Interlude: The Bitter Taste of Defeat
Kanya could not believe the situation unfolding before her eyes. Losing to Baran? That was possible. If the rumors weren't exaggerated, it was an undeniable fact that he was stronger than her. Yet there was only one reason she refused to accept reality.
He didn't even shave off half my gauge?
She hadn't set that condition lightly. Even if victory felt out of reach, she had been certain she could reduce his gauge by more than half. After all, in a confined space her poison magic held an overwhelming advantage. And yet she had still lost.
With a trembling voice, she asked, “Exactly why did I lose? By my calculations, a surprise attack from behind or my poison magic should have depleted at least half of your gauge.”
Baran looked down at her. Instead of answering, he had Risa hand over the weapon she had enchanted.
“What is this?”
“My eyes aren't good, so I can't read what's written on it. Please examine the enchantment yourself.”
Her gaze fell on the bow. The moment she saw the formulas inscribed upon it, her eyes widened.
Magic control and reaction speed?
Imbuing weapons with enchantments was not particularly difficult. Most students in the production department could manage it. What shocked her was something else.
Two enchantments on a single weapon?
It was a double enchantment—something even accomplished enchanters found extremely difficult. And both were now embedded in Baran's bow.
“Who created this…?”
“It was Miss Risa.”
Kanya's jaw dropped. She had never imagined that the girl she had tormented for so long could produce something like this.
“You asked, didn't you?” Baran said in a cold voice. “You wanted to know why you lost?”
He continued, “It's simple. The reaction speed enchantment on the bow allowed me to evade your surprise attack, and the magic control enchantment suppressed your poison as much as possible. This was a two-on-two sparring match, after all. It was never a one-on-one duel between you and me.”
Miroel nodded with an understanding expression, as if she too had been curious. While she processed his answer, Kanya could only press her lips tightly together. She had never once considered that Risa's weapon might be the reason for her defeat.
Finally, resentment thick in her voice, she asked, “Then what command will you give me?”
“It's nothing complicated. I would like you to help clear up the injustice surrounding Miss Risa's father.”
“Miss Risa's father?”
What? You were bullying her without even knowing that?
It seemed Kanya had been gaslit as well. Still, that did not erase her own wrongdoing. She needed to atone.
Baran gave a brief explanation. “Miss Risa's father is a man named Dillo.”
“?!”
“From what I understand, some injustice occurred. I hope you will help reveal the truth.”
“......”
Since it happened when she was young, Kanya did not know the details. All she had heard was that an employee named Dillo had been expelled from the family after conducting suspicious research. She nodded at his request.
“I understand. I will uncover as much as I can about what happened. With that, this matter is—”
“What are you talking about? When did I say it was over?”
“Excuse me? Didn't you just issue your command?”
“When did I ever say it would be only one?”
Baran tilted his head and glanced at Dale. The professor flashed an irritating smile and spoke up.
“Indeed, the condition was simply to grant the request. I never specified that it would be only one.”
“You heard him.”
“Th-then what other command do you plan to give? Surely you don't mean my body…!”
Apparently misunderstanding something quite seriously, Kanya covered her chest with both hands.
I'm supposed to be blind. What kind of nonsense is she spouting?
Of course he could see, but given his established setting as a blind person, the situation felt absurd. Baran let out a deep sigh.
“Haa. Please don't entertain strange misunderstandings. The request I will make… No, that's right. As Miss Kanya said, I should call this a command. Bring everyone who was tormenting Miss Risa, make them kneel, and apologize.”
“Uh… Yes?”
“It's exactly as you heard. Surely the young lady of the Breed family isn't thinking of breaking her promise?”
“O-of course not! I will keep my word! Please wait here!”
The moment her pride was even slightly pricked, she flew into action. She began striding away briskly, clearly intending to gather her followers.
“This should be an entertaining spectacle. Hehe.”
“Yes, it certainly will be.”
Baran returned the sentiment with a sly smile of his own. Watching the pair, Miroel could only shake her head.
Baran deliberately ignored her comment and stopped smiling. He turned to Dale with a serious expression.
“Professor. May I ask you for one favor?”
As he spoke, Baran quietly watched a certain man leaving the spectator stands.
““We’re sorry.””
Led by Kanya, the female students who had bullied Risa knelt and apologized in unison. Perhaps it was the sight of her usual tormentors on their knees that caused it—Risa floundered, completely flustered and unsure how to respond.
“U-um. So, please don’t do that anymore!”
Why is there such a disconnect between her behavior and her words? Her actions suggested pure panic, yet her tone carried the intensity of someone ready to commit murder. At this point, suspecting her of having multiple personalities seemed entirely reasonable.
Well, there was no such setting in the original, so she’s probably just overwhelmed.
Miroel had even hidden behind him. As Baran was feeling inwardly dumbfounded, someone tugged at his collar.
