Ch.65Control (3)

“Ian Ternado.

Currently the head prefect leading the second-year students, and a senior assistant working directly under Cadel.

He didn’t like the boy named Judas.

“How have you been, Senior Ian?”

There was something about his demeanor.

That relaxed impression irritated him.

For a greenhorn who hadn’t even been enrolled for a few months, he gave off the feeling of putting on pathetic airs.

From the start, Ian wanted to crush him underfoot.

“Have you all heard? They say an exceptional freshman has arrived.”

“You mean… Young Master Snakus, right?”

“I saw him dueling the other day, and his skills were truly terrifying.”

“There’s definitely a reason why the professors are so eager to recruit him.”

The students babbling stupidly annoyed him too.

They were just first-year cadets.

What was so special about him that caused such a commotion?

Whenever he heard rumors praising Judas, he couldn’t help but feel his mood twist.

Perhaps it was inferiority.

‘What’s so great about this guy?’

Ian scoffed at the rumors every time.

Unable to accept the fact that someone more talented than himself existed, he would disparage the other without hesitation.

He thought Judas was nothing special getting too full of himself.

No matter how skilled Judas might be, he believed the freshman would be no match for himself, the second-year prefect.

After all, at Gallimar, the difference between grades was like an insurmountable wall.

‘Tch… what does the professor see in this bastard?’

Day by day, his disgust only grew.

Especially after Cadel began showing interest in Judas, his resentment became noticeably worse.

He was at risk of losing his position immediately.

The role of senior assistant was too prestigious for a mere youngster.

But more than the shocking recruitment offer, what drove Ian mad was…

“Well, I’m not particularly interested.”

“I appreciate the offer, though.”

“I’ll think about it. I’ll come see you later.”

The guy’s lukewarm response.

Judas always postponed his answer about joining, dangling the possibility like he was testing the waters.

And he did this to Cadel, one of Gallimar’s most distinguished professors.

He seemed to lack any sense of his place.

Ian wanted to throw his glove in Judas’s face, but he wasn’t sure what reaction that would provoke if he rashly challenged him to a duel.

The image of a senior trampling a junior wouldn’t be very appealing.

“Be grateful you’re my junior. If we were in the same year, I would have challenged you to a duel several times by now.”

Ian had to cool his temper alone.

But then.

“That’s quite a good idea.”

“What…?”

“A duel, I mean.”

A completely unexpected situation unfolded.

Suddenly, Judas broke into a bright smile.

He removed the glove he was wearing and, without the slightest hesitation, threw it at Ian.

Thud-!

“I, Judas Snakus, challenge Ian Ternado to a duel in the name of honor and order.”

A single impact striking his chest.

The voice rings clearly in his ears.

As he stands there dumbfounded, he suddenly meets the gaze of narrowed eyes smiling at him.

The snake flicks its tongue.

“I trust you won’t run away.”

Ian found himself accepting the duel challenge before he knew it.

***

News of the duel spread quickly.

Perhaps because of the empty schedule before the school trip, students flocked to the dopamine-inducing news with excitement.

The academy’s attention quickly shifted in this direction.

“I accept the duel.”

“The price of defeat… shall be granting one wish of the victor.”

“The date will be two days from now.”

Ian seemed somewhat flustered, but since he had been wanting this anyway, he agreed to the duel.

It seems he was heated by the thought of being looked down upon.

For a while, his face had been flushing red and pale.

The sight of him glaring and breathing heavily was quite a spectacle.

Anyway.

News of the duel between the two struck the academy like lightning.

Students were busy gossiping about this provocative topic, and despite the short period of just two days, its impact couldn’t be ignored.

When walking through the corridors, more than half the conversations were about the duel.

“Who do you think will win?”

“Obviously Senior Ian, right?”

“There’s a reason he’s rumored to be next year’s student council president candidate.”

“Really? I think the Young Master has a pretty good chance too.”

“Of course, the Young Master is an outstanding freshman, but… wouldn’t it be difficult against Senior Ian?”

“I guess you’re right.”

Opinions varied from person to person.

The overall atmosphere seemed to predict Ian’s victory.

Of course, there were some who took my side, but the prevailing prediction was that I wouldn’t be able to overcome the difference in grade levels.

They said the Snakus Young Master wasn’t ripe enough yet, or something like that.

To be fair, I understood to some extent.

My opponent was Ian Ternado.

The current leader of the second-year students and a senior assistant working directly under Cadel.

A talent considered the best when it came to lightning magic.

He received considerable admiration from students and was a name that never failed to come up whenever next year’s student council president candidates were discussed.

In short, he was the epitome of an elite.

‘Besides, the students don’t know my true capabilities.’

At most, they’d seen my previous duel.

That was the only time students had properly witnessed me fighting.

Though I certainly gave an unforgettable performance, if asked whether it was explosive enough to overwhelm Ian, that was questionable.

That’s why such calculations emerged.

That the Snakus Young Master wouldn’t be able to reach Ian Ternado.

“I’ll also bet on Senior Ian winning.”

“Honestly, if it were a year later, I think the Young Master would win easily… but there’s still the difference in experience.”

“Senior Ian definitely feels like he’s on another level.”

This reaction was the same among our main characters.

While I was quietly completing assignments in the library, Lezia, sitting next to me, whispered softly.

“Y-Young Master… are you really okay with this?”

“Of course I’m fine, Miss Lezia.”

