The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

14.
"Laura. About what I mentioned before..."
"I refuse."

A mysterious woman coldly replied as she adjusted her glasses. Ransell hadn’t even fully opened his mouth yet.
"I was wondering if you’d thought about it..."
"I already said I’m against it. Putting the Knight Department and my students together in one place for education? How on earth is that supposed to help the Department of Magic? There’s nothing to think about. I’m declining."

"If you could consider it as a way to foster mutual understanding and respect..."
"If you could teach that mutual understanding and respect to the Knight Department first—the root of all conflict—maybe one day our relations might improve. I'm busy, so I'll be going."
"Laura."

"I have no interest!"
"I heard you were in need of research funds."
"..."

Laura froze just as she was about to step out the door.
He hadn’t intended to go in this directly, but there was no helping it.
"You do need them, don’t you?"

"Are you trying to buy me with money..."
"Twenty gold coins."
Laura’s eyes trembled.

"I know everything, Professor Laura."
Ransell smiled as he approached her.
"Your husband, Baron Cort. I hear the sugar beet farm isn’t going well. Just last year he tripled the size of the field, only for the drought to drag on for months. I imagine the losses were tremendous."
"...How do you know that..."

"What fault could there be with Professor Laura? It’s all the fault of Baron Cort, who took even your magic research funds and squandered them."
"I, I..."
"I imagine it must have been very painful, considering how hard you’ve been working toward becoming a court magician with this research."

"..."
Trembling eyes, a voice that had lost its firmness. He could feel her defenses completely fall.
"Laura."

When he gently lifted her chin with his hand, a sorrowful face was revealed.
Ransell’s smile deepened.
"Twenty gold coins. No interest, no due date. I can lend them to you freely. And I’ll make sure Baron Cort never hears a word of it. How about it."
"Hic..."

Negotiation complete.
[Fri–Sat: Mutual Understanding Between Knights and Mages]
[Instructors: Laura Cort, Ransell Dante]
"Mutual understanding between knights and mages?"

Faced with the newly added course listing, the academy students looked completely bewildered.
Training conducted jointly by the Knight Department and the Magic Department, and for two days a week? It was a type of class none of them had ever seen before.
"Don’t tell me we have to rough it out in training with the knights or something?"

"I heard there might even be some overnight camping sometimes..."
"Camping? You mean sleeping outside?"
Disgusted voices immediately erupted from the Magic Department.

"Eek! Eating and sleeping outside? That’s something only barbarians would do!"
"Ugh, I only live inside my room."
"Bugs, sunlight, dirt, grass... no, no thanks."

"There's not even time to do research, and now camping? We have to walk outside?"
"Damn it, of all people it’s Professor Laura, so we can’t even drop the class."
"She’s terrifying."

As if to prove they’d spent most of their lives indoors, the apprentice magicians were already shivering from dread.
Of course, the knights' reaction was the complete opposite.
"Camping? Outdoors? Sounds great!"

Smiles spread across the faces of the Knight ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Department cadets.
"My body’s been itching for action—this is perfect!"
"The academy's big, but it still felt stifling."

"Camping with mages, huh? Does that mean we’ll get to see those guys flailing around outside?"
"Heh heh, two fun days a week coming right up."
"Merry, that damn little brat—I’m not letting her off easy!"

Excited knights all around.
"Achoo!"
And then there was Marigold, sneezing loudly as she ate plain bread for lunch by herself.

Just like that, the first session drew near.
.
.
.
"Listen up. If any of you lose to those pathetic mages, I won’t forgive you. Especially not that tiny brat named Merry."
"Ransell-nim?!"

And there, Marigold was feeling betrayed.
15.
[Friday, 1st Week of April – Weather: Very clear]
"Are they really doing it?"

"The Headmaster said he’d approve it if Ransell could convince one magic professor."
"How was I supposed to know he’d actually succeed? How the hell did he convince Professor Laura of all people... that hard-headed woman..."
The Headmaster and faculty stood murmuring as they looked out over the academy training grounds.

Tension hung in the air above the sprawling grassy field.
The students, split into two groups, glared at each other. One side was the large-framed knights, the other, the comparatively slim mages.
"If knights and mages could understand each other, wouldn’t that be wonderful? That was my pure intention in organizing this training."

Clap clap clap.
Professor Laura clapped with a blank expression.
Ransell walked calmly to the center between the two groups.

"And what’s the best way to foster understanding, do you think? It’s to clash. Skin to skin, fist to fist, sword to magic."
"Are you saying..."
Ransell scanned the area and opened his mouth.

"Ten representatives from each side—step forward."
A stir swept through the grounds.
"Only ten of you who think you can handle those knights—or those mages—come forward."

"Are you suggesting we spar with each other?"
"It’s the first day. Gotta get a feel for each other’s skills, right?"
"Ah!"

That ignited the spark.
Dozens of Knight Department students stepped forward all at once.
"I’ll do it!"

"I’m going. You stay back!"
"The last one’s out. What’re you talking about...!"
"Anyone who thinks they’re worthy, step back."

