“As the Star Sword Princess, I have a recommendation slot. I said I’d help you get into the Academy, but we need to lay down three ground rules.”

In a corner by the main gate of Saint Dias Magic Academy, Saya stood in front of Yu Ge and raised a slender index finger, giving him a teacher-like reminder.

“Mm-hmm. Go ahead.”

By now, Yu Ge’s attention had been completely stolen by the young ladies in their gorgeous gowns near the Academy’s main gate. Saya had been right—there really were lots of pretty girls, and they all had such an elegant air about them. Their figures weren’t bad, either. Judging by their clothes, they were probably daughters of wealthy families or nobles. If he could find a girlfriend like one of them, wouldn’t he be set for life without ever having to work?

“First, you can’t reveal who you are, and you can’t tell anyone about killing the Blazing Sword Demon.”

“No problem.”

Yu Ge nodded. How hard could that be?

“Second, you can’t casually use those cards you brought with you. They’re too powerful, and if you can’t control them, they could cause a disaster.”

“Sure.”

Yu Ge agreed. He hadn’t created those cards to conquer the world or anything. As long as he had money to spend, a roof over his head, and a pretty girl to fall in love with, that was enough for him.

“Third—and most important—you have to join my team.”

“Team? What team?”

Yu Ge looked completely bewildered.

“A team for the five-on-five battles. The Tianhua Magic Festival is a month away, and every student will send a team of five to compete. This time, I have to place.”

A frustrated look crossed Saya’s face. She seemed incredibly determined about this.

“Uh… well…”

Yu Ge hesitated. This Tianhua Magic Festival sounded like a whole lot of trouble. He just wanted to make big money, find a pretty girl to date, get married, have kids, and live an ordinary life.

“Well, if you don’t want to, I can’t make you. I won’t force you. But I do have quite a bit of influence with the girls at this Academy. If I told them you were an amazing guy, how do you think they’d feel about you?”

Saya had already figured out what Yu Ge wanted most right now, so she dangled a very tempting offer in front of him.

“I’m in.”

Yu Ge nodded at once. For the sake of pretty girls, he was willing to go all in.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll talk to the Headmaster about your enrollment. Today’s the first-year students’ entrance day, so wait here for me. When I get back, you can take the entrance exam right away and save yourself a lot of trouble.”

With that, Saya left Yu Ge alone by the Academy gate and headed straight for a building in the distance.

Yu Ge watched Saya’s figure gradually disappear, then glanced at the girls passing by. In an instant, he’d forgotten everything she’d told him. With so many pretty girls around, wouldn’t it be a waste not to admire them?

Thinking this, Yu Ge followed a group of girls into a European-style building that looked a bit like the Sydney Opera House. Inside was a long corridor, packed shoulder to shoulder with people. There were new students, parents bringing their children to school, and upperclassmen in uniform. It was so crowded you could barely move.

This is great.

As he marveled at how many students the Academy had admitted, Yu Ge pretended to be a student who was late and squeezed his way through the crowd. Every so often, he’d brush up against a pretty girl—the softness of her chest, the curve of her bottom—as he wriggled through the throng like an eel.

People are born with appetites, after all.

Th-this is so thrilling!

It was the first time Yu Ge had ever felt anything like this, and heat rushed through him. When he turned around, he saw a girl with pale blue hair.

A goddess…

The moment Yu Ge saw the blue-haired girl, he couldn’t help thinking the word. She was—she was just too beautiful and cute! If the girls around him were flowers, then this one was surely the purest, most alluring lily of them all.

Her long hair was as blue as the sky, glittering in the sunlight like sapphires. Her jade-green eyes were bright and lively, as if to say, “Could you please stop staring at me like that?” Her features were so exquisite she looked like a finely crafted doll. To put it simply, she was like an angel fallen from heaven.

“Um, are you all right, classmate?”

The blue-haired girl felt a little embarrassed by Yu Ge’s stare. Her cheeks flushed as she spoke—she’d noticed that the black-haired boy staring at her had a nosebleed.