Side Character Who Became the Pseudo-Protagonist

Chapter 40: My Part In The Story

[Spell Sequence Initializing: Innate Structural Disruption Type—]

[Overload]

Instantly, the lance of ice began to shatter, dissolving back into pure Logos before dispersing back into the atmosphere.

A wave of pain surged into my head as I backed off from Tina, who was now bracing both hands on her knees, out of breath.

’Shit...she forced me to burn my last use of Overload...what now?’

Though if I had to say, this would’ve been the perfect opportunity for Colette’s anchors to come out and try something.

Yet when nothing happened, I looked toward Colette. Her expression remained serious, but her hands hadn’t moved. She clearly had no intention of activating the formation yet.

I started to question her—until I noticed the remains of Tina’s shattered wall.

One of Colette’s anchors was still buried inside it.

But the second and third were nowhere in sight.

She’d had plenty of opportunities to place them during the fight. Which meant they had to be somewhere else.

The question was—where?

However, I realized that it was the exact same method Colette had surprised Tina with before. And doing the same thing now would definitely lose its effect.

Our trump card, which were Colette’s anchors, had to be timed well or else the surprise factor from them would be rendered useless.

So I retreated to regroup with her.

As soon as I reached her, she spoke immediately. "Nolan, I’ve laid a trap near Mimir’s Database. However, she definitely knows that I want to capture her using my anchors."

I inhaled a heavy breath before speaking. "What are you trying to say? Luring her to the Mimir Database while it was already her objective in the first place is a bad idea."

"Mhmm," Colette nodded her head. "That’s exactly what I want her to think."

"What?"

"Once she’s there, she’s definitely going to target Mimir. And I’ll use the anchors, that she thinks are the trap, to defend Mimir," the Astaron princess continued. "Which means...it’s up to you to knock her out."

"How do you know that’s going to work? With the anchors so far away from you, you’ll be defenseless..."

Yet instead of giving me a straight answer, all she said was:

"Trust me. I know her better than she thinks."

’Ugh...why do heroines and protagonists always use these lines? Can’t they just tell me why?!’

Regardless, what other option did I have but to trust in her words? After all, without her anchors, this fight would’ve been nigh unwinnable.

So with all my force, I burst out forward once more, to a Tina who had already somewhat recovered, and was about to launch a barrage at my face once more.

[Spell Sequence Initializing: Tier 1 Offensive Condensation Type—]

[Ice Rain]

A wave of ice came flying in my direction, forcing me to dodge and weave in between the projectiles in order to reach her.

[Firebolt] x3

BOOM—! BOOM—! BOOM—!

Icicles exploded midair as my spells went off, giving me a gap in which to close the distance. And I was damn sure to take it.

Tina flinched, clearly not anticipating how fast I was able to close the gap, but was still able to scrunch herself in order avoid any retaliation.

But with what I knew now, I decided to send a feint kick to her head.

She brought her hand up in response, ice forming on her forearm immediately as my kick was about to reach the side of her head.

Yet my foot flew right past it, sweeping past her eyes and blinding her vision.

And when her vision cleared, well...

My gun was already pointed at her stomach.

[Spell Sequence Initializing: Tier 1 Kinetic Displacement Type—]

[Push]

BOOM—!

The spell detonated point-blank, causing Tina’s body to shoot backward like a bullet. She skipped across the floor once before slamming into the wall near Mimir.

CRASH—!

"Grk—!"

Her back struck the metallic structure hard enough to leave a dent, forcing all the air out of her lungs.

For a few seconds, the only sound that came from her was coughing, blood spilled from her mouth and splattered across the floor

’Now!’

I raised Huginn, ready to rush in and finish it. But before I could move, Colette stepped forward, hand outstretched, signalling me to not get involved.

"Colette—"

"It’s okay."

"..."

But upon activating [Material Sight] I had realized her plan. The last two anchors...were right beneath her feet.

Tina lifted her head, glaring through bloodshot eyes as Colette slowly walked up to her, standing between the perpetrator and her goal.

She coughed, blood spilling from her lips. "Are you here to lecture me again, princess?"

"No," Colette stopped just a few steps away from her. "I came to tell you something."

Tina’s fingers twitched toward her wand, causing me to tighten my grip on Huginn. But it didn’t seem like Colette cared, even if she saw the motion.

"I admired you."

"...What?"

"You were part of the first wave of Astaron cadets sent to Asgard Academy," the princess continued. "Everyone knew your name, a cadet of modest beginnings who became the valedictorian through sheer hard work."

Tina’s expression twisted into malice. "Shut up...!"

"To us, you were proof that Astaron cadets could stand beside Ygg. Proof that someone without an overwhelming background could survive here if they worked hard enough."

"Do you know how many younger cadets looked up to you? They were shocked to find out you were the perpetrator, all along..."

Yet, all Tina responded with was a broken laugh. "Ha! Even now, you continue to piss me off princess. Now that you know I’m from the Vanaris, do you actually think I got through with hard work?"

"Do you know how many people I had to nudge, just to get a fair chance? Still, I don’t give a rat’s ass about being the valedictorian! All I needed was to become the secretary, and even that was denied by my half-sister."

’So the story was right. Claire did deny her...’

But even through Tina’s attempt at shattering Colette’s hopes, she remained firm. "Then...can you tell me all the time you spent in the library back in Astaron was fake?"

"The sweat you poured into the training grounds..."

"Was all of that fake too?"

"Shut up...!"

"You may have done terrible things. You may have lied. You may have hurt others for your own sake..."

"But that doesn’t mean everything about you was a lie..."

Colette clenched her hand.

"You have a place to belong to, Tina."

"..."

Tina’s lips parted, yet no words came. For just a moment, I though Colette had reached her.

But that was exactly why Tina’s face twisted even further. Her fingers tightened around her wand until her knuckles turned white.

"Shut up...shut up...shut up...!"

The temperature aroudn her began to drop again.

"What does all of that change now? Do you think I can just stop? Do you think I can turn around and say I was wrong?"

She tried to laugh, but it was barely one at all.

"I passed that point a long time ago."

Her wand turned, not at Colette or me, but toward Mimir standing tall right above her.

"I’m already a villain, Colette..."

[Spell Sequence Initializing: Tier 2 Frozen Projectile Type—]

[Glacial Lance]

Her lips curved into a broken and hopeless smile.

"I might as well do my part."