Arc: Order of the Academy
Web Novel: #19-32
Manga: #10-15
Anime: TBA
Plot Summary
Shorter than the prior exams, the cast handily pass the first half: a written elimination exam regarding school policy, though Thane's relative under-performance doesn't go unnoticed. The latter half is comprised of mock battles among remaining applicants, an otherwise deadly affair made possible by the arena's magic barrier:
Thane Bauer vs Yu Bauer
Dubbed the 'Magic Warrior' style, Thane's quick, wind-powered martial arts force Yu "Prince of Ice" Bauer on the defensive, generating barriers of water and ice alike to dampen the magic warrior's rapid kicks. Realizing his disadvantage at close range, the Ice Prince spaces Thane out with ice arrows whilst freezing the ground before him, a fruitless endeavor as his opponent simply glides across the frost, kicking up ice shards to obscure Yu's vision and secure a victory—albeit a hollow one, as Thane deflates the defeated Ice Prince's compliments by mentioning Yu's refusal to use healing magic.
Rod Bauer vs Misha Jur
Rod's lower aptitude and disadvantage against wind leaves the prince at a considerable disadvantage, his army of Flame Troops destroyed companies at a time by the high-pitched screeches borne from Misha's 'Siren'. However, her reverence toward the royal family renders the wind mage unwilling to attack, resorting to her thermos-like 'Vacuum Rupture' to shield against the flaming mooks' suicide attacks. Their Zerg Rush proves effective as the passive Misha succumbs to oxygen deprivation, securing victory for the fiery prince.
Rae Taylor vs Claire François
The so-called "title match" to settle yet another wager between heroine and villainess, their bout opens with flirting and taunts before Rae seals Claire inside walls of rock, the latter combatant demonstrating her "Red Lotus Queen" moniker by melting the earth with intense 700-1200°C note flames and forcing the heroine to counter with self-admittedly unscrupulous methods.
Erecting barriers of tungsten carbide, Rae befuddles opponent and onlookers alike as the alloy no-sells the once unstoppable flames. With neither flame bullets, lances, or even Rod's troops breaking the heroine's defensive strategy, Claire opts for her signature spell, the blindingly fast Magic Ray which fires a powerful beam from orbs bearing the François family crest. Narrowly flayed by the attack, Rae elects to finish to match by shoving her opponent down a pitfall and deepening it fast than any fire mage could safely ascend. Refusing to concede even as Thane points out the commoner's non-use of water magic, Lorek calls the match soon after.
With the results posted and the cast instated as Academy Knights, Rae's reward for defeating Claire is the same as last: a reiteration of the promise to 'never abandon hope and keep going until the end'. For her part, the heroine once again offers ominous foreshadowing as she all but confirms this promise regards an impending disaster.
The newly instated Rae and Claire are tasked with handling reports about ghost sightings in the girls' dormitory, their investigation (and flirting) leading them to mysterious, gel-like substances spilled across the dorm kitchen's floor. Agreeing to return at midnight, the transparently frightened Claire is unamused to discover the so-called "kitchen ghost" was Rae Taylor practicing cooking as a wandering Ralaire tracks her slime everywhere. Though voicing her suspicions at a commoner knowing how to make chocolate, a novel ingredient recently acquired by Broumet, the pair nonetheless share a heartwarming moment as the villainess fawns over Rae's cooking at their impromptu, overnight tea-party.
With preparations for the Foundation Day Fair underway, the knights agree to host the cross-dressing Cavalier Café, the only holdouts being from a self-conscious Lorek and Claire, who changed votes after watching Rae drool at the prospect of seeing the villainess in men's clothing.
Later, Rae inadvertently outs herself as the mastermind behind Broumet's recipes whilst using mayo in her egg salad, with Lene promising to keep quiet in exchange for cooking lessons after the heroine alludes to her Dark Secret. Rae briefly considers letting her fellow maid in on their plans as Claire catches wind of the midnight meetup, appearing as a surprise, albeit tired, taste tester.
With the vast majority of members lacking any culinary and customer service skills, Rae and Rod enlist Lene's help in learning the "Way of the Maid", as the newly promoted Drill Sergeant Nasty puts it. Forcing her horrified trainees to formally address her as 'Ms. Lene', she turns the Knights into spectacular waitstaff in time for the fair, though not before Rae has to construct a noise-making bidet to save Claire's dignity.
Surviving Lene pays off as the knights display excellent teamwork whilst manning the packed café, filled with customers gawking at the showstoppingly gorgeous Yu and fellow princely maids. Cavalier's sole hiccup arrives when an unruly Loronese prince refuses to accept the menu's lack of dodo meat, Claire donning her noblewoman persona as she rescues Rae from that "pig from a porcine, new-money empire".
Refusing to visit booths with 'unworthy food', Claire spends her well-earned break touring the Foundation Day Fair with Rae, visibly irritated at the presence of commoners but otherwise enjoying herself until the heroine goads her into visiting a haunted house. Elated from embracing the frightened villainess, Rae leaves to get her a drink before returning with an amulet meant to offer good luck in her pursuit of Thane.
Puzzled, Claire calls out the hypocrisy in Rae's efforts to pair her with Thane, once again asking the commoner why she's so smitten with her, to which Rae mentions Claire 'saving her' whilst expositing Revolution being her sole reprieve during her prior, hopeless life working under an oppressive business.
She offers a hand to Claire as the pair return to Cavalier, who denies it with a demand they quit pretending to be anything more than noble and commoner—the chapter closing as Rae fails to notice the villainess accepting her amulet with a forlorn expression.
