"Kid, you're about to start learning magic."

After the transformation was complete, Teacher Mela removed her boring white lab coat, revealing her legs, and turned to Moen, who lay motionless on the cold steel operating table like a salted fish—the dream of every zombie.

"Magic...?"

It was only after a long pause that Moen lifted his head in a daze, his face filled with a numbness that spoke of having given up entirely.

But slowly, as if a switch had been flipped, a glimmer of light returned to his eyes.

"Magic?"

Moen jolted upright, only to immediately collapse to the floor in pain, writhing in agony. Yet even amidst the pain, he raised his head, his excitement undiminished, and looked at Teacher Mela.

"Can I finally learn magic?"

He hadn’t forgotten that the reason he came to this academy and pushed himself so hard to study was to learn powerful magic!

Although the goal of dismantling the power of the King of Wither was gone, honestly, what self-respecting man could resist strong and dazzling magic?

Art—what is it?

Art is explosion!

And only magic could deliver the ultimate explosion!

"Well... to be precise, you'll start by learning how to control magic with precision."

Teacher Mela explained, "I told you before, the foundation of magical knowledge is a must. Once you work with more than one alchemical core, the pathways for inputting and outputting magic will become exponentially more complex. Add in those intricate magic patterns, and without precise control, you’re just a few wrong steps away from, well… completely losing it."

"Why does it always sound like you're insinuating something every time you say such things?"

Moen's mouth twitched, but he quickly dropped the matter. His expression grew serious as he asked, "So, where's the strong, unbeatable, super-cool magic I wanted to learn?"

"…Well, about that… I’ve heard about your Campbell family situation from that kid Pulan. At first, I didn’t believe it. Out of curiosity, I even tested your magical aptitude a little myself…"

Teacher Mela's eyes drifted as she muttered, "Sure, you can learn magic, but..."

"But…?" Moen pressed.

"But… I’d recommend you treat learning powerful magic as… just a hobby."

"A hobby?"

Moen froze.

Then froze again.

And then froze some more.

A hobby?

Did that imply that he shouldn’t aim too high or expect too much?

In other words…

"Is the Campbell family’s genetic curse truly so overpowering that even you, Teacher Mela, are at a loss to overcome it?!"

Realization struck Moen. He covered his face, tears streaming down in defeat.

"Well, it’s not that I can’t do anything," Teacher Mela clarified. "If I wanted, I could turn you into a top-tier mage without much effort. But…" she stared directly into Moen’s eyes, speaking sincerely.

"Are you truly willing to give up everything you've strived for thus far, just to devote all of yourself to magic?"

"…"

Moen was stunned into silence.

Was he willing?

Of course not.

After all, he’d already come so far on this current path. How could he pivot so easily into something unknown?

For him, magic was only an aspiration, nothing more.

"I’ll admit, those who like to shout things like 'my life is mine to live, not dictated by the heavens!' do exist," Teacher Mela remarked. "But constantly fighting against the inevitable... to me, that's foolish—very foolish."

"People who say such things usually already have broader and better paths and opportunities than the most. It's easy for them to disdain the compromises ordinary people are forced to make."

Teacher Mela patted Moen on the shoulder, offering her reassurance.

"Don’t be too upset. The Campbell family's lack of magical aptitude is balanced out by your exceptional physical abilities. Otherwise, after all the… let’s call it training I’ve put you through, there’s no way you’d still be standing."

"…Fair point."

Moen chuckled bitterly, swiftly coming to terms with reality.

In truth, he had little reason to complain. At this point in his life, he wasn’t wandering aimlessly without purpose, recklessly leaping into danger just to cling to survival.

Now that he was on this path, his only choice was to pour every ounce of effort he had into seeing it through to the end.

For this, he owed Teacher Mela a great deal of gratitude.

"Also, don’t underestimate the importance of learning precise magical control. For someone like you, it’ll still demand considerable time and effort," Teacher Mela added.

"So…" Moen asked expectantly.

"Don’t even look at me." Teacher Mela cut him off without mercy.

"This is something covered in classes. Go learn on your own. I don’t have the time to spoon-feed you every little thing."

"Fine." Moen nodded with a resigned sigh and obediently lay back down in the Sea of Flowers.

A soft breeze swept through the air, carrying the sweet fragrance of blossoms into his mind.

Today, a different variety of flowers seemed to bloom in the Sea of Flowers, filling the space with a unique sense of serenity.

Moen stared blankly at the artificial, azure vault of the sky above, lost in thought.

Learning magic or not honestly wasn’t that big of a deal. What truly mattered now was—

"Holy City, huh…"

In the end, he found himself swept into the whirlpool of fate.

Leaving the academy, leaving Belland, stepping out of the protective shadow of Teacher Mela to head for the Holy City—a place where even his status as the Duke's son would hold no sway.

