“Already?”

“Fast.”

The professor turned around and began casting magic on the spot where the broadcast screen had been earlier.

The sound of students behind him holding their breath could be heard. Leo also clenched his fists, seemingly tense.

[Team 1: Leonard Wittelsbach / Yulia Tsheringen / …]

“…Ah.”

‘Ah?’

I heard a deflated sound from beside me.

Disappointed with this combination? It’s the best combination, just like the Leo-Elias pairing in the 1st phase?

‘He hasn’t been in his right mind since earlier…’

[… / Victoria Biermann / Lothar Schumann / Christoph Ehrenfels / Joachim Gleichen]

‘Hmm.’

Now my thoughts have changed.

The school is the one not in its right mind.

The four names that came after Tsheringen are the bottom four who barely made it into the 3rd phase.

24th, 23rd, 22nd, and 21st place, respectively.

‘The problem isn’t simply lack of skill.’

That’s not the problem at all. Why?

Those who have come this far are in the upper ranks when considering the entire Magic Department.

The problem is that 6 out of 24 people must be eliminated.

Unlike before, when teams united for bonus points, students will now desperately try to catch the professor’s eye to secure a higher rank.

These four, whose final qualification, let alone joining Team 1, is uncertain, have even greater incentive to do so.

‘In other words, there’s a high possibility teamwork will completely collapse.’

On top of that, both Leo and Yulia are accustomed to leadership roles.

Forced to team up with four bottom-rankers who could shatter teamwork, the two will strive to avoid conflict, but those who have spent their entire lives learning only how to lead are unlikely to be led well by each other.

Tsheringen looked at Leo with a gentle smile.

“Hmm, it’s been a while since I’ve been on the same team as Leo. Let’s do well, Class President.”

“Likewise.”

Leo replied with his characteristic social smile.

Subsequently, once the Team 1 students were confirmed, the list for Team 2 began to be written.

[Team 2: Lucas Askanian / Heike Ainsidel / Oswald Schmidt / …]

‘Same team as Ainsidel again?’

Since the day I spent the whole day with Ainsidel a few days ago, I hadn’t made plans with him.

Honestly, if someone is marked ‘Unconquerable,’ it makes me want to conquer them even more, but curiosity needs to be restrained. There must be a reason why ‘Unconquerable’ appeared uniquely for him.

As such, I tried to minimize contact as much as possible, yet we’re on the same team again.

Thinking that, I watched the scrolling text, then my eyes widened at a familiar name.

[… / Narce Farnese]

Same team as Narce.

Narce, standing next to Leo, grinned.

[Team 3: Elias Hohenzollern / Ulrike Kleist / Philip Göring / ….]

‘This team’s member luck is decent.’

Ulrike Kleist is 1st in Class 1, and was already on the same team as Elias in the 2nd phase.

Relatively speaking, their synergy is bound to be good.

And Philip’s Unique Ability is useful.

[Team 4: Melvin Klokner / Florian Osterhagen / Josefine Luon / Hildegard Blomberg / Günter Bock / Auguste Rosenheim]

‘Hmm.’

This one…

There’s no standout ace, but five out of the six are top-tier in the Magic Department.

We’ll have to see once things start, but so far, besides Team 1, no other team seems particularly problematic.

‘In other words.’

Who knows what else the school might pull.

As things stand, it’s only disadvantageous for Team 1, while the rest are just okay, but the school won’t provide convenience like that.

[The 3rd exam is two weeks away, and I will only inform you that you should train using the fields stored in Mimesis as you have done so far.]

The professor looked around at us and said.

[With this, we will completely conclude the 2nd exam. Once again, congratulations to the 3rd phase qualifiers.]

***

The news spread throughout the school.

Especially since 1st through 3rd years received the same field, the infamy of the final field was already widespread.

Perhaps because the correct answer for the field was shared with other grades too, several 1st and 3rd years I encountered on the way back to the 2nd Academy building glanced at me and talked amongst themselves.

“That guy, Earth Science…”

“……”

They kept calling me Pleroma, and now they call me Earth Science?

Tiring—!

Favorability +1

Of course, if they see me favorably, I have no problem.

“No, but who thinks of that in that situation? Isn’t the school’s difficulty adjustment really bad?”

“He did.”

“He’s the only one. Among the six teams from 1st to 3rd year that entered that field, only one team got it right, so how is this not a mistake in design?”

“That’s why the 3rd year Team 6 was going around collecting signatures.”

“Ah, they’re going to file an objection?”

This topic keeps coming up.

The shock of the Alps seemed significant for both those who entered and those who watched.

‘Anyway, the Favorability gain is already substantial.’

Fields are stages in their own right, I guess.

Feels like about a hundred pop-ups appeared today alone.

I can feel my image gradually changing for the positive.

