Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: The Passionate Duelist
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“I-I... m-my...”
“Oh? Are you coming toward me?”
I glared coldly at Regina.
Dare she? Dare she approach Wolfram von Loengrin, of imperial blood?
Such insolence. Do you think I'd tolerate it?
“Your neck... With those cold eyes, those long fingers, me...”
Oh? So you're approaching me?
“Please... With those long fingers...”
...
......
Stay away.
“Please... Those long fingers on me...”
On me. Don't come near me!
I tried to pull back, but I couldn't.
No. I was actually stepping forward.
A bizarre sensation where I meant to retreat but advanced instead.
“【Magic power dominates its surroundings.】” “【Domination is true power.】” “【The family's magic wields strength through control.】” “【Bind all beneath the name of Ciela.】” “【Marsh】”
⟨ Marsh ⟩
“Heh. You know it well.”
Regina Cielra. Or more precisely, the Ciela family's secret magic.
She literally scattered her overwhelming magic power of 21 across the area, seizing and controlling the entire space.
It seeped in stickily, dominating with its viscous grip.
And even more terrifying was the 【Ciela's Invisible Hand】, wielded through formless magic power.
Truly befitting a great merchant family—what a quirky naming sense, but its nature was anything but amusing.
Invisible to my eyes now, but behind Regina loomed a hand of formless magic power.
She was probably using it to drag my body toward her, and in my current state, I had no way to resist.
“Get that hand off him!”
At that moment.
The pitch-black Black Crystal intervened.
The Black Crystal sliced through the marsh, erecting a barrier in front of me like it was blocking the way.
From behind came a voice cracking with rage. Regina glanced back at the sound, and I could tell just how furious its owner was.
“【Black Crystal: Single Shot: Giant: Empower: Defense Ignore: Mandatory Hit-】”
⟨ Black Crystal ⟩
Already six clauses.
But Aila didn't stop in her fury.
【Overdrive!】
7th Clause. Effect: 6th-tier 'Magic Berserk'—pushing beyond limits for guaranteed hit.
Seven clauses.
And the added effect was a 6th-tier 'Magic Berserk,' meaning she'd surpass her limits to ensure it hit.
“......Trista. Miss.”
“How dare you, how dare you, how dare you...!”
“So you're planning to fire that...? Planning to start a feud between Ciela and Trista?”
“You think I won't?”
“......”
【Black Crystal】 locked on, from Aila standing behind me toward Regina in front.
Naturally, with my body controlled by the 【Marsh】, I couldn't see Aila's face.
But I could see Regina's right in front of me.
Regina was losing in sheer presence.
Her magic power was overwhelmingly higher, but their wills were not equal.
“......”
“Release that magic now. Or I fire.”
Words so cold, they didn't sound like the Aila I knew.
Her voice alone made it clear.
No bluff. No exaggeration.
If Regina didn't release the marsh, Aila would shoot. That was all there was to it.
And right after, the 【Marsh】 dissolved.
Regina squeezed her eyes shut and bowed deeply to me.
“...Prince Wolfram, I apologize for my rudeness.”
“This matter will be formally protested to the Ciela family through the imperial household.”
“......Ugh.”
Using magic to restrain an imperial scion.
In Jefrin Academy—or all of Loengrin—that was the gravest of sins.
The Ciela family would take a hit.
That was the weight of the imperial bloodline for humanity, for the empire spanning the world.
Since the founding emperor, Hark von Loengrin, invaded the heavenly and demonic realms to secure human rights and a pact of non-aggression, the Loengrins had been humanity's rulers and guardians.
Even with my trash stats, threatening my person was a major crime.
Regina Cielra.
She had crossed the line hard this time.
Even I, who usually laughed things off, wasn't smiling now.
“...Understood. We accept.”
Of course, it wouldn't topple the entire Ciela family, but it was that serious.
No one around dared speak.
This moment, this place, had countless spectators, but none dared utter a word.
Trista. Ciela. Loengrin.
No one was bold enough to speak in a clash of these three houses.
“...Then I'll take my leave. Stay well.”
Regina bit her lip hard and bowed low.
As she turned to retreat, Aila stopped her.
“Where do you think you're going?”
“...Pardon? I said the Ciela family would gladly accept punishment for daring to threaten a Loengrin. Before I make a bigger mistake... I'm grateful to you, Miss Trista, for stepping in.”
“That's just about the Ciela family daring to threaten a Loengrin. And the Trista family defending against it.”
“...So?”
“Families don't matter. My fiancé, Wolfram, was threatened! And I, Aila, haven't forgiven you yet, Regina!”
“.........Pardon?”
Aila stepped between me and Regina.
As she passed, I caught her eyes.
And I saw the Aila I remembered.
The newbie shredder. The early-game worst nightmare boss. The eyes of 【Lady of Rebellion: Aila Trista】.
“I've never liked you from the start. Now that it's come to this, I'll end you completely so you never pull this crap again.”
