episode_0235

The day after the duel was confirmed, I was sitting in the school’s conference room. The debate was in full swing, and the atmosphere was very uncomfortable.

It turned out that this was the first time Aegis Academy had ever specifically discussed a duel in this manner.

I mumbled, looking at Sebastian, who was sitting on the opposite side. “Because of that guy, I’m going through all this trouble.”

Around me were the academy’s faculty and Adela Unnie, while on the opposite side sat the Restrade family’s chief secretary and commander of the guard, among others.

What was fortunate was that the academy was actively supporting us.

“Why are they helping us?” “Well, there’s no reason to refuse if they’re on our side, is there?”

At first, we discussed the demands of both sides, and the Restrade side began by being unreasonable.

“Allow me to state our conditions first. If that impertinent brat loses, she must immediately kneel and apologize. And since this matter is also the academy’s fault for failing to properly guide its student, you will henceforth provide internships to the clans under Restrade and cooperate with various projects we propose!”

“That’s outrageous!”

“Outrageous, you say? We’ve been publicly humiliated. Are you telling us to just let this go?”

“If we’re talking that way, we have much to say as well. Isn’t it true that you initially made unreasonable demands of the academy students? We’ve confirmed you did the same at other academies. What happened to your previous promise not to interfere with the academies in the Southern region?”

“That’s that, and this is this!”

The argument continued for a long time, and the faculty decided to ask us both directly about the conditions for victory and defeat.

“All right, then, how should we decide the outcome? Miss Violet, Mr. Sebastian, do you have any personal opinions?”

I immediately replied. “He should make a proper public apology to me and my friends, and promise that something like this will never happen again. It would be even better if there was a small, sincere compensation on top of that. That’s all.”

I thought to myself. “Anyway, those Restrade guys have a lot of money! I should demand some.”

But unexpectedly, Sebastian seemed to agree with my proposal.

“…I don’t need any other compensation. It’s enough for that girl to kneel and apologize publicly.”

The Restrade side, momentarily flustered by Sebastian’s words, contacted someone and then suddenly changed their stance.

“Oh, we hadn’t thought this through. We got excited over a trivial matter and made excessive demands of the academy.”

But the commander of the guard still looked down at us with an arrogant posture. “Ugh, I have a bad feeling about this!”

Sure enough, no sooner had the demands been agreed upon than a problem arose regarding the duel method.

“Let’s have both parties compete fairly based on their skills.”

Professor Masus suggested. The idea was that, for safety and a fair duel, both parties would agree to only use swordsmanship, magic, and abilities.

“I agree. It helps avoid controversies about unfairness due to equipment or other external factors.”

Adela Unnie and the other professors also agreed, but the Restrade side seemed to have complaints.

“What kind of duel is that? It’s not child’s play. This is a fight for honor. Shouldn’t we give it our best?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Young Master Sebastian will fight with everything he has. With all his might!”

“All his might, you say? Fighting with everything he has, what on earth does that mean…?”

“You misunderstand. It means we should use everything available for the duel! First, the Young Master will wear an armored suit for the duel.”

Suppressing the irritation that surged within me, I stared at Sebastian. He was whispering something to the chief secretary, looking flustered.

“This is absurd. Didn’t we agree to follow my method earlier? This isn’t an honorable duel!”

“It’s the Commander-nim’s order.”

At the words of the commander of the guard and the secretary, heard from beside him, Sebastian’s face twisted in humiliation.

The academy immediately protested.

“Battle equipment for a student duel? Is that even reasonable?”

“Your student’s ability is duplication, isn’t it? It’s obvious it’ll be a one-against-many fight. Isn’t that a sneaky trick? If we truly want fairness, it’s only right to allow the use of our equipment.”

“But I don’t have an armored suit? Sir, what kind of fairness is that? It’s just showing off your money.”

Despite my protest, the commander of the guard remained brazen.

“Fairness? Childish talk. Wealth and background are also part of one’s ability.”

Unable to watch any longer, Adela Unnie snapped back sharply.

“Oh? Commander-nim. If you’re going to allow armored suits, then please allow Violet to freely use her own equipment as well.”

“Exactly! If that’s the case, I can fight with all my power too!”

Someone from the Restrade side sneered and said.

“If you wish, do so. However, it would be quite regrettable if Miss Adela or the academy directly supported her with equipment or armaments.”

These guys are being unreasonable.

“What did you say?” “It’s fine, Senior-nim! It doesn’t matter to me. You don’t have to provide support!”

In the end, after a long struggle, we had no choice but to agree to fight with everything on the line. However, detailed matters such as specific equipment and the duel location still needed to be coordinated.

