2-99 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

### Volume 2, Chapter 99: Crouching Dragon, Hidden Phoenix "Oh, you despicable blue-haired brute, you still dare to bring up last time!" Milia bared her sharp little fangs, pouting angrily. "Last time, if it weren't for the rule that we couldn't use weapons or magic in hand-to-hand combat, I would have plucked every single one of your blue hairs! Bleh!" As Milia spoke, she stuck out her tongue and made faces at Wenny. "Oh? You still want to pluck this young master's hair? You've got some gall. Be careful, or I might shave your head bald in a snap," Wenny responded, lifting his gaze. "Hah! Just a human who only knows how to boast!" Milia snorted delicately at the provocation. "You'd better pray to your goddess so you won't draw this princess in the match!" "Alright, alright, Milia, don't get upset. Being angry all the time will give you wrinkles, you know?~" Aesphyra, who was nearby, chuckled warmly. "You—you! You were just laughing at me, weren't you?" Milia glared sideways at Aesphyra. "Huh? You misunderstood, Milia. I wasn't laughing at you. My smile was perfectly open and friendly," Aesphyra raised an elegant eyebrow. "Isn't that just mocking this princess? You must be in cahoots with this blue-haired human, aren't you? Humans really do stick together, huh?" Milia declared stubbornly. "Milia, you've got me wrong. I'm definitely on your side," Aesphyra replied without taking offense, her alluring violet eyes twinkling with amusement. "Tch, you humans, thinking I can't tell when you're playing favorites? If I remember correctly, you're Aesphyra, the top student upon entry, right? Well, be prepared! If I'm drawn against you, I'm going to take that top spot from you!" With that, Milia turned and left, seemingly only to issue this final warning to Wenny. "Oh, Aesphyra, seems they don't appreciate your support," Wenny teased, watching Milia's retreating figure. Wenny rather enjoyed seeing the green-eyed fellow fail in his attempts to woo someone. "Not appreciated? Well, more than that, I'm hoping to draw against you, Wenny," Aesphyra's lips curled slightly. "Eek! Don't take out your unfulfilled flirting attempts on me!" Wenny took a step back. "See you soon, Wenny," Aesphyra turned and headed off to draw her lot. Wenny glanced around and noticed that Milia, Aesphyra, and even Ishtiya, the regal black-haired, violet-eyed girl, were present. Had he stumbled into the gathering of leading ladies? How was it that even in a year-end practical battle, he faced so many potential heroines? Hopefully, he wouldn't draw against any of them. Before long, the matches for this section were about to commence. The instructor called out numbers from the platform, and the students stepped up to draw their lots, then returned to find their opponents, and the process continued. Before long, Wenny watched as Aesphyra's number was called, and she stepped up to draw. No way, right?? He swallowed nervously. Getting paired with her for practice tasks was one thing, but he hoped he wouldn't face her in the year-end practical battle too. Although performance scores accounted for a lot, who wanted to lose if they could win? He wasn't confident about defeating Aesphyra, who could spar with the likes of Nine Snow even at the level of a sorcerer. In Aesphyra's prime, even Vannesa had no guaranteed win over her. Let alone that for a mere practical battle, it made no sense for Vannesa to fight in public for him, as the benefits would never outweigh the costs. Oh well, since he scored nearly perfectly on practical tasks, a bit of slack in a practical battle shouldn't matter, right? Mulling over this, Wenny watched Aesphyra complete her drawing and descend from the platform. The tension in the crowd wasn't just reserved for Wenny, as many students watched nervously, fearing she'd challenge them. No one wanted to be the stepping stone for the year's top student. However, some were nonchalant about it. To them, losing to the top student wasn't shameful, and they even felt that maybe they'd improved enough this semester to bridge the gap with her. Some students even hoped Aesphyra would choose them. After all, she was hugely popular at Carilliman Academy, a fan group unbeknownst to even her had sprung up. They saw being defeated by her as a good thing—an opportunity to connect and maybe get to know her. Then, under the watchful eyes of others, Aesphyra walked in the direction where Wenny stood. No way?! It couldn't be him again, right?? Wenny felt a sense of dread. As she approached, he noticed Aesphyra slowing her pace near him. It was over: it was him, for sure. Wenny was almost resigned to his fate when, suddenly, Aesphyra's pace returned to normal, and she brushed past him. In passing, he overheard her whisper: "What a pity~" It was unclear if she said it to herself or directed at him. Pity what? That she couldn't beat him up publicly, perhaps? Oh, my, this naughty little nut is so wicked! Moreover, her earlier slowing down near him was clearly deliberate, wasn't it? Ah, this girl! Despite his thoughts, Wenny exhaled in relief. Thankfully, people couldn't stay unlucky forever. This time, the mischief-maker chosen by Aesphyra wasn't him. Now he just needed to find out who the "lucky" one was. Soon enough, he saw Aesphyra halt in front of a golden-haired elf girl not far behind him, giving her a polite and graceful bow. "Milia, please take care of me~" "Hmph, it's you," Milia frowned slightly, then clenched her fists. "Likewise, take care of me." "Watch out, I might snag your first-place title this time." "Oh, so terrifying? Milia, please go easy on me," Aesphyra smiled sweetly. "It's an honor to face you~" Yes, Aesphyra was just being symbolically modest. In truth, while other students speculated who would win in a showdown between the top five, Wenny had already predicted the outcome. Seeing the match-up, he was rather pleased. He needn't lift a finger; the golden-hair elf punk was about to be schooled. Yet, she