Chapter 202: End of a Semester 2.5


    ?


    Before I could delve deeper into that thought, Kagami interrupted me. "By the way, who''s your opponent for the grand festival?"


    I nced over at him as another te of steak was brought to his table. It was hard to believe anyone could eat that much and still be hungry. But then again, this was Kagami.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Man, finding a proper opponent this semester was quite the hassle," he continued, tearing into the steak with enthusiasm.


    "You know, the second-year who was supposed to face me hurriedly filed a resignation letter with the council after finding out I was his opponent... and now most of them avoid me."


    I chuckled. "You do look scary, and your recent improvements make you a whole lot scarier." With how often Kagami trained in the public grounds, it wasn''t a surprise.


    He was almost a spectacle at this point. I''d even heard some seniors talk about the explosions of bluish-white light they''d seen during his sessions.


    His power had grown exponentially, and his new abilities were earning him a reputation.


    ''Meteor Fist Kagami— '' I wouldn''t be surprised if rumors about his new nickname started circting soon.


    Since Kagami''s the type who values proper and fair fights, much like a true knight and martial artist, I doubted he would ever force a weak opponent to face him.


    He always sought worthy challenges. But at this point in the academy, there were only a handful of people who could give him a fair match-either the heroines or Lucas himself.


    So, I wondered who he had lined up for his opponent this time.


    "So, who''s your opponent now?" I asked.


    Kagami sighed dramatically, pausing between bites of steak. "Man, you didn''t even answer my question yet..."


    He looked at me with a yful hint of disappointment before shing a wide grin, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "It''s one of your girlfriends~"


    "Huh?"


    "It''s Seo. She epted my request for a duel," he said, still grinning mischievously as he dug back into his steak.


    Seo and Kagami... now that was an interesting matchup.


    Both of them were powerhouses in their own right, and I couldn''t help but feel a spark of curiosity as to how this would y out.


    Seo''s reputation as the undisputed top student in the knight ss was well-known, especially with her lightning-fast speed that left even the best in awe.


    But Kagami-he wasn''t the same person he had been just a semester ago.


    "Looks like you''ll have a fun match," I said, my mind already picturing the duel.


    Seo might have the upper hand in speed, but with Kagami''s recent acquisition of celestial


    arts, the odds weren''t as clear-cut as they once might have been.


    If he managed tond even a single solid hit with his new abilities, it wouldn''t be something Seo could just casually shrug off.


    ''At least I think so....''


    His raw power had grown to the point where even her speed wouldn''t be enough to make the match one-sided.


    It was a sh of styles-speed versus brute strength, precision versus overwhelming force. A year ago, Seo might have had a clear advantage, but now? I wasn''t so sure.


    "How about you? Who''s your opponent?" Kagami asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity.


    "It''s Rose," I replied casually, though it did take me quite some time to convince her....


    Kagami nearly choked on his steak. "Is that even allowed?" he asked, likely wondering why a knight department student like me was dueling a mage, especially someone as skilled as Rose.


    We were both in the same as well year, but still, it wasn''t exactly amon matchup.


    "As long as both parties agree to it, it''s fair game," I said with a shrug.


    He raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by the loophole. Since there wasn''t any formal rule preventing students from different departments from dueling, most people couldn''t reallyin.


    Though, I had a feeling the second-year student originally scheduled to face Rose was probably relieved to avoid her, given her reputation for magical prowess.


    Kagami nodded thoughtfully, still digesting the idea. "Well, I guess that works out for everyone," he said. Then, with a grin, he added, "Weirdly enough, Lucas hasn''t been hounding you for another duel. Lucky you."


    I couldn''t help but smirk. "Yeah, I''m notining about that."


    As we continued eating, Kagami leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, how about we make things interesting?" he suggested, hispetitive spirit shining through. "Let''s make a bet-whoever loses to their opponent has to treat the other to some expensive food."


    I nced at him, raising an eyebrow. "You''re that confident, huh?"


    Heughed. "What, you scared?"


    "Not at all," I replied, shaking my head. "I''ll take that bet."


    Though, in all honesty, my chances of winning against Rose were pretty slim. She was a tactical genius, and her control over mana circles put her on another level.


    Still, if Ipared my odds with Kagami''s uing battle against Seo, I might have a slightly better chance.


    Seo''s speed would be hard for him to match, but with Rose... well, I knew her better than most.


    I smiled slightly, epting Kagami''s outstretched hand to seal the deal. "Looks like I''ll be enjoying some gourmet food after the festival."


    "It''s surprising to see a figure of your stature here," Snowmented, her voice measured, though her eyes betrayed a glint of wariness.


    The woman across from her smiled behind the folds of her grey robes, which concealed much of her face except for her piercing, wood-colored eyes.


    "Well, everyone has their own reasons, right?" she replied in a teasing tone.


    Snow narrowed her gaze. "If only a certain someone could mind the burden she ces upon others, maybe her reasoning could''ve been understood."


    The robed woman let out a soft, mockingugh. "Oh my, I didn''t think you''d be so concerned over one unimportant person. No, a random stranger-just wanting to watch the festival live. What''s so wrong with that?"


    Snow sighed, leaning back in her chair, the weight of the situation settling in. She shot a sharp re at the woman, frustration creeping into her posture. "You being here is already a problem, and you know that," she muttered, her voice low but firm.


