Chapter 133

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 133

Chapter Title: I'll Rip Out Your Balls

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The examiners watching the selection exam were plunged into shock.

It wasn't just the retainers serving as examiners.

Almost all the retainers had been paying close attention to this selection exam.

The reason was obvious: Ian Isaac, the man Yi Sua had declared she would marry.

"What do we do, Chief Steward?"

One retainer asked the Chief Steward of the Illimost Archmage Duke Family.

The Chief Steward was the only Rank 1 retainer and the highest-ranking among them.

The Archduchess ruled supreme, but the Chief Steward handled overall responsibility for the family's practical affairs,

and the selection exam was no exception.

The Chief Steward stared silently down at the screen.

On the screen was Ian, who had sent Ilno through and then lain down on the floor.

"We have no choice but to approve it."

Seoa, the ultra-high-ranking retainer and Chief Steward of the Illimost Archmage Duke Family, said.

"But Chief Steward! Ian Isaac's skills were clearly below standard!"

"Exactly. Without his teammates, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he definitely would have failed!"

"Shouldn't someone around Participant 101's level be the minimum to become a retainer?!"

Many retainers rebelled against Seoa's decision.

"Ian Isaac passed every criterion of the exam."

"But that's only because his teammates were exceptional. Without their quick thinking, there were multiple moments where Ian Isaac's mistakes would have led to failure."

Indeed, Ian had performed far better than expected in the exam.

But in the retainers' eyes, his clumsiness was clear. It was as if he'd crammed for the test at the last minute.

Ian had only passed thanks to his teammates.

Chief Steward Seoa knew that fact as well.

Yet Seoa said this:

"That's true for everyone."

"Chief Steward...!"

"Are you saying we're the same as that guy right now?!"

The retainers collectively rebelled against Seoa's words.

It was a statement that disregarded their pride and loyalty in serving the Illimost Archduchess.

But no one here was more loyal to Yi Sua than Seoa.

"Ranks exist, but before loyalty to Archduchess, retainers make no distinctions. Every retainer's actions must connect seamlessly without a single error. Everyone must work toward one purpose so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that Archduchess feels no discomfort whatsoever."

The retainers each had their own duties, but they all converged on a single goal.

All their actions fit together like puzzle pieces, always allowing them to support Yi Sua perfectly.

"There is no retainer here who has never made a mistake."

A retainer's individual duties were so complex and demanding that they required control down to the slightest finger twitch.

Mistakes were inevitable.

Yet the overall work of the retainers never faltered.

Because if one retainer erred, another would immediately cover for it.

"We gathered for one purpose. It's too grand an undertaking for any one person. That's why coordination between retainers is crucial, and why team exams are emphasized in the selection process."

The current selection exam system had been created by none other than Seoa.

She knew one person alone couldn't support Yi Sua adequately.

So she had built this system.

"That's true, but..."

"And you all know what happens when someone clings stubbornly to their own way amid all these retainers cooperating."

Thus, retainers had to trust their comrades.

In cases of conflicting duties, they had to follow the more skilled retainer's lead.

All retainers were fanatically loyal to Yi Sua.

That very loyalty could spark conflicts mid-duty if mishandled.

Like insisting the Archduchess prefers it this way. No, it must be done that way.

The third-day exam had been designed to prevent such clashes.

What mattered was supporting Yi Sua, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not proving who was superior.

If another retainer could assist Yi Sua better, you had to yield the opportunity.

Retainers existed to prioritize Yi Sua's happiness over their own.

If you felt you couldn't support her as well as someone else,

you had to willingly step aside.

"Yielding the chance to a participant more suited to being a retainer than yourself. Have you forgotten that's another passing condition of the final exam?"

Current skill level mattered, of course.

But before that, unwavering loyalty to Yi Sua ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was paramount.

Someone who could joyfully forfeit their own chance upon seeing a participant better suited to serve Yi Sua.

Such devotion qualified one as a retainer.

