I lay awake the entire night, the words of the note replaying in my head.
’You’re not supposed to be here.’
I had read it ten tis over, trying to figure out who sent it.
The handwriting was in elegant cursive but the ink was partly smudged, which ant that whoever wrote it was of noble descent, but also wrote it in a hurry.
But the note had no signature, no initials, not even a house crest. Nothing to make it a credible threat, which sohow made it even worse.
However, the fact remained that whoever slid it under my door, knew exactly where my room was, and that ant they had been watching for a while.
That narrowed the list of suspects to... almost everyone in this school.
With magic, I could have easily cast a trace spell to pinpoint exactly who it was. But without it, I was just a target waiting to be shot.
So, I had to stay awake until my stalker decided to show their face.
*****
Miss Fumiko ca to class earlier than usual the next day. By the ti all students had arrived, Miss Fumiko had already been in for twenty minutes.
"We have sothing special approaching," she said, her voice calm but clear. Then she picked up a piece of chalk and wrote on the board in an elegant, legible font.
FIRST YEAR TOURNANT
A slight murmur rippled through the class.
"Most of you must have already heard rumors," she said briskly, "so I’ll just clarify."
She suddenly made a pause as if she’d forgotten what she was about to say.
"The date for your first year tournant has been released," Miss Fumiko finally announced with a certain sense of pride. "And it’s starting next week."
A slight grin appeared on her face like the idea of students knocking each other out was sothing to look forward to.
"Every year," she readjusted her glasses. "Each first year class is expected to provide noble candidates for a small-scale tournant. These candidates are going to compete against each other for the position of First Year Rep. on the school council."
By the ti she finished her statent, most of the other students had already lost interest.
"Class 1C has been asked to provide two students by the end of today. If you’re interested, or if you’d like to nominate soone, co forward."
Nobody spoke.
"If no unanimous decision is made by the end of the day, I will choose myself."
Without another word, Miss Fumiko left the class.
Imdiately after, the entire class erupted in noise. Each student whispered the na of who they thought was strong enough to participate in the tournant.
But while they murmured and debated who had the best chance of winning the tournant, I observed each one of them, trying to figure out if any of them was the one who left that haunting note at my door.
’You’re not supposed to be here.’
Perhaps it was so noble prank to make feel uncomfortable here or a fellow student who had discovered that I wasn’t able to use magic.
Either way, both probabilities were unacceptable to , so I hatched a little plan to catch the culprit.
*****
"I’ve decided to participate in the First Year Tournant," Lucy said when we t in the orchard that day.
She seed quite happier than on most days. The idea of fighting in a tournant probably made her a little excited.
It was nice to see her cheerful, even though the idea of Lucy fighting scared to my bones.
"What about you?" she asked.
I shook my head.
"No?" Lucy gave a quizzical look. "Why?"
"I don’t like fighting."
She didn’t respond. She just stared at like I had said sothing wrong again.
*What is it?" I asked.
"You’ve really... changed."
"How so?"
Lucy lowered her voice. "Since your last visit to Erentha, you’ve beco quieter. More distant. Mature, maybe. But different."
A good difference, I hope.
"We all have to grow up soday right?" I smiled.
Lucy maintained her silence.
"Don’t fight in the tournant," I added.
Her lips curled into a frown. "Why do you say so?"
"I don’t think it’s a good idea."
She slowly turned to , her eyes, cold and flat. "You think I can’t handle it."
"I didn’t say that."
I didn’t have to say it. She could sense it anyway.
"You didn’t have to," she snapped, as expected.
A brief silence ensued.
"I have a feeling sothing will go wrong," I added. "There are students who do not like you. Soone might try to harm you."
In other words, you could actually harm soone.
"They already do," she said, her temper rising. "Every day they whisper evil things about . So of them even wish dead. You think I don’t know that?"
"That’s not what I ant."
"Let guess. You’re just trying to protect . Keep the darkblood girl away from a fight or soone might get hurt."
"That’s not it."
"Then what?" She demanded. "You’ve barely spoken to or sent a ssage since we ca to Viridale. And now suddenly you care? Because I might lose?"
"No," I replied. "Because I’m afraid to see you get hurt."
In other words, I’m afraid you’ll hurt soone.
She stared at , eyes narrowing. Then she stood up.
"You’ve changed. The Rin I know trusted to handle myself."
Her voice dropped to a level just above a whisper.
"Now you’re just like everyone else."
I’ve been hurt by many things, but her words hurt more than any dagger.
Before I could say anything else, Lucy stord off.
*****
Just before the last bell rang, Miss Fumiko returned to the class.
"Out of the twenty-four students in this class, only one person volunteered to participate in the First Year Tournant." She paused, eyes searching. "Ginny Lillith."
Of course. The bully’s sister. The one who was born to sneer.
"I was hoping you guys would cease the opportunity. Well, the school insisted on two students, so I’m going to pick out the second candidate for the competition."
I smiled to myself. Good luck trying to pick a good fighter in a class filled with E-Rank magic students.
It didn’t really matter who she picked, because he or she was definitely going to be obliterated in the first round.
"Rin Stormborn!"
F**k.
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