The Grand Festival — Interlude (1)

Horan, Land of the Fire Blossoms, was a nation deeply intertwined with religion.

The Priestess bestowed by the gods wielded immense power, and as a tyrant, her authority was unbreakable.

Though Miya became a Priestess because she was born with the sacred flame.

The realization that the lives of so many people depended on her weighed heavily upon her.

However, Mei was different.

─ 'If it's too hard, let me know. I can take over as the Priestess for you. We look exactly the same anyway, so no one will notice.'

Mei offered to ease Miya's burden.

She convincingly took over Miya's role and displayed the dignity of a Priestess to the people.

Miya believed her twin sister Mei to be the most intelligent person in the world. She idolized her sister for her decisiveness, sound judgment, and swift execution.

Thus, Miya thought it was Mei, not herself, who deserved to be in the higher position and considered herself just a fool born with a mystical power.

That mindset was created by Mei.

Every day, she would subtly compare her sister's naivety to her own competence, undermining her sister's confidence. Mei would reassure her that it was okay, that she had her, and made her dependent.

It wasn't long before Mei, acting as the Priestess, lured Miya into a trap she'd set for her.

She wanted the sacred flame.

That power was the difference between Miya and Mei. The reason Miya, not Mei, had to be the Priestess.

Mei believed that with that power, she could become the true Priestess.

In reality, Miya had already found out her true intentions. It wasn't hard to guess what Mei was aiming for.

But she willingly fell into such a trap.

For the sake of the Eastern nation, it would be better if her wise sister became the Priestess. That it would be fine if she shared her sacred flame with her.

So, she planned to resolve the issue by talking to her.

However, she never imagined that it would lead to her being plunged into a deep sleep and exploited like a factory, having her power constantly drained.

Miya's last memories before being forcibly put to sleep were Mei's face twisting into a grotesque smile she had never shown before.

It was the moment when it became clear to Mei that she was merely a tool for her own sister's ambitions.

─ 'Sister, why…?'

─ 'Do you know?'

Before being consumed by a magic tool far larger than herself, Miya couldn't forget what Mei had said.

─ 'Back when we were starving, all I could think about was selling you off for some quick cash.'

─ 'You were nothing but an insurance.'

Miya fell into a deep sleep.

During the years when her sister reigned as a tyrant, Miya was tormented in a nightmare.

Mei took everything Miya had built and made it hers.

The shrewd bureaucrats, who suspected whether the current Priestess was really Miya, sent men to assassinate her after Mei had them politically buried.

Mei focused on ensuring the security of her position.

Then, she thought.

She needed a strong force.

Authority and wealth were concepts that existed within human societies.

But to protect herself, she needed a force that was not part of societal structures… What she needed was pure power.

Eventually, she remembered the story of her sister, Miya, becoming friends with the Nine-tailed Fox in the Forest of Death.

It might be useful. A flame beast that even hunting parties couldn't defeat would serve as an excellent ally.

Mei approached the Nine-tailed Fox, pretending to be Miya, and presented an unfair familiar contract to the magic beast.

The fox, wanting to be with Miya, readily accepted the contract and became Mei's familiar, raising her status as a Priestess.

She looked down upon the world from the top of the palace.

The ugly world she once looked up to when she was small felt too confined.

Mei's gaze stretched beyond the horizon.

Her ambitions only grew larger.

***

"You're usually unlucky, aren't you, Isaac?"

"Why do you ask all of a sudden?"

"Well, you were involved in both incidents during the Grand Festival. Pierre Flanche acted out in anger because you got him disqualified, and Miya called you out to settle a grudge from a previous duel… You seem to get tangled up in misfortune."

"I don't think that's my fault, though…?"

"I'm not criticizing you. I just feel sorry for you."

The Grand Festival ended on a sour note.

I gave my statement to the faculty as someone involved in the incidents. Not earnestly… but by mixing truth and lies.

I told the truth about Mei calling me out for a fight.

However, I claimed not to know what happened after I fainted. I omitted the part where I activated [Hunter] and defeated Elmetona, pretending to be unaware of it.

The gap was filled by the appearance of the Nameless Hero, an archwizard who appeared on the clock tower with the White Dragon.

The faculty and the Imperial Knights witnessed this, indirectly proving that I was not the archwizard.

The Nameless Hero immediately fled from the clock tower. Naturally, that wasn't me.

It was Kaya, dressed in the magic cloak I had lent her. The already summoned Hilde had grown in size thanks to the mana I infused.

Fortunately, the academy and the Imperial Knights seemed to believe that it was the Nameless Hero. With Hilde's appearance, I would have believed it too.

'And…'

Hilde said that the Phantom Cat Cheshire hadn't followed.

