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Chapter 41: Seron’s Allowance

The group test at Zerion Academy involves defeating apostles created by magic.

Scores are divided into three criteria:

Efficiency.

Time.

Teamwork.

How efficiently the apostle is defeated in a short time, and how well the team works together in the process—these are the metrics for scoring.

Additionally, there is another separate evaluation: a grading system.

The group test has apostles appearing consecutively.

How many apostles can the team defeat becomes a separate score.

‘And teamwork scoring has already started.’

Failing to properly form a team from the start means teamwork scores are deducted in real time.

Assembling a proper team was also part of the evaluation.

It’s the Academy's way of encouraging students to build relationships in their daily lives.

‘Feels like a ruthless academy where loners have no chance to survive.’

For someone like me, with few connections, it’s an extremely harsh scoring system.

Do they think it’s easy to recruit people every day?

Bringing people in through deals only works a few times.

“Heartless professors.”

“It’s just because Princess Sweet Potato doesn’t have any friends.”

This girl.

“You’ve got some nerve for someone who knows fewer people than I do.”

“W-what? At least I know people I’ve already met!”

“Yeah, and now you’re abandoned by all of them, alone.”

“They didn’t abandon me—I abandoned them!”

Seron huffed, her forehead turning red.

The steam rising off her exposed forehead looked like it could cook an egg.

Then Seron’s eyes landed on my hand.

“That’s a new ring. What’s that about?”

“I got it as a gift.”

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

The expression on her face screamed, You? Really?

It was just a joke, but she looked genuinely annoyed.

“Who on earth would give you something like that?”

“Believe it or not, I’m more popular than you think.”

“Poor Princess Sweet Potato. Clearly, you’ve never looked in a mirror…”

Seron gave me a pitiful look.

This brat.

“And you.”

I glared at her sharply.

“Have you ever been popular with anyone?”

Seron blinked.

Then she tossed her tied-up red hair over her shoulder.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Hmph, just look at me—I’m pretty, aren’t I?”

I said nothing more.

“Hey, why aren’t you saying anything? Answer me.”

Looking out the window, I saw a carriage crossing the bridge, heading toward Zerion Academy.

“Answer me! Even my dad says I’m the prettiest in the world!”

Today is the day of the group test.

To observe the test, esteemed guests from the Empire were visiting the Academy.

This time, the visitors were some of the most important figures in the Empire.

Amidst them, I spotted an unusually white carriage.

A carriage drawn by white horses.

Inside it was a crucial figure for resolving future events.

To have a private meeting with that person, I had to make an impact during today’s group test.

“Seron.”

By now, Seron had let her hair down and was posing with her hands framing her face.

I looked at her with visible disgust.

“What’s with the act? Aren’t you embarrassed?”

Seron’s face turned bright red.

“Hey, it’s because of you—!”

“I’m heading to the group test. If you’re late, you’re off the team.”

“Wait, I’m coming too!”

Seron quickly tied her hair back and followed after me.

As we walked, I saw a familiar face in the distance.

Silver hair swaying with every step, still as beautiful as ever.

But the face under that silver hair had lost its former vitality and looked terribly somber.

“Senior Nikita.”

When I called her name, Nikita slowly lifted her head.

Her eyes met mine, and she gave a faint smile.

“Oh, hello, junior.”

Unlike before, her smile lacked energy.

Since Nia’s death, she had been like this.

“You’re heading to the group test, aren’t you?”

It seemed she had already guessed where we were going.

Nikita’s face looked even thinner than before.

She clearly hadn’t been eating properly.

“Senior.”

I rummaged through my bag.

Then, I placed my sandwich, which I’d planned to eat for lunch, into Nikita’s hands.

“It’s a tuna sandwich.”

She looked at the sandwich in her hands and shook her head.

“I’m fine, really. I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.”

“But you’re taking the group test today too, aren’t you?”

I firmly placed the sandwich in her hands as she tried to refuse.

“Please eat. Otherwise, I won’t feel at ease.”

Nikita was growing thinner by the day.

The least I could do was make sure she ate.

Nikita looked at me with a quiet gaze.

Her eyes carried a faint, weary smile.

Eventually, she carefully accepted the sandwich.

“Alright. I’ll eat it. I’ll keep my thoughtful junior in mind.”

Leaving those words, Nikita walked away.

Watching her fading figure, I felt a pang in my chest.

Even though I knew everything.

I stayed silent for the sake of progressing the scenario.

After today’s group test, Nikita would come across a certain piece of information.

She would learn for certain that Nia Cynthia’s death wasn’t an accident, but an assassination.

Fueled by this knowledge, Nikita would eventually turn to dragon magic in her quest for revenge.

And I…

I would have to watch it unfold.

I clenched my fist tightly.

‘…It’ll be fine.’

I had already resolved to save Nikita.

Though I couldn’t prevent her from becoming the Dragon of Disaster,

her fate afterward would be in my hands.

To avoid a bad ending and achieve a happy ending for everyone,

I vowed to do whatever it took.

