Ch.8686. Crazy Twins

I headed back after rationalizing the annoying task as a new content for hazing newbies, and glanced behind to see the second-year members still engaged in conversation.

Since nothing urgent was happening, I decided to join their discussion group.

For some reason, Alkine, who had been sitting comfortably, stood up and followed me, but I guess I should just go with it?

Grain, noticing my approach, casually spoke first.

“You looked pretty serious. Something wrong?”

“I just heard I’m going to have some annoying situations ahead.”

“Ah, that. Hang in there.”

“Thanks…”

Despite receiving Grain’s words of encouragement, who seemed to already know the situation, I didn’t feel particularly uplifted.

“Celia. Perhaps…”

“Oh, it’s not Grain. Don’t worry.”

“…I see.”

They started whispering something behind me, but since they’ve been doing that often lately, I just let it be. Right now, my priority was asking about what I was curious about.

“I heard there was an objection filed regarding the second-year top student selection. What happened?”

“Oh, that?”

Hearing my question, Grain immediately responded by pointing her finger at Cain.

“It’s this idiot’s doing.”

“Who are you calling an idiot? I was just exercising my legitimate rights.”

“The fact that you think it’s legitimate makes you an idiot.”

“Cain. Sorry, but I can’t take your side on this one either.”

Seeing not only Grain but also Golid, who usually takes Cain’s side, saying such things, it seemed like he really did something reckless.

In truth, both Cain and Golid are talented enough to be top students. Why else would they be in the student council?

However, it’s very difficult to see their names as the top second-year students. That’s because there are two crazy guys known as the “Mad Twins” in the current second year.

‘The Imperial Follower and the Goddess Devotee.’

Living up to their twin nickname, they’re actually brothers, and these guys with their knight concept and priest concept are truly incredible concept fanatics.

…No, that’s not right. Since they’ll actually join the Imperial Knights and the Goddess Order after graduation, maybe it’s not just a concept?

Whatever the case, they couldn’t help but appear crazy right now.

How dedicated to their concepts must they be to refuse even invitations to the student council, claiming there’s only one place they belong?

Alkine, who only goes as far as a speech concept, seems like an angel in comparison.

But their skills are undeniable. Even the original student council members would acknowledge them, except for Alkine.

The now-disappeared Diggers. Even though he was the vice president, these guys were comparable to him, so no further explanation was needed.

In fact, the top and second positions were filled with their names.

‘It would be nice if they came and challenged me first.’

By the way, the Imperial Follower is the president of the Celia fan club, and the Goddess Devotee is the representative of the Lilith believers.

With rumors about my grades spreading, they’re bound to get involved with me soon.

They were tricky opponents. They had an unusually large number of traits, and they used them brilliantly.

In the later stages, they appeared just one level below the strongest in the world.

Anyway, they’re currently quite famous and recognized in the academy, so beating them would make for a good filter.

Given their personalities, there’s a real possibility they’ll come at me.

Hmm… that’s not what’s important right now.

First, I needed to find out why Cain objected to the results of such skilled individuals.

“Why did you do it?”

“Hey, junior, listen to this. Mitein clearly collapsed after receiving a combined attack from me and Golid, right? But while being carried out, he suddenly got up saying he hadn’t collapsed yet, rushed at me, and hit me from behind.”

When I asked, Cain rapidly explained the situation. Here, Mitein was the name of the Imperial Follower.

‘They managed to take down Mitein with a combined attack? That’s impressive.’

But that was the extent of my impression. His story didn’t really provide a valid reason for objection.

Because in the second-year free-for-all, there’s a rule that allows re-entry even after being knocked down.

It’s just an endless fight during the time limit, and if you’re tired, you can go out and rest… that kind of feeling, so hitting from behind is something that can happen.

“That can’t be the reason. There must be something else, right?”

So I asked again.

While he is impulsive and lighthearted, he’s not someone who would do something absurd without reason. There must be a reason.

With that thought, I asked, and Cain glanced at Grain and Golid before slightly moving closer to me.

Then he revealed what he had been keeping to himself, just loud enough for me to hear.

“…That guy insulted Grain when I was going down.”

“…I see.”

So he just took a shot at him because he was angry about that?

In other words, he’s not really interested in being the top student; he just wants to knock Mitein off the top position?

I finally understood, but… I didn’t think this revelation would help him escape being labeled an idiot.

If anything, it would make him seem even more foolish.

But well, from the academy’s perspective, the objection wasn’t completely groundless.

Despite his seemingly rash action, he must have filed the objection systematically for it to be accepted, and originally, the skills of Mitein and his twin Latein are really paper-thin in difference… and since one is a swordsman and the other a magician, it’s not easy to make a clear distinction.

