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At lunchtime, the empty Magic Arts classroom.

Hanon Irey.

Sharine Sazarith.

Isabel Luna.

The three of us stared at each other in silence.

The problem was, out of the three, I was Hanon.

Outside the window, I could hear the innocent voices of children.

It was the sound of kids returning after having lunch.

In the brief silence between us,

It was Isabel who broke it.

“…Why are the two of you together?”

Isabel’s close friend, Sharine.

And Isabel’s rival—me.

Especially when everyone else was going to eat lunch.

Here we were, deliberately meeting to share bread and chat.

This scene was enough to create mixed feelings in Isabel.

Even I, who thought tying everything to romance was wrong, could easily guess how this would look.

“I got an offer.”

In response to Isabel’s question, it was Sharine who answered, not me.

The frozen facial expression from earlier was completely gone.

Instead, she returned to her usual self and pointed at me.

“For this group battle, she said to come to her team.”

Isabel’s eyes widened at Sharine’s words.

What a reaction—she clearly hadn’t thought I would suggest such a thing to Sharine.

“…Were you two close enough to suggest a team?”

The time I meet with Sharine is mostly in the evenings.

And since Isabel was busy training during that time, she had no idea what Sharine was doing.

So, she didn’t know that Sharine had been secretly teaching me magic engravings all this time.

“Yeah, Hanon really likes me.”

What kind of ridiculous statement was this?

I looked at Sharine, incredulous, and turned my head away.

Isabel also stared at me with her mouth agape.

It was clear she misunderstood.

The fact that her rival liked her close friend was certainly enough for that reaction.

“W-what? Is this really true?”

What was she seriously believing?

“That’s nonsense.”

As I outright denied it, Isabel pouted her lips and glanced back at Sharine.

Sharine, however, only offered a languid smile.

She didn’t say much.

‘This girl.’

Through this conversation, Sharine indirectly let it be known that our relationship was close enough to make such jokes.

Sharine usually doesn’t warm up to others easily.

As a capricious personality, she can seem friendly one moment and then suddenly turn cold the next.

That’s who Sharine was.

So, the only one who could be called a true friend of hers was Isabel.

And now, Sharine was joking around in front of Isabel with a rival.

That must have been a huge shock for Isabel.

Especially since her rival was the one making the jokes.

“Uh, uh, ummm.”

Maybe it was because Isabel was malfunctioning.

When I glared at Sharine, she shot a glare back at me.

Her eyes were smiling, but the gaze was icy.

Ah, she was truly mad.

For Sharine, her father had the effect of stirring her emotions.

But I had no way to resolve this.

To smoothly facilitate the subsequent events, we had to achieve good results in this group battle.

And to do that, I needed Sharine on my side.

‘It seems she’s desperate too.’

It would be tough for me to expect Sharine to understand my side.

“I-I came to propose a team to Lin as well.”

At that moment, Isabel regained her composure and returned to the main topic.

She had also heard the group battle news from Veganon just a while ago, just like me.

The reason for the time gap was that I had no one significant to discuss teams with while Isabel did.

The problem was—

It seemed Sharine was likely to side with her close friend Isabel.

“Sorry, but I proposed first.”

“But whether to accept is Lin’s choice.”

Realizing this, Isabel showed no signs of backing down.

Moreover, I could feel an unusual sense of competition in Isabel.

It felt like she was determined not to let her rival steal Sharine away.

This was tricky.

If Isabel genuinely focused on this, I wouldn’t find a way to win.

I glanced at Sharine.

Sharine looked back and forth between me and Isabel, contemplating.

“Okay.”

Then she made her decision and raised her hand towards me.

“I’ll team up with Hanon this time.”

“Lin?”

Isabel’s expression showed deep shock.

But it didn’t seem like Sharine was considering changing her decision.

Isabel swayed back a bit and then turned away.

“Lin is an idiot.”

Isabel treated Sharine like a fool and left, filled with sorrow.

I couldn’t believe she would choose me.

This choice surprised me as well.

“I didn’t expect you to pick me.”

“You kept your promise to me.”

The promise with Sharine was that, while she helped me, I would be the reason Isabel decided to stay.

“I know you were the first to go after Belle a week ago.”

She noticed that?

It seemed Sharine had come to the castle walls looking for Isabel too.

She must have seen me there.

“That was a repayment. And regarding your father…”

Sharine’s hair swayed slightly.

“I’m a little angry. I don’t know how far Hanon knows, but you spoke without permission.”

Seeing that, I quietly lowered my head.

“I’m sorry.”

I bowed my head in apology.

*

It was decided that Sharine, our most reliable rear guard, would join us.

Now we only needed one more rear guard and a healer.

Filling the rear guard was easier than I thought.

“Wang Non, how about putting me on the team?”

The next day, after finishing our morning class, Card was the first to make a suggestion.

“What’s this sudden request to be put on the team?”

“Sharine is joining, so where’s a better team than this?”

Sharine’s strength was exceptional.

Given that, it made sense that others would want to join our team.

I wondered if Card had already heard about it.

Anyway, he’s got quite the sharp ear.

‘Being in a position where one can’t have dull ears makes sense.’

Knowing Card’s circumstances, his keen hearing was justified.

“Besides, my magic isn’t suited for offensive power. It’s better to go to a team with strong firepower.”

Card was a utility-type mage.

Since I had once used him during the Flame Butterfly event, I was well aware of this fact.