Lucas Rene Askanian

Title: Sir Nicolaus

Health: +3.6 (+0.4) [+6.6]

Mental Strength: +3.0 (+0.9)

Magic Power: ?

Skills: +4.8 (+0.3) [+7.8]

Impression: -7.0 (+2.8) [-1] [+8.095]

Luck: +4.2 (+0.6)

Traits: Dawn777, Divine Power, Charm (Lv.5), Retry (Lv.1)

‘Now it rounded up Nicolaus’s Impression score appropriately.’

More importantly, the Impression value is now -7.0?

That box is the nationwide Impression score, isn’t it?

The school Impression score is also surprising.

Perhaps thanks to raising the trait, it suddenly jumped from -6 to -1.

The triple-digit Favorability points collected today must have had an impact too.

Not much left until positive numbers.

I entered the 2nd Academy courtyard with the Team 6 students.

Tsheringen stopped walking in front of the 2nd Academy building, which appeared for the first time.

“Lucas has to go to the Drama Club, right?”

“Uh-huh. Gotta go now.”

“It’s in three hours, right? I’ll look forward to it.”

“Go ahead…”

Giving up now, I answered with a faint smile.

‘Why are kids so interested in plays anyway.’

Actually, everyone was probably always interested, and maybe I was the only one uninterested until now.

Just as I was about to tell them to get going, Philip hesitated, then opened his mouth.

“…Lucas. Thanks.”

Everyone’s eyes widened.

Hearing this ill-natured guy say thanks seemed awkward even to them.

Though the rumor that he cried after I requested a spar had spread throughout the school, hearing a rumor and actually seeing the change are different.

“For what.”

“Just, everything. It’s practically thanks to you that I passed. If you hadn’t asked me to spar that day, I definitely would have messed up today too. And the strategy you showed today…”

I nodded.

“Nah. We passed because we were in harmony. If anything, I solved things easily thanks to your ability.”

Just then, Melvin suddenly interjected.

“Me too, Lucas…! Thank you. It must have been hard preparing for the play while preparing for the exam, I’ll bring lots of audience members…!”

To that extent?

I want the opposite.

But since Melvin had a determined look on his face, I expressed it as gently as possible.

“No, you don’t really need to come. If anything, I’d prefer you guys stay in the dorm since you worked hard earlier.”

Philip shook his head at those words.

“No. We must go. Aren’t you the protagonist? Adults said you have to go congratulate things like this.”

“What adults. Have you ever listened to adults? Just live like you always have.”

“…?”

Philip’s eyes trembled, looking utterly confused.

I patted his shoulder and spoke to my friends.

“I’m going now. See you later.”

“Okay.”

Tsheringen waved, showing a bright smile.

I watched their retreating backs, then looked at the student union building right next to us.

I needed to go to the Drama Club room.

‘Time to go farm Favorability.’

The moment I turned around like that, I almost threw a punch.

“Ah, Lucas!”

Narce stepped back, looking startled but smiling.

“You scared me. Why are you here?”

“Why else~ Come on, let’s go in.”

Narce said, entering the student union building.

“I hoped I’d be on the same team as you in this 3rd phase, and I’m really glad it happened.”

“Same here. But, Narce. I have club rehearsal now?”

“Ah, of course, you have rehearsal. But the performance is right after it ends, so don’t we need to prepare the setup now?”

“Yeah, we need to prepare. But why…”

Why are you following me all the way to the club room?

Thinking that, a conclusion suddenly hit me.

Did he come to lengthen my hair?

“……”

“Haha~ Quick-witted. Let’s go in!”

Half-pushed into the club room, a senior club member who was already there saw me and stood up.

“Oh, I was worried you wouldn’t come, but you’re here.”

“What else could I do? But who’s this friend?”

“Ah, this is the person who will be handling makeup today. We needed someone who uses Divine Power, and they volunteered, so I brought them right over!”

Volunteered even?

As I turned to him demanding an explanation, Narce eagerly started talking as I intended.

“Ah, I was curious. I don’t really understand the reason, but it seemed like you weren’t pleased with the role? You’re always so nonchalant~ It’s rare to witness something like this.”

“Less displeasure, more like ‘why me?’.”

“That or that. Come on, sit!”

Narce patted the chair in front of the mirror.

“Then if you grow this out now, when on earth will I get a haircut? The protagonist’s hair gets shorter midway, are you going to shave that too?”

A senior behind me answered my question.

“Hired a hairdresser! Don’t worry.”

“Yes…. Thorough, aren’t you.”

Unnecessarily….

Saying that, I sat down.

At that moment, Elias warped into the club room.

‘Everyone’s coming now.’

Elias flinched seeing my expression, then smiled mischievously again.

“Came to see Luca Rose’s makeup! Is it okay if I stay?”

“Well, go ahead.”

