"All right, you brats!" Niali shouted, grinning from ear to ear. "Get this through your heads: from now on, you'll be working those asses, not just showing them off"
She stood between the two classes. Beside her was a man who looked to be in the middle of a nervous breakdown.
"Professor Niali!" the head of Gold Hall protested, scandalized. "That is no way to address our students."
Gradalan Hurgellharm, dressed in an elegant gray suit over a black shirt, made for quite a contrast with the former mercenary.
I remembered him as a character who used to give out quests involving Academy affairs.
It was refreshing to see a face I'd grown familiar with during my playthroughs.
"Tsk. They aren't children who need coddling. Besides, it's always better to say things plainly." Niali studied us with her one eye. The seriousness in her voice and gaze reminded me what kind of teacher she was.
"Even so," the gray-haired man said, gesturing toward us, "they are the future. It is our duty to protect them. And… why are you wearing those clothes?"
His blue eyes darted away, plainly trying not to stare at her.
"Oh? Does someone like this uniform?" Niali stepped toward Gradalan, pressing her chest against the poor professor's stomach. "Don't be shy. You can look if you want."
"I-I…"
As a man, I could sympathize with Gradalan's embarrassment.
I had better things to do than meddle in my teachers' love lives.
I looked up at the sky.
The sun's warmth was starting to irritate me. I felt the same urge to hide in my room that I'd had back in middle school, when I could laze around to my heart's content.
I lowered my gaze.
We'd been separated by class and lined up facing the other group, with stone circles between us.
I was the only one who knew that the key figures of this world stood right in front of our class.
I glanced along the line, studying my classmates' expressions.
What optimistic fools. They were clearly hoping for fair fights.
I couldn't help smiling.
We were screwed.
First:
Aeono. The protagonist and chosen one of this world.
Armine. A half-giant with heroic blood in her veins.
Conlaoch. Already a knight at his young age, and the most obvious future hero of his generation.
Ardeshir. A warrior prince with the strength and skill to back up his confidence.
Primrose. A hunter so exceptional she might as well have been the embodiment of the word.
And those were just the people I'd met firsthand.
Now I could see other major figures, too.
Brandon Ürgonva.
Rudolf Scheiner.
Those two would become bosses not long after the game began. Dread rose in my chest and left my mouth dry.
"Are you nervous, Jakob?" Oswyn leaned toward me from where he stood at my side.
I had to stifle a burst of hysterical laughter.
"No," I lied through my teeth. My voice came out like a squeaky rubber duck. "Not at all. We've got this."
Defeat was guaranteed.
Oswyn hesitated, as any sensible man would.
"If you say so." He turned back to the other side.
God bless you, ordinary man.
Ignorance was a blessing we transmigrators didn't have.
Behold: the horror of protagonists and key characters.
"I want to see who can get past my defense," declared a burly young man with short brown hair. He stood taller than Oswyn, even taller than Rodrigo.
Aegus Gailnil.
The character the fandom unanimously considered Aeono's best friend.
My gaze traveled over the rest of the opposing class.
I knew everyone in Gold Hall mattered to some extent. Still, broadly speaking, only the ones I remembered from the game's lore were truly important.
The rest could be summed up as: arrogant-looking noble, stern-looking noble, sinister-looking noble, and stupid-looking noble.
It was while looking past a particularly stupid-looking noble that I noticed her.
"Heeheehee." She laughed as if she'd just pulled a prank. Her figure was impossible to miss.
One of the fandom's three favorite heroines. Her route had been mapped out from beginning to end.
Short black hair framed her face. She had purple eyes and skin lightly tanned by the sun.
I narrowed my eyes. She was bouncing in place, and her curves were doing interesting things.
BOING
BOING
BOING
The excitement on her face drained me of every scrap of goodwill and every bit of patience I had for nonsense.
"Damn it…" I muttered. Faced with a headache to rival Primrose, I could only expect the worst.
One of the big three.
Orianna Davorgnan.
[The Laughing Storm]
Danger level to me: High.
"Ahem." Primrose, standing in Gold Hall's line ahead of mine but a little to the side, gave a pointedly fake cough.
I looked at her. Her gaze carried a silent reprimand.
I did my best to ignore the heat in my cheeks.
Why did I feel like a child caught just before doing something stupid?
"Ah…" I quickly looked away, searching for something to distract myself.
I… Hmm… Hey, what was his problem?
Aeono was smiling at me as though I were a hopeless troublemaker.
It made me feel like an idiot.
'You are,' Friedrich Von Sonofabitch declared with certainty.
I looked for my friend Conlaoch, certain I'd find some masculine solidarity there.
Two red irises, bright enough to grace a king's cloak, stared at me without expression.
I felt like an enormous hound was watching me.
"…"
I fled his gaze, though something in my chest flared with the urge to stare him down.
Better not add fuel to the fire.
I looked back at Orianna, who was still smiling.
I'll be honest. I was afraid.
I couldn't pretend anymore. I was obviously cursed.
It was the only explanation.
I'd tried to avoid Primrose, and now she was my friend. I'd wanted to use Armine, and she was the only reason I was still alive.
'Look at him,' that bastard Friedrich said inside my skull. 'Taking his first steps toward understanding his situation.'
'Fuck you,' I replied in the sweetest mental voice I could manage.
Maybe it was the Moon. Maybe it was the King of Souls. Maybe I was just paranoid, but these girls kept coming after me like a plague.
'And we're back where we started,' my revolver sighed.
I hate you, Friedrich.
"Hey."
Shit. The heroine was talking to me already.
"Are you strong?"
She had a hybrid speed-and-endurance build. If I remembered her basic description correctly, it went something like this:
{The blood of the Storm Lords runs through her veins. They once ruled all of Ausonia.
Her greatest and most fervent desire is to be acknowledged by her father.}
"No," I said honestly. At least, not compared to her.
"Huh." She folded her arms. "Well, at least you're honest."
I gave her a weary smile.
"He seems friendly, at least." A warm, velvety voice drew my attention to someone standing between Aegus and Orianna.
I'd almost completely overlooked him, filing him under stupid-looking nobles.
A cold, crawling sensation crept up the back of my neck.
