Battle Race in the Fantasy World

EP.136 Ah Monsters! What an Excellent Evaluation Tool!

“That will be all for today.”

“Thank you, Professor!”

“Ah! Don’t forget. Next week is the final exam, everyone.”

“Aaaargh!!”

That, that professor is definitely a harmful one.

Giving students such a terrible schedule on a Monday morning.

It’s as if he’s telling us to feel guilty and study every time we try to have fun from now on.

“Time really flies. I can’t believe it’s already time for the final exam.”

Tisha, the model student of the academy who wasn’t particularly affected, said as she closed her book.

For her, studying had always been a necessity rather than a choice, so it wasn’t difficult.

She had even outperformed all the nobles with excellent grades in the midterm exams.

“I know, right? It feels like we just enrolled yesterday, and already a semester is over.”

When he first entered the academy, he was so full of dreams.

Recalling those times, Kyle couldn’t help but smile to himself.

He had been determined to be free from exercise, to try dating at the academy.

He had made a firm resolution to eat all the food he wanted and even try gaining some weight.

But Jonathan’s will was Jonathan’s will.

Nothing about Kyle could escape from it.

Although not as intense as at Jonathan, exercise was still a major part of his life.

Far from eating everything he wanted, he couldn’t even eat properly due to guilt.

‘The only thing that’s going somewhat okay is dating… or is it?’

He slightly turns his head to look at Tisha.

Somewhere between friend and lover. That’s what he had chosen.

Since he couldn’t be certain about anything yet. He thought it was the best decision for now.

But lately, he’s been wondering if that decision was foolish.

Is it because he dislikes Tisha? No, that’s not it. Tisha is a really great woman.

The problem is that, before he knew it, the number of women around him had suddenly increased.

‘Elga has been coming on too strong lately, the princess was a problem from the start. And now even the Saint is acting strange.’

It’s strange. Why are they all acting like this? It’s not like he treated them as warmly as Tisha.

With Elga, he just said a few nice things to make her feel good. Well, he can understand that much.

The princess is even more baffling. All they did was fight, and now she’s suddenly talking about “mine” and “yours.”

As for the Saint, he just embraced her because she was his favorite character, kind and lovable.

But the results have twisted in a completely unexpected direction.

Karma. And not just one or two, but three of them.

“Kyle!!”

“Ah, yes! Yes, Tisha. Did you call me?”

“What were you thinking about for so long? Let’s go. Are you going to keep sitting here?”

Yielding to her urging, Kyle stands up, and Tisha quickly grabs his hand.

Holding that hand tightly as if she’ll never let go, she heads outside.

As if blessing the start of a new week, the weather was absolutely beautiful.

Tisha walks with a constant smile on her face, clearly pleased about something.

After a while, she starts matching her pace exactly to Kyle’s steps.

Seeing how much she seems to be enjoying it, he can’t help but ask.

“Did something good happen? You look especially happy today.”

Tisha didn’t answer. She just smiled brightly and continued walking.

This makes him even more curious. Did something really good happen?

“You’re not going to tell me? Now I’m even more curious.”

“We’re walking together, aren’t we?”

“…Pardon?”

“Kyle, I’m walking with you. That’s why I’m happy. That’s why.”

When she hits him with something like this, his brain momentarily shuts down.

There were many complaints about how dense the male leads in romance fantasy novels were, but now that he’s in a similar situation, he understands.

If he were to casually respond here, that would be even stranger.

“Ahem. Hmm.”

Kyle, unable to find a suitable response, just clears his throat.

“Hahahaha!!”

Finding this scene very amusing, Tisha bursts into bright laughter.

So bright and radiant that even those who hear it can’t help but feel good.

“Kyle.”

“Yes, Tisha.”

“Next week is the final exam, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And after the final exam, the semester ends and we go on break.”

What is she trying to say? He quietly waits for Tisha’s next words.

“What are you going to do during the break?”

“I suppose I’ll have to go back home, like everyone else, right?”

“Right? Hmm… I see. I guess I asked something unnecessary.”

She says it was unnecessary, but there’s something more to it.

Tisha is very perceptive. She wouldn’t have asked just to hear an obvious answer.

Kyle quickly grasps Tisha’s true intentions and speaks up.

“Tisha, are you not going back to your hometown during the break?”

“No. I heard that the dormitories will continue to operate during the break. Quite a few students are staying too.”

He thinks he knows the reason. The reason why she wants to stay at the academy during the break.

“You’re planning to practically live in the library during the break, aren’t you?”

“Hehe. You caught me?”

“There’s nothing else it could be. Tisha, that’s your reason for wanting to stay at the academy.”

The academy library houses a vast collection of books.

And among those books are precious magical texts.

For Tisha, it must be as exciting as a fish finding water.

During the break, there are no lectures or assignments, so she can devote herself even more to magical research.

That’s why she wants to stay at the academy instead of returning home.