wouldn't suffer much, knowing that Aesphyra, that kind green-eyed devil, was very compassionate. "Aesphyra, take your time and enjoy it," Wenny egged on Aesphyra as they headed to the arena together. "Milia, you... well, just do your best, don't be discouraged," Wenny sighed, adopting a 'do what you can' attitude, which irked Milia. "Virtue +80. Current Virtue: 4354." "Tch, count yourself lucky, blue-haired brat!" Milia shot him a sharp glare as she headed off to the arena with Aesphyra. Soon enough, it was Wenny's turn to draw. As he ascended the platform, he could feel numerous eyes on him. These gazes felt more like targeting rather than friendly curiosity. Darn, didn't last time's lesson stick? Do they really think this young master is an easy target—a soft peach to be squeezed without consequence? Wenny drew a name: André Elson. Oh my goodness. When he saw the name, Wenny paused, thinking he must have read it wrong—maybe he mistook the surname or the first name. But after confirming he hadn’t, he fell into silence. His surprise didn't stem from this name being associated with a notable character from the original story. On the contrary, this character's name never appeared in the original at all, making him a total nobody. But Wenny recognized him, which was not due to any notable feats, but rather because… Wenny descended from the platform, drawing as much attention as Aesphyra did. Unlike her, however, while many were apprehensive about facing Aesphyra, many wanted him to be their opponent, as if he held a winning lottery ticket rather than just a draw number. Scanning the crowd, he finally spotted the boy standing in a secluded corner and sighed helplessly, heading over. "You brat, you saw me earlier and didn't even come say hi. So you were here at this match too?" Wenny asked, a bit speechless. "Hehe, Brother Wenny, I saw you were busy just now, involved with a few of the top five beauties, and I didn't want to disturb you," André chuckled. "Alright, let's go. I have no other business with you. I drew your name; we're paired up now!" Wenny said, showing André the draw number. "Oh really? Is fate weaving our destinies with cards?" André asked with a stern face. "Fate, my foot. Alright, let's go to the arena. We can chat on the way," Wenny replied, rolling his eyes. Indeed, André was one of his card-playing pals. "Hey, Brother Wenny, I've been wondering who my opponent would be for this practical battle. I wasn't sure, considering you know me best," André quickly caught up, grinning obsequiously. Calling Wenny "Brother" was out of respect, as in their card-playing circle, Wenny had the best record, earning him the playful title of "Brother" among them. Yes, the card circle was full of underachievers, but their focus was all on card games. Of course, in the outside world, in comparison to their peers, they were a force to be reckoned with. "If it's you, Brother, I feel at ease. By the way, my practical task grades weren’t ideal. Remember how last time I let you go first in a game? How about this time?" "Alright, since you've put it that way, what else can I say? I'll give you ample time to perform." "Haha! This is exactly what I was hoping for, Brother!" André beamed with joy. "But, you know the rules: throwing a match is prohibited. If we're caught, it’s considered match-fixing." "So, Brother Wenny, what do you suggest?" "How about this..." When they reached the arena, the referee announced the rules and had them stand on opposite sides, waiting for the match to start upon the referee's signal. In other arenas, others fought fiercely to seize every opportunity to impress the judges. But here… Wenny took a deep breath on stage, summoned his sturdy **Aegis**, and watched as André unsheathed his sword. "Hyah!" André shouted. "Taste the Elson family’s ultimate skill, Flaming Slash!" "Bring it on; see my Fasyris's Ice Skin technique!" Wenny retorted. On the arena stage, they exchanged moves back and forth. The amusing part was that they both shouted the names of their techniques before executing them, allowing each other ample time to dodge. Their exchange went on for fifty rounds without a clear winner, leaving the referee and judges at a loss. Technically, the rules didn’t say they couldn't shout technique names to boost morale. Accusing them of intentionally losing felt unfitting—it was clear their spells weren’t softened and were aimed directly at each other, rather than deliberately missing. Yet, it made onlookers feel the urge to say, “Just stop, if you're going to fight like this, do so in a dance studio.” After some deliberation, the referees decided to let it be—after all, it was a first-year practical battle. It's normal to be a bit inexperienced. The academy's evaluation standards for first-year students were also quite lenient, so they didn't bother nitpicking but squarely accepted the ridiculousness. In the end, just as they neared a hundred rounds, André, exhausted, was defeated, declaring Wenny the winner. They shook hands in camaraderie, as if two heroes had found mutual respect. The referee announced the winner with a sense of relief; his legs were numb from standing, and miraculously, neither of their voices had given out from all the shouting. After the announcement, Wenny and André left the arena, arm in arm. Wenny's practical battle concluded with a complete victory. He noticed other students exiting their arenas, noting that Aesphyra and Milia had already finished their match. Predictably, Milia lost, looking utterly dejected, likely having been soundly defeated by Aesphyra. Knowing Milia's feisty character, unless it was a narrow loss, she'd usually look defiant. Only when realizing the true gap between her and her opponent did she look so disheartened, as if asking for a hammer and receiving it. Wenny speculated that, given Aesphyra's personality, she wasn't too harsh on a fellow girl. Milia probably caught on to how much Aesphyra held back during the fight, leading her to question her abilities.