Chapter 15 So Far Beyond Me

Molly placed her hand on the crystal.

"Okay. Be average. Be normal. Be so boringly human that no one suspects a thing. Kittens. Think about kittens. Fluffy, harmless, non-demonic kittens. Just let a tiny, normal amount of power through. Like... a human amount. A first-year amount. You can do this."

The crystal flickered.

12... 24... 37... "Wait, that's too low! That's failing! Come on, careful, come ON—"

76... 89... 104... 128... 147... "Better! Yes! This will do just fine!"

Molly yanked her hand back like she'd been burned. The numbers froze at 147.

The class was whispering now. That was solid. Respectable.

"Ha! Great! Awesome! 147! ...Can I sit down now?"

She didn't wait for permission. She dove back into her seat, burying her face in her hands.

Molly peeked through her fingers at Cedric showing him her smile. His stone facade had completely crumbled. He was staring at her like she'd grown a second head. His gaze dropped to her hands. They were resting on the desk now, small and delicate, fingers adorned with cute little press-on nails covered in sparkly designs. They looked soft. Girly. The kind of hands that held fashion magazines, not weapons.

"Those hands... those tiny, glittery, princess hands... scored 147? She doodles cats. She winks at me. She makes lewd sounds to traumatize me. And she has a combat score of 147?"

He looked down at his own palms. Calloused. Rough. He'd trained until they bled, wrapped them in bandages, trained some more. Every spare moment. Every weekend. Every aching muscle and screaming tendon, all for this. For proof that hard work meant something.

"I gave up sleep, socializing, any semblance of a normal life... and she just... what? Woke up one day and decided to be this strong? How is this possible? How can someone who clearly doesn't train, doesn't try, doesn't take ANYTHING seriously... how can she be so far beyond me?"

He caught himself. Took a breath. Forced his thoughts into order.

"...No. Stop. This is exactly what she wants. A reaction. She lives for reactions. If I get upset, if I show how much this bothers me, she'll just tease me more. My combat power is still higher than hers. Your good Cedric. All good."

The rest of the class filed up to the crystal one by one, each student placing their hand on the glowing orb with varying degrees of nervousness.

The numbers rolled in, a steady stream of perfectly respectable, completely average scores. A few broke into the low 80s, earning polite applause. One particularly athletic boy hit 97, and the class actually cheered.

"Oh no. Oh, no, no, no. These are... these are normal scores? Like, totally normal. 50s and 60s and 70s. Cedric got 157 and he acted like it's normal. Ellie got 163 with applause. I got... 147. I'm in top 3 of the class! That will draw attention to me. Why didn't I just let go of the crystal sooner?! Why did I have to panic-think about demon kittens?! What even ARE demon kittens?! They're not a thing, Molly! You made them up and they betrayed you!"

The last student finished with a score of 78. Hemsley made his final notes, then looked up, adjusting his glasses.

"Excellent work, everyone. These scores will be recorded and added to your permanent records. I want to particularly acknowledge our top three performers today: Mister Valmont at 157, Miss Vance at 163, and Miss Moriana at 147."

Hemsley clapped his hands, gesturing for attention. "Alright, everyone! Enough theory for one day. Time to put those combat scores to practical use. Find a partner, we'll begin with basic sword sparring. Light touches only, no power behind your strikes. This is about form, not force."

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The class filed out into the bright afternoon sun, the training yard spread before them with its practice dummies, weapon racks, and sparring circles marked in the dirt.

Before Molly could even blink, Cedric was in front of her. 

"You. You're sparring with me."

"Ooooh? The class president is challenging me? How bold! He wants to see if my score was real, huh? Time to have some FUN!"

She batted her eyelashes, putting on her best helpless-girl act. "Awww, Sir Cedric~ Asking me so directly? People might talk~ You want to spar with little me? But I'm just a clumsy transfer student! I might get hurt~"

 "You scored 147. You'll survive."

"But my ankle~ It's still so fragile~ Will you carry me to nurse office if it starts to hurt again~?"

"You were literally skipping yesterday."

Molly pouted. "You're so mean to me, desk buddy~ Fine. But don't blame me if you can't handle my amazing skills~"

Cedric settled into a perfect defensive stance, sword raised, eyes locked on his opponent.

