Lilina sighed with a wry smile. Scottia remained as domineering as ever.

*Gurgle...*

*I want to die...*

Only then did Lilina remember Wu Yan still cradled in her arms. She stroked his head as his two tentacles dangled limply.

"It’s okay, it’s over. Let’s go back!"

Holding Wu Yan close, Lilina stepped off the arena floor.

"Headmistress, this..."

Coline was equally helpless. Scottia had won the match yet claimed she never intended to compete—insisting the first-place title go to Lilina.

How could Lilina, who lost so utterly, possibly convince the crowd?

Coline shook her head. "Let Scottia keep first place. Just give Lilina the first-place reward."

"Yes, I’ll announce it immediately!"

Scottia returned to her seat, ignoring Alimi sprawled starfish-style on the ground nearby. With a flick of her wrist, she shattered every recording crystal. Then she silently contacted her Contract Beast.

"Well, Snowy White?"

"Hmm... Its magic was incredibly rich. I almost wanted to swallow it whole!"

"I meant—anything unusual?"

"Strange? Yes. Faint, but when I consumed it, it didn’t just replenish my magic—I lost some too. Though far less than I gained."

*Magic loss... Could that Dark Beast absorb magic?*

Scottia was stunned by her own thought.

"Oh! And when I got very close... it felt like... a noble presence blocked me from harming it."

Scottia recalled how others’ Contract Beasts had reacted to Wu Yan.

*A higher tier of nobility...*

*A Demigod. Or...*

*A god!*

*...*

"Why hasn’t the result been announced yet?"

"Seriously! What’s there to discuss? President crushed that girl in one move!"

*...*

The referee stood sweating at the arena’s edge until salvation arrived.

"Quiet, everyone! The winner of this match—Scottia!"

"President takes first place!"

"Amazing!"

*...*

"Lilina lost..."

The class fell into gloom. Stephanie clapped her hands.

"Second place still brings honor to our class! Be happy for Lilina!"

"Y-yeah... Lilina did great..." Alimi whispered in defense.

"Stephanie! Alimi!"

Lilina waved from across the field.

"Lilina!"

Alimi tried rushing to hug her but got shoved aside by classmates.

"Lilina, you were incredible!"

"You’re amazing!"

"Liliiiiina—"

The girls’ cheers roused Wu Yan from his daze.

*Gurgle...?*

*Huh?*

*Pfft!*

Two soft peaks smothered his face—a girl had squeezed Lilina in an overexcited hug.

*Gurgle!*

*I... can’t breathe...*

"Let me hug her too!"

Another girl shoved the first aside and clamped onto the bewildered Lilina.

*Phew... finally...*

*Gurgle!*

*AAAAH! Suffocating!*

"I want one too!"

A third girl elbowed her way in, crushing Lilina again.

*Gurgle!*

Another mountain of flesh pressed against Wu Yan’s face.

*Suffocation... suffocation...*

"L-Lilina..."

Alimi, who’d only watched until now, finally lunged forward and hugged her.

"Alimi..." Lilina finally hugged back when she saw her friend.

"You were so brave..." Alimi murmured, rubbing her cheek against Lilina’s.

*Gurgle...*

*Suffocating...*

Wu Yan’s tentacles went limp, drained of all energy.

He wouldn’t even survive the all-you-can-hug buffet.

In his final gasping moment, a thought surfaced:

*Flat chests really are better after all...*

*At least... you can breathe...*