Chapter Index

    Every Wednesday is the day when official duels are held, hosted by the Cradle’s Duel Committee.

    On this day, the ward was always crowded. The number of students who suffered life-threatening injuries in a duel and were transported outside was also unforgettable.

    The Cradle’s students are young wizards who possess uncontrollable power even at their prime age. Therefore, he was unable to control himself properly and caused conflicts and trouble here and there from time to time.

    If the conflict is going to keep happening anyway, a sunny place that can be controlled is better than a shadowy place that cannot be seen. On the one hand, it is also an opportunity to gain experience in interpersonal battles along with individual ranked matches.

    For that reason, the management of the cradle imposed harsh punishments on those who engaged in private duels. Instead, official duels received through the duel committee have maintained a recommended stance.

    Dueling was also a popular pastime among students. With a constant flow of applicants throughout the year, it was no exaggeration to say that the Duel Committee was one of the busiest organizations in the Cradle.

    There were always no empty seats left in the stands at Dalian Stadium. On the other hand, students also participated in a duel with their own stories.

    A big grudge, a small fight, a test of strength, or a demonstration of strength.

    “Yenaya~”

    “… ”

    Sera Yoo, a female student who had just come up to the stands, spotted someone and waved. The gaze rested on a girl with light brown hair and a few freckles.

    “Yes, me, hey?”

    “… ”

    Even though she made a pretty big show, the girl was still staring straight ahead. Sarah sighed softly and walked over to sit next to her. Then he put his lips to the shell of his ear and blew a little air.

    “Phew~”

    “… Hiya… !! What, what, what… !”

    Only then did the girl raise her fur like a startled cat. Sarah felt very satisfied with the strong reaction.

    “Ugh, do you know how many times I called you?”

    “That’s right… ? Hey, sorry… ”

    Yena smiled awkwardly and handed me an apple. Sera checked where Yena’s gaze had been resting just a moment ago. At one end of the sparring hall, a masked male student was seen preparing for a duel.

    “True… Is it normal for a man to just ignore what his friend says? Pure Jena is now over… ”

    “What are you talking about… ! Stop saying weird things… ”

    “Umm… ? It’s just something I tried, but the reaction is so suspicious… ?”

    “Oh, I said no… ! Quiet… !”

    Yena’s face was bright red and she was crying. This really raises some doubts.

    There was a rumor going around that a masked male student was dragging Yena by force, but looking at Yena’s reaction now, it doesn’t seem to be a very credible rumor. The barely-real freckled girl said, pouting her lips.

    “… I hate Sarah. But summer… ?”

    “They say it’s a bit difficult to come to crowded places because the bones haven’t formed yet. They told me to come and support them instead?”

    Sera and Yeoreum were attacked by a magical beast in the last exam and were on the verge of being eliminated.

    Fortunately, it was an emergency situation and not a normal exam, and the girls were recognized for their progress and were able to receive the first rank of upper-middle class.

    However, the image of the masked male student who ran into the direction where the demonic beasts were lined up and ended up taking first place was still vivid in my memory.

    “Really?”

    Yena’s expression changed completely when she heard the words “cheering.” If this happens, I can’t even take it out. Sera suppressed a laugh inwardly.

    “Yes. I have to repay you in this way, right? I received some help during the exam… Listening to what you say, it doesn’t seem like you’re such a bad person… ”

    “Of course! I told you… ! Hyun is not that strange person… !”

    In fact, I still have some doubts. Isn’t this a bastard trying to lure a naive country girl? However, there seemed to be no need to reveal such thoughts to Yena.

    Sarah thought about that and turned her attention back to the sparring hall.

    At the other end of Yu Jin-hyeon, there was a female student with a cruel look who was also waiting for the duel to begin.

    Duels between mentors and mentees did not happen very often. This is because a duel between a freshman and a sophomore who had been struggling for a year was usually impossible to establish.

    So today’s duel attracted the attention of many people.

    Even though the ending was unclear, he was a recommended student who received the highest score on the first exam. And it is a duel with the mentor he personally nominated, Yeon Myeong-ha.

    The conditions of the duel were unknown as they were kept private, but it is unlikely that the senior asked for the duel out of good intentions to teach him a lesson. If that’s the case, individual sparring is enough.

