Chapter 52. Anti-Rule
Adella called everyone by their first name, never their family name. Even with Princess Alessia, she'd used "Lady Alessia."
It wasn't because she was an elf. Sure, there were plenty of cultural differences between elves and humans, but among nobles, unless you were close friends, everyone addressed each other by family name regardless.
Calling people by their first names was just Adella's personal habit—or her will.
The same went for how others addressed her. Most people called her "Adella," not "Belluna."
Yet this girl, wearing Adella's face so indifferently, had called me "Bardi."
During morning roll call, she'd referred to Professor Georgia as "Professor Medici."
Had one comment from someone suddenly made her change her mind? Decide to use family names instead? No, that couldn't be it.
If it were, Liberatas wouldn't have shown me that illusion.
"Who the hell are you?"
I asked outright. My voice came out low and growling without me even trying.
"Uh, wh-what're you talking about~?"
The thing masquerading as Adella widened her eyes innocently. The perfect mimicry made it all the more repulsive and infuriating.
"Playing dumb, huh."
I drew up the mana coiling through my body. My heart pounded wildly, manifesting the power of my familiar from the image dwelling within.
"...Guh!"
A stifled grunt, followed by quick pattering footsteps. It was Erhun. She'd jumped up fast, putting distance between us.
I ignored it for now and activated my spell.
"Siren Tower."
WeeeeeEEEEEENG──!!
"Gah!" "What the—?!"
A ear-splitting siren wailed from my mouth. The other students clutched their ears in panic. Sorry, but they'd have to tough it out this time.
"KyaAAAAH!"
The monster screamed, clutching her face. The Adella disguise melted away like black tar, dripping down in rivulets.
At that moment, in Ricardo's dorm room.
Isabella lay straight on the bed. Ricardo's subtle, chrysanthemum-like scent enveloped her gently.
"...Hng."
A soft moan escaped Isabella's lips. She didn't bother suppressing the trembling smile tugging at her mouth. No one was watching, and she had better things to do than waste mental energy controlling her emotions.
She exhaled deeply and summoned her mana. Frost formed on her breath, turning it into a small chunk of ice.
"Argos."
Isabella called her familiar's name in a flat tone. At its master's summons, the ice bloomed like a flower, soon taking the form of a peacock made of ice.
Watcher of Omniscience - Argos. A Rank 4 familiar born from Isabella's desire to help Ricardo and her exceptional magical talent.
"Report the information gathered from the Spinola territory."
The familiar fanned its tail wide, sparkling with ice crystals on each feather.
Argos had a special ability: under certain conditions, it could peek at an opponent's hand. In reality, this manifested as a spell that stored information reflected in ice crystals or cold droplets and relayed it to its master. It had even uncovered Councilor Kedrak's corruption in the past.
...And conveniently, an unusual frost had blanketed the Spinola territory these past few dawns. Perfect conditions for Argos.
"Hmm."
Maximilian Spinola. The idiot student council member who'd dared pick a fight with her master, Ricardo, for some reason.
Unlike his foolish behavior, he'd been armed with all sorts of rare cards. Isabella had sent Argos and another familiar to uncover what backed him.
And now, the results were emerging from countless ice grains.
"This is..."
Isabella's eyes sharpened on one scene in Argos's omniscient vision. A well-dressed middle-aged man was meeting a suspicious figure in a robe.
She recognized the man's face from prior investigations: one of the Spinola family's butlers.
The robed figure, face hidden, pulled a small box from their pocket and cracked it open, revealing a single card inside.
Spear of the King - Gae Bolg. A rare card that massively boosted warrior-type creatures' stats.
"...I see."
As the robed figure handed the box to the butler, their robe rode up, briefly exposing a wrist.
Tattooed there was a palm with seven fingers.
Isabella, who had gathered all sorts of intel for Ricardo, immediately recognized it.
The massive crime syndicate that stole rare cards from the shadows to build its power: Seven's Finger. A magical brand marking its members.
Maximilian's arsenal of rare cards, hard even for royalty to obtain, must have come from Seven's Finger backing him.
The Spinola family is in contact with Seven's Finger?
Their ancestor, Valerian, had risen from commoner to noble through powerful rare cards. The connection might date back then.
Or perhaps Valerian had been a Seven's Finger operative planted to influence the Lilucania Kingdom.
Either way, it was a bombshell that would rock the kingdom.
Report to the young master... and if he says it's fine, approach Princess Daphne.
Among those at the academy, she'd make the most use of this info—and in a way that helped Ricardo.
It was a rational decision, but Isabella's expression soured slightly.
She recalled that big-chested woman slyly tempting Ricardo.
Hmph.
But her jealousy could be set aside for Ricardo's glory. Isabella quietly composed herself.
As she rose to organize the intel—
"...!"
A chill raced down her spine. Something felt off. Her widened eyes turned toward where Ricardo should be.
No magic was at play. Just instinct. Her master, Ricardo, was caught up in something.
"Young master."
Isabella slipped on her shoes and bolted.
Toward her master's side.
"Wh-what?!" "Adella?!" "Kyaa!"