He was smiling warmly.
His dark hair looked wind-tousled. He had a handsome face, features like Yoko's—that is, Asian—and an expression that seemed to invite friendship.
"Hey," he said to me in a soft, melodic voice. "We're all here to learn, after all. I hope we can get along."
He held out his hand.
"…" I didn't know him, but his face was strangely familiar. "Sure."
I reached out, my fingers almost touching his.
'Wait,' Friedrich said.
"Kazuto," Gradalan said sternly. "Wait until you have permission before interacting with the other class."
The professor's face had grown serious.
"… As you say, Professor." Kazuto withdrew his hand and smiled with his eyes closed. "I just wanted to make friends."
"Sure…" Gradalan returned to his conversation with Niali.
"Ha! Spoken like a true gentleman! Your spirit of fellowship is admirable, Kazuto!" Aegus roared, looking at the dark-haired boy with deep respect.
Orianna rolled her eyes, though she was smiling. "Don't praise him for getting into trouble, Aegus. You're too soft on him."
Aegus looked like a kicked puppy.
"Don't be mean to Aegus. He was just praising me. You're so cruel to me, Orianna." Kazuto let out an exaggerated sigh. "If only you treated everyone else the same way. I seem to be the only one you're always scolding."
Orianna snorted.
"You're one of the few idiots I know who charges into trouble with a smile." Her big-sister tone did nothing to hide her warmth toward Kazuto.
"Ahahaha!" Aegus laughed heartily. "Kazuto just wanted to help Tahearth."
Primrose.
"Prim needed help."
The familiarity with which he spoke of Primrose made me feel a little sick.
"I understand that, but…"
The rest of their conversation faded from my hearing.
I stared at them.
There was an unmistakable air of friendship among the three of them.
"…"
Maybe he was someone of little importance.
Someone who, despite belonging to Gold Hall, was merely average compared to the jewels around him.
Kazuto Kinoshita. The man who made my friend turn cold and the protagonist turn serious.
'Friedrich,' I said in my mind. 'What do you think?'
'… He's like something terribly out of place in a room built for kings.' Friedrich sounded disdainful of Kazuto. 'Though the same could be said of you. At least your soul is rising above its weaknesses.'
I smiled. He couldn't let a single opportunity to insult me pass.
'I'm sorry about the lake.' I had to admit I wasn't at my best in situations that demanded emotional composure.
'… Don't worry about it, brat. But believe me, I'm not the one you should be apologizing to today.'
I was about to answer when a phantom weight settled on my head, along with the sensation of being watched by something enormous.
"Liedschlag," an indifferent voice called.
A chill ran through me.
It felt as though I'd been coated in ice and slime.
My head turned toward the voice on instinct, and my body nearly dropped to one knee of its own accord.
'Brat,' Friedrich said imperiously. His voice sounded as though he, too, were bearing an enormous weight. 'I think you should have put this girl at the top of your list of immediate threats.'
I swallowed hard. Sweat formed on my forehead, and I forced my eyes not to look directly at her.
"Your Highness." I tried to sound as ingratiating as possible. "It's a true honor…"
"See that thou bring no undue shame upon the name of Erdeder Gnade." Her cold tone made it clear she considered me no better than an insect, and her strange eyes looked at me without truly seeing me. "I shall send for thee when lessons are done. Keep me not waiting."
Shit.
I bowed my head like a well-trained dog.
"As you command, Your Highness."
"Go thou about thy business."
Her words had an immediate effect. The strange pressure on me vanished.
Damn it.
'Friedrich,' I thought.
'I noticed,' my revolver answered, unusually grim. 'Your soul held steady, but your body turned to clay at the sound of her voice. Who the hell is she?'
'Gnädia Von Hohengreif,' I told my companion, with the mental equivalent of gritting my teeth. 'One of the 120 heroines, and the future Kaiserin of Erdeder Gnade.'
This body had reacted exactly as the description on a shield bearing the Von Hohengreif coat of arms said it would.
{No dynasty is more shrouded in mystery than the Hohengreifs. Wherever they go, their subjects' blood follows, and their souls yearn to obey their commands.}
'Sounds like you should have considered her a threat from the start.' I could feel Friedrich's frustration rising with every word. 'Again, what madness made you fail to prepare for an encounter with her?'
I was sure that, if he could, Friedrich would punch me for being careless.
'I didn't think she'd take an interest in a mere tutorial boss or a declining noble.' How the hell was I supposed to know she'd come to me? For all practical purposes, I was nothing more than a stone in her path.
'…'
'Friedrich?'
His silence worried me for a moment.
'You… fool!' His shout left me speechless for several seconds. 'Even after all this, you're still stupid enough to think you aren't part of this world!'
'But…'
'Your actions have consequences!' There was no calm in his mental voice. 'Do you think you can go around doing whatever you please without any of it coming back to you? This isn't a game!'
'I…'
"Listen up!" Niali clapped her hands, shattering my concentration.
She now stood beside Gradalan, her expression unusually calm.
"Today's lesson is simple. One-on-one fights. One student from Silver, one from Gold."
"Are there rules?" Plumshire raised her hand with a sweetness that boded nothing good for me.
"Shit…" I whispered when I saw Niali smile.
"Blunt weapons. Low-level magic is allowed, but if I catch anyone trying to tear off a limb, I'll personally throw them in the lake."
Her smile and the wicked gleam in her eye made it clear she intended to keep that promise.
"Good!" Plumshire bounced with delight.
Great. They'd just given the pyromaniac a free pass.
Gradalan cleared his throat. "Victory will be determined by leaving the circle, surrendering, or a ruling from an instructor. Professor Cogadhálainn and I expect you to conduct yourselves with the dignity befitting this institution."
"In other words," Niali said with a grin, "fight until I get bored. Gold challenges, Silver responds. Let's see which of you actually has fangs."
Gradalan frowned at the breach of protocol but quickly collected himself. He cleared his throat and looked sternly at his class.
"Students of Gold Hall, you have permission to step forward and face those you wish to challenge."
The air around his students changed.
Every Gold Hall student took a step forward in perfect unison.
"Shit," I heard someone say.
My instincts screamed run, but I swallowed my fear.