That was why, on the third day, retainers deliberately manipulated the passages.

To ensure participants inevitably encountered someone from their own team.

Teammates knew each other's capabilities.

Yet if, knowing their loyalty fell short, they attacked the other to pass anyway...

That paradoxically proved they lacked retainer qualifications.

Ian could have crossed the passage first if he'd wanted.

But Ian had openly yielded the chance to Ilno.

"Disqualifying Ian Isaac here would be spitting in our own faces. And didn't you rig his second-day exam? Yet he still passed. What do you think would happen if Archduchess learned you'd tampered with his exam?"

"..."

"Ugh..."

The retainers could voice no further complaints.

Their loyalty was excessively high, but this incident had been a blind move.

"We exist for Archduchess's happiness. If that boy marries her and makes her happy, we must support it wholeheartedly."

Seoa gazed at Ian beyond the screen.

"Yet you lot seem to be pursuing your own satisfaction over Archduchess's happiness right now."

The retainers bowed their heads.

They knew their usual loyalty had warped during this exam.

"But what if Ian Isaac isn't a good husband?"

"Y-yes! What if he makes tears of blood flow from Archduchess's eyes?"

"That's unknowable now. For the moment, we fulfill what Archduchess desires. But if, later, she truly sheds tears because of Ian Isaac..."

Seoa clenched her fist tightly.

Just imagining it filled her with rage.

"...Then we'll have to rip out his balls."

After hearing the explanation from Professor Multif, a whirlwind of emotions surged through me.

To think one of the final exam's passing conditions was something like that.

"So both of us could pass this exam?"

"That's the condition, at least. Usually, no one yields, though."

An exam where you inevitably faced a teammate.

If the participant with the lower individual score from prior tests yielded to the higher one, both passed.

Individual team exam scores weren't public.

In other words, willingly yielding to a teammate more suited to retainer duties was another passing criterion.

'But my case is a bit different.'

That wasn't my line of thinking, though.

Ilno was obviously far more suited to being a retainer than me.

I'd entered clueless from the start.

Ilno's plight was so desperate that I'd yielded, and now this stroke of luck.

"Did Ilno get out safely?"

"Yeah. He passed through the opposite entrance. He's probably heard by now. Go on out."

I rose from the floor and left the cave.

On the way, I posted the news to the gallery.

The gallery reactions were mixed.

Still, most agreed it had turned out well.

Anyway, it worked out. Everyone's happy.

A moment later, I arrived at the waiting room.

Entering the passers' lounge, I found not just Ilno, but Taebor and Chinya too.

"Ian!"

"I-Ian...!"

"You two passed as well?"

Teams consisted of four members.

Since teammates were set to meet in the caves, Taebor and Chinya must have faced each other.

"Y-yes. Honestly, I thought Chinya contributed way more, so I yielded. But I didn't expect..."

Taebor had been the one to yield here.

Chinya's caregiving skills were no joke, indeed.

Meanwhile, no other teams had both passed.

Our team members were the most sincerely loyal to Yi Sua.

Ending up in such a group was pure luck—nothing else explained it.

"Thank you all, truly."

I bowed deeply with genuine sincerity.

"...I should be thanking you, Ian."

In response to my thanks, Ilno lifted me up with a pained expression.

He still had his eyes fully open, his usual sleepy look replaced by a stern gaze.

"If you hadn't yielded, I wouldn't have become a retainer. You could have crossed if you'd wanted."

"True, but without you three, I wouldn't have passed day two. The most fitting ones should pass."

"No. That's not it."

Ilno shook his head with a tormented look.

"In that moment, I wasn't thinking that way at all. Anyone serving Archduchess should prioritize 'who's more suited as retainer' in that situation. But I just wanted to take you down and pass, without a second thought.

Truth be told, I even considered killing you. If I let you move, you might cross first."

"..."

Ilno's confession startled me a bit.

To make such a judgment in that split second.

His prosthetic eye suddenly felt eerie.

