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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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I’d eaten half the cookie and stuffed the rest in my backpack when I sensed Rain and Sola outside.
I wasn’t so clueless as to not understand their intentions.
They were probably, no, definitely on their way to see Prion in the Platinum dorm.
I had no particular loyalty to him.
He lacked the qualities of a true comrade.
I could just wait for them to handle it… but I couldn’t.
If I did, it would just be another instance of me letting others clean up my messes.
They were worried about me because I was, frankly, not that strong, and I’d disappeared without a word.
The key phrase here was “not that strong.”
If I showed them I could handle myself, wouldn’t they stop fussing over me?
I knew I wasn’t exactly in the best mental state, but even so, this seemed like a sound conclusion.
Alright. I’ll show them.
I’ll show them there’s no need to worry.
I headed to the Platinum dorm.
The dorm matron was notoriously strict.
She glanced at the badge on my uniform—silver—then at my face, and without a word, shooed me away with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Of course, I wasn’t one to be deterred so easily.
Drawing on past experience, I tried my best to sweet-talk the plump matron, but she didn’t even look at me, simply continuing to read her book as if I were a bothersome fly.
No choice then.
It would take a bit longer, but I’d have to climb the wall.
Just as I was about to put my backup plan into action, Prieresil spotted me outside and spoke to the matron, who then opened the door.
Her connections really came in handy.
Grateful, I grabbed Prieresil’s hand and gave it an enthusiastic shake, thanking her profusely.
Leaving Prieresil standing there, still slightly dazed, I entered the dorm.
Several heads turned as a cadet with a gleaming silver badge walked in, but since I couldn’t actually see their expressions, it didn’t bother me.
The hallway was empty.
I could hear Prion’s wails coming from a slightly ajar door.
That must be it.
This could be dangerous if I got caught.
If anyone found out that Rain and Sola were doing this to a cadet…
Fortunately, by sheer coincidence, the room next to Prion’s seemed unoccupied.
Still, I had to hurry.
There was no telling when the occupant might return.
I quickly opened the door to the room where Prion was likely being held.
The sight that greeted me was Prion, huddled against the wall, tears and snot streaming down his face, staring at me.
Rain and Sola stood before him.
Prion’s magical aura crackled with anticipation, as if he saw me as his savior.
So, Rain and Sola had decided to take matters into their own hands.
I knew this wouldn’t end easily, not after he’d messed with me, someone they were so protective of.
Instead of interrupting, I walked towards the whimpering, bound Prion.
“Hey.”
“Hic… hic…”
“You look pathetic. Don’t you feel relieved? Excited that I’m here?”
Prion nodded vigorously.
Really?
Considering what he’d done, shouldn’t he be apologizing or cowering in fear?
Whatever.
It didn’t matter.
Things had gotten a bit complicated since I’d been discovered before I could tell Rain, but it wasn’t a complete disaster.
I wanted to give this arrogant, disrespectful brat a taste of his own medicine, so I decided to drop a bombshell.
“Headmaster. Professor.”
“Yes, Cadet. Don’t worry. We’ll deal with the one who orchestrated this…”
“Could you make sure Prion Colson here doesn’t blab about what I’m about to say?”
“…What? What is it… We’ll decide after we hear you out.”
“What are you talking about? If it’s just some nonsense, I’ll ignore it.”
Just in case, I laid the groundwork before turning back to Prion.
I tapped his face lightly.
“Have you heard of the original Hero’s party?”
“Gasp… ugh… Wh-what are you…”
“Answer me.”
“Th-they… there were four of them, including the Hero…”
“Actually, there were five.”
“…What?”
A brief silence followed Prion’s stunned question.
I savored his reaction before revealing my hidden truth.
“Rain Garden, Al Sola, Lian Serwin, Odrox…”
With a flourish, I pointed my thumb at myself.
“And me.”
“…Heh… Heh heh… Bullshit… You…”
Prion’s voice trembled.
He obviously didn’t believe me.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he thought I was crazy.
