49
Going back a bit in time.
The place is the student council room.
“…Adrian, do you know that your request for a chance to speak right before the closing is really unreasonable, absurd, and not funny at all?”
Kanaria, who sighed deeply from the upper seat, pressed his forehead as if in pain.
“Moreover, I have to proceed with such a significant matter believing in what you say?”
“I swear it’s not illegal.”
“No, I know. If you really had some strange intentions, it would have been exposed earlier. It’s really not something strange, right?”
“That’s right.”
“…No, I still can’t believe it. If I see any suspicious signs while watching, I will stop it immediately.”
“Even so, it doesn’t matter.”
“Phew, I understand. But I can’t give you much time.”
The student council president, Canaria, extended her hand forward.
“5 minutes.”
She said while looking this way.
“5 minutes is the maximum. Just 5 minutes before the finale, I’ll give you exactly that. Whatever happens after that, you’ll have to handle it yourself.”
“That should be sufficient. No, quite generous.”
To my words, she nodded.
“Alright, I’ll accept.”
* * *
Yes.
5 minutes.
The time I have to speak is merely 5 minutes at most.
[Pleasant greetings, ladies and gentlemen.]
My voice flows through the quiet stadium.
In reality.
Being in the spotlight like this is not easy.
The pressure of all eyes is immense.
[The reason I stand here today speaking these words is because I have a message to deliver to you all.]
The audience, the track, right up close.
All that pours in from every direction are gazes.
But right now, I am calmer than ever.
This, too, is the power of skill.
I can maintain nobility in any situation.
[Over the course of three days on the battlefield, the White Team faced total defeat. The Blue Team achieved victory. This was not only unprecedented in the esteemed history of Selenium but also a one-time event.]
Intense gazes started pouring in from the White Team’s side.
They all glare as if ready to kill, deliberately provoking.
[And within the Blue Team, there was a figure known as ‘Lumen Revers.’]
The audience fell silent.
Using them as a backdrop, I infused power into each word I spoke.
“It wasn’t that the White Team was weak. Some matches were close, and they even suffered losses. Our Blue Team, without ‘Lumen Revers,’ couldn’t even guarantee a single victory, let alone the championship.”
─That’s right!
─Exactly!
Cheers echoed from somewhere.
I smiled.
Every member of the Blue Team was sending her approving looks.
The first stage was a success.
[The White Team would also agree with this.]
Glancing at the White Team’s stands, even though they didn’t explicitly say it, the atmosphere acknowledged it.
With this, the second stage was also passed.
Even the ‘enemy’ White Team acknowledged her and did not deny that they were defeated by her.
Here it is.
If so, we must delve even deeper here.
[Then, who is Lumen Reevens? Who is this person that has left such an overwhelming record in the history of Salenium?]
Eloquence is not about pouring out one’s thoughts incessantly.
It’s about making appropriate remarks, gauging the audience’s response, and throwing the right sentences at the right time.
And I was quite confident in my speaking abilities.
[A 3rd-year student at Salenium? The representative of the Knight Department? The illegitimate daughter of some remote branch of the Reevens Viscount family in the countryside? hahahaha, not at all. She is… ]
That was when it happened.
“Silence!”
I raised my head at the voice coming from the stage.
With his white hair tied neatly back, his cool face was now more fiercely creased than anything else.
Reaching for the sword at his waist, he drew the silver-adorned blade and aimed it towards us.
“Do not speak any further, Adrian.”
His snarling expression was truly exceptional.
“Are you trying to play games with me now? I am royalty! I can arrest all of you here on charges of insulting the royal family!”
A murmur spread through the crowd.
My lips curved into a smile once more.
Good.
A play needs a villain to spice things up.
I faced him with a smile on my face, saying nothing.
“You, you rascal…!”
Prince Lutellus, whose face contorted upon seeing me, raised his hand.
“Knights! Seize this scoundrel. What are you waiting for! Seize him!”
The prince’s guards started approaching us.
In the blink of an eye, the scene unfolded, leaving the crowd, as well as Reyna, Milije, and Ebnis beside me, bewildered.
“Adrian… what in…”
“Reyna, calm down for now. Just watch.”
After saying that, I quietly waited for the knights to come closer.
As they neared… she spoke.
【Formidable.】
That one word.
With magical power imbued in her words, a wave spread out, causing the knights to stop in their tracks.
Everyone gazed at her with round eyes.
She stood there, sword planted on the ground, in a reverent posture.
Lumen Reevens.
No.
【Is this a place where you can move as you please?】
The princess of the empire.
The knights were taken aback, and behind them, Prince Lutellus seemed to be at a loss.
Before he could say a word, she struck first.
【Long time no see, Lord Lutellus.】
An instant ripple spread.
And it was the same beside me.
“You mean Lord…?”
“To the Crown Prince?”
“Then what about Senior Lumen…?”
“Rejelirias! Stop fooling around!”
【Lord.】
“You young lad in blue! What do you know to speak like that!”
