The voice echoed calmly throughout the training ground, "Total damage: 520,000." An astonishing number was displayed, as if it were something that couldn't possibly happen in reality.
"What... just happened?"
"What did we just witness?"
"Was that some sort of illusion?"
Students broke the silence, expressing their feelings and disbelief. Yet, many were still in shock, with their eyes wide open and mouths agape.
"Where did the crystal go...??"
They turned their gaze back to the spot where the crystal had been. All that remained was a scorched, barren landscape with just ashes and a pool of red molten metal, the aftermath of the immense power that had just been unleashed.
"Harold, what kind of magic did you use?"
Even the professor was flabbergasted by my spell.
"I simply did my best, as the test instructed," I replied confidently, wanting to emphasize that it was purely my own skill, without any trickery.
"Did a freshman really do that?"
"Did he use some sort of mental magic to show us an illusion?"
"Was that the so-called 'no chant' magic that only a few possess?"
However, despite my candid explanations, many students still couldn't accept the reality. And especially...
"This can't be! This is not possible in reality!"
Marika, who had been mocking me before the duel, began to protest.
"Is it even possible for someone with that level of power to be in this academy, and as a mere student at that?"
She tried to voice her feelings and doubts in a way that others could relate to. My reason for coming here was not just to enhance my magic, but to learn the intricacies of spellcasting. However...
"Anyway, you lost the bet, Princess."
I deliberately dragged out the words, causing her body to shiver.
"Um..."
She might have found the situation hard to believe. Still, the fact remained: she had lost the wager by her own admission.
"You said the loser would grant the winner an absolute command, didn't you? So, can I now command you, Princess?"
I tried to put on the most wicked expression I could muster, causing her to step back.
"This... this is..."
"Are you saying this duel is null and void? Are you suggesting that you, the future leader of our nation, won't take responsibility for your own words?"
"How... how dare you!"
She was angry, no doubt, but there wasn't a hint of true hatred in her eyes. Hatred is usually directed at someone on the same level, or slightly above or below. But when faced with someone vastly superior, hatred often turns to fear.
"I wanted to let this go quietly. But you, Princess, were the one who started it. So, please bear the consequences of your words."
With confidence, I took steps closer to her.
"Wait..."
She tried to keep her distance, but her feet wouldn't cooperate. Soon, I was right in front of her. She bit her lip and looked up at me tentatively.
"Absolute command..."
She murmured, recalling the terms of the bet she had proposed. "Uh!" With those words, she clenched her eyes shut, a sign of fear unbecoming of her usual dignified princess demeanor.
"Let's just forget this ever happened."
"What...?"
However, contrary to her anxiety, I simply walked past her without doing anything else.
She seemed a bit surprised by this turn of events, blinking and staring blankly into space for a while. Only after my words did the heavy atmosphere of the place seem to lighten a little.
"Ugh..."
I sat down on the bench where I had been sitting earlier to rest and tried to recover my energy in the most comfortable position I could manage.
Ugh...
Despite the confidence I had shown in front of her, I was in a mess, barely able to function properly. The headache and dizziness came in waves, and although it was not outwardly apparent, I was on the verge of losing consciousness due to magical depletion.
Perhaps the reason I let this incident slide was because I was in such a dire condition that I couldn't even think of commanding Marika to do anything.
Without getting into complex explanations, all I wanted right now was to rest... That was the only thought in my mind.
"Ahem... Now that everyone's turn is over, let's return to the classroom," the professor finally announced, signaling the end of the situation. It was a kind of break time; there was a bit of time before the next class, so students were relieving their fatigue from studying in their own ways. As for me, I just lay down quietly, trying to regain some of the magic power that had been completely drained.
Since it was the first day and I had not made any acquaintances, I was left feeling alone in this place.
And more than anything...
"He's as quiet as a dead mouse..."
"He's an enigma, that new student..."
The gaze of my classmates was very cautious. It was understandable since I had shown extraordinary abilities from the first day and had clashed with the princess, who held the highest power in the kingdom.
It felt a bit like being ostracized from society...
The feeling was a bit sad, but I wasn't too bothered by it. Since I wasn't planning to be here long, they were just passing relationships, and I intended to ignore them and go about my business when...
"Harold?"
A female student's voice whispered in my ear.