"Hey."
A chill ran down my spine at the sound of that voice so close to me. "Just my luck."
Conlaoch stood in front of me.
"I believe I promised to kick your ass." Normally, my friend was fairly laid-back—even when launching a sneak attack. Right now, though, his face held none of its usual warmth.
"… Couldn't you go easy on me?"
To my horror, Conlaoch's expression grew even emptier. The gleam in his eyes told me I'd get no mercy.
"I think you've escaped the consequences of your actions long enough." Conlaoch looked at me with the confidence of someone who knew exactly how far above his opponent he stood.
Heat flared in my chest. I clenched my fists and held his gaze.
I didn't think I could beat him, but…
For a moment, the image of the demigod overlaid Conlaoch's, his sword-arm pointed at me.
"Hey." My voice came out rougher than I intended. "Don't think it'll be that easy, you wet dog."
Conlaoch's lips curved. His teeth flashed beneath his red eyes.
His arrogance made my blood boil.
"We're going first!" Aegus exclaimed, then laughed eagerly.
I broke eye contact with Conlaoch. The giant had stepped toward his chosen opponent.
"You, big guy." Aegus grinned and prodded Oswyn in the chest with a thick finger. "You've got the shoulders of a man who knows hard work. Come on. Let's see what you're made of."
Oswyn blinked, visibly bewildered to be singled out by one of the opposing class's highest-ranking nobles.
"… Understood." He let out a slow sigh.
I had to admit I didn't envy him.
"Hey!" Niali shouted. The atmosphere shifted. "I'll call the pairs up. In the meantime, take your seats and learn something from the fights."
"Class, do as instructed," Gradalan ordered seriously.
"Yes, sir!" Gold Hall answered in perfect unison, leaving me speechless for a few seconds.
"You heard the professor," Bastian said, taking charge again. "Come on, to our seats."
"You heard the boss." Maribel smiled sarcastically, clapped her hands, and swayed her hips flirtatiously on her way to the seats.
"… She's pretty, but you can tell her personality isn't the best." A few people followed her with their eyes.
I couldn't blame them.
"Ugh." Others groaned as they followed her to the seats.
"Well…" I sighed and took a step, only to feel someone catch my wrist.
"Jakob."
I turned and found Primrose looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite read.
"Primrose…" Her eyes trembled slightly, and there was something almost desperate about the way she held on to me.
"Look at that." A classmate pointed at us without the slightest attempt at discretion.
"Ooh, drama before the fights," Maribel called from the seats, sounding amused.
I looked around. Armine was watching us uncertainly as she walked toward the seats.
A weight settled on my shoulders. This was deeply uncomfortable.
"…" Primrose must have noticed. She let go and smiled with her eyes closed. "Good luck."
"… Sure." I forced the best smile I could manage. "Good luck to you, too."
She gave me one last look before walking away.
Well… I needed to find a seat away from everyone I knew, and—
"Jakob~"
Aeono draped an arm over my shoulder. I turned toward his sing-song voice and found an irritating smile on his face.
"Hey, hey… Is everything all right? I can feel the tension in the air."
Aeono made a show of brushing dust from my shoulder. Then he moved away in one quick motion, though he stayed close enough for me to hear him say, "Sit with me."
At that moment, a figure blotted out the sun above me. I looked up and saw someone barely touch the ground before launching himself into another enormous leap.
He sailed over the other students and landed among the seats with his arms spread toward the sky.
It reminded me of a certain pose… and a knight whose symbol was a sun with a face.
"… Praise the sun," I said instinctively.
Kazuto…
"… He does like to stand out," Aeono said dryly.
"Heh." Kazuto flashed a V sign with his fingers and beamed.
"Wow."
"So cool."
"Did you see that?"
"Of course."
"Always so flashy," Aeono said with a hint of exasperation. "Honestly, it must be hard being that talented."
I wasn't sure what to make of that.
"… Well, that was something." I watched several students gather around Kazuto. "Though it isn't necessarily a bad thing."
'You think?' Friedrich asked coldly. 'You should pay closer attention.'
"Kazuto!" Aveline ran in from the side, face flushed, grinning from ear to ear. The eagerness in her voice lasted right up until she collided with him. "Kazuto!"
"Aveline." Kazuto's smile betrayed his discomfort. "I see you're as energetic as ever. How's your class?"
Aveline's expression twisted alarmingly.
It was rather frightening to watch, honestly.
"Ahh, I missed you so much… your face." She cupped Kazuto's cheeks, and I could have sworn he squirmed at her touch. "Please tell me you're happy to see me."
He smiled brilliantly and took hold of her shoulders.
"I'm happy to see you."
The way those words left Kazuto's mouth sent a chill through me.
I exchanged a quick glance with Aeono. His gray eyes showed his disgust at the scene.
"… Come on. Let's sit down." The seriousness in Aeono's voice made me follow his suggestion.
"Kazuto…" I heard Aveline's anxious, pleading voice as we moved away.
"Hey, Jakob." Aeono sat down and pointed at me with his right index finger. "I think you need to pay much closer attention to Primrose now."
Then he patted the seat beside him.
"… I…" I turned my head. Aveline was clinging tightly to Kazuto's arm.
They looked like a couple.
A little way off, Conlaoch was watching them, too, his expression hard.
"So Aveline's his girlfriend, then?"
Maybe it was a stupid question, but I needed to be sure. After all, she'd spent her introduction talking about how much she loved her boyfriend.
"If she is, he doesn't know how to respect her." The steel in Aeono's voice made me instinctively take a step back. "Whatever. Sit down."
I obeyed.
I leaned forward a little as the seats around us filled, then looked from side to side.
Primrose sat beside Conlaoch. They seemed to be talking quietly. He looked friendly enough; she looked somewhat downcast.
Armine was studying everyone around her. Her eyes rested on me for a moment, and I waved on instinct.
She smiled, and I felt my cheeks warm.
"Hey," Aeono called. I turned to him. He looked a little irritated. "I called you over for something important."
"… Important?"
Aeono gave me an enigmatic smile.
"Look." He nodded toward Primrose and Conlaoch. "What happened earlier was really awkward."
A knot formed in my throat.