This chapter contains examples of:
- Absurdly Powerful Student Council: The Academy Knights are a combination of a student council and disciplinary committee whose members carry as much authority as a teacher. Justified by the group being exclusive to royals and powerful aristocrats prior to the king's 'meritocratic policy'.
- Anachronism Stew: Despite the Victorian Era-inspired world lacking radio and electricity, Lorek and Lambert use headsets and speakers while commentating the mock battles.
- An Ice Person: Yu absorbs Thane's blows with walls of water and ice, freezing the ground and spamming ice arrows to gain distance.
- An Offer You Can't Refuse: Rae agrees to teach new recipes to Lene while tacitly threatening to expose her secret should the maid out her as Broumet's benefactor.
- Attractive Bent-Gender: The Cavalier staff look remarkable in maid and butler costumes, with Rae noting Yu pulling off the look exceptionally.Rae: “Wow, Master Yu! You’re so cute!”Yu: “Apparently, I’m much cuter as a lady.”
- Blackmail: Rae maintains her cover as Broumet's benefactor by issuing Lene An Offer You Can't Refuse.
- Blow You Away: Thane and Misha use wind-magic to power their special techniques.
- Thane's magic grants uncanny speed and striking strength, overwhelming Yu's defense with Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs.
- Misha creates a thermos-like effect with Vacuum Rupture to shield from Rod's Flame Troops.
- Combat Pragmatist: Rae defeats Claire with a Boring, but Practical technique: shove her down a pitfall faster than any fire mage could safely ascend.Claire: “Hey! Stop it! Stop it with that simple magic!”Rae: “But it’s effective, right?”
- Cosplay Café: The Academy Knights celebrate Foundation Day by hosting Cavalier, a cross-dressing Maid Cafe.
- Dark Secret: Though Rae declines to elaborate, she alludes to knowing Lene's secret while securing her fellow maid's silence on her work with Broumet.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Be it acknowledging Rae as a worthy opponent and eagerly sharing meals, enjoying a stroll through the Foundation Day Fair together, or her forlorn contemplation at Rae's encouragement to pursue Thane, many of their interactions depict Claire growing fonder of the commoner.
- Deliberate Underperformance:
- Thane accuses Yu of such after their duel, noting the Ice Prince's non-use of healing spells.
- Rae avoids using water magic to troll Claire during their match, a fact Thane lampshades while urging the villainess to surrender.
- Dishing Out Dirt: Despite being a dual-caster, Rae elects to forgo water magic to toy with Claire in their duel, countering her flames with tungsten carbide and shoving her down a 60ft pitfall to secure a victory.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Lene becomes one while preparing the Academy Knights for the Cavelier Café, to everyone's horror.Lene: “What are the basics of the Way of the Maid?”Academy Knights: “Devotion and service!”Lene: “And a strong greeting?”Academy Knights: “Welcome home, Master!”Rae: Would nobody come to our rescue?
- Dub Name Change: The "Order of the Academy" was changed to "Academy Knights" in the official translation.
- Giving Radio to the Romans: Rae sells chocolate and mayonnaise recipes to Broumet, goods which previously didn't exist in Revolution.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Rae pushes Thane and Claire together out of desire to put her crush's feelings above her own, something the noblewoman calls out as hypocrisy.Claire: I know you’re just teasing me, but even so. You’ve been professing your love for me, right?”Rae: “I’m serious.”Claire: “And yet you support Thane and me. That’s strange.”Rae: “I care more about your happiness, Miss Claire, than having my love returned.”Claire: “That’s a hypocritical comment.”Rae: “Well, that’s a fair opinion. But it’s the absolute truth.”
- In-Series Nickname: Some of the mock battle combatants have a moniker to accompany their unique abilities.
- Yu is called the Prince of Ice.
- Misha's sound magic earned her the 'Siren' moniker.
- Claire is known as the Red Lotus Queen, owing to her intense, intense 700-1200°C note flames.
- Jerkass with a Heart of Gold:
- In ordering Misha to join the Knights as a preemptive Morality Chain for Rae, Claire displays utmost confidence in her stoic friend's abilities—certain they'll pass a test even she was concerned about.
- Later, Claire uses her conversation skills to bail Rae out as the Loro Prince subjects the commoner to a deluge of insults during the Cavalier Café
- Make Me Wanna Shout: Befitting her Siren moniker, Misha uses high-frequency wind magic to dispel Rod's army of Flame Troops.
- Meido: Alongside Lene and Rae's service to Claire, the male Academy Knights become such while crossdressing for the Cavalier Café
- Morality Chain: Misha is roped into joining the Academy Knights after Claire demands she keep Rae's antics in line.Claire: “Misha, you take it, too. If this peasant passes, someone will need to reel her in.”
- New Life in Another World Bonus: Rae uses her 21st-century knowledge to accrue funds by selling modern recipes to Broumet and trounce Claire with tungsten carbide.
- Potty Emergency: Claire suffers one during preparations for the Foundation Day Fair, with Rae saving the noblewoman's dignity by constructing a bidet from earth and water magic, using falling water as a makeshift noisemaker.
- Supreme Chef: Along with being skilled enough to impress Claire's noble palate, Rae ghost writes Broumet's wildly popular new recipes and even agrees to teach some to Lene.
- The Minion Master: Rod creates an army of flaming mooks appropriately dubbed 'Flame Troops', a technique Claire copies during her later match against Rae.
- Wizard Duel: The cast members duel against each-other during the Academy Knights' tryout exam.
- Match 1: Thane Bauer vs. Yu Bauer
- Match 6: Rod Bauer vs. Misha Jur
- Match 10: Rae Taylor vs. Claire François
- Xanatos Gambit: While the details remain ambiguous, Rae's internal monologue implies her plans against an impending peril involve several contingencies.
