Honor Duel: Melt's Desperate Stand
The area around the honor duel buzzed with murmurs.
From the nobles' perspective, Melt had always been kind to everyone.
And now he was the one issuing the challenge.
My slaves reacted as if they'd been waiting for this moment.
The men seemed amused, like it was great entertainment.
"Fine, let's have at it."
The others followed me and Melt as we headed out.
"Melt, wait a second!"
Yvonah pushed through the crowd, calling out to him.
She must have rushed over upon hearing the news—sweat beaded lightly on her skin.
"I don't think you should do this duel."
As expected, some lingering emotions remained; Yvonah's face was etched with worry.
"Even as a princess, you have no authority to stop an honor duel."
Melt replied coldly, oblivious to her concern.
His response made Yvonah's expression harden.
"Melt Lionhart. Do you really think you can bear the consequences?"
Having witnessed some of my power, Yvonah was trying desperately to save him.
"Yes, I can take responsibility."
Melt, unable to even imagine defeat, answered with full confidence.
But what happens if I kill the protagonist?
Is it a mission failure?
If it were early in the mission, it'd be a 100% fail, but now it's ambiguous.
I'm just 2% short right now.
98% conquest complete, missing only that last 2%.
And at this rate, Yvonah's affection for Melt is dropping.
So, is killing Melt actually beneficial?
She'd be shocked, sure.
But would it hurt my affection rating?
My answer: no.
Melt was the one who demanded the honor duel.
Melt was the one who ignored the warnings and dug in his heels.
Melt was the one claiming he could take responsibility.
In the end, he was at fault.
If Melt dies in this duel, it might fill that missing 2%.
Even if not, killing him seems like the better play for conquering Yvonah.
"Haa~ you again?"
As the two bickered, wasting time, our assigned instructor arrived.
With the instructor there, we could no longer delay the duel.
Yvonah stepped back, and Melt and I took positions at a distance from each other.
The instructor, looking annoyed, gave a half-hearted explanation while raising his hand.
"Be~gin!"
The duel started with the instructor's signal.
The moment it rang out, Melt launched a fireball.
I casually sliced it in half.
Another fireball followed immediately.
He must have lobbed two orbs in succession.
"Tch!"
My stance faltered slightly, so I rolled sideways to dodge instead of cutting it.
"Knew you'd do that!"
Mana surged from the ground beneath me.
I leaped back instantly.
And right as I did, a pillar of fire erupted upward.
"I've got more!"
This time, Melt fired a barrage of small flames.
I channeled mana into my sword and swung.
The flames shattered under my blade.
But that was exactly what Melt had baited.
The sliced flames connected in midair, forming a magic circle.
A trick from Melt, who still couldn't cast high-tier spells without one.
A massive hand of fire emerged from the circle.
It stretched toward me.
Whoosh!
Belching tremendous heat, it tried to swallow me whole.
Guess I need Gram for this one.
The protagonist lived up to his name.
He'd seemed so weak at first.
But his potential was no joke.
I used my ability to summon Gram.
I stepped back with my right foot, assuming position.
And swung the solar holy sword, Gram.
Gram clashed with Melt's spell.
The magic dissipated.
Not sliced—
Absorbed?
Melt's spell had been sucked into Gram.
Melt panicked at the sight.
The other academy students, who'd thought Melt had won, fell silent as the magic vanished.
True to form as a protagonist who'd weathered many battles, Melt quickly refocused and chanted another spell.
But after that big one, its power was weakened.
Whoooong—!
I unsummoned Gram and cut them down with mana alone.
Melt widened the distance.
He kept firing weak spells to maintain it.
Planning to stall and recover?
Too obvious.
Melt lobbed fireballs while igniting flames along his movement path.
Yeah, show me everything you've got.
This ability will be mine once the mission ends.
I can decide what to pick based on his fighting style.
With that in mind, I played along with his scheme.
As our duel dragged on, more spectators gathered.
Even famous instructors showed up.
They deployed mana barriers to keep other students safe.
Man, it's hot.
Fire mage meant serious heat.
"How long you gonna keep running?"