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The enraged prince, met with her gentle rebuttal.
The protagonist of this drama is, without a doubt, her.
I am merely a supporting character to make her shine.
“Knights, move! It’s an insult to the royal family! Arrest everyone except Rejelirias! Immediately! Don’t listen to what Rejelirias says! He has no right of succession!”
As Lutellus spoke, Rejelirias lightly chuckled.
【Lord always did that. Accusing the innocent of a crime. To Lord, I still appear as a young child hugging a teddy bear in my sleep.】
With that smile, she extended her hand forward.
【Then, allow me to show you.】
From here on, it’s her solo stage.
【From this moment on, I, Rejelirias Daders de Salenias, demand the rightful claim to the throne under the legitimate bloodline. This cannot be stopped by anyone! It will be ensured only under the will of the great ancestors. This applies even to the same kin! All present here are my witnesses!】
A murmur spreads through the crowd.
Someone observant must have already taken action.
“What…what do you mean by that…?”
Looking back with a face filled with disbelief, Lutellus, she spoke with an infinitely expressionless face.
“Now, we are rivals.”
A summons to the royal race.
The newspaper lad was already moving swiftly.
No, with news of this caliber, eyes will soon widen and action will be taken.
Even without the newspaper, this news will quickly spread far and wide.
“The legitimacy, is there legitimacy! Without legitimacy, the declaration is not permitted!”
Legitimacy.
That was already prepared.
As I turned back and spoke into the ‘real phone’, a shadow loomed before us, and two men suddenly appeared and collapsed to the ground.
Those who witnessed it gasped.
I raised the microphone and spoke.
【These are arms dealers, James and Henderson, who have long sold hallucinogenic herbs at the black auction and handled loan sharking. 16 years ago, they brutally murdered three Selenium classmates and dumped their bodies before disappearing into the shadows.】
“…What!”
【I, following the orders of Lord Rejelirias, who holds Selenium dearer than life, personally entered the ‘darkness’ and arrested these two.】
As I casually turned my head, the astonished Rejelirias, who had been taken aback, smiled lightly and continued speaking confidently.
Have you all seen it? Before announcing the succession rights, I secretly had my followers arrest those who were dealing illicitly with hallucinogenic herbs in the shadows of Salenium, as well as the leader of the Blue Team in sports, who made a mark in Salenium’s history. Without missing the Senior Knight of the Knights Department, who also served as the representative, elevating the honor of the royal family.
Everyone is paying attention.
“My justification is as follows. Elder brother, who hosted seven parties at the state’s expense.”
Prince Lutellus tightly sealed his lips.
Now, he has nothing more to say.
After all, how can one respond when no accusation has been made in the first place?
“Understood, knights. If you have grasped it well, now return to your master.”
The audience remained silent with closed mouths.
She casually drew her sword and sheathed it at her waist, then turned alone towards the waiting room of the arena.
I also followed her, and others discreetly followed behind me.
Towards us.
“Rezellirias! Damn wench! Curse, you shall be cursed! I will make sure of it!”
Steady.
She turned only her head in that spot, gazing at the bloodlust.
“Why not give it a try once, I look forward to it. The royal failure.”
As the protagonist exited the stage, silence descended.
Only the despicable villains remained on the darkened stage.
And so, the play came to an end.
***
Ignoring the clamor demanding to know what had happened, I sent the boys back to the dormitory and confirmed the rewards backstage.
[Congratulations! You have cleared Act 2!]
[You have cleared the key event of Act 2, ‘The Ultimate Debut.’ You gain the title ‘Producer of the Princess’!]
[You successfully orchestrated the plot with splendid rhetoric and skilled eloquence! Your ‘Fellow of Destiny’ leadership skill increases!]
[The character name ‘Lumen Reborns’ is changed to ‘Rezellirias’!]
[You receive a ‘Random Low-Tier Equipment Draw Ticket’ as a reward.]
[You acquire the skill ‘Director of Two Faces’ as a reward!]
[The favorability of ‘Princess’ Rezellirias Dayders de Salenias has increased to level 5!]
[As a reward for clearing Act 2, the ‘Fellow of Destiny’ slot expands by 1!]
An overwhelming amount of rewards.
And.
[So far, smooth sailing without any mishaps!]
[The progress rate of ‘Adrian Jinn Ending’ increases to 16%.]
Even the final message that came to mind.
Now, I unknowingly let out a deep sigh at the messages confirming that Act 2 had truly been cleared.
I survived. Again.
And…
“Do you have something to say, senior?”
“…Did you know?”
“Isn’t it more strange to be aware of your presence without leaving any traces?”
As I turned my head, Rezellirias, now clad in a neat uniform, stood somewhat coldly.
“Is it okay if I sit next to you?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
With that, she plopped down right next to me.
Where did the dignity of the Royal Family go?
“Sigh, you’ve really done it now. This is truly… the beginning.”
“More things will happen from now on. Seniors, starting from the party… society, all sorts of political moves, underground wars. Even if it gives me a headache, it’s something the seniors have to take responsibility for.”
