It was Friday.
The first day of April had already arrived.
The burn on my palm was gradually healing, but since it wasn't completely better yet, I kept the bandage on as a precaution.
I'd loosened it just enough to hold a pen more comfortably, which seemed perfect.
Thinking I'd be safe for a while, I focused on getting through the upcoming exams, scribbling away with my pen.
Starting with the fourth exam, Magicology would be added, making this a particularly troublesome week.
I wondered if I should have started studying earlier, but what's done was done, and there was no way to undo it now.
Anyway, I devoted myself to studying with the sole determination that I couldn't remain at the Bottom Rank forever.
I recognized that nothing would change if I stayed stuck at the bottom. I was resolved to raise my rank even slightly, to build up the influence of my words so that next time, I could guide everyone to work together against the coming threat.
That was my plan, but...
"Kanna?"
"Oh, yes?"
I turned my head in surprise.
It was Orca who had spoken to me, which was unusual since she rarely initiated conversation.
Yesterday she had suddenly called me out to the hallway, and today she was approaching me again for some reason, making me a bit tense.
Actually, when she called me out yesterday, I had internally screamed, "I studied! I studied!" But after realizing that wasn't what she wanted, I could now respond more calmly when called upon.
"How's it going?"
"Oh, yes, fine!"
"Are you still wandering around today, by any chance?"
"Ah, that... no. I don't need to anymore."
I answered with a bitter smile.
The truth was, I had prioritized protecting the town, assuming the Academy would have its own defenses. After all, the Academy had heroes nearby and was full of hero candidates.
The fact that I had also prevented an attack on the Academy was truly fortunate coincidence. On the other hand, it was concerning that the Strange One and monsters were powerful enough to attack two locations simultaneously with a single totem.
"You don't need to anymore?"
"That's right."
She seemed somewhat interested in my response, despite having previously dismissed my story as nonsense.
I wondered if she realized how many people were watching her. While they might have somehow understood my interactions with Yoon Ha-min, the fact that Orca was now showing interest in me and conversing with me seemed to draw even more attention.
I understood why. People might think I had somehow managed to befriend one of the top students through persistence, but now there were two of them, which was enough to cause alarm.
"Would you like to... talk at the same place as yesterday?"
"Oh, sure."
I nodded and followed her out.
The classroom buzzed with whispers, all eyes on me.
Yoon Ha-min just stared blankly as Orca and I left the classroom.
Standing on the middle of the stairway leading to the rooftop, I fidgeted in front of her. Yesterday, it felt like she was looking down at me from above, but today she asked me to come all the way up, so we were at eye level.
"Are you going through something difficult that you can't talk about?"
I froze. Hadn't she asked the same question yesterday?
I deliberated whether to tell the truth or deny it.
Because I had destroyed the totem, the monster invasion had been prevented, leaving no evidence. No one would believe me. Even Yoon Ha-min merely "wanted to believe" me rather than truly believing.
But since she had brought this up yesterday too, I couldn't just say I'd burned myself while cooking. I didn't want to lie to someone who was trying to be kind to me, especially since she wasn't a complete stranger—she was someone precious to Yoon Ha-min, someone who would die by his side.
"...Yes."
Of course, even if I decided to speak, there were things I could say and things I couldn't.
For example, I could try to avoid the impending future by telling her what was going to happen.
However, if asked about the source of my information, the existence of totems, or how I knew things they didn't, I wouldn't be able to answer.
So I needed to exclude such details from my responses. I tensed up, preparing to answer carefully if she had questions.
"You originally intended to study, right...?"
The sudden shift to studying caught me off guard, and I narrowed my eyes, wondering if this was normal for her.
It made sense for the future head of the Ramiris family, who valued fairness and admired hard work. Besides, I saw this as a perfect opportunity to raise her affection.
"Yes...! I, I was planning to study all along...!"
Contrary to my expectations, Orca's expression darkened slightly. I had thought she would be pleased, but apparently it wasn't such a simple matter.
"Perhaps you don't have a good environment for studying? Is it difficult to study at home...?"
"Oh, no, it's fine now."
"Now?"
"Yes."
She seemed to find my response a bit strange and questioned it, to which I promptly nodded.
I wanted to gain Orca's favor by showing that although I hadn't been able to focus until this exam, I was now determined to work hard.
In the original story, she never paid attention to the Bottom Rank student, but if my actions had sparked her interest, it meant I was already on a different path from the original plot. I intended to make the most of this opportunity.
"Actually, I think I can manage the written part somehow, but I can't find a proper place to practice the practical skills... hehe."