This was a road that should never have been part of his plans; it was completely at odds with the future he once sought.

And yet…

Now that he had truly made up his mind to walk in, he didn’t feel the panic he thought he might.

"I guess I’ve got used to it by now."

Moen mused, raising one hand into the air to grasp at the void before clenching it tightly.

"Then I'll just prepare as much as I can before destiny strikes again."

...

The tides of fate were steadily closing in, yet Moen’s days settled back into a temporary peace.

But as he poured himself heart and soul into preparations and studying, the leisure he once dreamed of slipped further and further away.

Precise magical control.

Engraving alchemical matrices.

Honing his techniques.

Becoming stronger.

And preparing for the journey ahead.

Before he realized it, numerous pressures once again bore down upon him.

But…

As was previously said.

These burdens were nothing new to him.

All he needed to do was to maintain his steady pace, as always, and keep moving forward.

And so, Moen set to work once more.

It was almost like returning to the days when he had driven himself relentlessly to excel and complete Teacher Mela’s missions.

Running like a well-oiled machine, he tirelessly cycled between the Black Book, classrooms, canteen, Sea of Flowers, and his dormitory.

This time, there was no Senior to accompany him.

Even so, amidst the grind, Moen found a new source of enjoyment.

Lea's musical performances.

It became one of the few moments in his day when he could truly relax.

...

"Huh? How did I fall asleep?"

Through a haze of drowsiness, Lea seemed to hear Moen’s voice.

Then she felt something warm pinch her cheek.

Lea snapped awake and found Moen standing there awkwardly, his fingers frozen midair.

Her face instantly flushed.

"You-you pervert! What do you think you're doing?"

"Ah, sorry, you just looked too cute, so I couldn’t resist—"

"Cute? You jerk! I knew you'd eventually reveal your true colors!"

As Moen watched her duck behind a tree in the blink of an eye, peering back at him warily with only half her face visible, he wanted nothing more than to slap himself.

Why did he always have this bad habit of pinching cute things the moment he saw them?

One day, this compulsion to touch was surely going to be the end of him.

"So, uh, Lea, were you just…"

Moen’s gaze drifted toward the spot where Lea had been resting moments ago.

"Studying? Being so diligent, even now…?"

"That’s… none of your business!"

Lea blurred back to his side with lightning speed, furiously stuffing her books away into her storage space.

"Alright, alright."

Noticing the faint exhaustion in Lea’s eyes, Moen didn’t press the issue and instead raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Well then, Miss Lea, could we begin today’s performance?"

"Hmph."

Lea let out a cute huff as she lifted her violin.

Melodic music flowed forth, melting the frost atop the branches.

Moen leaned back on the bench, listening in silence.

Ever since that one unexpected incident between them, the two had adjusted the way they met. They’d exchanged transmission stone frequencies and would use them to agree on meeting times and places.

While the times varied, they almost always returned to this sycamore grove.

It was quiet and secluded.

Especially as the semester drew to its end and the academy announced its upcoming selection of students bound for the Holy City. Nearly every student had forsaken their usual recreation to focus entirely on their studies.

And with a certain overlord protagonist no longer needing to sneak down back alleys just to scrounge up black bread for survival, these already lonely paths grew even more desolate.

This place, then, had turned into something akin to their secret hideaway.

As their musical sessions grew more frequent, Moen could sense Lea's initial vigilance toward him steadily fading.

Although she still occasionally reacted with exaggerated surprise in moments like the one earlier, Moen could tell it was, for the most part, just her teasing him now.

Her music, too, was no longer as mechanical as before. Slowly but surely, she began to infuse it with genuine emotion.

It sounded more beautiful than ever.

Lately, however, Moen could detect a familiar quality in Lea’s performances. It appeared in her gaze and her expression.

It was the look of someone pouring every last ounce of strength into pursuing something.

He also noticed the exhaustion etched across her face.

Still, Moen didn’t interrupt their sessions.

He realized that for Lea, it was only during these moments of playing her music that she could let go of her many burdens.

Unknowingly, these performances—while initially not her primary intent—had become one of the rare respites for the girl, who carried so much on her shoulders.

The radiant holy light her melodies emitted not only eased Moen’s fatigue but seemed to soothe Lea’s spirit ever so slightly, too.

It seemed that, without realizing it, the act of performing was no longer just for money.

Moen didn't break this tacit understanding.

Appoint a place.

Perform.

Listen.

Pay.

A simple relationship between an employer and a performer.

Lea performed earnestly.

He quietly listened to the music.

That was all.

"Not bad at all."

Watching Lea, who performed captivating melodies like a sprite, Moen smiled faintly.

Then, time passed.

