Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Practical Exam (4)
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The path leading down to the entrance was a gentle slope stretching along the base of a wild hill.
As they descended further, an awkward silence hung between Seras and Phainol.
If one were to nitpick, they were barely acquaintances. It could be dismissed as the typical void that arises between such people.
But both of them knew.
The 'atmosphere' flowing between them now was anything but soft and malleable.
“...Should I just say it outright?”
Seras was the first to break the ice.
She tossed the words out casually, as if it were nothing.
“You're from the Heresy Inquisition, right?”
“And you're from the Holy Kingdom.”
No sooner had she spoken than the retort came flying back, right on cue. Seras grabbed her forehead and let out a sigh.
The Heresy Inquisition and the Holy Kingdom might sound like the former was a subsidiary of the latter, but nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, they were at each other's throats.
Their attitudes toward demons were polar opposites.
The Inquisition branded demons as irredeemable enemies of humanity and sought to eradicate them by any means, while the Holy Kingdom argued it was better to put them to 'good use.'
It was an open secret among the great powers that the Pontiff poured astronomical sums into demon-related research every year.
“...You recognized me the moment you saw me, huh.”
“I've heard the rumors. The Grand Assassin who serves at the Pontiff's side.”
So, for members of such organizations...
“They're said to excel at producing innocent corpses.”
“...”
...spitting out lines that stabbed like daggers the instant affiliations were revealed was perfectly natural.
Seras's eyebrow twitched.
It was a refined insult.
Not only mocking the Pontiff for using her like a limb to kill at his whim...
But also sneering that the grand cause she loyally served was utterly meaningless.
“...I've heard a thing or two myself.”
Seras shot back in a sharp voice.
“They say the Heresy Inquisition keeps a demon vessel as a pet.”
“...”
“From lowly origins, apparently.”
Phainol quietly closed her eyes.
She didn't seem particularly fazed by the words.
“Undoubtedly.”
Seras had probably gone a step further because she'd seen it and felt her anger surge.
No doubt about that.
“The one who took her in as a disciple and gave her a place in the Magic Tower she never should have set foot in—she even stabbed that master in the back—”
Seras cut herself off mid-sentence and drew her dagger.
She'd sensed a monstrous killing intent surging from Phainol's body before she could even finish.
“...?”
What was absurd was...
Even Phainol, the source of that killing intent, looked utterly bewildered.
“...I felt it.”
Phainol muttered in a dazed voice.
“I felt it. The anger... I felt the rage. This is insane—”
“...”
What the hell?
Is she losing her mind?
Seras stared at Phainol, who kept mumbling like a lunatic, with utter disbelief.
“...Must be thanks to that man. I really, really did the right thing meeting him.”
And when she said that...
She even looked relieved.
Seras watched Phainol place both hands over her chest, her face slightly flushed, and added a quip in a voice dripping with exasperation.
“...Are all you Inquisition freaks this unhinged?”
“Who knows.”
Phainol shrugged as she replied.
“If you're mistaken about one thing, it's that I don't feel much loyalty to the Inquisition, Grand Assassin. If I hated it, I hated it.”
“...What?”
Then why the hell is she engaging in this verbal sparring with me from the start?
Seras glared at her with that thought in mind, and Phainol soon continued with a faint smile on her face.
“I can just tell about you.”
“What are you—”
“You're one of those who'd cling to him, plain as day. You, I mean.”
“...”
Seras stared at Phainol with her mouth agape.
Before anger or anything else, sheer absurdity took precedence.
As if she'd been the one clinging to that man—what nonsense was this?
“What kind of ridiculous—”
She tried to brush it off.
But her heart throbbed first, in a way that didn't match her words.
“...”
Please.
Just stay quiet, you whatever-you-are.
As she thought that with her face slightly reddening, Phainol across from her wore a knowing smile.
It was an expression that twisted Seras's already uncomfortable mood twice over.
“Feel free to take it as preemptive rival-checking. You're fated to fall hard for him in the end, after all.”
“...Nonsense.”
“You can think that now.”
Phainol replied in a flat tone.
“It'll be fun watching how you crumble soon enough.”
At least, no vessel had ever escaped that fate so far.
“...”
So.
Someday, even she...