"I…"
"I don't think your situation is as simple as you being some unscrupulous womanizer." Aeono wasn't looking at me. His eyes were fixed on Kazuto and Aveline as they sat down beside Aegus and Orianna. "You're not that kind of person."
The certainty in his voice made me feel terribly ashamed.
"You should take better care of your friends, Jakob." He sighed, and his posture relaxed. "Good grief. Don't you know our bonds are among the most precious gifts the King of Souls has given us?"
Once again, the sun cast an ethereal glow over Aeono's blond hair. It felt like standing before someone special.
Maybe I was a fool, but his words brought me a calm I hadn't expected.
"Thank you." The words came out with all the honesty I had. "… By the way, between Conlaoch and me, who's more likely to win?"
Aeono turned toward me, his face a comical picture of pity.
"Do you want me to lie?"
Ouch. Another blow to my fragile ego.
"Nah. I already knew…" I looked over again. Conlaoch was still talking animatedly to Primrose, who seemed a little better.
I smiled… then looked down at the ground.
Elen's face appeared in my mind.
"I already let you go…" I couldn't keep hating someone who was a whole world away.
So why?
"We'll stay in touch all the time."
There was a cruel sort of sadism in how perfectly I could remember her voice and her last promise.
"All right, you brats!" Niali shouted.
I looked up. She wore a wild grin.
"Let's get this party started. First up, our two heavy hitters."
Aegus and Oswyn stood facing each other, both serious.
"They're carrying some heavy gear," Aeono remarked with a chuckle, and I could only agree.
Oswyn held a greatsword as tall as he was—blunt, of course—and wore an expression of determination.
"Magnificent weapon, my friend!" Aegus let out a booming laugh. Then his face turned serious.
"… An immovable object," I murmured.
The noble carried a morning star—minus its usual spikes—large enough to smash through a door in one blow.
I was sure only Armine among us could lift that thing.
In the game, Aegus specialized in defense. His equipment consisted of an enormous square shield that could withstand attacks from the game's toughest bosses, and a morning star for turning enemies into mincemeat.
"Who do you think will win?" Aeono asked. His gaze had gone distant, as though he were seeing something I couldn't.
"Aegus."
I wanted Oswyn to win, but there was far too wide a gulf between a young aspiring knight and the man everyone considered the hero's best friend.
"Oh, that's too bad," Aeono said, sounding disappointed. "I was hoping to see Aegus lose today."
My brain froze.
Hey…
"Why?" I turned to face this world's protagonist, equally caught off guard by his languid expression. "Don't you like Aegus?"
Aeono looked at me uncertainly.
"Sort of." He chuckled and touched the bridge of his nose with his index finger. "Sometimes it feels like he's just Kazuto's sidekick."
…
This… had to be one of the divergences I'd caused.
Shit.
"Begin!"
"Aaah!"
"Ahahaha! I like that spirit!"
The weapons collided, sending a gust of air through my hair.
The strength behind both blows reminded me how far beyond anything I'd once considered normal this world was.
"… Looks like Oswyn isn't going to make this easy for Aegus," Aeono said, sounding excited. "Come on!"
He rose from his seat, cheering with a raised fist.
"Yeah!"
"Kick his ass, Oswyn!"
"Show him what you're made of, Aegus!"
"Show them the worth of Silver Hall!"
"Teach them not to overestimate themselves, Aegus!"
"Fight!"
Others quickly followed Aeono's lead and began to cheer.
I remembered how worked up my mom used to get watching hockey games…
"Heh." I smiled. I'd gotten just as excited playing that game about the bald guy with anger issues and his son fighting Norse gods.
I saw Oswyn tighten his grip on his sword and draw a breath.
With a quick shift of his feet, he slipped a few inches away from Aegus—just enough to throw him off balance.
"Ahh!"
Oswyn didn't waste time on flashy feints. He drew back his arms and unleashed a perfect horizontal slash at Aegus's chest.
"Good instincts," Aegus said with a grin, just before the strike reached him.
He dropped low, rolled around Oswyn, and leaped up with both hands on his morning star.
A small hop spared Oswyn a direct hit.
The sound of the weapon slamming into the sand made me gulp.
Oswyn had no time to process it. Aegus lunged at him with a smile and a gleam in his eyes.
The doubt in my classmate's eyes didn't last long. Resolve swiftly took its place.
Their weapons collided again. Once more, the impact tossed my hair.
Shit.
"Nice hit!" Aegus laughed.
Oswyn growled, released the sword with one hand, and threw a horizontal punch at Aegus's ribs.
Aegus pivoted, caught Oswyn's extended arm with a smile, and swung his weapon.
The blow to Oswyn's chest knocked the air out of him.
For a second, I saw my classmate's eyes roll white.
"Shit…" I murmured.
"One more hit." Aegus's smile made me fear for Oswyn.
The morning star swung again.
But—
"Not a chance."
Oswyn dropped his sword, seized the morning star with his freed hand, and pushed with everything he had.
Little by little, I watched him force the weapon back. Aegus stared in disbelief.
"You absolute madman…" I said with a grin.
"Come on, big guy!" Plumshire shouted, pure excitement in her voice.
Aegus tried to overpower Oswyn through sheer strength, but only made him grin.
Git gud!
"COME ON, OSWYN!" I jumped to my feet and shouted.
"Ooh." Aeono looked at me as though I were a child, and I had to sit down with my cheeks burning.
"…"
To my horror, Armine and Primrose had both noticed. They looked away, their faces red.
"Heh." Conlaoch's grin was irritating, too.
I sank lower in my seat, face blazing.
Okay. Back to the fight…
"Nghhh."
"Rrrmmm."
The fight had become an arm-wrestling match between two masses of muscle.
Both faces flushed with the effort.
For three minutes, it was a battle of attrition.
"Aaaaah!" Aegus snorted and gave a tremendous heave. In one swift motion, he flung his morning star out of the arena.
Then he let go of Oswyn's other arm.
"Nothing like a worthy opponent to put me in a good mood."
"What?" Oswyn, incredulous, failed to anticipate the right hook Aegus landed on his cheek.
An upward strike from Aegus's left hand sent Oswyn staggering back several steps.
