Chapter 109

We gathered.

In our secret place.

We took actions to be as cautious as possible until the mock battle day.

It wasn’t a grand secret place.

It was my hideout that I had purchased recently.

No one at the academy knew that I owned this building.

Well, until today.

“…You have a building in the Holy City, Leader?”

Allen blinked in surprise.

He seemed shocked that I, a student, owned such a sizable building in the expensive Holy City.

It did cost quite a bit.

But hey.

“I’m the eldest son of the Celtrine family, remember?”

You seem to forget that sometimes.

“Building owner. Jealous.”

Even the infamous Red Rain seemed to have meager pay, judging by Riviera’s envious look.

I couldn’t help but snicker.

“I just bought it because I needed it.”

I said calmly.

I noticed Elaine, who came from a lower-class family, looking uneasy.

It’s not a joke; consideration is important.

Especially when it comes to money.

“Come on in.”

I opened the door to a reasonably spacious room with good sunlight.

Dan seemed to be doing a good job managing the place; the room was spotless.

I do have an eye for people.

We settled down and took our seats.

“Congratulations on being top of the year.”

I started with that.

It might seem obvious to others now, but I knew how much sweat and effort it took to maintain that position.

So my words were genuine, not just a formality.

“…Thank you.”

Elaine expressed her gratitude with a serious look, sensing my sincerity.

“You guys did great too.”

I said to Riviera and Allen.

“Why are we ‘you guys’?”

“Because you’re 29th and 30th, so I grouped you together.”

I mimicked Riviera’s speech pattern as I replied.

“Pfft… mmph.”

Allen covered his mouth to stifle a laugh.

“Tch. Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

I easily convinced Riviera and moved on to the main topic.

“Alright.”

I took out several sheets of paper with maps I had drawn.

“What’s this, Leader?”

Allen asked.

“I copied the maps I drew by hand onto multiple sheets.”

The lack of a copier in this world was a great inconvenience.

I had to painstakingly write them out like cheat sheets.

“Oh?”

“Here, take one each.”

I handed out the maps.

“You drew this…?”

Elaine’s eyes widened.

The maps were detailed.

I had played the first-year mock battle countless times.

I could almost draw the Plains of Sorrow map with my eyes closed.

Even as a second-year, the map was the same.

“Are you a professional?”

Riviera seemed impressed.

“Leader is amazing.”

Allen praised me.

You seem to be good at socializing.

“Alright, memorize those maps thoroughly. Especially the locations we designated.”

If you keep looking at them to memorize, they’ll naturally stick in your mind.

And their effectiveness will show in the mock battle.

Just seeing the surrounding terrain will remind you of the specific location.

“Got it.”

“Yes.”

“Understood, Leader.”

The three of them responded.

I continued.

“Honestly, I believe my strategy is nearly perfect. But the battlefield is a place where anything can happen.”

That’s right.

The problem was variables.

Our unexpected performance could change the first-years’ movements.

I never denied that possibility from the start.

It could definitely happen.

But I also thought.

We could deal enough damage to the first-years before that.

For that, stealth was essential.

I planned our movements to strike stealthily before being noticed.

Of course, we would eventually be discovered.

That’s why mastering the battlefield terrain was crucial.

If the squad members were familiar with the terrain, I could adapt and give commands on the fly.

“Because of those variables, I’m emphasizing this. Knowing the battlefield terrain inside out allows for quick and effective responses.”

The three nodded.

They understood well.

They were top talents, after all.

Except for Allen.

But still.

‘Well, it should be fine.’

Allen had the determination to memorize it without any issues.

‘More importantly.’

One thing still concerned me.

The protagonist Camian’s movements.

I couldn’t predict Camian’s movements.

I used to control that character, so how could I predict his actions now?

He would move unpredictably.

This had to be left to chance.

After all, it’s just one person.

No, with Annette sticking to him like glue, it’s two people?

As long as they didn’t overlap with our movements, there shouldn’t be a big problem.

If we did encounter them, we could quickly take them down.

They’re not a threat to us yet… wait!

Realizing something, I widened my eyes and froze like a statue.

If I quickly take down the protagonist, his mock battle score will be ruined!

He’s already barely hanging on to the Royal cut-off, and losing points here would be bad.

So I need to leave him alone as long as possible.

This means if he crosses our path, it will be a huge hassle.

‘…You’re giving me a headache, Camian.’

I clicked my tongue with a wry smile.

***

‘Is this the first time I’ll be facing him head-on?’

Camian thought as he gazed out the window.

At first, he had thought of him as the worst kind of person, someone to avoid at all costs.

Everyone thought so.

The impression and attitude during their first meeting were the worst.

He thought he’d never see him again.

But starting with being caught up in a dungeon, various events led them to this point.

A peculiar connection that seemed like a twist of fate.

Anyway, now he knew.

Even if their personalities didn’t match, there was much to learn from him.

‘No… it’s not just that.’

When he was struggling with his limitations, meeting him provided a turning point.

He was just like him.

He didn’t possess exceptional talent.

But he was different.

He knew how to fight and how to exert optimal strength.

He never tensed or froze on the battlefield.

In life-threatening situations, his calmness, boldness, and decisiveness stood out.

Some of it was innate, but a lot came from experience.

This was something Camian realized through numerous battles with him, experiences hard to come by as a student.

Experience that undoubtedly made him stronger.

‘Like him.’

Following his methods, he could definitely become stronger.

