I Became a Veteran Heroine in a Harem Story

“You too?”

“I knew it would be like this.”

While the instructor made the failed candidates run laps around the training field, telling them to focus on training, I and other successful candidates moved to another location.

There, the final 33 who had passed from each class gathered. I sighed seeing Erich, who was acting familiar with me.

He also showed no signs of fatigue compared to others, and it was clear that he had come here without even having the chance to draw his sword as all his opponents surrendered.

‘Erich, Lunara, Deina, Karin, they’re all here.’

Both the protagonist and all the heroines were here. In the end, out of more than 100 people, only the exceptional ones—those likely to have significance—were filtered out, so it made sense.

“We’ll fight here too and establish a hierarchy. Since they need to select a year representative.”

Erich mentioned the year representative. Since he brought it up, my gaze naturally shifted. If he also coveted the year representative position, I would have to fight him.

“You want to be the year representative too, right?”

But he asked me first.

“Yes.”

“Why? Is it because of the benefits?”

He asked for the reason in a genuinely curious tone. I was about to just nod casually, but I paused and changed my mind.

He, Erich, the protagonist of this work, might be the only being in this world who could somewhat understand my thoughts.

He was certainly someone who could grasp the essence, no matter what a mere academy freshman might say.

“I want to become the strongest. Someone with absolute power that no one can challenge.”

“That seems like a reason enough.”

“Just think of it in reverse. If you know what it’s like to be without power, seeking strength becomes only natural. If given the choice between ruling or being exploited, I would obviously choose to rule.”

I told him my honest thoughts without particularly minding the others around us. It was partly because I trusted him, who had accumulated more experience than others, and partly as a warning to a potential competitor who might be aiming for the same goal.

“My thoughts have changed. I was originally going to just give it to you, but it seems worth challenging after all.”

This clearly had some effect on him. Seeing his face smirking at me with his golden eyes shining, it seems I didn’t warn him but rather triggered something.

I naturally frowned at his unexpected reaction, but seeing my expression, his smile only deepened.

“First, congratulations on your final acceptance. However, it’s not over yet!”

The instructors, who had ordered repetitive physical training for students who didn’t challenge or failed, all gathered.

One of the swordsmanship instructors, who appeared to be their representative, held a megaphone and shouted at us, all lined up in formation.

“To select just one person, the squad leaders will now again engage in duels. A hierarchy will be established in the process. Though practically it’s a meaningless hierarchy, everyone knows it’s not completely without meaning.”

You need to get good results here and receive a high rank to be selected as a year council member by the year representative. Students who already knew this fact burned with competitive spirit.

“I surrender. Sorry, Kiina. I’m still lacking.”

“…”

Of course, even in this place where selected talents were gathered, those matched against me began to surrender one after another. They watched my reaction as they surrendered.

‘Are they hoping I’ll see them favorably?’

Having caught on to this, I let out a small sigh. To those who knew the results of last weekend’s duel, I was already destined to be the year representative.

They had given up on the first place early and were calculating to secure positions below that.

“It’s been a while.”

However, there began to appear those who didn’t avoid me. A lady with bright golden hair tightly tied back in a ponytail, holding a bow, with blue eyes.

With nobility exuding from her every action, Deina, one of the heroines of the work and a member of the royal family, extended a challenge to me.

“I’ve deeply taken to heart what you told me that day.”

“I only told you the truth.”

“I know very well. That’s why I’m speaking properly like this.”

She chose to fight me with a resolute and strong face. It seemed that my words to her and other students on the day of the initiation ceremony—to act without minding others’ reactions—had bothered her a lot.

“…If that’s what you want.”

I had no excuse to avoid it. Deina immediately shot an arrow at me. Though the arrowhead was blunted for safety, it already carried a weak force.

If she was already at this level thanks to the early education of the royal family, I thought she might top the archery department.

“Attacks that infuse mana into projectiles sacrifice power and difficulty level in exchange for range. If they can’t penetrate the opponent’s defense like this, they’re meaningless. Give up.”

“H-how…”

However, I caught the arrow with my hand and crushed it on the spot.