Unfortunately for Aegus, his opponent recovered quickly.
Oswyn ducked a punch and narrowly avoided several more aimed at his face.
"He'd better think fast…" Aeono murmured.
I could see the sweat on Oswyn's forehead and how hard he was breathing as he barely dodged each blow.
Then Oswyn bent his knees and drew a breath.
"Aaah!"
"Hey—"
Oswyn hurled himself forward, carrying them both out of the circle.
The sound they made when they landed was impressive.
"Both outside the circle. No winner," Gradalan announced sternly.
… Hey.
"Oswyn won," Aeono said with certainty.
I agreed.
"Professor." Oswyn got to his feet, panting heavily, and walked up to Gradalan. For a moment, I thought he was going to argue for the win. "How did I do?"
"…" The surprise on the professor's face spoke for all of us. "Well done, Goudwick."
"Thank you." Oswyn's smile was so pure I couldn't help feeling they should award him the victory.
"Ahahaha!" Niali's booming laughter drew everyone's attention. "Nobles and their technicalities."
Gradalan shot her a look, and she stepped closer, pressing against him again.
"That was a good fight, don't you think? Don't you think it's petty to overlook a win like that?"
This time, despite her proximity, Gradalan kept his composure.
"I'm not overlooking anything," he said gravely. "It was a legitimate draw."
The two professors stared each other down as Aegus approached Oswyn.
"Great fight." The noble held out his hand. His smile looked sincere.
Oswyn smiled and shook it.
"I learned a lot." Oswyn probably didn't have much combat experience. This really had helped him. "Thank you."
Aegus let out a booming laugh.
"You have exceptional fundamentals," he said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Oswyn, right? I'll remember that name. Let's train together sometime."
Still catching his breath, Oswyn managed a tired but proud smile. "I'd love to, my Lord."
"…"
"…"
Everyone present watched our teachers fall into a deathly silence.
"… Well, it seems there's no problem here." Niali's eye darted around. Gradalan, for his part, seemed to remember how to feel embarrassed.
His face turned tomato red.
"Ahem." Gradalan stepped away and cleared his throat. "Good fight. Take your seats. If either of you doesn't feel fit to continue with the lesson, please inform Professor Niali or me."
"I'm fine." Oswyn stretched a little, gave Aegus a small bow, and returned to the seats.
As soon as he neared the Silver Hall students, the praise began.
"Look at that power!"
"Our muscle is better!"
"Silver's every bit as good as Gold!"
"Oswyn! Oswyn! Oswyn!"
"It wasn't that much…" Oswyn blushed, averted his eyes, and shyly fiddled with the sleeve of his uniform.
"Well done, big guy." Beaming, Plumshire patted Oswyn's arms and guided him into the seat in the row above mine.
She sat down on his right. I pretended not to notice how comfortable she looked sitting so close to him.
"Nice fight." Aeono turned and gave Oswyn a thumbs-up.
"… Thanks." The giant who dreamed of becoming a knight looked down at the floor.
Our first representative had been dazzled by the protagonist's overwhelming charisma.
"Well."
Every member of Silver Hall turned to see one of our own stand up.
Bastian put on his best smile. "I think we can call that our first victory."
"But we didn't win," Oswyn said, sounding a little embarrassed by the result.
"Bah." Bastian waved the objection aside.
I smiled.
Oswyn hadn't lost, but he'd earned the kind of respect he needed.
"Next match!" Niali's shout brought us back to the present. "Plumshire Woodloock, you're up."
"Yay!" With one leap, Plumshire landed at the edge of the arena.
The moment her feet touched the ground, something about her changed.
Her stance grew firmer.
"Your turn, Anabelle Ainsworth."
I looked up and bit the inside of my right cheek.
Damn it…
Another headache had just entered my field of vision.
Anabelle Ainsworth.
[Master of the Soul]
"…"
Her black ponytail swayed with every step. An aristocratic air accentuated her features: high cheekbones, a straight nose, and the condescending gaze of someone who knew she was important.
Oh, great.
Anabelle's pale blue eyes settled on Plumshire as she approached the arena.
My classmate raised her right hand and pointed toward the sky.
"I surrender," Plumshire said seriously.
What?
"Hey! Plumshire, what the hell are you doing?"
"Come on, you're not supposed to think before you act!"
"No, no, that's not like you!"
My classmates' protests were more than justified, but I could see the corners of Anabelle's mouth lift slightly.
"Very smart," Aeono said calmly beside me.
"Winner of this round: Anabelle Ainsworth!"
"Well… that was a little anticlimactic."
"Does anyone know what was supposed to happen?"
Gold Hall was fairly bewildered, too.
Plumshire turned around. Her eyes seemed full of conflicting emotions.
Without a word, she sat down beside me, crossed her arms beneath her chest, and put on a sour expression.
"Everything okay?" Oswyn asked from the row above us.
Plumshire turned toward him. Her expression softened, and she sighed.
"All good, big guy." Then she shot me a not-at-all-subtle glance. "Hey, would Primrose mind if I asked you to seduce someone?"
"Ahahaha!" I burst out laughing, heat rising up the back of my neck.
"I don't think this is the time for jokes."
"Plumshire, that's in poor taste."
Aeono and Oswyn both came to my rescue.
"Okay, okay." Plumshire raised both hands in surrender. "…Jeez. No room for comedy at a time like this…"
I was just about to open my mouth when Niali called out, "Orianna Davorgnan!"
"Well, look at that," Aeono said, a little sarcastically. "We're already getting Gold Hall's stars."
The Ausonian tomboy practically bounced into the circle, twirling a warhammer made of what looked like wood.
"Yoko Kojirou."
The quiet young woman walked forward with a long katana in her right hand.
The contrast between them became even more striking when they stood face-to-face.
"Hey, quiet girl! Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're Kazuto's childhood friend!" Orianna declared, pointing her hammer at Yoko. "You look like you need to wake up!"
Yoko's face was utterly devoid of emotion.
Her dark eyes shifted slightly away from Orianna.
"What nonsense." With her right hand on the hilt and her left holding the scabbard, she lowered her stance.
In one swift motion, the katana's edge traced a thin line toward Orianna's chest.
