Trigger Warning: Violent, extreme bullying. Japanese school bullying has a reputation for being horrifically intense and traumatizing, and this chapter displays this world is no different.

After being quiet for a while, Sophie and the rest of the quintet were scolded by Helene last night. As usual, they tried to bully Flora to get rid of her, but when they argued that nothing was working, what Helene snapped back made even Sophie and the others turn.

“Hey, hey… are we really going to do this?”

“Why are you asking that now?! Have you forgotten what Lady Hel… the Lady told us last night!?”

One of the quintet almost gave up the name of the mastermind, so she hurriedly shut her mouth and rephrased her words. It doesn’t matter how cunning and intelligent Helene is as the one giving orders if Sophie and the others, the actual perpetrators, are idiots. In this way, the plan frays, but it’s also because of Helene’s reputation for sweetness that she can’t go that far herself.

“But that girl… something is wrong with her…”

“Right…? It’s not normal that she didn’t even flinch when we were all surrounding her…”

As if one person’s weakness is contagious, everyone’s voice gradually turns worried. Up until now, now, they’d never bullied someone and not made them cry. Normally, it should have been settled on the first day. There aren’t many people who can defy the Houses of the quintet. It’s normal for even a slightly higher-ranked house to compromise and give up, judging that it’s impossible to deal with these five’s influence at the same time.

And yet, that girl…… Flora Charlotte von Carruthers, no matter how much the quintet threatens her, has a cool face and does seem to be able to endure it.

In terms of the power relationship of their parents’ Houses, you’d think that these five people are definitely higher than the Carruthers Margraviate. There is no one who has refused to yield to the quintet, until now.

But is it really the case? If it’s true, how could that girl be so calm and confident?

Maybe… House Carruthers is much more than they seem. Such anxieties crossed the minds of the quintet.

Ordinarily, they would be laughing at the fact that Flora didn’t understand the difference in power between the quintet and Carruthers because they were country folk who didn’t know the rest of the world. But now, Flora lives in the royal capital. Doesn’t she already understand where Carruthers and the quintet’s families are by now?

The assumption that Flora is ignorant of politics in the capital stands on weak grounds. After all, she is Ludwig’s fiancée. She must be well aware of the power relations in the political center. And yet, even in the royal capital, she is beholden to no one else’s power.

At first, they thought she was bullish because she had Ludwig’s backing. But it turns out that’s not even the case. That girl doesn’t change her attitude even towards Ludwig. She neither flatters nor takes advantage of her relationship with him. Even if the other party is Ludwig or Rutger, she will not break her resolute attitude.

And above all…

“And… when that girl got really angry, I was really scared…”

“Me too……”

Flora showed her anger towards the quintet for the first time when they surrounded her in front of the classroom door. Until then, no matter what they did, Flora would smile calmly and parry their accusations… and now the quintet thought she was terrifying.

Actually, Flora wasn’t that angry, but it still gave the quintet fear. In the first place, this quintet has never faced so much anger and hostility. They used their superiority as a hat to make their opponents crouch down, and they had never even had that sort of anger directed at them.

Flora should know her place in the royal capital. She does, and yet she is not afraid of them. And they don’t know anything about House Carruthers and their territory. Maybe there is something outrageous that they don’t know about. Could the Margraviate of Carruthers not just be some countryside territory, but something much more terrifying? Such anxiety attacks the quintet.

“But… no, that’s why we have to do this. Let’s prepare ourselves!” Sophie cried.

“…… Yeah.”

Everyone’s energy remained low even after Sophie boosted them up. Everyone feels heavy when they think about last night. They can’t help but recall what happened.

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Today, the quintet gathered late at night and were sweating cold bullets as Helene stood upright before them.

“Ladies! What in the hell are you doing?! Don’t relax and play around, get rid of that girl!” Helene yelled.