Phainol smiled faintly as that thought crossed her mind.
“...What a pointless conversation. Really.”
Seras grumbled, running a hand through her hair.
“Anyway, let's just focus on blocking properly. No causing trouble for each other now that we're here—”
Seras's words cut off abruptly.
A rhythmic thumping echoed from nearby, shaking the ground—thud, thud.
“...?”
“...?”
Phainol and Seras both looked up simultaneously.
“...What's that sound?”
“No way some massive beast suddenly popped up...”
As if to mock their exchange, the source of the noise was quickly found.
The exam entrance narrowed into a gorge-like shape the higher it went. A minimal advantage for the smaller defending team, perhaps.
And then, as if...
Skipping that terrain entirely, a human leaped over their heads like he was flying.
The source of the thudding was the ground shattering each time he landed.
“...”
“...”
Seras and Phainol fell silent together.
Sure, blocking regular students wouldn't be hard for them.
But what the hell was that?
“...Should we have blocked that too?”
“...”
Unfortunately.
It was clear even these two demon vessels weren't monstrous enough to stop something like that.
●
[So, what're you gonna do?]
“...”
What do you mean, what?
She shot an incredulous look at Elnor and the Chancellor far off on the platform.
Is this guy seriously causing a scene like this with national guests watching?
[...No, he couldn't have not known.]
Kalliban gave a wry smile as he said it.
Yeah.
I agree a hundred times over.
Sullivan's personality in the game was that of a classic schemer with a den of foxes in his gut. No way he'd miss that ridiculous disguise.
In other words.
He'd tacitly approved this stunt here.
“Then, here I go.”
With those words...
[ Crisis situation detected. ]
[ Judged as a direct threat to life. ]
[ Skill: Desperate Situation applied at EX rank. ]
Desperate Situation naturally slammed into EX rank right away.
No, he probably doesn't actually intend to kill me.
But the spec gap between us is absurd.
Even if I've boosted my physical abilities with recent training, this guy's one of the absolute top in raw physical prowess in this world!
“...!”
She recoiled in panic, jerking her head back, and Elnor's light jab whistled past.
Light, my ass—that punch from someone who could reshape landscapes with a single sword swing.
“I could actually die if that hits, Elnor?!”
“...Don't worry. I adjusted it specially so you'll just pass out.”
Elnor snapped back with a pout, then pursed her lips.
“...And I told you not to call me Elnor.”
Still sticking to that concept?
What the hell is she thinking, pulling this...!
[What else? You've been plastering women all over lately, so she's panicking and trying to cement it as fact.]
“...”
[Why not just let her squeeze you good? You're a guy—you'd like it, right?]
Talking like it's not his problem, seriously.
Like I said before, my goal is to end up with all six demons who approach me.
Doing that with Elnor now would derail that plan in ways I can't even imagine.
Can't just let her squeeze me...!
[...You're not saying no outright, though.]
No, honestly, I wouldn't hate it. I'm a healthy guy.
Elnor is pretty hot, frankly. Normally, someone like me wouldn't even dream of touching her level.
[...]
“...”
[...That's why I like you—no matter how stupid you act, I don't hate it. You're honest.]
‘Shut up.’
Anyway.
Point is, I can't just roll over and lose easily.
Setting aside the plan, a low exam score might make Chancellor Sullivan do who-knows-what. No need to stir up trouble.
She dodged Elnor's relentless assault, mobilizing every ability she had.
[ Activating 'Skill: Swordsman's Focus'! ]
[ Reaction speed and precision increased! ]
Thankfully, with Desperate Situation plus this, she could manage responses somehow.
Even as the surroundings shifted chaotically under Elnor's attacks, she could at least keep her body intact.
She'd dodged Yuria—who was dead serious about splitting her—while dribbling before. Failed at the end and got split, but the sensations ingrained then were still valid.
The problem? No decent means of attack...
[You beat that ancient god-tier beast last time, right? Use that spell or whatever you got—]
‘I can't win with that!’
Sure, spell-infused martial arts had terrifying power, but only if the opponent let you land it.
There was the prep time to gather and circulate the spell, and against someone moving that fast, she'd have to rely purely on combat sense.
And in that department, she wasn't even average, not even as a compliment.
In short.