He took a deep breath, composing himself before speaking.
“I’ve read the original Hero’s saga countless times. I know it inside and out… You’re just… delusional…”
“Rain.”
Rain nodded, her gaze fixed on me.
“Huh?”
Prion’s magical aura flickered wildly.
He couldn’t believe his ears.
“Wh-what… Ha… Haha… Are you threatening me or something? Even if you are some noble’s kid, you can’t just call a comrade by their first name…”
“Sola.”
At my prompt, Sola simply nodded.
Prion’s magical aura surged again, even more erratic than before.
“What the… Did you threaten them or something?”
“Me? Threaten them? I was actually their comrade. Watch this.”
To prove my point, I casually draped my arms over Rain and Sola’s shoulders.
They probably hadn’t allowed this kind of familiar contact with anyone outside their close circle.
Rain and Sola stiffened slightly, but they didn’t say anything.
Thank goodness.
It would have been awkward if they’d recoiled in disgust.
“H-Headmaster… Professor… He’s lying about being bullied… He’s the perpetrator, not the victim…”
“Um… Look…”
“You can drop the formalities. Just make sure you keep this quiet afterwards.”
“Yeah… Ron, what do you want to do?”
Sola’s demeanor softened slightly.
Her usual fiery aura seemed to have cooled a bit.
This change in Sola’s attitude seemed to shock Prion.
I released their shoulders and approached Prion again.
“Damn it… Are you messing with me? Is this some kind of act… What is going on…”
“Think whatever you want. Believe what you want. It’s your prerogative.”
“So… why are you showing me this…?”
“That was just a little surprise. I have other business with you.”
I tapped Prion’s cheek again.
He’d resisted this gesture earlier, but now he just stared blankly.
“Prion Colson. I have a proposition for you. A wager.”
“Wh-wh-what…”
“If you win, I’ll forgive you for everything you’ve done. I’ll even get Rain and Sola’s permission. Sound good?”
I turned to Rain and Sola, expecting their agreement.
“No. I don’t like it.”
“I can’t allow that.”
“Huh?”
I was a little, no, a lot taken aback.
Seriously?
You’re going to undermine me like this?
I came here all dramatically, and you’re just going to shut me down?
It ruins the flow!
“Uh… haha… Look, there’s no downside for you two. Just hear me out.”
I shamelessly approached them and whispered.
“Just this once, please. I really want to teach Prion Colson a lesson. You know I don’t ask for favors often.”
I could feel Rain and Sola flinch as I whispered in their ears.
I knew how ticklish it was, but I had no other choice.
“Still…”
“It’ll be awkward for you two if anyone finds out you were involved in punishing a cadet. Just leave it to me. We’re fellow cadets. I’ll handle it. I’ll definitely win.”
Come on, guys!
Just this once, for the sake of our friendship!
Even my desperate plea seemed to fall on deaf ears.
Thankfully, Rain and Sola finally relented.
They looked a bit disgruntled, but they nodded.
After securing their agreement, I bowed my head in gratitude.
I turned back to Prion, this time with a more confident stance.
“Alright. If I win, you’ll dance naked in the Hidin central plaza. With a sign around your neck that says, ‘I’m a piece of trash who bullies fellow cadets.’”
It was a ridiculous proposition, completely out of place in this situation, but Prion nodded without hesitation.
He had no other choice.
If he stayed put, he’d either end up maimed or mentally broken.
“Deal! The wager is set! Seven days from now, at 4 PM, in the training grounds. Make sure you advertise it widely. I want everyone, inside and outside the academy, to see this.”
“…Ron, are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
“…Is that really enough to make up for what he’s done…?”
It was enough.
Of course, I’d still ask for his expulsion later.
One of my goals was to change their perception of me as someone weak and helpless.
He was the second-ranked cadet, even if he was only a first-year.
If I could beat him without getting hurt, they’d see me differently.
“It’s fine. Oh, could I ask you two for another favor? Rain, could you make an announcement? And Sola, could you make sure he keeps his mouth shut?”