“Um, Kyle. Is there any chance… you might consider staying at the academy during the break?”

The fact that she’s asking this even though she knows it’s not possible shows how desperate she is.

She needs to do magical research, so it’s really unfortunate to leave the academy.

And it seems she doesn’t want to be apart for almost two months.

“I’m sorry, Tisha. I have to go.”

I need to see my family’s faces and show them that I’m living diligently here.

I heard that my parents are very worried. At this rate, I might even be forcibly sent back home.

It was most important to visit voluntarily before that and allay their concerns.

To show them that I’m exercising diligently. That I haven’t gained weight. That I haven’t lost muscle mass.

“I’m really sorry.”

“No! There’s no need to apologize. If anything, I’m the one who asked an unnecessary question…”

“What question?”

The woman who suddenly poked her face from behind was the 5th Imperial Princess, Yurika.

Thanks to her, a startled Tisha flailed and almost fell sideways.

Fortunately, Kyle quickly grabbed her hand, preventing such an unfortunate incident.

“Your Highness, how many times do I have to tell you to make your presence known? I might notice, but others can’t.”

Kyle clicks his tongue and reprimands her.

But the princess coolly brushes off his criticism.

“I did. It’s just that the commoner… sorry, I mean Tisha couldn’t sense it.”

“The problem starts with you expecting people to notice when you barely make any sound.”

At this, Tisha looks at Kyle with even more surprise.

Calling the princess’s presence ‘barely any sound’? Isn’t this too harsh a choice of words?

It’s at a level where he could be accused of insulting the imperial family with no defense.

His voice is so sharp that even listeners flinch.

“I’ll try to make a bit more noise next time. Happy now?”

Ironically, the one who was called ‘barely any sound’ didn’t seem to care at all.

“Why did you suddenly come again? And on a Monday morning at that.”

“Hm? Ah. I have something to say.”

“No sparring. No marriage. No to your stuff. No to everything.”

“That’s mean. If you say no to everything, what am I supposed to do?”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“That’s not it. You need to go to the headmaster’s office quickly. There’s someone waiting for you.”

The headmaster’s office, huh. It’s been a while since I’ve been called there.

At the beginning of the semester, I was called in every three days or so.

I wonder who it is this time. The minister again? If it’s going to be like this, they might as well set up a direct magical communication line with the minister…

As Kyle was thinking this, he suddenly noticed something odd.

“Wait a moment, Your Highness. What did you just say?”

“I said to go to the headmaster’s office quickly.”

“Not that. The next part. What you said after.”

“That there’s someone waiting for you?”

Such formal speech from the princess’s mouth? From Yurika’s mouth?

It seems this isn’t an ordinary person. Yes, definitely not an ordinary person.

Having reached this conclusion, Kyle turns to Tisha and says,

“I’ll be back in a moment, Tisha. You go on ahead.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Kyle releases Tisha’s hand and heads straight for the headmaster’s office.

Watching Kyle leave, Tisha fiddles with the lingering warmth in her hand.

“Tisha.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“The break is coming up soon, right?”

“Since the final exams are next week, I suppose so.”

“Right? That’s great. Really great.”

Suddenly, countless questions surge up.

Great? What’s great? What’s so great that it makes her smile?

Unable to contain her curiosity, Tisha gathered her courage.

“Um, what do you mean by ‘great’?”

“Just what I said. It’s great.”

“But…”

“It’s the break, isn’t it? The time when Kyle isn’t tied to the academy. He’ll be going back to Jonathan, right? I’m planning to go with him then. To Kyle’s hometown.”

“…What?!”

The princess’s answer completely shook up Tisha’s break plans.

*

While Tisha was replanning her entire break schedule thanks to the princess,

Kyle entered the headmaster’s office and inwardly muttered, ‘What the hell is this now?’

An entirely unexpected figure was sitting in the headmaster’s office.

“Welcome. This is our first meeting, isn’t it, Student Kyle? I hear my younger sister has been causing you a lot of trouble.”

Glancing to the side, he saw that the headmaster was already on his knees with his head bowed.

Wondering why, he noticed knights exuding an incredibly chilling aura standing nearby.

He had seen the Imperial Knights a few times before, thanks to Yurika’s frequent visits.

But the level of those standing right in front of him now was clearly different.

If those were ordinary knights, these would be at least squad leaders.

Guards of a different caliber. The headmaster, who would just stand when the minister visited, was now kneeling and waiting.

Crucially, even Yurika had said, ‘There’s someone waiting for you.’

At this point, even if he didn’t want to catch on, he had to.

“I am honored to be in the presence of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

He bows deeply, showing the utmost respect.

Of course, he doesn’t kneel like the headmaster.

‘That’s because the will of Jonathan absolutely won’t allow it.’

You understand, don’t you, Your Highness? You must understand this.

If you can’t accept it, I could be made to do it.