Chapter 47
It was the day before the duel, and like any other Saturday, I had physical training with Adriana in the morning and continued to receive support from her divine power.
After breakfast, Adriana called me outside again to administer more training.
“Huff... Huff...”
I could definitely feel that my strength and stamina had increased significantly over this short training period. The rapid growth rate and the fact that I could feel it in my body gave me a sense of euphoria despite the physical and mental pain I was going through.
"Junior, don't do anything today and tomorrow morning. Just have a good rest."
"Okay."
Adriana could restore my stamina with her powers. However, if I overexerted myself now, it could negatively impact the duel the next day. I was well aware of that and fully intended to stop training at this point.
Although, I did wonder what difference it would make to be in peak condition when it came to a duel that I was bound to lose anyway.
Adriana trained me not just in the morning that day, but all through the afternoon. After training, we sat on a bench in the park in front of the dormitory. Adriana handed me a water bottle, and I drank eagerly, drained by the extra intensity of that day’s workout.
“Huff...”
Adriana looked at me in my exhausted state, a peculiar smile on her lips.
"Junior, you’re really strange."
"What do you mean?"
"It seems like you have a fair bit of patience, and the tenacity to follow the training I’ve been giving you so far. So why do you act so rashly toward others?"
It seemed the past week had led her to conclude that I wasn’t someone who lacked patience or diligence. Yet, she did not understand why I acted so impulsively and brought such humiliation upon myself.
"Because I don't want to be ignored," I replied.
"Huh?"
"If you let certain individuals provoke you once, they will certainly do it a second time. And If you endure it twice, it will happen a third and fourth time, and you eventually just end up being taken advantage of."
Adriana sighed deeply.
“Isn’t that tiring? Always getting upset over small things, having to fight and clash with someone every time?"
"It's just how it is."
After finishing the water in the bottle, I stared blankly into the park, full of lush greenery in the form of trees and shrubs.
"I think it would be better to live a tiresome life as someone who can stand up for themselves, rather than living tiresomely as someone who gets helplessly bullied."
"Really... I seriously can't understand you, junior,” Adriana replied with a shake of her head. Apparently, she couldn’t see where I was coming from.
"Anyway, there's something I want to ask," I said.
"What is it?"
Adriana looked at me intently, as if poised to answer anything within her knowledge.
"One of my classmates said that there is exactly one way I could win the duel. Do you have any idea what it might be?"
"Huh?"
Adriana appeared puzzled by the strange question and was momentarily lost in thought. The one way I could win. What did Ellen think that could be?
"Well... Honestly, I have no clue," Adriana replied with a shake of her head. She didn’t know what it was either.
Yeah. Ellen probably wouldn’t tell me either, even if I grabbed her by the collar and threatened her. I’d be more likely to be hit instead.
‘Whatever, if I lose, then I lose.’
***
The time for the duel had arrived.
The week of training had really helped improve my stats. After all, I’d received a tremendous boost during training.
Current stats:
[Strength 4.8 (F+)]
[Agility 5.0 (D-)]
[Dexterity 5.9 (D-)]
[Mana 10.1 (C)]
[Stamina 8.1 (C-)]
My strength had increased by 0.8, agility by 0.3, dexterity by 0.7, and my stamina had seen a dramatic increase of 1.6. The training with Adriana had probably contributed to the growth in strength and stamina, while the sparring with Ellen accounted for the increase in dexterity.
But why did my mana increase again?
There were also slight changes in the subcategories.
Abilities in possession:
[Control Demon (D) (Unique ability of Archdemons) (Not usable in the current state)]
[Self-Deception (Locked)]
[Pseudo-Swordsmanship]
[Overall rating: Low-level Demon King]
[Combat ability: F+]
... What was that over there?
What was Pseudo-Swordsmanship about? It wasn’t even ranked F, just labeled as Pseudo-Swordsmanship. Were they saying I didn't even qualify for F-rank swordsmanship yet? Were they too reluctant to even write 'Lowest-level swordsmanship' or something like that?
