Chapter: 227
With a swift turn of my head, I dodged the punch aimed at my face and took a step back to evade the follow-up attacks.
Then, I landed a kick on the defender’s poorly protected thigh, causing the Shoddy Representative to stagger and barely regain balance.
It had barely been three minutes since the duel started, but the situation was already clear.
I hadn’t allowed a single hit on me so far, yet the Shoddy Representative was already in tatters. Continuing this duel would only result in my one-sided bullying.
If he were a noble known for his grace and virtue, it would be time to suggest he concede defeat, but I wasn’t going to do that.
“It’s not even been three minutes, and your legs are already trembling like crazy!♡ Is that really your limit?♡ Even a rabbit could last longer than this!♡”
Lucy, the living embodiment of a brat, had no clue about this!
Well, jokes aside. The reason I hadn’t knocked him down was that he hadn’t spilled the beans about his backing yet.
Despite stomping on his self-esteem with my Mesugaki Skill while only giving him enough impact not to fall, he remained silent. Is he like a loyal puppy to his master?
Honestly, I started to think there might have never been someone for him to pledge loyalty to in the first place.
Even Grandpa doesn’t work miracles. Didn’t he mumble some nonsense during the last festival and get into trouble?
“Gahhh!”
Lost in my thoughts, the Shoddy Representative rushed at me again.
Is he thinking of crashing into me with his shoulder?
His trajectory was way too obvious.
I sidestepped him with a slight move and tripped him, sending him crashing to the floor.
Unable to control his speed, the Shoddy Representative rolled on the ground and slammed into the wall with a loud bang.
As soon as he regained his senses, he tried to get up, but failed.
His body just wouldn’t listen to him.
Seeing him bury his face into the ground repeatedly confirmed to me that he had reached his limit.
Time for a final interrogation.
If worse comes to worst, I can always ask the other two. The fearful look in his eyes suggests he might offer some valuable information.
Approaching the Shoddy Representative, I stomped on the back of his head, which was gasping for breath.
“Hey there. Is this the end?♡ Don’t you have anything more?♡”
“…”
“You must have faith in something to challenge me!♡ Oh, are you counting on your skills?♡ Did you think you’d win?♡ Hahaha!♡ It’s so cute, but that’s a problem!♡ Getting underestimated by this kind of trash!♡”
Beneath the grinding of his head, I could hear a voice filled with frustration, but that was it.
The Shoddy Representative’s body had already reached its limit.
Unless a perverted God decides to possess a kid, this guy can’t move.
“Well, of course, there’s no way anyone would believe in this trash!♡ Especially not a commoner like you!♡ Your martial skills are totally sloppy!♡ Your stamina is abysmal!♡ And your head is just a hideous decoration!♡”
Sounds like he twitched a bit at the mention of “belief.”
What’s going on? Should I steer the conversation in that direction?
“Well, the only ones who are gonna acknowledge you are other idiots!♡ It’s obvious!♡ If it weren’t, no one would pay attention!♡”
“What do you know about him?!”
Oh? Ohhh?!
Is there something there?
Does this idiot really have a backing?!
Hey, Shoddy Representative. Yeah, I don’t know a thing about that guy you’re talking about.
That makes me super curious! Care to explain about your mysterious friend?
“How am I supposed to know? He exists only in your delusions!♡”
“…”
Come on now! You can’t just shut up after starting to talk. If you’ve begun speaking, you gotta finish! That’s just common etiquette!
Did you sleep through the etiquette classes at the academy?! I guess I’ll have to teach you some manners!
“What’s your delusional master like?♡ A woman?♡ Do you run to her and get pats while whining?♡ Ugh!♡ Just the thought makes me sick!♡”
“About the Second Prince…!…”
As the Shoddy Representative yelled, the room fell silent. And so did I.
The name that popped out of his mouth was so unexpected that I couldn’t help but blink in shock.
The Second Prince?
You mean that pitiful prince, right?
No freakin’ way—there’s a fool behind the fool!
Wait. That can’t be right!
The stupid prince who likes strong and talented people would never pay attention to someone as sloppy as this!
But he didn’t just throw out the name “Second Prince” for no good reason!
‘Uh… What do I do?!’
This was beyond my knowledge.
The Second Prince I knew would never care about a loser like him.
So, what variable has come into play here?
[Why the panic?]
‘Because he’s the Second Prince!’
If the one this guy believed in was indeed the Second Prince, it would explain why he held his pride against me.
In the community, his actions seemed utterly foolish, earning him the nickname “Pitiful Prince,” but reality was different.
The Second Prince is competing for the throne with the First Prince. Unlike Arthur, who has no relation to the succession rights, he has real forces and power backing him.
[Yeah, it seems the Second Prince is behind this.]
‘Isn’t that a big deal?!’
[Not even a bit.]