‘What kind of equipment should I prepare…’

But there was no worry. Those idiots were running wild, trying to block support from the academy and the Cascadia family, but I had a variable they hadn’t considered.

“Friendship, courage, love!”

But something made me curious. Why was the academy trying so hard to help us?

Even if Adela Unnie or the Principal-nim were involved, it was a bit puzzling that even the professors were so actively engaged in my duel.

So 712 later went to see the Principal-nim privately and asked.

“Principal-nim, why are you pushing for me like this?”

“Recently, the Restrade family has been interfering with the academies in the Southern region.”

“Interference?”

“They’ve been making various unreasonable demands under the guise of scholarship support, security, and safety. What’s more, although it’s only come to light through Miss Violet this time, they’ve routinely asked to be introduced to students of good lineage, even arranging marriages without hesitation, which has led to much gossip.”

These guys have been doing this for a long time.

“That’s why many professors harbored dissatisfaction with the Restrade family’s conduct.”

“So this incident…”

“Exactly. They see this as a perfect opportunity to help you rebuke Restrade’s arrogance. Don’t worry too much, Miss Violet. You have a legitimate cause, as your friends were insulted. You can proceed with confidence.”

“Understood. I will definitely win!”

After hearing the Principal-nim’s explanation, I realized that those on my side also had their own valid reasons. It seemed dissatisfaction with Restrade’s arrogance was widespread among the professors at Aegis Academy as well.

And the right person to boldly confront that injustice was none other than Violet. I could prepare for the duel with even greater confidence.

“However, Violet. Though it might sound strange, don’t hate Sebastian too much. He’s immature and foolish, but he’s a pitiful student.”

“Pitiful?”

“Yes.”

I left the room, chewing over the principal’s last words.

**

Sebastian, who had exited the conference room, was engulfed in deep disappointment. ‘They’re changing the duel conditions like this? No, this isn’t right…’

Not long after, he met his father and immediately spoke. “Father, what is this? Fighting in an armored suit… It just looks like a despicable act. It’s not fair!”

Cordo scrutinized his son with a cold gaze. His voice was imbued with anger and disappointment.

“Is this the time to discuss fairness? You pathetic fool.”

He slowly rose, approached the window, and gazed outside.

“Violet, that arrogant orphan has stained our family’s honor. In front of countless witnesses, no less. Can we just let this go with mere apologies and cooperation? It’s laughable.”

Sebastian flinched at his father’s wrath but bravely replied. “That’s why I suggested a duel. Aegis Academy also has many complaints. We can’t just push it through, can we?”

Sebastian stopped himself from saying more. ‘And…forcing a marriage proposal on a first-year isn’t a good thing.’

Cordo whirled around and glared sharply at his son. “Don’t duel for your paltry satisfaction. You have an opportunity to definitively crush your enemy, so why are you trying to go easy on them?”

“No, I just wanted to win honorably…”

“Stop talking like a child!”

At his father’s thunderous reprimand, Sebastian bowed his head.

“I’m sorry… I spoke without thinking.”

There was nothing more he could do. In the end, he had no choice but to follow his father’s opinion.

A heavy silence filled the room. Even after Cordo left, Sebastian stood dazed for a long time.

However, the shame deeply rooted within him was slow to fade. ‘Is this… truly a duel for honor?’

Sebastian asked himself, but he couldn’t come up with a clear answer.

**

After the duel agreement, I was most worried about my friends’ reactions. “What if they get angry and scold me!”

The Violets were engulfed in anxiety.

But my friends’ reactions were different from what I expected. Two days after agreeing to duel Sebastian, my friends suddenly contacted me. When I went to the designated place, preparations for a meeting were set up, along with snacks.

“You’re not mad?”

Daphne smiled gently and hugged me. “You’re fighting because of us, in the end.”

Irene said in a warm voice. “I trust your decision. We’ll do whatever we can to help.”

A sigh of relief escaped me.

However, the real problem was the duel itself. How was I supposed to beat a senior student wearing Restrade’s special armored suit?

“We have two major obstacles.”

As soon as the meeting began, Irene pinpointed the core issues. “First is the opponent’s skill, second is the equipment. Frankly, your opponent is not to be underestimated.”

Irene, who had already prepared a presentation, began. Sebastian’s profile appeared on the screen.

“Sebastian Restrade is a very skilled warrior. He can’t use magic, but he’s exceptionally good at swordsmanship. The data you see now was provided by Helios.”

