It's Overwhelmingly Convenient That the Female Lead Has Darkened - Chapter 23
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Darkened Heroine Is Overwhelmingly Convenient
#23
The students who entered the Outdoor Training Ground froze in surprise.
There were twice as many of them as in the first lesson.
“Wait—you’re taking this class too?”
“You as well?”
Spotting classmates they hadn’t seen before, the students greeted one another with a mixture of delight and bewilderment.
Ah, so they’ve combined classes from different sections.
Daisy nodded to herself.
She didn’t know why they’d suddenly decided on a joint lesson, but there was nothing for it but to make the best of it.
As she surveyed the grounds, Daisy spotted a boy standing alone in the corner, much like herself, and blinked.
It was Felix Arderon—the world’s greatest villain with surprisingly modest tastes, fond of forests as he was.
Naturally, no one stood near him.
It seemed he had no close companions in Magic lessons either, let alone Swordsmanship.
Understandable, really.
Just look at that expression.
Who would approach someone wearing a face like that—as if they might drown you with a single look?
His title as a minor duke wouldn’t help much either.
‘Even if you got close to him, he wouldn’t shed a single crumb of warmth…….’
Gazing at Felix, Daisy thought to herself.
‘God, I’m envious…….’
How did he manage to live so utterly alone?
After a moment’s deliberation, Daisy tried mimicking Felix’s expression.
She suspected the problem might be her unfortunately open face.
Furrowing her brows, lifting her eyebrows…….
That was when their eyes met.
“…….”
“…….”
And Felix turned away as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have.
What, this bastard?
The surge of indignation rising in Daisy was quelled by Janet Hoer, who burst through the training ground entrance with an expression that could drown three men.
Janet surveyed the crowded Outdoor Training Ground, then spoke.
“Today’s a joint lesson.”
After glancing briefly at the confused faces, Janet continued.
“Do you know what the most efficient way to teach newbies is?”
We have no idea, ma’am…….
“Neither do I. So I combined the classes. At least I’ll save time.”
…….
…….
The students closed their mouths with expressions of resigned irritation.
They were frustrated, yet had nothing to say.
After all, they were newbies.
Watching the professor, Daisy clasped her hands in prayer.
‘Please just vanish off to the Magic Tower.’
The Academy might actually function properly once this professor—who likened students to newbies—disappeared.
But something felt off.
“Step back. Further! Form a semicircle.”
By now, Janet Hoer—who should have been unenthusiastically telling them to just light a candle or something—was strangely full of energy.
‘In the Original Story, she just seemed to waste time half-heartedly and leave… or did she?’
With the peculiar sense that something had changed, Daisy began methodically recalling the Original Story when—
“Daisy.”
That irritatingly familiar voice sounded from behind her.
Of all the people in this class, he was the one she’d hoped not to see…….
Daisy sighed and turned around.
Jern Blaite was watching her.
His brilliant golden hair glittered and scattered beneath the morning sun.
Others might have gasped in admiration at the sight, but Daisy did not.
Every time she saw that face, the terrible married life she and Jern had created together played before her eyes like a lantern show.
She truly despised looking at him…….
Oblivious to—or perhaps aware of—her thoughts, Jern opened his mouth with that gentle smile of his.
“To have Swordsmanship and Magic classes one after the other like this—truly, I’m fortunate,”
If that fortune was something the minor duke could claim, I’d gnaw off my jaw in disbelief.
Daisy’s small fist clenched tight.
“Y-yes, I’m lucky…….”
You’re the fortunate one here, if anything.
Daisy let out a scoff and released the grip she’d been holding in her fist.
She didn’t notice Jern’s gaze linger on her fist for a moment.
“Let’s begin the lesson.”
Swish!
The professor swept his hand and conjured a White Wax Candle—the same one the students had seen in the previous class.
A single unlit candle drifted lazily through the center of the students arranged in a semicircle.
‘Is he just lighting it again?’
Then again, repetition is essential for foundational study.
Before Daisy could marvel at how professorial that sounded, the professor snapped his fingers and the candle ignited.
So far, it was the same as before.
“Today, we go further.”
Perhaps light two of them?
