There were very few who predicted Iria’s victory in the duel against Amelia.
When comparing their individual combat strength, many rated Iria stronger than Amelia, but that was only when both were at their best.
It was reckless to seek out Amelia after dueling numerous opponents throughout the day.
Moreover, Amelia was known as the nemesis of swordsmen. It was hard to believe she could break through the impenetrable shield, especially when tired.
Still, as a top student in her third year, it’s hard to explain how Iria was overly brave for this encounter.
However, the result of the duel unfolded in a way they couldn’t have imagined.
Iria overcame all those unfavorable conditions and emerged victorious.
Formally, it was recorded as Amelia’s win, but it remained true that Iria had effectively won.
Not only did she barely win; Iria toyed with Amelia in the arena.
She shattered the shield that Amelia boasted about with a single strike and dodged her quick lightning strikes effortlessly.
The swordsmanship Amelia had honed couldn’t even react to Iria’s speed; it just fell away.
Such a feat would be impossible without a significant skill gap.
Iria’s duel proceeded slowly, taking its time. Amelia had to endure many hits from Iria.
It felt as if Iria was deliberately prolonging the fight to toy with her.
“At that level, it’s terrifying, right? Was Iria really that scary?”
“Did you not hear? There’s been some bad rumors about Iria, and Amelia was behind them.”
“Then it’s kinda deserved. I heard that everyone Iria has beaten was on Amelia’s side. They actively spread bad rumors about Iria.”
“What? So, it’s karma? I was already annoyed. Why poke a quiet person?”
Due to previous karma, no one was sympathetic to Amelia now. They only watched Iria’s merciless violence.
“But looking at it like this, Iria seems really strong. Is she on the same level as Ariel?”
“The academy’s standards have really risen. How can monsters appear two years in a row?”
“….I should probably not do that.”
The reactions of those watching the duel varied.
Some felt awe at Iria’s strength, and others felt fear.
And then there were others.
“Wow… looks like she has a sadistic side.”
“She really looks rough.”
“With that face and that taste, isn’t she just a walking sex symbol?”
“Watch your mouth, dude. You might end up like Amelia.”
“Sounds good to me.”
There were those who liked even Iria’s brutal behavior.
Just as there were people who hated Iria, there were those who liked her.
These were some deviants who began paying attention to Iria since her duel with Lucia.
“Is this what the average of a top educational institution looks like?”
Aren’t they afraid mentioning Iria directly might cause trouble?
Surprisingly, Iria didn’t touch them.
There was an instance when she beat up someone from the third year while cleaning up, and oddly enough, they enjoyed it, so she stopped.
The visceral disgust I thought had long vanished with the feelings returned.
The discomfort of them enjoying the beating made Iria hold back as well.
Soon, they became the only ones at the academy who could mention Iria’s name.
*
By the time I finished my duel with Amelia, the sun was already setting.
Considering the duels I had throughout the day, it wasn’t unexpected. How many did I have? I lost count halfway through.
After everything was over, if I listened carefully, I could hear the usual whispers from someone.
Gossip typically was shared in such ways. It was a small noise inaudible to the general public, but it reached my ears.
I wasn’t the topic of their chatter today.
Despite the academy being lively, there was no talk about me.
Instead, the target of scorn and mockery had shifted to Amelia.
This was a recurring ill custom of the academy. It’s common for students to gather and compete sexually.
Unless one uses special methods like me, it’s impossible to stop rumors from spreading on their own.
Amelia would likely spend her school days from now on facing this reality. Naturally, I had no intentions of helping her.
So, is this fair?
“….”
Probably not.
Amelia was undergoing the same actions she had inflicted on me, but her days would far exceed mine.
Then, is my action justified?
I couldn’t find an answer to that question. Even if I ruminated deeply as usual, it wouldn’t yield results.
Sera praised my actions, and Ariel said, well… what did he say?
“In solving problems, violence isn’t a great method. But in this case, your actions probably taught Amelia a lesson. She needed to change her character eventually.”
“….”
“You were thinking along those lines, right? You wanted to make her feel the wall without inflicting direct harm, so you waited until she deployed a shield.”
I was worried she might die if I hit her.