Despite my panic, Grandpa remained calm.
[First of all, you, young lady, have become someone not so easy to mess with. Think about what's behind you. It wouldn’t be cost-effective to take action against a commoner for something like this.]
‘…Really?’
[Also, this loser isn’t someone of importance in the first place. He’ll be discarded after his use. Such tasks aren’t entrusted to someone important.]
So it seems it doesn’t matter.
Even if I bring this loser to the Second Prince, I’ll just get a reply to handle it myself, as I wouldn’t know a thing about him.
Listening to Grandpa’s explanation, I felt the worries that had filled my head begin to dissipate.
[What we need to pay attention to now is the intent behind this. The reason the Second Prince would make a move that would harm you, trying to draw you to his side. From here on…]
‘Grandpa, could you just get to the point?’
There’s way too much going on right now, and I feel like my head’s gonna explode!
The way you’re speaking makes it seem like you’ve concluded something in your mind; could you just share that with me?
[No can do. Unless it’s a light matter, when dealing with someone like a prince, you need to think critically.]
‘Seriously?!’
[And, you have a task you need to carry out.]
‘…A task? Well, let’s just hear that.’
[Should I explain it all night? If that’s what you want.]
‘No! I’ll listen quietly!’
*
When Lab was a child, he eagerly awaited the day when the bard would come. His parents always said he must honor the nobles.
They told him to merely nod along to whatever they said.
Back then, young Lab didn’t really grasp the meaning but blindly followed his parents’ words. He showed respect in front of them.
That was until the day the noble of the territory he lived in fled in terror before a dungeon.
That day, the day Lab’s village fell into peril, was the first time he wielded a sword learned from his mercenary father and cut down a monster.
Lab wondered why he should honor nobles.
That thought solidified over time.
He blossomed his own talents, saw the noble brat misbehaving, saw him get admitted to the Soul Academy, gained recognition from the Second Prince as a commoner, moved up to the second year with grades surpassing many nobles, and through these experiences, Lab concluded:
The value of a person is not determined by blood. It is determined by one’s abilities.
If Mane were to hear this, he’d likely be pondering how to kill that guy, but Lab didn’t harbor any doubts.
What’s more, he even entertained the insane thought of proving this by achieving greatness himself.
There was one reason Lab began to think this way.
A commoner who didn’t honor a noble.
Someone who outwardly expressed respect but inwardly looked down on them.
The only person he acknowledged and wished to be recognized by was the Second Prince, whom he believed was watching him closely.
The beginning of this thought occurred during a duel he unexpectedly had on an exam day.
Having the chance to duel the Second Prince, he gave it his all to fight him but lost terribly.
There was no justification like bad luck or insufficient preparation.
It was simply overwhelming.
If they fought one hundred times, he would lose all one hundred.
In a daze from the overwhelming defeat, Lab heard the Second Prince say to him:
“If you learn properly, you could become a useful knight.”
After that, the Second Prince took care of Lab in various ways.
He provided money to buy weapons and armor through his subordinates, gave him precious potions, and even afforded him the opportunity to learn to swordsmanship.
Because of this ongoing aid, Lab was always searching for a way to repay that kindness.
So, when the Second Prince’s subordinate approached him and gave him a task, he nodded.
It was no difficult request.
“I heard there’s growing resentment among commoners towards Lucy Allen. Use it to bother her.”
What he spoke of were the pranks that commoners often played on weak nobles.
Simple pranks that would get caught but had nothing to do with him since he merely made the order.
“That’ll do?”
“Yes. Oh, and if Lucy Allen starts pressing you, mention a duel trial.”
“…What’s a duel trial?”
“It’s…”
“Hmm. There’s nothing more to see here.”
As those words uttered from the side startled Lab awake, he found himself unable to rise.
Something was binding his arms and legs, and he even had a blindfold over his eyes, darkening his vision.
“Are you awake? You slept well. Thanks to you, I had quite the fun adventure in your dreams.”
“Ugh! Mmm! Ugh!”
What’s going on? Who are these people? What’s going to happen to me now?
Despite the turmoil in his head, the voice of his captor remained unperturbed.
“Don’t worry; it’s nothing too serious. Just sleep a bit longer, and you won’t even remember this.”
“Ugh!”
“Oh, by the way. I have to mention this.”
Next time you touch our Employer, it could really be a huge deal!
After delivering the warning, Karia put Lab back to sleep.
When he awakens tomorrow, he’ll forget everything that happened tonight, but the warning will remain embedded in his unconsciousness, troubling him.
Actually, whether this guy even has a next time is questionable, and even if he does, I’m sure it won’t pose any threat to our Employer. But there’s always a chance.
“Your student?”
“I’m already on it.”
Watching Alsatine erase the several spells set up in this place, Karia adjusted her chin.
Hmm. Is our Employer way too popular?
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