Breaking the Pride of Young Masters and Ladies (5)
It was like a scene straight out of a coming-of-age movie—two young men sitting side by side on a park bench, sipping canned coffee and talking about the future.
Except instead of canned coffee, they were drinking black tea from paper cups.
“Hey, look at you, Magnum. Your build already screams tank.”
“R-really?”
“Of course it does, you idiot! Focus your training on boosting defense and stamina. Imagine yourself in massive armor, wielding a huge shield. Even an S-rank Void Beast’s fangs wouldn’t be able to pierce it.”
And standing behind that tank, I’d be perfectly safe.
Every game with the tank-DPS-healer trinity revolves around the tank. Secure a tank. If you see a newbie, turn them into a tank.
“But… the Rodrimore family has produced swordsmen for generations.”
“No, you’ve got the talent to become a warrior.”
I gave Magnum a firm smack on the back.
“Just look at those broad shoulders. You’re perfectly optimized for the warrior path.”
“R-really?”
“Yep. You’ve got the talent. When you charged at me earlier, if you’d been holding a sword I could’ve just dodged. But imagine if you’d been rushing in with a shield this big.”
I smacked his back again.
“You’d become a literal wall. A wall. How reassuring would it be for your allies standing behind you?”
“A wall…!”
I wasn’t just saying it. I meant every word.
“Be honest with yourself. Don’t you think so too? Which do you think has a higher chance of you reaching greatness—becoming a master swordsman or a master warrior?”
“…Our family—”
“Agh, you dense bastard.”
I leaned back against the bench and took a long sip of the hot tea.
Was the black tea so wonderfully fragrant because this was a romance-fantasy world, or because it was a subculture game? Either way, it was a welcome change from the usual medieval fantasy that smelled like horse shit and manure.
“You’re putting too much unnecessary tension into your shoulders.”
“…You’re already an excellent swordsman, sir.”
“So what? Your brother is your brother. You are you.”
“…!”
Magnum’s grip tightened around his cup.
Target has gained hope
‘So praising a guy still gives points.’
But why so little?
With Maron, Professor Cardisha, and even Princess Elettra, just a few sincere compliments had netted me hundreds of points each time.
Was there a reason women gave more?
…Don’t tell me the system was sexist?
Ugh.
‘And I was being pretty genuine too.’
Once again, Magnum really did have the makings of an excellent tank.
Far more useful than the qualities of a great demon—
“Uuuuugh…!!!”
“What’s with you all of a sudden?”
“I just mentally stabbed myself.”
Magnum let out a disbelieving laugh.
“How should I put it… you’re quite different from the infamous Gilliam I’ve heard about.”
“People can change.”
“…I suppose that’s true.”
Magnum sighed.
Seeing that reaction, I asked,
“Hey, you like Princess Elettra, don’t you?”
Magnum practically jumped out of his seat.
“What kind of ridiculous—!! My feelings are nothing but pure loyalty!”
“Yeah, yeah, pure loyalty, sure, sure.”
About as believable as someone saying, “We’re just friends.”
Elettra seemed to have gone past indifference and straight into finding him unpleasant.
“But you should probably dial it back a bit.”
“…Are you cheering me on?”
“It’s got nothing to do with me anyway.”
Elettra was certainly beautiful.
But it wasn’t like she had any particular interest in me.
Anyway.
“Right, help me find my dorm room. I forgot where it is.”
“That’s fine, but… a room? What do you mean?”
“?”
A row of luxurious pensions lined one side of the academy campus.
“…These are the dorms?”
Unbelievable.
No matter how much of a subculture game this was, commoner students had to share two-to-a-room in communal housing, while noble brats each got their own private pension.
‘…Or is that normal? Maybe it’s reasonable for the upper class to enjoy this level of privilege.’
Among them, I found the one with a plaque that read “Everchess.”
‘Ah, this is it.’
A two-story pension identical to the ones on either side.
The only difference was that the first-floor window was shattered—clearly by a thrown stone.
“Hmm.”
How childish.
‘Did they think I wouldn’t be able to find the culprit if they did it while I was gone?’
Truly pathetic.
As I was about to head inside, a woman poked her head out from the neighboring pension.
She had a languid face and white hair.
True to the subculture game aesthetic, she was dressed provocatively with an impressively large chest.
