha-min and Orca still there.
"Ha-min, you heard what the teacher said, yet you still...!"
"B-but."
"No buts! What you did before...! Oh."
Great timing, just perfect.
"No, it's fine. I just came to get my bag. Please continue your conversation."
I said this as I grabbed my bag from my seat and headed straight for the door.
But Ha-min blocked my way.
"Kanna, today..."
"I'll go alone."
I said this with a bitter smile before turning away.
Whenever I looked at Ha-min, I felt something strange.
I must have felt this when reading the novel too, which is why I kept reading.
Someone so brilliant and dazzling that no one would hesitate to call him a hero.
While many already fight under the title of hero, he seemed like the only real one, an unfading presence.
How dazzling it was that he would help me, a mere extra character in the story, without caring about his own grades, just because I asked for help.
I felt a momentary warmth in my heart.
I wanted to rely on him.
But I knew I would lose too much if I did, so I had to take a step back.
I was alone again.
"Ah, Kanna."
My homeroom teacher, who apparently had business in the classroom, ran into me on his way back and called out.
Or perhaps he had business with Ha-min and Orca, who were still in the classroom?
It would make sense, since they had alternated between first and second place in the last two exams.
"Yes?"
"Are you feeling better?"
"Ah, yes. I'm fine."
"Be careful next time. If you draw and use too much mana like that, your body won't be able to handle it."
"I understand. Thank you."
"Take care on your way home."
With that, the teacher entered the classroom I had just left, presumably to attend to his business.
I could hear him talking to Ha-min and Orca, but it was none of my concern.
Too much had already gone wrong.
Because of Kanna Aurora—that is, my—intervention, many things had been wrong from the start, and the story was heading in a strange direction.
Ha-min lost his top rank and cooperated with me, while Orca advised me to distance myself from him.
Orca must be quite upset, but the reason she didn't say more was probably because she's kind.
Thinking about how she cared for Ha-min, I felt that not just anyone could be a heroine.
And looking at Ha-min, who believed in me without any evidence, I felt that not just anyone could be a protagonist.
Indeed.
"They make a good couple."
I felt the same excitement as when I was reading the novel.
That thrilling feeling of encountering the story directly.
It wasn't a time to smile, but I tried to smile a little anyway, fearing I might forget how if I didn't.