Yustia Banquet (3)
'Yeah, that way I won't have to take off his shirt. Fuck.'
Zeke glanced at Serena and Iriel.
Serena had her eyes closed, diligently practicing her mana circulation. Iriel was sweating bullets, running her ass off because she refused to lose to Serena.
'Hmm, if I said now that we don't need to take off clothes after all, they'd get pissed, right?'
No matter how oblivious Zeke was to social cues, he couldn't help but think that once he recalled their reactions to the Mana Road procedure.
'Serena kicked me out of her room, and Iriel threw such a fit.'
Rosnante's blank blinking, pretending he knew nothing, was fucking annoying.
'This bastard, putting me through this shit.'
"Turn around and sit."
"Y-Yes, sir……."
Rosnante's back was starting to glisten with sweat.
'Fuck.'
Zeke cursed inwardly.
In truth, Zeke was the type to eat even dusty, dirty bread without complaint, but shoving his hand into another man's clothes? That gave him the creeps.
'Too much hassle to explain to Iriel and Serena now, so let's go with this angle.'
"Take it off."
"Yes, sir."
Rosnante removed his shirt. Then, as if something struck him odd, he asked Zeke.
"Um, that…… Did you do the same to Serena and Iriel……?"
"No."
Zeke denied it swiftly.
"Men and women are different."
"I-Is that so……."
But Rosnante didn't drop his suspicious gaze.
'Looks like with Soy Spoon and Yuri Gilbert, I'll have to stick to putting my hand inside their clothes. If this guy spills to the First Prince's side, they'll grab any excuse.'
Somewhat trained, Rosnante's body had no excess fat.
Zeke's hand touched his back.
Shhh.
"Gaaah!"
Rosnante screamed the instant Zeke's mana invaded.
"Shut your mouth."
Zeke's brow furrowed sharply.
Then his eyes softened just a touch.
'This little shit…….'
Inspecting Rosnante's Mana Road took only a few seconds.
The Second Prince collapsed forward, trembling like a puddle.
"Rosnante."
"Guhhh……."
Zeke called, but Rosnante couldn't respond.
It was just a few seconds of agony, but it felt like thick needles stabbing every inch of his body at once.
"Haaaah……."
Tears streamed from his eyes.
Soy Spoon and Yuri Gilbert, running laps and stealing glances, froze.
They slowed to match Iriel's pace.
Huff—
Huff—
Her red hair soaked with sweat.
Yet her innate beauty made even that look noble.
"Um, Iriel……."
Soy Spoon spoke to her.
Huff. "Huh? Elise……?"
"Y-You said you got the Mana Road thing done, right?"
Gasp. "Yeah. I did."
"Does it hurt that much……?"
Having just heard Rosnante's gut-wrenching scream, Soy was losing her nerve.
That's why she'd turned to Iriel, who had already undergone it.
Yuri felt the same.
"Hurt? Well……."
At the question, Iriel recalled the sensation Zeke had given her that day.
The pain, the pleasure, the thrill.
And the arms that had pulled her close, Zeke's crumbling face…….
Her body shivered.
"Hnnngh, it hurts, but……."
"But?"
Suddenly, Iriel's face hardened.
'Wait, Zeke. You're gonna make her strip too!?'
Iriel turned to Soy Spoon with a straight face.
"It hurts like hell. For real, for real, for real. Hurts like you're dying. So don't ever do it. You."
At her stiff warning, Soy Spoon and the eavesdropping Yuri gulped.
"See the Second Prince? Mess up and it hurts enough to kill you. So never do it. I nearly died too."
Soy Spoon nodded gravely.
Blink. Blink.
Rosnante opened his eyes.
"Feeling better?"
"Wh-Where am I……."
"The training ground."
He'd blacked out only briefly.
Serena was still meditating; the others still running.
"Rosnante."
Zeke called in a heavy voice.
"……Yes."
"You're in trouble."
"Pardon?"
Zeke shook his head slowly.
As if there was no helping it.
Rosnante furrowed his brow.
"Trouble? What do you mean?"
"You have Zero Mana Syndrome."
"Zero Mana Syndrome? What's that?"
"Your body has almost no mana. So there's a limit to how strong you can get."
"What!?"
Like a bolt from the blue.
Rosnante stammered in shock.
"W-Wait. Does that mean I can't get stronger?"
"If you train your body to the extreme, maybe somewhat…… But breaking through the wall? Doubtful."
No way!
He was of noble imperial blood.
His innate talent had to surpass commoners.
Rosnante couldn't accept Zeke's words.
"After all that pain…… I still can't get strong……?"
"Yes. Normal talents don't hurt that much."
"Th-That can't be……."
His supporters had abandoned him, and now even strength was slipping away.
It hadn't been long since he'd escaped despair.
He'd thought he could start anew.
"Th-Then what should I do!?"
Rosnante clutched at Zeke like a drowning man.
"……."
Zeke shook his head silently.