“But I heard your opponent is incredibly strong. O-of course, I’m rooting for you, but…”

“You’re worried about what might happen, right?”

“Y-yes, I think so.”

“How sweet. As always, only Miss Lezia cares about me.”

“U-ugh…”

The pink creature melts under my patting hand.

She seemed to be worrying about me.

The feeling of being worried about by the protagonist was the best.

It made me feel genuinely close to her, and I couldn’t help but feel proud.

As I was smiling gently at that moment.

“Not a chance.”

Someone lurking nearby cuts in.

A boy with blue hair.

None other than Rusca Venatti, Amelia’s younger brother.

Having come to discuss something with his sister, he had settled down in a nearby seat.

Rusca casually joins the conversation.

“Senior Ian is strong. This time, you won’t be able to handle him.”

When did he stop pretending to be taciturn and dignified? Now that a topic he knew about came up, he seemed eager to speak.

After all, he was a fervent follower of Ian.

“Although you might be overwhelming among first-years… there’s always a higher sky above the sky.”

“R-really? Is he that amazing?”

“Commoners, step aside.”

“……”

“Anyway, you’d better prepare for defeat.”

Rusca snickers to himself.

Like father, like son—or in this case, like sister, like brother—he exudes the aura of a third-rate villain, not unlike his villainous sister.

Finding it bothersome to respond, I simply nodded.

Both sides were noisy.

One worried, one mocked—they were making quite a scene among themselves.

In this situation, Amelia was the only one keeping her mouth shut.

“……”

Having seen my true nature, she seemed to think the outcome was obvious.

The villainess approaches me quietly.

She whispers softly in my ear.

“……Don’t kill him.”

She seemed concerned about a completely different matter.

I smile briefly.

“Of course I won’t.”

I wasn’t lying.

Even in a duel, it wasn’t good to draw blood unnecessarily.

I add, to reassure her:

“I don’t intend to be too harsh. I won’t toy with him like last time.”

I am a gentleman.

-Ding!

[A small amount of lies has been recovered.]

[Current output remaining: 96.4%]

Of course.

Exceptions do exist from time to time.

***

And so the day of the duel dawned.

The venue was once again the public training ground.

A scene I’d faced several times now.

Standing on the wide circular arena, I could see the numerous spectator seats surrounding the perimeter.

Every seat was packed.

“Hehe.”

Was I getting used to it?

The scale of the training ground, which had felt burdensome at first, had now become familiar enough that I could laugh it off.

I prepare for the match with light stretching.

“Student Judas.”

Selena stands beside me.

She had rushed over after hearing about this duel.

The woman, who had been silently staring at me, soon removes the liquor bottle from her mouth and asks.

Her question is filled with the scent of alcohol.

“Pahh… Are you really sure about this?”

“What do you mean?”

“The duel. If you want, I can still stop it now. I still have enough influence to cover this up.”

“I appreciate the offer, but no thanks.”

“I thought you disliked getting involved in troublesome affairs.”

“But I do enjoy interesting things.”

“You’re still hard to understand.”

Selena exhales once more.

“I don’t think you’ll lose, but I’ll be cheering for you anyway.”

“You can look forward to it, Master.”

“Hmm.”

Her red eyes sparkle with interest.

I move forward toward the stage where the duel is about to take place, leaving her gaze behind.

Someone was already standing at the center of the arena.

“So you came.”

None other than Ian.

He was waiting for me with his arms crossed solemnly.

The two of us face each other.

My opponent opens his mouth with a sneer.

“I didn’t think you’d actually show up.”

“Running away isn’t my style.”

“I wonder what you were thinking when you challenged me to a duel. Surely you don’t think you can beat me?”

“Who knows?”

“Not even funny.”

He lets out a hollow laugh in disbelief.

After rotating his wrist briefly, Ian soon glares at me with cold eyes.

“I’ve been wanting this chance. I’ll crush you this time.”

Crackle-!

Small sparks fly into the air.

Lightning magic, known as Ian’s specialty.

The boy was charging lightning at his fingertips. The lightning roars as it rages fiercely.

It was an intimidating display just from gathering mana.

“I’ll sear that pale face of yours.”

Crackle-!

Was he trying to gain the upper hand?

It looked like nothing more than pathetic provocation.

The snake showed no signs of cowering.

Instead, he only smiled coldly. As if this whole situation was somehow enjoyable.

“You shouldn’t use such strong words.”

He flicks his tongue.

“It makes you look weak.”

“What…?”

Shiver-.

An eerie sensation runs down the spine.

“……?!”

An unknown chill.

As I tremble at this alien sensation, the announcer’s voice soon reaches us.

The duel was about to begin.

Ian flinches but assumes his stance.

《Combatants, please wait at your positions.》

《The duel will proceed as a match. The duel ends when one opponent is subdued or incapacitated.》

《Additionally, the duel will end if one side surrenders.》

The rules were identical to the previous duel.

Shortly after, the center referee flips a coin into the air.

The golden afterimage hits the ground.

Clang-!

The signal announcing the duel rings out.

Immediately after.

“Hup!”

Ian leaps forward with a sharp breath.

The boy’s body, flashing as if teleporting, soon rushes toward me at high speed.

Lightning spreads in all directions.

Crackle-!

He seemed to be trying to induce electrocution.

The distance closes in an instant.

Watching the moment that seems to flow slowly, I recite the lie that had been hanging between my lips.

The resonance spreads calmly.

“Shatter.”

Illusion magic.

The world turns upside down.”