    Rather, the predominant speculation was that something had gone wrong between the two. During the mentor nomination ceremony, there were many people who saw Yeon Myeong-ha leaving early with a bad expression on her face.

    “But I cheer you on… It might be a bit difficult to win though… ?”

    Yena’s expression darkened in an instant, and Sarah closed her mouth before speaking.

    “… I believe it.”

    Yena muttered poignantly. Sarah desperately thought of a way to comfort her after the sparring. Not only she, but more than 90% of the people in this room were predicting an overwhelming victory for Yeon-yang.

    Soon the preliminary bell rang, signaling 15 minutes before the duel was to begin.

    Lee Hyun and Yeon Myeong-ha stood facing each other in the center of the sparring hall. Compassionate’s eyes burned coldly with hostility toward the person who had caused him such unnecessary trouble.

    Lee Hyun paid no heed to that and opened his mouth.

    “I have one thing to tell you before the duel, is it okay?”

    “Why? Are you going to take off your tail now? I’m sorry… ”

    “I’m going to win anyway, so why bother?”

    Lee Hyeon abruptly cut off Yeon Yeon-ha’s words.

    “More than that, I want to add one more thing to the duel conditions.”

    “What… ”

    As if she didn’t understand at first glance, Yeon Myeong-ha asked back with a frown on her face. Lee Hyeon paused for a moment and whispered in a voice so low that only Yeon Dong-ha could hear.

    “If I win, I’m thinking of moving to my senior’s dormitory. How do you feel?”

    ***

    “What… ?”

    I expected him to be furious, but his current reaction was rather static and simple.

    “It seems like your understanding is less than I thought. It means literally.”

    It seems like his brain couldn’t keep up with the shocking and nonsensical words. In that case, I had no choice but to slowly make him understand again.

    “If you are a senior, you probably use a private dormitory, so wouldn’t there be enough room for me? I don’t really like the facilities of the first-year dormitory. At this time, I would like to experience the second year dormitory.”

    “What a crazy guy… you. Do you know what you’re talking about?”

    The expression on Yeon Myeong-ha’s face, which had been momentarily dazed, gradually returned. Hidden in the silence was anger like an active volcano about to explode.

    “No matter how much you are a recommended student by Mr. Heukryeon, if I report this conversation to the Board of Education, you will be finished.”

    “In any case, would you like me to acknowledge the conversation verbatim? And if something happens to me, my successor will come running right away. Can you handle it?”

    “Indeed. Now I understand. No matter how much they have retired from the front line, they are still a prestigious family. But I wondered how this guy got in as a recommended student, and it turns out he had that lecherous scumbag behind him. They said they were playing together… ”

    I said I was sorry to the manager in my heart. I unintentionally created the appearance of belittling him.

    But even if that wasn’t the case, the leader’s external impression seemed to have hit rock bottom among those who knew him. I think it’s safe to say that it’s at a level where all the bad modifiers are attached.

    How on earth did the leader become such a person?

    Still, she doesn’t seem to know that I served in the military together with the leader. I don’t think the information power will be that low. Should I just say there was no interest at all?

    “… under. For a provocation, it was pretty good. I will admit that the skill of scratching one’s nerves is quite good.”

    Yeon Myeong-ha let out a sigh filled with anger. The active volcano was gradually revealing its crater. But what she doesn’t know is that this is not a provocation, but a planned future.

    “You want to come to my dorm? You probably don’t know that it’s completely impossible to enter a dormitory of a different gender in the first place… ”

    “I will take care of that. I guess you don’t even know that much.”

    – Wow

    The sound of teeth grinding could be clearly heard.

    “… good. Do whatever you want. Whether I use my room, the room next door, or the bathroom. But if you added a condition, wouldn’t it be fair for me to add one more condition?”

    “What do you want?”

    “If I win the duel, I will cut off both your arms and ankles. Especially the legs. There’s no need to be thankful. The cut part will be thrown away as dog food. I guess he didn’t think he would get away with insulting the heir of the royal family like that.”

    More and more bloody hostility erupted into the surroundings. As if to represent that emotion, small flames repeatedly flashed for a moment in the air around her.

    “What you did is an insult that has nothing to say even if a war breaks out between families. Even if Sa Jae-hyuk himself comes and causes trouble, I don’t care. No matter what happens, I’ll just cut off your limbs. dare… It’s too late to regret it now… ”

    “Good. I will accept it. Rather, why not start now? I think I’ll lose all my strength while waiting.”

