A whole week had gone by since my fight with Dilbert and the discovery of my status as a revenant. I still needed to talk to Belitha about my present ascent. But there was the thought that she could see me differently if she did, and I didn't want to think about the possibility of that.
We were walking down the spacious hallways of the school, on our way to class while Belitha told me about her father and how he was actually one of the people who helped in defeating a demon lord.
Apparently, her father, is known as a heroic baron. How can this be? I had no idea. The setting is too unique! What happened to being an average person? I was worried about my association with Belitha making me popular. However, there were no guarantees.
"I'm looking forward to the future! I'm glad I'm with you, Nyx!"
She nodded and smiled as she spoke. Her smile and slight redness of her cheeks accentuated her beauty as well as her pointy ears and silvery white hair.
Indeed she was an elf, part elf at least. Full of unending cheerfulness and vividness that always refreshes my mind. She is upbeat and proactive in making friends, no matter what their attitude in return.
That's right. For now, so long as I have Belitha's smile I don't need anything else.
Entering the classroom was something else entirely. We were both surrounded by the students who were all chipper and had something nice to say all of a sudden, like "Nyx let's be friends", "No stealing a lead!" and all these coming from the girls.
Belitha dealt with her own share from the boys who were trying to make a pass at her, but as a pure maiden who wouldn't know about particular things like what they proposed she stood there shocked.
One held her by the finger tips and affectionately kissed the back of her hand prior to telling her that he'd heard so much about her father. And even calling her Miss Belitha. Another asked if she'd like to go around the school together. It was never-ending.
This situation...
It's not as if I'm popular as much as it's the headmaster's reputation that attracts them. Although I'm still happy that they're offering to become friends. Though that's about eight chicks.
"Don't get a swell head, Cross. You're not even worth them."
Said a random student at the end of the class, one of the snobbish nobles I have to tolerate everyday.
Oh, looks like not everyone's throwing up their arms to welcome me. But that aside, a noisy voice caught my attention, a heavily antagonistic and interrogative one.
"Come on, say the truth you bitch! An incompetent woman like you made it into this school? Maybe your poor ass family bribed your way in? Stolen money! Even worse!"
It was Dilbert at it again, this time badgering an obviously frightened lady who had just made claim that she did no such thing.
"Then how are you even here you lowly scum!?" these words were harsh, but what was even more crude was the manner with which he slapped her. Smacking her to the ground with his dominant male physique.
I didn't want to interfere, because for about five days I haven't had Dilbert on my case, so he could pick on someone else. That's a shameful decision I made, but I'm not pleasing anyone am I now?
"You stop that right now! You're upsetting her!"
Ah geez, she just had to get involved didn't she? It would've been better to leave this to the class representative who wasn't present in class as of the time being.
The girl on the ground was surprised someone stood up for her, a girl infact. Whereas Dilbert just saw this as her being stupid although he's aware of her magical affinity. With his conceited grin and haughty voice he stated.
"Well, well, if it isn't the the Heroic Baron's little girl. As you know I'm Dilbert Filum. Even a country girl like you has surely heard of the Filum Duchy."
He was indirectly claiming she may not have heard of it since she wasn't fully Nobility like he was.
Nonetheless she claimed to have known it although stammering and misplacing her words while she spoke as she wasn't the best liar.
She didn't see the point in him announcing his father was a Duke, what did he hope to prove. "Who gives darn anyways?" she threw the question in his face, she wasn't moved by influence or power of any kind.
"Tch! This girl belongs to the family of a merchant that serves my own. Though even with his daughter coming here as a fake ass noble, they could never measure up to the Filum family. So this girl is my servant, and I am her master. You have no right to meddle in our affairs."
He was already making sense, even if it was unjust. So I was forced to step in before the matter exacerbates any further.
"You're mistaken if you believe that makes it acceptable to say whatever you want to her." I wanted to make Dilbert realize that, but with the history we shared in such a short time I'm sure he'll make a big deal out of this. The chances were high.
"Huh? Sounds like you're getting awfully damn carried away. You're just riding the Headmaster's coattails."
It was very unusual of him to act this calm maybe he'd discovered that one can do a lot more with or without a large magical power supply or affinity for magic.
But I think what frustrated him with me was the fact that commoners had more mana than I did.
"It doesn't matter if I'm riding them or not. What's more important is that I ask you to apologize for disparaging her honor."
