Karl watched Freya on the arena, the corner of his eye twitching uncontrollably.

Too arrogant!! Freya! Are you really committed to playing the villain till the end???

Karl hurried onto the arena, stepped beside Freya, and whispered,

"Freya, tone it down. Acting this smug will piss the other side off."

Freya tilted her head, genuinely confused.

"Why should I care about their feelings?"

...

Karl fell speechless.

*Because we need good relations!!! Is that not obvious?!*

"Freya! You're supposed to be the gentle, humble wife-and-mother type! Act amiable!"

Freya sighed and nodded.

"Fine. Since you insist... I'll try to sound gentler."

...

Though she agreed, Karl had a bad feeling this wouldn't end well.

Just then, a tall girl with brown curly hair stepped forward from the remaining nine top students.

"I'm Dolly. Also mid-tier Silver-rank. I'll take you on this round."

She drew a staff from her waist. Mana surged through it—bathed in silvery light, it lengthened smoothly into a gleaming silver spear.

Seeing her stance set, Karl turned to leave but paused to remind Freya:

"Don't forget what I said!"

Then he hurried off the arena.

Freya slowly raised her sword into combat stance. Remembering Karl's words, she added softly:

"I'll try to be gentle with you."

Dolly's brows snapped together.

"Are you mocking me?!"

"Not at all. Just worried about hurting your pride."

Freya was genuinely trying to be considerate.

...

Dolly's face flushed with anger. *No one's ever looked down on me like this!*

Dean Glot, watching nearby, frowned deeply. *My prized student—disrespected like this?! This insults my honor as former Imperial Royal Mage!*

"Dolly. Ignore her words. Stay calm. Focus on the match."

"Yes!"

Glot raised a hand.

"Begin!!"

Flames erupted from Dolly's spear tip. She spun the weapon—a blazing ring formed, then shot toward Freya with a flick.

"Blazing Ring!!"

Heat spiked across the arena. The fiery ring roared like a beast lunging to devour her.

Freya channeled mana into her blade. Ice crystals bloomed along the steel, glowing faintly.

"Ice Lotus Slash."

A piercing chill surged forth. A massive ice blossom unfurled before her, swallowing the fire ring whole.

"Impossible!" Dolly gasped.

Freya leaped off the ice blossom, sword descending. Dolly barely blocked. Steel clashed—silver arcs streaked the air; fire and frost swirled, mana rippling wildly. They exchanged blow for blow.

But Dolly realized: *She's holding back!*

That move that instantly felled Jero? Never used again.

*Damn it! She's mocking me!!!*

"Take this seriously, you bastard!!!"

Freya's voice turned icy.

"As you wish."

In a flash, she thrust toward the gap in Dolly's guard. Dolly spun her spear—but too slow.

The sword pierced her chest. An ice blossom bloomed from the wound.

—but the damage transferred instantly to the substitute doll at her waist. The tiny doll's torso was frozen solid, ice engulfing its chest.

Dolly collapsed to her knees, sweat beading her face, pupils tight with shock.

Freya almost said, *"You're too weak,"* but caught herself. *Be gentle. Be humble.*

"Are you okay? Was I too rough?"

To Dolly, those words were pure mockery.

*"'Too rough'? So in your eyes... I'm this fragile? This worthless?!"*

"You bastard..."

She tried to stand—but stamina and mana were gone. One activation of the substitute doll drained a Silver-rank student completely.

Dean Glot spoke calmly:

"Step down. You can't win."

Outwardly composed, inwardly furious.

Whispers rose from the crowd:

"The Imperial Royal Academy's combat department isn't that strong~~"

"Yeah... Thought it'd be close, but Freya totally dominated."

"Guess their reputation's inflated. Seeing really is believing."

Each word cut deeper than salt on a wound. Glot's face paled with suppressed rage.

Below the arena, Karl saw Glot's expression, heard the murmurs—and felt utterly helpless.

*Everyone!!!*

*Please stop adding fuel to the fire!!!*

*I just want to build good relations!!!*

(T▽T)