—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“…What is the meaning of this, Headmaster…?”
“First, I apologize for interfering in the duel, Cadet Jenison.”
Grit—
“…I don’t care about that. I asked what you’re doing…!”
Uncontrollable killing intent radiated from me. Some of the onlookers flinched. A few professors protested, calling my behavior disrespectful.
Some students, too, voiced their outrage.
“How dare you speak to the Headmaster like that!!”
Thwack! Thud!
I threw a hatchet and a dagger, embedding them in the wall beside one student’s head and near another’s feet.
Those with any sense quickly backed down.
I turned back to the Headmaster.
“Don’t worry. You’ve secured your victory.”
“…”
“Cadet Benil would be dead if I hadn’t intervened.”
“That’s not the point. Why did you save him?”
My killing intent didn’t faze her. She remained impassive, but there was something in her expression I hadn’t seen before.
“Is it wrong to save the life of a student at my academy?”
A wry smile.
That’s what I saw on her face. A wry smile that said she didn’t want to do this.
It was absurd.
She knew a duel of honor was a fight to the death. Even commoners knew that. It was a spectacle.
Why would she interfere?
This was a duel about honor, something nobles valued above life itself. Interfering was akin to inviting death.
‘There’s no reason for the Headmaster to get involved…’
Duels weren’t uncommon at the academy. In fact, they were quite frequent, given the high concentration of nobles. And the Headmaster had never intervened before.
“Why did you step in this time?”
“…”
Especially now, when I was about to kill Leon.
My mind raced, and a thought struck me.
“Headmaster…”
“Yes?”
“How much did House Benil donate to make you do this?”
“…”
She remained silent, her silence an answer in itself.
The academy was privately funded, not a state institution. It relied on tuition fees and donations. This meant the academy was constantly struggling financially.
Which led to a certain practice: accepting donations from noble families in exchange for preferential treatment. Bribery, in essence.
That explained why she’d saved Leon. She seemed to disapprove of such practices, which was why the professors couldn’t openly offer preferential treatment. But perhaps House Benil’s donation had been too substantial to refuse.
‘Or maybe she’s being blackmailed…’
But that seemed unlikely. She was Ruine Descartes, a 9th-circle mage. She could easily eliminate anyone who posed a threat. Why would she go to such lengths to protect Leon?
“If you have your reasons… I’ll leave it at that.”
“I refuse.”
“What…?”
“He insulted my mother.”
I conjured more hatchets and daggers, imbuing them with magic.
“Dispel.”
Dispel magic could penetrate even a 9th-circle mage’s shield.
She might be powerful, but she couldn’t negate magic itself.
I advanced.
She probably wouldn’t attack me. She’d stated she’d intervened to save a student. Attacking me, another student, would undermine her justification, especially in front of so many witnesses.
“…I suppose that’s not for me to judge.”
“If you understand—”
“But I can’t back down either…”
She dispelled the magic I’d woven around us, brushed the dust from her clothes, and looked at me.
“I have a proposition, Cadet Jenison.”
“…?”
“I’ll grant you access to the academy’s vault.”
Everyone gasped. The vault held the academy’s most valuable treasures. Granting a student access was unheard of.
In the stunned silence, I replied,
“Fuck off.”
A clear and unequivocal rejection.
He’d insulted my mother. And she thought I’d let him off the hook for some trinkets?
I knew my behavior was inappropriate, but I wouldn’t compromise on this.
I launched another volley of blades at Leon, who cowered behind the Headmaster.
Clang!
Clang!
But the sounds weren’t of flesh being torn, but of metal striking metal.
“…What are you doing?”
“Won’t you reconsider my offer?”
“I said… no!”
I continued my assault, creating and throwing projectiles, but she deflected them all, even the dispel-imbued ones.
Clang—
Clang—
“It’s not a bad offer.”
“It’s a terrible offer.”
“…If you insist…”
She gathered her mana, not to attack, but to display her power. She didn’t want to fight me.
“I sincerely apologize, but—”
“…Bullshit.”
“—I will handle his punishment.”
Punishment? He should be dead. What punishment could possibly be fitting?
He was the eldest son of House Benil. I couldn’t retaliate after the duel. That would mean facing the entire Benil family. No family would tolerate their heir being humiliated by a commoner.
‘If only he were a bastard…’
Things would have been different. They wouldn’t risk everything for a bastard. The Headmaster wouldn’t be protecting him.
“Ha…”
The situation was becoming increasingly complicated. I sighed, and the Headmaster seized the opportunity to try and reason with me again, lowering the dense mana barrier that shielded her.
“Cadet Jenison, please reconsider…!”
“Now.”
It was my only chance. While the mana barrier was down. While the noble Headmaster, who thought she could control me at any moment, was off guard.
I had to kill him now. This was my only opportunity.
‘People will realize I’m different now… and then…!’
They wouldn’t dare challenge me so easily. Risking your life for a mere annoyance, for a single commoner, was foolish.
He’d underestimated me.
But this opportunity wouldn’t come again.
“So… I have to kill him now—”
“I apologize.”
Thud—
‘…She wasn’t off guard…?’
Fuck.
Some people were born with all the advantages. And I was stuck with nothing.
…
My vision went black.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Headmaster, are you alright?”
“Yes. Take them to the infirmary.”
“I… Including Cadet Jenison?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“He… He dared to attack you!”
Just say the word, and I’ll…！
The portly professor was clearly trying to curry favor with the Headmaster. But she cut him off.
“Leave him alone.”
“W… What?!”
“I won’t repeat myself. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Her reaction was unexpected. He’d assumed she’d retaliate. She had a reputation for being intolerant of disrespect.
“Well… if that’s what the Headmaster wants…”
“We’ll leave him be for now.”
“As long as he doesn’t cause any more trouble…”
They assumed it was a whim. Mages were known for their capriciousness, their unpredictable behavior. They assumed this was no different.
“…Did you hear that? I kept my promise.”
[…!]
“…We can talk later…”
He didn’t hear the whispered words.
She just assumed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I’m mad. I don’t like her.
For sure, if that due lives through the duel he and his family are just going to make life even MORE shit for MC. Even if that dude is scared MC has no backing now.
That fucking sucked! She stopped his justified killing and right on the nose. She was payed money to make sure the little shite lived.
The MC had been getting away with being a scoundrel and scourge of the academy because of the money the dukedom donated as well.
The mc can’t call foul now, when he had been benefiting from the unfairness, even if he didn’t want to.
The academy had always moved for money.
Great. Just great. They have the nerve to pull the moral high ground card while they’re corrupt themselves. They didn’t even deny the bribery accusations.
Jenison’s life is going to be shittier considering he was unable to kill Leon. But that leaves two avenues: everyone being terrified enough that they wont interfere with Jenison anymore, or being stupid enough to provoke him again.
Jenison got away with a lot of stuff because of the dukedoms position and possible bribery.
It’s just how the academy always had been.
The audacity of the chairman to stop an honorable duel and protect scumbag noble even after knowing mc’s dead mother got insulted. Nobles going to be more unhinged knowing they have protection and never get punished. Don’t think anything could make chairman likeable no matter whatever her justifications and rationale are.
Shitty academy
what a bitch
FUCK HER
Can’t blame the headmaster, when the mc had been getting away with way worse when he was acting as a scoundrel.
He shouldn’t have even been in class A. Its just because he is now feeling how unfair their society is, that people are lashing out, but what he was doing to his “paid actor” should have been grounds for expulsion.