Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Between Chance and Grudge
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While blankly staring at Leon, who was straightening his clothes.
I couldn't shake off the persistent sense of wrongness swirling in my head.
'...Why is this guy here?'
That single question dominated my mind right now.
Holy Knight Leon.
Why hadn't this guy graduated yet? Why was he still lingering at the academy?
My brain couldn't wrap itself around it at all.
'This doesn't make any sense.'
Around the time the protagonist Iris enrolls at the academy.
Leon had already graduated and was stationed in the Holy Kingdom, carrying out his duties as a holy knight.
In other words, he shouldn't be here right now.
This man, Leon, had no business being in this spot.
Fine. Even if it was a one-in-a-million chance.
Even if some absurd variable cropped up that brought him back to the academy.
That still left an unresolved question.
If I hadn't misheard earlier.
A third-year? Not visiting as a graduate, but still a student?
I needed confirmation.
"...Just one question."
"Please, Young Master."
"Your name's really Leon? Leon Grispid."
I had to verify if this was truly the guy I knew.
There was a slim chance it was just someone with the same name, or maybe I'd mistaken him for someone else.
Deep down, I hoped the real Leon was in the Holy Kingdom and this was merely a lookalike.
"Ah."
But as if mocking my vain hopes, he nodded leisurely with a smile.
"Yes. That's correct."
Ah.
Hearing the one answer I least wanted from his mouth nearly made me close my eyes.
It was undeniable confirmation.
The moment my ominous premonition hit home.
'No mistake.'
A slight headache began to throb.
"S-Slurz... A-Any Slurz..."
At that moment, Jotkiss—now unrecognizable, his face a mess of tears, snot, and blood—whimpered pathetically in my grip.
It was quite the sight, his scalp nearly tearing off as I clutched his hair.
Thud!
"Kuhk!"
With a scream, Jotkiss hit the ground, spewing another mouthful of blood.
Leon's brow furrowed as he watched from the side, but whatever.
Not my problem.
I'd shown mercy enough by leaving him alive despite handling him roughly.
I ignored the barely breathing trash.
Right now, the holy knight before me was the bigger issue.
"...I see."
I'd hoped otherwise, but sure enough.
The man standing in front of me was the Leon I knew.
"You seem like a freshman, yet you know my name."
Of course I know you.
You're just not supposed to be here, that's all that's throwing me off.
'Why's a guy who should be graduated and in the Holy Kingdom still stuck in third year?'
...At this point, maybe I should just accept it.
I'd felt it with Imir too.
The world I was in now was subtly—no, significantly—different from the original The Glory.
Obviously, Evan in the original story never got the Dark Grimoire or even approached Class S.
But I'd pulled it off.
Over the past year since becoming Evan Dreadnote.
Had the ripples I'd caused unknowingly twisted the original flow?
Or maybe there was a discrepancy between the game's lore and this world's reality from the start.
Either way, it was a headache.
"Now I want to know your name."
His polite but pointed question snapped my mind back to reality.
I gave a curt reply.
"...Evan Dreadnote."
"Dreadnote. The Dreadnote family."
He stroked his chin, narrowing his eyes as if recalling something.
Then, like someone who'd just pieced it together.
"Ah. I see."
He stared at me with an odd glint in his eyes.
"Are you the one she mentioned...?"
She? Mentioned?
The sudden words made me furrow my brow.
'What?'
Who was "she"?
I had no clue.
"Care to explain clearly? We're not playing riddles, are we?"
"...Ha."
The refined smile he'd maintained until now evaporated like smoke.
Like a puppet with cut strings.
"I should have expected this from the moment you acted so barbaric."
What the hell, asshole?
His face turned icy cold as he scanned me from head to toe, a sneer curling his lips.
"So you're the student named Evan that Ellie mentioned."
'Ellie?'
...Elysia, maybe?
Why was that name coming up here?
"...Elysia von Arden?"
"Yes. She's a friend of mine."
