Strongest Noble's Daughter Uses Water Magic

Morning Trouble

It was early morning in the next day. I woke up on top of a hammock, sleeping out with several of my peers, including Mindy.

After explaining to the commoners what a treehouse was, and boy was I surprised to hear they did not know what they were, Azalea used her magic to grow a big, sturdy tree. After that, with Mindy's help, I managed to salvage some more unbroken and large boards, and made them into houses. The other commoners helped out as well, each using their magic when needed to help speed up the process. Over time, as we worked, we started bonding with each other, getting to know one another. Even the commoner who especially had issues with me, Leroy, started to come around. This was especially true when dinner came around, for I had prepared a feast my peers never thought they would ever experience, even in the academy. A feast I slightly regret making, for my arms were crying from making all that food...

All in all, we were able to make a nice tree house. Bad news, however, it was not big nor stable enough to fit all of us, so we also had to build some hammocks. Thankfully, the group was not so picky as to fight over who gets to stay where, despite the rough welcome they went and gave me. I was one of the people who slept on the hammock, as did Mindy. Azalea and one other girl stayed in the tree house, while the rest, consisted of boys, also rested on hammocks as well. 

Once I finished changing into my uniform, I had the grill and campfire set up, prepared to make some breakfast. Thankfully, there were still some leftover ingredients to use, enough for breakfast for all of us.

"Shall I help?" came Mindy's voice behind me, as I whisked some eggs and seasoning together.

"I got breakfast handled. Instead, I need you to fly home and pick up some things," I told her, handing Mindy a list I had written down before hand. 

"Yes, ma'am!" Taking the list, the harpy made her leave.

Minutes later, the rest of the commoners also woke, and Mindy returned with the supplies I had asked for.

"Whoa, that smells good," a male commoner with sky blue hair, Austin, commented.

"Is this breakfast? It doesn't look that appealing," a female commoner with long light brown hair, Belle, asked.

"It's called a fre- well, a toast. Pan made," I explained. "I only made one for each person, and made some filling to spread onto them. You guys better get changed first before eating. As soon as you finish with your meal, we need to head to the academy for orientation."

"Right!" they all replied.

"Hang on, where are we supposed to change?" Azalea asked.

"I set up some changing room for both genders," Mindy answered then. "This way, we each can have some privacy."

This brought relief to the girls, who instantly and eagerly went to one of the two rooms to change into their uniforms, while the guys followed suite into the other room.

I noticed Mindy keeping watch outside the rooms, most likely to ensure the boys did not peep onto the girls. I would've wanted her to change into her uniform as well, but we do need a watcher in case if the boys try anything.

It did not take long for either side to finish changing, as they all rushed out the room and took a french toast I had set on the plate, as well as spread some eggs, ham, and cheese filling on top of it.

"Wow! This tastes awesome!" a male commoner with spiky orange hair, Tem, exclaimed. 

"No kidding! Even the bread tastes good!" another male with smooth dark purple hair, Shaun, agreed.

"Levi, does your family work for a noble as a chef or something?" a female with shoulder-length auburn hair, Hailey, asked.

"Nothing of the sort, I assure you. Just an ordinary, commoner-class family," I lied, digging into my own french toast. It was not like they were going to believe in reincarnation if I told them, after all.

"Then you must be some cooking genius!" Austin exclaimed.

"Nothing of the sort, I assure you." I hastily finished my meal before any more questions was asked about me and got up. "Well, I'm going to head to the academy now. We may still have some time until orientation, but I much rather make sure the nobles don't try any more funny business with us on our way there, like setting up some petty traps or such."

The reminder of last night made the mood go sour, as all the commoners had angry expressions on their faces.

"I still can't believe how petty those nobles are! Just because you made it to fifth place on the exam," Azalea said.

"It can't be helped. To them, commoners like us are at the bottom of the ranking system and should stay there," I explained. "Besides, it's not like they did any bodily harm. We can always fix the dorm or make more and better tree houses."

"But even so..."

"Just stop it, Azalea," Mindy told her. "This is how Lady Levi is. She does not need to resort to violence to resolve such petty matters. She managed to win all of you over, didn't she?"

One mention of that and the rest of the group bashfully looked away.

"Well, in any case, it won't do for one of the top five to be late for important events such as this. I'll go on ahead and make sure nothing funny was set up on the way there. Mindy, I leave the group to you," I told my harpy friend.

"Yes, milady!"

Nodding at her confirmation, I took off towards the direction of the academy.

A little into my run, I sensed what felt like magic up ahead and slowly came to a stop. I lifted my hand in a pistol motion, a small blue magic circle appearing on the tip of my fingers. Thankfully, I am able to cast smaller spells such as this one without much of a problem.

"Water Bullet." At my chant, I shot out a water droplet from the circle, and had it struck the ground. Rather than simply hitting the soil, it went through it, and revealed it to be an illusion covering a hole, most likely dug by earth magic. I narrowed my eyes at this and fired more Water Bullets where I was sensing the magic signatures, revealing more traps laid out, as I had thought. No sign of life, though, so at least I didn't need to worry about getting ambushed.

Some time later, I made it to the academy, where many other students were walking into the building with their uniforms. I followed the group in to the auditorium, where I noticed- rather than filling in every seat- the students were selecting a seat to sit in. At first, I had assumed the nobles were being picky, when I saw a number written on the back of the seats. It did not take me long to realize that the seats were actually assigned. 

