The S-Class Mage is a Gyaru!?-Chapter 47: Rising Star, Part One

{Professor Zhang}

Well, this is surprising.

Just a moment ago, I walked into the faculty room for our usual daily meeting. Which, over the last week, has basically just been Professor Chen and Professor Sato’s daily opportunity to vent about how awful Akari Nakamura had been the day prior.

Naturally, I’m a little surprised to see that we’ve got some guests this morning. Sitting right next to the door, almost like she was positioned in such a way as to prevent anyone from coming in or escaping, is a woman who certainly does not belong to Crescent Moon’s faculty.

She has long, wild black hair and icy, light blue eyes. Her gaze is sharp and I watch as it bounces from each of the professors, one by one, all the way up to me, where it lingers.

[Ah, shit,] I think to myself, trying to put on a polite smile. [What’s she doing here?]

"Ah, Professor Zhang," she says, smirking. "I’m glad to see you again."

"Shion," I sigh as I sit down, accepting that this is happening. Or, at least, I try to. I’m doing a subpar job at it. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Before she can respond, Professor Chen looks back and forth between us and asks:

"You know each other?"

"We do," Shion says with a smile. "Quite well, in fact. Professor Zhang over here," she says with far too much sugar, "was once a member of my guild."

"Really?" Sato asks, his brows rising. "She doesn’t talk about that often."

"I do not see a reason to," I cut in before we can get too deep in that rabbit hole. "Anyway, Shion. You were saying?"

"Ah, yes. First of all, the Honda Guild wanted to congratulate you on a very successful Symposium. The event broke records, no?"

"Multiple," Sato replies proudly. I sit back, leaning in my chair. Despite the fact that Sato’s speaking, Shion’s eyes are fixed firmly on me. "Highest viewership we’ve had. Both live and the VOD."

"All thanks to the... peculiar talent on display this year, no?" Shion asks.

"As peculiar as they are generational, yes," I say, ignoring how Sato and Chen’s respective jaws clench likely just thinking about a certain gyaru.

"Agreed. Well, it’s that talent I came here to talk about actually. Your students... Perhaps we might not want to pull that spotlight off them just yet, eh?"

"What are you getting at?" I ask, vividly recalling the politics back at the Honda Guild. Politics I chose to remove myself from a long time ago.

Just hearing her talk feels unconstitutional. This has to fall under "cruel and unusual punishment", I swear.

"I want to hold an exhibition," Shion says, crossing one leg over the other. "Just a small event where the broader magical community can see our talent interact. How’s that sound?"

"That sounds wonderful," Chen says, likely imagining the money to be made off ads alone.

"I agree," Sato says. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

[I don’t,] I think to myself, but I stay quiet. No need to turn this into a whole thing when I know these two are probably going to drag me into this kicking and screaming.

"Splendid. But," Shion grins. "How about we make it more interesting?"

[Of course. Here it comes.]

"How so?"

"I’ll think of something," Shion says, standing up. That catches me off-guard. "For now, please, try to think of some fun things we could do. For the community, of course. And you may want to ask for the Chancellor’s approval as well, naturally."

"We will," Professor Chen says. "It sounds like a wonderful idea all around."

"It does." Shion locks eyes with me again. I huff quietly, keeping my eyes locked on her. I don’t want to give her the satisfaction of getting me to look away. "I’ll be in touch."

Just like that, she turns and walks away.

[... Ugh,] I let out a quiet grown, letting my head fall back. [Last thing I needed, I swear.]

Chen and Sato are already discussing the possibilities. As for me, I’m just hoping the ability to fast-forward through time is invented soon. I’d like to skip to the point where I never have to see Shion again, preferably.

---

{Akari}

The practice room’s got this wild energy today.

Students gather around with bated breath as Lily stands before me. Professor Zhang stands off to the side, acting as our referee, and I have a feeling she’ll be needing to step in not long after this little sparring session begins.

Because, unfortunately for her, Lily ain’t got no amplifier today.

[Aw, really? Without that...] I grin. [I’m basically just bullying a Class 2 girl.]