The quintet moved their gazes slightly away and exchanged glances. On that day, after being frightened by Flora in front of the classroom entrance, the quintet refrained from harassing Flora. It’s just that they’re simply afraid of Flora, she scared them, and there’s no other reason for the quintet to hold back.

“Haa… you all can’t do anything properly unless I give you specific instructions… fine. In that case, I will give exactly those,” Helene said. “Tomorrow is the first practical magic class at the Academy. At that time, an ‘accident where a Fire spell strikes Flora’s face by mistake’ may happen. You understand, don’t you?”

“Tha-that’s…?” the quintet stammered, shaken.

Up until now, they have harassed people in petty ways, but they have never done anything that directly harms people. Moreover, they had never even thought of such a terrible thing as burning a woman’s face.

Although the five of them have been bullying others a lot, just by harassing their targets a little and threatening them, and making them listen to what the quintet says, their victims voluntarily surrendered. Some of them were trembling with fear because they never thought that they would get involved in such a brutal matter.

“Oh my? What’s wrong?” Helene said. “I’m just saying that an accident like that could happen. Besides, you guys can’t use magic anyway, can you? If I’m not mistaken, there’s a child who is good at magic among Emma’s vassals. You used to bully him to his knees… Simo-something… ah! I believe it was Simon von Roppe. He’s good at magic, isn’t he?”

“Uuu… aah…”

At that, Emma trembled. She was ordered to force Simon into their plan.

Practical magic classes are held jointly between Classes 1 and 2. Classes 3 and 4 are also going to have a joint lesson. From 2nd year onward, the classes become more advanced, so one instructor cannot see two classes at once, and each lesson becomes separated into each class by themselves. To begin with, there are not enough magic teachers, so they are combined at first while the content is simple…

Simon von Roppe is at the bottom of Class 2, but since it is a joint class, they will practice magic together.

Simon’s family, Marquis Roppe, has a small territory and does not have much power. A long time ago, he was bullied and humiliated by the quintet with Sophie leading, just because Helene didn’t like Simon, and on top of that, he was humiliated and forced into being Emma’s vassal. Since then, Simon has been forced to run errands that he cannot refuse if Emma tells him to do so.

“Do you understand?” Helene asked.

“Uu… uuu…yes…!” Emma whimpered. “I understand! Tomorrow, Simon may accidentally burn that girl’s face!”

From shrinking in fear, Emma said so clearly. Hearing that, Helen face twisted into a grin.

“Yes. Good girl. Fufufu… ahahaha… AHAHAHAHAHA!”

………

……



The quintet shudder at the memory of Helene’s state last night. It’s true they were afraid of Flora, but they’re even more scared of Helene. That’s why they can’t go against Helene. In the first place, since they’ve already come this far, Helene and the quintet are inseparable once the consequences come. There is no turning back now. There was no other way for them to live in peace than to help Helene rise above Flora.

“… Let’s begin,” Sophie said.

“…………”

At that, everyone started to move slowly.

Simon was summoned to an out-of-the-way place behind the school building, where he was shoved and crashed into the wall then collapsed.

“Listen up, Simon? You should fail today’s magic class,” Emma said.

“…… Huh?” Simon said.

He doesn’t understand what they’re saying. He wonders if they’re telling him to fail the magic class so that he doesn’t get good grades because he’s already good at the subject. But, Simon soon realizes his assumptions were wrong.

“Listen well,” Emma said. “Today you’re going to fail to control your spell in the practical magic class. That spell might accidentally hit the daughter of a margrave and burn her face. But you needn’t worry about it. Magic is a dangerous thing. ‘Accidents’ like that happen from time to time, don’t they?”

“Tha-That’s…!” Simon stammers.

His heart violently pounds in panic. Even though his heart rate was going wild, the blood drained from his head and his breathing became shallow and rapid. What is the quintet talking about? He knows who they’re talking about. There is only one daughter of a margrave in the academy right now. The other child of a margraviate is a boy. There is only one “daughter of a margrave.”