Once I took in enough information from my sight alone, I was about to make my leave, when I heard a voice.

"Can you please put your feet down?" a female voice demanded.

I turned and saw, in the audience section on the right, a male sitting in his seat, slouched back with his feet raised on the seat in front, where a girl with black hair was trying to sit. And not just any girl; a girl with white animal ears on her head.

"Huh? And who in the world are you to try and order me around, you crossbreed?" the boy arrogantly asked. "What? Do you think just because you got better grades than me, even a little bit, you're better than an earl's son?"

"I did not say that at all. I am only asking for you to respect your peers," the girl corrected. "Whether or not your family is of a high-class, here, you are a student. All I ask as your peer, your classmate, an acquaintance of your generation, is to set your feet down. Chairs are not some resting point for you to put your feet on! Especially not when someone is to sit on it!"

I can already sense the situation getting worse one way or another, and approached the pair.

The guy just waved off her words. "Words of a filthy commoner. As expected from a lowlife," he insulted.

The girl was taken aback by his words. "A lowlife?! Now look here-"

"All right, that's enough," I spoke up, catching the pair's attention.

The animal-eared girl widened her eyes upon seeing me. "Aren't you...?"

The earl's son, on the other hand, smirked upon my presence. "Well, if it isn't the cheating commoner. To what do we owe this unfortunate pleasure?"

"Nothing special. Just that you are causing too great a ruckus out here. Honestly, can't you see you're causing quite a scene here?" I pointed out, gesturing to the number of other students around us. 

"I understand that. Truly, I do," the girl said. "However, this person here just does not seem to understand the common sense of respecting a fellow peer."

"My peers are my fellow nobles, especially those of my class. Anyone else can just go to hell. Unless if they are of a higher class, that is," the arrogant boy claimed. "And of course, someone who goes around using the useless water magic is far from my equal."

Annoyed as I was with him, it was the girl who called him out on it. "How dare you?! Even if she can use water magic, I am sure you saw like the rest of us; her abilities are the real deal. A noble she may not be, she is still as strong as one. In fact, she may as well be far stronger than any of us here."

The boy only laughed at her claim. "A commoner? Stronger than a noble? What we saw was nothing but a cheat! She must've lied her way to fifth place, bribed the principal and whatever professors she could bribe in this school. Gotta say, getting in is one thing, but nabbing that fifth place spot? Really wonder how far you went with them all~"

The tone he used at that last part completely disgusted me, as well as reminded me of how revolting nobles from another world can be.

"How dare you-"

"So in other words, you don't find water to be at all that dangerous. Is that what I'm hearing?" I questioned, interrupting the girl.

That got the boy's attention, as he stood on his feet, looking down at me. "That's exactly what I'm saying, you little b***h," he confirmed. "How about this, Ms. Fifth Rank? You be my personal servant, and I will be nice to every single one of your fellow commoners. That is, of course, if you can service me well. So? What do you say? Not a bad deal. Do better than expected, and I may even take you in as my mistress."

Every word coming out of his mouth only enraged me more and more. It was one thing watching or reading such a thing happening, but for it to really happen in front of me...

"I'll give you an alternative," I said, a magic circle appearing on my hand. I slapped that hand straight to his face, and let out some water from the circle, water that wrapped itself around the lower half of his face, covering his nose and mouth, as he tried to remove the thing, only for his hand to go through it. "I remember hearing that most people can hold their breath for about 30 seconds to 2 minutes, but I never know if that claim is true, nor am I sure if the same is true underwater. I can hold my breath for around a minute and a half. So, if you can make it through this little trial for that amount of time, I will consider accepting your sickeningly kind offer. Otherwise, I will appreciate it if you can get off your high horse and show some respect, as this girl had been asking. ... Or so I say, but you don't seem to be looking so good. Only half a minute passed."

As I said, the guy was already drowning by the second, as he fell to his knees and tried desperately hard to remove the water bubble. I sighed at this, and undid the magic, much to his gasping relief.

"Hey. Did you hear any of what I said?" I asked, bringing his attention back to me. "I said if you survive that for a good minute and a half, I will consider your offer. Otherwise, show some respect."

The noble was enraged at how I had ridiculed him like so and shot to his feet. "Why you-!" Before he could do anything, I slammed my hand to his face again, and produced a little more water around his face.

"Your minute and thirty seconds start now." As I said that, I watched as the guy flailed about on the floor, trying desperately hard to remove the water bubble once more.

"H-Hey! Won't this kill him?!" the animal-eared girl asked me.

"Only if he keeps struggling like that. He's only losing more air," I answered.

"Shouldn't you stop?!"

"Did he do what was right? If anything, all I am doing is giving him a lesson called 'karma'. If he is a noble, he better remembers this one well."

I was quite surprised at how cruel I was being at this moment. This was a human's life I was toying with, and yet... I felt nothing towards my own action. No... It wasn't that I felt nothing. All that time being angry towards my own family for throwing me away, Leia lying about wanting to be friends, not to mention what the nobles did just the other day and on my way here... I was feeling more and more angry with the higher class, the class I was once a part of, I wanted to change it. To give these egotistical fools a harsh dose of reality that they failed to see. Even if it meant...

"What the hell are you doing?!"