The academic city of Lumiest was where talented youngsters from all over the world gathered to study. It was one of the best educational facilities in the world. Even today, students were applying themselves diligently, polishing their talents and trying their best to grow into their futures. However, it was a little noisier than usual.
“Whoa there, looks like the princess is back. I, Charles Vaccania, have personally come to welcome your heart into—”
“It’s been too long, Ri-chan! My heart yearns for your company, since we’ve been apart this entire time! Wanna chill together? Come on!”
“Gwoarfh?!”
Rion had taken a leave of absence from school due to circumstances at home, so when she came back, her friends all came out to greet her. Most excited of all was her best friend and Lightning Dragon King Rami, who pushed Charles aside so hard he went flying as she came up to wrap Rion in a hug.
“I haven’t been gone that long, Rai-chan. Sure, I leave pretty often, but I haven’t been absent enough to lose credits or anything,” said Rion.
“It was long to me!” Rami exclaimed. “Lemme nuzzle you! Mmm, mmm!”
“Rai-chan, your nuzzling is really forceful!”
Every time Rami stroked Rion’s cheek with her own, bright sparks of electricity flew. This would be dangerous to anyone other than these two, but it was quite pretty to watch.
“Look. The pair who represent the diamond generation are frolicking together!”
“My, what a precious sight! I can feel something hot within my breast.”
There were many female students blushing as they watched the two from afar.
“Ah, uh...is it just me or are we totally the center of attention here? Also what did she mean by ‘diamond generation’?” Rion asked.
“Oh, well, you remember the exhibition match against the Rank S adventurers?” Bell answered. “The people who saw that started to refer to our generation of students as one with an unmatchable number of prodigies and attached that name to us. The other students got infected and started doing the same. It’s a real nuisance, isn’t it?”
Actually, she didn’t seem all that displeased as she explained the term. Maybe she was unexpectedly similar to Sera in that regard.
“Gh...ghwurf...” Charles gasped. “Okay, I’ve recovered! It’s because the exhibition match was attended by not only students’ guardians but higher-ups of various nations too. Even though we lost, our team made it a very close fight. In other words, the student team was on par with Rank S adventurers—the strongest generation ever! As a fellow representative of this group, I am very proud!” He chuckled.
“Who is representing what?” Bell asked pointedly.
“Oh, um, calm down, Bell-chan. Don’t try to finish Charles-kun off when he just recovered,” said Rion.
“You should harden your heart in cases like this, Rion-san,” Dorothy advised her. “Let’s leave this to Bell-san. There are times you should just believe in your friends.”
“Oh, that was very good of you to say, Dorothy,” Bell replied. “I feel like I can get along with you.”
“What a coincidence, I was thinking the same thing.”
“Hey, come on, don’t you think your treatment of me is just awful?!” Charles shouted. “And Dorothy-kun, I don’t remember your personality being like that. Weren’t you supposed to be a lovely flower who would take my side? Your new look is lovely, but it’s okay to show that earlier side of you sometimes, okay, princess?”
“I’ll help you finish him off, Bell-san. He’s annoying me,” said Dorothy.
“Another coincidence, I was thinking the same thing.”
“Stop, you two! Stop! It really doesn’t seem like you’re joking now!” Rion shouted. She somehow managed to stop the pair, who were about to unleash Green Magic and Time Magic, barely making it in time to save Charles’s life.
“Well, if you really insist, Rion-san,” Dorothy reluctantly answered.
“You’re right, I may have been acting a little immature,” Bell admitted, just as reluctantly.
“I’m...so glad you two get it,” Rion said, relieved.
“Oh? I can’t really be sure, but you seem tired, Rion-kun,” said Charles. “You just came back from a long trip, and I’m sure the feeling of exhaustion is also something to enjoy, but you shouldn’t push yourself. Ah, right. If you’d like, you can come rest in my room—”
“Charles-kun, please, realize what kind of situation you’re in!” Rion yelled. She was once again forced to soothe an angry demon and god, bringing them back under control. It was very, very close. Charles did end up buried in a wall, but he was still alive, so technically she’d succeeded.