Leon smiled brightly at my question, but his eyes weren't smiling at all.
Like someone who'd found filth on a precious gem, disgust was plain.
...So, let's sort this out.
Leon claims he's friends with Elysia.
And if my memory's right, Elysia's the young lady from a foreign dukedom of other races.
I'd never seen or heard of her having a male friend.
Let alone these two having any connection.
"..."
"Ellie told me she made a very interesting friend in her class."
As I stood speechless, Leon took a step closer.
"She'd heard bad rumors before coming to the academy, but said meeting you proved them wrong—that you're a really good person."
Ah, so that's what she said.
Not true at all, but hearing it still felt kinda embarrassing.
"You're too kind."
"Ellie has a kind heart, and her judgment of people is spot on."
"But."
The smile on Leon's lips twisted subtly.
"Seeing you now, I have to wonder if someone as violent as you deserves her attention."
His voice remained low and soft, but the contempt and hostility laced within were now impossible to hide.
With eyes like he was looking down at a bug, how could I not notice?
...Look at this prick.
"Deserves..."
Why did that grate so much?
His attitude—like kind Elysia was his property—was downright repulsive.
"That's for her to decide."
I replied nonchalantly, as if it didn't faze me.
It really was Elysia's call, not this hypocrite's.
But Leon's gaze grew even chillier.
"Ellie's kind. Too kind—that's the problem. She tries not to judge by appearances."
"Even if someone deceives her, she believes their true nature is good."
He stepped closer, staring straight into my eyes.
"But I'm different. I see what she can't."
His gaze swept over the blood on my fist and the groaning thugs on the ground.
"A guy like you hanging around her is harmful to her, plain and simple."
"So?"
I tilted my head mockingly, meeting his stare.
"You're not the one to judge that, are you? It's Elysia's decision."
Leon narrowed his brow at my retort.
His obsession and possessiveness toward Elysia oozed from every gesture.
'Typical of his type.'
Acting like his idea of right is absolute truth, but they're walking contradictions.
Wearing the noble mask of a holy knight on the outside.
But rotten with dark desires underneath. Easy to guess.
'...Was Leon like this?'
I barely saw him in the game, so I hadn't known.
But this felt like a real pain in the ass.
"Of course Ellie will decide. But..."
Leon paused, glancing at Jotkiss on the ground.
"My role is to help her judgment. So she doesn't get hurt by some rootless scum."
He turned back to me with a cold smile.
"Consider this a warning, Young Master Evan. Stay away from Ellie. She's not for the likes of you."
"Hilarious."
I let out an incredulous chuckle.
Presume? Who’s presuming what?
I never planned to get involved with Elysia in the first place.
I was desperately trying to avoid her.
Oblivious to that.
In his eyes, I must look like a creep plotting to get her into bed.
"Seems like a big misunderstanding."
I shrugged.
"I have zero interest in Elysia. No vulgar intentions like you're imagining."
"No interest?"
He scoffed, as if I'd said something impossible.
"You expect me to believe that? No man in the world would ignore her beauty, her lineage, her potential."
"Especially someone with your reputation. You'd want her to clean up your image."
"That's your opinion."
I waved him off lazily.
"I get you care about her a ton, but you're barking up the wrong tree. My goal's to lay low till graduation."
No exaggeration—that was sincere.
Stay under the radar in Class S.
Get decent grades, survive, graduate safely.
That was one of my aims.
Returning home was the top priority, but without a way back, I had to survive here.
"Lay low... Then how do you explain this mess?"
He gestured at Jotkiss and his crew.
"Someone who wants peace beats classmates bloody?"
"This is..."
Haa. No reasoning with him.
"I said self-defense. You deaf?"
"That's just an excuse. If you truly wanted peace, you could've handled it differently."
Leon shook his head firmly.
"Your actions just reveal your innate violence. Someone like you near Ellie is a danger."
Ah. Got it.
Crystal clear now.
This wasn't solvable by talk.
Talking to a wall would be more productive.
