Male Lead, Don’t Push, Pull! - Chapter 18

The Ministry of Magic building was located to the west of the Arene Academy.

 

The tall tower I saw when I first arrived in the city of Arene was right in front of me. That must be the Tower of Truth, a famous cultural property.

 

The closer I got to the Magic Department building, the more students I saw clutching books and magical tools in their arms.

 

I passed them all and entered a classroom on the first floor.

 

When I arrived, I was greeted by a familiar face. It was the same person who had run away in terror from Kyle’s unwanted warning on the day of the entrance exam.

 

I walked up to him and greeted him brightly.

 

“Daniel, hi!”

 

“Hi…!”

 

Daniel’s cheeks flushed red when he spotted me.

 

His skin color was much better than it had been over the last few days, probably because he had eaten well.

 

I could feel the freshness of life, like a spring bud just poking its head above the damp earth.

 

But the peachy face didn’t last long.

 

“Ah…. Hello, Your Highness.”

 

And the reason for that must be Kyle, who stood casually beside me.

 

He should have called him Kyle, since the Academy doesn’t discriminate based on status, but Daniel was still calling him His Highness.

 

He was so nervous that he didn’t even seem to realize it.

 

Watching him, I suddenly felt uneasy.

 

Could Kyle’s social skills be even worse than I thought?

 

When Kyle was talking back to Sienna, I was surprised by how different it was from the original, and I was too busy focusing on their relationship.

 

Frankly, I was too busy wondering if I had ruined their relationship.

 

But now I realize that for Kyle, being harsh to others isn’t specific to the heroine; it’s universal.

 

Of course, Kyle had a unique upbringing. He was raised by Titania with an education that was nothing short of abusive.

 

Due to the long-standing memory of corporal punishment, Kyle didn’t even want anyone to touch him. Even if it was a servant who came to attend to him.

 

But I thought he’d be fine among his peers!

 

Apparently, I was wrong, because when Kyle appeared, the other new students quickly huddled together and avoided him.

 

‘Oh no.’

 

The smile on my face faded.

 

This wasn’t going to be solved by simply advising him to be kind to others and handing him a copy of a self-help book like <The Power of Small Acts of Kindness>.

 

Sure, Kyle is kind to me. But I didn’t give him that gift to say ‘Hey, only be nice to me’.

 

This is why, no matter how many good people I discover and choose to pull into my life – whether that be Sienna or Daniel –  I have to wonder if Kyle will push them away.

 

I don’t want that to happen.

 

I’m going to have to train him hard from now on.

 

“Kyle, say hello,” I whispered quickly to Kyle, keeping an outwardly smiling face.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Daniel’s saying hello. Why aren’t you greeting him?”

 

Daniel looked at me pleadingly, as if to say please don’t do that.

 

It was a very pleading look, but I was just as serious, so I looked away and turned to Kyle.

 

“If you don’t get along with my friends, I won’t talk to Kyle either.”

 

“What?”

 

“I want Kyle to get along with my friends.”

 

Kyle raised his right eyebrow at me. He didn’t like what I said.

 

But I wasn’t going to let him off the hook. I narrowed my eyes to show I wasn’t going to back down, and Kyle wrinkled his nose.

 

A moment later, the winner was declared.

 

“Hi.”

 

Kyle said hello to Daniel!

 

“Ah, hi…!” Daniel replied, flustered.

 

It’s still not exactly a friendly scene, but I guess you can’t give away the first round.

 

Still, I was pleased to see that Kyle hadn’t rebelled, and that he’d gone along with my instructions.

 

Smiling faintly, I patted Kyle on the head, and he bluntly slapped my hand away. Oh well.

 

The three of us sat down next to each other and waited a bit, and soon the much-anticipated class began.

 

“Good morning, everyone. It’s my pleasure to welcome you to this orientation to the School of Magic. I’m Prissiel Enderson, and I’ll be teaching your Magical Studies class.”

 

An older professor with silver hair introduced himself, smiling brightly. He wore glasses shaped like an upside-down half-moon, and they kept rattling off the end of his nose as he walked around.

 

“Today is your first day, so we’re going to take some time to see how you’ll fit in at the School of Magic.”