There seemed to be a slight misunderstanding, but I didn’t bother contradicting it. I felt neither the skill nor the reason to do so.
A lot happened, but in any case, today’s agenda was concluded. The rising sun had set, and the darkened sky was ready to greet tomorrow.
I, too, prepared for home. After washing up, I lay on the bed without drying my hair.
The reason for not drying my hair was out of laziness. Managing my unnecessarily long hair wasn’t easy.
So, I just lay down. In return, I had to feel the damp sensation of the wet sheets instead of the cozy embrace of the bed.
It wasn’t impossible to sleep under such conditions. I had slept on the ground among trash before.
“Is it tomorrow already?”
I usually thought deeply, but today, it was exceptionally so.
The reason being, tomorrow was the day I had promised to meet Albert. I had to meet Sertia, the chancellor I had only heard of in rumors.
What kind of person was the mage who killed the Demon King?
She probably won’t be an easy opponent. She might even come at me hostile since I possess a fragment of the Demon King.
According to the documents, in her prime, Sertia was said to have been powerful enough to rival a hero wielding the holy sword.
Perhaps it was Albert’s plan to lead me to her and assassinate me.
Going to find her at the Empire’s headquarters would be akin to walking into enemy territory alone. It entailed considerable risk.
But.
“….”
Despite that, it would be worth it to go there.
Sertia was a figure from the time when heroes and the Demon King existed. She likely held a wealth of information about this world.
She probably knew the truth of this world that had dragged me into hell.
‘If I end up going there and dying…’
That wouldn’t be so bad.
Death is a punishment less terrifying than pain. For a being trapped in suffering, death is a salvation.
Still, I wasn’t planning to go die.
I used to be a miserable monster who only thought about dying, but I’m not that way anymore.
If this world is a story and the protagonist is Ariel…
“What will the ending be, and what kind of being will I be in this world?”
Once, I hated it, and although I still dislike it, I find myself wanting to see how it all concludes.
Is this change in thought due to Ariel’s influence?
It might be. The protagonist I watched up close was far more fascinating than I had thought.
According to Albert, she wanted to ‘talk’ to me.
I don’t know what Sertia means by conversation, but since she has things she wants to say to me, I, too, have many questions for her.
Before falling asleep, I looked at the fragments of the Demon King lying around in the corner of the house.
I had eaten one of the five, leaving four remaining.
But since I’m going to meet a remarkable person, should I eat one more?
“….”
No, let’s eat two.
It wasn’t because I was hungry; it was for the purpose of power enhancement.
I truly wasn’t doing it out of hunger.
Here is the office of Chancellor Sertia. Or rather, is she no longer a chancellor?
She welcomes a guest entering her room looking haggard.
With blue hair partially covering her eyes and sharp gaze slightly obscured by her glasses.
There was only one person who would seek out the officially vacated chancellor’s office.
“Albert. Is it tomorrow already?”
“Yes.”
Albert looks somber as he gazes at his old mentor. To him, Sertia looked significantly weakened.
Approaching death, she receives a potion to prolong her life, even for a moment.
It has the effect of slowing down the spread of magical energy in her body.
The hue of Sertia’s complexion briefly returns as the curse is temporarily veiled by the blessing.
Her irregular breaths stabilize gradually. As her once-dull gaze sharpens slightly, Sertia welcomes her guest again.
Sertia speaks to Albert.
“The meeting place will be outside the Empire.”
“Is there a reason for that?”
“The Back Alley Monster is an enemy of the Empire. It could potentially turn into a massacre. I don’t want to drag the Empire’s people into this mess.”
“….”
Albert swallowed the long silence.
He understood what Sertia meant.
If she uses her power, she will die. To be precise, she was already dying, but doing so would hasten her demise.
It seemed like she was prepared to weigh her life against a fight with the Back Alley Monster.
It was a sad circumstance, but Albert couldn’t outright reject her words.
He simply stood still, waiting for Sertia to continue.
“Beyond the Empire, head east, and I have a private underground chamber. It should be safe regardless of what happens.”
“….”
“I will be waiting there. Albert, can you bring her to me? I will give you the address.”
“Understood.”
The night in the Empire deepened.
