“Think about it. There is no way a grudge built up over two years can be resolved overnight.”
Lucia spoke as though the idea were absurd.
“......Still, did it not ease up quite a bit recently?”
Even if Media had not taken revenge with her own hands, would she not have felt enough satisfaction from watching Emily get beaten dozens of times?
“No chance. She only learned the pleasure of revenge.”
Lucia dismissed the idea without a moment’s hesitation.
That made it sound as though I had done something wrong.
It was not as though I had never anticipated this. In fact, I had even thought it might be a chance to win some favor with Media.
What I had overlooked was how deep Media’s resentment ran and the overwhelming amount of money House Jun could draw upon.
“Since you even taught her the method, Senior Media will harass Senior Emily by asking someone else, even if you bow out. You are in trouble.”
Lucia spoke as though she were teasing me.
She seemed to enjoy watching me struggle.
Someone else.
The conditions were quite demanding. Media could offer money, but noble children who were not desperate for money would consider being hired for it shameful.
Someone skilled enough to defeat a Reincarnator like Emily, yet with circumstances that would make them obsess over money.
.......
Lucia?
Given Lucia’s personality, she would not be eager to do it, but in the face of an overwhelming sum, her feelings would become a secondary concern.
Moreover, considering how dissatisfied she was with the work I gave her now.......
The fact that a single duel would be enough to repay her entire debt, with plenty left over, would be extremely tempting.
There was the option of keeping her by raising her wages, but Lucia was closer to working because she had no choice but to earn money and repay her debt.
She did not seem particularly greedy for money, so it would not be surprising if she paid off her debt and left without a moment’s attachment.
Even if she decided to act for money, I was not confident that I could win a contest of wealth against Media.
Conversely, even if I lowered the price of duel proxy commissions and started a price war, I had to spend money every time I fought because of the nature of my Privilege. I could never win on price.
I was stuck.
“There is another reason to resolve this situation.......”
I could not lose a hard-won employee so pointlessly.
“What do you mean?”
Lucia tilted her head.
“It is nothing.”
Fortunately, Lucia had not yet noticed that an escape route from me was right in front of her.
It would be nice if Emily and Media simply got married.
Why were they looking for other troublesome methods when they had the best way to give each other eternal pain?
“Anyway, please deliver all these goods.”
If I became too distracted by this, I would be putting the cart before the horse.
I opened the shop and purchased every item that had been ordered.
“Phew.......”
Lucia sighed at the mountain of goods piled up before her.
“Hang in there a little longer. I will find a solution within this week.”
For my employee’s work-life balance.
For my long-term business success.
“I had better. Unless I want to ruin my midterms.”
Lucia answered bluntly.
“......Is it already that time?”
Time really flew.
Midterms. A major event that could not be left out of school life.
At Beaumont Academy in particular, it was an important period when those in the group of underachievers evolved into genuine dropouts and left the Academy.
At that moment, one thought flashed through my mind.
I could use this.
***
“Senior Media. It is me.”
I knocked on Media’s door.
“Ah, Junior. What brings you to my room? I did not order anything.”
Media happily opened the door and welcomed me in.
Even though she had fought so spectacularly with Emily not long ago, Media did not have so much as a bruise or scratch.
She had probably resolved it neatly with potions or healing magic. Magic was wonderful.
“I wanted to speak with you for a moment.”
“Do you have something you want to sell me?”
Media snickered at my sales smile.
“Oops. You caught me?”
It had not been that long since I enrolled, but everyone in the Academy already knew me.
No matter where I went or whom I met, no one thought it was strange.
They would simply assume that I was there to sell goods to someone or that I had come to see a customer.
It was convenient that they misunderstood on their own without me having to make excuses.
“If it is something you confidently recommend, I should at least take a look. Come in.”
“Then excuse me.”
Media’s room was such a mess that I could not understand how she had confidently allowed me in.
Books and papers were piled everywhere. Magic ingredients and bottles rolled around on the floor.
Near the window, unidentified items were piled high enough to block half of it, preventing light from entering properly.
Students at Beaumont Academy did not have to clean their own rooms.
So that students could focus entirely on Academy life, countless servants working for the Academy took care of such useless tasks.
Which meant Media had even refused to let anyone clean her room.
Then there should at least have been some trace of the goods I had sold Media.......
“......It does not look as though you got back the items I sold you.”
The consumables could have been used up completely, but the blackout curtains and accessories should at least have been thrown into a corner somewhere.
But there was nothing. Not even a single herb leaf was visible.
“Yes.”
Media answered brightly.
“If you had asked for them back, she would have returned them.”
If Emily had been weakened to her limit, she would have readily agreed when asked to return the things she had taken.
“Perhaps.”
There was no sign in Media’s voice that she regretted losing them.
It was different from the ease of rich people who thought they could simply buy replacements because they had plenty of money.
“It is fine. It is fine. I do not particularly need those items anymore.”
“You do not need items that improve your magical ability? Then that means.......”
It was something an Academy student should never say.
“I have given up.”