Did they think I'd attacked Adella? The kids screamed, staring between me and the monster in disbelief.
But of course not.
Machinery Alarm - Siren Tower. Its ability nullified an opponent's zones and magic circles.
Manifested in reality instead of on a battle table, it became an unfair spell that briefly stripped all nearby magic. Limits applied, probably.
Meaning, if the monster's Adella disguise was magical, this would break it.
Splorch. Splorch.
The sickening sound of waterlogged mud finally stopped.
"Haaah──. Busted, huh──?"
The magical Adella facade vanished completely, revealing a gloomy woman in all her eerie form.
Long black hair, utterly unkempt—even Professor Georgia might yield to it. It draped to the floor like a somber velvet curtain.
Dark circles under blackened eyes contrasted her deathly pale skin. Sunken cheeks offset bulging, frog-like black eyes veined with blood.
Less human than specter.
"How'd you know──? I mimicked her perfect──?"
"I'll say it once: if that's your idea of imitating Adella's speech, knock it off."
I clenched my fist, growling.
"Haha──. So harsh──. Can't help it──. It's my natural speech anyway──."
"Where's Adella?"
"Sweetie──. Don't you wanna know who sis is──?"
"Shut up and answer."
"So harsh──. Fine──. Guess I gotta answer──!"
The woman tossed something from her pocket.
Thwack!
Stronger than expected. I reflexively blocked with my left arm, but it stung like hell.
What the...? Human to human? Shock overrode my anger. The other kids looked stunned too. Beatrice had gone ghost-white, like she'd seen a monster.
"Eek!" "Young Lord Bardi!" "Bardi! You okay!?"
"...!"
Alessia and Eden called urgently, but I had no time to reply.
The slimy thing she'd thrown had wrapped around my left arm, morphing into a device.
"This is..."
"Haha──. First time seeing one──? It's a Battle Arc──. Portable battle table──. I kept it stored with my magic──."
Battle Arc... The thing Diego had this morning.
"Answer──. Duel for it──. Wanna know where that elf bitch is──? Beat me in a duel──?"
The woman cackled.
"Then──. Maybe I'll tell ya──."
"Bullshit."
"Oh──. So crude──. Not gonna──? Then you can't remove that Battle Arc──. Call others──. Same result──."
"No. I'm not talking about whether we'll duel."
Beating this woman was already decided.
"Then──?"
"Simple."
I crammed my boiling battle lust into my deck and slotted it into the Battle Arc. I'd already prepped cards for this duel.
"Cast a confession spell. Winner gets the right to truth from the loser."
"Heee──."
If I won, she might spill Adella's location. I wasn't banking on her flimsy word.
How she'd infiltrated the academy or why target Adella—I didn't know. Or care. Not now.
Adella's safety was all that mattered.
"Hahaha! That's──. A tempting offer──."
She grinned, teeth bared like a rabid stray.
As she agreed, the Battle Arc's magic activated. Once decided, the confession spell would force the loser's mouth open.
"Fine──. My turn for a proposal──. Gotta be fair──?"
"Proposal?"
"Yeeep──."
Her bulging eyes gleamed with madness.
"Winner──. Steals one card from loser──. Whaddya say──?"
An anti-rule. Probably just for support cards. Origin cards, projections of the psyche, couldn't be transferred.
Forcibly taken, they'd turn blank in another's hands.
...But something felt off. Instinct poked my temple. Pollux's story from last night...
What was she after? Why sneak in, kidnap a student, fake her identity?
Her cover blown, challenging me made no sense. Fleeing was smarter. Professors and guards would swarm soon.
Using Adella as hostage for escape?
Hoo──. I cooled my rising fury with a deep breath. Time to think.
She's after me, obviously.
Hostage play offered no guarantees. Challenging me meant her goal was me from the start.
An outsider sneaks in without permission, lays hands on a student. No light punishment for that. Risking it all for me—
'Dragon card.'
Had to be. None of my support cards justified that risk.
'A way to steal Origin cards for real?'
Impossible, but common sense gets betrayed sometimes.
Maybe baseless, but better assume she could steal Origins intact.
"Do whatever."
"Ahaha──. Deal──."
I silently backed away. The students did too. The woman staggered up like a drunk and faced me.
"Bardi."
Beltum Professor called in his heavy voice. The Siren Tower had dispelled his magic too, reverting him to turtle form.
"We'll find Belluna—. Still wanna duel—?"
"Of course."
I nodded immediately.
I'd expected him to stop me, but he slowly blinked his massive turtle eyes and nodded. Good.
"Rage—. Good fuel to move you—. But only as fuel. It mustn't—. Control you. Know this—?"
"Of course."
"Then—. Show your will."
Thud. He stamped his staff. Light surged from my feet, wrapping me. My mind cleared sharply.
"Reinforced your mind—. Temporary, but—. Eases Battle Arc strain. Don't worry for Belluna—. Show your strength."
Impressive. His unique magic. Solid.
"Turtle—. Strategy meeting over──? Ready to start──?"
"Yeah."
Our mouths opened in unison.
──DUEL!!