Like a doctor delivering a terminal diagnosis, full of regret.
"Me, Zero Mana Syndrome! No way! Impossible!"
Rosnante cried desperately.
Zeke finally spoke, lips parting reluctantly.
"……Truth is, it's not entirely hopeless……."
"Wh-What is it!? Tell me anything. I'm the Second Prince! I can get anything!"
Zeke pinched his brow and said,
"Mana stones."
"Pardon?"
"Mana stones. Forty. Of them. Needed."
Zeke spoke in clipped bursts.
Rosnante's eyes bulged.
Forty mana stones—an impossible sum with his funds.
He was already struggling to repay the twenty the First Prince had extorted.
Down to skimping meals, belt tightened.
Forty more?
"N-No. I can't get that many."
"I see. Then. Nothing to be done."
Sigh.
Zeke sighed, genuinely regretful.
"……."
Suddenly, a rational suspicion sprouted in Rosnante's despair.
'Wait. Mana stones? Wasn't it Zeke Clayman, this sword instructor, who had the First Prince demand them from me too?'
If he needed mana stones now……
And staged this to get them……
'Teaching Serena and Iriel first is suspicious too.'
Duke's daughters. Women—easier to fool.
Did he fleece them too?
If so, serious crime.
Insulting nobility, royalty. Death sentence on the spot.
Rosnante's eyes chilled.
"Instructor."
"What? Thought of a way to get forty mana stones?"
Rosnante's brow furrowed deeper.
He didn't mince words like the First Prince or scheme pressure.
Straight confrontation.
"Mana Road. This. It's not fake, is it?"
Zeke's face hardened too.
"Do you know what you're saying?"
"Yes. I suspect it. If Mana Road even exists. And needing forty stones."
"……."
Cold silence fell between Zeke and Rosnante.
'This kid caught on? How?'
Zeke, who'd eyed Rosnante with pity.
Truth: Not exactly Zero Mana Syndrome.
Just narrow Mana Roads, mirror of Zeke's own.
Usable, but wrecks the body.
If Zeke struggled, how could this idiot prince?
Solution: Mana purification tattoo filter on his back too.
But Zeke hadn't said "no" outright because……
He'd inflated the mana stone cost from twenty to forty.
'Hey, asshole. I'm carving a tattoo using mana stones, you think I live off dirt? My labor! Doubled it exactly. Just 100% profit. Seasonal gig too.'
Zeke grumbled inwardly like a shady summer riverside vendor.
He snorted first.
"Hah. So you're doubting me now."
"…I trust your skills, Instructor. But not if Mana Road exists. Or fleecing the duke's ladies for stones!"
'Nice.'
Zeke, who'd worried about more awkward acting if pressed on the forty stones, cheered inwardly.
"Hah, Serena."
Zeke infused mana into his low voice to call her.
Her eyes snapped open from focus.
Serena whipped her head around, searching for him.
"Instructor?"
"Yes. Serena. During your Mana Road work. Did I demand mana stones?"
"Pardon? Mana Road? …No, you didn't?"
Of course, Zeke had asked for stones once, but not for Mana Road.
Never brought it up again.
"But why……."
Rosnante cut in.
"Serena Yohayden. Did the sword instructor ever demand mana stones as a condition for Mana Road? I'm the Empire's Second Prince. Speak truthfully, Lady Yohayden."
Serena's brows knit in a V.
"Does the Second Prince Rosnante's Mana Road need mana stones?"
Zeke nodded.
"Yes. Rosnante's Mana Road is premature."
"Pr-Premature!"
"Ah, no! I'm not premature!"
Serena's gaze turned pitying.
Slightly annoyed at the badmouthing of Zeke, but……
Understandable reaction.
"To cure it, needs mana stones. But he won't believe me."
"Lord Rosnante……."
"D-Don't look at me like that! I'm totally normal! Normal!"
He protested, but Serena's pity held.
"Serena. Can you use Burst proficiently now?"
"Y-Yes!"
Serena nodded confidently.
"Then show this unbeliever. No need for circulation this time. Firing it straight is more intuitive."
"Got it."
Suuu—
Serena closed her eyes, inhaling deeply.
Fuuuuh—
Exhaling long.
Wind stirred at her feet.
She opened her eyes sharply.
Crouched low, pulled back her fist.
Then—
BOOOOM!!!!
A roar echoed; training ground dust exploded like a storm.
All eyes turned to Serena.
Astounded.
Soy Spoon and Yuri Gilbert gaped.
"Wh-What?"
"Insane……. Uh, how do I report this to the First Prince……."
Iriel, having seen it once, clenched her teeth and ran harder.
And Rosnante.
Eyes wide, face pale.
Sweat beading on his forehead.
Chills raced down his spine.
Zeke smirked faintly at the sight.
"Still no?"
"I-I'll do it! Let me!"
"Mana stones."
"Y-Yes! F-Forty, I'll prepare them!!"
"Good."
Zeke nodded, satisfied.