Risa, who had approached without him noticing, spoke urgently. “Mr. Baran. More importantly, let’s go see Miss Sherry right away!”
“Ah, yes. Let’s do that.”
They needed to confirm the outcome of Sherry and Luden’s match. The original story’s progression could shift depending on the result.
Leaving Kanya’s group still kneeling behind them, the three hurried away. As they ran, Risa shook her small fist and shouted, “And don’t ever do it again!”
Honestly, it was simply adorable.
After running for about a minute, a tremendous cheer reached their ears.
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
The sound came from the third sparring arena—the very place where Sherry and Luden were fighting. As they drew closer, both Baran and Risa let out soft exclamations.
““Ah……””
As expected, Sherry had lost to Luden. Overwhelmingly so. Risa’s quiet gasp was likely due to that result. But Baran’s reaction came from a different place entirely.
Because it looks exactly like I did back then.
He had finally entered the company he had longed for. But reality had been merciless. Instead of developing games, he had been reduced to running errands—fetching coffee again and again. It had been nothing like his expectations. The disappointment had been crushing.
The hollow look in Sherry’s eyes right now was just like looking at his past self.
Of course, unlike him, she hadn’t been disappointed in someone else. She had believed she could at least put up a decent fight, only to be crushed so completely that she ended up disappointed in herself. Still, that stunned, hollow expression mirrored his own from the past.
So that’s why I gave her advice.
Even though it risked causing a butterfly effect, he had warned her. At the time he hadn’t understood his own actions, but seeing this scene now, it finally made sense. He simply hadn’t wanted her to end up like his former self. The words had slipped out before he realized it.
“Shouldn’t we go to Sherry…”
“Let’s just leave her be.”
“Yes.”
“Approaching her now would only make her feel more miserable.”
With those words, Baran turned away. Risa glanced worriedly between him and Sherry before following closely behind.
Thus the 2v2 sparring matches came to an end. The story had progressed exactly as it had in the original work, yet for some reason Baran felt uneasy.
Tich, one of the Breed family’s assassins, had infiltrated the academy to carry out his master’s orders. Since Kanya was now attempting to uncover the family’s secrets alongside Risa, it had become necessary to eliminate the root causes—Baran and Risa.
But at that very moment—
“You should return.”
A chill ran down his spine. When he turned, a squinty-eyed man stood there smiling with his hands clasped behind his back. When had he appeared?
A presence that gave off no detectable aura. A name flashed through Tich’s mind.
“Dale?”
“Oh? You know who I am?”
“Anyone in the assassination trade would be a fool not to.”
On the battlefield he was known as the Grim Reaper. Most who encountered him died without ever understanding why.
Gulp.
Tich swallowed hard. The instant he reached for the dagger at his side—
“Hmm. Are you truly planning to fight me?”
Dale opened his eyes, revealing an expression of deadly seriousness he had never shown before. The pressure was immense even from that simple action. Cold sweat trickled down Tich’s back as he bit his lower lip.
Dale studied him and delivered his warning. “Assassin of the Breed family. Return to your master and relay this message. If they do not wish to make the academy their enemy, they should not lay a hand on our students.”
Normally he would never obey such a command. However, Dale’s presence here meant the academy’s administration was already aware of the situation. In the end, Tich nodded and vanished from Dale’s sight.
At the same time—
“Is this sufficient?”
Dale turned with a sly smile. Baran emerged from the dormitory entrance and gave a satisfied nod.
“Yes. That’s more than enough.”
The Broden Plains—known as the land of endless battle—saw death born anew each day. It was only natural; the region lay directly between the demon territory and the Manchester continent. There, demons and humans clashed with everything they had, desperate to kill one another.
Yet even on such a blood-soaked battlefield, there existed beings of overwhelming might. One such existence was King, an executive of the Demon King’s army.
-Yes, Lord King. It is Jack.
“I see. How is the academy’s security?”
-It is certainly strict, but it appears a gap will open during the practical evaluation that will be held soon.
“Is that so? Then it should be possible?”
-Hmm. However, with the professors present as well, it would be too much for me to handle alone.
Considering Jack’s abilities, holding his own against the professors was indeed unrealistic. But it did not matter.
“There is no need to worry.”
-Pardon?
“I intend to go as well this time.”
As he spoke, King looked down at the human he held in his grasp. The corners of his mouth curled into a grin.
“Therefore, prepare everything in advance so that I may infiltrate as well.”
Crack!
With those final words, King snapped the soldier’s neck. It was time to eliminate the obstacles that would interfere with their future.
The moment the final chapter of the first main episode began.
Several days had passed since the 2v2 sparring matches ended.
Right now, Baran had no idea how to explain the current situation. The reason was simple.
Miroel was practically pouncing on him, demanding they merge into one. To explain this, he first needed to recall the quest reward he had received earlier.