A New Knight on the Board
"...It is over."
The black-haired swordswoman stood with her arms crossed, watching the cadets file out of the arena.
"What do you think? Incredible, isn't it? It's all thanks to my outstanding teaching skills!"
Leila shrugged beside her, boasting of her students' achievements.
"Is that so? Did you truly possess the capability to nurture a leader of that caliber, Professor Leila?"
Karin asked with genuine curiosity. Though the question was somewhat blunt, it carried no malice or mockery toward Leila.
"Oh, goodness, no, Professor Karin! How can you trust people so easily? Of course I had nothing to do with it."
"...Mind your words."
Whether out of annoyance or something else, Karin glared at her colleague. Leila merely stuck her tongue out, brushing off the terrifying look without a care.
"Still, it is fascinating. They are not a party that has spent years training together, yet their coordination was remarkably clean and precise."
"Is that so? Is it really that impressive? Wasn't it a foregone conclusion that a team with Claire and Kellin would win anyway?"
Claire, a Dark Priestess capable of controlling her own power, and Kellin, who had served under Katarin of the Erast family.
While Wade and Lilian were talented students in their own right, they could hardly be considered remarkable compared to those two.
"No. The leader of that team... Wade, was it? His tactics were exceptionally clean."
"Oh my..."
Leila's eyes widened with interest as she looked at Karin.
"It is only natural for a team with Kellin and Claire to win, but this is real combat. There are too many variables."
Karin's sharp eyes swept over the empty arena.
"A spiritist scattering multiple spirits... it is common knowledge among those who know how to fight, but in truth, not many actually understand it. Given the scale of that spell, Miss Claire must have prepared it immediately after dispersing the mist."
They were not fighting thugs or bandits, nor were they facing warlocks or demons.
Spiritists rarely saw the battlefield. Unless one was a mercenary with extensive experience raiding territories, it was only natural to be ignorant of how they fought.
"If they had not unleashed the mist at the start, Kellin would not have had the space to move. She would have been surrounded by spirits and knights, exposed to a concentrated barrage from the priests and mages."
Kellin might have endured it, but the risks would have been too high.
"The decision to send Kellin in first was also correct. If she had been deployed as a standard vanguard, the frontline would have been pushed back toward them, likely neutralizing Claire's wide-area spell."
It was a bold decision. With their party composition, the moment Kellin charged the enemy, there was no one left to protect the rear.
"He is quite a decent leader. For a student... I cannot think of a cleaner, more foolproof way to secure victory in this tournament."
"Fascinating, isn't it? I wonder where a student like that came from."
Leila wore a triumphant smile.
"It is indeed... but I doubt you came to the arena just to watch them, Professor Leila."
"It's a bit of both! Well, those kids are certainly talented... but politically speaking, the match that follows is far more important."
Neither Karin, the swordsmanship professor, nor Leila, the dark magic professor, had come solely to watch Wade's match.
"Ah, here they come."
The daughter of the Erast family entered the arena, radiating an immense amount of dark mana.
"As expected, it's staggering! Even for the Erast family, I didn't expect it to be this intense."
"Is that so? I thought it only natural for a strong dark mage to emerge from a prestigious family."
Karin looked at Leila, puzzled.
After all, it was common sense—if not an absolute rule—that greater support, a wealthier environment, and a better pedigree produced stronger individuals.
"Well, it doesn't quite work that way. Dark mages are a bit... how should I put it? They tend to grow complacent when they're well-fed. They have that kind of temperament."
"Hmm..."
"More than that, I'm curious about who Miss Katarin brought along. Since Miss Kellin joined Wade's party, there must be an empty slot."
Karin shook her head, unimpressed.
"This is Katarin we are talking about. She has her pick of the crowd surrounding her. I doubt anyone particularly special would—"
The swordsmanship professor frowned as she spotted the knight standing at the front.
"...How is she here?"
A new encounter is always a pleasure.
Katarin hummed a tune, waiting for the woman who was scheduled to visit her room.
Kellin has outlived her usefulness...
Though she didn't know when Kellin would reveal her new master, Katarin had no intention of using her any longer.
In that case, she needed to find a new servant.
Given the lack of response, I can't even be sure if Wade belongs to Kazot...