“Why on earth do you come to watch someone else’s hair being lengthened? You’ll see it later anyway.”

Elias cast sound-proofing magic encompassing the three of us and began speaking.

“Actually, that’s not the only reason I came.”

“What is it?”

“No, let’s lengthen it a bit first before starting.”

“Okay~”

Narce chanted the Divine Power spell without hesitation.

Just like when Leo lengthened my hair when approaching Eric Asman before, my hair grew long, covering my face.

‘Isn’t this a ghost.’

Thinking that, the moment I parted my hair and swept it aside, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“……”

I resemble Georg Askanian.

To be precise, his youthful portrait had this kind of feel.

Narce smiled brightly and said.

“Wow, you look better with long hair~”

“The faces of Luca’s family members really look like they were stamped from a mold…”

Elias let out a dry laugh from behind, even though he’d never seen the youthful portrait.

So he means I give off a Georg Askanian vibe? Since Adrian and Luca both resemble him, of course, that would be the case.

But the fact that the feeling comes across more strongly with long hair is definitely a problem.

‘This really isn’t right.’

Is this okay? Of course, there’s no rule that Rosalind shouldn’t look like this, but the standard image the public wants doesn’t come out at all.

From what I felt, in the domestic visual media market, diversity in character personalities within a work was considered a feature, whereas tolerance for actors’ visuals wasn’t high. Regardless of my own values.

Naturally, this visual falls completely into the category of intolerance.

My question of whether it’s okay is about demand. Who wants this Rosalind I’m portraying, and who will come to see it?

“Wow, what? Lucas’s thoughts are so fast right now I can’t read anything…”

“Not reading is normal…”

Replying thusly, I covered my forehead.

“This won’t do. If I keep using the ability, my head will explode. Lucas doesn’t seem adapted to long hair~”

“Why? Why is Luca worrying so much? It looks totally cool.”

“Do you think it’s okay to put this Rosalind on stage?”

“It’s fine! Everyone said they’re coming to watch!”

“……”

That, in itself, is also quite…

I removed my hand from my forehead and brushed away the ghost-like hair.

“Are we done now? I’ll put on the costume later.”

“For now, yes~ So, Elias, what did you come here to say?”

“Doesn’t Luca have to start rehearsal now? I’ll say it quickly and go.”

Elias cast sound-proofing magic once more and said.

“The air in my room was contaminated today. Luca, it’s exactly like you told me.”

“……”

I nodded.

I thought they would target Philip, but despite the fact that him crying that day spread throughout the school, Philip wasn’t attacked.

At the time, I thought, did the culprit kick away the chance to solidify me as the suspect?

But not long after, another problem arose for Elias too.

Although Elias used it as an opportunity for establishing dominance, the culprit committed the crime even after Adelbert’s condition stabilized, so his response wasn’t a factor to consider.

Since another person briefly wavered with negative emotions, I thought they might use Elias.

‘To think that would become reality.’

The fact that two Hohenzollerns became targets is highly suspicious.

“In my opinion, I think they orchestrated it from Primrose Path.”

“Primrose Path?”

“Yeah. Received a letter from there 3 days ago, right? They must have figured out my identity before that.”

“Before, you mean, exactly when.”

“The day Adelbert was attacked, or maybe a bit before that.”

“……”

I see what hypothesis Elias has formed.

“Since I’m considered someone capable enough of committing a crime against my uncle’s child, perhaps they tried to frame me for murder by attacking my cousin. To obstruct my investigative activities.”

Narce’s face grew serious as he listened quietly.

Elias continued with a nonchalant face.

“And now that things are irrevocably ruined, they tried to kill me outright.”

“……”

It’s not entirely implausible, but there are flaws.

If the Primrose Path establishment has someone powerful backing them, they might attack Elias.

But to do that, they’d need considerable power.

No matter how much Elias is considered a thorn in the Emperor’s side, thanks to his countless rampages over the years to avoid being crushed like Luca, he possesses the share of power he ought to have.

“Be careful, Luca, and Narce. I came here to say this. The students at this school know I’m reasonably close with you guys.”

“Got it.”

“Well, it’s just a warning to be careful~ Those guys are busy chasing me, so they probably won’t actively harass other friends, but they might send threatening letters or bother you annoyingly like that.”

“Okay. Thanks for the heads-up.”

“Sure! Then see you after the play!”

At least he doesn’t act like, ‘If I knew there’d be retaliation, I shouldn’t have dug deeper.’

Even though he could have died if properly poisoned by that air.

‘The protagonist isn’t that kind of person.’

Of course, whether I personally think the culprit in this case is Primrose Path, I think not.

But it’s difficult to dismiss Elias’s words entirely as nonsense.

‘Need to investigate this separately in detail.’

There wasn’t time to think longer. A senior clapped from behind.

“Alright, let’s get ready to go on stage!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep