Chapter 153 - 151

Chapter 153: Chapter 151

"Altaire Class wins first place!"

Dmitri’s amplified voice echoed across the entire forest.

The Altaire students immediately erupted to cheers.

"WE WON!"

"FIRST PLACE!"

"I KNEW WE’D WIN!"

"I DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!"

"SO DID I!"

Someone tried to lift Gawain.

Gawain simply stared at them until they quietly put him back down.

All of them slowly turned to look at me next.

I frowned as I backed away. "...Why are you all staring at me like that?"

Nobody answered.

Instead, they exchanged meaningful glances. Some clearly wanted to do something but none of them were brave enough.

Eventually, almost every eye shifted towards the same two people.

Silvano and Sebastian.

The two sighed, looked at each other, then silently accepted the responsibility fate had given them.

Without warning, they rushed over.

"...Huh?"

Before I could run away, they quickly grabbed me.

"Wait—"

Then they tossed me into the air.

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

I flailed wildly.

"PUT ME DOWN!"

"ALL HAIL BLANCA!" Sebastian yelled between fits of laughter.

Silvano, as usual, said absolutely nothing and just smiled because the next thing he did was throw me even higher.

"SYLVIE!"

I screamed as I reached the peak.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!"

Silvano’s response was catching me...

...only to launch me even higher than before.

"I REGRET SAVING YOUR LIFE THAT ONE TIME!"

Sebastian was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.

"You should’ve seen your face!"

"MY FACE IS EXPERIENCING DEATH!"

While the rest of Altaire was celebrating, the other four classes remained frozen where they stood.

Not a single sound came from them.

They simply stared blankly at the center of the clearing, collectively trying to process the last forty-eight hours of their lives.

The representatives looked especially hollow while the four class flags looked outright traumatized.

They had all come to the same conclusion.

Somehow... Blanca had outsmarted every single one of them.

Again.

A few minutes earlier...

The moment negotiations officially broke down, the entire clearing erupted into absolute chaos.

Explosions erupted left and right.

Students charged at each other.

Soul weapons flashed in every direction.

Someone yelled for reinforcements.

Someone else yelled because they had accidentally punched their own teammate.

And right in the middle of all that...

...I ran for my life.

Unfortunately, the five class representatives immediately chased after me.

"Just run towards me!" Ravian called out. "I’ll protect you!"

"I’D RATHER CHOOSE DEATH!" I shouted over my shoulder without slowing down.

Fredrinn somehow found the perfect opportunity to confess.

"Run to me instead! I’ll love you even better!"

I nearly tripped from secondhand embarrassment alone.

"You psycho!" I yelled. "When do you ever stop saying weird things?!"

"I am merely confessing my love fo—"

Ravian casually stuck out a foot making Fredrinn face-plant into the ground.

"OW!"

Ravian didn’t even glance at him. "One problem solved."

Derek continued sprinting after me. "Stop running!"

Why would I?

I looked back in disbelief. "...Are you ordering me?!"

Zack dodged a flying fireball. "We only have twenty seconds left!"

"SO? THAT’S NOT MY PROBLEM!"

Behind everyone came Gian, who looked like he completely abandoned all hope of behaving like a civilized human being.

"I’LL RIP YOU TO SHREDS WHEN I CATCH YOU, YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"As if you can catch me, you slo—"

Unfortunately, the universe apparently took that as a challenge.

My foot caught on a tree root as I found myself falling.

"Ah."

To stop myself from smashing face-first into the dirt, I instinctively flailed both arms, desperately trying to grab onto anything.

Anything at all.

My hand caught a rope.

"..."

"..."

I slowly looked down at what I had just grabbed then slowly followed the rope with my eyes...

Straight towards the trigger mechanism of the four Aegis-Class Electromagnetic Launch Platforms.

"...Uh-oh..."

CLANK!

Every head snapped toward the launchers.

FWOOOOM!

Four screaming figures shot across the sky like oversized fireworks.

"MMMMMPH—!!"

They soared majestically over the treetops.

For one glorious second they looked like shooting stars, before four voices echoed across the entire forest, ruining the majestic scene.

"DAMN YOU, BLANCAAAAAAA!"

The synchronized scream was so loud that birds abandoned the surrounding trees in panic.

Everyone stood there watching the four tiny silhouettes disappear into the distance.

"..."

"..."

"..."

BEEP!

Every Omni Drones hovering above the battlefield lit up as a calm mechanical voice echoed throughout the forest.

[The combat examination has concluded. All participants, please proceed to the central clearing for the announcement of the final rankings.]

The representatives collectively let out exhausted sighs.

Without another word, they turned and walked back toward their respective classes.

Well...

Almost everyone.

I had barely taken one step when Ravian appeared beside me.

He looked toward the horizon where the four launch platforms had sent their passengers before staring back at me.

"You planned all that, didn’t you?"

I blinked innocently. "...What do you mean?"

"The direction you launched them."