With Sharine and Card on the team, our balance would become very stable.

“Hmmm.”

As I pondered, Card’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

It was annoying to see a big guy shining like that.

“What about your original team?”

Card usually had another team he formed frequently.

When I asked about it, he shyly rubbed around his nose.

“I was confessed to by a girl on the same team, and I just had to leave.”

I gave him a dumbfounded look.

But Card looked like he felt wronged.

“I can’t help it. I don’t want to get into a relationship; I want to be free!

But it would also feel wrong to stay on the team and ruin the atmosphere.”

“Princess Sweet Potato, don’t you think it sounds like trash talking?”

Just as Card was acting like a tragic hero, Seron appeared with a look of disdain.

Then Card winked at Seron.

“If you confess, I’ll think about it.”

“Shut up before I tear that mouth of yours apart.”

Seron’s hair stood on end as he snarled like a cat.

It was clear he didn’t want anything to do with Card.

Card, on the other hand, seemed to find it amusing and turned back to me.

“Of course, I want to stay friends with Wang Non, so I’ll reject you.”

“Do you want to die? Why would I ever confess to you?”

Seron scowled at Card as if he were going to hit him but glanced at me instead.

“And don’t even think about it, you Princess Sweet Potato; you can’t like me.”

Oh crap.

“I’m sorry, but I prefer tall, handsome men who are manly. But Princess Sweet Potato is far from manly. No way.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure you don’t see me as human from today.”

As I rolled up my sleeves, Seron let out a scream and pretended to run away.

With how easily they all joke around, it seemed they had been hanging out together for a while.

“So, what were we talking about?”

Today’s morning class focused on training, so after Seron received a special lesson from Professor Veganon, he arrived late.

Maybe that’s why he didn’t know what my conversation with Card was about.

“I’m going to join Wang Non’s team.”

“Ugh, no thanks.”

Seron was already recoiling in disgust.

Seeing this, I tilted my head.

“Why don’t you want to?”

“Why do I not want to? If someone like him joins, the team atmosphere will get weird.”

“Then why do you care?”

I asked innocently.

Seron blinked and then tilted his head to follow my line of thinking.

“That’s why.”

Seron started to speak but then suddenly widened his eyes.

“Wait, wait, you’re not Princess Sweet Potato, are you?”

“Yeah, I’m not Princess Sweet Potato.”

“Hey, you know you can’t do that! Without me, you can’t save the frontline.”

“Our rear guard is already decided with Sharine.”

Seron’s mouth moved in disbelief.

When the name of the second-year Magic Arts top student, a genius of the century, was mentioned, Seron’s reaction instantly changed.

“Sh-Sharine Sazarith? Wh-What about her?”

“Because I’m pretty good at various things.”

I had already brought three people into my team, including the great sword iron Aisha, the Spirit Sovereign contractor Poara, and Saint SirMiel.

This time Seron could hardly doubt me.

“With Sharine coming in, there will be a flood of people who want to join the front line.”

It hasn’t spread as a rumor yet, but it will soon.

There will be a rush of people wanting to join.

Realizing this, Seron’s lips twisted.

“Uh, uh, then what about me?”

“Like I asked before, why are you worrying about our team.”

I smiled brightly.

Seron’s forehead slowly began to turn red.

He was just now starting to recognize his situation.

Seron reached out and gripped my collar tightly.

“P-P-Princess Sweet Potato, please don’t do this.”

“Seron, don’t you think it’s better to find a team soon?”

“Ah, I really made a mistake! I-I’ve been performing well academically lately. My skills are solid. Why is this happening?!”

“Yeah, with those skills, you’ll be accepted anywhere.”

Seron was already beginning to tremble.

With tears in his eyes, he was clutching my collar with both hands.

“Sweet Potato, no, Hanon, I beg you! I have nowhere else to go. Please, please?”

“Requesting a favor should be done respectfully.”

“Ugh, I’m begging you! Please put me on the team!”

“Your head is too stiff. And what’s with that voice?”

“I’m asking you! Please, please put me on the team!”

Seron bowed his head, shaking and trembling.

Watching that, I raised my hand and patted his head.

“Alright, that’s how a request should be made. You’re so sweet.”

The other kids looked at us in bewilderment.

But I didn’t mind that at all.

Being grouped with the three problem children was already something unusual.

“Woooo, aaaaaah!”

At that moment, Seron suddenly looked up.

Then, with a tear-streaked face, he looked at me and shook my collar wildly.

Did I possibly push him too hard?

The kid was broken.

But it didn’t seem like he wanted to leave the team; he just glared at me, still huffing.

“Seron, if you do well in this group battle and stand out, wouldn’t your parents give you more pocket money?”

Seron flinched.

He was the type to suck up to his parents for a lot of allowance.

For him, spending money was a lifeline.

“If Sharine’s on the team, we’d definitely end up in the top ranks.”

Seron carefully arranged my collar and then blinked his tear-stained eyes brightly.

He already once received a grand compliment from his parents for his performance in the gray forest, or so I heard he got an allowance increase or something.

There’s a good chance that if he stands out this time too, his pocket money will rise.

“I-I’ll do my best.”

“Yeah, let’s aim for a good result together.”

Seron was sounding kind.

Card, watching all of this, whistled.

“Seems like you’re getting better at taming him.”

What a strange term for it.

It’s just smooth communication.