The tomboy's wild grin as she ducked out of the way made me feel as though *I* were in danger.
Orianna closed the distance in a single step. Yoko tried to retreat.
The heroine swung her hammer, and Yoko had her speed to thank for avoiding it.
The tip of Yoko's sword glanced against the hammer.
… Yoko's eyes sought Kazuto. When I looked at him, I found him smiling with Aveline still clinging to his arm.
"So be it." Yoko lowered her body again, took the sword's hilt in both hands, and aimed it at the heroine.
Something in her gaze—and in the air around her—changed.
"I like you, quiet girl." Orianna gripped her hammer with both hands.
Her smile widened even further, and the air around her seemed to thicken, too.
Yoko attacked first, slashing upward toward Orianna's head.
The Laughing Storm avoided it with a fluid movement, then lunged again, this time aiming for Yoko's chest.
Yoko's footwork was impressively smooth.
"Aah!" Orianna roared.
Within seconds, the fight became a kind of dance. Neither blocked; they dodged, letting the blows slide past them.
For every ten attacks Orianna launched, Yoko offered one perfectly timed thrust that forced her to break her rhythm and evade.
After four relentless, breathless minutes, Orianna attempted an upward swing with her hammer.
Yoko stepped inside her opponent's guard and unleashed a slash.
The sound of both weapons colliding and breaking reminded me that everyone here was superhuman by nature.
"Mutual kill," Gradalan ruled, studying the remains of the hammer and the shattered blunt sword.
"A draw," Niali said, her gaze sharp. "Both of you, see me after class."
"Aw," Orianna complained, lowering the handle of her ruined hammer. Her smile returned at once. "You're incredible! I bet you're one of the strongest in your class."
"Perhaps," Yoko replied coolly, though she gave Orianna a polite, respectful bow.
"We're definitely doing this again!"
Orianna's irrepressible good cheer must have been why players had put her in their top three.
Personally, I found it exhausting.
Having a little ray of sunshine hovering over you just to make you feel better was something I'd learned to despise…
As Orianna trotted back to the seats, I noticed Yoko watching her go.
"Return to your seat," Niali ordered. Yoko bowed and did so.
The next two matches were unremarkable. No characters I remembered from the game.
Just ordinary students.
At least Silver Hall managed to claim a victory.
"Next, Kazuto Kinoshita," Gradalan said, sounding somewhat reluctant.
"Well," Kazuto said, rising unhurriedly from his seat. "Better get going."
He ran a hand through his hair, sweeping it back.
"Oooh." Aveline's pout was cute. Her hands were still wrapped around her boyfriend's arm.
"Relax." Kazuto's dazzling smile made his girlfriend's—girlfriend?—face turn red. "This'll be quick."
"Look at that confidence," I muttered without thinking of the consequences.
"Pfft." Aeono barely managed to hold back a laugh.
"Bastian Muth," Niali announced quietly.
"All right." I turned around. Bastian rose with a nervous expression.
He was sitting higher up and had to make his way down past students from both classes.
"Good luck," I told him as he passed.
He smiled with his eyes closed, let out a sigh, and continued on.
Bastian had chosen an ordinary sword.
Kazuto held two short, matching swords. He drew a breath and stepped into the arena.
The atmosphere changed.
The energy over the field suddenly felt heavier.
Kazuto wore an easy, pleasant smile. His stance looked relaxed but solid.
The look he gave Bastian was so condescending, so full of understanding, that I felt offended on Bastian's behalf.
"I'll be gentle," Kazuto said kindly. His gaze swept over our row, his dark eyes pausing on Aeono for a few seconds before moving on.
Bastian raised an eyebrow, a haughty smile forming on his lips. "Bastian Muth. I hope you're ready to get your uniform dirty, Kinoshita."
"I'll do my best." Kazuto bowed his head modestly.
"Begin!"
Bastian went on the offensive. Holding his sword in both hands, he closed the distance with a leap.
The steel traced a downward arc toward Kazuto's head.
"Oops." Kazuto took a small step to the left, letting the blade strike the ground.
"Careful."
The tip of Kazuto's left-hand sword dug into Bastian's shoulder.
"Urgh." Bastian's grip on his sword faltered for a moment.
That was bad.
He squared up to Kazuto.
"Bad idea," Aeono murmured.
Kazuto thrust his right-hand sword into Bastian's chest, sending him rolling across the ground.
"He's remarkably strong," Oswyn said calmly. "However slender he looks, his muscles must be well developed."
Bastian recovered, got to his feet, and charged at Kazuto.
Kazuto pivoted with precisely the minimum effort required.
Bastian's slashes caught nothing but Kazuto's shadow.
"Good movements." Kazuto drew closer to Bastian, allowing the steel to come within a hair's breadth of his skin.
He wore a small, encouraging smile the entire time, as if he were indulging a younger brother.
"Your form is excellent, Bastian," Kazuto murmured, his voice carrying easily. "Just watch your left flank when you commit to a thrust."
"Aaaah!"
Bastian's face reddened with anger. He launched a heavy diagonal strike with both hands, pouring all his frustration into the blow.
Kazuto's smile widened.
He slipped inside Bastian's guard, turned the blade aside with a flick of his wrist, and gently pressed the flat of his sword against Bastian's chest, applying just enough leverage to throw him off balance.
Bastian stumbled backward. His heel came down outside the circle.
"Out. Winner: Kazuto Kinoshita," Gradalan announced.
I was sure I wasn't the only one who noticed the gravity in his voice and the hardness of his gaze.
"A good match." Kazuto bowed deeply to Bastian. "Thank you for the lesson."
Bastian regarded him with a mixture of emotions.
He sighed, scratched the back of his neck, and smiled reluctantly. "Likewise."
Bastian held out his hand.
Kazuto stared at it for a second before taking it.
"I hope we can get along." His friendly voice, smile, and closed eyes made him look like someone you could trust.
"Sure." Bastian turned and came back to the seats.
"You did well," Oswyn told him warmly.
"At least you gave it your best," Maribel said with her ever-present smile. The easy way she said it made me feel slightly sorry for him.
"Hey." Bastian sounded offended. "I can't wait to see you win your match."