He smiled.

"That was exactly where our camps were."

"..."

Really?

...Wait.

Was it?

I honestly hadn’t noticed since all I wanted was to test the weapon Gawain had chosen.

But...

There was absolutely no reason for him to know that.

So I folded my arms, lifted my chin, and gave him the most mysterious smile I could manage.

"Well..."

I shrugged.

"You realized it too late."

Ravian held my gaze for several seconds before letting out a chuckle. "I can’t tell anymore..."

He shook his head with an amused smile.

"...whether you’re a genius..."

His smile widened.

"...or whether you’re just lucky."

Present

"That’s enough celebrating," Dmitri’s voice cut cleanly through the noise.

Unfortunately for him, I was still in midair.

Silvano caught me for what I desperately hoped was the last time before finally setting me back on the ground.

I staggered a little, immediately checking whether all my bones were still where they belonged.

"...I’m reporting both of you for attempted murder."

Sebastian laughed. "It’s called a celebration."

"It’s called as attempted murder."

Dmitri waited until everyone had finally calmed down before continuing.

"Now that the examination is officially over..."

He looked across the clearing.

"...your vacation begins."

The entire academy erupted.

"YES!"

"VACATION!"

"I’M GOING HOME!"

"I’M SLEEPING FOR A WEEK!"

"I’M NEVER TOUCHING A TEXTBOOK AGAIN!"

Just moments ago everyone had been arguing over flags, hostages, and rankings.

Now...

Nobody cared.

Even the students who had lost the exam were cheering.

Nueve smiled faintly. "I suggest you all return to your dormitories and begin packing."

"You only have one month of vacation," Karin added.

"So don’t waste it."

A collective groan swept through the crowd.

"...Only one month?"

"That’s too short."

"I just got mentally destroyed."

"I need at least three months to recover from Blanca."

Several students nodded in complete agreement.

Sheng adjusted his glasses before speaking. "The official semester results will be sent to each of you once school resumes."

That immediately killed whatever motivation remained.

"Ah..."

"So the grades are still coming."

"I almost forgot about that."

"Reality is cruel."

Afri stepped forward with a warm smile. "Have a wonderful vacation, everyone."

This time, the cheers were even louder.

Students immediately began gathering their belongings, calling for their classmates, making plans, and talking excitedly about what they were going to do over the break.

The battlefield that had been filled with explosions and screaming just minutes earlier suddenly felt like an ordinary school dismissal.

"...Finally," I stretched my arms over my head. "A whole month of peace."

Gawain looked at me. "My Lady."

"Hm?"

"I give it three days."

"...Three days until what?"

"Until you accidentally start another trouble."

"Please," I scoffed. "I can behave."

"MISS BLANCA!"

A voice boomed across the clearing.

I turned around just in time to see Principal Varek sprinting toward me at full speed.

Gawain let out a sigh. "I lost."

I looked at him. "...What do you mean you lost?"

"My prediction."

"What prediction?"

"I said you’d cause another incident in three days."

He glanced at the principal, who was still running toward us while waving both arms.

"It took two seconds."

"I didn’t start this one."

"The trouble came looking for you."

"That’s completely different."

"It’s exactly the same."

"..."

"...Let’s just agree we didn’t hear him."

Gawain nodded without hesitation. "An excellent idea."

Without another word, the two of us casually turned around and began walking in the opposite direction.

"MISS BLANCAAA!"

We walked faster.

Unfortunately...

Principal Varek was apparently done with running and in a burst of mana, he transformed into his beast form, spread his enormous wings, and shot into the sky.

A second later, he landed directly in front of us, blocking the path.

I sighed. "...What do you want, Principal?"

He looked unusually flustered. "I need your help with something."

"As you can clearly see..." I gestured toward the clearing behind us. "The exam has officially ended."

I pointed towards the academy.

"Vacation has officially begun."

Then I pointed at myself.

"Which means..."

I smiled sweetly.

"...I am officially unavailable."

Principal Varek looked like he was seconds away from crying.

"Pleeeeeease!"

He even bent his knees slightly as though he was about to kneel before catching himself at the last second.

"I’ll double your salary!"

I pretended to think about it.

"..."

Then shook my head.

"On second thought..."

His eyes lit up.

"...you may contact me."

His face brightened. "Really?!"

"In my dreams."

I waved casually.

"Good luck with... whatever crisis you’re dealing with, Principal."

I stepped around him and continued walking as he stood there frozen before desperation finally won.

"FIVE TIMES!"

I stopped.

He pointed at me with trembling hands. "I’LL INCREASE YOUR SALARY FIVE TIMES!"

A warm smile immediately spread across my face as I turned around to face him.

Principal Varek immediately swallowed.

I clasped my hands together. "...Let’s discuss this business proposal in greater detail, shall we?"

Principal Varek stared at my smile.

"...I suddenly have the feeling..."

He sighed in resignation.

"...that five times won’t be enough."

My smile only widened.