Chapter 8: Chosen By│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com

‘Groan’

The next morning, as usual, I awoke from my nightmare and felt the bruises from yesterday’s match with Donato.

Even though he had missed the vital spot and my bones were fine, I was bruised and in pain.

“Well, this pain has yielded an incomparable harvest.”

…In my dream last night, the initial breakup of the engagement took a dramatic turn.

In the past, if Donato had broken off the engagement, Nadia would have been devastated. She would have felt bad for her parents’ family and like she wasn’t good enough, but this time, she took it with a cold and disdainful look at Donato.

Above all else

“… Nadia chose me from the start…!”

This event in my dream makes me tremble with delight.

When I was thrown into a labyrinth, she was the first to approach me.

She chose to spend her time with me!

In other words, Nadia no longer loves Donato.

All that remains is for me to safeguard her.

“Besides, Nadia has grown in strength since I made Summoning Art her elective class.”

Surprisingly, Nadia was able to summon intermediate level magical beasts right away, and advanced level magical beasts like Ifrit near the end of my dream.”

If Nadia continues to train over the next three years, she may be able to summon even more powerful magical beasts.

“Yeah… We can definitely beat the labyrinth with this—and I’ll have a wonderful future with Nadia…!”

I clenched my fists tightly.

—○█○—

“Ivan-sama! A-Are you all right?”

Nadia approached me as soon as I entered the classroom, concerned about my health.

Her concern warmed my heart.

“Good morning, Nadia. Yes, I’m perfectly fine. But you’re still using honorifics.”

I pointed this out while pretending to be grumpy.

“T-That’s right… So, let’s see… I’m glad Ivan’s okay.”

…Aghh!

Despite the fact that I forced Nadia to call me by my name, her shy expression is far more lethal than Donato’s sword attacks.

In reality, I am happier than in my dreams.

“Are you all right, Nadia? Has that Donato person been bothering you since then?”

“Y-Yes. Actually, I haven’t seen him since I was admitted to the infirmary. “

“I see…”

It’s a relief to hear her words.

I was concerned that this moron had become involved with Nadia in some strange way.

But the way she speaks tells me otherwise.

I can tell, just like in the dream, that Donato is no longer on her mind.

Then

“Good morning!”

A female student enters the classroom.

Nadia and I both turned to look at her… ah, yes, it’s her.

The woman who led the Crown Prince and twelve others, including myself, into the labyrinth

—Aria Moreno, Baron Moreno’s daughter

She was apparently the illegitimate child of Baron Moreno, who took her in after her mother died.

In a way, I admire Baron Moreno’s lawful wife for welcoming such a woman into their home.

And how do I know that, you asked?

Because those idiots were gracious enough to inform me in my dream.

The Crown Prince and his friends liked this woman, which was a big difference from Lady Carina and her friends, who were always mean to her.

Did Aria, the girl who immediately draws scorn from the other ladies in our class, already make a mistake on her third day of school?

“…I get the impression that the other ladies are staring at her, Nadia…?”

“It appears to be the case…”

Nadia nodded as I gently whispered in her ear.

Nadia, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to understand why.

It’s not surprising given that she was treated in the infirmary just yesterday.

“Pardon me… What happened?”

I approached one of the ladies who was staring at Aria.

“… Don’t you know? She was having a pleasant conversation with the Crown Prince, who had a more appropriate companion in Lady Carina. They acted as if they were lovers.”

“I-I see…”

Hearing the words of the young lady with her eyebrows furrowed, Nadia and I lose our voices.

No way, it’s only the third day of school. How did that happen…

At that moment

“Please excuse me—does anyone here go by the name Aria-san?”

The classroom door opens, and a woman walks in, Carina Oliveira, daughter of the Dukes of Oliveira, and the Crown Prince’s fiancée.

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