Chapter 12
It felt like a hound had clamped onto her neck.
Luca kept talking.
“Wanna nap? I’ll wake you when class starts.”
“I went to bed early yesterday, so I’m wide awake.”
“…Hey, I heard you live near Lemaos Park this morning from a friend. Why live there?”
“Who knows.”
“You’re as aloof as you look. Don’t wanna talk to me, huh?”
“A bit.”
“….”
Feeling warm, Sigrin fanned her shirt.
He’d get the hint now, right? He must be doing this because he sensed something.
But it could just be suspicion, probing her.
She’d cleaned up all evidence last night before leaving the building. Sigrin held her ground.
Luca’s suffocating interrogation continued, and her throat burned.
She desperately missed Apple, who’d gone to fetch water.
“Miss~! Here’s the water you love—70% warm, 30% cold! Sorry I’m late, were you thirsty?”
“…Yes, you’re late. Sit down quickly.”
She’d casually answered Apple’s question about her preferred water temperature once, and now Apple always brought it that way.
Sigrin took the water Apple handed her and gulped it down.
Seeing this, Luca let out a dry laugh.
“Truly a princess.”
“….”
“Hey, princess.”
Luca slouched arrogantly and smirked.
“Don’t you wanna fight me? I bet a prim rich girl like you came to gritty Lemaos because you’re itching for a brawl.”
“No.”
Professor Spitu, I miss you. Please start class soon, I beg you.
“Your plan’s obvious, but you’re still playing coy? Not a total coward, are you?”
“…I’m weak.”
“Liar. Scaredy-cat, coward, fool, idiot.”
Bang!
Apple, who’d been quietly watching the tense exchange, shot up and pointed at Luca.
“O-O-Our miss isn’t a coward! She’s just cautious! Don’t insult her!”
Trembling with fear but shouting boldly, she continued.
“Our m-m-m-miss only fights battles she can win! So instead of recklessly charging in, she’s staying neutral, observing the situation! Do you even know who our miss is? She’s a candidate for the heir of the massive mafia, the Ebenkera Family!”
Pfft!
Water spurted from Sigrin’s shocked mouth.
“She’ll come crush you soon! Get ready to pitch a tent in Lemaos Park, Luca Drüm… mmph!”
“…Quiet down. And I’m not a heir candidate.”
Murmur, murmur.
Apple, red-faced and fuming, shouted, while Sigrin hurriedly covered her mouth.
But the eyes of their classmates were fixed on Sigrin and Luca.
“Mafia?”
“….”
“Hm, a mud-caked princess, huh.”
Luca, arms crossed, looked at Sigrin with intrigue.
“Wanna shake on it?”
“….”
Beaming, Luca grabbed Sigrin’s hand and interlaced their fingers.
“Soft hands. Not a warrior with a core in the dantian, huh. Probably weak in close combat, right?”
“….”
“Come to the library when you’re ready, princess.”
Uooooh!
The classroom erupted into chaos.
✦ ✦ ✦
Aaaapple!!
Apple Sitimtri!!
Sigrin grabbed Apple’s cheeks and stretched them wide.
“S-S-Sorry! I saw you staking out near the library, so I thought you were planning to hit it soon! I’m so sorry, miss! W-Waaah! I just hated seeing you insulted for no reason!”
As Apple sobbed, tears streaming, Sigrin clicked her tongue and let go.
“…Ugh, don’t cry and make me feel soft.”
“…S-Sorry, r-really… Sniff, miss, so you really didn’t plan to take on Luca? If not, why were you staking out the library?”
“Don’t know, don’t ask.”
“Waaah…”
Sigrin pressed her temples, massaging her throbbing head.
Luca’s declaration of war had caused quite a stir.
Sigrin herself had already been a hot topic among students.
Not only did her appearance stand out, but her actions were unusual.
The only coreless student in her grade, a new transfer who settled into Lemaos suspiciously fast.
Even professors whispered that a monster had enrolled.
She looked like she’d struggle to open a bottle cap, yet rumors swirled that she might be the strongest in the academy, drawing everyone’s attention.
[Come to the library when you’re ready, princess.]
Luca, reputedly the strongest in their grade, had challenged Sigrin for the title of Lemaos’s boss.
What a tantalizing fight.
No one knew when the ‘Lemaos Boss Battle’ would start, so students watched Sigrin closely.