If I could build enough rapport with Orca, perhaps when she faced a deadly situation, I could beg her to listen to me just once and help her avoid death.
As I answered with a sly smile, Orca hesitated momentarily before nodding with a somewhat disgruntled expression.
"I suppose even with good written scores, it's hard to turn things around without comparable practical skills."
Orca placed her hand on her mouth and groaned thoughtfully. Throughout this, her gaze remained fixed on my right hand, making me anxious about what she might be thinking.
"But that hand wasn't injured during training, right? It was during that monster story you mentioned. Were there really monsters?"
"..."
Orca was a rational person who wouldn't fully believe me.
She was like a safety mechanism beside the kind-hearted Yoon Ha-min, preventing him from being swayed too easily.
Were there monsters? I'm sorry, but I stopped the invasion.
Do I have proof? I couldn't take pictures. Even if I had, how would I prove it was a totem, and how would I explain how I knew to find it?
Still, repeating what I'd told Yoon Ha-min seemed best.
"No. Because I stopped them."
I raised my hand slightly. I couldn't explain the details about the totem, but I hoped this explanation would suffice.
I wasn't expecting grand declarations like Yoon Ha-min's offer to believe me if I just explained why I was doing all this. I just wanted her to accept it with an "Oh, I see" and be friends with me.
"Is that so..."
But contrary to my wishes, Orca's expression continued to darken.
"Next time, if it's difficult to practice at home, I'll lend you the training hall at my mansion. If necessary, we could invite Yoon Ha-min too, and even if abilities are difficult, we could at least work on improving your physical skills a bit..."
"Really?"
"Yes, well. We have training clothes you can use. It's not right for someone who's trying hard to have nothing."
"Thank you...!"
This was an unexpected windfall.
I thought it would be great just to become friends with her, but to be invited to her home was beyond my imagination. I was so happy that it probably showed on my face.
"Your hand must still hurt, so take it easy. You'll inevitably be at the Bottom Rank until this exam."
"Ah..."
At Orca's words, accompanied by a bitter smile, I sighed and looked at my right hand.
In this condition, practice would be impossible. Then, as if offering advice, she told me:
"Next time, don't do things that hurt yourself like this. If you do, you really won't be able to escape the Bottom Rank."
"...Oh, I understand."
I answered with a dejected voice as I watched her descend the stairs back to the classroom. Then I groaned quietly.
I wondered if destroying the totem with my palm had been the problem.
No, the burn would heal soon, and I could practice quickly over the weekend, right? I tried to catch up to Orca, but before I could, the bell signaling the start of class rang through the hallway.
"Ah!"
I hurried my steps toward the classroom. I managed to enter almost at the same time as Orca, but I couldn't continue our earlier conversation.
*
Another day had ended.
Why wasn't I happy that it was Friday?
Because next Wednesday was the exam.
I felt like I was losing my mind with the increased number of subjects and the expanding exam content. As I was stuffing books into my bag to review Thursday and Friday's lessons, Yoon Ha-min approached me.
"Kanna, I just realized you're not wandering around anymore?"
"Oh, yeah."
"Then what do you do at home?"
"I'll probably study..."
As I mumbled this, Orca, standing slightly behind Yoon Ha-min, smiled faintly.
"Orca mentioned practicing martial arts together and other things later. What do you think?"
"How about tomorrow?"
"No, your hand hurts, right? Maybe next week when it's healed..."
"No, my hand is fine."
I said this while pressing on the bandage covering my hand.
"It's almost healed. I just haven't removed it as a precaution."
"Really...?"
Yoon Ha-min widened his eyes at my words, then glanced back at Orca. Orca also seemed surprised by my statement, opening her eyes wide and looking back and forth between Yoon Ha-min and me before slowly approaching.
"Kanna, are you really okay?"
"Yes. I can even shake hands."
As I extended my hand, Orca stared at it blankly before carefully taking it. Seeing no sign of discomfort on my face, she nodded as she gently released my hand.
"Then let's do it tomorrow. You should rest enough on Sunday. Yoon Ha-min, do you have plans then?"
"Huh? No? What plans would I have? I'm available starting tomorrow."
"Then tomorrow it is."
With the revelation that my hand was fine, the schedule was suddenly moved up. Yoon Ha-min seemed surprised momentarily but quickly nodded in agreement. I thought that even if he hadn't come, Orca might have taken me along under the pretext of helping me study.
Orca turned her gaze to me after hearing Yoon Ha-min's answer.
"Kanna."
"...Yes, I, I'm fine with it too."
When I answered nervously, she smiled slightly, as if that wasn't what she had wanted to ask.
"Come without getting hurt."