How to Live Comfortably as an Abandoned Prince

Chapter 228. Alchemy Three-Legged Race

The Alchemy Three-Legged Race began.

BANG!

As soon as the starting signal rang, Tunia took the lead.

Although her foot was tied with her senior, it was nothing compared to the harsh assassin training she had received.

Furthermore, her direct senior was short and light, making it even less difficult.

"One, two! One, two!"

The two moved their feet in time with the chant.

'The strategy is simple.'

Tunia thought as she turned the corner with her senior.

'If a potion appears, the senior drinks it unconditionally.'

It didn't matter if the worst potion appeared.

If the senior collapsed after drinking the potion, she just had to carry the senior on her back somehow and cross the finish line.

She could handle one small-statured senior without any trouble.

It was a clear division of roles considering each other's physical abilities.

"Tunia, it's a potion!"

The senior running diligently with Tunia shouted.

It was the first obstacle.

The two quickly scanned the potions placed on the table.

However, they didn't see any potion they knew.

Moreover, all the potions were boiling and bubbling while making ominous sounds.

"...What kind of potion is that?"

Tunia asked, waving her hand through the rising smoke.

Then Tunia's senior shook his head with a crestfallen look.

"Honestly, I don't really know. Professor Cailin originally changes all the colors so you can't tell what kind of potion it is. It was like that last year too."

Tunia's senior hesitated in front of the potion but then clamped his mouth shut as if he had made a decision.

Actually, there was nothing more to examine.

Because he had decided to drink it himself regardless of what potion appeared from the beginning.

It was all a decision to obtain the charm potion.

The time to go out for major practical training was approaching.

He couldn't just stand by like this and have his spot taken by other friends.

"I'll drink it first."

The senior squeezed his eyes shut, picked up the bottle, and drank the potion.

Then the effect began to appear immediately.

"Senior?"

"Ughhh..."

Tunia's eyes were dyed with panic.

As soon as he drank the potion, the senior drooped his body and started making strange noises.

"Yes?"

"I don't want to do anythiiiing..."

It seemed to be a potion that made people lethargic when drunk.

As soon as Tunia grasped the situation, she grabbed the limp senior's arm and wrapped it around her waist.

This wasn't the worst situation.

"Tunia, how about we quit...?"

"Hold on tight. We are departing."

They had to leave quickly before the potion's effect spread further.

But as soon as she took a step, Tunia's body staggered and leaned forward.

Taking the lethargic senior wasn't easy.

"Ugh, I don't want to run..."

The senior continued to droop his body.

However, Tunia started running again even while staggering.

STAGGER.

Inette, who was watching that from the stands, burst out in anger while drinking iced coffee.

"Is the Professor crazy or something? Isn't that basically a sleeping pill at that level?"

"It probably isn't a sleeping pill. It's likely just reducing motivation."

"Anyway, it's cheap. How are they supposed to run after drinking something like that?"

"Running while overcoming that difficulty is the purpose of this race."

At Gusto's words, Inette ground her teeth.

Anyway, she never had a proper conversation with this apprentice holy knight.

"Who doesn't know that? I'm saying they should keep it moderate. Did she leave her empathy behind or what, really."

"For the Princess to discuss empathy... it's like the world turning upside down."

"What? I'm better than you, okay?"

The war of nerves between the two was gradually escalating.

Because Radel, who would usually intervene between the two and change the topic, was not present.

Radel was running diligently with Anesha.

Ominous potions bubbling and boiling began to appear before their eyes.

"Senior, I see potions over there."

"You're right. Let's get closer."

The two examined the various colored potions placed on the table.

Although the colors were diverse, they were all boiling and emitting smoke.

Besides that, no commonalities were visible among the potions.

However, Anesha's eyes were sharp.

"They're all the same potion."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Although the colors are different, the speed at which bubbles rise, the thickness of viscosity, and the mana are identical. Professor Cailin played a trick."

Indeed, worthy of a second-year representative.

Radel couldn't help but admire Anesha's words.

"You really have incredible skills. I can feel how serious you are about Alchemy."

"Ahaha! Since it's my major. Of course, it's your major too, Radel."

Anesha smiled and picked up a potion.

"This is probably a potion that reduces motivation. The Professor said her goal was to make as many people forfeit as possible in the beginning."

Anesha waved her hand through the smoke rising from the potion.

It was boiling ominously, but they had to drink it.

And even when she thought about it, if one of the two had to drink, it was her.

"I'll drink it. Since I'm lighter than you, that would be better, right?"

"No, Senior."

"No need to decline. According to the rules, someone has to drink."

Radel stopped Anesha and said.

"That is exactly it. It said someone has to drink the potion, not that two people shouldn't share it."

Radel added with a calm expression.

"If two people share one bottle, the effect will decrease."

"Oh my, you're right. Why didn't I think of that?"

A smile blossomed brightly on Anesha's face as well.

Her direct junior was truly intelligent!