---

A month later, at Santa Maria College.

After nearly a month of persistent snowfall, today in Belland finally welcomed a rare good weather. The gentle winter sun shone on the snow-clad earth, making everything in the world shimmer as if adorned with jewels, as though this long winter was about to come to an end.

Perhaps due to some mysterious influence, this year's winter came more quickly and fiercely than usual. Nearly a month of consecutive snowfalls had almost blanketed the city entirely in white—a phenomenon extremely rare even in the history of the entire empire.

Although consistent external efforts ensured the endless snow didn't significantly affect this bustling city, such a sunny day naturally lifted the spirits of everyone basking in its warmth.

Even the academy seemed to be infected by this joyful atmosphere, with the sound of students laughing and playing echoing everywhere.

Of course, the students' happiness wasn't solely due to the clear skies. According to the calendar, they had less than a week remaining before the much-anticipated long vacation.

As for those bothersome exams, they had already ended three days ago. Those who did well celebrated in anticipation of the break, while those who didn't had already resigned themselves to their fate.

But today was a little more special.

“Hurry up! Lea, are you ready yet?”

In the morning, Ariel did something rare—she hadn't waited for Lea to wake her up. Instead, she burst into Lea's room in a flurry of urgency.

“You lazy pig, time’s almost up!”

“Who are you calling a lazy pig?!”

Fully dressed and prepared, Lea pouted adorably and shot Ariel a glare.

“I always get up earlier than you!”

“Hehe, I was just worried that you'd slip up at such a crucial moment. You little mare” Ariel scratched her head with a sheepish grin.

“Who's the one slipping up, YOU are the mare!” Lea huffed and gave Ariel’s side a playful pinch.

She didn’t use much force, though—the neatly prepared uniform wasn’t suitable for roughhousing.

The two exchanged smiles.

“Nervous?”

“A little.”

“Hah! I’m not nervous at all!” Ariel placed her hands on her hips, exuding a strong aura of confidence.

Today was indeed a special day.

Because today was the day the academy would announce the students selected to attend the Holy City for the Sacred Offering Ceremony.

According to what the academy had said a month ago, they would base their decision on students' performance, grades, and overall abilities over time.

The number of slots was limited, and the competition was fierce.

After all, even for the students of Santa Maria College, a significant portion were devout followers of the goddess Emil. Being able to personally visit the Holy City was an extraordinary honor to them.

Not to mention, it was a monumental ceremony that would determine the future Saintess.

If one could establish a connection with the future Saintess...

Naturally, the announcement ignited a surge of ambition among many students.

Unfortunately, the academy had imposed an age restriction from the start: only students under twenty were eligible. This led many senior students to lament and regret bitterly. Otherwise, the competition would have been even more intense.

But even with such strict prerequisites, Ariel was full of confidence.

Because all her efforts up to this moment had been for this day.

Not only for herself but also for the girl beside her who had silently supported her all along.

Still...

“Lea, are you sure you’ll be okay?” Ariel asked, her concern evident as she gazed at Lea.

Even though Lea was one of the central figures of this ceremony and was the church's chosen Saintess-to-be, she still needed to meet the academy’s criteria to attend the ceremony with them.

This was likely also why the church prohibited Saintess candidates in the mundane trials from revealing their identities. If she couldn’t even qualify for the ceremony on her own merits, how could she hope to lead countless believers in the future?

“I’ll be fine.” Lea nodded resolutely, suppressing her nervousness deep within and signaling to Ariel to relax.

“I can do this.”

Though she had always been inconspicuous, her academic performance had consistently been stellar.

More importantly, she had worked even harder in recent times.

So there was nothing to worry about.

Yes, I can do this!

“That’s good to hear.”

Seeing Lea finally exude some confidence, Ariel extended her hand toward her.

“Let’s go.”

---

Inside the auditorium.

When the two entered the auditorium’s large doors, they found it already buzzing with noise.

A large crowd of students had taken their seats, forming small groups as they speculated about who would be selected.

Even though the announcement only concerned lower-grade students, many upper-grade students had shown up to watch the spectacle.

“Damn it, we’re late.”

Ariel dragged Lea through the noisy crowd, searching for seats.

After quite some effort, they finally located a few adjacent empty spots in the corner.

Once seated, both girls let out long sighs of relief and waited quietly.

But before the announcement could begin, Ariel noticed a familiar figure passing by. After a moment’s hesitation, the figure stepped past her and unabashedly sat in the empty seat next to Lea.

An unmistakably irritating air surrounded him.

“Moen Campbell?!” Ariel's eyes widened in surprise.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, honestly, it's not like I had many options...” Moen shrugged with a helpless expression. “As you can see, I was late too and couldn’t find an empty seat.”

