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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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“Huk…?!”
A heavy pressure on his chest woke Zeke Alvion. A figure was looming over him.
The moonlight was obscured by clouds, making it hard to see. But he could sense a terrifying aura.
“W-who is it?!”
Zeke formed a spell, using all of his remaining mana.
A 4th-circle spell, ‘Water Cannon’, capable of blowing back even a heavy golem.
It was a defense, he would deal with whoever was invading his room.
It took a mere 3 seconds for his mana to gather and form a large drop of water on his finger.
“Have a taste of Alvion’s power!”
-Crack!!
A sound of breaking glass echoed in the air.
Alvion’s magic was cut short, like it was never there. The spell never had a chance to fire.
“H-how…?”
“Bad manners.”
Immediately after his magic vanished, a black-gloved hand grabbed his neck.
“Gah?!”
The hand was small. Like a child’s. But the grip was incredibly strong, like a machine.
The combination was terrifying.
“You’re still alive? I wanted to talk to you.”
The moonlight spilled into the room, illuminating a shock of blonde hair.
I could see a pale face with piercing blue eyes, holding a small, easy to handle, black club in his hand.
“Y-you’re… Atlas?!”
“It’s over. You can’t complain.”
Atlas raised his club.
“Why?! What did I ever do to you?!”
“After that trick… you’re asking why?”
Zeke realized, he had been caught.
“I know where you were taken. You were in the control room, right?”
My last memory was in the control room. It was likely that someone had taken him away while he was unconscious.
It was a serious breach of rules, and I was the victim, and yet here he was, acting like a villain.
But, fortunately or unfortunately, Atlas didn’t plan to take him to the Headmaster.
“I was wondering who would create that… and then, there you were!”
Atlas grabbed a pillow and held it to Zeke’s face, raising the club.
“………!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
He could not see, but his body knew what was coming. It was a perfect setup to prevent his screams from leaving the room.
-Thwack!!
“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Pain pulsed through his spine, hitting his lower body, before reaching his brain.
He tried to scream, but the pillow stifled his voice.
“Oh? What’s this?”
Atlas lifted the blanket, revealing Zeke’s lower body.
“Hey, Alvion’s head… is that an extra ball?”
Zeke’s face turned pale.
He didn’t want anyone to know about it, even the doctors.
“Hkk… hkkk… Don’t… Don’t say such absurd things…!!”
“Such an obvious fact. That’s interesting.”
Another wave of agony washed over his lower body.
“?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Ugh… disgusting… bear with it. I hate touching a guy’s thingy.”
Atlas squeezed the remaining testicle, the pain was unbearable.
He was sure that even his other one would be crushed. The pain was overwhelming.
“I… I’ll get you back…! I promise I will…!”
He could never forget this, he would make Atlas pay for this humiliation.
Atlas scoffed.
“What can you do?”
“I’ll make you and your family suffer like I have…!”
Atlas just chuckled.
“Oh, how scary. So… the rumors of the one-balled Zeke Alvion will spread throughout the Empire’s high society?”
Zeke’s words stopped. What if people learned the truth?
A one-balled heir… How humiliating! Just thinking about that sent shivers down his spine.
Alvion had much to lose.
“Having one is embarrassing, huh? Should I get rid of that, too…?”
Atlas’ grip tightened. He was on the verge of crushing Zeke’s remaining testicle.
Zeke’s mind was clear, a clear picture of what was about to happen. He cried out, begging for mercy.
His magic was useless. Atlas had negated it, and closed the distance in the blink of an eye. He could try using mana, but it wouldn’t stop Atlas. Threats didn’t work on him.
“P-please… stop…!!”
“You still don’t understand? If you were just gonna act like that. How are you going to take care of your family?”
“What…?”
Atlas seemed disappointed. He recited the words.
“‘I was wrong. Please, stop.’”
Atlas was clearly not happy with Alvion’s reply.
“Say it.”
Atlas urged him, but Zeke couldn’t utter those words. He had never pleaded to anyone before. It was his last vestige of pride.
“If not, you lose the other one, too.”
Atlas’ grip tightened again.
“Aaaagh!! I… I’m sorry…!!”
He was afraid. He had to give up. He was going to be reduced to a one-balled wimp.
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It didn’t take much longer.
I wasn’t there to educate him, I was there to remind him of what he should fear.
I was confident Alvion would never mention his injury again. He had too much to lose.
He probably wouldn’t want to let others know either.
I had retrieved the bullet. Which would help in preventing his identification.
Rich kids like him were easily manipulated, when their reputation and safety were threatened.
I could have easily taken his other ball, but that would have made things too unpredictable.
It was better to let him have some hope.
“Ugh… disgusting.”
It had worked as planned but the touch… it was disgusting.
I should have just ripped them both off.
I needed to see Edgar.
“…You were here.”
I had visited his room to check on him. He was covered in tubes and oxygen masks, but he had opened his eyes.
“You look fine.”
He had recovered rather well. All that remained was for his paralysis to fade.
“W-wait…!”
“What?”
I turned to leave, but Edgar grabbed my sleeve.
“Were… were you breathing that gas… too…?”
“Yeah.”
“H-how are you… moving?”
“A strong aura can resist gas like that.”
It wasn’t quite the truth, but it was close enough.
Edgar looked defeated.
“I thought… I was stronger… But it was all… an illusion…”
He had improved. He had likely improved to the point where he was happy and confident.
The fact that his performance had increased, while mine had decreased, had made him believe in his strength.
But… it had been a lie.
“If it was someone who purposely changed the settings based on your body… then I’m sorry.”
“Do you know who it was?”
“…”
He looked like he had some clue.
“You’ve improved. But you lost. Don’t bother requesting a rematch.”
“You…”
That got his attention, and his eyes started to burn again. I should have kept my mouth shut.
“Not a duel… but… maybe a sparring match…?”
“No.”
I did not need more people trying to ask me for favors.
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