Must Be Truly Insane

Even though there was an incident where assassins broke into the academy last night, it wasn’t significant enough to affect the Mushin Festival.

Of course, since the victim of the assassination attempt was a finalist in the Mushin Festival, the military police suggested that I could forfeit if it was difficult, but I declined.

I may have been “attacked,” but I only used magic a couple of times and the opponents all ran away.

After leaving the military police headquarters, I needed to head to the Royal Central Arena first to prepare for the finals.

However, Riel, Phyllis, and I had all gone to the military police early in the morning, so we were in a state of having just woken up and hastily dressed.

I was fine, but Riel, being a girl, needed more time to prepare.

“Then Phyllis, I’ll leave Riel to you.”

“Leave it to me.”

So Riel went back to the dormitory with Phyllis to prepare for going out again, while I came to the Royal Central Arena alone.

As expected for a day when four finals matches would be held, the arena was crowded with spectators.

“Ah! Over here!”

At that moment, I saw someone waving their hand toward me.

It was Emilia, a girl with dull, almost gray silver hair flowing under her hat.

“I heard what happened! Is Riel okay?”

“She’s fine. She went back to the dormitory now, but she’ll be here soon.”

“Haaa… that’s a relief… really… when I heard assassins had broken into Aurum Hall, I was so shocked…”

Emilia sighed, stroking her chest in relief.

“Um… then I’ll go check on Riel! I’m just worried…”

“Phyllis is with her so she should be fine… but alright, go ahead.”

“Yes! Well… good luck in the finals!”

Emilia bowed her head quickly and ran away at a fast pace.

As expected of a demi-human, her running speed is extraordinary.

Though she seems to have put her hat on a bit carelessly today, perhaps because she was in a hurry…

Well… even if her hat is a bit carelessly placed, it’s unlikely to fall off, so it should be fine.

“……”

I turned my gaze back to take in the grand Royal Central Arena once more.

Since the original work was described in text, the arena I was seeing in person was incredibly majestic.

There, I will have the final match with Senior Iris.

I lightly touched the practice sword at my waist.

Feeling the cool metal, I thought.

Given that it’s a pure swordsmanship contest, I probably won’t be able to win.

But I might be able to have a good match, right?

At least, I didn’t want to show a pathetic performance to Riel.

“……”

“So, you have done nothing wrong.”

Allen, who had been silently listening to Archbishop Marconi’s words.

However, as his words continued, Allen gradually became more alert and fell deeper into Archbishop Marconi’s words.

He was a warrior born to stop the Demon King.

He, the warrior, and Riel, the priestess, were destined to be together.

And there was a demon trying to bring down him, separate Riel, and revive the Demon King.

If one thought about it a bit, it was close to nonsense without any evidence.

“Kyo Wentos… that guy is the root cause…”

“Mr. Allen Ludwig. Our church is truly sorry that we couldn’t help you quickly enough.”

But to Allen, who had suffered a bitter defeat, a great humiliation, and the pain of being rejected face-to-face by the person he liked.

To Allen Ludwig, Archbishop Marconi’s words sounded like hope.

The wrong one was Kyo Wentos, and I am the warrior who will be with Riel and save the world.

Just for that, Archbishop Marconi’s words had value to Allen.

Archbishop Marconi, with his hand on his chest, bowed his head in apology.

Allen looked at him and slowly rose from his seat.

“Archbishop, what should I do?”

Hearing Allen’s words, the archbishop slightly raised the corner of his mouth while keeping his head bowed.

Fortunately, it seemed the “warrior” would honestly listen to his words.

“What would Mr. Allen Ludwig like to do?”

“I… I want to get Riel back. Riel, who has fallen for his cunning ploy…”

“Then, our church will support you with all our strength.”

Allen stared at Archbishop Marconi’s face.

He spoke as if truly honored.

“Actually, we planned to somehow rescue her today… but it failed. I’m truly sorry.”

“…Is that so?”

From his words, Allen surmised that this morning’s commotion was orchestrated by the church, including Archbishop Marconi.

It was clearly a situation where multiple people were deployed to attack Riel, and until just now, he had been worried about Riel who had gone through such an ordeal.

But when he thought that it was done to retrieve Riel for him, it no longer mattered.

…Allen Ludwig was becoming more twisted.

“Kyo Wentos is much stronger than expected. I hate to say this, but… it would be impossible with your current strength alone.”

“…I…suppose so.”

Allen inwardly gnashed his teeth.

Riel… Riel is being deceived and trapped by cunning tricks, yet he doesn’t have the power to save her…

Therefore, Allen desired it. Strong power.

“Archbishop, can I become stronger?”

“You can become stronger. Because you are the warrior.”

As the archbishop nodded with conviction, Allen closed his eyes and fell into thought for a moment.

Then, he went to the desk and took something out.

“Mr. Allen Ludwig, is that…?”

“It’s a withdrawal application. I originally wrote it because I didn’t have the energy to continue attending…”

A frozen smile spread across Allen’s face.