“Couldn’t you have looked for longer? I bet you did this on purpose!” Ariel hugged Lea protectively, scowling.

“Admit it—are you trying to get close to Lea?”

“…”

Faced with her accusations, Moen’s lips twitched involuntarily.

Why, after three chapters, was this girl still entertaining such absurd notions?

He hadn’t made a single move for an entire month. Why would he suddenly try it now, right in front of her?

Did he really look like someone reckless enough to steal away the protagonist's love?

“If you don’t want me sitting next to Lea, why don’t you switch places with her instead?” Moen patted the armrest and smiled. “I wouldn’t mind sitting next to you.”

“You—!” Ariel’s round eyes flared with anger.

Sitting next to this loathsome guy? There was no way she was doing that…

“It’s fine.”

Lea, who was still nestled in Ariel’s embrace, discreetly pinched Ariel's waist.

“With so many people around, what could Mo—Moen Campbell possibly do to me? Ariel, you’re overthinking it.”

“Hmph, my instincts tell me not to let my guard down around this guy.” Ariel muttered under her breath, releasing Lea reluctantly.

After throwing one last glare at Moen, she turned to face the front of the hall.

It was beginning.

Lea straightened her posture and sat properly, not sparing Moen a single glance.

Onstage, the whimsical Pink Bear interim principal began his speech. After spouting a mass of nonsense—including regrets about stepping down before summer and missing the chance to observe female students during swimming class—he was gracelessly kicked aside by the exasperated Professor Pulan.

Finally, they got to the main event.

“Now, regarding the selection of candidates to represent our academy in the Holy City…”

The entire hall grew tense.

Ariel held her breath.

“Grade 3, Fanny Sawyer.”

Cheers erupted from a corner of the auditorium.

That was the first name.

“Grade 3, Vicki Morse.”

The cheers grew equally loud.

That was the second name.

“Grade 3, Marshall Eddy.”

The third name.

“Grade 3, Aaron Mack.”

Gulp.

The fourth!

All four so far were third-years.

But that made sense. With an age restriction in place, the third-years—being closest to the limit—naturally had the advantage.

After all, a single year was enough to create significant gaps in qualifications.

It wouldn’t even be surprising if all the selected names came from the third-years.

“Grade 2, Ariel Bugard.”

The fifth name...

“It’s me!”

Though she had been confident, hearing her name filled Ariel with a hard-to-contain joy. She jumped up excitedly and hugged Lea tightly.

“Lea, I made it!”

“Mm.”

Lea clasped Ariel’s hand firmly, sharing in her happiness. “Congratulations, Ariel.”

“I…” Ariel started to say something but suddenly froze.

She noticed an unease behind Lea’s smile.

A realization struck her like lightning.

Yes.

She had made it. But now, just two slots remained.

There were still so many outstanding second-year students!

Lea...

“Don’t… don’t worry, Lea. Even if this doesn’t go your way, I’ll find another way to take you to the Holy City. I promise!” Ariel assured earnestly.

Lea let out a small hum of acknowledgment.

That’s right.

There was no need to worry.

Even if she, someone so seemingly useless, failed… as long as Ariel was by her side, everything would be fine…

"There's really no need to worry, Lea."

Suddenly, Lea heard a familiar voice ring in her ears.

"Believe in yourself. You can absolutely do it."

"You..."

Lea was startled for a moment. She stole a quick glance at Ariel, who was staring intently ahead, then bit her lip and turned to Moen, who was speaking in a lowered voice. Matching his quiet tone, she said softly:

"Why... why are you so sure?"

"Because of intuition," Moen replied with a smile.

"Intuition... that's so unreliable..."

"And also... because you've worked really hard."

The calm but assured words echoed in her mind.

Lea froze for a moment and looked toward the man beside her, who seemed completely at ease.

His bright blue eyes were crystal clear, devoid of even a trace of pretense.

"Tch."

Lea suddenly snapped back to her senses, her cheeks tinged with pink. She let out an adorable little huff.

"Liar."

Almost tricked by those flowery words.

You only interact with me briefly each day when I practice my music—what could you possibly know about me?

Besides, for someone as clumsy as me, simple hard work could never possibly...

"Second Year, Lea Angel."

Professor Pulan's solemn voice reached her ears.

Lea froze in place.

Her wide, watery eyes resembled the surface of a calm lake into which a small pebble had been thrown, sending gentle ripples across its quiet reflection.

In an instant, it was as though she had returned to that timeless moment before every performance she'd ever prepared for.

All sound had faded away.

She stood up dazedly, lowered her head dazedly, and... dazedly gazed at the handsome young man who now leaned on one hand, smiling.

"See?"

Moen said cheerfully:

"My instincts didn't go wrong. In this world, hard work will never betray you, Lea."