    -Crackling

    I was sure that one of Companion’s teeth must have cracked. He added one line and his seal to the duel agreement he had written in advance and handed it to Yeon Myeong-ha.

    After scanning the contents, he glared at me as if I was going to kill him, then stamped the paper to the point where it almost tore, then held it out again.

    I handed the sealed envelope to the examiner next to the sparring hall.

    It was a duel where the conditions were handled privately, but if a situation arises where one of the two disagrees with the result, then the envelope will be opened and the conditions of our duel will be made public.

    But this envelope opening will not happen forever. Of course, that won’t happen, but if I lose, I plan to just cut off my limbs and submit to fate.

    ***

    Somehow I smiled because the plan was going well.

    I suddenly remember the day I first arrived in the capital. The principal’s sudden request was very embarrassing, but I had no choice but to accept it.

    I had to keep the deal with the leader, and I didn’t want to create a situation that would cause even the slightest harm to him and my sisters. No matter who the opponent is.

    However, I could never say that it was something that could be easily accomplished. The damn mask, unsociable personality, and confrontation with the popular person from the cradle have ruined my reputation.

    Even though I took first place in my first exam, it wasn’t enough time to make an impact on my social side yet. Moreover, I cannot even properly understand words such as family or company.

    The person I need to help is a person who can easily be called the culmination of the human beings I hate the most.

    The picture of me laughing and exchanging interests with her is clearly a delusion.

    It is nonsense to cover up Yan Xi’s faults in My name and to rehabilitate her through normal means.

    It is physiologically, congenitally, and fatefully impossible.

    But I couldn’t just sit back and whine, so I eventually found a way.

    The mentoring system was just an excuse. An excuse to approach Yeon-sik to talk to her, and an excuse to set up a duel.

    He deliberately combined insulting words that would provoke Yeon-sik and uttered a sentence. Don’t let her die without accepting the duel.

    The condition for the duel at first was that if I lost, I would cancel my mentoring with Yeon Sang-ha without any conditions.

    She probably thought it was better that way. Even if you treat yourself harshly, you can’t completely guarantee that I will voluntarily leave, and it would also be difficult for a scandal to spread due to nonsense.

    But if it’s a duel, it’s a different story. Since the seal with the conditions written in advance has been delivered to the examiner, it is impossible to deny it later.

    There is no possibility of losing either. He himself was born with the greatest talent of all time among the Yeon clan’s direct lineage, and he has passed down the path of succession in all of the dozens of duels he has fought since his cradle.

    I guess he accepted those conditions because he never thought he would lose in the first place.

    The duel was established, but in the meantime, I again made a clearly rude and provocative comment and added one more condition.

    Of course, it would end in failure if Yeon Sang-ha does not accept it, but based on what we have seen of her personality so far, it does not seem like she would just ignore such an insult.

    Rather, I thought that they would see this as an opportunity to freely condemn my rudeness in a just and legal way, and that is exactly what happened.

    Although there were some unreasonable conditions, it was all that was necessary as long as we didn’t lose.

    In that situation, I decided to do what I was good at.

    Submission, not rehabilitation.

    By making them experience a terrible, hellish defeat, their high standards of pride and self-esteem are shattered to the ground.

    Repeat as many times as necessary.

    In this way, we become someone with whom we can at least communicate.

    He also keeps his living circle close to hers, looking for ways to alleviate his excessive connection to spirits, which is presumed to be the likely cause of his twisted personality.

    Even when I thought about it again, I could say it was a garbage plan.

    ***

    I went to the end of the sparring hall and took a seat. Yan Yanha also waited at his position for the duel to begin.

    -Deeng~

    Soon, the bell on the hour signaled the start of the duel.

    And immediately, something that looked like a long square frame was created in the air along the perimeter of the sparring hall and the stands.

    Flames then began to descend along the frame, and soon covered all sides of the sparring hall, completely blocking the surrounding view.

    “… ”

    I stared in silence at the blazing curtain of fire. Yeon Myeong-ha smiled a cruel smile full of ridicule.

    “Don’t you think that what happens inside here never leaks out? You’d better be careful. Maybe your hands and feet will be cut off before the duel is over.”

    I couldn’t be more grateful.

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