“......So what will you do? Expel me?”
......
A sudden sense of déjà vu hit me.
Act 3.
Yes. Act 3.
Aila Trista rebelled against Eve von Loengrin.
The Trista family ended up cornered, and Aila's downfall was sealed by Regina Cielra, leading to her expulsion.
Now, Regina Cielra had sinned against Wolfram von Loengrin.
The rest was easy to predict.
...The Ciela family would be cornered. And exploiting this, Aila Trista could easily get Regina expelled.
Act 3 with positions reversed.
Would this be the end of Regina Cielra?
...It could be.
If Aila was fully committed.
She'd protected me, and testifying to Regina's threat on the spot gave her that power.
p>
The audience here was silent. All 'elite magic department students seasoned in politics.'
Above all, I'd just invoked the Loengrin name.
And Trista was no lesser house than Ciela.
With imperial backing, Trista had already tipped the scales.
A little opinion-shaping, and Regina was done.
“Expel you?”
To Regina's question about expulsion, Aila gave a cool, sinking reply.
Aila was ice-cold, and Regina's eyes began to tremble endlessly.
Then Aila delivered the final judgment.
“You think I'd stoop to something so petty, I, Aila Trista?”
“......Pardon?”
“I just can't stand seeing you act like a lunatic, banking on that flimsy magic power of 21.”
“......Wh-what?”
Aila pointed her index finger accusingly at Regina.
Her voice was completely different from moments ago.
Not the utterly chilling Act 3 boss Aila Trista I remembered.
She brimmed with the fiery passion of the rebellious bird I'd grown used to.
“There was definitely a duel in the finals, right? I'll smash you then! Get hit by my rebellion and learn to heel like a beaten dog!”
“......Ha.”
“Accept the challenge? Vice-top of the year!”
“You have no authority. I accept... top of the year.”
“Good. Now get lost!”
“......Stay well.”
With that, Regina retreated in quick steps, and Aila planted her hands on her hips, huffing triumphantly.
“Whew. Alright. For finals, I'll make that scrawny elf kneel and say, 'Sorry, I got cocky on my flimsy magic power.' Ahem. Now I'll be top in both theory and practicals. Perfect rebellion!”
Aila muttered to herself.
“Aila.”
“Wolfram! You okay? Anywhere hurt?”
“I'm fine.”
“Good. Really good.”
“......Why challenge Regina Cielra to a duel? Like she said, expulsion was possible.”
“Need to go that far?”
“...I suppose not?”
“Yeah. Just give her a good scolding so she never defies us again... Expulsion's too harsh, right?”
“Ha.”
I couldn't help but laugh.
In the original story... Regina would've mercilessly doomed Aila.
But in this Jefrin with me, Aila... didn't wish ruin on Regina.
“Everyone makes mistakes. Just punish and reflect plenty.”
“......I see.”
Pure, upright eyes.
Straight-backed posture.
Feet facing only forward.
“So, got a plan to beat Regina Cielra? You know magic 13 can beat 15, but 19 versus 21 is another story.”
“Oh? But I'm not alone.”
“......”
“Wolfram. With you here, what's to worry about?”
She said, beaming at me.
I see.
Tough alone, but together...
“Together, we can surpass magic power 21, right?”
Yes. Together, surely...
“No. We can't.”
“........................Huh?”
Surely my ass.
As if.
Back at the convenience store, I replayed the day's events.
“Oppa. What're you doing?”
“Need to think. Spica, you're on guard duty again today?”
“Yep! Hehe. Leave it to me! Your Spica Trista will protect you!”
“...Right.”
Her bright smile as she said it reminded me of Aila.
This world now had no boss Aila, no ruthless war mage Spica.
......
......
Honestly, it'd been hard to accept, but Regina flipping out wasn't just her being totally unhinged by nature—maybe the Secret Lovely Potion played a part.
She was already a bit off, but today she went full tilt... in a way, it was partly my fault. That set Aila off... Hmm. So this duel wasn't entirely free of my responsibility.
“Oppa's so fragile... Even as a grown-up... Hehe. I gotta protect him.”
“......”
Spica stared at me, muttering something.
That too was probably... the Secret Lovely Potion.
Ignoring her heated breath and gaze, I sank back into thought.
The gap between magic power 19 and 21 was hopeless. Two points was impossible to bridge.
Even if Aila had slammed her full-power Black Crystal there, if Regina blocked at full strength... barely any damage.
If Aila's were 20, or Regina's 20, maybe.
20 vs. 21 had luck and chance—not impossible.
To make this fight even 'worth a shot,' what we needed was... +1 magic power.
And naturally, I had a way to raise magic power by 1 in mind.
“...Tch.”
Aila had stepped out of family drama purely for me, got mad for me.
Believed she could crush Regina with me there.
Then... I had to repay that trust.
“Didn't want to get tangled, but...”
Hidden heroine.
The one producing the most bad ends.
“Filtia Bluebreeze.”
Race.
Blue Dragon.
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