Chapter 173: The Negotiation and the Wizard

Ch. 173: The Negotiation and the Wizard

Estea: "YーYes, I'm a huge fan. It's an honor to meet you!!"

And Estea bent her small body forward in a polite and courteous bow.

Igni felt himself blush slightly as he took her hand to shake.

Igni: "YーYeah. Thanks....." Estea: "So, um....! I have been following all your amazing accomplishments from the beginning!"

Igni: "The beginning?" Estea: "Yes.....! Since I heard that a person with a [F] Compatibility defeated Miss Elina, the <former> Head of Class when we all enrolled.......since then!"

And Estea looked eagerly into Igni's eyes as if to show him how much she looked forward to this day.

Igni felt the small hands grip his very tightly, and as she blushed a bright red, she began hurriedly speaking.

Estea: "So.......! IーI heard a lot about you! I've heard a lot about what you have been doing!"

Igni: "Was there anything else other than the [Tournament]?"

That was the only thing Igni could recall that everyone in school would know about. He tilted his head to think hard, and Estea, still feeling embarrassed, replied.

Estea: "AーAt the Principality........you participated in freeing the Saint...... You also caught a [Transgressor] while on a school field trip with the Fortune Telling Club.......! I've heard all of your stories, Mr. Igni!!"

With each story, Estea seemed to get more and more excited as she stepped forward and closer to Igni.

Igni: (Huh? Am I.....Popular right now?)

Lilly: "Igni, I think you're being too close."

But Lilly intervened as she grabbed Igni and pulled him away from Estea.

Igni: "BーBut Lilly, she says she's a fan of mine....."

Estea: "YーYes! IーI know it may not mean much coming from me but......anyway! I was so encouraged by all of your accomplishments, Mr. Igni! You showed us that even if your compatibility is [F], you could defeat Mr. Fray....! And you also defeated the Head of Class......!"

She was now speaking so fast, it made Igni dizzy as she pressed on.

Estea: "That's why I was able to get this far! Because of you, I was able to become the Head of Class! That's why I wanted to tell you thank you!"

And Estea bowed once again in gratitude.

This sudden show of gratitude threw Igni off once more.

Igni: (Oh yeah, I do remember that last semester, Estea became Head of Class. I guess the reason why Elina got replaced was partly my fault......)

And Igni felt guilt towards Elina as this fact dawned on him.

Igni: "I see. That's amazing. You must've worked really hard."

But Igni knew almost next to nothing about studying, so he could only give her very general feedback.

He could never dream of becoming top of his class. He could barely keep himself from failing the written tests.

Then again, Igni's enrollment was unique and failing written tests did not affect him.

Lilly: "Igni, let's get to the main subject of our visit."

Igni: "Hm? Oh yeah, you're right."

As Lilly nudged him forward, Igni took out a piece of paper to show Estea.

Igni: "Estea, I actually had a request from the Student Council to speak with you."

Estea: "A request?" Igni: "Yeah, would you be willing to participate in the upcoming Class Battle?"

Estea: "The Class Battle......?"

But Estea's expression darkened at the mention of the event.

It's likely that her teacher had already spoken to her about this too.

Though it is technically a voluntary enrollment, there was also an unsaid rule that any students who could fight were supposed to participate.

Igni: "What do you think? You think you can join?"

Igni: (......she looks like she has a reason for not wanting to do it."

Estea's face crumpled bitterly at the thought, and she considered her response over and over searching for the right word.

Estea: "IーI'm really sorry. I.....I just can't."

Igni: "........could you at least tell me why?" The Ultimate Secret to Popularity No. 8 ー "A man who can accept a woman's circumstances will be Popular."

The important thing is to identify what the person wants, and not just shove your agenda onto them.

Estea: "SーSo.....I'm...well.......actually, I don't come from a wealthy home...." And squeezing out the words painfully, Estea spoke barely in a whisper.

Estea: "BーBut....they saw that I had some talent.....they said I had what it takes......and then I was able to enroll into the Rolmod Wizard Academy....."

She was also considered as one of the Golden Generations.

It's likely that Estea accomplished a lot prior to her enrollment to prove herself.

That's why she was able to enroll.

Estea: "Here, at the Rolmod Wizard Academy.....well......so there's a lot of Noble's children, right?'

Igni: "You're right."

Igni wasn't going to deny that.

Just because you have high compatibility doesn't mean you're automatically good with Spells. Compatibility is just that ー compatibility. In order to nurture your talent, you need a good education. So talent alone will not get you far.

Igni was not able to enroll into the Rolmod Wizard Academy because he was a [Ultimate Spell Specialization・Spell One]. He was also trained by one of the [Extremes], Lucas, and that was also why he was able to enroll.

In that aspect, Igni was very fortunate, but in general, getting an education like that would take a fortune.

And there was no doubt that Nobles had more wealth than commoners.

So in general, Nobles would have the resources to give their children a better education than the rest.

And the Rolmod Wizard Academy had a solid concentration of the children of Nobles who received that highest level of education.

Estea: "That's why.......so........I'm.....not well liked.....by my classmates...."

Igni: "........oh....." Igni struggled with his words.

It was obvious that those kinds of things happened.

It's not like all of the Nobles' children had exceptional personalities.

Even Igni had to deal with Edward when he first enrolled here.

Estea: "IーI'm so sorry. ThーThat's why.....that's why I really don't want to stand out."

Igni: "IーI see...."

Lilly: "But Miss Estea, you are the current Head of Class, are you not?" And Lilly started looking over Estea's file to confirm.

Estea: "Oh, that. That's because.....my mother was working really hard to....pay for my tuition here, but if I was Head of Class then...."

Igni: "At the Rolmod Wizard Academy, the Head of Class is exempt from paying tuition." Igni explained not knowing if Lilly knew about that school's policy or not.

Estea: "ThーThat's why......even if it's Mr. Igni asking me.....I.....I can't do this. I'm so sorry." Estea trembled as she carefully laid out her words.

Igni: ".......I understand. If you're that set about it, then let me think about it some more too."

Igni saw that convincing Estea on the first day would be impossible if she's this determined.

Lilly: "Is that really okay? The President may not approve....." Igni: "President Miru won't get upset just for this. Besides, the rules state that participation is voluntary."

And Igni was now trying to convince Lilly.

Igni: "Sorry to interrupt your reading. That's everything from us. We'll be going now."

Estea: "Oh, could you hold on for a moment?!"

Igni: "Hm? What's wrong?"

Estea: "CーCould I have your autograph?!"

Igni: (........an autograph?)

Regardless of whether Igni knew how to do an autograph, the request was coming from a girl.

In Igni's mind, the option to refuse such a request never existed in the first place.