Ch.168168. Week 2 Evaluation (4)

BANG! CRASH! SHATTER!

“Uh, huh?”

The sounds of something falling, breaking, and toppling over were so loud.

Renias, who had been dozing off from the alcohol, woke up with a start at the noise coming from right beside her.

“This ──… ──trying to ──? Are you completely ───?!”

“─ ── Your hands are the ones ─── toward me.”

But her mind was still too foggy to understand what conversation was taking place.

Her vision wasn’t very clear either, thanks to the lingering effects of alcohol.

‘Ugh. What’s going on?’

Still, Renias rubbed her eyes and tried to focus her alcohol-blurred mind as best she could to stare straight ahead.

The face of some man in front of her looked pixelated.

She could immediately tell who the sighing man was. Because his hair was black.

“Mmm… Senior? Hehe…”

“Finally awake? Are you coming to your senses?”

“Whaaat? I’m perfectly fiiine!”

“Wow. Look at her slurring. I could tell from the smell something was off, but how much did she drink to end up like this…”

People who claim to be fine rarely actually are.

That was exactly Renias. The type who gets drunk but stubbornly insists she’s not.

It immediately made him think he should bring someone up from downstairs.

“Of all times for none of the professors to be around. Wait here. I’ll go down and…”

“Die, you bastard!!”

WHAM!

Demian’s fist, charged with magical power, cuts off Junon’s words.

The party venue instantly becomes colored with chaos and fear. Many people closed their eyes tightly, not wanting to imagine what had happened to the person who had been hit by Demian.

—Hey, hey…! Did that guy just…

—Call security! Someone’s going to get seriously hurt!

—Forget security, we need to run! If we stay here, we’ll be dead meat!

As a fight broke out at what was supposed to be an enjoyable party, everyone began moving their legs to leave the scene.

Security would arrive soon, but everyone was thinking the same thing: Junon would be carried out as a bloody mess.

“Ha. This bastard still hasn’t given up?”

However, contrary to concerns, he was standing straight, staring at Demian.

Strangely, the one who threw the punch took a step back. If anyone had been watching this scene, their heads would have been filled with question marks, but the one who seemed most confused was Demian himself.

‘What on earth just happened?’

No one had been able to withstand this attack in the current faction battle.

No matter what player appeared, he simply overwhelmed them with his superior magical power.

Yet, it was having no effect on Junon at all.

‘No. There must be some trick. The power I received through the blessing of the Holy Emperor cannot be weak!’

Come to think of it, Junon’s unique magic is a magic shield. It’s not strange that he could withstand this much, given his magic specializes in defense.

Demian blamed himself for not using his full strength.

Perhaps Junon had grown stronger than expected.

So, this time, he would finish it properly.

Sssss.

“You do realize what you’re trying to do, right?”

“How could I not, you damn bastard.”

Though he infused it with magical power, a bare fist itself only increases in power.

The outcome might vary depending on circumstances, but proper magic was definitely much stronger.

“Hitting a hundred times with magic-infused fists isn’t as effective as drawing a magic blade and making one big slash. I was being considerate.”

“…”

“So, go ahead, try to block this too. With that precious magic shield of yours!!”

His cheek twitched incessantly as he imagined Junon soon rolling on the floor.

Magic is ultimately a resource.

The more resources one has, the more one consumes, the stronger one becomes.

It was simple logic.

“I’ll crush that power of yours completely!!”

And that resource, he had received from the deity indicated by the Holy Emperor.

Invincible magical power continued to flow through his body.

What about his opponent?

He was weak. A half-wit who could only defend and had to rely on others for attacks.

‘There’s no way I can lose!’

That was his conviction.

The conviction that his power would never be inferior to Junon’s.

With that, Demian swung his magic blade with a twitching face.

An even louder boom spread than before. The impact was so fierce that all the windows behind them shattered.

‘I did it!’

He felt it.

The sensation that his attack had definitely hit, without being avoided.

Given how much magical power he had put into the magic blade, Junon would definitely not be unharmed.

“Kekek, kukuk!”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

It was so satisfying to land a solid hit on the opponent he had wanted to get revenge on for so long.

Demian chuckled as he slowly approached where Junon would be in the middle of the wrecked party venue.

