7.

Elena Evoy smiled. I don’t know why.

She reads when there’s no one around, but I don’t know what books they are. Maybe they are textbooks.

She smiled again, but her eyes didn’t move so it must be fake. A fake smile.

Johann, who was playing with his quill, put it down with a loud snap. While waiting for Elena to finish her librarian work, the list of observations he made on her made him realize something.

‘She smiles a lot.’

I thought she always had a stony expressionless face, but she smiles quite well when dealing with people. Why did she look at me so coldly when she knew how to smile? Was she trying to hide her true feelings? He didn’t feel so good thinking about it.

Johann looked down at the textbook he brought. It was laying there just the way he had opened it. The textbook which he had not turned a single page of, was silently waiting for Johann. He took a look at the textbook and glanced at Elena. How many times did I repeat that already? Johann closed the book.

‘Maybe my seat is the problem. The sun is so bright that I can’t concentrate at all.’

Johann blamed the innocent spot, jumped to his feet and changed seats. He chose a place where the librarian, Elena, was not visible to him.

‘I feel better now.’

No sun, no cool air and no distractions. He happily looked at his book—the paper was white while the text was in black. Johann subconsciously raised his head and looked around. As if looking for someone.

“Hah!”

He sneered at himself when he realized his actions. If I pick the most incomprehensible person I came across recently, that would be myself. Come to your senses, Johann Eldorado! As he rebuked himself, he noticed a title on the bookshelf in front of him.

[Why You Need A Rival]

… A rival. Johann, who stared at the book silently, finally brought it out. He tried his best not to but it wasn’t enough to stop him from getting the book. Johann sighed again and opened the table of contents.

Chapter 1. What is a rival?

Chapter 2. Do you have a rival?

Chapter 3. Why do rivals exist?

Chapter 4. A rival’s impact on you.

…….

Each title in the table of contents written in red caught his eye. In particular, the word Rival looked very big. Johann saw Elena’s name popping above the word. A strange woman who resembles an amethyst.

‘That doesn’t make sense.’

Johann snapped out of it and closed the book. She is no rival of mine. It was just a mistake that I lost my first position. I have no competitors, so I can relax. 

Johann had a fair reason to think this. He has always been an outstanding student since childhood and as well at the Münew Academy. Of course, he had an excellent background too- his family and appearance. Johann also excelled in all areas that require hard work, as in swordsmanship, magic, administration and political sciences.

Therefore, I could pass losing my first position as my mistake and carelessness. Johann had no doubt that he would win his first position back.

Knock, knock—

Trust me. I, Johann Eldorado Pertan, never make the same mistake twice. As he made that declaration something passed before his eyes. That’s when Johann noticed Elena who was sitting across from him.

“…”

“It’s okay. Everyone’s gone. I just checked.”

Johann suddenly closed his mouth and couldn’t ask when she came, because he remembered that he was in the library but Elena gestured at him to continue. Now that I think about it, the sun has already set and it’s dark outside. Yet I haven’t read a single page and didn’t even realize how much time had passed.

“Did you memorize everything already?” Elena asked out of the blue.

Johann followed Elena’s gaze, wondering what she meant and then paused. Elena’s eyes were on the book that Johann brought earlier. Fortunately, the book was covered under his elbow, so she couldn’t see the title. She seemed to have asked because the cover was a different color from the history textbook. She meant that he must’ve already memorized all the textbooks if he’s reading other books.

Johann was flustered, but he took out the history textbook quite naturally and put it on the other book. The thick and large history book completely covered the other book from the outside.

“… Not all.”

“How do you suggest we prepare for the quiz? Should we decide on the first few together or just prepare them on our own? It makes no difference to me either way since I’m going to memorize everything.” She said that very confidently.

He wanted to ask where she got that confidence from, but Elena Evoy was the top student right now. She probably could memorize the whole textbook. She seems pretty serious about it because she needs the scholarship.

‘I don’t need a scholarship.’

What Johann needed was not a scholarship, but the top rank. It would add to Johann’s value.

“I also don’t…”

Johann stopped talking midway. If we prepared it on our own, there would be no reason to meet anymore. Then again, if we’re competing, why work together? But something tells me we shouldn’t work separately.

… They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

He quickly convinced himself.

“It doesn’t matter either way, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to prepare it together in advance. That way we won’t be nervous for the actual quiz. What do you say, Elena?”

“Fair enough. First, let’s each pick our own questions. Then we will exclude the overlapping ones.”

“We need to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so let’s think of 20 questions first.”

Elena nodded slightly at his apt suggestion. Then she immediately began to write down the quiz questions. Glancing at her, he noticed her quill. With a sharpened nib and its withered vane, he could tell she had been using it for a long time.