While the knights wrestled over the chance to fight, the Magic Department remained quiet.
"..."
Everyone hesitated, waiting for someone else to go first.

"Nobody from your side?"
The mages averted their eyes.
Mockery flew in straight from the Knight Department.

"Hah, what a bunch of cowards. No one’s coming out."
"I guess the saying’s true: mages are useless in real battles."
"They must be scared of us, Professor Ransell."

At that moment, Ransell saw Marigold’s expression change.
"Merry?"
"Seriously?"

She struck the ground with her long staff and stepped forward confidently.
"Merry. I knew you’d come out, you rude little commoner brat."
A chilling tone.

From the mouth of the Duke Mond family’s heir.
It was Vibel Mond, glaring at Marigold with a dark smile.
"One punch wasn’t enough, huh? This time, I won’t stop until you’re black and blue—so don’t you dare run away."

He’d once gotten into a brawl with Marigold, and the humiliation she gave him had clearly festered ever since.
"Hmph."
Marigold furrowed her brows and ignored his gaze, showing only a briefly sulky face toward Ransell.

"Hmm."
Then—
"If no one else is stepping up, should I?"

From the Magic Department, a well-groomed boy stepped forward.
"May I join, Professor Ransell?"
"Any reason you shouldn’t?"

"Really?"
Blue bobbed hair, a faint smile. A boy with a tear-shaped mole walked over to stand next to Merry.
"But don’t blame me if something goes wrong. Controlling magical force mid-fight is trickier than it looks."

A relaxed voice.
The once-boisterous Knight Department tensed.
"Aldehaar lo Lucía."

A name already well-known at the academy.
The Magic Department’s only royal. A genius magician with unmatchable talent.
When he first arrived, no one at the academy had missed the grand carriage procession from the Kingdom of Lucía.

A noble lineage even dukes couldn’t compare to.
"Let’s do our best, Miss Merry."
Aldehaar smiled warmly at Marigold.

‘Do they know each other?’
Ransell stroked his chin.
A named character known in the game as the “Prince of a Foreign Kingdom.”

‘If I remember right, he was just as hard to conquer as the imperial prince.’
And now he was already walking up to chat with her?
Just what have you been doing, Marigold?

"Aldehaar-nim is participating?!"
"This is it! With Aldehaar-nim, there’s no way we’ll lose to those rookie knights!"
"He’s the youngest Fourth-Class mage on the continent, you idiots!"

The Magic Department’s confidence suddenly surged.
"Those bastards..."
The Knight Department trainees’ eyes flared with fire.

"Can’t be helped. If Aldehaar-nim is stepping up, I’ll back him up too."
"Count me in. I never liked those knights anyway."
A few more followed Aldehaar, and soon all ten were gathered.

"Is everyone ready?"
Ransell looked at the groups, then turned to Professor Laura.
"Still, wouldn’t be fun without a bet. What do you think, Professor Laura?"

"I agree."
Laura closed her eyes as if pondering for a moment—already planned beforehand.
"How about this: the losing side cleans the winning side’s dorm until the next class, Sir Ransell?"

"Cleaning?"
"Yes. If the Knight Department loses, they’ll thoroughly clean our students’ dorms for a full week. With no complaints."
"Oh, now that’s a fine idea. The servants overworked with cleaning will finally get a break."

"Ever the man of the people, Sir Ransell."
Cleaning.
That word spread instant shock.

‘This was a wager?!’
‘Clean their dorms? Those bastards’ dorms?!’
‘There’s no greater humiliation!’
‘Losing would be a lifelong disgrace!’
Only Laura and Ransell’s laughter broke the tense silence.
Once they realized the professors were serious, the mood shifted fast.

"Hey. We absolutely cannot lose."
"I know. You better pull your weight."
The knights’ eyes burned.

"We’ve gotta win."
"Aldehaar-nim! Don’t hold back!"
"Merry. You too—don’t lose this time."

"...Okay."
Even among the mages, determination began to settle in.
16.

"Listen up. If any of you lose to those pathetic mages, I won’t forgive you. Especially not that tiny brat named Merry."
"Ransell-nim?!"
Marigold’s eyes flew wide open at Ransell’s shout of encouragement to the knights. Her face brimmed with teary shock.
Ransell ignored her reaction completely. Here, he was on the knights’ side.

"Win this and make those reeking dorms of yours get cleaned by mages. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!"
The Knight Department’s morale surged.

"My, my."
Laura laughed as she turned to the mages.
"You heard that, right? If you lose, you’ll be cleaning their dorms for a whole week. And you all know how filthy knights live, don’t you?"

A wave of fear spread.
"Cleaning the knights’ dorms..."
"Just breathing that air would get me pregnant... noooo!"
"Eeeeeek!"

Most of the female mages turned pale.
Except for one.
"I won’t lose."

Only Marigold stood firm.
Gripping her long staff tightly, her eyes blazed with fire.
"I’m going to win. Ransell-nim!"

Ransell gave a bitter smile.
Exactly the reaction I expected, Marigold.