    "Did you even inform the higher-ups of what''s going on? What about a formal letter to the principal? Anything?"


    The woman chuckled lightly, almost as if she found Snow''s frustration endearing. "If I did all that, I wouldn''t be sitting here, now would I?" she replied nonchntly, leaning forward with


    an almost yful glint in her eyes.


    "Besides, I know my position and the dangers thate with it. That''s why I''m showing myself to you-now. I could''ve made the situation much worse by hiding the fact that I''m here, but I chose not to. Doesn''t that count for something?"


    Snow rubbed her temples, feeling a headacheing on. "You realize that doesn''t make this any less of a headache for me, right? You''re not just a random nobody-you''re a walking liability. Why would you risk causing more trouble, especially now?"


    "Oh, Snow," the woman cooed, her voice dripping with a mixture of amusement and


    sincerity. "I have no intention of causing my dear childhood friend any more trouble than I already have. I know you''re worried about my safety, so why don''t you just send one of your precious Shadow Knights to keep an eye on me? That way, everything will be perfectly fine,


    right?"


    Snow''s jaw clenched, her irritation barely contained.


    The woman''s flippant attitude grated on her, but there was a grain of truth to her words.


    Having one of her Shadow Knights tailing this unpredictable woman might actually keep the situation under control-for now.


    Snow sat back, her mind racing with thoughts about the woman''s sudden appearance.


    ''Does Father know she''s here?''


    The Emperor was notoriously cautious when it came to both internal and external threats,


    always keeping an eye on potential dangers.


    If he knew of this woman''s disappearance, there was no doubt he''d be taking action. And yet, here she was, in front of Snow, seemingly without a care in the world.


    She must have forced her way out, Snow thought, her gaze narrowing as she regarded the


    woman with suspicion.


    "I''m just asking," Snow began, her toneced with doubt, "but... you didn''t blow up the tower and take out the guards assigned to protect you, right?"


    The robed woman''s eyes widened slightly in surprise, her lips forming a pout. "H-Huh?


    There''s no way I''d do any of that! I might be impulsive, but I''m a pacifist, you know? I don''t like violence~," she responded, her voice lilting yfully, as if offended by the mere


    suggestion.


    Snow didn''t believe a word.


    ''A pacifist? Really?''


    She sighed again, feeling the weight of responsibility bearing down on her.


    Standing up from her chair, she approached the young woman with a steely gaze, her patience


    wearing thin.


    "mme," Snow called out, her voice cutting through the lighthearted atmosphere like ice.


    The young woman, who had been sittingfortably in her chair, suddenly stiffened, the


    yful energy draining from her face.


    She trembled slightly under the weight of Snow''s cold,manding presence. "W-What?" mme stammered, her yful demeanor faltering.


    Snow''s gaze hardened as she stood over her, an air of authority surrounding her. "I''ll tolerate


    your presence for now," she said, her tone low and serious, "but if you cause any form of trouble-if the academic heads so much as catch wind that you''re here-you''ll return to the Empire willingly. Understood?"


    mme gulped, nodding quickly as she raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. "Y-Yes, I''ll make sure not to cause any trouble..." she mumbled, her voicecking its usual yful charm.


    Snow could see the nervousness in her eyes, but she knew better than to take mme''s words


    at face value.


    The woman had a talent for causing chaos, even when she didn''t intend to. Snow couldn''t afford to let her guard down, not with someone as unpredictable as mme around.


    "Good," Snow repeated, her tone firm as ever, as she handed mme a small, delicately crafted ring made entirely of ice.


    The faint shimmer of magic danced across its surface, a subtle but powerful enchantment


    woven into the frosty band.


    "Here," Snow said. "Wear this. It''ll help regte that absurd mana of yours and, more


    importantly, it lets me track your location."


    "Once again no causing trouble, okay? And remember, you''re only allowed to stay until the


    grand festival finishes. After that, you leave. Got it?"


    mme''s eyes lit up as she took the ring, her fingers tracing the cold, smooth surface before


    sliding it onto her finger.


    The moment the ring settled in ce, a small pulse of mana spread through her, softening the overwhelming surge of power she often struggled to contain.


    With a yful grin, she gave a mock salute.


    "Yes, ma''am!" she said with a giggle, her voice bubbling withughter.


    The excitement she tried to suppress leaked out in waves.


    Even though she had no real reason to be here yet-her enrollment at the academy wasn''t


    even until next school year-she simply couldn''t resist.


    The rumors, the stories, the whispers from far-offnds... they''d all fueled her insatiable


    curiosity.


    Why wait when she could see it for herself?


    The spirits she oftenmuned with, those who wandered the skies and danced across


    realms, had brought back tantalizing tales.


    They spoke of the academy, the festival, the heroes and rising stars-but one name had stood


    out above the rest, echoing again and again like a whisper carried on the wind.


    The mere thought of him sent a thrill through her that was unlike anything she had felt


    before.


    She couldn''t help but smile-this wasn''t just a casual visit to witness the festival.


    No, her true purposey elsewhere.


    She had been dying to meet him.


    ''Riley Hell....''


    Finally, she thought, her fingers brushing against the icy ring on her hand.


    ''I''ll be able to see you with my own eyes. The stories didn''t do you justice, I''m sure.''


    For the first time in her life, the one and only Noxus of the Germonia Empire felt excitement like she had never felt before.