So I understood both Cain’s behavior and the academy’s response.

“But what did he say about her that made you go this far?”

While I understood the reason for the objection, it was quite unexpected that Mitein would insult Grain.

I mean, why would someone who’s only interested in Celia, who’s related to the Imperial Palace, suddenly start insulting Grain?

Curious, I asked, and Cain frowned again as if getting heated up.

“He said her ideology is wrong, and that I’m trash for hanging around with someone like her.”

So he created this whole situation just for that? He really is sincere about Grain, as I already knew.

Or is he? Should I do the same if someone insults Celia or Alkine?

Anyway, ideology… I feel like I vaguely understand the reason.

Just to be sure, I asked Celia.

“Celia. Did you do anything with Grain before the midterms?”

“With Grain? No? Nothing in particular.”

She seemed to ponder for a moment but couldn’t recall anything specific.

Then there’s only one reason…

“Grain.”

“Yeah, what?”

Grain must have done something to Mitein.

After all, they’re both second-years, so they can talk to each other, and during that process, Grain must have said something wrong.

“Have you ever spoken to Mitein? Just, well… I did talk about Celia and you once…”

“What did you say?”

“Well… I said you two make a good match.”

“Oh come on, Grain. Why do you go around saying such things to others?”

“Uh, well… I said it because you do match well… yeah, that’s right. You two match well.”

…Seeing her awkwardness, it doesn’t seem like a compliment.

Was she subtly implying they’re both weirdos?

Anyway, it’s clear now. This is the reason.

If you tell the fan club president that the person who already annoys him matches well with someone, of course he’d flip out.

…Wait a minute. Is he already sharpening his knife?

If he’s willing to say such things to Cain, he might take the bait with just a little more temptation.

“Celia. If we go out and walk around now, events will just pop up, right?”

“I told you not to call encounters with people ‘events’.”

“It’s just a figure of speech.”

“So, are you going? I’ll follow you anyway, so it doesn’t matter to me.”

“What’s this all of a sudden? It sounds fun, can I come too?”

“Oh, um… I was just thinking of getting some fresh air, so that works out well.”

One by one, Celia, Grain, and Alkine, who awkwardly regained her concept, said they would join.

Behind me were Celia and Alkine, and behind Grain were Cain and Golid, so all the people who were inside just now came out in a group… but I guess I’ll just go with it…

First, let’s head to where there are the most people.

///

In one of the second-year club buildings.

Although it’s a club building, it’s more often used for other activities, and here, two identical men were having a conversation.

“Hey, Mitein.”

“Oh, Latein. Did you forget that if I lose the top spot again, you finally agreed to call me ‘big brother’?”

“Ah, damn it. Fine, big brother.”

“That’s right.”

“This is really annoying.”

The twin brothers who had taken the top and second positions among the second-years: Mitein and Latein.

They seemed to bicker briefly about their titles, but soon Latein, the younger brother, quickly changed the subject as if he didn’t want to continue on that topic.

“Anyway, forget that. I just got a message saying that guy is at the central plaza.”

“Really?”

“What’s with that lukewarm response? Aren’t you going to check it out?”

When Latein asked, Mitein snorted and said:

“Hey, I’m the fan club president, and you’re the believer representative. Wouldn’t it look bad if we showed our faces right from the start? Let’s watch what others do first and test the waters…”

“He’s currently surrounded by four women, they say.”

“…Who’s with him?”

“Grain, the student council president, the princess, and the saint.”

“We’re leaving right now. Is he completely insane?”

Why is he walking around with so many other women while having the princess by his side?

Well, it’s annoying even if he’s alone with the princess… anyway, he’s clearly insane.

Latein also seemed quite heated by the fact that the saint was included, but he still seemed hesitant about something.

“Are you sure about this? I’m still a bit uneasy.”

“Hey, you heard about their practical exam content, right?”

“The Lich Knight thing?”

“Yeah, how well would you do if you took that exam?”

“I’d be fried immediately.”

“Right. So how can you compare with him?”

It’s funny for second-years to compare their skills with a first-year, but both of them seemed to have stopped caring about that aspect long ago.

They had already gone too far to consider that.

“We need to go and teach him a lesson right away. That playboy is really dead.”

“Sigh. Alright. We’ve been too intimidated by a first-year until now. I’ll go too.”

The two got up and immediately headed to the central plaza where Ludion was reported to have appeared.

And what they encountered there was…

“…He’s pretty good.”

“Yeah. Big brother, are you sure about this?”

It was the scene of the miserable defeat of a fourth-year senior… the vice president of the Celia fan club, who had somehow taken action first.