“Hey, say something. Huh? Are you dead?”

No answer came.

Of course he couldn’t speak. Demian knew that and was just taunting him.

“Well, I guess so. Even the far superior Mirpark players couldn’t withstand this.”

At best, only Miki and Leon, who had received the same blessing as himself, could withstand this.

In other words, it was powerful enough that an ordinary person would not just faint but might even break something.

“Kuk, kukuk! Serves you right! After acting so righteous, you were beneath me all along?!”

Taking the rear in the Shoot Great Subjugation?

The person who prevented damage to the main force?

Nonsense.

“Someone as insignificant as you couldn’t have accomplished that! It was just luck, and my judgment was obviously correct back then!”

God always smiles upon the victor.

And that victor?

Demian.

The name of the one who had just punished a worthless bug covered in foam.

That three-character name would be shining before God.

Thud.

A chandelier attached to one side of the ceiling tilts.

The part holding the weight cracks with a snap, then loses its light with a clang as it pours down.

And.

“Guhk?!”

The moment the chandelier shattered, Demian was kicked again and fell face-first onto the carpet.

“Kuk…! What the… how did you…!”

Demian immediately stood up, the veins in his neck bulging again.

“How or whatever, you bastard. You started this, didn’t you?”

After blocking the magic blade, Junon was once again looking down at him.

“Ha! So you’re saying you can block that much if you try hard enough? Yes… that’s what you’re saying?”

Being looked down upon is only temporary.

It’s just that he allowed an attack because he gave an opening again.

‘You’re lucky, Junon. You’ll be the first to taste this technique.’

Junon’s magic must be nearly depleted by now. With that thought, Demian creates another magic blade.

“As payment for messing with me today… for interrupting my time with Miss Renias, I’ll thoroughly crush you!!!”

Fierce magical power emanates.

It was Demian charging with a ferocity that seemed more like a beast going for the kill than a person facing another person.

This time, it wasn’t Junon who stopped Demian.

Ching, ching, ching!

Beams of light appear like bars, separating the two.

“That’s enough.”

Renias, who had regained her senses due to the commotion, spoke up.

***

When I realized magical power was surging from behind, I immediately relaxed my stance.

There was only one person behind me, so there was no need to counter that guy’s attack.

“That’s enough.”

As expected.

It would be stranger if she hadn’t sobered up after causing such a commotion.

When I turned my head, Renias had already completed her deployment at a speed beyond recognition.

Bars of light had been created, separating me and Demian.

She had stopped him for now… but looking around briefly, I became worried.

‘I hope this doesn’t affect the other students?’

I thought there might be some demerit system or something like that.

But I wasn’t in a position to worry about others right now.

“That guy… that guy tried to touch Miss Renias first, that’s why I did it!”

“Huh?”

“Don’t play innocent!! Look at the situation, Miss Renias. That guy was about to touch you, and I stopped him!”

I was dumbfounded.

He was the one who tried to make a move first, but he twisted his words like that.

But this kind of incitement is very disadvantageous for me.

If she believed it at face value, it would be a perfect situation for misunderstanding.

Although her mind had cleared a bit, Renias probably wasn’t completely sober yet.

“That’s right. Please come over here and remove these bars. I’ll personally… Miss Renias?”

Swish.

“…Renias?”

Suddenly, what’s this? Rather… I was the one who didn’t understand the situation now.

“What are you doing… why are you linking arms with that guy!! He was trying to make a move on you!!”

When Demian shouted like that, Renias raised her voice in response.

“I’m sorry, but Senior Junon isn’t that kind of person!”

“What…?”

Renias angrily pressed her body closer to my arm that she was holding.

“I know best. Senior Junon would never approach me for such selfish reasons.”

“How… how can you be so sure! I just told you he was about to touch you!”

“If anything, aren’t you the one more likely to do that?”

“M-me?! That’s impossible, I was trying to save you…!!”

She hit the nail right on the head.

That conscienceless guy was flustered, his neck veins bulging as he sputtered.

But there was too clear evidence. There was a reason I hadn’t given any explanation until now.

Renias must have easily noticed this too.

“So you’re saying the party venue is in this state because of Senior Junon?”

