Chapter 12
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 12: Trouble Breaks Out When You're Next to the Protagonist (3)
"Die, Saintess!"
For a moment, I had the illusion that time was flowing slowly.
This was possible because I hadn't let my guard down since the moment I met the Saintess.
The two guys who were Male Lead Candidates hadn't even grasped the situation properly yet, and Jean reacted and moved, but it was late.
If it went on like this, a scratch would be drawn on the Saintess's pretty face.
'Will the Holy Sword protect her on its own?'
For a moment, such a thought occurred out of annoyance, but since I knew little about the Holy Sword, I didn't choose to gamble.
I threw the fork I was holding toward the assailant.
"Kuaaaaaaack!"
The fork embedded itself deeply into the hand of the guy holding a weapon.
The man screamed in unexpected pain and dropped the knife.
"Heup...!"
Following that, Jean plugged his fist into the guy's solar plexus, and he slumped limply.
It ended more blandly than I thought, but I didn't let my guard down.
Isn't it a common cliché of villains all over the world to self-destruct or move to phase 2 after making you let your guard down thinking you won?
"Did we get him?"
But fortunately, seeing as he didn't react even to magic spells, it seemed the guy had really collapsed.
"What is this...!"
"Alicia! Are you hurt anywhere!?"
When the assailant collapsed, the two Male Lead Candidates made a fuss belatedly.
Seeing them move only after everything was already over made me sigh.
How can guys called Male Lead Candidates be this complacent?
Well, what can be done.
Anyone can make mistakes at first.
Although it will become past tense now, isn't the academy a place that proved its safety through its history?
Since they probably couldn't imagine that a warlock would really pierce through the academy's defenses and enter, I could overlook it for the first time.
I just hoped they would learn from today's failure and protect the Saintess well in the future.
"I... I am fine."
The Saintess answered the Male Lead Candidates' words.
She was looking alternately at the assailant and me with a blank expression, seemingly quite shocked.
To be shaken by just this much, the Sword Saintess still has a long way to go.
'Haa... There goes eating comfortably.'
I sighed and put a piece of meat in my mouth.
The meat was still delicious, but it didn't taste the same as before.
This is why I didn't want to get involved with the Saintess.
What's the use of solving the incident for now? Originally, cleaning up the aftermath is always the most annoying part.
Due to the disturbance just now, the attention of everyone in the restaurant was focused on us.
There's no way I can continue eating comfortably in a situation like this.
"I will be going first. Call me later if you need an explanation of the situation. Though I don't have much information to give you even if you do."
I rose from my seat first.
Staying here would only continue to draw glares, and the moment I subdued the attempted assassin of the Saintess, there was no longer anything for me to do.
Handling this situation was the share of the Imperial Prince Kyle and the academy.
"Could you settle the bill first?"
"Yes? Ah, yes yes!"
When I asked the part-timer who was looking at me blankly, she hurriedly approached and helped with the payment.
I gave a brief glance to the Romance Fantasy group who were still stiff, then left my seat first.
After time passed and it became time for afternoon lectures, the Saintess's group entered the lecture room.
Although they looked a bit tired due to the shock of the incident earlier, the confusion seemed to have subsided to some extent.
Lunch time had passed, but seeing as no particular words were heard about the attempted assassination of the Saintess, it seemed the academy had done a good job of keeping mouths shut.
The Saintess who entered the lecture room looked around, soon discovered me, and beckoned me to come over.
Normally I would have pretended not to see, but since there was an incident today, I complied obediently.
The Saintess guided me to an empty lecture room she had found in advance.
Of course, since the two Male Lead Candidates were also together, I didn't have any strange thoughts.
Entering the empty lecture room, we confirmed no one was there and got straight to the point.
"Was the matter wrapped up well?"
"Thanks to you. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have even been able to save face."
An assailant intruded into the middle of the academy and tried to assassinate the Saintess, but the academy didn't even perceive it.
Just with this fact, the Empire and the academy were scheduled to embrace great disgrace.
But if the Saintess had even gotten hurt by that assailant, even the purpose of uniting the continent in response to the appearance of warlocks would have been shaken.
If the most outstanding talents from each country were sent to the Empire in the name of a great cause, but that place wasn't safe, who could be at ease?
"Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I was able to avoid danger."
The Saintess bowed her head to me and expressed gratitude.
"It's fine. If you are really thankful, please ensure my name doesn't come up in this incident."
"Yes? But..."
"The aftermath of this incident will by no means be small. The attention of the entire continent will turn this way, and I do not want to be in the eye of the storm."
Right now I am a student at Franz Academy, but fundamentally, I am a noble of another country.
If this matter rises to the surface, political elements are bound to intervene.
Huh? An accident happened at the Imperial Academy?
But the one who solved it was an international student from the Baran Kingdom?
It becomes 100% annoying.
My kingdom, as well as other nations, will use me as a justification to bite the Empire.
It's better to pass this credit appropriately to someone else and have our kingdom communicate with the Empire behind the scenes to gain benefits.
The Prince also perceived this, nodded, and said.
"Thank you for your consideration. I will reward you generously."
Since the Empire's face is also on the line, they wouldn't just pay lip service.
"Then it would be good to end this matter here."
"Sharing even information about the identity of the assailant who attacked us.."