He showed that even someone with average talent could find a way to survive.

The person who had the most significant impact on him at the academy.

Now, for the first time, he would face him as an enemy on the battlefield.

“What are you thinking about, Camian?”

Annette’s voice broke Camian’s train of thought.

He slowly turned his gaze to Annette sitting next to him.

“Just thinking about the mock battle.”

“Ah, the mock battle.”

Annette nodded slightly and continued.

“Today is the final meeting, after all.”

“…Yes.”

Camian’s expression looked complicated.

It was clear that there was a sense of disappointment.

That feeling was directed towards his first-year peers.

Specifically, the first-year Royal class.

Despite their talents shining brighter than anyone else, their strong individualities prevented proper cohesion.

It was the same leading up to this mock battle.

It wasn’t an individual battle but a group one.

Even if they expressed their opinions, by now, they should have reached a consensus and started some form of training.

There was only a week left until the mock battle.

Yet, they still hadn’t reached a consensus.

It was almost absurd to call them a class.

It was fortunate that they would at least gather opinions for a conclusion in today’s meeting.

‘Is this really okay?’

Camian was occasionally seized by an inexplicable feeling.

A sense that someone needed to become a leader and unite his disorganized peers.

A feeling of unease that something terrible would happen if they didn’t.

Even now.

As Camian frowned and raised his hand to his forehead.

“Camian and Annette.”

Someone called them.

A man with half his face covered by a white mask.

He also wore white gloves on both hands.

His distinctive appearance meant that almost no one wouldn’t recognize him.

He was that famous.

The eldest son of Duke Drostan Nabor, the highest authority in the Kingdom of Parene, known as the ‘Iron Chancellor.’

Alfred Nabor.

That was the identity of the masked man.

“Which side will you join?”

Alfred asked with a smile.

Because of the mask he always wore to cover the burn scars he got as a child, his smile looked strangely awkward, as if cut in half.

“Well, I haven’t decided yet.”

Camian didn’t give a definite answer.

He hadn’t made up his mind yet.

“Really? Then consider our side. You’re not the type to mindlessly side with the Empire just because you’re from there, right?”

Alfred pitched his side.

He was the representative of the Kingdom faction in the split Royal class.

One of the two main factions.

The Kingdom of Parene was the only nation capable of standing up to the superpower Empire on its own.

“Mindlessly… that’s a bit insulting.”

Camian pointed out.

Despite being the second son of a minor noble and Alfred being the eldest son of the highest authority in the Kingdom, he wasn’t intimidated.

That was his nature.

“Haha, if you found it insulting, I apologize. But you know as well as I do that there are people like that, right?”

Camian didn’t respond.

Then Leon Benesse, who was standing behind Alfred, stepped forward.

As the second son of the Benesse family, known as the ‘Spear of the Kingdom,’ he was naturally part of the Kingdom faction.

“Collaborating with the Nobles to launch a joint offensive is the most logical and strategic plan. Anyone can see that. I hope you make a wise choice.”

“Yes, I’ll think about it.”

Annette nodded and responded.

Only then did Alfred and Leon leave.

Annette whispered softly to Camian.

“Camian, you’re too stiff.”

“They used rude words first.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Someone else is coming.”

“Huh?”

Just as Camian said, someone else approached.

A man with a commanding presence and red hair.

Even with just a smirk, he exuded a strong aura.

‘The Fang of Slaughter,’ Slane.

That was the man’s identity.

‘Ugh.’

Annette involuntarily flinched.

It wasn’t because she was intimidated by his aura.

It was the smell of blood.

Slane always smelled of blood.

As the eldest son of the Mercenary King, he had been through countless battlefields since childhood.

He probably had the most combat and killing experience in the class.

Annette disliked the smell of blood that always clung to Slane.

“Hey.”

Slane called out with snake-like eyes wide open.

“Don’t you prefer freedom? Just roam around with like-minded people and slaughter the second years. Can you think of anything better?”

The third faction Slane belonged to didn’t have a clear representative.

It was formed by students who didn’t want to be part of either the Empire or Kingdom factions.

But they weren’t without cohesion.

They had their own sense of unity.

Their collective opinion was to fight freely.

It was a fitting opinion for a group that disliked being tied down.

“Sl-slaughter… that’s a horrible thing to say…”

Annette shuddered.

“Pfft- I’m just saying, you’re too serious.”

Slane laughed.

The mock battle prohibited killing.

Only non-lethal weapons were allowed.

That’s why there were rules to determine victory and defeat.

All students wore special protective gear enchanted with impact detection magic.

If the gear took a certain amount of effective hits, a warning alarm would activate, and a signal would be sent to the mock battle supervisors.

That student would be treated as a casualty and could no longer participate.

When one side was entirely treated as casualties, the winner and loser would be decided, and the mock battle would end.

“Ugh…”

Annette swallowed her words, thinking, ‘It sounds like you mean it.’

“So, what do you think? Isn’t it a good idea?”

Slane asked again with a grin.

“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Ho?”

Slane gave Camian an intrigued look.

But it was the kind of intrigue a snake would have for an unusual frog.

Annette, sensing this, bit her lip in frustration.

There was one thing even kind-hearted Annette couldn’t tolerate.

Seeing Camian being looked down upon by someone.

Unlike her, Camian remained calm and composed.

Maybe dealing with Max’s unpredictable remarks had honed his comunication skills.

“Why not?”