“Hey, Sigrin, when are you fighting Luca?”
“Never.”
“Planning a sneak attack, huh?”
Sigrin frowned. That was the third time she’d been asked. Her ears were practically calloused.
No one believed her, no matter how much she insisted she was weak and fragile.
‘Ugh, I’m not fighting. Never preparing.’
Recalling Luca’s words about coming when ready, Sigrin smirked. If she never prepared, she’d never have to fight, right?
‘He’s got a battle-crazed streak, damn it. Stepped on a landmine.’
She’d expected him to pick a fight eventually, given her visibility. At least the chaos erupted after she’d already nabbed what she wanted from the library.
Had she not acted first, he might’ve offered the book in exchange for a duel. If she’d tried sneaking into the library afterward, she’d have been caught red-handed.
“Sigrin-nim… May I ask when you’re fighting Luca…?”
Glare!
Sigrin shot a look laden with annoyance.
“S-Sorry!”
✦ ✦ ✦
A student’s duty is to focus on studies, not stir up fights everywhere.
Sigrin decided to ignore Luca’s duel challenge, sparked by Apple’s bait.
“Wahaha! Still haven’t formed a core and taking remedial classes? I praise your passion for not dropping out!”
She enrolled in Professor Spitu Gini’s remedial class, ‘Latent Core Breakthrough!’
It was filled with students who still hadn’t formed cores.
“Huh? Sigrin, why are you here?”
“Because I’m coreless.”
“…Right. Do as you please.”
His tone sounded resigned.
For the record, Sigrin decided to stick with the “coreless” label.
If she had a common ability, sharing it to grow together would make sense. But a rare, unknown ability could be exploited, so keeping it secret was safer.
“Now, in this remedial class, we’ll learn the ‘Ether Breathing Method’ to focus ether into the core and ‘Ether Compression’ for light training!”
Professor Spitu cracked his thick knuckles and continued.
“Kids who’ve formed cores can already control ether like breathing, so they don’t need this. But you lot haven’t got the knack yet, so you need lots of practice with these methods!”
Stroking his beard, he laughed heartily.
“Kids, a core is like a muscle. You can’t feel its movement until it’s built up a bit. So, focus on breathing to heighten your ether sensitivity!”
Breathing techniques were unnecessary for those with formed cores but vital for those without a sense for it.
“Now, breathe slowly over 10 seconds…”
Inhale.
“Then, imagine the flow of ether centered on your latent core. And hold your breath.”
Held it!
“Picture ether swirling there.”
Sigrin followed Professor Spitu’s instructions for the ‘Ether Breathing Method.’
She recalled the meteor shower of Fairy Powder. The whirlwind’s shape must be the ether’s flow. She imagined its speed and subtle movements.
“Now, we’ll learn ‘Ether Compression.’ Using the ‘Palm Ether Manipulation’ we covered last time, wrap ether around your palm.”
Damn it, I’ve got an eye core, so I can’t wrap ether around my palm.
Guess I’ll have to focus on my eyes.
“Then, melt the ether into the part with your latent core. Massage the core with your palm, following the ether’s flow.”
“Professor, it’s still not working.”
“Hmm.”
Spitu stroked his beard, lost in thought.
“You’ll learn later, but naming your techniques can surprisingly boost their activation rate.”
Placing a hand over his heart core, he shouted.
“Follow me, everyone. Gather, gather, power!”
“…?”
“Those desperate, put your hand on your core and repeat! Gather, gather, power! Or make your own technique name!”
Since the class was full of desperate students, they hesitated but followed.
“Gather, gather, power!”
“Ether-ether compression!”
“Cosmic ability unlock!”
Sigrin, hand over one eye, earnestly muttered her incantation.
“Bilha, if you’re sleepy, wash your face and come back!”
A masked student in the class opened their eyes, tilted their head, then nodded off again.
“…?”
Spitu, looking like he had much to say, sighed.
“Fine, do as you like this year too.”
Sigrin clicked her tongue at the boy.
‘Tch, a delinquent troubling the teacher.’
“Sigrin! If you’re sleepy, wash your face too! Stop sleep-talking!”
Her slouched, face-propped posture must’ve caused a misunderstanding.
Still holding both eyes, Sigrin chanted louder.
“Gather, gather, power!”
“…Right. You do you too.”