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“At first, we were evenly matched; they defended well too, in fact, they infiltrated my left flank successfully, so Lady Vladir had the upper hand in the mid-game.”
Reyna shook his head from side to side, speaking joyfully.
“But, at that moment, Adrian came to mind. The bait. Adrian always made himself the bait, right? So, I organized important soldiers in the bait cavalry, and when the enemy came within a certain distance, we ambushed. That’s why the opposing side, which invested heavily in their main forces, crumbled on its own. Then, well, we thoroughly crushed them.”
They say he didn’t show mercy, just relentlessly destroyed everything.
So, was that why Prana was wailing like that?
“I see. Isn’t it a devilish idea?”
“hehehe, if I hadn’t thought of Adrian at that moment, I might have lost too.”
With the leader decided,
The gathering naturally came to an end.
With everyone dispersing, leaving behind the loud, wailing vampire knight who shouted, “Being defeated is disgraceful, hurry and kill me, or I shall commit seppuku!”
Relvrian stated he would train his mind in the forest until the end of the term and left first.
In the end, Reyna and I walked out of the lecture hall onto the street.
“…Should we just let it be?”
Reyna asked, glancing back briefly.
“Do you think Prana might really commit seppuku?”
“Oh, yes. I’ve never seen someone who values knighthood to that extent. Even the most reputable knights don’t go that blindly.”
Well, that’s just the peculiar nature of that lad.
“The northern region has always been like that. They value honor more than life itself. Just look at Kalen for example. Just don’t worry too much. She won’t take her own life willingly.”
Reyna looked up at me with a mischievous smile.
“May I ask for the reason?”
“She has a mission to fulfill. But it seems she hasn’t accomplished it yet. Until then, even if she wants to die, she can’t.”
“Hmm…”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, it’s just impressive how you figured it out so quickly. But that’s what makes you special, so I won’t say more.”
With those words, he walked ahead a bit.
Long black hair fluttering, school uniform skirt swaying.
A bracelet on her left arm swayed in time with her steps.
On her left arm…
“Reyna.”
“Yes?”
“It’s crooked. Stop for a moment.”
“Oh, okay.”
A badge.
Currently, on Reyna’s shoulder, there was a red badge representing the ‘leader’ of the assault team.
A badge engraved with a sword.
Fixing the crooked badge, Reyna looked at it for a moment, then nodded resolutely.
“Thank you, Adrian.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will do my best. When your tactics, my information, and our strategies combine, we can overcome any fortress, no matter how impregnable.”
“Your ambition is commendable, but I am just a mere soldier.”
“hahahahaha, I can’t leave it like that, can I? As a leader, as a strategist, I know how capable you are. Did you think I would overlook such talent?”
Smiling mischievously, he raised his index finger.
Tap.
He lightly tapped my forehead.
“Be my strategist. It’s the leader’s order.”
“Others in the assault team may not look favorably upon it.”
“Do you understand?”
Taking a few steps back, she turned around, carrying a burden, and with a slight turn of her head, she met my eyes and said,
“I will do this.”
Well, if you say so…
“Shall I say ‘I will be loyal’?”
“hahahaha, originally, it should be me showing loyalty to Adrian. It’s amusing how things change.”
Reyna, smiling brightly.
… From what I remember,
‘Reyna von Wolfang’ wasn’t such a cheerful character in the original work.
Although she is the main heroine of the Magic Department route, she never fully opened up to the protagonist until the very end, always reserved, sad, and carrying a lot of backstory.
Seeing her bright smile.
“Indeed, it suits you much better.”
“Yes, yes? Yay?!”
That’s right.
Rather than the original appearance, the current one looks much better.
I found myself smiling involuntarily at the bustling fellow.
* * *
“Well, then I’ll go in first! Adrian!”
Rayna, with a slightly puffed-up face, said she needed to take a break and disappeared with brisk steps.
And so, naturally, I was left alone, but it didn’t bother me.
“It’s because I was used to it from the start.”
The empty cookie pouch should be returned to Ebenis.
As I walked through the magic department, two familiar figures appeared in the distance, running towards me.
“Senior!”
“Hello, Senior.”
Milige and Soufflé.
They were the two who were always together.
When I asked them, they said they were both in the same defense team.
The leader of the defense team is probably… that guy.
Since he appeared in the 1st-year episode.
Just the fact that they are together can be seen as the defense team holding the winning card.
“Senior, you must absolutely, absolutely not forget our promise this time, okay?”
“I know. Wasn’t it about hanging out together for two days if we maintain our top 100 rankings in the finals? I remember.”
Somehow, the condition also included ‘with Soufflé,’ but well, adding one more little kid shouldn’t make it harder.
But it seemed like the guy had something more to say, gesturing for me to listen.
“Bu-but the first day is absolutely for me to hang out with. Soufflé will join on the second day! Oh, you understand, right?”
Well.
Since hanging out with that guy was already a promise made during midterms, it’s only natural that the first day should be spent just the two of us.
In response, Milige seemed to find something strange, but since the two of us were going to hang out, she replied it was fine.
“Well then, let’s do our best for the final exams.”
“Yes! Senior! You too!”
“…Fighting.”
After the two first-year juniors disappeared, I headed to the knight department to meet that guy.
Before long.
“Senior? Is it okay for a 3rd-year to be here?”
“What’s up, junior. Sometimes when I need peace, I come here and sit.”