“Hey, kid.” “I’m not at an age where I should be called a kid.” “Well, it’s clear you don’t know how to respect your elders.” “Aren’t we both new students?” “How old are you?” What was Gilliam’s age setting again? “I’m not sure.” “Pfft…” The woman chuckled. “You’re an interesting kid.” “I told you, I’m not a kid.” “Kid, do you want to know who smashed up your house?” “Yes.” “Hoo…” The white-haired woman pressed two fingers in a V shape against her lips. “I saw it.” “I see. It was Shupi Valie, wasn’t it?” “…?” The woman blinked. “How did you know that?” Because I saw it. Using the skill I’d bought from the shop for 300 points just moments ago.
Effect: Makes the target's footprints stand out clearly. Basic knowledge for those living in the cold northern lands.
Two sets of footprints led away from my pension and straight to the one labeled “Valie” nearby.
‘Was she that upset?’
I wasn’t entirely sure, but she’d probably gotten angry when things didn’t go her way at the party.
‘Well, I suppose that’s possible.’
People sometimes break windows when they’re mad and no one’s around.
And if she could do that, then so could I.
“W-wait, where are you going, kid?”
“…”
Come to think of it, I should probably compliment this woman too.
“You have a beautiful face.”
“Hic.”
Target has fallen into confusion
‘Good thing I invested in Point Protection.’
I was about to offer more praise when Shupi Valie herself stepped out of her pension.
“See you tomorrow.”
“Uh… yeah… sure…”
I bent down and scooped up a handful of gravel.
“Hey! Shupi Valie!”
Shupi and the man beside her turned to look at me, then both sneered.
“Oh my, what is it?”
“Perhaps the dorm is too disappointing compared to the Everchess ducal estate?”
I strode forward.
“My goodness, what could have made you so angry?”
“It looks like you’re about to commit some barbaric act of violence!”
I hurled the handful of gravel with considerable force.
Lower Shockwave
Dozens of pieces of gravel shot forward like buckshot from a shotgun.
Crash!!!
Every window on the front of Shupi’s pension shattered at once. The walls cracked as the gravel embedded themselves deep inside.
“Huh…?”
“…W-what the…”
The man and woman were too stunned to react.
Shupi recovered first.
“W-what is the meaning of this?! How could you do something so barbaric?!”
“What’s the problem? You broke my window too.”
“D-do you have proof?! And even if you did, we only broke one window! You just destroyed the entire front of the house!!”
“…What kind of nonsense is that?”
Gilliam narrowed his eyes.
“Eek…”
Shupi flinched backward in fear.
“Why should I only return exactly what you did? If you didn’t want this, you shouldn’t have started anything in the first place.”
With a look of utter disdain, Gilliam shook his head and returned to his own house.
“Uh…”
Shupi muttered blankly.
“The… maniac… of Everchess…!!!”
——————
The next day.
Following my schedule, I entered a different classroom from the day before. Maron spotted me immediately, her eyes sparkling.
“Liam! Over here, over here!”
She looked like a big dog wagging its tail at the sight of its owner.
Since there was no reason to sit anywhere else, I took the seat beside her.
“So we’re in this class together too.”
“Ehehe, looks like it… I’m so happy…”
“Hm?”
“N-nothing! By the way, Liam… did something happen yesterday?”
As soon as I’d entered the classroom, I’d felt sharp glares stabbing into me from all directions.
What had happened yesterday?
A lot, actually.
“What did you do yesterday?”
Come to think of it, Maron hadn’t attended the party in the end.
“I just read a book in my room and fell asleep…”
“That’s admirable. Reading is a good habit.”
“Ehehe…”
Target is delighted
Women really were more generous with points.
This sexist system.
‘Looks like I’ll have no choice but to focus on praising women from now on.’
“Is this seat taken?”
A familiar voice.
I looked up to see Princess Elettra pulling out the chair beside me.
“You’re taking this class too, Your Highness?”
“I wasn’t originally scheduled for it, but since the first class hasn’t started yet, I changed my timetable.”
“I see. Did this subject catch your interest?”
Princess Elettra rested her chin on her hand and stared directly at my face.
“Your Highness?”
“…Let’s just say something has caught my interest.”
The intensity of the glares directed at me suddenly multiplied several times over.
Why?