The sound of plates and other tableware clatter against one another quietly in the dining room. It is pitch black outside. The dining table was lit with a single Magecraft lighting tool, and in the dim light, there were 3 people dining. Elina, Igni, and Elinas father, the Killing Flash, Seta.

Seta: Igni, how is the food? Igni: Yes, it is very delicious.

Igni was furiously recalling all the etiquettes and mannerisms of the Nobles that he was taught years ago. Igni was reminded of how many ridiculous manners and rituals he had to follow for just a single meal in the Noble society.

Though Igni felt a little uncomfortable in the restrictive customs, he hid it well and smiled at Seta as he spoke.

Igni: (......yeah, I understand why Grandpa was happy for me when I said I wanted to quit being a Noble.)

Seta: Im glad.

Seta brought the glass of wine to his lips. Elina was eating silently. Since the meal began, Seta has only spoken to Igni. He has not brought up Elina once. Thats why Igni felt the atmosphere to be so ominous and uncomfortable.

Elina: FFather.

Though they were eating as a family, you could hear the intense nervousness in Elinas voice. Igni quietly observed her and wondered if the father had an absolute authority in any Nobles household.

Seta: What is it? Elina: ThThis semester, I was able to finish at the top of my class.

Seta: Is that so.

Seta responded with no interest at all. Hearing Setas tone, Elina couldnt help but look downcast. She looked like she could start crying at any moment. Igni wondered if he should speak with Seta or whether to leave it alone.

Normally, it would be better to just remain silent. It is inappropriate to intervene in another familys business.

But doing the normal thing will not help you be Popular. Because if you do the normal thing, all you will be is normal.

The light that lit up the dinner table wavered slightly.

Yes, it wavered and moved just like it did that one hot summer day..

<<<<>>>>

[Igni, I have a question for you.]

[Ask me anything!]

Under the burning sun, Igni was doing a training where he was thrown into a waterfall when Lucas suddenly popped a question on him. Since this happened quite frequently, Igni was used to this sudden change of topics and yelled back in response.

[If you begin to become Popular, there is one trial you must face a trial you cannot avoid.]

[AAn unavoidable trial.?!]

[Yes, that is a date at her home!!]

[AA home date..?!]

Igni felt his excitement rise at hearing the term for the first time.

[Thats right! You will go to their home, and there will be times when you will have to meet her parents.! But then, you will face..that trial!]

[AA trial..?!]

[Yes! As you are very familiar with already, that everyone gets along with their family..!! When that time comes.you will see those who do not get along have to face one another.!]

[They dont get along and yet we have a date at their home?]

[That is the way of Nobles!!]

And with that, Lucas threw Igni into the waterfall.

[AAAAAGGGGHHHH! I let my guard down! [Equip Flame] {Ignition}! [Equip Flame] {Ignition}!!]

Falling from several dozen meters high, Igni felt his grandfather, Lucas presence, falling at the same speed next to him supporting him. Lucas continued his discussion.

[When you eat, that is when you will see each others faces, right?! At that time, the father or mother may say something hurtful to their daughter! Now then! Igni, what will you do?!]

Igni cast a weak {Fireball} to slow down the fall as he thought furiously.

[Change the subject!!]

[How can you be Popular with that?!]

<SLAPPOW!!!> And Lucas slapped Igni across the face and sent him flying horizontally as he fell into the river.

<SPLAAAAAAASH!!> And water flew up into the air as the river swallowed Igni whole.

[Hey, Grandpa! Are you trying to kill me?!]

[Im the one who slapped you. Of course you wont die.]

Lucas floated in the air barely above the water, and Igni was unable to resist the waters strong currents and was washed down the river.

[Oye, Igni. There is one important thing you should know.]

[.......I know. You should never slap someone while theyre in the middle of training, right?]

[Become the girls ally.]

[.................]

[Do not change the subject. Do not overlook the subject. But first and foremost, become the girls ally.]

[............Grandpa]

[What is it?]

Igni caught a giant boulder and dragged himself out of the water with his own strength.

[..............do youreally have a right to say that?]

[Of course. I am always the womens ally.]

[.............................]

<<<<>>>>

Igni: (yes, I cant just remain silent.)

Igni: (I cant just change the subject.!)

Igni: (Right now, what I need to do is.!)

Igni: (Become Elinas ally first and foremost..!!)

Igni quietly let out a slow breath and then looked at Seta.

Igni: Elina is No. 1, you know?

And he phrased it as Elina usually would, but as far as this statement goes, it is completely true, so Igni justifies it as the correct thing to say.

Seta: ......hmph, I understand that this may not be appropriate to state in front of you, Igni, but in the Owlight family, being the first in class <is the least of all expectations>.

Seta quietly made the statement. But Igni could not back off here.

He determined that it was still early to concede.

Igni: This year, she is competing with the Golden Generation. She beat both the Legion Estea and the Warped Erumi. I believe it makes her No. 1 position all the more incredible.

As soon as Igni finished speaking, Elina looked up at him with sparkly, glittering eyes.

Though Igni felt as though there was one other he should mentionsince it was Ignis policy to not memorize mens names, he subconsciously booted out Fray from his thoughts and looked at Seta.

Seta: Elina has several elder brothers, and they were all notable in their strength. They all graduated from the Rolmod Wizard Academy at the top of their class. And none of them once fell from their No. 1 position. Igni, you know as well as I do that Elina fell to 2nd during the midterm examinations.

Igni: Yes, Ive heard.

Seta: That is why she is no good.

Igni revved his brain into full gear as he thought about his response. If it is for the sake of Popularity, his brains potential will expand indefinitely, and he was able to produce the answer in 0.5 seconds.

Igni: But that is in the end, the mid-term. Elina took the position of top of the class in the end. The <result> was the same regardless.

Setas eyes widened at Ignis words and began to laugh heartily.

Seta: HA HA HA! I see. I see! A good argument!!

Seta spoke happily to himself.

Seta: That is definitely true! Igni, you are a difficult man to deal with.

Igni: Thank you so much.

Seta: Its true that if you look only at the results, Elina is top of her class. Ha ha ha. You speak truly.

It was well known that when Seta was a General in the military, he emphasized the importance of results above all else. The one who said, The means do not matter as long as the results follow, was none other than Seta himself.

For the sake of Popularity, Ignis brain fully awakened and drew out that information from a conversation he had with Lucas in the past. He tied it quickly to Elinas situation, and the words fell naturally from his mouth. Right now, Ignis mind was at its sharpest its ever been in his life.

Seta: KU HA HA HA! Well done. You did great, Elina. Elina: ........yyes, thank you!!

Elina smiled back at Setas words.

Igni: (YES!! I DID IT!!)

And Igni also held the biggest self-satisfied smile in his life up until now.