So, I would see it through.

“Princess Sweet Potato, are you okay?”

Perhaps my expression had grown too stiff.

It might have been because my expression was too stiff.

Seron glanced over and asked cautiously,

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Let’s go."

Hoping she could hold her own, I started walking toward the group battle area.

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* * *

The venue for the group battle was a place reminiscent of a massive arena.

Given that high-level magic, such as illusion magic, was involved in summoning apostles, a large space was necessary.

By now, several distinguished guests had already taken their seats in the arena.

They seemed highly intrigued by this year’s group battle.

"I hear the second-years this time are the legendary 'Golden Flame' generation."

"I’ve only heard rumors so far, never seen them. I’m looking forward to this."

"Even the first-years are supposed to be impressive. Apparently, there’s a kid from the renowned Bizvel Marquisate among them."

"And I heard someone signed a contract with a Spirit Lord! The empire’s future is looking bright!"

They exchanged enthusiastic chatter, showing keen interest in the current generation.

However, none of them paid attention to the third-years.

The third-years were considered the weakest generation, so no one gave them a second thought.

As a result, the third-years, who were set to go first in the group battles, were utterly dispirited.

It might have been fine if they had taken the test without an audience, but being dismissed in front of prominent figures of the empire left them visibly deflated.

Normally, Nikita would have encouraged them in her own way, but even she remained silently subdued this time.

“The third-years’ mood is a mess,”

Commented Card, standing beside me.

"Tch, if they’re this defeated right from the start, they won’t be able to do anything properly."

"Hey, Potato,"

Seron snapped, visibly tense.

"Is this the time to be worrying about others? Focus on us."

Watching her, I quickly realized why she was on edge.

“Seron, your father is here today, isn’t he?”

“Urk.”

She flinched, unable to deny it.

But her nervousness wasn’t because her father was strict.

“If I mess up here, my allowance is going to get cut again.”

That’s all.

She was simply worried about losing her spending money.

What a carefree person.

"Don’t worry."

As her teammate, I decided to reassure her.

"Even if your allowance gets cut, we won’t lose in the group battle."

"My allowance getting cut is the most important thing!"

That’s her problem, not mine.

"Uuuugh, I’m so sleepy."

Came a voice from behind me.

The reason I had been sitting still until now—Sharin was dozing against my back.

As always, she was as carefree as could be.

Stretching lazily, she tilted her head.

"When are we starting?"

"It’s the third-years’ turn right now."

"Then I can sleep a bit more."

She curled up again and rested against my back.

If she wanted to sleep, she could’ve found another place.

Why she insisted on leaning on me was a mystery.

At that moment, I felt someone’s gaze and looked up.

Across the distance, I locked eyes with Isabel, who had been quietly watching us.

Startled, she quickly looked away.

It seemed she still hadn’t gotten over losing Sharin to our team.

Ever since Sharin declared she was joining our team, Isabel’s stunned expression remained vivid in my memory.

‘Is Isabel’s team still the same as when we saw them in the Demon Dungeon?’

Given their balanced composition, Isabel’s team seemed poised to perform well.

‘And the others…’

I shifted my gaze to another team.

A woman with long black hair stood silently, her presence commanding attention.

Perhaps the strongest team across all grades, it was none other than Team Iris.

Their lineup:

Vanguard: Iris, the top martial arts student, and her second-in-command.

Rearguard: The second-ranked magic student and the top special arts student.

Healer: The second-ranked student in divine arts.

‘No matter how you look at it…’

The balance of their team was insane.

True to her status as a third princess, Iris had gathered a formidable team through her connections.

Essentially, they were the favorites to win the group battle—a team of elites.

And they were the team we absolutely had to defeat.

If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be able to catch the attention of the distinguished guests.

The problem was, many other strong teams were just as formidable.

‘This is going to be tough.’

While lost in thought, I felt Seron tugging at my sleeve.

"Hey, Potato Princess, by the way, who’s our healer for this battle?"

Her eyes gleamed with anticipation.

She was probably hoping it would be the Saint again.

"I couldn’t find anyone from the divine arts department."

"What?"

Her eyes widened in shock.

This was practically a penalty against our team composition.

It couldn’t be helped.

Because we had teamed up with the Saint before, no one from divine studies was willing to join us.

They all bowed out, saying things like, ‘I can’t possibly take a position that the Saint once filled.’

Cowardly zealots, afraid of being compared.

"What were you thinking!"

"So I found someone from the special studies department."

As Seron groaned in frustration, I turned my gaze to the figure approaching us.

Seron’s face froze as she saw the person arrive, while Card whistled lightly in surprise.

Clearly, this was someone unexpected.

A gleaming white skull caught the sunlight.

"Let me introduce you—our healer from the special studies department, Grantoni."

"Heheh, hi, hi!"

A walking disaster and the academy’s infamous troublemaker, Grantoni.

Our team’s healer was a spirit conjurer.

"MY ALLOWAAAANCE!"

And Seron screamed in despair.

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