Rebecca told the truth, and her friends all breathed sighs of relief. So Rebecca wasn’t having boyfriend troubles after all—thank goodness! With her looks, grace, and background, they’d always felt anyone she casually dated would be unworthy of her.

Still, after hearing what happened, everyone saw Rebecca in a new light.

"You actually went to his classroom to fight??" At lunch in the academy cafeteria, Lilia squeezed next to Rebecca, teasing. "How? With that tiny frame of yours??"

Unlike carefree Lilia, Laura studied Rebecca suspiciously for a long moment. "Rebecca... last time with Greenton—he wasn’t bullying you at all, was he? You really beat him up, didn’t you?"

Her words made everyone reconsider that recent incident.

They all knew about Rebecca’s last parent-teacher meeting. Laura and the others had even stormed her classroom to defend her. Back then, they’d assumed this delicate girl was being victimized—it hadn’t seemed odd. But now? They wondered if they’d been fooled that time too.

Rebecca shook her head firmly. "That time, Greenton *did* bully me!"

"Really?" Kami eyed her doubtfully.

"Really! He even harassed me!" Rebecca insisted earnestly.

"So after he harassed you... you just beat him up, right?" Laura narrowed her eyes.

Every gaze locked onto Rebecca. She didn’t flinch. "Yes."

"You little liar! Rebecca, you tricked us!" Lilia scolded—but her face glowed with amusement.

"I didn’t lie! I *was* bullied~" Rebecca replied innocently.

Everyone: "..."

"Rebecca, fighting is wrong. Especially for girls," Anna said gravely. While Anna worried her sister might turn into a delinquent brawler, Kami was stunned Rebecca could overpower boys.

"Rebecca... are you actually good at fighting?"

"I’m okay, I guess. I know magic." Rebecca dropped the bombshell casually.

"What??" After a stunned silence, the table erupted.

"You know magic?!"

"Yeah."

"Why didn’t you tell us?!"

"You never asked."

"Uh..." They fell silent.

"What kind of magic?" Laura pressed, everyone leaning in.

"Fire magic~" Rebecca conjured a fireball in her palm.

"Hey! Put it out! You’ll get detention for using magic in the cafeteria!" Laura yelped.

"Oh..." Rebecca extinguished it.

Their eyes held new respect. A soft, fragile Rebecca and a magic-wielding Rebecca were two entirely different people.

"Anna—if I recall right, Rebecca’s mother is from the Bantuo Kingdom royal family?" Kami, the most scholarly among them, spoke up.

"Uh... yes."

"Then it makes sense. Bantuo’s emblem is flame. Their royals conquered ancient lands with powerful fire magic. Their descendants inherit that power. So Rebecca knowing fire magic isn’t strange. But..." Kami frowned. "How did you learn it in Demon Race territory? Who taught you?"

"I read books. Self-taught. There were plenty..." *True enough.* As a top-tier demon, Rebecca’s magic was pure energy—taught by her Dark Lord father. The fire magic? Just something she’d picked up from random spellbooks.

"Wow... you figured it out alone?" Laura gaped.

Rebecca scratched her head and grinned.

"Why didn’t you tell us sooner?" Lilia pinched Rebecca’s cheek.

"You never asked..."

"..."

Pretending to be weak was becoming inconvenient. Her looks attracted trouble—and Rebecca never tolerated it. Like with Greenton. Plus, while the Ruta Family’s influence smoothed her path now, she thought long-term. What if emergencies struck later? Playing fragile would backfire terribly.

So she’d sent Golago to investigate. She learned Duke Ruta’s eldest son, Bino, had visited Bantuo Kingdom years ago as an imperial official. At a ball, he’d met a Bantuo princess. Their romance led to marriage. And as Kami said, Bantuo royals inherited fire magic. Rebecca decided to reveal her abilities. It’d surprise them—but with her "Bantuo princess mother," it wouldn’t seem absurd. *You never asked. Why would I randomly announce I know magic?*

"Come on! Everyone done eating? Let’s hit the training grounds to test Rebecca’s skills!" Laura stood, excited. "Lilia—you’re a mage. You’ll test her."

"Hehehe~ Perfect! Rebecca, be careful~ I’ll use wind magic to flip your skirt! Everyone excited??" Lilia cackled.

Silence. Even playful Carina stayed quiet—maybe still shocked by Rebecca’s magic.

"Stop messing around! What if you make Rebecca cry?" Laura scowled.

"Hehehe~" Lilia kept grinning.

Rebecca sighed but decided to humor them.

At the academy training grounds, Rebecca and Lilia stepped onto an empty platform. The others watched curiously.

"Show me a spell first~" Lilia stood casually. She’d always treated Rebecca like a doll to cuddle—why fear her? Besides, Lilia *was* Hobi Academy’s top mage.

Rebecca wouldn’t reveal her full power. She aimed for "above-average for her age"—enough to handle crises without suspicion, but not so flashy it drew attention. Perfect.

She snapped her fingers. Flame shot from her fingertip. After a few seconds, it solidified—a long, crackling fire whip coiled in her hand.

"Magic materialization? Such precise control... rare for her age!" Kami murmured, impressed.

Anna stared in shock. Carina sweated, eyes wide with fear—she’d bullied Rebecca often. She clutched Anna’s arm, but Anna was too stunned to notice.

Lilia was surprised but still relaxed. "Bring it."

Rebecca knew Lilia’s strength intimately. She could hold back safely. With a flick of her wrist, the fire whip danced in a brilliant arc toward Lilia.

Lilia smiled, one hand raised. Her fingers danced like playing piano in midair. A faint magic rune glowed at her fingertips. Just as the whip struck—

*Whoosh!*

A gale erupted. The fire whip scattered. Rebecca instinctively clamped her hands on her modest, long nun’s skirt.

*Too strong!* That damn Lilia really was trying to flip it and peek at her underwear!

"Lilia! This is a duel! Stop fooling around!" Kami fumed, hating how she targeted Rebecca.

"I *am* dueling~!" Lilia giggled, intensifying the wind.

"Stop it! You’ll tear her clothes!" Even through the barrier, the gale whipped their hair. Kami jumped onto the platform. "You bad-mannered mage!" She pulled a short wand from her bag.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Lilia pouted.

Rebecca quietly stepped down, leaving the platform to them.