 

Professor Prissiel pulled out a blue twig from a box on the table.

 

It had an air of mystery about it.

 

As the students looked at it curiously, Professor Prissiel smiled broadly.

 

“It’s a magic meter. It responds to the presence of magic, and the stronger the magic, the more beautiful the flower.”

 

The children’s eyes sparkled.

 

“Now, which student would like to measure their own magic power?”

 

“Me!”

 

“I want to go first, Professor!”

 

“Okay, I’ll measure your magic power one at a time, so please line up in an orderly fashion.”

 

The students scurried off excitedly. I, too, hurried to the front of the line, my heart pounding.

 

Maybe I have some magical talent after all.

 

A reincarnation possession perk or something!

 

~ Translation by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at rainofsnow.com ~

 

“I can’t wait!”

 

Maybe even the Archmage Eleanor would be nothing in front of this Vivian Rosiere?

 

***

 

The Archmage Eleanor actually wanted nothing to do with Vivian Rosiere.

 

‘I’m afraid, Viviane Rosiere, that if you enter the Department of Magic, you’ll have a hard time keeping up with your classes… you don’t have any talent for manifesting magic.’

 

Professor Prissiel, who was measuring my magic power, gave me the most pitiful look in the world.

 

The stronger the magic power, the more colorful and beautiful the flowers.

 

When I grabbed the branch, nothing happened, except that the blue branch glowed white and hardened.

 

I felt very embarrassed at that moment.

 

I rushed out of the classroom to avoid the stares. I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to Daniel.

 

“I’m so ashamed.”

 

How can it not change at all!

 

I muttered, covering my face with my hands, no longer able to show my face in the direction of the Ministry of Magic.

 

Kyle, trailing behind me, called out to me.

 

“Vivi.”

 

“Kyle, please don’t talk to me because I’m really, really embarrassed right now.”

 

“Vivian.”

 

“Please. Can you just leave me alone for a minute?”

 

“No, it’s not that. The professor’s chasing Vivi right now.”

 

“What?”

 

I whirled around in surprise, and sure enough, Kyle was right. Professor Prissiel was running towards me, his silver hair whipping around.

 

Dumbfounded, I just stood there and waited for him.

 

“Whew, you’re quick on your feet, Miss Rosiere,” Professor Prissiel panted, wiping the sweat from his brow. I waited, still feeling a little embarrassed, for him to tell me why he was chasing me.

 

After a moment, he asked me.

 

“May I speak to you for a moment?”

 

“Oh… yes, that’s fine.”

 

“Very good, then why don’t we, um, move over to that bench over there, it’s the end of summer and it’s still very hot.”

 

Professor Prissiel, still sweating, looked a little tired, so I nodded.

 

We found a bench under a huge tree and sat down, and it didn’t feel so bad to be in the shade and out in the cool breeze. After taking a moment to sort out what to do next, Professor Prissiel asked me.

 

“Have you decided what department you’re going to study in?”

 

“No.”

 

But at least I knew from the previous class that it wouldn’t be the Department of Magic.

 

I replied politely, hiding my depression, and Professor Prissiel’s face lit up.

 

“Very well, then, Miss Rosiere, how about the Department of Ancient Languages?”

 

“The ancient languages department?”

 

“Yes.”

 

I shuddered. Ancient languages were a subject that had been bothering me since I was preparing for the entrance exams for the Academy of Arene.

 

Kyle, who was with me, asked, “May I ask why you recommended the Ancient Languages department?”

 

“Well, for one thing, Viviane Rosiere has difficulty manifesting magic. I’m sure you’re aware of that, as I confirmed in the magical measurement earlier.”

 

Professor Prissiel smiled and twisted the dagger he’d already plunged into my heart. Don’t poke me twice where it hurts, Professor.

 

“But it’s not that you’re lacking in magic power, per se. You might as well say you’re overflowing with it, because the whiter the branches, the more spotlessly pure they are, the stronger and purer the magic you possess.”

 

“But why can’t I manifest magic?” I asked in frustration, and Professor Prissiel spoke up.

 

“There are some who share your circumstances. It’s caused by an imbalance between their body and their magic. We call it a ‘magic mismatch’.”

 

“An imbalance between physical and magical power….”