The increase in combat ability from F to F+ was also seriously ridiculous. It would have been better to just leave it at F; F+ somehow looked even worse.
All that intense training just to get Pseudo-Swordsmanship as a result was almost enough to break my spirit.
At least there was a significant improvement in stamina. My abilities had improved in general, and eventually, I would hit some limits. When that happened, I'd have to use achievement points or something, but as for now, what I could do with my body would have to be enough.
Afternoon came, and I was on the training grounds of the first-year A class dormitory.
It was where Ellen and I had crossed swords countless times. But that day, there was quite a crowd gathered.
There were people who had come to see me lose.
Vertus was not there. It seemed he had returned to the imperial palace for the weekend, and he either didn’t care to see the outcome of my duel, or he just wasn't curious at all.
From Class A, everyone was there except Number 1, Vertus, and Number 3, Riana de Granz. Unexpectedly, Ellen had come to watch my duel. It basically meant that every one of my classmates who had seen me cause trouble with the seniors back then were watching as well.
Surprisingly, there were even a few people from Class B.
"Let’s go, Reinhart! Do your best!"
"Yeah, thanks."
Obviously, the good-natured Ludwig had come to cheer me on. He seemed to have brought along two people he was especially friendly with from the class. It was B-9, Delphine Izadra, and B-10, Lanian Sesor. I had never had a conversation with either of those two, and it felt like I would likely never do so in the future either. It was somewhat ironic that the characters I’d written about the most were the ones with whom I had nothing to do with.
There was also someone slightly off to the side, but who was undoubtedly there to watch the duel—it was Charlotte, quietly observing me.
It felt intense. She was definitely not there to cheer for me. She was most likely just there to watch—either to see how I'd fare in the duel or possibly to inquire about my progress in searching for Baalier.
Somehow it felt like she was assessing my usefulness.
Among those I hadn't expected was B-3, Scarlett. With her red eyes and red hair, she stood out starkly. I had never had any interactions with her as well; why had she come to watch this? She didn't seem like someone who would be interested in other people's affairs, and strictly speaking, she would have preferred to avoid setting foot in Class A.
"Why did that witch with the freak eyes come? She’s so annoying."
Scarlett had no reason to come since she couldn't stand Erhi, yet there she was, watching my duel from a distance. She was quite far away from Erhi, but she definitely had her eyes on me.
‘What could it be?’
This wasn't something that happened in the original story, so a new motive must have arisen that hadn’t existed before.
That was it for the first-years, and most of them probably hoped to see me crushed, except for Ludwig. I couldn't tell what Ellen was thinking. She was just squatting in a corner, watching me.
"Be prepared to get thoroughly thrashed today, you low-life beggar," Harriet teased with a spiteful chuckle.
"Yeah, enjoy the show."
"... Huh?"
"I said have fun watching."
"What, what in the..." My nonchalant comment that she should enjoy watching me get beaten up left Harriet with a dumbfounded expression.
Prejudices seemed to be important. At first, I’d been ticked off and had said something rash to her, but once I started seeing her as just a cute kid in my head, everything she did appeared cute to me.
It was just like when a stereotypical villain character in a novel started doing adorable antics, and unexpectedly became a favorite character.
It just proved that one could never know what would happen.
The second-year seniors from Class A seemed to be fully represented. In fact, there were more than ten second-year seniors there, so I assumed that some from Class B had come too.
Were they all here to see the face of a junior who dared to challenge a senior?
Among those faces, I only knew a few. My opponent, Ard de Gritis, Adriana, and the little girl named Rudina who looked like she was about to cry as her gaze flickered between Ard and me.
I should really treat her with something nice later on. It was terrible to have said I'd hit such a nice girl like her, saying I’d twist her neck and all... when she was so young and innocent!
Yeah, I deserved to go to hell!
Then there was the overseer of the duel, Mr. Effenhauser.
"It seems you guys are ready, so let's proceed."
A real duel would involve actually risking one's life. However, as a matter of course, a duel between students should never be a matter of life and death.
That was why duels were only held under the supervision of a teacher who had the power to intervene at any time.
