Episode 1: I Have Nothing to Be Proud Of
I, Kaiser von Quist, have nothing I can be proud of.
If there’s anything, it’s probably just that my parents belong to a Dukedom. Everything else about me is just slightly below average.
Magic, martial arts, studies—whatever I try, I’m mediocre.
Moreover, since that’s considered slightly below average by general standards, within the Imperial Magic Academy I attend, especially in Magic, I’m at the very bottom.
In fact, the only ones below me are basically the few commoners. In other words, there isn’t a single noble with worse grades than I have.
“My? Why is a filthy stray dog wearing the skin of a noble walking down the hallway of the Magic Academy’s noble wing, I wonder?”
“N-No… well… b-but… I’m technically a noble too—”
“Silence. Surely, useless trash like you doesn’t intend to claim nobility, do you?”
“…I-I’m sorry.”
And so, Liliana de Gold—an unparalleled beauty with flowing, obsidian-like black hair, who also happens to be the student council president of this Magic Academy—spoke to me as I was simply walking down the hall, but her words were the same stream of insults as always.
If I were to voice any complaints here, there’s no telling what she might do, so I just apologize obediently.
I wonder when it started? When I stopped feeling anything about apologizing.
“My? Didn’t you hear me? I’m telling you to grovel on the floor, rub your forehead against it, and say, ‘Thank you for allowing scum like me the privilege of using the hallway through your noble lords’ mercy.’ See? Because you can’t even do something that simple, you’ll always be useless scum. However, unlike you, I am kind, so I shall cool your head to help you think clearly. Water Magic Rank One: 【Water Ball】!”
“Guh!”
Perhaps displeased with my attitude, Liliana invoked the Water Magic 【Water Ball】 at me, releasing the sphere of water and striking me right in the stomach.
Even if 【Water Ball】 is only Rank One Water Magic, when cast by Liliana—who is proficient in Magic and has taken first place in the academy tournament for two consecutive years—a direct hit is agonizing enough to make someone like me, who has no decent way to defend against Magic, writhe in pain.
“Honestly, you truly are useless scum. Now the hallway is soaked because of you. Make sure you wipe up this water later, understand?”
And with those words, wearing an expression of utter contempt, Liliana walked off somewhere.
“She wasn’t always like this…”