The two shared the potion amicably without hesitation.

"My body feels heavy and slightly tired. How about you?"

"This much is fine, Senior. Shall we go?"

"Good. Let's depart."

Still, it was more bearable than drinking a whole bottle alone.

Radel and Anesha dragged their tired bodies and ran toward the next obstacle.

* * *

Leon's direct senior.

Rubrier Jaden, a second-year Alchemy major, was running with Leon.

"One, two! Come on, let's try a little harder!"

Looking at other teams, everyone seemed to be combining their strength amicably.

Weren't they shouting chants together and encouraging each other?

However, Rubrier felt as if he was running alone.

"One, two. One, two..."

Even the chant shouted to match steps was empty.

Because Rubrier was shouting alone.

Leon was frowning as if running was annoying.

It was completely different from the situation Rubrier had expected.

'I should have just not come out.'

Rubrier bit his lip.

Actually, his decision to come out for the race wasn't because of the payment Leon promised to give.

'Still, I had expected a little.'

He simply couldn't discard the expectation of a friendly senior-junior relationship.

Rubrier had a delicate and sensitive personality.

Entering the Academy was partly to learn magic, but also because of the various human relationships formed at school.

He especially had a romance about seniors and juniors.

But unfortunately, his direct senior had a weak body, so not long after Rubrier chose the Alchemy major, the senior ended up dropping out.

When Rubrier heard the news of his senior's dropout, a book titled '99 Ways to Get Along with Seniors' was in his hand.

Rubrier felt a shock as if the sky had collapsed.

The book also fell from his hand and rolled on the floor.

Rubrier could never open that book again.

It was the moment the enjoyable school life with a direct senior he had dreamed of disappeared forever.

However, it was still too early to give up.

Although the relationship with a direct senior became an unachievable dream, the relationship with a junior remained.

And the direct junior he met after waiting for a year thoroughly trampled even Rubrier's remaining dream.

The herb package he brought to gift to the junior he met for the first time.

'What is that crude thing?'

Leon's cold eyes looking at that were still unforgettable.

His direct junior was a guy with no human heart to be found.

Rubrier received a big shock and folded even the dream of getting along with a junior.

But then suddenly Leon came to find him and asked to run the Alchemy Three-Legged Race.

Honestly, it was absurd.

Asking to run a race together after giving such an insult in front of people.

But in his heart, a faint hope secretly raised its head.

Maybe he could become close with his direct junior through this sports festival.

If they ran the race together, something might change.

'Right, if I show a senior-like appearance. Maybe...!'

Rubrier pointed to the potion placed on the obstacle table with a thread of hope.

"That is...! A potion that makes you confess all your inner feelings."

Leon's eyes seemed to widen as he guessed the type of potion at once.

While Rubrier looked at him with a slightly proud face, Leon pointed to the potion with his chin.

"W-what? Surely you aren't telling me to drink that?"

"Yes. Isn't it natural that the Senior should do it?"

Didn't he drink the potion that reduced motivation earlier too?

Dumbfounded, Rubrier opened his mouth wide.

"I drank the potion just before too...?"

"Yes. So drink this too."

No matter how much he was royalty, there was too little respect for a senior.

Seeing Leon raising his eyebrows as if asking what the problem was, anger surged.

Rubrier, trembling, finally brought out the words that were inside.

"You see me as having come here for money."

"Then is it not?"

"Do you know with what heart I came out here?"

Coming out for a race, is there another heart needed besides the heart towards victory?

Leon felt puzzled at the senior bringing up strange words.

They had to drink the potion quickly and move forward.

There was no time to be like this.

"You wouldn't know since you're always surrounded by followers. Anyway, since it's the same whether I say it after drinking that potion or say it now, I'm telling you, don't live like that."

As he spoke, Rubrier's emotions intensified.

He continued speaking quickly.

"Indeed, you wouldn't know what normal human relationships are... I must have expected too much."

"...?"

"Have you ever thought about other people's hearts? Things like the heart of a person hurt by you, would you know!"

What is he talking about.

It was the moment Leon's forehead wrinkled.

"Wow..."

"Goodness...!"

Radel and Anesha, who passed the obstacle after sharing the potion, exclaimed repeatedly seeing that scene.

Especially Radel had a truly surprised expression.

"Leon, he's a person who tells you only words that truly help you. Don't lose that Senior and treat him well."

"Rubrier, you really cherish your junior. That's amazing."

Anesha also didn't spare praise for her classmate.

Radel nodded.

"Right, Senior. Such honest words don't come out unless you think of the other person, right?"

"Of course. If there's no heart, not just anyone can say such words."

"Did you think so too, Senior? You connected with me."

"Indeed, ahaha!"

Leon looked at the two with an absurd face.

"What...?"

And Rubrier, who became absurd along with him, lost his words.

I cherish this junior so I'm doing this...?

Just like that, due to a moment of anger, Rubrier became a senior who thought of Leon.