“…Be careful.”
“If you get hurt, there will be consequences.”
With Rain and Sola’s reluctant agreement, the fuse I’d lit began to spread throughout Hidin.
Flyers, created by the academy’s newspaper club, were plastered everywhere.
Word of the upcoming duel between Prion Colson, son of the Edreon Colson, and myself spread like wildfire throughout the city.
And me?
“Don’t you practice or anything?”
“Not really. There’s no need.”
“…Is that so?”
I was just lounging around in my room.
It was better to stick to my usual methods than to cram some strong fighter’s techniques into my head.
I couldn’t use magic properly anyway, so there was no point in studying that either.
I planned to fight using my own style, based on my past experiences.
And for that, I needed to be in peak condition.
It was better than pushing myself too hard with some misplaced sense of obligation and ending up exhausted on the day of the duel.
At least the bullying had stopped.
I wasn’t sure what Rain and Sola had done, but some of the cadets were now shivering and complaining about the cold just from looking at me.
Even though the weather was far from chilly.
“…Want to train?”
“Sure. Just take it easy on me…”
“Easy? Your muscles are rejoicing! Progressive overload is the key to gains, you know? Today, we go hard.”
“Mercy…”
So, I spent my days training with Tolman, sweating buckets.
“Hero, please… Don’t do things like that when I’m not around… My patience is wearing thin…”
“I’ll try.”
“Trying isn’t enough. You must, before I’m forced to take action…”
“Yes. I’ll win, so please don’t interfere.”
I placated Mirsen, who’d approached me discreetly, soothing her ruffled feathers and gently pushing her pouting lips back into place.
“…Mr. Ron, are you alright?”
“Yeah.”
I gave a noncommittal response to Prieresil, who inquired about my well-being with a worried expression.
And so, my days passed peacefully. It was an almost unsettling calm, like the quiet before a storm.
As the promised day drew closer, a tense atmosphere settled over the academy.
Some placed bets on the outcome of the duel.
Others offered me words of encouragement, expressing their dislike for Prion.
Still, others openly cursed me, hoping I’d lose and be publicly humiliated.
Thankfully, it seemed Sola had done a good job of keeping a lid on the events of that day.
No rumors about it had surfaced.
Finally, the day arrived.
Prion Colson, seemingly deep in thought, looked a bit more serious than usual.
He held a sword in one hand and a magic staff in the other—an unconventional, but not entirely unwise choice of weaponry.
Five minutes before the duel, I stood before Prion, casually flipping a dagger in the air and whistling.
“…You seem relaxed.”
Prion’s voice was laced with a seriousness I hadn’t heard before.
He no longer treated me with the same disdain and arrogance.
I wasn’t sure what had happened, but it seemed he still didn’t believe I was part of Rain’s group.
Even after I’d shown him.
That was impressive in its own way.
Or maybe Sola had messed with his head?
Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.
“Not really.”
“You’ll keep your promise, right?”
“Believe what you want.”
“…Right. I still find you repulsive. Truly.”
“Thanks. It would be awkward to fight someone I’m on good terms with. Ready for round two?”
Prion scoffed at my words.
He had a point.
In our past sparring matches, I’d always lost to him.
I’d been putting up more of a fight recently, but still.
“I feel bad for deceiving you, but…”
“…What are you talking about? Are you referring to our past sparring matches, where you always lost? Don’t worry, I’m not letting my guard down.”
“Suit yourself.”
I scanned the surrounding auras. Sola, Prieresil, Mirsen, Tolman… Familiar faces were present.
I checked further afield.
I could sense the presence of some of the people I’d met and spoken with during my time in Hidin.
From one side, I sensed golden magical energy and silver holy power.
Two distinct, unmistakable auras emanating from the same location.
Rain and Lian.
…Lian?
Why was she here?
Just as I was about to ponder the question, the clock chimed, signaling the start of the duel.
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[LETS GOOOOOO this is what we’ve been waiting for!!! fuck him up ron]