Simon knew that the quintet was bullying Flora. He knew that, but it never occurred to him that they go this far. And now he has to do it, too… even if it is treated as an accident, he will have to carry the unbearable burden of guilt for the rest of his life.

“Simon, even if you, the second son of House Roppe, cause an accident, your family will be safe and sound. But if she gets away free, not only you but your entire family will be destroyed,” Emma said. “Think about which is better, alright~?”

“Uuu…” Simon chokes.

If the world knows about the weakness inside Simon, not only Simon but also his entire family, the Roppe Marquisate, will collapse. Simon had no choice.

And then…as Emma pressed Simon like that, she was actually trembling inside. This is irreversible. Whether they succeed or fail, they can never erase the fact that they tried to do permanent harm to another.

But that doesn’t mean they can show Simon their unnatural trembling. If they show such a sight to Simon, he won’t listen to what they say. That’s why, even if it’s just bravado, they have to give orders with the same attitude as usual.

“I see… I might fail the magic class today,” Simon said. “If that happens, please take care of me…”

“Fufu, it’s good that you understand. We’re counting on you,” Emma said.

And so…the stage was set.

It’s time for the fated magic class. Each of the students attends it with their expectations in their hearts. Helene thinks of what is to come and smiles, the quintet simply trembles with fear, and Simon prepares for his death.

Even if what happens next is treated as an accident, he might be executed by Margrave Carruthers. Given the power relationship between House Roppe and House Carruthers, his parents can’t protect him for causing such a serious accident. If he’s quickly surrendered over to Carruthers for punishment, he may be killed only after suffering pain worse than death.

And even if House Carruthers stayed their hands from something like that, he could never be able to appear in public for the rest of his life. A person who failed in magic class and burned the face of a high-ranking noble’s daughter will not be able to get any sort of job. No employer would hire such a tragically unskilled wizard.

Even so… he can’t let House Roppe collapse because of him. Determined, Simon waits for the time when the teachers will let them cast freely.

In class, they are given magic lectures, so after a brief explanation, they are supposed to actually shoot spells at their targets. Everyone will be able to cast magic at the target in their own fashion, so that is the only chance Simon has.

Due to Sophie’s ruse, Flora can only use one set of targets at the far end of the training area. Simon waits for the time when he can use a target that is as close to Flora as possible. As soon as the target closest to Flora becomes available, Simon takes it and fires the fated shot.

Simon chanted his specialty, Fire Magic, then shot at Flora’s profile on the left rather than the target in front of him.

“… Spirit of Fire, manifest your power through my magic, Fireball!”

A burst of flame the size of a softball flies at Flora’s face. If her face was burned by such a thing, she would suffer a severe burn that would never be cured. There is no other 1st-year student who can use magic like this. Other students using magic for the first time can only use Fire Magic as strong as a lighter for candles.

Helene and the Quintet had been monitoring Simon’s actions and finally see the unleashed spell. One of them grins. Others close their eyes. And one can’t think of anything and just trembles. Among those who showed various reactions, that fireball was…

“Fuh.”

“… Huh?”

“………. Huh?”

Flora suddenly turned her face toward the fireball, blew out a breath with a “Fuh.” and it felt like the fireball had disappeared. There is no way you can snuff out a magical fire by blowing on it. Simon’s magical skill is unquestionably real. Even at school, it can be said that he is a one-of-a-kind talent every few years or even 10 years. There is no way that Simon’s magic can be so weak that it can be erased with just a quick breath.

However, the spell that flew at Flora unmistakably disappeared right before it hit her. Then Flora, with a slightly ponderous look on her face, approaches Simon.

“Hiii, ah… I-I’m sorry!”

As Flora comes in front of Simon and smiles, Simon immediately apologizes.

“I think everyone makes mistakes, but please, do be careful,” Flora said. “It would be a massive problem if the other students got hurt. I can handle anything that comes my way, so I’ll be alright. Okay?”

And at that gentle admonition and smile, Simon collapses on the spot.