She had zero ways to win this 'duel' against her.
[Then what're you gonna do?]
One way only.
Flip the board.
‘...The answer's in what you just said.’
Ultimately, Elnor's pulling this because she's anxious about all the other women.
To resolve this, target that angle.
“...”
She scanned the surroundings.
Thanks to the Chancellor, this exam had unusually many 'watching eyes.'
Judging by Elnor's reaction to their previous kiss.
Elnor probably cared a lot about that.
[...You're plotting something swindler-like again, aren't you?]
Uncle.
Pick milder words, please.
[Not denying it.]
“...”
[See? I like how honest you are.]
Shut up.
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“...”
The minds of the high and mighty were unknowable as ever.
But in Chancellor Sullivan's case, especially so.
Konrad stared at him, baffled.
The ever-present affable smile still graced his face.
Even watching Elpante's Student Council President pull such a prank laden with personal motives.
‘...Well, I get it, but.’
Such pranks between seniors and juniors had happened before.
The issue was that someone with emperor-level power was here incognito.
“...My apologies, Your Excellency. The exam's gotten a bit chaotic.”
“No, it's fine. Looks lively and good.”
“...”
Too lively, that's the problem.
Konrad smiled awkwardly as he watched Elnor sweep through like a humanoid typhoon.
She'd always shown promise, but that was a walking bioweapon.
Among frontline knights, only someone like Kendrid Margrave or the Sword Saint in the palace could handle her—others couldn't even dream.
That Dawood kid was freakishly tough for a student and holding on, but it was clear he was a paper's width from death.
And sure enough, one guy watching was thrilled by it.
“Ha, haha—!”
The male student who'd been watching Dawood Campbell evade desperately burst into delighted laughter.
He looked utterly pleased at the sight of the man in distress.
“Look at him scampering like a rat! You call that a man, you pathetic loser!”
The Chancellor, seeing this, tilted his head and asked Konrad.
“Sir Konrad. Who's that man?”
“That would be... Brix Chester. Eldest son of the Chester Count family. He's the leader of this assault team.”
“Ah, the one near Cornwall? Forgot they even had an heir—they're not a major count house.”
“...”
Yeah. At his level, forgetting a house like Chester was fine.
No idea why such a person was so fixated on a baron's son, though.
“Who knows. The vibe's a bit... frivolous. I'll have to inform Count Chester later.”
As Sullivan spoke, a chill flickered in his golden eyes for a moment.
“...”
Konrad watched silently.
Sure, the guy's behavior was objectively unsightly.
But something he'd noticed.
For someone here to 'verify' Dawood Campbell, wasn't she blatantly taking his side?
What's her real purpose?
As he pondered, Dawood was falling further back.
He'd barely stuck near the flag, but now he was being pushed out, and Brix was closing in to snatch it.
If the assault leader grabbed it, exam over. Brutal penalty for defense.
“Yeah, that's it! Smash him flat! You're useful after all, newbie! Thought you were just nuts begging to join the assault last minute!”
But.
As Brix reached that spot...
“Hey.”
He went flying.
Dawood, now right up close, had spun his jaw clean around.
“Don't talk like that. Unless you wanna die.”
“...”
Konrad, watching, couldn't hold back a chuckle.
Now.
Didn't it feel like he'd waited exactly for that line to strike?
He could've done it anytime if he wanted.
As Konrad sighed inwardly...
“Talk shit about my woman like that again, and next time you're dead. Got it?”
Those words followed.
Konrad knew the guy's usual MO well enough that it was laughably bad acting.
But the Student Council President's ferocious assault halted stiffly.
“...Dawood?”
“Yeah.”
“'My woman'? In front of everyone, what are you—”
Konrad inwardly sighed as he watched the exchange.
‘...That was the play.’
Let Brix run his mouth to set the perfect stage for baring teeth.
What a sly fox. How'd he prep that amid all this?
He chuckled to himself.
But.
“...Sir Konrad.”
A chill ran up his spine from the voice beside him.
The warm smile on Sullivan's face...
Vanished in an instant.
“'My woman'? What exactly does that mean?”
A low, sunken voice slipped from her lips.
“...”
And hearing it, Konrad instantly knew.
Ah.
This was seriously messed up.
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