In response to my words, Lizelilias chuckled and said, “Every time, will Adrian help out?”
“Of course. If there’s a suitable reward.”
“I can provide a reward anytime. I am a princess.”
Smiling as she said that, Lizelilias lowered her head again and continued, “Actually, I’m a bit scared.”
“…”
“Lord Lutellus was originally problematic, so I could have easily dealt with him, but the 4th prince, 3rd princess, 2nd princess, 1st prince… There are even more people I need to deal with. Especially…”
“The 1st prince’s power is already at an exceptional level, so it seems difficult to overcome… Is that it?”
“With an age difference of over ten years… he probably surpasses me in every aspect already.”
A gloomy expression.
I looked at that face and said, “Senior.”
“Yeah?”
“Isn’t my situation the same? Evnis will receive support from the family in various ways, and his power is at a level where I can’t compete.”
“…”
“But does that mean I’ve given up? No. I’m struggling. Even if I can’t see the light now, someday I will see it.”
Because if I don’t succeed, I’ll perish.
Will I strive for success, or quietly fade away?
The world has presented me with this choice.
“Plus, I have you, Senior.”
“Mm.”
“If there’s something truly difficult to solve, feel free to call me without hesitation. Even if there’s no reward, I can at least listen to the story and help come up with a solution together.”
“I see.”
For some reason, she had a relieved expression at my words.
“Has your worry eased?”
“Thanks to you, it has eased completely. Oh, right. About the reward… what should I give you?”
Upon hearing that, I mentioned the reward I had thought of in advance.
“Got it. I’ll remember it clearly.”
After saying that, Lizelilias turned around and grabbed the doorknob of the waiting room.
“Oh, Senior. I didn’t mention this earlier, but…”
“Hm?”
“I believe that the path you’re taking is the right one. So always trust yourself. Senior, you haven’t been wrong.”
She lightly smiled and replied, “Thank you.”
* * *
I thought it was the end, but it wasn’t.
“What’s up? Didn’t you go back? If you have something to say, say it to my face.”
“How can you go back to the dorm after experiencing such a situation?”
Sitting on a bench, a sneaky guy approached.
“…Did Adrian know everything?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You don’t need words to know. So… Adrian is pushing Princess Rezellias as the next Empress, right?”
“That’s the gist of it.”
Exhaling heavily, Evnis continued, “May I hear the reason?”
“Reason for what.”
“No, is there, no reason?”
“I just did what felt right.”
As I said that, Evnis had a strange expression.
“Do you want to ride the next Emperor line as you please? Are you insane? You could end up dead; isn’t your life precious?”
“Isn’t the story about making Princess Rezellias the Empress in the first place?”
“Princess Rezellias has abilities and is a good person, but realistically, it’s a tough task. The Crown Prince is firmly holding his ground.”
Ah.
Come to think of it.
In the Evnis route, the guy who became the Marquess declared neutrality, with no one supporting him as the Emperor.
And in most cases, the Crown Prince becomes the Emperor.
“Isn’t it also a tough task for me to become the Marquess?”
Evnis made a puzzled expression at my words.
“Wow, you don’t listen to anyone. Annoying.”
“I lost once last time, so I’ve decided not to lose again.”
“I don’t know, do as you please. What’s this because of you? I was also thinking of welcoming Princess Rezellias.”
What?
Why?
How come?
“Why the surprised expression? Disgusting.”
“It’s an unexpected choice. Even though I said it, choosing the safest Crown Prince wouldn’t be better for your future?”
“No, I was planning to declare neutrality. But upon careful consideration, I thought it was suspicious that you, in that ridiculous play, declared Lumens Reburns as the 6th Princess to the entire continent. After fighting alongside the princess several times, I felt that this person is genuinely concerned about those around her.”
“In the end, isn’t it like saying I’ll just add a spoon to the meal I’ve already prepared?”
“Huh, are you really doing this on purpose? Do you really think I decided to push Princess Rezellias because of someone? Who on earth!”
I chuckled and said, “Then you and I are the same. If we can’t make Princess Rezellias the Empress, we might both end up dead.”
“Yes, our ultimate goals align. That’s why I must defeat you.”
A moment of silence.
Ebony shook her head and said, “Enough. Let’s stop talking about the headache-inducing politics. Can I sit?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
He sat down quietly at the far end of the bench opposite to where I was sitting.
“The sports festival is finally over. It ended vaguely without even a proper closing ceremony because of you.”
“Not my concern. I’ve completed my tasks. However, now that a big festival has ended, it’s certain we must return to our daily lives.”
The grand event has passed.
The significant turning point has passed.
“…Now all that’s left is final exams. And there will be summer vacation.”
What should one do during the vacation?
I glanced at the moon hanging gracefully in the sky, then looked at him.
“Why are you staring? Feeling down?”
“This side is unpleasant too.”
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Well.
It’s not that bad.
A fitting conclusion, not a dramatic one, to draw the curtain on a major event.