Media spoke while sitting on a lump that had presumably once been a bed.
“I will fail this midterm. I will be expelled from this Academy.”
So that was why she had seemed so unburdened lately.
To me, it was obviously terrible news.
Someone who should have remained in the Academy, continued buying my goods, and become a reliable source of funds even after graduation was about to disappear.
Now that I understood House Jun’s wealth, I could not let Media go like this.
“......Why are you giving up so easily?”
I deliberately spoke as though I were dismissing Media’s efforts.
“Easily?”
GRIND.
The sound of Media gritting her teeth echoed through the quiet room.
“Junior. Do you know how hard I have worked?”
I did not. Nor did I particularly care.
But it was probably important to Media, so I decided to listen silently.
“When I enrolled, my grades were among the very best. I fell behind in practical assessments, but I even beat Emily in pure magic assessments and knowledge assessments! Yes, that must have been what she did not like! The fact that there was someone better than her......!”
Media’s voice grew increasingly heated.
Memories revive emotions.
The ember of emotion that had been dying beneath a thin layer of ash flared up.
“I thought that all I needed was good grades, that I only needed to prove my talent! But...... She kept interfering, did she not? So that I could not concentrate in class or even practice magic......! What did I do that was so wrong?!”
Tears rolled down Media’s cheeks.
“In the end, my grades fell too, did they not? Even then, the bullying did not stop! No one helped me. No one......! I endured two years of hell......! It is all right for me to let go now!”
It was certainly a sad story.
It must have been difficult. Painful. But.......
“So what?”
I asked coldly.
“So what......?”
Media’s boiling emotions sank as though they had been doused with cold water.
“Senior Media. You endured bullying and held on at the Academy. You must have suffered, and I understand that. But that is not a valid reason to give up now. The bullying has disappeared.”
Put coldly, this was the time to work even harder.
“It is too late. The midterms are right around the corner.”
Media spoke in a trembling voice.
“There is still a week left.”
“What can I possibly do in only one week......?!”
She would not listen at all.
It seemed that her damaged self-esteem and negative way of thinking had not been completely uprooted.
It looked as though she needed a shock.
“I heard that you came here because you wanted to become House Jun’s heir. Is that all the drive you have?”
I took a step toward Media.
“Opportunity belongs to those who do not give up until the end! Until the test results are announced, no one knows what the outcome will be!”
You need to become House Jun’s heir so that I can stick a straw into House Jun!
I had gone through all the trouble of dealing with her obstacle, so I could not stand by and watch her give up without even trying.
“Junior.......”
Media bit her lip.
“I want to remain at Beaumont Academy too. But.......”
“There is a way. I know one.”
I firmly grasped Media’s shoulders.
“Really......?”
A light of hope flickered in Media’s eyes.
“But it requires resolve. The resolve to do anything if it lets you avoid expulsion. Do you have that resolve?”
At my question, Media nodded silently.
“Good. Then.”
Getting this far had been difficult.
If only Media had maintained her passion, none of this effort would have been necessary.
“I will bring in someone here who can help you avoid failing your midterm.”
I opened Media’s door and beckoned to the assistant I had instructed to wait outside.
.......
.......
An uncomfortable atmosphere immediately filled the room.
“This thing is...... your helper?”
Media pointed at Emily with a disgusted expression.
“Please listen to me first.”
The product I had to sell this time was Emily.
I had to package her as well as possible and persuade Media somehow.
“Thanks to Emily, I understand that the third-year Department of Magic has already secured additional points. Even at the bottom, not every bottom is the same.”
Among the third-year underachievers, the students in the Department of Magic were in comparatively better circumstances.
Fortunately, Media belonged to the better-off group.
“If you achieve the highest score in even one subject, it may be impossible to remove the snake mark, but you will be able to avoid expulsion this time.”
To survive among underachievers of roughly equal ability, she did not need good scores in several subjects.
One. Just one.
“There is one subject that is perfect for this midterm.”
I handed Media the third-year midterm schedule.
I did not even want to think about how annoying it had been to investigate a third-year midterm schedule that had nothing to do with me.
“Monster Capture.”
I heard that Beaumont Academy’s exams traditionally included one practical subject like this.
Monster Capture was a subject where the score was determined by how many monsters one captured within a designated area and time limit.
If they tested students one by one, this single subject would take several days, so the students took the test in groups of several.
In other words, it was the only subject where cooperation was possible.
However, cooperation was not considered cheating because moving together under the exam’s structure reduced the area that could be searched, making it likely that the combined score would be lower than if everyone attempted captures individually.
“I have already spoken with Emily. She said that she can completely give up her own score and funnel it to you, Senior Media. As long as you stop taking out your anger on her.”
Emily was the top student in her year. Abandoning one subject among many would not lower her far enough to be expelled.
“It is Senior Media’s choice. Graduating from the Academy and becoming House Jun’s heir, or settling your grudge against someone this insignificant. Which is more important?”
Future potential and present emotion had been placed on the scales.
There was practically no question which way they would tilt.