Mr. Effenhauser made no comment about students dueling, since it was technically not in breach of any rules. It was as though he didn’t mind, and was willing to allow them to go ahead.
If it had been Ms. Mustang, she definitely would have tried to stop us, telling us not to do something so foolish.
Their personalities were polar opposites.
“Ard de Grits has declared that Reinhardt has insulted his honor in the incident... that is, I will just read it as written in the report."
Mr. Effenhauser began to read the report that was filed regarding our duel.
“Two weeks ago, on Saturday, the student Number A-11 from the first year, Reinhart, by grabbing and squeezing the crotch of the student Number A-3 from the second year, Ard de Gritis, has caused...”
Pfft!
Hah!
Tskk!
The students, regardless of their year, tried to stifle their laughter as Mr. Effenhauser read that part with utter seriousness, without cracking a smile. He ignored the reactions and continued reading.
Even both Ard and I were trying to keep a straight face, but Mr. Effenhauser impressively managed not to laugh.
"Ard claims that he was subjected to mental and physical distress and indeed, sexual humiliation, and as a result, his honor was tarnished. Therefore, he demands an apology for the incident from student Number A-11, Reinhart, and has requested a duel, to which A-11, Reinhart, has agreed. Is this correct?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah... pfft!”
Arde managed not to laugh until the end, but I found it so funny that I could barely reply, my voice shrinking as I failed to stifle a laugh.
“State what each of you hopes to gain from the other in case of victory.”
At Mr. Effenhauser’s prompt, Ard responded, “I wish that Reinhart will kneel before the seniors and apologize for his rudeness, and vow to continue respecting and honoring his seniors henceforth."
Ard essentially wanted my apology and my respect as his prize for winning. By respect, it meant that from now on, whatever the seniors did to me, I would have to bow and scrape to them. Mr. Effenhauser then looked at me.
‘Hmm... the prize of victory in a fight where the odds of winning were bleak...’
“I hope that the seniors will refrain from imposing their unjust behavior not only on me, but also on my classmates. Of course, an apology is in order as well."
My words seemed to pique the curiosity of the other students.
Even if it was clear I was bound to lose, they probably hadn’t expected me to demand that the seniors not harass my classmates as my prize.
Why such a reaction?
I was just posturing about a reward I would likely never receive, anyway.
"Good. The god of war, Alse, will side with the righteous."
A duel was, after all, a barbaric act. “The god of war will side with the just and bless the chosen with victory”? That was all just bullshit.
Then, just as Mr. Effenhauser was about to declare the start of the duel...
"Teacher."
Ard, unable to conceal his annoyance, raised his hand.
“I invoke my rightful privilege as a duelist to nominate my champion."
What...? What on earth was he talking about? Champion?
"Name them."
"My champion is from the third year, A-7, Mayaton."
Ard, his face contorting, stepped aside, and someone took his practice sword and stood before me.
The person who received it seemed incapable of containing their amusement, with a grin spreading across their face.
It was then that I realized that the number of spectators wasn’t because seniors from Class B had shown up as well. It was the third-year Class A students who had shown up.
"So you're the one who told us to come over when the prince was on campus?”
The third-years were infuriated by what I'd said, so they had taken Ard’s place in the duel. I had dared them to challenge Vertus while he was around, and because they ultimately couldn't follow through, their pride had been damaged as well, and they wanted to take matters into their own hands.
Ard’s frustrated expression made it clear that he’d probably been compelled to step aside instead of doing so willingly. Adriana too was wide-eyed, seemingly unaware that events would unfold like this.
The champion looked down on me with a sardonic smile.
"Let's see if you have any skill to match that mouth of yours, junior."
I finally understood what my one means of victory could be...
“Champion,” Or Substitute Warrior (代戰士).
A duelist had the right to appoint someone else to fight in their stead.
I glanced over at Ellen Artorius, who was squatting idly in a corner, quietly observing me.
“....”
She met my gaze and nodded.
The one way I could win.
It was at that moment that Ellen had implied that she would become my champion.
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