But on second thought, it wasn't incomprehensible.

Anyone desperate to pass would think the same.

"It's fine. Anyone would have."

"No. They shouldn't have. It made me realize I'm still lacking. What truly matters isn't me, but Archduchess..."

Ilno grimaced in pain.

While others celebrated passing,

such agonizing reflection proved Ilno's retainer qualifications.

He'd make a fine retainer.

"A-anyway, it worked out... Let's all become good retainers together!"

"R-right! We're comrades again, so let's do our best as retainers!"

Taebor and Chinya lifted the somber mood.

The three reaffirmed their resolve as fellow retainers.

I'd taken the exam, but I had no intention of actually becoming one.

I'd grown fond of them... but better tell them soon.

"About that, actually, I'm..."

"-Looks like a fine team of future retainers."

Just as I started confessing, someone cut me off.

It was a female retainer I'd never seen before.

"Ch-Chief Steward!"

"Greetings!"

The three called her Chief Steward.

She seemed high-ranking among retainers.

"Congratulations on passing. You three, wait here. Ian Isaac. Follow me."

The Chief Steward took me away.

I bid the three farewell and followed.

"See you later, Ian!"

"Come back safe!"

"Ah, Ian still has much to learn..."

I stammered awkwardly as she dragged me off,

and the three waved goodbye.

I hadn't explained properly yet.

Got dragged away and missed the timing.

Opportunity to talk later, probably.

"Where are we going? Did Archduchess summon me?"

"Yes."

The Chief Steward answered curtly and kept walking.

Something felt off. Maybe another scheme?

Or dissatisfaction with my passing.

They'd rigged my exam.

What if retainers had ulterior motives?

"Is Archduchess really summoning me? If you're taking me somewhere for other purposes..."

"Archduchess summoned you. You're referring to the second exam interference, I assume."

The Chief Steward spoke as if already aware of the retainers' meddling.

"Yes. Some exam proctors intervened."

"To deliberately make you fail, yes."

"Exactly. But even so, you passed spectacularly, so the retainers have acknowledged you—for now. Those who interfered will face severe punishment."

The Chief Steward explained the interfering retainers and the aftermath.

Retainers displeased with me had done it.

Ruining the selection exam was forbidden, so punishments were hefty.

"Why did those retainers sabotage my exam?"

"Their loyalty is... overly intense. Let's leave it at that. Some couldn't accept an unfit person receiving special treatment."

"Special treatment? We all took the same exam."

"Not just the retainer exam. You'll learn the details living with Archduchess. I can't say more."

She wouldn't specify the retainers' reasons.

Implying Yi Sua would explain.

More intriguingly, 'living with Archduchess'—what did that mean?

Then we arrived at Yi Sua's room.

"Ian Isaac."

"...Yes?"

The Chief Steward halted abruptly and fixed me with a cold stare.

After glaring for a long while, she said something bizarre.

"Take good care of Archduchess."

"What?"

"But remember this. If you make tears fall from Archduchess's eyes, I'll rip out your balls."

"Y-yes?"

I instinctively clamped my legs together.

Thought it was a challenge, but she just pointed to the door beside her.

"Enter. Archduchess awaits."

We'd reached Yi Sua's room.

The Chief Steward knocked, Yi Sua responded, and five seconds later, she opened the door.

I shuffled inside hesitantly.

"There you are, Ian. Sit here."

Yi Sua greeted me bouncing with strange excitement.

A stark contrast to the Chief Steward's demeanor.

This damn family made no sense.

"Congratulations on passing."

At least I'd passed per her conditions.

Now it was time to hear what the Archmage Dukes were plotting.

"Thank you. You'll keep your promise, right?"

"Ah, yes. The Archmage Dukes' goal. Right."

What else was there?

Yi Sua seemed off, but I sat on the sofa silently for now.

"Then I'll start. With each Archmage Duke Family's purpose."

True to her word, Yi Sua launched into the story without delay.