"I have no interest. At most, it would be related to warlocks or cultists. The fact that the academy didn't notice means they were hit by an unknown sorcery until now, wouldn't it be so?"
"Uh... Uh-huh... That is true but.."
"If your business is finished, then goodbye."
Just as I was about to leave like that, suddenly a strange point came to mind, so I decided to share it.
"Ah, come to think of it, there is one doubtful point."
"What is it?"
"Wasn't the culprit caught too easily? Although we are in the Knight Department, if it hadn't been a surprise attack, it was at a level where he couldn't even attack properly. For an assassin, should I say he was too... weak?"
"Hmm.... That is true."
Although the Saintess's group had completely let their guard down not even dreaming of an external force's intrusion, it is still assassinating the Saintess.
From the perspective of warlocks or cultists, it would be the most difficult yet important task, but they send an assassin who is practically no different from an ordinary person?
That means, practically, that man was a disposable pawn.
"What could be the reason for using a disposable pawn?"
I answered Asel's question.
"....They probably didn't have certainty."
"Certainty?"
"Just as the academy hasn't suffered from warlock intrusion for hundreds of years, warlocks also haven't intruded into the academy."
Warlocks also used a disposable pawn because they couldn't have certainty whether they could intrude into the academy.
If the assassination succeeds, it's best. If not, just inflicting damage is good too.
Even if it fails, they obtained information that intrusion was successful and could make the Saintess feel the danger of assassination, so there was almost nothing to lose.
Since assassination gives immense stress in that one doesn't know when damage will come to oneself, besides directly inflicting threats.
"....Maybe an incident might occur soon."
"Could you explain in detail?"
"The fact that warlocks can intrude into the academy has been revealed. However, this method will be analyzed by the academy. Then, the period they can utilize this advantage naturally narrows."
"From now until the academy supplements the barrier."
"It is just my thought."
"No, it is a valid opinion. I will convey this point to the academy as well. I express my gratitude."
"Yes, then I will really be going."
"Ah, w... wait a moment...! Ethan!?"
If I've done this much, I've really done everything.
Getting involved further will only become annoying, so I let the Saintess's words flow in one ear and out the other and returned to my original place.
When Ethan Ibres left the empty lecture room first, Alicia looked at Kyle and Asel with an aggrieved expression.
"Why is that person only like this to me...!"
"Ahaha..."
"Kuhum..."
Asel laughing awkwardly and Kyle avoiding her eyes.
Alicia also knew the answer.
Didn't he say it with his own mouth at the restaurant?
That he doesn't want to get involved with the Saintess who will become the center of the continent's situation in the future.
When she heard it at the restaurant, she thought he might be making up any reason because he disliked her, but seeing there was actually an incident targeting her, she couldn't deny it anymore.
'Ugh... That's more annoying.'
A situation where she hasn't done anything wrong but is being unilaterally rejected just for the reason of being a Saintess.
Alicia found that incredibly unfair.
Before becoming a Saintess, she was the precious jade of her family, and after becoming a Saintess, she was the hope of the continent.
Therefore, this was the first time in her life she had been walled off to this extent.
If he were someone she didn't even need to care about, maybe, but to Alicia, the man named Ethan Ibres was a lifesaver and also the first goal she came to have as a martial artist.
A person who touched her pride by saying to her face, the master of the Holy Sword, that a sword cannot beat a spear.
Therefore, a person she wants to beat even more.
To Alicia, who expected to meet diverse people upon entering the academy, he was like a rival.
....Although it's a one-sided position as of yet.
Anyway, when she first lost to him, she had dreamed of a relationship where they competed in martial arts, improved together, and became close...
His appearance avoiding her as if telling her to wake up from her dream was just frustrating.
"What should I do to get close to Ethan Ibres..."
Hearing the Saintess's lament, the two men wanted to help her who was worrying, but thinking they might just be increasing competitors for no reason, they couldn't answer easily.
At that moment, an idea flashed through Kyle's mind.
Advice that is correct generally, but if one goes into detail, could rather become a check.
"I heard that to get close in any relationship, the time spent together must be long. How about seeing his face often under the pretext of assignments or sparring?"
"Ah...! Such a method!?"
"Kyle!?"
Asel was flustered by Kyle's words.
'There are already many competitors, what do you intend to do if one more appears here?'
He had no choice but to think Kyle was doing something self-destructive to score points with Alicia.
But Kyle's thoughts were different.
Ethan is someone who extremely avoids getting involved with the Saintess.
He provoked the Saintess by saying a sword cannot beat a spear to the Sword Saintess's face, and even stated the reason for keeping his distance from the Saintess in front of her.
Furthermore, he didn't even remember Alicia's name, so would he think favorably of the Saintess's approach?
No way. It will surely be annoying and irritating.
The first few times, they might pass over it nicely considering each other's face, but if that repeats, eventually things will happen where feelings get hurt.
When that time comes, Alicia will also fold her interest in Ethan.
"Thanks, Kyle! I'll try it once!"
Perhaps liking the advice, Alicia grabbed Kyle's hand and shook it.
Feeling the warm warmth from her hand, Kyle smiled a victor's smile.
Score points with her right now and nip the bud of someone who might become a future competitor.
Wouldn't this truly be the best choice?
"W-W... Wait a moment! If you win the spar, I'll grant you anything you want!"
He had thought so until he heard Alicia's bombshell declaration.