"Bah."
"… Jakob." Aeono's hand came to rest on my shoulder. With the other, he pointed toward Kazuto.
Kazuto walked at his own pace, his steps casual and elegant. Aveline waited for him with a look of pure adoration.
Aegus and Orianna smiled at him with obvious pride.
Then he changed course and stopped directly in front of Primrose.
The world drained of color. Every sound around me fell away.
"You didn't seem very interested in the fights, Primrose." Kazuto's velvety voice reached me so clearly that I might as well have been standing beside them.
He leaned forward slightly, encroaching just a fraction on her personal space.
"Oi." Conlaoch's voice was cold and serious as he put his arm between them. "Keep your distance."
Kazuto had to take a step back.
"Ahh, McNessa." Kazuto's frustration was plain to me. I didn't like the quick, appraising look he gave my friend, either. "I only wanted to talk to Prim for a moment."
There was that familiarity again.
Conlaoch's displeasure was obvious.
"Fine. Then do it from a proper distance." I noticed the change in his stance and gaze. "You're speaking to a young woman you hardly know."
Kazuto's friendly expression returned.
"Tsk…" If I heard that click of his tongue, they must have heard it, too. "McNessa, don't you think *she* gets to decide whether we're close?"
His pleasant tone was far too sweet.
Primrose, who had remained silent while staring at the sky, lowered her gaze.
Her emerald eyes met mine.
In a world without color, they shone intensely. I couldn't help smiling, and she smiled back.
The warmth in her expression made my cheeks burn.
Then she turned her gaze to Kazuto.
I watched her transform before my eyes.
The warmth left Primrose's eyes. Every trace of emotion vanished from her face, though it wasn't like when she became the embodiment of the hunt.
She looked at Kazuto as if he were a stone.
"I was watching the sky," she said, her voice perfectly flat. "And I prefer the company of the people who matter to me."
Ouch. Not many people would recover from that.
Kazuto laughed, a rich, melodic sound. "Always so distant. Though that pure, honest nature is part of your charm."
A chill ran through me when I saw him lift a hand to fix his hair.
"It's refreshing. We're very much alike, you know? Just trying to find something real amid all this… artificiality."
He reached toward her.
"Keep your distance," Conlaoch growled. I'd never felt more indebted to him than I did then.
Kazuto ignored the warning.
His hand moved toward a loose strand of orange hair. "We should get to know each other better. Train together, or have a meal. I think we'd make a great—"
Primrose didn't slap his hand away.
She simply wasn't there anymore.
With a subtle, fluid shift of her weight, she slipped half a step back and to the side. Kazuto's hand closed on empty air.
"Please don't touch me," Primrose ordered. The cold in her voice could have frozen a lake.
Kazuto's perfect smile faltered for a split second, revealing a flash of genuine, icy irritation before he regained his composure.
"Oi." Conlaoch had risen from his seat, and a heavy sense of menace hung around him. "I won't say it again."
"My apologies." Kazuto raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "I didn't mean to overstep. It's just that she's so…"
Okay. Enough.
"No." Aeono gripped my shoulder firmly, his voice authoritative. "They'll handle him."
I hadn't even realized I'd stood up.
Color returned to the world.
"… Thanks," I said quietly. The calm smile on his face was reassuring.
"You're welcome." Then he snorted. "Between you and Conlaoch, you're more than capable of teaching Kazuto a lesson, but…"
Aeono's gray eyes shifted toward Kazuto's classmates.
Aegus and Orianna were watching the exchange between Kazuto and Conlaoch intently, both expectant and ready to rush in.
My eyes sought Aveline.
I wished they hadn't.
Francisco de Goya was an artist whose unsettling paintings had always fascinated me.
Time and the Old Women.
The Witches' Sabbath.
Fantastic Vision.
Even as an adult, those images filled me with dread and discomfort.
They also held a fascination that could keep me spellbound for hours.
Aveline's expression belonged beside those paintings.
Her eyes were wide open but held no light. Her mouth was open in a hostile smile, while the rest of her face seemed frozen in something like rigor mortis.
It was… fascinating.
Her hands stretched toward Kazuto as if she wanted to tear him away from Primrose's side.
'Do you still want to help her?' Friedrich asked dryly, a note of contempt in his voice.
… My mind went blank.
… I'd seen nervous breakdowns and panic attacks. This was…
Far more sinister.
I sighed.
"Enough." Ardeshir approached the group.
He still carried himself with that natural dignity.
He had no weapon on him, yet he radiated unmistakable hostility toward Kazuto. "Kinoshita, once again you're making a nuisance of yourself to our classmates. Stop and return to your seat."
"Ahh." Kazuto let out an exaggerated sigh and put a few steps between himself and the hostility of Primrose, Conlaoch, and Ardeshir. "My apologies. That wasn't my intention, Your Majesty."
The slight twitch of Ardeshir's right eyebrow was enough to tell me Kazuto had stepped on a land mine.
"Kinoshita." Armine approached with firm strides, her large figure casting a shadow over the others. "Please return to your seat."
Kazuto looked around him.
Everyone present had witnessed the spectacle.
A friendly smile settled on his face. He bowed to the assembled students and declared, "My sincerest apologies."
When he raised his head, his dark eyes gleamed, and his attention was fixed on Primrose.
"I'm sorry. I only wanted to be your friend."
Then he turned away and took a couple of steps before stopping and turning back.
"Kinoshita," Gradalan barked. His frustration was so obvious that I realized he must be thoroughly sick of situations like this. "You and I will have a meeting after class."
Kazuto put on his happiest smile. "Gladly, Professor."
"Kazuto!" Aveline threw herself into her boyfriend's arms and rubbed her face against his chest.
"Good fight." Aegus grinned and gave his friend a few hearty pats on the shoulder, then said something I couldn't hear.
"Ha!" Orianna laughed, shot him a reproachful look, and leaned back in her seat.
The rest of their conversation didn't interest me.
"Well," Aeono began wearily. He let go of my shoulder and flicked his right hand as though the scene hadn't disgusted him. "That was something."
"You're awfully calm." I sat down and watched Armine, Conlaoch, and Ardeshir talking to Primrose.