Elena’s slim fingers continued writing gracefully with the short quill.

“Even if you look at me like that, I have only one pen. Do you need some ink?”

“… No. Thanks for offering.”

Did she think I was looking at her because I didn’t have a quill?

As he shook his head, the library lit up suddenly. The lighting in the library worked with mana stones and automatically light up at a set time. Elena was still focused on writing without caring about the sudden brightness.

A scarlet light quietly glowed on Elena’s face. Johann struggled to keep his eyes off that scene. Why do I keep staring at her? Because I have to keep an eye on my enemy. A pathetic answer soothed Johann’s guilty conscience.

***

The Münuit Academy was quite lively, holding a club membership recruitment week. That’s why there were also students with gray and black ties, instead of only yellow ties in the building where the first graders were gathered.

At the beginning of every semester, each club aimed to attract new students. This is because the club budget is determined by the number of members in it. Of course, their main reason was to build connections. In general, wealthy Academy students joined clubs to find the connections and honor they lacked.

“Johann, do you want to join the International Relations Club?”

“Come to our club instead with s

Senior Isaac. We can have in-depth discussions on swordsmanship and of course, you can also gain real-life experience.”

“I’ve never seen you participate in a swordsmanship match before, so what experience are you talking about?”

Wealth, honor, connections. With all these conditions, Johann was the top recruitment target for several clubs. Johann smiled awkwardly, stuck between the seniors arguing over him.

For some reason or another, almost all clubs were for socializing, so it was enough to join a few. However, the problem was choosing by what criteria. Johann thought he would check the members of a club and then decide.

Far from the area where students were busy gathering and chattering, there was a quiet area. Elena Evoy sat there on a bench right in front. She, as always, sat alone and never looked around no matter how loud the noise.

‘That’s why no one talks to her.’

Todd wasn’t completely wrong in saying that it’d be nice if she were a bit friendlier. Unlike Johann, Elena was extremely quiet compared to anyone her age. We talk a lot when we’re together, but when we return to the classroom, it was the same as before.

It’s hard to talk to Elena because of her icy impression, besides she’s not worth the effort. If I behave like her at the academy, I’d be isolated, let alone make any connections.

‘It’s not my business.’

But Johann couldn’t take his eyes off Elena. Whether it was clubs, parties, hunting events or festivals, Elena is sitting too far away from the chatter going on. It isn’t good for her to appear as if she’s alone on a deserted island.

“Johann, you haven’t decided on your club yet, have you?”

“No.”

“Then…”

Since Johann was still focused on Elena while dealing with people who constantly tried talking to him, he finally decided to go to her.

‘Who’s that?’

Johann paused halfway as he was getting up from his seat. Someone took the initiative to reach her first. A male student wearing a monocle, looking truly extraordinary. The bundle of accessories he was wearing also caught Johann’s attention. Worried about the strange appearance, Johann finally recalled the student’s identity.

‘It’s Windsor Dotmiller.’

He was the brother of Emily Dotmiller, known as a wizard enthusiast, and a sophomore at the Academy. Both the siblings wore a monocle and made quite the first impression.

Both the Dotmiller siblings were famous for their unusual personalities because they had an unfriendly and dry tone. If they weren’t a family of infamous scholars in the world of magic, no one would ever approach the Dotmillers.

“Windsor is here, too. So he came after all.”

“What do you mean?”

“He is the director of the Magic Reagent Manufacturing Department. It’s not popular because it’s a very academic club. I heard it doesn’t operate like a club activity but rather like a class.”

Magic Reagent Manufacturing Department? Johann had heard of it, too. I heard just a passing word once in a while. But, it wasn’t a very good story, so I ignored it.

“There aren’t many members in their club except for the Dotmiller siblings. All the aces are in the Magic Application Department. Maybe that’s why they’re letting every Tom, Dick and Harry in. So, I don’t recommend it.”

“And you know, anyone who joins it quits soon after.”

“Of course they do! Who would want to study in a club?”

Someone said that all the promising talents were in other clubs and that, unlike most clubs that pursued free activities, the professor in charge often visits the club room and looks around. No one would be interested in joining under these circumstances. Yet, if they failed to maintain a certain number of members, Windsor would have to step down and the club would be disbanded.

‘He’s a senior so why choose Elena of all people?’

Johann clicked his tongue. Elena is busy doing all kinds of jobs, so she has no time for clubs. Listening to Windsor, Elena also shook her head.

I knew she would refuse. Feeling relieved, Johann comfortably shifted his attention but Windsor continued. That Dotmiller was surprisingly persistent.

‘No matter how hard you try, she won’t be able to.’

Poor senior. Johann, who was about to send his heartfelt condolences to him, frowned all of a sudden. Elena was smiling and shaking hands with Windsor.