I didnʼt care what he said but I was more concerned about the on the ground who was in peril.
She was surprised that someone would stand up to him in the end, and it just had to be me.
And even after my plea Dilbert spat in my face with even more insults.
"So you're not gonna apologize?" I used an intensely jaded voice to make that question.
"Well, if you manage to best me in a duel, then maybe I'll consider listening to you." he was looking for another battle, but this type wasn't fixated on a particular theme, it was any kind which would mean Dilbert was free to use magic.
This made Belitha slightly less confident in me winning any possible duel with him, and it was even further established when she noticed "it." I asked her what was wrong and she stated.
"He's... He has a fire rune, that's enough power to boost his elemental magic of fire to the level of silver mage of the kingdom."
He had an advantage I didn't and that was magical use and now this fire rune that she spoke off, it was likely a Tier B equipment which wasn't easy to come by. But if you're the son of Duke I don't suppose it'd be as difficult.
Hope wasn't entirely lost, after all with my knowledge of magic theories and Scentia's adaptability I think I could cook up an advantage of my own.
"You lowly people could never hope to compare to me in terms of lineage or talent. Understand now?"
As proud as always, it was so annoying. And the way his friends/followers laughed alongside him made it irk me even more.
I slowly folded my fingers into my palm and clenched it tightly, this was actually the first time Dilbert had made me angry.
Be it righteous anger it was anger nonetheless. Their laughs intensified echoing throughout the entire class, I was about retaliating but stopped when I heard a woman's voice.
"What's the noise all about?"
Everywhere immediately got silent. And my anger quickly dissipates as I knew this voice quite well, it was Lady Ophelia Olgren. She is an elf with long silver hair and light blue eyes which resembling that of Belitha.
She wears a revealing red corset top, a matching color bottom, and laced high heel boots. Why was I worried? Because this was the only woman I was definitely sure of who could uncover my secret, this is bad. She is one of the seven Grand Sorcerers of Endlave; our continent.
"A fight this early in my class? Nonsense."
I was already shivering in my boots. Wait, wait, hold on. Why is she here?! I panicked severely as I walked backwards slowly just before I came up against a table, a small thud sound emanates. This prompts her to look in my direction with a somewhat scary glare. I'm done for!
"This has you written all over it, zero prodigy.."
She called me the same name the headmaster addressed me by. Something I came to be known as after the written exam, because only I would be praised as a prodigy for getting a 0/100 even though there's a very logical explanation behind it.
I wasn't exactly sure how to respond to her question but still I knew I had to, so standing rigid I returned a reply.
"Huh? Oh, yes."
That response didn't age well one bit. Not good, not good, not good! I'm already sweating profusely. She would figure it out just minutes being around me, this is bad, I had to find any means possible to avoid her, damn it! If she finds out about me, who knows what's gonna happen.
"L-Lady Ophelia, I see you're doing well today. Urk! U-Um, well..."
I couldn't properly use my words, I've heard stories of how scary she can be, especially when she isn't in good mood. Keeping a secret isn't as easy as it sounds.
She looked at me very meticulously like she wanted to look through me and honestly it made me uncomfortable I couldn't bear it for a second longer, but she broke the silence quickly after.
"Hmph. You were having an interesting discussion though. So very well. I'll permit your duel. Get to it. Show me your power."
Everyone in the room drew in a dramatic rush of air gasping out of the disbelief that she'd reject the battle and then the complete opposite happening.
The only person smiling was Dilbert, and inconspicuously might I add, the red gem ring on his middle finger was a Tier B flame or fire rune which gave him immense magic buffs. That's why he was so confident about this duel.
All I could do was awkwardly grin as sweat trickled down the sides of my head. Murmurs erupted in the classroom - - "Lady Ophelia is judging them herself?!", "That's the zero prodigy for you!", "He's gonna lose badly though!", "Shhh! Don't say it so loudly!"
Lady Ophelia and I both forcefully smiled at each other because we both knew what was on each other's mind.
She wanted to know why I didn't take the practical exams for entry, maybe Belitha didn't need to because she was indeed a prodigy and you can tell most strong mages from their aura. But for my case, it was different and she wanted to know what the reason was, I didn't really get into the school in a fair way as strings were pulled whereas others really did work hard to get here.
It wouldn't do me or the headmaster any good if she found out. So I can't be too strong but I can't be weak either, crap! I don't even know any magic spells.
I'm done for...