"Am I disturbing your rest?"
It was Aris, with the same pleasant smile she had given me at first.
"It's okay, what's up?"
"I just wanted to talk to you about a few things."
She sat down in the empty seat next to me, casting a warm gaze in my direction.
"A talk?"
"What was that magic earlier? With that kind of power, you could be a grand magician whose name would go down in history."
Unlike the others, she was comfortable and approachable, which felt a bit more relaxing to me.
"That's the most powerful magic I can use. I don't know how I learned it, but at some point, I was able to use it."
She seemed a bit puzzled by my somewhat profound answer, but she was only curious and showed no wariness towards me.
"You're amazing, Harold. With that skill, there's no need for you to be here."
"But the magic is so strong that it depletes all my magic power when I use it... Of course, not all my spells are like that, but most of the magic I use tends to be large-scale, so it feels like a one-time thing each time I use it."
Despite my shortcomings, Aris encouraged me nonchalantly.
"But being able to use it is what's impressive, right?"
Aris kept praising me, and I kept downplaying it...
Just when our conversation was getting nowhere in particular...
"Harold, I need to talk to you outside for a moment."
A woman's voice intruded on our exchange, silencing everyone in the classroom.
"Hm?"
"Didn't you hear me? I said I have something to discuss with you, so come outside."
The owner of the voice was Princess Marika of this nation... She looked down at me with a serious, yet not hostile, gaze.
The atmosphere in the classroom quickly quieted down, much like the training ground had before.
"Harold... It might be best if you go," Aris whispered, advising me with a curious look as to what this was all about. Reluctantly, I got up from my seat. "There's not much time left until the next class, so I'll make this quick and finish up."
Marika spoke with a casual air that suggested no great trouble was about to ensue. Following her, I stepped out of the now-quiet classroom. "I'm sorry about earlier."
We arrived at a deserted place, where it was just Marika and me left alone, and it was her voice that broke the silence first.
"What?"
I was taken aback by the sudden apology, and she sensed a slight displeasure but went on to explain in more detail.
"I really want to apologize for looking down on you and slapping you, and for making an inappropriate offer. The incident at the training ground didn't feel properly resolved, did it?"
Indeed, as she said, it felt like the situation had ended a bit awkwardly.
"That's true..."
"So I wanted to speak to you separately. Even as a princess with the highest power, I shouldn't act recklessly without taking responsibility. I want to formally apologize for the harm I caused you at first meeting."
Her ability to talk and not be completely obstinate changed my perception of her.
"That... and..."
But then she hesitated in the middle of her next words, suddenly faltering as if she was in inner conflict about whether to speak her mind.
"Do you have something else to say?"
As I asked her with a slight sense of urgency, she still seemed hesitant but then decided and shouted at me with a youthful expression.
"Thank you...! It was my fault for the unfavorable situation, and I'm grateful that you forgave me...!!"
Perhaps she was thanking me for foregoing the absolute command authority that came with being the victor earlier?
"It's okay."
My firm reply seemed to brighten Marika's expression; she appeared less like a princess and more like a classmate, the distance between us seemingly reduced.
"Well... That's all I wanted to say. The class is about to start, so let's head back."
It was indeed just before the start of the next class. Agreeing with her, I turned first to retrace my steps back the way I came.
However...
No matter how far I walked, there was no sign of Marika following behind me.
Surely she should be walking with me...?
"Princess?"
I turned cautiously to see why Marika was not moving...
"Princess...?"
There was no one behind me.
Marika should have been right behind me, but as if she had never been there in the first place, only the empty space greeted me.
Crack!
"?!"
Then a brief current sparked through my head like a spark.
A faint pain began, and something started to seep into my mind.
"What is this memory...?"
It was as if I knew the future; the unfolding events and incidents naturally painted themselves in my mind.
It seemed as if I could tell what had become of the princess, who had vanished without a trace.
"What in the world..."
An event I had never experienced before.
I vaguely realized what I needed to do now and what I should do in the future.
"No, that's not what's important right now..."
There was something more urgent than this phenomenon.
Marika had disappeared in just 1-2 seconds.
Although I didn't know the process, I was aware of what had happened to her at this moment.
"I need to go save her...!"
The self-proclaimed first follower to the throne, Princess Marika, is currently being kidnapped by someone.