Nothing was certain.
It was as if he had suddenly dropped out of thin air. Wade was just that anomalous, that bizarre.
Then it is most reasonable to assume he was planted by the Imperial Princess.
The Empire always hid its power behind a facade of hypocrisy. It was an open secret that they trained hidden dark mages.
It wouldn't be strange if they had enrolled one of their nurtured talents alongside the Princess and Katarin.
If that hypothesis is true... then I have essentially lost one of my precious people to the Empire.
If so, it was only fitting that an Imperial knight fill Kellin's vacant spot.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in, Miss Olivia."
"..."
The female knight outside hesitated for a long moment before reluctantly opening the door.
Eyes filled with a mixture of anger, resignation, sorrow, and pain stared back at Katarin.
"Welcome. I know it wasn't an easy decision to come here, so thank you for joining me."
"...I have not made my decision yet."
It was a meaningless statement. Both Katarin and Olivia knew it.
From the moment she sought out Katarin in private, Olivia could never return to her former life.
This was no secret visit. Within a few days, gossips would spread the word throughout the Academy that she had colluded with Katarin.
The Princess's followers would despise her even more fiercely and passionately. Her family's reputation would plummet, and the Empire would view her with suspicion.
Even so, the only thing I can do is...!
But if she produced results, she could resolve all of those problems.
The nobles of the Empire could not afford to remain hostile to the Erast family forever.
Katarin had been the first to show respect to the Empire's authority by enrolling in the Academy herself.
Whether for espionage or diplomacy, someone 'close to Katarin' would hold significant value.
I have no choice but to win, no matter what...
If Katarin's party could defeat the Princess's party—if they could prove themselves through results—the Empire would not be able to shun them.
Even if it was merely a match between cadets, when it involved the Princess and Katarin, it was practically a bloodless war.
If she demonstrated a clear gap in power, she would be respected. She would be acknowledged once more. She wouldn't have to go back.
Even if, in the process, she fell into dirty, ugly deeds and disgusting corruption.
"Why... did you call for me?"
But she couldn't help but ask.
Olivia was confident in her skills, but she didn't believe she was strong enough to warrant a personal invitation from Katarin.
"Harmony. It's all about harmony. The professors love that sort of thing, don't they? Regrettably... I didn't have the chance to recruit a proper knight during the joint classes, so I wanted to take this opportunity to invite one."
Katarin smiled.
"And this is also a personal apology."
"What do you mean by that?"
"It wasn't my intention, but... you said you were abandoned by the Princess and her subordinates because you believed my words, didn't you? It truly is pitiful."
"I have no desire for your pity."
Olivia glared at Katarin. Katarin, letting her smile fade slightly, met her gaze with equal seriousness.
"And I have no intention of ignoring your plight."
"...What?"
It was a warm sentiment that clashed with the chilly atmosphere. For a moment, Olivia stared at Katarin in confusion.
"You did what you believed was right, only to be cast aside."
As if the cold aura from moments ago had been nothing but an illusion, Katarin offered a gentle smile.
"The Erast family does not abandon such people."
Olivia could not entirely discard her suspicion. This could all be an act, a mere ploy to entice her.
Even so, Katarin's eyes seemed to hold genuine sincerity. Or perhaps Olivia simply wanted to believe that.
"I will do it."
Regardless of the truth, she no longer had a choice.
"Then, what would you have me do?"
"You don't need to do anything. Just stand at the front and watch me win."
"Excuse me?"
"It can't be helped. I have my own methods, and I assembled this party with them in mind. I cannot change everything for you at this late stage, Miss Olivia."
"..."
How to utilize party members was entirely at the discretion of the leader.
Even if it meant chopping wood with a sword instead of an axe, or breaking stones with a shield instead of a pickaxe, it was proper to obey the leader's command.
However, Olivia could not accept that.
"Just a moment ago, you said my skills—"
"I believed you were someone who could display her skills regardless of my strategy."
There was no role expected of her. Olivia grit her teeth.
"If you truly wish, I can modify the strategy. But to do that... I'm sorry to say, but someone of your level, Miss Olivia, is a bit lacking."
Katarin smiled brightly.
"If you'd like, shall we discuss this a bit further?"