An Extremely Ordinary Group Project (3)

The students were initially flustered by the sudden appearance of monsters roaming the streets, but it seemed they hadn't passed that insane entrance exam for nothing. They quickly threw themselves into hunting the shadows with everything they had. Roughly one hour after the assignment began, every last Shadow Servant was wiped out, leaving only their cores behind.

Professor Istal's cheerful voice rang out, and the students who hadn't managed to secure many Shadow Servant cores let out regretful sighs. Then came the ranking announcement.

As names continued to be called out one after another, Loto turned to the group with a bright red face and protested.

"No matter how you look at it, throwing a person is going too far, isn't it, Mr. Rabaul!?"

"Ah, ahem. My apologies. The situation was urgent, so I acted without thinking."

"Would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you like to try being the one who's thrown without thinking!?"

When Rabaul awkwardly averted his gaze, Loto's eyes turned to Fiore next. Technically Rabaul had been the one to throw him, but wasn't it Fiore who had ordered it? No matter how much he owed Chrome's younger sibling, this wasn't something he could just let slide—

Suddenly, two hands with skin as white as white jade gently grasped Loto's own. Silver hair that shimmered blue under the moonlight and the beautiful eyes visible between the strands drew close enough for him to feel her breath. Loto reflexively gasped.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Loto. How can I possibly make up for this mistake...? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Huh? Oh, no... I'm not hurt, but..."

"My leadership skills were so lacking that I ended up committing a great discourtesy. I truly apologize. With monsters everywhere, I panicked in the moment and..."

"N-no, I understand! Anyone would panic in a situation like that!"

Fiore's expression filled with emotion.

"Thank you, Mr. Loto. The way you stood firm against the monsters from the very beginning without taking even a single step back was truly reliable. You were thinking of us in the back, weren't you?"

"Haha, it was nothing. I simply did what anyone should do."

The memory of a novice who couldn't even land a single attack and had been beaten senseless while screaming vanished. In its place rose the memory of a splendid knight who had desperately held his ground to protect those around him. Self-rationalization was impossibly sweet. The face that had been flushed with anger just moments ago was now filled with bashfulness and pride.

Watching this scene, Rabaul and Pino's expressions grew subtle.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

'The young lady didn't seem flustered at all. If anything, she was the one analyzing the situation most coldly.'

'What a sucker. We've got a real sucker right here.'

Completely unaware of the pitying looks directed at him, Loto continued laughing happily while Professor Istal's announcement went on. Soon, the names of the top teams were called.

Someone among the students sucked in a sharp breath. The fact that there was someone ranked higher than the Imperial Princess was that shocking. Even though second place was by no means a low ranking, it still stunned them. That was how overwhelmingly dominant her position had been in every kind of evaluation up until now.

Yes. Up until this very moment.

"The top fifteen teams will advance to the next stage! The notice for the second stage assignment will be released at noon tomorrow. To those who were eliminated, we are sorry, but please look forward to the next opportunity—"

"Wait a second! Isn't this cheating!?"

One of the students shouted.

"We rushed out the moment we heard the broadcast! But dozens of Shadow Servants had already been slaughtered by those guys! How does that make any sense!?"

Someone who seemed to be his companion continued.

"It looks like they knew the test content in advance and prepared for it! This is unfair!"

"Shouldn't we double-check this?"

"If we'd fought under the same conditions, there's no way we would've lost."

"That person taking second place is ridiculous."

Voices, voices, and more voices kept pouring out. The darkness of night served as an excellent curtain to hide their faces. Not every student was joining in the criticism in unison, but as complaints of unfairness continued to rise around them, doubt began to sprout in their hearts as well.

The bewilderment of facing a sudden situation. The resentment of being eliminated without even being able to show their true strength. The calculation that if the results were nullified, they might get another chance. Amidst all this, I remained quietly silent.

Refuting them would have been simple. Based on Professor Istal's notice, we had prepared thoroughly while they had let their guard down. It would have been easy to drive that point home. But that wasn't enough.

Even though I knew reactions like this would come, there was a reason I had gone out of my way to secure an overwhelming first place. Because—

"How unsightly."

The most suitable person to clean up this situation wasn't me. It was her.

Hair the color of blazing flames shone vividly even in the darkness of night. Despite clearly having to hurry in the sudden situation, her dress remained perfectly immaculate. Lyla Everblaze Barhart stepped forward with dignity.

"Just as the early bird catches the worm, it is only natural that those who didn't miss the hints hidden within the professor's notice and prepared in advance achieved good results. To criticize that as cowardly or unfair... Do none of you possess any sense of shame?"

As her sunset-colored eyes began to sweep ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠over the surroundings, carrying quiet anger, not only the students who had raised their voices in criticism, but even those who had stayed silent, lowered their heads in embarrassment. The public opinion that had begun to coalesce in the form of criticism from within the curtain of darkness was completely overturned by the presence of the Imperial Princess.

She possessed the charisma to directly crush and shatter the pressure of conformity created by dozens of people. Even if I had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stepped forward aggressively to defend myself earlier, the atmosphere would never have turned out like this.

Princess Lyla looked at me.

"Congratulations, Chrome. I hope you won't pay any mind to what others are saying."

I replied, "Thank you, Lady Lyla. And this much is fine. I've heard it so often since childhood that I'm quite used to it."

"Just because you're used to it doesn't mean the pain disappears. All of your other team members worked hard as well."

When the princess offered words of encouragement, Loto completely froze up. Even Pino, who was usually so bold, couldn't hide her bewilderment. Rabaul silently bowed his head, and Fiore watched the princess with a slightly impressed expression, her usual smile gone. Only Ligret faced the princess with her usual blunt expression, but it didn't affect the overall mood.

The Imperial Princess who offered unstinting praise to outsiders who had achieved outstanding results, and even to those ranked higher than herself. It was a heartwarming scene straight out of a painting. Even the students who had shown hostility toward us now seemed to acknowledge us.

A gentle and amicable conclusion that satisfied everyone. Which was exactly why—

I opened my mouth to shatter that atmosphere.

"I'm at a loss for how to respond to such encouraging words, but it seems a little early to say we've worked hard, Your Highness. Our team still has a long way to go from here. Shouldn't we remain tense instead of letting our guard down already?"

Princess Lyla responded, "Indeed, only the first stage has ended. I wish you good results in the remaining schedule as well."

I smiled. "Yes, we'll have to work very hard. Especially if we want to compete with none other than you and claim first place again."

For the first time, a different emotion appeared on her face, which had been smiling gently.

"So that is your goal, Chrome. It won't be easy, will it?"

"I've already done it once, so there's no reason I can't do it a second time."

The once gentle atmosphere gradually froze over, turning cold. As if it were a prelude to an even greater blaze. But that was precisely what I had been waiting for.

Simply getting close wasn't enough. Simply being acknowledged wasn't enough. The reason I had deliberately secured an overwhelming first place despite knowing there would be backlash. The reason I had deliberately poured cold water on an atmosphere that could have been resolved amicably.

There was only one thing I was aiming for.

To make the Successor of Red and Blue Blood truly look at me. To draw her in not as the perfect Imperial Princess to be admired from afar, but as a comrade who would navigate this world together with me from now on.

This time, I intended to defeat Lyla Everblaze Barhart head-on.