As the Long Winter Passes, Part 2
"...In the end, I lost."
The one murmuring as he lay on the infirmary bed was Rofel Teufel.
His injuries from the recent duel were so severe that trying to heal them instantly with potions and magic would only leave lasting side effects. Thus, he was forced to stay in the infirmary for the time being.
But what did he mean by losing? What on earth had happened?
"Do not be too disheartened. That matter... it really... it really could not be helped..."
"Well, I half expected it, so I'm fine."
"...It seems you truly do not remember what happened then."
"Yeah, I guess so. I remember it hurting like hell and being exhausted... but the very end is just a blank, like I blacked out."
"Well... I did my best, so I should be satisfied with that."
"Besides, there's still another chance."
"I really don't get what that bastard Marc is thinking, though."
"Suddenly changing the condition from the result of my duel to the result of yours."
In that long, grueling duel, the one who had ultimately brought down his opponent was undoubtedly Rofel. Yet, the official record marked the duel as a victory for Marc Visus.
To understand why, one must look at how the academy determines the winner of these duels.
The number of students taking the dueling exam at the academy was by no means small.
Evaluating the results of so many matches individually was practically impossible, which meant they had to rely on magic.
Specifically, a detection spell was woven into the pocket dimension where the duels took place.
If either combatant fell into an incapacitated state or committed a rule violation, the spell would detect it and immediately decide the match.
While Marc had tampered with several spells in the pocket dimension, he had only messed with the incapacitation detection; the part that monitored rule violations remained intact.
In other words, the moment Seraphina intervened in the duel, the detection spell registered it as an outside interference and automatically disqualified Rofel.
Of course, since the dueling exam was a major event for both the students and the academy, unexpected incidents occurred every year, and students were allowed to appeal the decisions.
However, Marc had also damaged the recording systems of the arena, making it incredibly difficult to prove that Rofel had actually defeated him.
There was the testimony of the only witness left on the scene, Seraphina Serion. But since she was the very reason the duel had taken place, her testimony lacked credibility.
Naturally, they could verify the truth of her testimony if they used the truth-revealing artifact kept by the academy, but that was practically impossible.
The truth-revealing artifact, the Dominas Purge, was an ancient treasure recovered from a dungeon, and it had a strictly limited number of uses.
Because of this, it was a priceless relic reserved only for interrogating key figures in continent-shaking incidents or when royalty needed to prove their innocence. The academy kept it more for preservation and research than for actual practical use.
Rofel and Marc's duel, while involving a ducal house, was ultimately a private matter concerning the succession of a single family. The academy would never authorize the use of such a precious artifact for something like that.
Thus, regardless of the truth, the duel was recorded as Marc's victory. This meant Seraphina would lose her position as the successor candidate of the Serion family, effectively reducing her from a proud knight to a mere tool used to bind a man named Marc to the Serion household.
Strangely, however, Seraphina was still acting freely despite the outcome of the duel.
While she was undoubtedly tense and anxious, she at least had enough peace of mind to enjoy the time spent with the man before her.
To explain how this was possible, as well as why the duel was recorded as Marc's victory, one must go back to the moments immediately following the end of the duel.
Thud.
After a clash that felt like a massive explosion, the one who emerged victorious in the duel was Rofel.
Having stood on his own two feet until the very end, he collapsed the moment he saw Marc fall.
"Rofel!"
Seraphina rushed to his side and supported him.
Having fought with everything he had until the very end, his condition was critical.
Normally, he would have carried healing potions given to him by his friend, but the arena strictly prohibited bringing in any recovery-related items or tools.
Whether it was Marc's doing or not, the return magic engraved on his body failed to activate even in this state. Rather than waiting for it to trigger, she had to carry him to the infirmary herself.
Supporting Rofel, who looked no different from a corpse, she tried to head toward the exit portal.
If she was even a moment too late, Rofel might lose his life.