"Kazuto won't try anything with so many people around who are against him." Aeono cast Kazuto a somewhat hostile look.
Kazuto held Aeono's gaze, then smiled with supreme confidence.
"… What a piece of work," I said without much enthusiasm. I looked toward the professor, waiting for her to announce the next fighters.
"Conlaoch McNessa," Niali called.
Oh.
The air over the field changed. It didn't turn murky like it had on the beach where that false god ascended. This was something more… human.
Conlaoch still had his back to me as he spoke with Primrose.
I watched his muscles tense. Slowly, he turned around. His red eyes regarded me like prey.
"Jakob Liedschlag." My name came from Gradalan's lips.
I stood.
Conlaoch exchanged a few quick words with Primrose.
He smiled at her like an older brother, then closed his eyes and laughed at something I couldn't hear.
Then he leaped.
He landed beside the blunt weapons, picked up a spear, and spun it a few times around his body.
His stance changed. I remembered it from our first days training in the forest.
"Good luck, Jakob," Aeono said beside me.
I sighed inwardly.
"Thanks." I smiled.
I made my way to the blunt weapons at an even pace.
It brought back memories of my first training session with Armine.
I grasped the hilts. My fingers trembled slightly; I couldn't tell whether it was nerves.
Two matching swords—the same kind Kazuto had used, now that I thought about it.
A ghostly-looking young man stared back at me from the blade.
"Whatever." I turned around, holding my weapons firmly.
Suddenly, the world felt more alive.
The heat beating down on me made me want a cold drink.
I heard every footstep I took toward the arena, felt the slight dryness in my mouth and the weight of August on my shoulders.
I focused on Conlaoch.
He approached with slow, short steps. His intense stare made me smile.
"Come on, Conlaoch!"
"Show them what we're made of, McNessa!"
"Kick his ass!"
A good portion of Gold Hall voiced their support. I sighed.
"Get us a win, Jakob!"
"Come on, man!"
"Give it your best!"
I felt a little embarrassed by my class's support.
The heat in my cheeks reminded me of the time everyone in my chat had wished me a happy birthday…
"You look happy," Conlaoch said when we drew close.
There was no particular hostility in him.
"Something like that."
I stepped into the fighting circle.
"G-good luck, Jakob!" Primrose's voice made me turn toward her.
Armine and Ardeshir stood beside her. Her cheeks were flushed, and the look in her eyes filled me with a mixture of happiness and sadness.
Her show of support wrapped me in a warmth I rarely felt.
But her face…
"Primrose…"
Why did you look so sad?
"Begin."
My brain didn't register Niali's announcement in time.
The tip of the spear nearly caught me in the side. I dodged on instinct and slashed with my right-hand sword.
The spear's shaft blocked it. With one fluid motion, Conlaoch forced my arms apart.
The next thing I knew, I was on the ground.
"Must be nice." The spear tip hovered inches from my nose. "Taking whatever you want without ever facing the consequences."
I looked up at Conlaoch. The sun reflected in his eyes and made me feel unworthy.
I struck his spear with my left-hand sword, knocking its tip toward the sky.
I rolled across the ground to put some distance between us.
Then I found my footing and settled into a stance for a counterattack.
"How naive."
Conlaoch tucked the butt of his spear between the middle and ring fingers of his closed fist.
I barely caught his arm drawing back before he snapped the spear forward like a whip.
"Urgh!"
A sharp pain in my shoulder drove me to one knee.
"What a foolish move." Conlaoch released the spear for an instant, then caught its shaft in midair. "Watch closely."
The first thrust left me dazed.
My eyes could barely track his arm bending before he unleashed another strike.
None of the blows was lethal, and none was meant to knock me out of the circle.
Shoulder. Biceps. Side of my abdomen. Hand.
The attacks came so fast I had no time to guard myself, let alone think of a counterattack.
With one eye squeezed shut, I looked at Conlaoch. He seemed tired of me.
The image of the demigod flashed through my mind again. I braced myself.
'Don't think.'
At that moment, I managed to dodge a thrust aimed at my shoulder.
I seized the spear's shaft firmly. I smiled and started to swing my sword.
"How naive."
With scarcely any visible effort, Conlaoch lifted me off the ground.
He closed the distance in one quick motion until he was only inches away.
"…"
I felt small in front of him.
But—
I thrust at his shoulder.
"Hmm." He didn't so much as flinch when my blade struck him. My blood ran cold.
"Very entertaining."
His red eyes shone like a predator's. The person standing before me wasn't the one who'd trained me in the forest.
No. It was more than that.
"You really don't give much thought to what's happening around you, do you?"
Conlaoch's punch left me dazed for a few seconds, and my mouth filled with the taste of blood.
Even so, I knew he'd held back. My teeth were still intact.
I spat to the side, dropped my weapons, and tried to hop backward.
"No." Conlaoch released his spear and caught me by the collar. "I think I should help you sort out a few ideas you've yet to grasp."
A right hook to my jaw tipped my head toward the sky.
"The spring flower lives in the memory of a summer night."
Conlaoch released my collar and followed with a rising left hook, then a backhand across my face, then a flurry of punches that kept me rooted to the spot.
"On a summer night, when the moon kissed her with its light. Her happiness tasted of dreams, of the unattainable, of time slipping away."
He sang for my ears alone, striking hard enough to hurt but never hard enough to send me out of the circle.
"The flower fell prey to an illusion sweet with hope. She waited for the moon to descend so that together they might break the boundary between the living and the dead."
He stopped punching long enough to seize my collar again.
"A black hound watched and barked. Like bones beneath the sun, the snow laid claim to the flower. Her illusion consumed her. Terrible was the mad love between the Moon and the Flower."
Conlaoch drew back his arm. I could see my face reflected in the red of his eyes.
Had I always looked this pathetic?
"I…" My eyes drifted away. I looked at Primrose.
Had she always seemed so fragile?
I… turned my attention to Armine.
"You're…" Conlaoch's fist struck my face. I went flying, aware that he'd held back more than I'd thought possible. "… an idiot."
For a moment, all I could see was the sky, and all I could think was…
I really hate isekai.
"Out! Winner: Conlaoch McNessa!"