At that moment.
“Hehehe, heheh….”
A woman with lavender hair, Shuri, who had been scribbling on her magic pad under the covers for a while, giggled as she set the pad down.
“Finally… finished one.”
On the pad was the fully exposed body of a woman, who resembled Shuri, though not exactly.
If revealed at the Academy, the content would likely earn demerits for indecency.
It was the kind of material that people under 17 should approach with caution.
In other words, for students around the age of entering the Academy, while it might be inappropriate for public viewing, it could be privately enjoyed as long as it didn’t harm anyone.
“Hehehe….”
The artwork Shuri had created was unknown to the world, because it had been born entirely from her own hands.
“Now, to… Ahem.”
Shuri habitually reached for a magic stone to attach to the bottom of her magic pad, but suddenly stopped herself.
If she transferred the image to a magic stone enchanted with image-saving magic, that stone could be sold for more than the cost of the stone itself.
She could sell multiple copies of one drawing. If she could open a sales route, particularly targeting male students, she could establish a steady customer base.
Although she wasn’t currently in a situation where she could easily interact with male students, or even find image-imbued magic stones, it wouldn’t be too late to draw plenty of images now and start selling them later.
Yes.
It’s not too late.
“…It’s late.”
Shuri peeked out from under the covers.
Her roommate, who had often voiced complaints at her, hadn’t returned.
Despite venting frustrations at her earlier, Shuri had barely reacted, and the roommate had stormed out but hadn’t come back yet.
Not even by the time Shuri finished her drawing!
“…Isn’t it curfew?”
As the thought crossed her mind, Shuri instinctively withdrew the mana she was channeling into her magic pad, guided by the learned sense of someone who secretly draws in private.
Knock, Knock.
There was a knock at the door.
Could it be her roommate?
But her roommate wouldn’t knock.
“[Student Shuri Commissioner.]”
“…!!”
It was a man’s voice, something that shouldn’t be heard in the female dorms.
But Shuri recognized the name from the entrance ceremony.
“…”
Cautiously wrapping herself in the blanket like a robe, she approached the door, preparing herself to respond to whatever might happen as she opened it.
Creak.
When the door opened, a familiar face appeared.
Shuri recalled the name of the blond and blue-eyed male student in front of her.
“Julius Keyarnim Amerkia…?”
“Well.”
The male student who was called by his full name shook his head.
“You know how you’re supposed to address me at the Academy, right, Shuri?”
“Keyarnim… Student Council President?”
“Yes. But just call me ‘Arnim’ here.”
After quickly clarifying how he wanted to be addressed, Arnim gestured inside the room.
“I came to see your roommate. Do you know where she is?”
“Um, well….”
Shuri didn’t know what to say.
The Student Council President entering the female dorms so close to curfew?
This wasn’t a typical situation.
The real problem, though, was that Shuri wasn’t close to her roommate.
“That….”
She didn’t even remember her roommate’s name.
Shuri, aware of her own lack of social skills, didn’t feel the need to fix that flaw.
“Is there something wrong with my roommate?”
“There might be, but I don’t think this is the place to discuss it.”
Arnim looked around, nodded, and said,
“Could you come with us for a moment?”
“…!!”
Next to the Student Council President stood several security guards in suits.
“I—I haven’t done anything wrong….”
Did she get caught?
“It’s not about you, Miss Shuri. Just think of it as a witness interview. As her roommate, you might provide some clues.”
The Student Council President glanced her up and down.
“I think we can figure out what’s going on based on your roommate’s… tastes.”
“??”
“You’ll understand soon enough.”
Student council president Arnim’s eyes flicked to the empty bed.
“Depending on Miss Yuribel Kavans’ preferences, we should be able to narrow things down.”
“…”
Finally, Shuri remembered her roommate’s name—after a week.
“Miss Yuribel… where are you, and what are you up to?”
* * *
“Give me back my womannnnnn!!”
The Angel revealed his true nature.
After all, if anyone saw the girl they desired being toyed with, and had the power to forcibly retrieve her, they’d lose control.
“Kyahhh!!”
When we arrived at the scene from the control room of the Old School Building, the angel’s rampage was utterly devastating.
“What do you think, Evangeline?”
“This is the first time you’ve carried me like this!”
Evangeline shouted as I held her like a giant teddy bear.
She was slightly embarrassed, as I had to hold her beneath her chest, pulling her abdomen in tightly.
But she understood.
When I faced the first Angel, Angelica, I had supported Yunia from behind, assisting with mana.
And now, she was benefiting from that effect. After adjusting the magic flow while seated, I had been able to move here with Evangeline quietly.
Boom, boom, bang!
Each time the Angel swung his fist, radiant light shot out.
The Angel’s fists, glowing with the blinding white light of divine power, crashed down like lasers onto someone, and each punch resulted in an explosion of dust along one of the roads leading to the old school building.
Whoosh.
Through the dust emerged a werewolf puppet, cradling Hanelis like a princess, unharmed by the attacks.
This was the target the Angel Yuribel was after.
“Put her down!!”
The angel screamed, and Evangeline tilted her head back to ask me,
“Don’t you think that’s meant for you?”
“No way. That’s for the puppet you’re controlling, not me.”
He wasn’t telling me to let go of Evangeline.
He was yelling at Evangeline to put Hanelis down.
“Can you?”
“No chance.”
Evangeline infused more mana into the outstretched hands of the doll, controlling it remotely.