I’m not sure why this bench in front of the 1st-year knight department is considered a place for peace.
Even if you listen closely, you can hear whispers like ‘Oh, there’s the princess.’, ‘I want to talk to her somehow.’, ‘Dazzling, beautiful, is that the knight princess?’, ‘But who is that scum talking to our princess?’.
“…I’ll remember that guy.”
“No need for that. Senior, I’m used to it by now, anyway.”
“It’s not your problem. It’s my problem for choosing you. As a lord, I don’t feel good when I hear stories that insult you.”
White hair and red eyes.
On the arm of Rizelirias, who stood with his arms crossed, his team’s crest was attached as he quietly closed his eyes and focused on meditation.
“Senior.”
“Yeah?”
“I have one question. Even within the framework of the exam, isn’t it equivalent to wiping out a whole family if harm comes to the imperial family’s descendants?”
In response to my words,
The princess smiled lightly.
“Aren’t you being too extreme, junior? Such examples are—”
She laughed a little loudly, then brushed away a tear with her fingertip as she spoke.
“No matter how strict the imperial law is, it’s not to that extent. If harm is done to the imperial family’s descendants within the framework of exams and classes, the one who did it receives better treatment, while the harmed imperial descendant is ruthlessly degraded. The imperial descendants must always stand above everyone else, that’s the rule.”
“You must be tired in many ways. You can probably guess why the senior ran away.”
“Are you blaming me for making you return to that arena?”
“I’ve always said that you don’t need to worry about the senior’s worries. Take care of yourself.”
As I said that, she also said,
“Take care, Adrian.”
Not as a princess to Adrian,
But as a ‘senior’ to a ‘junior.’
I lightly nodded and set off on the road again.
And then,
I met quite a few people.
“Hello.”
“Adrian.”
“We are.”
“The defense team.”
The assassination organization Grenier went to the 3rd year defense team as a set.
“…Be prepared this time.”
Daisy von Schkross, passing by, also belonged to the 2nd year defense team.
“I am part of the defense team. I was supposed to protect Adrian, but it turned out to be the opposite.”
“Do you regret it?”
“No, not at all. Instead, I will impress upon myself the fact that I must protect Adrian by subduing him once again.”
“Make an effort.”
“Yes, then I’ll see you in the room later.”
Kalen, who I briefly met, smiled and said that before leaving.
“Oh! Senior! Hello! I have become the leader of the 1st year attack team!”
There was a protagonist running down the street, waving his hand and shouting.
Finally,
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing. The cookies you gave me last time were so tasteless.”
“Are you here to die? It’s perfect timing. Go ahead and die.”
In the first-year defense team, there was a monster with a strength of 20, who had a blue insignia on his arm and had risen from hell.
◈
From Noble mtl dot com
Ebonyss.
This guy became even more famous after the incident at the last banquet.
Not only did he manage to provoke Central Noble Phonseia Esmeralda, known as the “Queen of Society,” by inviting me.
Furthermore, he told the entire newspaper department that he personally didn’t enjoy society gatherings, so they were never to invite him again.
“Society gatherings? I’d rather swing a sword again than attend one.”
Ebonyss’s remarks directly targeted the high-ranking nobles who indulged in extravagance and pretense.
Since the indisputable “Repelheight,” second only to the royal family, declared that he did not partake in society gatherings, no one dared to casually host such events anymore.
Thanks to a series of events, she solidified her image as a senior in the Knight Department, instantly gaining the support of lower nobles and commoners.
In response, the first-year nobles who opposed her were all crushed in duels and thrown into the trash bin.
And so, the current first-year Knight Department became a place where anyone, be it commoner or noble, wielded their swords with zeal and nobility…
“Seems like there are more people following me than you.”
“Is that so?”
“How about you just surrender and come under my command?”
hahahaha.
“Do you really think I’d do that?”
“No, I know. Besides, the fact that I could do this was ultimately because you followed me to the society gatherings. You provided me with a stepping stone to leap.”
He lowered his head, muttered something, then spoke again.
“So I can’t just let it go. I am the present sub-lieutenant. I don’t particularly acknowledge your abilities… well, not yet. I need to be fully prepared.”
Is that so?
He strives.
Realizing that I am clearly superior, acknowledging that his current position is also due to me, he tries to move forward in a direction he can handle.
That’s Ebonyss.
Deviated from being a heroine, but perhaps it’s his will and determination as a solo actor.
“Keep striving. You seem like a leader.”
Was that why?
I found myself saying that unintentionally.
“Hmph, don’t go doing something stupid and getting hurt.”
After he said that, he seemed surprised and pursed his lips.
“Sudden concern is quite unpleasant.”
“Hah, is that for me too? Instead of that, don’t suddenly try to encourage me.”
We glared at each other, both frowning.
I put my hands in my pocket, took out an empty cookie wrapper, and tossed it to him.
“Ah…?”
“You ate it all, but next time, make sure to knead the dough properly. If you’re interested in baking, I recommend Professor Dunkin’s lectures.”
“Wait… you ate it without throwing it away? Even I could see it was tasteless and burnt because of poor temperature control?”
Well.
So, he gave me a tasteless, burnt cookie.
He’s such a troublemaker.
“Did he give that to me?”
“Hey, what’s with that tone! No matter how much I roast it, it always turns out like this! What’s the big deal! Don’t make that pitiful face! Hey!”