I was certain because I paid close attention to mana detection.

Why hadn't it followed? It didn't know? Did it miss her? Or maybe because there was something more important it had to pay attention to?

Thinking about this naturally led me to question Alice Carroll's movements.

'Alice went straight to the dueling ground.'

As if she decided it was more important to observe me than the Nameless Hero who had appeared on the clock tower.

It wasn't a good sign. It was necessary to assume the worst-case scenario.

In case Alice was convinced that 'Isaac is the Nameless Hero.'

Before being interrogated, I was treated at the academy hospital. I wasn't badly injured, and thanks to Dorothy casting a healing spell on me, I was told that I only needed a few rehabilitation treatments for a while, so I was discharged fairly quickly.

The problem was Mei.

She was beaten badly by the demon Elmetona and was in terrible condition. Despite receiving advanced healing magic at the church, she couldn't move for about a week.

Now, I think it was time for her to leave the stage.

Early morning. The dim light pierced through the leaves.

"Sir Isaac, I'm here."

"Sit here."

I was sitting on a stump at Norhan Lake, inside Josena Forest.

After Kaya Astrea sat down on a chair I had prepared next to me, I took back the cloak from her and put it into my magic pouch.

"It must have been burdensome for you."

"Not at all! I'm fine with anything if it's your order.'

It wasn't an order.

Kaya's unwavering loyalty was incredibly admirable.

I responded with a smile.

"What would you like as a reward?"

"A reward? That's absurd! I'm your loyal follower, Sir Isaac…! Just one smile from you is more than enough. I'm prepared to do anything as long as I can see it…!"

"…"

Kaya answered passionately.

I was momentarily taken aback by the uniqueness of her response but realized she was projecting the contents of a novel she had recently read onto us, so I let it slide.

"Is that so?"

"But Sir Isaac, will people really believe that the person on top of the clock tower was the real Nameless Hero?"

"I don't think it will fool everyone…"

I couldn't really do much about skeptics or those who theorized about every single possibility.

The nagging question of why the Nameless Hero was surveying the academy from atop the clock tower remained unresolved.

"…But It'll be okay."

That much was enough.

It was far better than the arrows of suspicion being directed straight at me.

***

After parting ways with Kaya, I made my way to the academy's classrooms. The festivities were over, and it was time for all students to return to their daily routines.

While heading to Class B for the second-years of the Magic Department, I organized the current situation in my mind.

I had defeated Elmetona the Ethereal, cleared the Priestess of the Red Lotus, and gained a significant amount of EXP. I leveled up a total of four times, bringing my current level to 122.

And with the achievement, [Dwindling Flame], my [Fire Resistance] increased by 30, reaching 50, making it B Grade.

I invested all the stat points I had gained into [vs. Human Combat Power], which was now at 68 or -A Grade.

'Now, all that's left for this semester is…'

❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ 「Act 9, Alice Subjugation」.

I needed to prepare for a confrontation with Alice Carroll.

The Student Council President who always smiled, joked around with me, persistently asked me out on dates, and called me 'Baby' whenever we met.

…I had no hesitations. I had already made up my mind from the start. I had to fight Alice with the intent to kill.

Alice had always been bloodthirsty and couldn't control herself when she saw blood. I had seen it firsthand in the Trial of Frost.

So, it was clear she was someone I had to deal with.

I just didn't want to leave any doubts in this journey. I wanted to know three things.

'Who Alice was, what she was hiding, and why she committed suicide immediately after her defeat…'

As I thought about it, I naturally thought of the Priestess.

I reminisced about the faint memories and emotions that still lingered.

During the first round, I had to grapple with deep regret for not being able to protect the Priestess.

My aversion to the current Priestess, my indifference when Luce targeted her, my unhesitating revenge that left her nearly incapacitated during our last duel, and my inability to feel even the slightest affection for her until now.

It was all because she was not the true Priestess who had been my ally.

The world would soon be in an uproar over Miya and Mei.

I crossed the wide hallway when I reached Orphin Hall.

But somehow… I felt the sharp gazes of the students passing through.

"That's Senior Isaac."

"He's really handsome…"

"But is he really worth all the fuss?"

"He's sexy, smart, cool, diligent, has a great body, and is hot…"

My ears perked up. I wasn't sure why they were talking about me.

I had heard that the number of my admirers had increased among the freshmen, but I hadn't expected it to be this high. Feeling flattered, I quickened my pace to the second-year floor.

"The star has arrived."

"He should have been beaten up yesterday. Kugh."

"He's definitely good-looking…"

"Good grades, and surprisingly a genius."

No, what's this? I don't understand why they're acting like this.

Is it because of yesterday's incident?

No, that couldn't be right. Complimenting my looks and grades, what did that have to do with battling Mei?