“Wow… isn’t this rigged? No matter if he’s a graduating student, it’s too much to believe a student did all this…”

“There might be some exaggeration, but the content itself is true. He’s won dozens of duels, both official and unofficial. During his leave of absence, he performed brilliantly in Restrade’s various small and large operations and expeditions. But the bigger problem is…”

Irene opened her laptop and turned the screen to show it. There were armored suits of various sizes lined up. The smallest was a bit larger than an adult, and the largest was as tall as a streetlamp.

“Armored suits? Why those?”

“With your current power, you absolutely cannot break through them head-on. Even if you used anti-tank missiles or bombs in the duel arena, it would be impossible to destroy them. Those armored suits can withstand a direct hit from a magnetic accelerator cannon. You’d barely stand a chance if you brought your light tank.”

“Not ‘that light tank,’ it’s Ruzilin’s Iron Fist!”

“Alright, Ruzilin’s Iron Fist. Anyway, in terms of firepower, you’d need that much.”

Kalia asked with a curious voice. “Really? I just thought it was some expensive powered exoskeleton. You can’t pierce it with a crossbow or a sword?”

“The core material of the Awakened Enhanced Power Armored Suit is Carbonite. It’s a rare carbon-based material mined only in specific dungeons, and only the Restrade clan possesses the processing technology. Carbonite has strong resistance to most physical attacks and Aether. And that’s not all? The armored suits have their own built-in magic defense systems, and projectiles are blocked by a pseudo-high-velocity kinetic nullification field. It’s inferior to the original beast, but it has excellent defense against mediocre heat weapons.”

“How does it compare to the Magnavis Vanguard?”

“They both have different positions, but the difference in defense between the Vanguard and the armored knight is like being naked versus wearing a bulletproof vest.”

For a moment, enemies I had fought before flashed through my mind. Those guys were incredibly tough too; I had to hit them with all my might and unleash bombs to take them down. But this is even tougher?

“What about magic? What if it’s my Melting Ray…!”

“You’re not a Vanguard.”

Unable to accept it, I listed all the equipment and spells I used. Irene, listening intently, tapped on her laptop, summarized my words, and sent them to Helios. A moment later, after seeing the reply that arrived, she shook her head.

“Gasp! Our Violet’s proud armory!” “The best magic factory is useless!”

“So there was a reason they claimed to be invincible knights, after all. Their defense is outstanding in both physical and magical aspects. Those crazy bastards. Does it even make sense to bring that to an academy duel?”

“Exactly! Like evil bourgeoisie!”

Kalia spat out with a furious face. I also agreed with my friend’s opinion. Such equipment in a sacred duel.

“Unfortunately, Restrade-made armored suits not only boost defense but also amplify the wearer’s strength and magic efficiency. Among the people we know, probably only a handful could pierce that armor plate. Maybe the Scholarship Officer or our father? Friends like Levi or Granite might be able to manage it, assuming the opponent stays still…”

In the end, it meant there was no one.

I closed my mouth and stared blankly at Irene, as if silently demanding an answer.

“But there must be a solution, that’s why you called us, Irene-ssi. Do you have any clever ideas?”

Kalia and Daphne’s gazes also focused on Irene. Sitting expressionless, she soon grinned and began to speak. “As I said earlier, there’s no definite clever idea. But there are ways to counter it.”

The screen was filled with various polearms, large-caliber firearms, and other weapons.

Irene, with a rare confident expression, flipped through the screen like a skilled salesman. “What you’re seeing are Helios Frontier Service’s special equipment. They’re for subduing mid to high-level magical beasts. We’ve mainly prepared polearms and large-caliber firearms that use autocannon shells or large bolts. You might not be able to break it, but they’ll be useful for applying pressure.”

“Wow! Are you giving all of this to me?”

“Correct. We were originally going to give them as a surprise gift, but we’ve decided to move up the schedule. Since there’s still some time until the duel anyway, let’s practice with these. Is there any other equipment you need? Just say the word.”

Something interesting just came to mind. If I could get this, I might be able to deliver a proper blow.

“Then this too…” “That? The one you used in the Vittorio Dungeon, right? Got it.”

Thus, the first means to counter the armored suit was somewhat prepared. Now, the remaining issue was how to deal with Sebastian’s swordsmanship skill…

“Everyone, is the meeting going smoothly?”

Suddenly, Adela Unnie opened the door and entered.

“Oh, Miss Adela? What brings you here…”

“Why, I came to help our cute junior. By the way, could you call me Student Council President-nim, Junior Irene? This isn’t a business place; it’s where we discuss strategies to deal with Sebastian.”

Adela Unnie laughed softly and leisurely, then held out a memory chip. Irene accepted it with a puzzled expression.

“Check it out. It’ll be helpful.”

As Adela Unnie urged her, Irene inserted the memory chip into her laptop. Inside were numerous video files.

