"Ngah!"


    I woke up with a less-thandylike groan, well into the day, just two days before the King''s Game.I forced my bleary eyes open and rubbed them groggily before dragging myself out of bed. Heading to the bathroom, I caught sight of a disheveled woman in her underwear staring back at me in the mirror, and a bedhead so wild it could qualify as a natural disaster. Needless to say, it was me.


    I wasn''t exactly the epitome ofdylike behavior even in my own world, but ever since finding myself transported to this unfamiliar realm for reasons unknown, my unrefined nature seemed to have been amplified.


    "Well, no point in pretending to be ady now. Toote for that," I muttered, examining my reflection with a resigned sigh. My face wore its usual sullen expression, not because I was particrly downcast, but because that''s just how it looked by default.


    I didn''t mind, though. In fact, I found it preferable. Back in my world, when I was young, many men considered me cute, which often led them to underestimate me and sometimes even attempt to sexually assault me. I made sure to put down anyone who dared to try, rendering their hands useless in the process. But now, in my adult form, no one dared to bother me. And that suited me just fine.


    After showering, brushing my teeth, and tidying my hair, I slipped into my uniform, ensuring it was neat and presentable. With everything in ce, I headed towards the door leading to the hallway of the bronze ss''s dormitory. Just as I reached for the handle, a thought crossed my mind.


    I retraced my steps back to my room and retrieved my gun, a constantpanion since birth, before finally stepping out of the dormitory room. And so, another mundane day at the academy began.


    ***


    As I entered the bronze ss''s ssroom, I sensed a heavy atmosphere weighing down the air. It felt off, like something was amiss. The usual chatter and noise were conspicuously absent, reced by an eerie silence. And to add to the strangeness, Professor Irene was nowhere to be seen, which was highly unusual considering her punctuality.


    I couldn''t help but wonder what was going on as I made my way to my seat. Along the aisle, I noticed Mr. Leon''s seat remained empty. Was he runningte too?


    With Mr. Leon''s absence, my curiosity about the strange atmosphere remained unsatisfied. Reluctantly, I took my seat, attempting to ignore the oppressive atmosphere, but it gnawed at me relentlessly.


    However, the odd vibe wasn''t the only thing catching my attention. Some of the students, particrly those with smartphones, were glued to their screens.


    Curious, I unlocked my smartphone and nced at the screen, noticing something odd—a strange panel disyed prominently with the words "NOTIFICATION!" emzoned at the top in bold letters.


    Intrigued, I tapped on it, and instantly, I was taken to what appeared to be a newspaper. At the top of the screen shed the words "BREAKING NEWS!"


    It was thetest news, fresh off the press. ording to the report, a terrorist attack had rocked the Capital City, leaving a significant portion of it in ruins from a massive explosion. The casualties were devastating—men, women, children, adults, all fell victim to the tragedy. Many lost their lives in the st, while others suffered injuries, some of which were severe and life-threatening.


    The attack came out of nowhere, catching civilians off guard without a chance to react. It was doubtful they even realized they were dying in that explosion. The identity of the terrorist group behind this act of genocide and their motives remained shrouded in mystery. The Magic Knights suspected the perpetrators hailed from the ck Market, but theycked concrete evidence.


    Despite their investigative prowess, they were hitting dead ends. The uncertainty surrounding the situation left students feeling restless and anxious. With a terrorist group on the loose and even the Magic Knights struggling to uncover the truth, it was no wonder tensions ran high.


    While I was engrossed in the news, Mr. Leon finally sauntered in, looking as disinterested as ever. He strolled over to his chair, his sling bag hangingzily over his shoulder, and let out a bored yawn. As he settled into his seat, he greeted me with a nonchnt "Sup," seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere.


    Letting out a sigh, I rose from my seat and approached Mr. Leon. With a swift kick to the leg of his chair, I jolted his attention towards me. He lifted his head, shooting me a questioning nce tinged with irritation. "What?" he asked gruffly.


    "Have you not noticed anything yet?"