Having received so many arrows in my first possession, including those from the divine bow empowered by Artemis’ strength that could split the sky with a single arrow, I had a particular eye for arrows.

“Don’t ignore type matchups. Your skill isn’t bad.”

I gave sincere advice to Deina, who seemed greatly shocked. After all, she was a budding sprout. I wasn’t a psychopath who deliberately trampled on such things.

‘Did I say something wrong?’

Although Deina who heard those words glared at me with terrifying eyes, full of tears, as if swallowing her indignation.

“Even though she couldn’t participate in the duel, Deina has trained tremendously since that day. As if she were participating in the duel herself.”

“You know about that too.”

“Of course, since we met together. So she probably hasn’t fully accepted your words yet.”

The next opponent appeared to be Erich. But he shook his head.

“Not me yet. Instead, she said she would challenge you.”

He stepped aside slightly and introduced a magic department student standing behind him. It was Karin, with dark gray hair reaching her back and orange eyes.

“Like Deina, I’ll challenge you.”

I could see her gritting her teeth while raising her mana, holding her staff.

It seems I’ve become thoroughly disliked by these two people since that day.

‘Just like Deina. Her firepower is too weak.’

I smiled bitterly seeing the fireball Karin shot. The difference in firepower and durability was severe, beyond the range difference.

This body, which I was fully reinforcing, was at a level where such magic wouldn’t even cause damage if hit.

“Are, are you sneering?! It’s not over yet! You b…”

When I swatted away her fireball with my bare hand as if swatting a fly, Karin, who momentarily scrunched her face, almost spat out harsh words and cast a second spell.

Rocks and soil that sprang from the ground instantly bound my ankles, and this time she shot crackling lightning at me.

‘Her sense is good.’

Binding the feet for a moment to prevent escape, then sniping with lightning-type magic, which is difficult to block. It was a basic but highly efficient combination.

I could have just taken the hit, but not wanting my carefully arranged hair to be ruined by the electric shock, I concentrated mana in my fist and threw a straight punch at the approaching lightning.

“Im-impossible.”

The wind from my fist, wrapped in mana, pushed back the magic and ultimately disrupted it.

Karin staggered in shock.

Looking carefully, I could feel the instructors behind watching this stir as well.

‘Could it be they don’t know about such application techniques?’

I frowned, wondering why they were making such a fuss when they teach martial arts separately.

Seeing the instructor hurriedly approaching, I realized I had made a mistake.

“What on earth did you just do?”

“I simply infused mana into my fist to repel the magic and send it away.”

“H-how is that possible? Emitting such a small amount of mana without a medium?”

My prediction was correct. Judging by the instructor’s excited expression, the minor technique I had used without thinking had caused an unexpectedly significant reaction.

“I can explain separately, but now doesn’t seem to be the time.”

“Y-yes, that’s right. For now… continue the duels! Those who give up, come out!”

The instructor accepted my words and regained control of the stirring atmosphere. I was also slightly perplexed as it was unintentional.

‘For now, I don’t need to draw more attention than necessary.’

Attention is a double-edged sword. It can bring things that help me, but it can also bring incidents and accidents that push me into the abyss.

“You’re always amazing.”

“It seems like you’re the last one.”

In the continued selection duels, the one I met at the very end was, as expected, Erich.

Everyone else had given up or been defeated. The winner among us, both undefeated, would become the strongest in the year and the representative.

Since neither of us was tired, the conditions were fair.

“This is the duel to select the year representative. Everyone watch closely. This is an order.”

The instructors’ excitement also reached its peak. As everyone’s attention focused, we stood facing each other in a setup similar to the entrance exam.

‘There’s no reason to go easy.’

My thoughts remained consistent. I would thoroughly crush Erich and become the year representative according to my goal. No matter who he is or what fate he was born with, if he can’t prove himself, it means nothing.

“You’re serious.”

His eyes too, unlike usual, were staring at me without a trace of playfulness. His posture also had significantly fewer openings.

It’s quite different from the entrance exam. As a reincarnator, he had truly resolved to pour everything he had into defeating me this time.