As soon as his eyes met theirs, they avoided his gaze, and then avoided it again.

At first, he thought it would get better over time, but nothing had changed since last week.

‘Do I have to spend eight years in this class…?’

The only one who occasionally spoke to him was a female student who seemed to regard Richie as a rival.

“Do you want to see this, Twari-che?”

Richie looked at the paper the female student sitting next to him proudly showed him.

It was a magical affinity test sheet he had just received from Professor Rumbler.

Name: Izra Kent

…

Magical Affinity: 43

It was a high score, even compared to ordinary magicians. She had a reason to be proud.

‘Surely, I’m a genius!’ The thought was evident on her bright face.

Izra snatched the test sheet from Richie’s hand.

“I showed you mine, so show me yours.”

“Um, Izra.”

Richie, flustered by the snatch, called out to Izra.

‘Is it okay to show her?’

The test sheets were distributed to students today.

In other words, only the professors knew Richie’s magical affinity.

Sure enough, the smile disappeared from Izra’s face as she looked at Richie’s test sheet.

“…What is this?”

Still only ten years old.

Izra’s eyes filled with tears at the difficult number to accept.

‘I was always the best at magic…’

Her undefeated pride was cracked.

Richie, feeling awkward at Izra’s tears, took out a handkerchief.

“Are you okay, Izra?”

“Twari-che, your magical affinity is ninety-eight?”

Izra’s voice trembled.

The classmates who had been curious turned their heads all at once toward Richie.

“Ninety-eight?”

“Twari-che?”

“…So Twari-che is going to be an Archmage?”

The classroom buzzed with astonished children.

“Quiet down.”

The room fell silent at Professor Rumbler’s words, but the changed atmosphere was inevitable.

Even as they exchanged glances, their heads turned straight forward, showing a determination to avoid eye contact with Richie.

Richie sighed inwardly at the reaction.

Making friends seemed to be off the table after all.

“I have a friend.”

Richie was sitting side by side with Zekebert, whom he had met on the way, in a seldom-occupied garden bench in the academy.

Zekebert usually walked alone without an attendant, and Philip was sunning himself on a distant bench.

Thus, no one could overhear their conversation.

“Me?”

Richie blinked as if hearing the story for the first time.

Zekebert pointed to himself with his finger.

“Me.”

There was no doubt in his confident appearance that he was Richie’s friend.

Richie nodded.
“Right. But Zeke already decided to join a club. I need a friend who can join a new one….”

No. Before finding someone who isn’t scared of Deon, I had to find someone who wouldn’t avoid me.

“Am I scary?”

Or it might be because I’m from a commoner background.

Liche thought the latter was more likely but didn’t voice it out loud.

Admitting oneself to be a commoner would make Blake or Deon look down on you.

Because these nobles ignore commoners.

“……”

Zekebert quietly observed the side profile of Liche, who was lost in thought.

“Tuari Liche Ludwig is really pretty.”

When you wander around the campus in animal form, you happen to overhear a lot of stories.

There were quite a few stories about Liche too.

“You can’t even make eye contact because your heart is trembling.”

“Is it only me? You said you’re the same.”

……

“To enter Magic Studies? You not only need good magical affinity but also need to score well in the entrance exam.”

“Smart, huh? Should we greet her the next time we pass by?”

“Hey, we can’t greet her. We cornered her knight to kneel during the Celine incident, remember? We haven’t even apologized yet.”

“That’s… true.”

Among the lot, some found Ludwig scary, or even despised him for being a commoner, just like Liche said.

The students avoiding Liche wasn’t just for a bad reason as Liche thought.

“……”

I wish I could tell her.

But I didn’t have the words to explain it in detail.

“No.”

Zekebert briefly responded to Liche’s self-talk, wondering if she was scary.

“Thanks, Zeke. You’re all I have.”

Liche, realizing Zekebert’s awkward comfort, faintly smiled.

Zekebert thought hard about what he could do to help Liche.

Then an idea came to mind.

“Liche, should I take you?”

“To whom?”

“A friend.”

“……Really?”

Liche’s face brightened up.

And that afternoon.

They all gathered to discuss club matters.

In front of the closed door of an empty classroom.

“……”

“I brought a friend.”

“Hello, Tuari Liche.”

Liche looked up at the male student waving next to Zekebert, lost in thought.

‘Oh no.’

Anyone from the school would have been fine, except one.

The one person who wasn’t.

Why did I forget they were in the same grade?

Zekebert introduced the male student he brought to Liche.

“He’s in the same class, Ian Dwayne.”

“It’s the first time since we met that day. It’s been a while.”

Nod, nod.

Liche nodded her head hastily to Ian and then looked at Zekebert.

‘Help me!’

“……?”

It didn’t make sense at all. Liche envisioned a future that would spiral out of control.

Ian won’t be scared of Deon because they’re both special. I can’t talk when I’m with Ian.

Then everyone will find me suspicious, and eventually, the mirror, eventually, Hikenga, eventually, that I am a Letiom, will be revealed.

Gulp.

“What are you doing?”

Deon, who had arrived earlier, sensed the presence and opened the door.

Swiftly turning his head to look at the bewildered Liche, Deon frowned.