‘Surely this isn’t Adela Unnie’s secret collection?’

Surprisingly, the screen displayed various scenes of Sebastian fighting with a sword. It evenly included dungeon interiors, duels, and training sessions.

“…How did you acquire such videos?”

“Our family has its own methods. So, what do you think?”

By an unexpected method, the second problem also found a clue to its solution.

‘With this much, I can ask the Instructor-nim for advice!’

The Violets began to devise a strategy based on what they had been given. ‘Alright, first…’

**

After all agreements were settled and a date was set, Violet headed to the duel location a week later.

Her steps felt heavy as she walked towards the outdoor training ground, taking deep breaths.

Countless practices and training sessions conducted under the academy’s unspoken support.

Perhaps the rumors had already spread, as the students’ gazes directed at her were unusual.

Violet slowly reached the entrance of the duel arena. She had been perfectly armed from head to toe for a long time.

“Violet, are you ready?” Adela, standing beside her, asked worriedly.

“Don’t worry, Unnie. Everything’s ready.” Violet replied with a smile. Turning her gaze, she saw the Student Council President Unnie and her friends. All had expressions of half worry, half trust.

124 gave a thumbs-up and a grin.

Everyone was cheering for her. Knowing she wasn’t alone brought her peace of mind.

Suddenly, the day all this began, The sight of her friends feeling upset flashed through her mind.

Remembering the insult and humiliation of that day, a burning rage surged within her.

‘Restrade, are you ready?’

Violet composed herself and strode purposefully towards the designated place. In her red eyes, the will to win burned fiercely.

The location was Aegis Academy’s enormous indoor research facility. Originally a place for various experiments and indoor activities, it had now been modified into a temporary duel arena with added magic and protection systems. The area around the ceiling was entirely surrounded by countless sensors and cameras to monitor the match. Even a slightly sensitive observer could feel the presence of the cameras.

She wasn’t the only one burning with competitive spirit. Sebastian exhaled in a subtle tension mixed with self-reproach and pride. The heavy armored suit felt particularly weighty that day.

‘Since it’s come to this… I must win!’

Although he was facing an enemy who had insulted his family, a question arose within him—wasn’t this too despicable? But he deliberately ignored it.

‘That girl was at fault first. This is…’

But a bitter taste still lingered in a corner of his mind. If he thought about it, wasn’t it his family that had first offended the other party?

‘No. That’s not right.’

His father’s orders flashed through his mind. He swallowed his hesitant feelings, fueling himself with anger over the public humiliation.

At that wide space filled with dim light, the dark lighting slowly came on.

A girl entered the arena. It was Violet.

The countdown stopped, and as soon as the signal dropped, the girl charged furiously.

“Die!”

Sebastian instinctively swung his sword.

-Slash

As Sebastian swung his sword, the girl who had been bravely rushing forward instantly stopped.

And then a scream. “Aargh!”

Violet’s upper body was severed and fell to the floor. Red blood stained the ground.

Sebastian paused at the unexpected sight. ‘Impossible. She had a protective artifact, but it broke so easily?’

The moment he gasped in horror at the disaster he had caused, his rationality barely managed to spot the duel device he wore for safety precautions. And he watched the scoreboard.

‘No, the suppressor is still working. This is a clone!’

Indeed, the bisected girl’s body turned into red particles and slowly scattered, disappearing.

Beyond the passage, countless footsteps drew closer.

Only then did he raise his head and look straight ahead. ‘Those are…!’

Countless girls surging like a tidal wave.

“One, two! One, two!”

Dozens of Violet phalanxes poured into the duel arena.

“Where’s the main body?”

The Violets retorted. “Find out for yourself!”

A company of Violets simultaneously charged towards the knight in shining armor. Sebastian immediately activated his armored suit. A small reactor infused the armored suit with intense vitality, receiving the magic emanating from his body and immediately amplifying it.

‘Here I come!’

Part of the armored suit’s back plate opened with a click. As Aether particles unique to it ejected from the thrusters, the armored suit traversed the duel arena like a meteor.

-Thump!

The knight ran. He charged. He broke through the enemy’s ranks.

And the Violets, without avoiding that deadly sight, fully took it in with their red eyes.

“Violet Regiment Command reports. All Violet Observation Teams, commence scanning!”

The Violets assigned to each position simultaneously activated.

Like the cogs of a precision clock, like the circuits of a central processing unit.

“Imitation Team, Observation Team, Tactical Support Team, commence operation!”

The Violet in command issued another instruction. “Violet Tactical Map, deploy!”

A small tactical map unfolded within the Violet network.

The duel had begun.