“But I’ll be using it for a different reason now.”

“…Mr. Allen Ludwig. The church welcomes you.”

“I never expected Emi to come all the way to the dormitory!”

“I…I was just so worried.”

After returning to the dormitory and quickly getting ready with Phyllis’s help, Riel joined Emilia, who had come to the front of the dormitory and was catching her breath.

Riel was comforting Emilia, who was worried about her.

“Huh? Isn’t Emi’s hat a bit loose?”

“Ah… you’re right. I should fix it properly.”

“I’ll help you.”

“Ah… thank you!”

As Emilia, who had just realized the state of her hat, hurriedly tried to fix it, Phyllis, who was waiting behind, helped her.

Emilia, slightly flustered, thanked Phyllis.

It was then, as the three were heading to the Royal Central Arena.

“Riel!”

A man’s voice calling for Riel.

Riel’s expression hardened, and Phyllis narrowed her eyes, slipping her hand into her sleeve.

Emilia also looked bewildered and stopped in her tracks.

After a moment, Riel tried to ignore the voice and continue on her way.

Phyllis followed, and Emilia also hurriedly tried to follow, but at that moment.

“Riel! Wait!”

But the owner of the voice quickly ran up and stood in front of Riel’s group, blocking their way.

Forced to stop because their path was blocked, Riel’s group halted.

Feeling sick of it, Riel frowned and said:

“I told you not to call my name casually, and not to talk to me, didn’t I?”

“……”

A clear rejection of dialogue.

However, the person who blocked Riel’s path, Allen Ludwig, spoke to Riel as if such things didn’t matter.

“Listen to me, Riel.”

“No, I won’t listen. Get lost.”

“I quit the academy as of today.”

Leaving the academy.

At those words, Riel looked at Allen with a slightly surprised face.

But only for a moment, before Riel said:

“Good for you. So what do you want me to do about it?”

“Riel. Let’s leave the academy together.”

“What… huh?”

At Allen’s completely unexpected words, a dumbfounded sound escaped from Riel’s mouth.

To such a Riel, Allen explained.

The story he had heard from Archbishop Marconi.

That he was a warrior and destined to be with Riel.

That Kyo was planning to revive the Demon King, and was deceiving Riel for that purpose.

When that story came out, everyone’s reactions were different.

Phyllis showed no reaction, but quiet anger resided in her eyes.

Emilia, who had only regarded Allen as “somewhat strange and unpleasant,” was looking at him with an expression like she was seeing a madman.

And Riel was looking at Allen with eyes as if she was looking at something completely disgusting.

“…Must be truly insane.”

“Riel… I’m trying to save you…”

“I have nothing more to say to someone like you, so if you’re going to leave the academy, just quietly go away by yourself.”

After shooting those words, Riel walked forward.

Just as she was about to ignore Allen and walk past him, Allen grabbed Riel’s arm tightly.

“What are you doing? Let go of me!”

“Riel! You’re being deceived!”

“Let go!!”

At that moment, Allen’s hand fell from Riel’s arm.

“Ughh!!”

And Allen screamed in pain.

Phyllis had grabbed Allen’s arm and bent it.

“How dare a mere commoner be so rude.”

“Aaaah!!”

“Since you’ve quit the academy, I won’t forgive any further rudeness.”

Phyllis swung her arm and threw Allen away.

Allen, who somehow composed himself, looked at the face of the maid who had subdued him, enduring the pain.

And it was the moment when the face in Allen’s long memory overlapped with the maid’s face.

“You…you…!”

“You seem to remember well.”

“Why are you here…?”

“Do I have any reason to answer you?”

Allen stood frozen in place with a bewildered expression.

“Phyllis, let’s not pay attention to someone like him and go.”

“Yes. Young master’s match will start soon, so we should hurry.”

As Riel pulled on Phyllis’s arm impatiently, Phyllis also nodded and followed.

And Emilia hurriedly following behind them.

As if there was no need to pay attention to someone like Allen, Riel, Phyllis, and Emilia tried to leave the place.

But.

Phyllis heard an ominous metallic sound from behind.

It was such a small sound that Riel didn’t seem to notice, but Emilia heard it, letting out a gasp.

‘To think he would be this foolish…’

The presence of Allen approaching from behind with his sword drawn.

Phyllis sighed and reached for the dagger hidden in her skirt.

Come to think of it, this is a good thing.

Given what he was trying to do, there’s justification. Should I just kill him right here…

She was thinking this when.

“Lightning Shock!!”

“Kyaaak!!”

Clang!

With an intense flash of light, Allen’s scream of pain.

And the sound of a sword being dropped was heard.

The loud noise apparently startled Riel, who turned around in surprise.

Phyllis also subtly withdrew her hand from the dagger and turned around.

A low-level restraining magic, Lightning Shock.

Allen, who had been hit by it and dropped his sword, was sitting on the ground, holding his tingling hand.

And the girl who had appeared between Allen and Riel’s group to subdue him.

“Allen! What are you doing?!”

Aria Owen was standing there with a pale blue face.