Molly flopped. Her stance was a mess, weight wrong, sword held like it was a fashion accessory, knees barely bent.

"Ready when you are, Ceddy~" 

"Ceddy? I will show her Ceddy! No holding back! You wanted to be a knight? I will treat you like one! No special treatment just because you're a pretty girl!"

The first strike was simple, a basic overhead cut meant to test her reflexes.

Molly let out a tiny "Eep!" and stumbled backward, the sword barely scraping against his in a clumsy, desperate block. She nearly fell over her feet.

Cedric pressed forward. Another strike. Another fumbling parry.

"Ah! Please! Wait! Too fast!" 

Another strike came, she 'barely' blocked it, the impact spinning her around in a little circle.

"Ohhh~ Sir Cedric, you're so strong~ I can barely keep up~"

Cedric's brow wrinkled. This was too easy. Embarrassingly easy. He pulled his next strike, aiming for her shoulder. It landed.

"KYAAAA~!"

It was a high-pitched sound stretching into a moan that carried across the entire training yard.

"Aaahh~ C-Cedric~ That's~ that's too hard~"

Molly stumbled back, one hand pressed to her shoulder where the blow had landed, her face flushed, her eyes wet with tears. She looked up at him with an expression of pure, theatrical vulnerability.

"Hehehe. Look at their faces. LOOK AT THEM! They think he's bullying me. This is PERFECT!"

"I DIDN'T HIT HER THAT HARD! THAT WAS A TAP! A LITERAL TAP! She is trying to make me look bad in front of everyone!"

One of the students took a step forward, glaring at Cedric. "Hey, Valmont! Don't get cocky just because you got higher combat score. Go easy on her. She's clearly weaker than you."

"Yeah!" Another joined in. "What's your problem, big shot?"

Cedric's eye twitched. "I-I barely touched her! She's—"

"Ahhh~" Molly moaned again, clutching her shoulder dramatically. "It's okay, everyone~ He's just... he's just really strong~ I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt me so much~"

The daggers being stared at Cedric multiplied.

"THIS ISN'T HAPPENING! THIS ISN'T-SHE'S FAKING! SHE'S OBVIOUSLY FAKING! WHY CAN NO ONE ELSE SEE THIS?!"

He gritted his teeth and raised his sword again. "Fine. If you're going to act like that, I'll just—"

He swung again, another light strike aimed at her side.

"NNNNGH~! CEDRIC~! Owwie~ That hurt~ You're so intense~"

Molly's back arched. Her voice hit a pitch that was absolutely not appropriate for a training exercise. She stumbled, one hand flying to her chest, the other dropping her sword entirely.

"P-Please~ not so rough~ I'm just a fragile girl~"

The entire training yard had stopped. Every single male student was now staring at Cedric with expressions ranging from disgust to barely restrained violence.

Hemsley, watching from the side, pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Bro... she's in pain, would you chill!?"
"Valmont, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"Someone, get her away from that monster."
"Look at her! She's about to cry! What's wrong with you?"

Cedric's face cycled through seventeen shades of red. 

"I-I didn't-she's FAKING! Can no one see she's FAKING?!"

Molly looked up at him through tear-filled lashes, her lower lip trembling.

"F-Faking? You think I'm... I'm faking...?" A single, perfect tear rolled down her cheek. "I just wanted to... to have a nice spar with my desk buddy..."

The collective rage of the male student body intensified.

"Valmont! If you think you're some hot stuff, how about you fight me. Right now."
"No, me. Let me at him! I wanna go."
"We should all go. Tag team. He thinks he's tough! How about we show him tough!"

Cedric looked around wildly at the mob of angry boys closing in. Then he looked at Molly, who was now hiding her face in her hands, hiding the massive, victorious, demonic grin she couldn't suppress any longer.

"Damn it! I've made a terrible mistake challenging her! I was a fool thinking she will take this seriously! I should have just ignored her! Now everyone thinks I'm bullying a helpless cute girl!"

Molly caught his eye from behind her helpless mask. And for just a fraction of a second, she winked.

"Hehehe, got him!"