I taunted to hide that I was going easy on him.
"Save that talk... for after you catch me!"
His breathing had steadied—mana partially restored.
Not fully, though; he kept stalling.
Back then, I'd have tired first and collapsed.
But my stamina, grown leagues through Combat Growth, didn't flag easily.
Ah~ if this boosted mana too, it'd be perfect.
Combat Growth's one flaw: only physical growth.
After a few more minutes of play, Melt had fully recovered his mana.
He glared at me with smug confidence.
"Now, it's over!"
Thwack!
Melt slammed his hand down.
Whoosh!
Flames erupted from the ground.
Along the path he'd taken.
The scorched trail reignited.
Summoning circle?
Unlike a magic circle—similar to something I'd glimpsed in academy class.
What're you summoning?
Whatever it was, Melt's mana couldn't call anything that could beat me.
The circle rose into the sky.
Whoosh!
A massive egg summoned from it.
Crack!
The fiery egg shattered, and a person burst out.
"A person?!"
The onlookers gasped in shock.
Summons couldn't produce people from a circle, so the surprise was warranted.
Did I get too cocky?
Her Grating is on another level.
Playing around bit me in the ass.
It's fine. She can't sustain something like that for long.
At her Grating, I can hold till the summon breaks.
If it's too much, summon the heroines.
Cream's heals and Choi Rin's tanking would cover it.
Should I strike first?
I observed the unmoving summon.
"Melt... is now the time?"
A benevolent voice.
The summon addressed him.
Though summoned, she took the initiative over Melt.
The woman looked at Melt and asked.
"Yes, please lend me your strength."
Melt spoke politely, and she turned as if agreeing.
She faced me.
One thought hit me upon seeing her.
Ah, I wanna fight her.
How much would I grow if I win?
Her Grating's higher, but 'I can take her'—my body itched for it.
[You are not of this dimension.]
Not in my ears—in my mind.
[I don't know how you crossed dimensions, but cease interfering with Melt.]
She spoke gently.
Hard pass.
I refused mentally.
[Last warning. Sheathe your weapon and end this now.]
Something felt off.
She hesitated to attack me.
One more time: no.
She heard my reply.
[No choice, then. For Melt's sake, I'll bear the loss and deal with you here.]
She assumed combat stance.
Hand extended forward.
I summoned Gram in response.
"The holy sword?! A holy sword from another dimension?"
The woman recoiled in shock.
"How does someone who isn't even the protagonist have that?"
"Why should I tell you?"
Just moments ago, her hostility had burned fierce.
But seeing the holy sword, it cooled—and vanished.
"Melt, sorry, but I'm withdrawing."
Not just cooled—gone entirely.
She said that and vanished immediately.
"Why...?"
Melt stared blankly at the empty air, voice hollow.
"It's over."
His trump card had fizzled out pathetically.
No more moves seemed left, so I decided to end it.
One lapse in vigilance is enough.
Get careless again, and trouble brews.
Best to finish here.
Whoosh!
Sensing his doom, Melt made a final desperate lash.
But against the holy sword Gram, it was futile.
Step— step—
I advanced slowly, one deliberate footfall at a time.
Thud—
Terror-struck, Melt fell on his ass.
He crawled backward, scrambling away.
Shing—
I caught up, Gram at his throat.
"It's done, Melt. Time to face the responsibility you boasted about."
Killing Melt would bring the ducal house down on me.
Whatever.
Shortly after killing him, I'd leave this dimension anyway.
Even if they sought revenge, I wouldn't be here to care.
Gram's edge dug into Melt's neck.
"Guhk!"
Melt groaned in agony.
[Stop!]
The voice echoed in my mind again.
Different from the woman's earlier—but still feminine.
Why should I?
The blade pressed deeper.
[I am Academy Principal Platina. I'll grant one request of yours—unconditionally.]
Hmm...
I pondered briefly.
Make it two. One's too few.
[Agreed. Two. No more.]
With that deal struck with Principal Platina, I sheathed my sword.
"Duel ends here. Winner: me."
My declaration closed the honor duel.