The Newbies at the Outdoor Training Ground entertained Newbie-like thoughts.
Daisy, possessing somewhat broader ambitions than the rest, thought instead, ‘Three, perhaps?’
“Watch the demonstration carefully.”
The professor rolled up his sleeves as he spoke.
The expressions of a few quick-witted Newbies darkened.
He wouldn’t have rolled up his sleeves merely to light two candles.
That premonition proved accurate.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the flame swelled to the size of a man.
The students cried out in alarm and scrambled backward a few paces.
The professor, observing their panic with disdain, drew a long stream of flame from the massive blaze.
Shhhhoooop.
“…….”
Daisy had seen something similar before.
At the Mill.
That was it.
Rice cake.
The professor seized the flame as it stretched from the great fireball like rice cake, long and pliable.
Flick, swish, swish.
And remarkably, he shaped the rice-cake-like flame this way and that, tying knots in it.
Then, moments later.
The dazzling hand movements that had been fashioning something from the flame suddenly stilled.
The students gazed upon whatever had been created from the fire.
“……A pigeon?”
Crackle-roar!
At that very instant, as if angered by someone’s quiet murmur calling it a pigeon, the flame surged ferociously.
Screech!
And in that moment, a creature with feathers of vivid red and gold interwoven burst forth from the inferno and took flight.
Long, elegant tail feathers.
Wise golden eyes.
A phoenix.
“Ohhhhh!”
The students, who had been watching the phoenix soar through the heavens in stunned awe, erupted in thunderous cheers and applause.
This was the Magic of a Grand Mage……!
The professor addressed the first-year students, moved by their admiration of his brilliant display.
“Now, you try.”
“…….”
“…….”
“……Pardon?”
“I said try it.”
“Try what?”
“This.”
“That phoenix thing you just did?”
“Yes, that’s it.”
“So you’re saying we should light the candle, draw out the flame, tie it into a knot, shape it into a phoenix, and send it flying?”
“Correct.”
…….
…….
Is she insane?
The students stared at their professor with barely concealed sincerity.
Janet didn’t so much as blink at their gaze.
She simply stared through something distant and spoke.
“I know you can do it.”
…….
And Daisy…….
looked to her left.
Then to her right, then behind her.
Turning her head forward again, Daisy found herself silently questioning with her eyes.
Me… really?
* * *
With the white candle before her, Daisy thought.
What was that eye contact just now?
The professor had definitely looked at her and nodded.
Thinking it must be a misunderstanding, she’d glanced around, but no one was nearby.
Yet it made no sense.
Janet was a professor specialized not in encouraging students, but in crushing their spirits.
「”Pathetic.”
“Dreadful.”
“Do you have no brain?”」
And that was because in the Original Story, Janet was always spouting such remarks.
Daisy had heard them herself.
When she’d finished someone else’s assignment and, only at the deadline, finally completed her own before submitting it.
Janet had looked at Daisy with disdain and said this.
「”Pathetic and dreadful. Do you have no brain?”」
Exactly.
Original Daisy had taken all three insults in one go.
Daisy was remarkably efficient at receiving insults.
So there was no way that ability-obsessed professor had given Daisy such utterly normal encouragement while looking at her.
Unless it was sarcasm…….
‘Ah.’
That was it.
The magic Janet had demonstrated was not something students who’d barely started lighting candles could perform.
So ‘you can do it’ must have meant ‘go ahead and try if you can.'”
And by looking directly at Daisy when she said it,
‘Daisy Sableheart has a natural gift for receiving insults efficiently…….’
Once she thought of it that way, she felt oddly relieved.
Daisy gazed at the candle before her and exhaled deeply.
Even if she couldn’t conjure a phoenix, she could at least light a flame, so she’d start with that.
Just as Daisy was gathering Mana to her fingertips and reaching for the candle,
“Need some help?”
Poof.
The gathered Mana scattered in an instant.
Daisy slowly turned her head.
A tall boy with sand-colored hair was looking at her.
“I could help you out.”
Watching Cedric flash that easygoing smile, Daisy found herself gasping involuntarily.
“Ah.”
There he is.
The mosquito’s specialty.
“I happen to know a bit about Magic.”
Showing off.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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