Father, I Won’t Do Anything

Upon returning from the faculty office to submit the assignments, Amelia headed straight for Jaina.

“The homeroom professor has summoned you.”

“Really?”

“And the next class won’t be held in the Third Laboratory, but in the Music Room due to sudden renovations.”

“Thank you for letting me know.”

Though she said that, Jaina didn’t believe her.

‘Until now, they would write the location in large letters on the blackboard before a change of classroom, so why would they suddenly go through the trouble of relaying it verbally?’

Even if the change had been so abrupt that there was no time to write on the blackboard, it seemed suspicious that Amelia would approach her first instead of her closer friends.

And conveniently, the timing coincided with when Jaina had been summoned to the faculty office.

‘Perfect for isolating me?’

Jaina secretly attached a mana bird, crafted from her powers, onto Amelia’s clothing before heading to the faculty office.

The Magic Tower’s mana birds were difficult to detect unless one had the exceptionally keen senses of a Magic Tower magician, so there was no risk of being caught.

“Hmm.”

On her way to the faculty office, Jaina crossed paths with Margalie, Amelia’s close friend, in the hallway.

Despite their eyes meeting, Margalie pretended not to see her, clearly assisting Amelia in the ‘Subdue Jaina’ effort.

Jaina gave Margalie a wry smile before quickening her pace.

Upon arriving at the faculty office, Jaina approached her homeroom professor’s desk.

“You summoned me, Professor?”

“I did no such thing. There must be some misunderstanding…”

‘As expected.’

By now, it was certain.

Jaina bowed, claiming she must have misheard, before leaving the faculty office.

Mentioning Amelia’s name before the professor without concrete evidence would have little effect.

Moreover, Amelia was a noble lady.

At this academy where even elderly professors addressed young students with honorifics, any evidence would likely be quickly covered up, regardless.

It didn’t greatly concern Jaina, but still.

On her way back, Jaina recalled the mana bird she had planted. Soon, the scenes and sounds it had witnessed and heard were conveyed to her mind.

-I definitely shredded all her textbooks and assignments, so how did this happen?

-This time, we’ll finally break her spirit. It irks me how a commoner behaves as if she’s someone important.

-Isn’t she from a slave background?

-For someone of such lowly origins to have been Prince Rosian’s partner at the debutante, how laughable.

While the Melbel Academy accepted commoners based solely on ability, the Department of Magic, where early education was crucial, was predominantly comprised of noble scions.

‘So that’s the gist of why they’re bullying me.’

-The others initially looked down on her too, but now they casually greet her. How outrageous?!

-When is it ever acceptable for a mere minnow to muddy the waters? They must have conveniently forgotten their own words. Worthless rabble incapable of following through.

-Amelia. I won’t be like the others. I’ll remain by your side, so trust only me and no one else.

‘What a charming friendship.’

Jaina began carefully observing their gathering spot.

The various easels set up here and there, and the portraits lined up against one wall…

As expected, the next change of classroom wouldn’t be the Music Room Amelia had mentioned, but the Art Room instead.

“Eh…?”

As Jaina entered the Art Room, Amelia, upon making eye contact, widened her eyes in apparent surprise at Jaina’s presence.

Jaina approached the two who had arrived early and smiled brightly.

More precisely, she smiled while gazing at Margalie beside Amelia.

“Thank you for informing me of the location, Lady Margalie.”

“Huh? What are you…”

Without answering, Jaina shifted her gaze to Amelia.

“Lady Amelia, so it was the Art Room, not the Music Room? The professor also said she didn’t summon me.”

“That’s because Jaina must have misheard when I told another student…”

“If I hadn’t run into Lady Margalie in the hallway and asked her the proper location, I would have missed this class.”

Amelia fell silent, alternating her gaze between Jaina and Margalie. Under Amelia’s scrutinizing stare, Margalie flustered in a daze.

“Ah, no. I, I didn’t… Say anything like that…”

However, Amelia’s glare only intensified.

She seemed to think there was no way Jaina could have found this place without someone informing her.

Amelia turned to glare at Margalie, apparently prioritizing dealing with the perceived betrayal over addressing Jaina.

Heaving a sigh, Amelia faced Jaina again to speak.

“Come to think of it, I must have misinformed you earlier. My apologies.”

“Please be more careful next time. I’ll let it go this time.”

Jaina responded innocently to Amelia’s apology before turning away, as whispers arose behind her.

“What’s going on here?”

“No, I don’t know… Someone else must have told her. I really didn’t, I just happened to cross paths with her in the hallway but didn’t say anything.”

Taking her seat, Jaina let out a soft sigh as she overheard their murmurs.

‘Will they finally leave me alone now?’

She had come here to clear her mind, but it only seemed to grow more cluttered instead.

* * *

After the Art Room incident, the previously inseparable Amelia and Margalie drifted apart.

The two no longer even greeted each other when they crossed paths. Though everyone found it perplexing, no one except Jaina knew the reason.

And so, factions formed – Amelia’s group and Margalie’s group, divided among those close to either of them.

Jaina had thought the bullying would subside by this point, but instead, the intensity only escalated further.

Cecil, who had been cautiously observing the situation, approached Jaina in a hushed tone.

“Jaina, could you please follow me somewhere out of sight?”

“Of course.”

Though momentarily suspicious of a potential trap, Jaina shook her head before immediately following Cecil.

‘Since it’s Cecil, and not the others.’