"W-Wait...! H-Hold on...!"
The voice came from the man who had been lying face down just a moment ago—Marc Visus.
His injuries were also severe, but for some reason, all his vital points had been spared. He was merely incapacitated, and his life was not in danger.
With Rofel's life hanging in the balance, Seraphina tried to ignore Marc and leave the pocket dimension, but the words that followed forced her to look back.
"A-A healing potion...! I... I have a healing potion...!"
Just as he cried out, a healing potion was indeed clutched in Marc's hand.
What's more, it was an advanced healing potion, capable of bringing someone back from the brink of death.
Considering the aftermath of the duel, she wondered how the bottle could possibly be intact.
But the question was answered when she noticed the small pouch at Marc's waist.
It was a 'four-dimensional pocket,' a miniature magic tool that utilized the same pocket dimension magic as the arena.
...But why does he have that?
Especially when it's a prohibited item in the arena.
This was tied to Marc's sadistic plan.
In truth, he hadn't planned on stopping at hurting Rofel just once; he had intended to use the healing potion to repeatedly heal and torture him.
Of course, that opportunity had been utterly shattered, but that wasn't what mattered right now.
Marc took a sip of the advanced healing potion right in front of Seraphina.
Sure enough, the wounds on his body regenerated at an astonishing speed, and he was soon back to normal.
"See? It's the real deal, and I haven't tampered with it."
"...Marc Visus, what are you plotting?"
"Let's make a deal regarding the outcome of this duel."
"...! Are you saying we should act as if this match never happened?"
"Yes. I'd like you to give a favorable testimony about what happened today."
"To dare suggest such a thing in the academy's historic and sacred dueling exam...!"
"You remain pathetic to the very end, Marc...!"
In a way, simply standing by might have been the best choice for Marc.
The actual winner of the duel would die, and Seraphina's testimony would lack credibility. Everyone would accept the lie of his victory.
But there was a reason Marc was trying to win her over like this.
If Rofel died like this, Seraphina would insist on his victory until the very end, even demanding the use of the Dominas Purge to verify the truth.
Of course, the academy would never permit the use of a national treasure like the Dominas Purge for this.
But if the head of the Serion family, Regulus Serion, intervened, the situation might change.
Having served under him as a disciple, Marc knew Regulus's iron-willed, ruthless nature and his habit of wrapping up matters with absolute certainty.
If Seraphina kept insisting on Rofel's victory, Regulus—whether he believed her or not—would exert his influence to authorize the use of the Dominas Purge just to settle the matter definitively.
He would likely force the issue to teach Seraphina a harsh lesson about reality, but the actual truth was far different from what Regulus would expect.
What if, by some minuscule chance, the use of the Dominas Purge was actually approved?
It would be revealed that Marc had denied the results of a sacred duel out of pride, and worse, that he had let a talent stronger than himself die.
Everything he had built up so far would crumble in an instant!
Therefore, even if he had to take a slight loss now, he had to act.
"If you want to give him the healing potion, make him drink this first."
"It's a potion that erases memories of a certain period of time."
"...Don't ask where it came from."
Naturally, Rofel's memories had to be erased.
Marc thought it was a stroke of luck that he had managed to obtain such a potion, despite its exorbitant price.
"Marc... do you intend to tarnish even his honor?"
Seraphina's cold face contorted with rage.
"Ha! What are you going to do then? Make a choice."
"Will you let him die for some petty honor without even asking him?"
"Or will you at least save his life?!"
For a split second, Seraphina thought about snatching the potion from Marc by force.
But right now, Rofel's life was like a candle flickering in the wind.
If she rashly engaged in combat with Marc, who had just consumed an advanced healing potion, Rofel's breath might give out first, regardless of the fight's outcome.
Damn it...! If only I were stronger, I wouldn't have to agonize over this...!
Gritting her teeth, she had no choice but to accept the dirty deal.
Because right now, Rofel's life was far more precious.