“Sorry, Charles-kun. That was all I could manage...” Rion apologized.
“Wow, that was harsh. And hilarious!” Rami exclaimed.
“He got what he deserved,” said Bell.
“Exactly,” Dorothy agreed.
Bell and Dorothy were in complete sync.
“Oh, right, speaking of returning students, Edgar-dono and his friends came back to the academy just a little while ago as well. I hadn’t seen them since the exhibition match, so I was quite worried about them indeed,” said Graham.
“Whoa! Grammy?! Where did you come from?!” Rami yelped.
“Oh, I must admit I’ve been here for quite a while. Ashamedly, as timid as I am, I could not find the timing to speak up. The thin shadow I cast shames me.”
“Thin shadow? You’re basically a lump of uniqueness if you ask me.”
“Really? You make me blush.” Graham bashfully fixed his hair, which was parted to one side, and pushed up his glasses. “My personage aside, since Edgar-dono returned, I feel as if he has softened somehow. I know not what happened, but I suspect it was a good thing. Indeed, a cause for celebration.”
“Oh? Well, ya know, for now everyone’s okay, so all’s well that ends well, right?” Rami said. “Yep! I’m happy with this too— Hang on a mo’, we’ve got tests coming up! Agh, urgh, nooo...”
“Sorry to interrupt your meltdown, but you always end up writing your name and then falling asleep during tests anyway, so how does this affect you?” Dorothy asked.
“Come on, it’s a huge problem,” said Rion. “If you don’t start taking this stuff seriously, Rai-chan, you’ll end up losing credits, you know? You should at least put down answers to everything.”
“That’s impossible, Ri-chan,” Rami replied. “It’s like, crazy how my head’s basically pudding.”
“I’m saying it’s not good to make excuses without even trying,” said Rion. “Come on, we can fit in a little studying now!”
“Y-You’re a demon! A demon!”
One of the peak examples of the world’s strongest race—dragons—was then dragged off by Rion.
“Rion-san is such a good person. I’m a little worried she might get tricked by someone bad in the future,” Dorothy remarked.
“Even if someone so reckless existed, with her skills, they would be purified from an evildoer to a good person the instant they got close,” Bell replied.
“Ah, you’re talking about Absolute Purification. Yes...you’re right. By the way, I don’t see DarkMel-san today. Where is she?”
“She has gone out with fellow students from dorm Selva,” answered Graham. “From what I heard, today is DarkMel Clothes-Changing Day.”
“So they’re making a toy of her?”
“I believe it is an expression of love.”
“The love someone has for a mascot, maybe.”
The group could easily picture DarkMel being forced to try on all sorts of clothes in a store in town.
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“It’s good that she gets along well with her friends, but I have to wonder if she’ll be able to graduate this year the way this is going,” said Bell. “I wonder if she understands that Rion and I won’t be here next year, since we’re aiming to graduate as valedictorians.”
“You’re talking about skipping grades?” Graham asked. “That sounds very hasty of you.”
“It’s entirely realistic given our abilities. You should be the same, no? With your strength and your smarts?”
“Me? Gah hah hah! Absolutely not. I shall patiently use these three years to better myself,” Graham said, repeatedly pushing up his glasses.
“I see. Well, anything’s fine as long as I make it in time for Rion’s wedding.”
“Hm? What did you just say, Bell-dono?”
“Oh, did I not tell you? That girl’s getting married in half a year. That’s why we need to skip grades and graduate early.”
This was greeted with silence from the rest of the group. The moment Bell said that, the very air seemed to freeze, becoming quiet just as if Dorothy were using Time Magic. It only lasted for an instant, though, merely the calm before the storm, and the quiet was fated to be easily and quickly broken.
“I see. What a happy occasion.”
“Kyah! Kyaaah!”
Snap! Crackle!
“N-No waaayyy!” Charles shouted.
The girls who were listening squealed in delight while Dorothy crushed the cup she was holding. Meanwhile, Charles, still buried in a wall, let out a rumbling cry of despair. The reactions from everyone were truly varied.