episode_0012

“If you join our club…”

“You won’t have to worry even after graduation.”

“If I were to tell you about the history of our club…”

“Do you know who my father is? He’s none other than His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince’s favorite…”

Numerous requests from various clubs.

Sophomore, junior, and even senior students in their final year gathered around Vistus, proposing that he join their respective clubs.

Not only were there simple proposals, but also sweet offers and coercive persuasions based on their own status.

Of course, with Artoria and Sophia keeping a watchful eye nearby, they quickly retreated each time.

Vistus realized that he had been underestimating himself.

Is this all?

No matter how much he had brought down Naver, he was at best just a viscount’s son.

The movement of seniors trying to bring him into their clubs was unexpected.

It probably wasn’t just because of the result of the duel.

“Vistus, are you okay?”

“The nobles of the Empire are inferior. Don’t worry, Vistus. I’ll make sure they can’t do anything to you.”

Vistus looked at Artoria and Sophia who were looking at him.

It’s because of them.

Artoria, the second-in-command of the Holy Kingdom.

Sophia, the only daughter of the President, the leader of the Republic.

They must be the ones drawing the most attention at the academy right now.

It’s because of these reactions from them that I’m receiving so much attention.

The clubs in this academy are like factions.

As talented individuals from each country gather on the continent, various factions emerge and compete with each other.

The Empire’s Crown Prince faction, Princess faction.

The Republic’s President faction, Anti-President faction.

The Kingdom’s King faction, Nobility faction, and so on.

These various factions are further subdivided into numerous clubs.

That’s why they are trying to recruit influential yet neutral individuals into their clubs.

That way, the influence and speaking rights of their clubs will become stronger.

Artoria and Sophia may be more attention-grabbing, but I won’t encourage them to join our club because I know they won’t.

On the contrary, it seems relatively easy for me, who doesn’t have any backing, to approach the two who seem to have a friendly relationship with each other.

So there was a reason Robina came to find me.

It would have been stranger if she hadn’t come.

Classes had started, but other students kept turning their heads to look at me from time to time.

No, were they looking at Artoria and Sophia sitting on either side of me?

It was a difficult day to concentrate on the class.

Morning classes ended, and it was lunchtime.

I went to a nearby restaurant with the two girls following me and had a meal.

“Is it okay for a saint to eat at a place like this?” Sophia opened her mouth as if she didn’t like Artoria sitting with us.

“Oh my. Is there a reason why not?” Artoria replied with a smile.

“I heard that priests distance themselves from secular meals and lead an austere life.”

“Purity is also a devotion to Deus. I too am a servant of Deus who dedicates myself to Deus. But isn’t that meal not predetermined? Above all, since Your Highness always worships Deus with me, I should always have meals with Your Highness.”

“Hah. What a sophistry.”

“Sophia, do you have meals with the republicans over there? It seems that those people’s gazes towards Your Highness are not very favorable because of your presence here.”

“…They are insignificant rabble. If they try to harm Vices, I will personally crush them with my own hands.”

“Hah. That’s also quite an absurd statement…”

Zing

The gazes of the two clashed in midair.

Please stop…

Two women clashing at every turn.

Vices, who had just resolved to start anew this morning, was trembling in the conflict between the two women.

Sitting down, the ordered menu arrived, and the meal began.

Sophia elegantly moved her utensils.

Artoria moved the dishes with a sacred feeling from across the table.

Both were trying their best to show a beautiful appearance to Virthus.

“I have something to say.”

Virthus, who was eating, spoke up.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Please speak comfortably.”

“As I mentioned yesterday, I had a dream. It’s probably related to the future that Sofia talked about. And after having that dream, I was able to use a swordsmanship that I didn’t even know I had.”

Virthus said, looking at his own hand.

Artoria and Sofia had only known me for a few days.

But perhaps because of the dream, they treated me as if they had known me for a long time.

Although I had not met them for long, I already knew about both of them, so I treated them more comfortably.

Our relationship could be described as quite peculiar.