"Fine. Think what you want."
I saw no point arguing with this lunatic and turned away.
I'd wanted to beat Jotkiss more, but this guy killed my mood.
Handle it themselves.
'I've smashed them enough; they won't come at me easily.'
If they did again?
Well, show 'em my power once more.
More decisively.
"Where do you think you're going? We're not done."
As I ignored him, Leon blocked my path.
"Move. You've ruined my vibe."
"Can't let you go till you promise to stay away from Ellie."
...Persistent bastard.
"Promise? Why should I promise you jack?"
"Because I'm her protector."
Protector? Hilarious.
Just hates letting her slip from his grasp, the creep.
"Cut the bullshit. You're just a friend. You got no right to control her life."
What gives some non-parent the protector title?
I saw his face stiffen at the direct hit.
"...You have no right to speak of our bond."
"What a pain you are."
I scratched my head with a sigh.
I'd wanted to vent the stress from Jotkiss, but it only piled up more.
"So, what now? Duel if I say no?"
"If necessary."
Leon answered without hesitation.
"If you won't back off, I'll make you by force. If it's for Ellie, I'll bear the infamy."
"Wow, lover boy. Too sappy to watch."
I sneered at him as mockingly as possible.
"Fine. If you want, I'll play. I'll smash you flat."
"But if I win, stay the hell away forever. Drop that disgusting hypocrisy too."
"...You'll regret this."
Leon slowly placed his hand on his sword hilt.
Hummm.
White energy rose like heat haze from his body—the holy knight's noble-looking, yet somehow twisted divine power.
Definitely nearing master level.
His aura was heavy enough to press down the surrounding air.
'Interesting.'
I drew on the Black King's power.
Black energy enveloped me, clashing with Leon's holy aura.
A powder keg ready to blow.
As if sensing the impending clash, the forest air grew heavy.
"Show me your pathetic skills."
To my taunt looking down on him utterly, Leon drew his sword instead of replying.
Shing!
The silver blade gleamed blindingly in the sunlight filtering through the trees.
Divine power surged from the tip, slicing the air sharply.
"...Insolent!"
He'd spoken calmly despite my disdain, but his killing intent was fierce.
The moment his words ended, his body vanished like a mirage.
'Fast.'
Speed near teleportation, hard to track with eyes.
Holy knight's divine acceleration, no doubt.
'But predictable.'
Even top knights would struggle to spot it.
Unfortunately, I saw the trajectory clearly.
Boom!
Leon's sword struck where I'd stood.
The ground cratered, dust rising.
But I'd anticipated the attack.
I was already gone when it hit.
"...Not ordinary after all."
Leon's eyes narrowed.
Pure surprise at my perfect read and dodge.
"Not bad at dodging."
"Thanks for the praise."
I smiled leisurely, concentrating black mana in my hand.
No need to draw my sword.
This opponent was fine barehanded.
"But this time it'll be different."
"Less talk, more action?"
"..."
His expression stiffened slightly, and he swung again.
Not a simple slash—his blade whipped so fast it felt like dozens of sword auras filled the air.
A flawless encirclement pressing from all sides.
Anyone normal would freeze under the flashy assault.
"Told you, I see it."
But my eyes pierced every gap between the myriad auras.
I danced through them, slipping past blades by a paper's width, closing into Leon's guard.
"What...!?"
He'd been confident in his skill, certain I couldn't evade.
As that belief shattered, shock filled his eyes.
"This your best? All cocky for nothing?"
Crash!
"Kuhk...!"
No mana needed—just pure strength in a simple punch sent Leon tumbling pathetically.
"That's it? Disappointing."
"Kuh...!"
I mocked him sprawled pitifully on the ground with all my might.
His pride dented, Leon gritted his teeth and rose.
"Not... over yet!"
As he gripped his sword to charge again.
"Wait!"
A clear, dignified voice echoed from deep in the forest.
Mine and Leon's gazes snapped toward the sound.