“Of course it could be because of that guy… hup!”

The guy immediately stopped talking and covered his mouth, but it was too late.

Demian had just as good as admitted that he had ruined the party venue.

With the chandelier collapsed and a hole piercing through the carpet on one side of the floor, it would be difficult to cause such aftermath even with magic surrounding the body.

A power focused on defense couldn’t possibly cause this much damage.

Therefore, it became crystal clear that someone else in this place—Demian—had deliberately used magic.

“You’re despicable. Not only did you approach me with ulterior motives, but you also tried to frame innocent Senior Junon.”

“That’s not it… I, I…!!”

Renias, still firmly holding my arm, ignored Demian’s attempts at excuses and removed the light bars.

I think I knew why.

By now, she would have sent word outside. That’s why footsteps climbing the stairs were gradually getting closer.

“I know because I’ve watched Senior up close. So stop talking nonsense and leave quietly, you poor nameless person.”

As Renias finished speaking,

The faculty supervisors, including faction battle officials, reached the party venue.

“…Would you explain the situation?”

“That Mirpark faction player over there attacked me and Senior Junon.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes. Oh, should I also mention that person tried to touch my body? And that the senior right beside me saved me?”

“Miss Renias! You’re making a mistake!! You shouldn’t fall for it!!”

The officials who came to handle the situation nodded, signaling to each other.

Probably, the facts had been confirmed based on numerous testimonies.

Therefore, there wasn’t much for me to do there.

“Hey. Aren’t you going to walk?”

“I guess faction battle demerits aren’t enough for you?”

Other than meeting the gaze of Demian, who was glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.

─────!!

Judging by how noisy it became as soon as Demian went downstairs, it seems there’s no need for a statement.

As the tension suddenly released, Renias’s body immediately staggered.

“Ugh…”

“Are you okay?”

I carefully supported Renias’s back. But my hands were trembling.

I was worried about accidentally touching her waist, or whether she would find my hand unpleasant, so I couldn’t help but tremble.

But due to the awkward supporting position, I had no choice but to support Renias’s waist with my arm.

“No, I’m not okay… I shouted while drunk, and now I’m dizzy as hell.”

She doesn’t seem to find it unpleasant. That’s a relief.

“Why did you push yourself? It would have been resolved quickly anyway.”

“…But I couldn’t help it. He was insulting you, Senior…”

This kind-hearted girl was worried about me.

It was obvious that the truth would come out eventually, so there was no need for her to do that, but she still stood up for me, denying his accusations.

…It had been a while.

Since someone stood up for me.

And saying these words was also something I hadn’t done in a very long time.

“Thank you.”

I answered like that, looking at Renias who had her head bowed low.

***

“Ah…”

“Be careful.”

“Hehe. I’m still very dizzy…”

She was staggering so much.

Watching her made me so anxious that I had no choice but to offer an escort, something I wasn’t used to doing.

She must have pushed herself too hard by using magic to stop the fight between me and Demian, and raising her voice to defend me.

Perhaps that’s why it seemed to take quite a long time to go down the stairs.

But what did it matter if it took long? There was no remaining schedule, and I had no intention of enjoying the party, so it didn’t matter if we went down slowly.

By the time we had finally descended the stairs, I looked around.

Since Renias’s family was the Lantana Ducal House, there would surely be servants.

There, I see one.

“I see your family’s maid over there. You should go back now.”

“…”

“Renias?”

We had been downstairs for a while. But Renias still hadn’t let go of my arm.

Then, a maid from the Lantana Ducal House who witnessed this scene cleared her throat with a “ahem, ahem.”

“As a gentleman, one should escort a lady to her mansion.”

…Is she saying this for me to hear?

‘No. That’s too much of a stretch.’

I thought at times.

“If a lady who has been drinking seems unsteady, it might be good to take a break and get some fresh air.”

Excuse me?

There’s only one drunk lady or person who can’t steady themselves here?

…The maid who made eye contact with me smiled brightly.

She was definitely smiling, but was it my imagination that I seemed to see daggers in her eyes? In some ways, it felt like I was receiving some kind of message.

And not long after, Renias collapsed into my arms.

…What the hell.