    "What?" Leon responded, appearing oblivious or simply uninterested.


    "Haven''t you felt something strange today?" I pressed.


    "The only thing odd is you talking to me this early," he retorted casually.


    "That''s not it," I snapped. "Can''t you sense the atmosphere? Something feels off."


    Finally, Leon nced around. "Looks like everyone''s glued to their phones," he observed.


    Rolling my eyes, I ced a hand on my hip, growing increasingly irritated by his nonchnt attitude. "Have you checked your phone?"


    "Nope, haven''t bothered," he admitted casually.


    "You''re way tooid-back. It''s like you have no sense of danger," I remarked, shooting him a pointed look. "You strike me as the type who''d sleep through a typhoon or an earthquake."


    "I''m not that nonchnt," he replied with a casual yawn. "What good would panicking do in the face of a natural disaster like that? You should know better than anyone, Miss Shredica."


    Ignoring his nonchnt response, I pressed on. "My point is," I continued, finally addressing the matter at hand, "did you hear about the terrorist attack this morning?"


    "...Yeah, I heard," he responded in an indifferent tone. "Can''t say I''m surprised though. Milham''s been a mess for a while now. It was only a matter of time before it got hit by terrorists or revolutionaries."


    "You sure don''t hold back, do you?" I retorted. "Despite living in this kingdom, you speak so casually about its troubles. But I suppose you''re right. It was bound to happen sooner orter."


    As we conversed, someone forcefully kicked Mr. Leon''s chair, causing him to lurch forward from the impact. It was the current number one of the bronze ss, though his name eluded me at the moment. He red fiercely at Mr. Leon.


    "Shut the fuck up already! Can''t you keep your mouths shut this early in the fucking morning?! It''s fucking annoying listening to you skillless losers babble!" he spat out angrily.


    I shot him a re of my own. "And who do you think you are, ordering us around like that?"


    But when my gaze met his, he merely clicked his tongue and averted his eyes. I cocked my head in confusion. Was he not going to say anything else? I expected a retort, but he remained silent.


    Meanwhile, Leon shook his head with a subtle click of his tongue, muttering something under his breath. "Poor guy. It''s a shame he thought you were worth falling for..." he muttered, though I couldn''t make out his words.


    "Did you say something, Mr. Leon?" I inquired.


    "Nothing worth mentioning," he replied. "But I suppose there''s no harm in telling you."


    "What is it?" I pressed, curious.


    Leon rose from his seat, patting me on the shoulder. "I guess both of us suck at understanding the opposite gender," he remarked.


    With that, he sauntered out of the room, hands in his pockets. I furrowed my brow, puzzled by his crypticment.


    ***


    Leon''s POV


    To be honest, I waspletely clueless about what was going on. I had no inkling of the terrorist attack that had urred in the kingdom. I unlocked my phone and noticed a notification. It wasn''t your typical inte news, though. Instead, it was something the tech department at Leonamon had integrated into our smartphones – a digital newspaper of sorts.


    It didn''t rely on inte connection like on Earth. Instead, they''d implemented a system akin to Bluetooth, allowing all smartphones to share this digital news.


    As I read through the news, my brow furrowed. Fire, explosions, widespread destruction – it wasn''t just a simple bomb. If it was, it was definitely no ordinary one. From what I knew, the military technology in this world was still rtively primitive. Sure, they had firearms and grenades, but the designs were outdated, nowhere near modern standards.


    What could possibly cause such devastation? As soon as I read about the fire and explosion, one person immediately came to mind. The skill "Inferno" – a terrifying ability that amplifies the power of fire-rted magic. It''s an incredibly overpowered skill, capable of rivaling even a nuclear explosion if wielded proficiently.


    And there''s only one person I know who possesses that skill.


    "Prince Julius."


    Prince Julius, the young man who once shared a close bond with Charlotte Sierra, seemed to have his heart shattered when he witnessed her embracing Professor Sesillian.


    I could empathize with that feeling.


    "I might really hate Charlotte now..." I muttered to myself.