From the beginning, Cecil had been uncomfortable with the efforts to ostracize Jaina, secretly offering her assistance instead.

There was no reason for her to be among those bullying Jaina now.

Even if it were a trap, Jaina wasn’t particularly concerned.

The two headed to a secluded area.

Even after arriving, Cecil vigilantly scanned their surroundings.

“Cecil, you brought me all the way here. What’s the matter?”

“Well… The thing is… For the practical evaluation this afternoon…”

Cecil tightly shut her eyes as she exclaimed:

“They seem to be planning to tamper with your reagents!”

“What do you mean by that?”

Jaina was aware that the ‘Subdue Jaina’ group had disbanded, but it seemed someone was still persisting in their efforts.

‘Their tenacity is quite remarkable, to say the least.’

“I overheard Lady Amelia telling Lady Nicole that since we sit in attendance number order during Herbology class, and you and Lady Amelia are in the same group, Lady Amelia, being in charge of reagents, will…”

“Lady Amelia, the class president, has been very attentive towards me, so for her to do such a thing…”

“Of, of course you wouldn’t believe it. There’s a chance she may have changed her mind midway. But it’s true that Lady Amelia disliked you from the start. The reason is… a bit difficult to explain…”

Cecil gazed at Jaina with evident concern.

‘Is she worried I might be hurt if she reveals the reason?’

“No, I believe you. You’ve been kind to me from the beginning, Cecil. I know you’re not the type to lie to me.”

“…”

“Even the best of people can have unkind thoughts occasionally. But acting on those thoughts is another matter entirely. I’ll hope that Lady Amelia changes her mind by this afternoon.”

“How can you be so magnanimous, Jaina?”

“Isn’t it you who has been more magnanimous, coming to share this with me?”

Jaina smiled reassuringly at Cecil, comforting her not to worry.

‘Of course, I have no intention of simply enduring it.’

During the afternoon Herbology class, held in the laboratory instead of the classroom to test reagents prepared by finely grinding herbs, Professor Ellen conducted the lesson.

“The appearance of mana-enhancing reagents is remarkably similar to mana-suppressing reagents. This is because the main ingredients, iphelleo and sizje herbs, produce a nearly identical color when boiled. However, their effects are completely opposite. Since both reagents are frequently used, we must carefully distinguish between them.”

‘So that’s why they considered swapping them.’

As the day’s reagent assistants, Amelia and Nicole had arrived early to help prepare the reagents for distribution.

“Professor, we’ve finished preparing the reagents.”

“Alright then. Shall we start distributing them to the students?”

Amelia and Nicole went around distributing the reagents to the students.

“Here is yours, Jaina.”

“Thank you.”

Jaina witnessed them surreptitiously swapping her reagent with another while pretending to hand it to her.

‘They must have counted on the similar appearances to make them indistinguishable.’

Of course, the subtle mana emanating from the reagents could be used to tell them apart, but to the Herbology professor’s cursory glance, the two reagents were indeed nearly identical.

However, Jaina, having learned various subjects under Hilvenzia, could differentiate them.

“Please take two pots each from the ones placed in front. The practical evaluation will be a growth-inducement spell. The pots contain luminous flower seeds. While casting this spell on seeds not aligned with your affinity would normally be difficult, the mana-enhancing reagent should make it manageable. Your scores will be based on the growth achieved.”

As Jaina poured the mana-suppressing reagent into her two pots, she glimpsed Amelia’s satisfied smile from the corner of her eye.

“Let’s begin the practical evaluation.”

Ellen began circulating among the groups, observing and grading each student’s results one by one.

Everyone tensely channeled their mana into the pots before them.

Having added the mana-enhancing reagent, most succeeded in casting the growth-inducement spell, though only managing to sprout seedlings.

However, one student seemed to achieve something different.

Amelia.

“Lady Amelia has bloomed a full flower, not just a seedling! Impressive! It’s a pity the highest score is an A, or I would have given you more. The rest of you should strive to emulate Amelia’s performance.”

Adjusting her glasses, Ellen spoke in an admiring tone.

“Truly befitting of a lady from the Marquis de Melan lineage, descendants of the great magician. Your father must be proud.”

Undisguised pride was evident on Amelia’s face upon hearing those words.

“Hmph. Your turn, Lady Jaina.”

Coincidentally, Jaina was right after Amelia in the evaluation order.

Amelia gazed at Jaina with a subtle, mocking smile.

As Jaina blankly returned her gaze, Ellen, mistaking it for nervousness, kindly addressed her with a warm smile.

“No need to be anxious. Amelia simply performed exceptionally well.”

“Yes.”

In truth, Jaina had no intention of outperforming Amelia.

Having come to the academy seeking a period of respite, she didn’t wish to draw attention to herself.

However, she couldn’t simply let those bullying her have their way.

The more she endured, the more emboldened they would become – a truth she had learned from past experiences.

Jaina calmly placed her hand over the pot containing the mana-suppressing reagent. Soon, a radiant glow began emanating from her hand.

Shooooook!

In an instant, the luminous flowers in both pots rapidly sprouted and grew.

While the pot with the mana-enhancing reagent had only grown to about forearm height at most, Jaina’s mana-suppressed pot…

“Aaah! It’s blinding!”

“I can’t see in front of me!”

“Wh, what is this?”

…had grown taller than Jaina herself, forming a towering pillar of radiant light.

Everyone was struck with shock at the sight.