"Once again, there will be no punishment for Kelvin. Even I couldn't endure that."
Everyone in the class nodded at Burgess's decision, except for Adele.
"Then, let's see... "
Burgess turned to Marcela and the others.
"Wonders Three, please take care of him."
"Wonders Three? Us? What's that...?"
Marcela and the other two were bewildered by the strange name.
"Yes, sorry, sorry. You're called that among the teachers. You three, despite your different social statuses—a commoner, a merchant's daughter, and a noble—are good friends, and to top it off, you all developed magical talent at the same time. They say you've been favored by the spirits of magic, or that a goddess blessed your friendship that transcends social status, so you're called Wonders Three, Miracle Three, or Magic Three, among other names."
"Wha...?"
The three were surprised and blushed.
"So, I want the popular 'Three Beauties of Class A Plus One' to comfort the sensitive boy who's feeling down."
"What is that...?"
The three were flabbergasted, but after seeing Kelvin's state, they couldn't refuse.
"There's no choice... But this is a favor, you understand?"
Taking on the task for the sake of their classmates, they still demanded a price, as befitting the third daughter of a poor noble family with many hardships.
"There's no choice... Next time, if something comes up, I'll be flexible."
"It's a promise. By the way..."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Who is the 'Plus One'?"
"Oh, that. The main person can't be brought along, right?"
Saying this, Burgess pointed at Adele.
---
After the last lecture of the afternoon, as soon as the teacher left the classroom, Kelvin approached Adele's desk.
Adele, sensing that things were about to get complicated, frowned.
(I wish he would just give up already!)
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
"I won't lose! As the fifth son of the Barium family, I will, for the sake of my family name, make you..."
"Huh?"
Adele's very displeased, low voice echoed in the silent classroom.
The classmates understood.
Ah, the nearly hour-long education in the morning was all for nothing.
"Who are you?"
(((((Eeeehhhh!)))))
Kelvin, as well as the entire class, was shocked by Adele's unexpected words.
"W-What are you saying..."
Ignoring Kelvin's attempt to suppress his agitation, Adele continued.
"I've been dealing with a boy named Kelvin, a classmate who, every time he loses, trains harder and challenges me again. I've been putting up with his hateful glares, even though I have no grudge against him.
So, what? The boy I've been dealing with isn't a classmate named Kelvin, who's striving to become a knight, but some 'fifth son of a baron' who has nothing to do with me?"
"Eh..."
"What's so special about being the fifth son of a baron? Is it great? Does it have any meaning?
Basically, nobles are just people whose ancestors did something great and were made nobles, right? They were ordinary commoners before that.
Sure, the ancestor was great, but that doesn't make you great just because you're their descendant.
Do you have some special blood that's different from commoners?"
(((((Ohhhhhh!))))
The classmates were taken aback by the harsh criticism of the nobility.
"You know, being a noble isn't about being born a noble. It's about becoming a noble after you're born. You grow up watching your parents, receive noble education, and cultivate the noble spirit of noblesse oblige, the obligation of the noble."
(((((Ah, at least she's trying to soften the blow...))))
The classmates felt a bit relieved.
"So, what are you now? A student studying with commoners, who hasn't yet cultivated the noble spirit, and hasn't contributed anything to the country or its people, just using tax money. What are you declaring as a noble's child?
Is it worthy of using the name of a noble? Do you have the qualifications to stake your important family name on it? Really? Are you prepared to tarnish your family name?"
"Guu..."
(((((Oh no, this is bad!))))
The classmates were worried as Kelvin was cornered.
If this continued, it would be like the morning all over again.
"Are you passionate in your heart?"
"Eh..."
Kelvin was puzzled by Adele's words.
"Was your enthusiasm for training something you truly wanted to do? Or was it something you did out of obligation to maintain the pride of being the fifth son of a noble?
Did you enjoy training? Were you happy to get stronger? Or did you do it reluctantly, enduring the pain and hardship?
Was your heart cold and dark? Or was it burning hot, believing in your own strength and a bright future, regardless of your status or family name?"
Kelvin blushed and remained silent.
"To me, you're not just a 'noble's child' or the 'fifth son of a baron.' You're a boy who believes in his own strength, trains with his own will, and challenges himself to rise through his own power, regardless of status. That's why I've accepted your challenges every time.
Did you know? 'Kelvin' is a unit of temperature used in some countries. It's not a simple scale where water freezes at zero and boils at one hundred.
It starts at minus 273 degrees, where all matter freezes, and time itself stands still. This is the absolute zero, a terrifying unit.
And the high end is a scorching world that can melt and vaporize rock and iron!"
Adele pointed at Kelvin with her index finger.
"Are you just a man with no value or meaning, labeled as the 'fifth son of a baron'? Or are you a man with a burning heart and a shining soul, regardless of your status or family name, a man of scorching passion, a 'scorching man, Kelvin'?"
"I, I am..."
As Kelvin started to cry, Adele, realizing what she had done, looked around. The classmates were staring at her in shock, as if they had seen something unbelievable.
(Oh no, did I mess up?)
Seeing Marcela, Adele found her shrugging and pointing to the door. Following this very accurate advice, Adele hurriedly fled the classroom.
---
The next day, when Adele cautiously entered the classroom, it was surprisingly calm, and she received normal greetings.
She was relieved.
However, something strange happened afterward.
It wasn't bad, but everyone seemed unusually motivated.
In lectures, martial arts, and magic practice, they were enthusiastic and asked many questions. This was especially true for the children of nobles.
It was a good thing, but Adele was confused by the change from the previous day.
Kelvin, too, was calm and attended classes normally, showing no signs of the frustration and excitement from the day before.
Teacher Burgess was impressed by the three girls' skills and spread the rumor among the teachers that "those three are useful." As a result, Marcela and the others were often asked for favors by the teachers, causing them great inconvenience...
"Recently, haven't some of the attacks from the boys, which were directed at Marcela and the others, started coming back to me?"
In response to Adele's question, Marcela shrugged.
"Do you know the phrase 'you reap what you sow,' Adele?"
I'm sorry, but I just received a call. My mother's condition has worsened, and I'm returning home on the first train on the 26th.
Updates will be suspended for a few days, so please bear with me.