"Begin!" Zhang yells and Lily shoots a mana blast forward.

I stick out my right hand and, without much effort at all, disperse her attack. The students around us "ooh" and "aah".

"Babe," I drawl, examining my fresh chrome nails. "Did you even try just now? Or was that just, like, performance art?"

Lily keeps her smile up, but, I swear, I could just barely see the hint of a murderous glare start in her eyes.

[LOL], I smirk. [That’s right, bitch. Keep seething.]

She tries again. This time, I don’t just defend myself but, instead, I redirect her spell and sling it right back at her. It hits her and Lily falls back.

"Lily-sama!"

The way her perfectly coordinated crew of minions rush to help her up from where my counter-spell knocked her on her basic ass would be cute if it wasn’t so tragic. They’re fussing over her like she’s some wounded princess, and I swear one of them is about to cry.

I catch Reina’s eye across the room. She smirks, very satisfied. Can’t say I blame her. Aside from Lily being a massive bitch, she did cheat in that duel against Reina. In a way, I guess this is cathartic for her.

"Well," Lily says, her voice still sweet and sugary. "That was quite good form from you, Akari-chan. You’re so talented!"

I’m about to respond with some form of "fuck you" but I stop myself. Right, that’s what she wants. If she wants to talk to me in Bitchanese, I have to show her I know this language damn well.

"Thanks, but, come on, try again," I say, smiling sweetly. "You nearly had me there, you know!"

Lily’s eye twitches.

[Yeah, bitch, I ain’t playing checkers.]

"No, no, that’s enough," Zhang calls out. "Akari, excellent work on the dispersal, as per usual. Lily, if you’d like some advice, feel free to come speak with me after class."

Victoriously, I turn around, already planning my next selfie for the Gram. But, just as I’m about to walk away, Zhang’s hand lands on my shoulder.

"A word?"

"Hm? Uh, sure."

She leads me to the corner of the practice room. I lock eyes with Haruka, who’s pouting since this is usually when I’d say goodbye to her (through some good, old-fashioned tongue wrestlin’, lol) before she heads off to the one class we don’t take together.

Zhang clears her throat.

"How do you feel about exhibitions?"

"Eh, I think I exhibit a lot in my day-to-day, prof," I throw in a wink for good measure and Zhang straight-up blushes. "Why? Got something in mind?"

She sighs, clearly wanting to stay on topic.

"The Honda Guild wants to host an event. You’ll need to participate."

My brows shoot up.

"Need to?"

"Remember that little... incident with the ManaGram video?"

Oh.

That.

It’s only been a week and, honestly, that shit was in the recesses of my mind already.

In my defense, Haruka’s thicc ass looked incredible in the dim light. That was ART, honey. Pure art. The fact that I happened to be balls deep in that masterpiece when I posted it onto my very well-known, very public ManaGram account?

Minor detail. But right, Chancellor Storm didn’t see it that way.

"As part of your penance," Zhang continues, "you’ll have to represent the university, Akari. You’re basically our mascot now. So, whatever the Honda Guild cooks up..."

I deflate.

"I’ll need to be there."

"Exactly."

Of fuckin’ course.

"Ugh, fine." I huff, checking my ManaGram notifications. "But it better be fun."

"I somehow doubt it will be, but, hey, I hope so as well. Unconventional as your antics are, they are certainly entertaining. I’ll make sure to call you or send you a message when I get the details myself."

"Thanks, I guess."

As soon as I can, I strut away, making my way over to Haru.

"UUUUUGH!"

"What’s up? Sato and ’em being annoying?"

"Somethin’ like that," I sigh. "Looks like we’re going to have another Symposium to prepare for, or something."

"Nice," Haru tells me. "Means we can spend extra time practicing~"

Well, there’s that at least.

They can throw whatever they want at me, fine. Guild events, stuck-up professors, basic bitches with their fake good-girl acts.

But best believe I’m doing it all in style. And maybe posting about it on ManaGram after.

[Just... maybe not during the actual fucking this time.]