Enrollment, Part 10
"Insolent? You speak as if you know nothing of what you have done to this cadet."
Clearly, something was wrong.
I knew Katarin's personality. Picking a fight with the Princess so directly was completely unlike her.
This was the Princess. A being who was practically living authority itself.
Confronting such a woman head-on could never be considered a wise choice.
"But Wade is also someone walking the same path as us. I do not think it is very desirable for an outsider, like Your Imperial Highness, to intervene more than necessary."
"Is that how you are going to play this? So you can torment him to your heart's content without any interference?"
"Torment him? You go too far."
Flashing a lethal smile, Katarin draped her arm over my shoulder in a protective gesture.
"Actually, I think quite highly of him. He is a rare and precious talent, after all."
"A precious... talent?"
Neither the Princess nor I could immediately comprehend Katarin's words. With her arm wrapped around my neck, I found her even more incomprehensible.
"Weren't you the one who picked a fight with him when you saw him in the hallway?"
"I merely despise the laughable and absurd behavior of those who lack both ability and will, yet still fail to show proper manners."
Only now did I begin to see her true intentions.
She had me. She had used her head well.
This was not a sudden, impulsive act on Katarin's part. Everything was calculated.
"What... did you say?"
"There was a duel. He won splendidly and proved his worth. Is there any reason I shouldn't hold him in high regard?"
So, this was a move to drag me to her side.
More precisely, it was a move to prevent me from joining the Princess's side.
"...A dark mage's duel, you say."
She was engraving the fact that I belonged to 'this side' into the Princess's mind.
She was mocking her, asking if even the noble Princess could save someone who had willingly stepped onto the path of evil.
"Although he hasn't shown much yet, I could tell what kind of person he is. An unyielding will, and the decisiveness to do even the most daring things for a woman without a second thought. He is a dark mage with a promising future."
Desire was the very source of dark magic.
A human without strong desires would never sacrifice everything they had to gain power.
As a dark mage, that was undoubtedly a compliment. No matter how much someone disliked Katarin, they couldn't claim the words coming out of her mouth right now were meant to slander or envy me.
But to the Princess, it was a horrific and repulsive insult.
A talented dark mage was far from a 'good teammate' or an 'exemplary citizen.'
She would have no choice but to doubt. How I obtained my power, and for what reason I resorted to a 'duel' with another cadet to get what I wanted.
The Princess would stop seeing me as 'a cadet who unfortunately fell out of favor with Katarin' and start seeing me as 'a prospective dark mage harboring the potential to become a great evil.'
"How could I not cherish such a person?"
On the surface, I thought I understood her intention behind these words.
But I couldn't grasp the underlying purpose.
Does she really think highly of me?
If she thought my joining hands with the Princess was enough of a threat to her, perhaps my 'shock therapy' had been too effective.
Or if not that, is she really doing this for my sake?
For a typical dark mage, drawing the Princess's attention was by no means a good thing.
No matter what I said, the moment I became close to the Princess, she might view my dark magic as a 'betrayal.'
Furthermore, this situation was significantly raising my standing.
Two giants were clashing over an ordinary dark mage who usually wouldn't receive a second glance.
Depending on how things went, this was an opportunity to greatly elevate my reputation.
Hmm...
Nevertheless, it was dangerous right now.
The look the Princess gave me was far from warm.
Katarin was looking at me with a triumphant gaze.
It felt a bit like she was forcing a choice on me. No, it was a look that suggested she already knew what choice I would make.
A choice, huh.
Come to think of it, she seemed to already know what choice I—no, any dark mage—would be forced to make.
Logically, choosing Katarin was the correct path.
While the Princess's power was immense, she wouldn't try to harm me just because I opposed her right now.
She was a good person, and there was too much evil in this world. Even if the Princess's blade danced, its tip would be pointed at Katarin.
However, making an enemy of Katarin was a different matter entirely.
She could harm me at any moment.
We were in the same class, and we spent a lot of time together. But that wasn't all.
Katarin's malice was far more potent. She possessed a nature that allowed her to destroy anyone who stood in her way without hesitation.
Poisoning food, sending assassins at one's most vulnerable moment, isolating someone through insidious bullying and ostracization...
Katarin was someone who could do all of that without batting an eye.
Besides, both she and I were dark mages. When a powerful dark mage harbored malice, tormenting a weaker one was child's play.
She probably thought I wouldn't be able to resist. She probably believed I couldn't defy her.
In that case, I needed to shatter that assumption.
"I'm sorry, Katarin, but I don't think we're on such good terms."
"...Katarin?"
Her expression contorted for a split second.
"What? We're classmates. I think I can at least say this much."
At least in principle, all cadets within the Academy were equal. There was no reason to revere anyone, nor any reason to bow one's head.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Imperial Highness."
I turned my head and expressed my gratitude to the blonde female knight.
"But this is the Empire's Academy, is it not? While I am sorry that I had no choice but to make this decision, no one will be able to harm me here."
Since Katarin had set the stage, there was no reason not to exploit it.
After all, a 'man who can speak his mind to Katarin without a care' held a much higher status than a 'man caught between the Princess and Katarin, receiving their protection.'
"You are... quite confident."
Katarin was failing to control her emotions. Ignoring her words, I looked directly at the Princess.
"Yes. That is true. Thank you."
In principle, the Academy did not belong to any single nation, but it was located within the territory of the Empire.
Although other nations were reluctant to admit it, the Empire viewed the Academy as one of their greatest achievements. And I was more than willing to stroke that pride.
"It is my first time seeing a dark mage who does not bow to those stronger than him. As Lady Katarin said, you may indeed become a precious talent."
Internally, I cheered.
The Princess and Katarin were important, of course. But what mattered even more were the other students watching this spectacle.
In the end, I couldn't form a party all by myself. Even if I raised my power to do the work of two or three people, as long as I was a dark mage, there would always be things I simply 'could not do,' regardless of my strength.
I could kill things with dark magic. But I couldn't negotiate treaties that required massive political power, resurrect the dying, or bring prosperity to an impoverished territory.
And the talents capable of doing those things wouldn't easily move according to my wishes.
But with my actions just now, the 'ordinary students' would perceive me as someone different from other dark mages.
A dark mage with enough integrity to express honest gratitude and draw a clear line with Katarin.
If I could draw them in with logical reasoning and emotional appeals, they would stand by my side.
"Sigh..."
Katarin glared at me, but I wasn't particularly afraid.
She stood at the center of numerous dark mage cadets, but her control and deterrence were ultimately based on her achievements.
The prestige of the Erst family name was no small thing, but strictly speaking, it wasn't much different.
The Margrave of Erst was certainly a renowned family, but even their nobility was built upon their power and achievements in dark magic.
"I suppose I'll have to pray that you are strong enough to exceed my expectations."
Katarin forced her smile back onto her face and uttered a threat directed at me.
"You don't need to worry, Katarin."
In the end, dark mages submit to power. They have no choice but to kneel before the demonic energy, the evil deeds, and the threats they can feel.
Therefore, managing the favorability of students who used demonic energy was far more extreme than managing the favorability of those who used the power of light.
There was no need to tailor oneself to the target's tastes, fulfill their wishes, or build the world they wanted.
You just had to be strong. And if it was me, I could do exactly that.
"I will believe so."
Since I had stood up to Katarin so openly, she would have to bring me to my knees by any means necessary.
The brief exchange ended. The history professor entered the lecture hall, and class began.
Katarin and the Princess sat in their respective seats, staring intently at me.