Even the few students who were talking about the Nameless Hero started talking about me when they saw me.

'What on earth is going on…'

I decided to ignore it and entered the classroom. Many students in the room stared at me.

As soon as I settled through the uncomfortable atmosphere and found a seat, Mateo Jordana and a girl with black rabbit ear ribbons, Amy Holloway, approached me.

"Hey, Buddy."

"Hi, Amy and Mateo."

"Yesterday was so crazy, right?"

"The appearance of the Nameless Hero?"

"Ah, there's that too."

Amy sat on my desk and leaned forward to whisper.

"About the beauty contest."

"Contest?"

What?

The beauty contest was an event aimed at lifting the spirits of the student body before the closing ceremony.

Dressed beautifully, female students from each grade competed in a battle of beauty.

More focused on training, I was practicing magic in an empty training hall during the contest.

In ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, the beauty contest was merely a side event for character appeal. There was no reason for me to see it.

"It must be nice to be so popular. Man, my heart was racing yesterday."

"…?"

"Hehehe."

Ignoring Amy's chuckling, I turned my head towards Mateo.

"Did something happen during the contest?"

Amy and Mateo were both surprised.

"…You weren't there? You didn't see the absolutely wild finale?"

I nodded my head.

"My goodness…"

Amy and Mateo rubbed their foreheads and sighed.

Soon, Amy began to tell what happened yesterday.

* * *

Before the closing ceremony of the Grand Festival. The last event was the beauty contest.

In front of the entire academy, female students adorned with various ornaments took the stage.

Dressed in beautiful gowns, their beauty was enough to captivate the full admiration of the entire student body.

Hosted by Amy Holloway, the beautiful girls showed off their charms as they competed in several recreational activities and talent shows.

A final vote was held to determine the 'Märchen Academy Goddess of Beauty'.

"The winner of the Märchen Academy Goddess of Beauty is…!"

Ta-dah.

It was Snow White Von Kairos Elfieto.

She was in a pure white dress which was adorned with a pink hairpin and golden ornaments.

Famous for being the most beautiful woman in the world, she had already captured students' hearts from the moment she first stepped on stage.

Her adorned appearance was so stunning that she almost didn't look human.

It was even jokingly said that the Lord Manhalla must have sculpted her and claimed her as his magnum opus. Her beauty was truly unbelievable.

Following her in second place was Luce Eltania and third place was Dorothy Heartnova.

Amy stood next to White and brought her megaphone closer to ask how she felt about winning.

White, who had been tense and stiff throughout the whole pageant, suddenly thought of someone and showed a wistful expression.

Her response quickly caused a significant stir.

"There is someone I trust the most in this Academy. Someone who cares for me deeply. He loves me, sometimes reprimands me, but most importantly of all, he always keeps me on the right path. I… like this person the most in this academy. I dedicate all this honor to 'Senior Isaac.'"

Everyone's jaws dropped open.

Next to her, Luce's expression turned icy. Her head turned toward White, creaking like a broken machine. Her lifeless blue eyes stared at the Princess.

Standing on the other side, Dorothy opened her mouth in astonishment.

Kaya, another contestant, felt like she was being pulled by the back of her neck. She felt dizzy and started to stagger.

Amy was flustered to hear her friend's name, but she naturally smoothed the situation and continued with the proceedings, thinking, 'Of course, Isaac is her mentor after all.'

But the students, whose hearts had melted at White's cuteness, could not recover from their shock.

Next, Amy asked Luce how she felt.

Usually, the second and third places had a standard response. They would say that they were disappointed for not winning, but they would graciously acknowledge the winner.

However, Luce ignored all that and glared at White.

Luce was known for her adoration of Isaac. It seemed she was rendered speechless after hearing White's comment.

"Ahaha…! Luce, you seem too overwhelmed with emotions to express your thoughts, but that's okay, because you're really, really pretty!"

Caught off guard by Luce's murderous intent, Amy somehow managed to defuse the situation and move on.

"Okay, moving on! Lastly, Dorothy, please share your thoughts…"

"Hiyaa!"

"Ack!"

Dorothy simply snatched the megaphone from Amy and shouted.

"I love my fans, my friends, and everyone else here! But in this academy, the most precious person to me is you alone…!"

Dorothy stretched out her right arm, spreading her fingers and making a 'V' sign.

"…Isaac! Aren't I the prettiest girl you've ever seen? It's okay if you fall for me, you know. I don't mind. Nihihi."

A radiant smile spread on Dorothy's face.

The entire student body was shocked once again.

* * *

"And that's what happened."

In Class B's classroom. Amy finished her story, holding up her index finger.

"My goodness…"

I facepalmed my forehead.