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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Though initially surprised by the sudden appearance of monsters, the students, having passed that insane entrance exam, quickly focused on the Shadow Hunt.
Within an hour, all the Shadow Servants were eliminated, leaving only their cores behind.
[Alright, the first stage of the integrated project, Shadow Hunt, is over! That was much faster than expected!]
Professor Istal’s cheerful voice echoed through the speakers.
Students who hadn’t collected many cores groaned in disappointment.
[Now, I’ll announce the team rankings! Team names are based on the registered leader’s name. 31st place, Hans Joachim’s team, 30th place, Kanon’s team…]
As she announced the rankings, Lotto with his face red, protested to the group,
“Even so, throwing me like that was too much, Lavaul-nim!”
“Uh, hmm. My apologies. I acted rashly in the heat of the moment.”
“Try being on the receiving end of that ‘rash’ action!”
As Lavaul averted his gaze awkwardly, Lotto turned to Fiore.
After all, Lavaul had thrown him, but Fiore had given the order.
Even if she was Chrom’s younger sister, to whom he owed a great deal, he couldn’t just let this go—
Grab.
A pair of pale, delicate hands clasped Lotto’s.
Fiore’s beautiful eyes, framed by silvery hair that shimmered blue in the moonlight, met his own at close range.
Lotto instinctively gasped.
“I’m so sorry, Lotto-nim! How can I ever make it up to you?! Are you hurt?”
“Uh? Um? I’m not hurt, but…”
“My leadership was inadequate, and I’ve been terribly rude. I apologize. I panicked with all those monsters around…”
“Oh, no! I understand! Anyone would panic in that situation!”
Fiore’s face lit up.
“Thank you, Lotto-nim. You were so brave, standing your ground against the monsters without retreating. You were protecting us, weren’t you?”
“Haha, it was nothing. Just doing what I had to do.”
The memory of a terrified novice, flailing helplessly against the monsters, was replaced by the image of a valiant knight protecting his companions.
Self-deception was sweet, and his previously enraged face was now flushed with embarrassment and pride.
Lavaul and Pino exchanged glances.
‘Lady Fiore didn’t seem flustered at all—if anything, she was the calmest, analyzing the situation coolly.’
‘What a pushover. Yep, we’ve got a real sucker here.’
While Lotto, oblivious to their pitying gazes, basked in his newfound heroism, Istal continued the announcement, finally reaching the top teams.
[…5th place, Alphonse Betouare’s team, 4th place, Crow Vein’s team, 3rd place, Eagle Fendevig’s team, 2nd place, Lyla Everblaze Barhardt’s team.]
A gasp rippled through the students.
The fact that someone had surpassed the princess was shocking, even though second place was hardly a low ranking.
She held an unrivaled position in every evaluation.
Until now.
[1st place, Chrom Midas’s team. Congratulations to the top 15 teams! You’ll proceed to the next stage! The second stage will be announced tomorrow at noon. As for the eliminated teams, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for the next opportunity—]
“Wait! That’s cheating!”
A student shouted.
“We rushed out as soon as we heard the announcement! But dozens of Shadow Servants were already dead! How is that possible?!”
Someone who seemed to be his teammate added,
“They must have known about the test beforehand! This is unfair!”
“We need a re-evaluation!”
“We wouldn’t have lost on a level playing field.”
“Her Highness in second place? Impossible.”
Voices rose in protest.
The darkness of night served as a convenient mask.
Not all students joined the accusations, but the growing chorus of complaints sowed seeds of doubt.
Confusion over the sudden event, frustration at being eliminated without a chance to showcase their skills, and the hope of a second chance if the results were invalidated fueled the discontent.
Meanwhile, I remained silent.
Refuting them would be easy.
I could point to Professor Istal’s announcement and argue that we were simply better prepared, while they were caught off guard.
But that wasn’t enough.
There was a reason why I had aimed for a decisive victory, knowing it would provoke this reaction.
Because—
“—How unsightly.”
The most appropriate person to address this situation wasn’t me, but her.
Fiery red hair, like a burning flame, shone brightly even in the darkness.
Her dress was impeccable, despite the urgency of the situation.
Lyla Everblaze Barhardt appeared, her presence commanding attention.
“Just as the early bird gets the worm, those who heeded the hints in the professor’s announcement and prepared thoroughly deserve their success. To accuse them of being underhanded or unfair…do you have no shame?”
Her sunset-colored eyes swept over the crowd with a quiet fury in their depths.
Not only the accusers, but even those who had remained silent, lowered their heads in shame.
The nascent mob mentality, fueled by accusations under the cover of darkness, was instantly quelled by the princess’s presence.
She possessed the charisma to overcome the peer pressure of dozens of people.
Even if I had defended myself, I couldn’t have achieved this effect.
Princess Lyla looked at me.
“Congratulations, Chrom. Don’t let their words bother you.”
I replied,
“Thank you, Lyla-nim. I’m fine. I’ve grown accustomed to such accusations.”
“Just because you’re accustomed doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. And well done to the rest of your team as well.”
The princess’s words of praise caused Lotto to freeze, and even the usually confident Pino looked flustered.
Lavaul bowed his head respectfully, while Fiore, her usual smile gone, looked at the princess with admiration.
Only Regret met the princess’s gaze with her usual stoic expression, but it didn’t affect the overall atmosphere.
A princess praising a group of outsiders for their outstanding performance, even congratulating someone who had outranked her.
It was a heartwarming scene, and even the students who had been hostile towards us now seemed to acknowledge us.
A peaceful and harmonious conclusion, satisfying to all.
So, naturally, I decided to break the spell.
“Your words of encouragement are deeply appreciated, but congratulations are premature, Your Highness. Our team still has a long way to go. We can’t afford to relax yet.”
Princess Lyla replied,
“Indeed, this was only the first stage. I wish you continued success in the remaining stages.”
I smiled.
“Yes, we’ll have to work hard. Especially if we want to compete with you, Your Highness, and claim first place.”
For the first time, a different emotion flickered across her serene face.
“I see. That’s your goal, Chrom. It won’t be easy.”
“We’ve already done it once. There’s no reason we can’t do it again.”
The amicable atmosphere cooled.
Like the calm before a greater storm.
And that was precisely what I wanted.
Simply being friendly wasn’t enough.
Simply being acknowledged wasn’t enough.
The reason I aimed for a decisive victory, despite the inevitable backlash.
The reason I disrupted the harmonious atmosphere.
My goal was singular: to make the ‘Heir of Red and Blue Blood’ truly see me.
To draw her in, not as a perfect princess to be admired from afar, but as a companion in navigating this world.
I intended to defeat Lyla Everblaze Barhardt in a head-on confrontation.
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