Bang, bang, bang!
Divine power rained down on the werewolf doll, but it deftly dodged and widened the gap.
“Want to give it a try?”
“That thing’s a magic puppet—it’s expensive!”
“I’ll cover it.”
“…Let’s try it, then?”
The werewolf puppet, which had only been dodging, planted one foot on the ground. Its arms still held Hanelis, so only one leg remained free.
“Die—!!”
The Angel roared fiercely, launching a punch. Evangeline timed it perfectly, lifting the doll’s leg.
Now.
I swiftly adjusted the magic flowing to the werewolf puppet.
‘Light, Optical, Harmony. Adjusting -01, +05, -04.’
Though I’d balanced the mana flow across seven different elements, the balance had started to slip due to the remote transmission. I carefully corrected it.
“Ah…!”
Evangeline realized this too, letting out a sigh.
Ka-boom!!
The werewolf puppet kicked high into the air, deflecting the beam of divine power.
The laser that had been coming straight at us shot vertically into the sky, and the radiant light gradually faded away.
“Yikes!!”
“It worked. Thank goodness.”
Evangeline exhaled a deep sigh of relief.
“Vermilion Bird class, fall back for now! The staff will handle this!”
Instructor Esta waved her hand, signaling for the staff to surround the Angel.
Soon, Academy staff arrived, wielding magic rifles, and began firing bullets at the Angel.
“Aaahhh!!”
Angel Yuribel screamed.
While most of the magic bullets were neutralized by the Angel’s divine resistance, a few rare non-attribute bullets pierced the barrier, leaving red bruises on her skin.
The pain must have felt like being stung by bees.
Despite the Academy guards shooting for all they were worth, the angel had only sustained a few superficial hits, causing Instructor Esta to clench her sword in frustration.
If Esta stepped in, she could end this in one blow, beheading both the Angel and the student Yuribel Kavans.
“Heh…”
Evangeline smiled softly at the struggling staff.
“Is it because you successfully controlled non-attribute mana, or is it because the puppet’s fine?”
“Probably because Miss Hanelis is safe.”
“True. But… what now?”
I turned my gaze through the eyes of the werewolf puppet linked to Evangeline.
“It seems Miss Hanelis has developed some feelings for you.”
“What?”
The way Hanelis looked up at me while being held by the doll was concerning.
Using some specialized terminology, you could say her “mana core inside the pocket” was pulsating intensely.
“Congratulations, Evangeline. You’ve gained a follower.”
“…That’s not it, right?”
“Who knows?”
“Oh, no!”
Evangeline’s face flushed red as she shouted.
“I’m into normal relationships!”
“You mean you like guys?”
“Of course!”
“Well, at this Academy, they’re pretty liberal about that.”
It’s in the school rules.
“It says men can’t be with men, but nothing about women being with women.”
“That’s true, but…!”
“And thanks to that, somewhere in the Academy, there’s something called the [Yuri Garden].”
“Phoenix. Evangeline.”
While we were chatting, Ludmila approached me.
“Is it time to ‘test’ this?”
Ludmila clenched her fist.
Her fist was faintly glowing with non-attribute mana.
“Oh, you’re testing that?”
“What else would I test, bringing down an Angel or—where do you think you’re looking?”
I had thought she was about to test [Turbulence], but apparently, not this time.
Well, it’s true.
With so many eyes watching, it’s still a bit too soon for [Stormcutting].
The Angel wasn’t that threatening, really.
“Hey, Phoenix~”
From behind, Yunia poked me gently in the back.
“I’m ready, but I’m feeling a bit uneasy. Can you hold onto me too?”
She gave me a subtle look, clearly asking, “How long are you going to keep holding onto Evangeline?” So, I pointed to my back.
“As long as there’s physical contact, it’ll work. How about Miss Yunia clings onto me?”
“R-really?”
“It’s a bit less efficient, but it’s not impossible.”
“Then….”
Yunia hugged me from behind.
As soon as our mana pockets touched, she began gathering her mana, pointing a staff she had brought instead of her bow.
“Are you sure this will work?”
“Technically, yes.”
“Then it’ll work. Whenever Phoenix says so, it always does!”
Yunia’s eyes shone with a spectrum of colors as she gathered her mana, and I supported her by stabilizing the flow.
‘Interesting.’
I intentionally disrupted the balance of the mana slightly to see if she’d notice. Yunia stuck her tongue out playfully when she realized, flashing me a mischievous grin.
“Ehehe.”
“Focus.”
“Sorry.”
With a more serious expression, Yunia extended her staff forward.
“Here I go!!”
“Everyone, fall back!!”
At Yunia’s signal, Instructor Esta ordered the staff to retreat. Just as the Angel Yuribel spread its wings—
“[Bind]!!”
A radiant chain, glowing with rainbow light, wrapped around the Angel Yuribel.
“Ugh, urgh?!?”
“Wow, it worked.”
“Of course.”
If it’s non-attribute, the attack always works.
What about support or ‘CC’ magic?
(TLN: ‘CC’ = crowd control)
‘Same logic applies.’
As long as it’s non-attribute, it works on anyone, including humans.
“How dare you…!”
Yuribel glared at Yunia.
“An inferior earthly being dares to bind the great one from Heav—”
“Silence.”
“…!!”
“Whoa.”
Yunia smirked.
“Gravity.”
Thud!
“Hehehe…”
Grin.
“Now, what spell should I try next?”