“Sofia said she fought the Demon King with me. And Artoria said she was an angel who worshipped the gods with me. I believe them both. One is my future. One is my past.”

I don’t really think so.

After all, I already know what will happen in the future.

There is no such thing as a demon invasion.

So there’s no way something like that could happen in a dream.

I think it’s something else.

“That’s right. Maybe you’re also remembering the future through your dreams.”

“I wish I could dream related to me too.”

“So I thought. I can’t just leave it like this. If that dream is real, then dangerous things will happen in the future, won’t they?”

The crisis of the world that occurred within the existing [Eclipse].

It’s a different crisis from the demon invasion in Sofia’s dream.

But it’s the worst crisis that threatens the survival of the world.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll protect you. This time will be different.”

“I’m here too! I’ll protect you, Your Highness!”

“I don’t want to just be protected. I want to become equal with you guys.”

No.

In fact, I don’t want to fight.

If I can just survive, it doesn’t matter if I’m protected by women.

Do you know about equality?

But knowing that we cannot overcome the impending crisis with our strength alone,

I must grow stronger.

To survive.

“Hmph. Yeah. You were that kind of guy. I’ve been too disrespectful to you, thinking that I would protect you.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness… I didn’t even know your feelings…”

I feel like I’ve caused some misunderstanding…

It doesn’t matter.

Vice Versus interrupted.

“I plan to go to the dungeon today.”

“…Dungeon?”

“Dungeon. What are you talking about?”

This is the battleground.

The dungeon where Hidden Piece awaits.

Since I cannot clear it alone, I must borrow their strength.

It can be said that it is a battleground to obtain their cooperation.

Honestly, one person should be enough, but for some reason, I have a feeling that something bad will happen if I bring only one person.

“I found a dungeon in this city. Specifically, a hidden dungeon. Shall we go in? We can also try out the new power of the future that we have acquired this time.”

“Vice Versus. Dungeons are dangerous.”

“That’s right, Your Highness. Unexplored dungeons are unknown spaces filled with various dangers. We don’t know what might happen!”

“I know. But we can’t go on like this. I can’t stand beside you and your companions as equals.”

“Your Highness…”

“Vice Versus, you…”

It’s almost nonsense, but the desire to become stronger is sincere.

“In that case, I will go with you. I’ll help you get used to the new swordsmanship you’ve acquired.”

“Me too! I’ll protect you in case anything dangerous happens!”

As planned!

“Thank you both.”

Good.

This way, we can conquer that dungeon too.

* * *

Capital of the Empire

Royal Palace

In the underground chamber, a man was tied to a chair.

Creak

Thud

“You! You!”

As the door to the underground chamber opened and the princess entered, the prince who saw her began to glow.

“What are you doing now! It must be prohibited for the two of us to directly harm each other by Abamama’s decree! Are you going to ignore the rules for selecting the direct successor set by Abamama!”

Clomp clomp

The princess slowly walked towards the prince.

“Ah, do you think Abamama will remain silent even after seeing this! You will soon be completely eliminated from the succession game!”

“No.”

Thud

“That will not happen. All of Abamama’s intentions will soon become the princess’s intentions.”

“…What? You, are you rebelling right now…!”

“Fair competition is fine. The princess was bound to win someday.”

Seizing the empire as in the previous round is not a problem.

However.

“But the princess has no time. There are females aiming for the princess’s precious things.”

“What are you saying…”

The prince was bewildered by the princess’s words.

Tap

The princess raised her hand over the prince’s head.

“You… You can’t be serious!”

“I’m asking you to quietly give up your right to the throne.”

For the princess and Viresus.

“Screaaaam!”

The princess’s hand shone as she cast a powerful spell on the prince’s head.

After flickering for a moment, the unconscious prince collapsed.

“Next is the emperor, huh.”

Confirming that the prince had been affected by the spell, the princess muttered with an expressionless face.

He was her father, but to her now, the emperor was just an obstacle preventing her from meeting Viresus.

“Just wait a little longer, my beloved Viresus. I will take care of everything I need to do and come to get you soon.”