The Duel Over Sausages
The psychology of the remaining students in the Magic Department was complicated as they watched the girls who had become Kael’s slaves. Out of the seventy-one female students in the Magic Department, thirty-seven had already become Kael’s women or slaves. Serenity, Clara, Rosalie, Amelia, and Katrina—who had fallen earlier—had even tasted chicken. At lunchtime, the sight of Serenity eating it on screen was one thing, but Clara, Rosalie, Amelia, and Katrina had been forced to sit through the meal while inhaling the aroma, their stomachs empty. Now those same girls were sharing chicken right in front of them.
The thirty newly enslaved girls had not yet received any chicken. Instead, they had been given sandwiches. The bread was pure white, nothing like the horrible coarse black bread served at every meal. Layered with tender-looking chicken, crisp lettuce, tomato, and a mysterious white sauce—they had no idea it was called mayonnaise—the sandwiches looked unbearably appetizing.
“Your Highness… this is dangerous.”
“I feel the same. Just looking at them hurts…”
Marina and Juliana’s voices were drained of strength. Irina understood exactly what they meant. They might not have said it outright, but they were wavering. If even Irina herself felt the pull, it was only natural that her followers would react the same way.
As if mocking Irina’s faction, Kael looked straight at her and smiled.
Young Master Aberwin…!
Irina felt a surge of humiliation under that gaze—the way one might look at prey. The man who had been a failure before entering the academy was now staring at her like this. I will never submit to you!
Three years. If she could endure just three years until the break, the Rosengart Duchy would have the power to crush him. That was Irina’s only hope.
Kael approached Professor Egil, opened the shop window, and purchased a canned coffee.
You have purchased Cool Canned Coffee (240ml). 2 points deducted. Current points: 10,177
“Professor Egil. Please try this.”
“Oh, thank you!”
Egil’s face brightened as he accepted the gift. He pulled the tab with a crisp crack, and the sweet aroma of coffee spread through the air.
“Mmm~”
“Oh! It’s sweet yet slightly bitter, and so refreshing! I had no idea coffee like this existed! Thank you so much, Kael!”
Professor Egil praises you: “Oh! It’s sweet yet slightly bitter, and so refreshing! I had no idea coffee like this existed! Thank you so much, Kael!”
Points +1, Experience +1. Current points: 10,178. Experience: 660/1000
While sipping the cool canned coffee, Professor Egil spoke with clear satisfaction.
“I can’t help but say that life finally feels worth living! This is all thanks to you, Kael! Who would have thought this hellish academy could become so enjoyable? Haha!”
Kael gave a silent nod, then turned his gaze toward Eleonora and Irina. Eleonora wore a complicated expression in the midst of her silence. Irina bit her lip hard, glaring at him. Marina and Juliana, her followers, looked visibly anxious.
For those who refuse to become my slaves, the only remaining hope is the sausages I’ll be selling this evening.
It was time to throw more firewood on the flames.
“The sausage sale this evening will proceed as usual—ninety-eight in total. Discuss it with the Sword Department students and decide among yourselves who gets to buy them. I won’t be choosing a single buyer. Oh, and of course I won’t be selling any to Pinit.”
Having said that, Kael looked at Professor Lucia.
“Lucia, go bring Professor Anna and Professor Michaela to my room. They should watch the show too.”
Lucia smiled and nodded.
“Yes, Master Kael. I’ll fetch Professor Anna and Professor Michaela right away.”
“Good. I’ll head there first. Everyone, follow me.”
“Yes, Master.”
As Kael rose with Ring and Ming, thirty slaves trailed behind him—Serenity, Clara, Rosalie, Amelia, Katrina, Claire, and the rest. In total, he left the classroom with two women and thirty-five slaves. Professor Egil did not stop him. He simply sipped his canned coffee, watching as if Kael’s departure was the most natural thing in the world.
The students left in the classroom glared at one another. Since it was self-study time—a de facto break—they now viewed each other as rivals.
“Give up your right to buy sausages this evening immediately!”
“I absolutely will not!”
The moment Kael and his women left, Eleonora’s faction and the neutrals began pressuring Irina’s faction again. Irina’s side refused to yield an inch. Watching the scene, Irina bit her lip, a sense of crisis rising within her.
Young Master Aberwin left the right to select who buys the sausages entirely in our hands. That’s why we can’t stop fighting.
If Kael had kept the selection rights for himself, it would have been simpler. The students who weren’t chosen would have resented him instead. But because the students had to decide among themselves, the conflict only grew fiercer. The hatred between them intensified. Each side believed the other was stealing what was rightfully theirs.
In this situation, Kael had once again made it clear he would not select the buyers. By announcing he would sell exactly ninety-eight sausages, he had planted a powerful craving deep in their hearts.
And yet Young Master Aberwin never said how many he would sell tomorrow.
Would it be ninety-eight again? Or one hundred and ninety-seven? Maybe even three hundred and ninety-four like yesterday? No one knew. He might not sell any at all. That uncertainty made the students even more anxious. They were gripped by the fear that if they missed tonight, they might never get another chance to buy sausages.
That was why, as evening drew closer, every student had grown extremely sensitive. Even the Magic Department had reached this level of tension. Once this class ended, the Sword Department students would join the fray. No one could predict how violent the conflict would become.
Both Eleonora and Irina felt the same dread.
There’s no other way.
Eleonora searched for the best way to resolve the issue.
“Lady Rosengart. At this point, neither side can compromise. In that case, how about we ask the professors to officiate and settle this with a duel?”
“A duel? You mean a formal duel that puts our noble honor on the line?”
At Irina’s question, Eleonora nodded.
“Yes. Let’s decide it with a duel. We will send out three representatives, and you will do the same. It doesn’t matter whether you choose swords or magic. Let’s settle this cleanly on the dueling ground.”
The students did not readily accept Eleonora’s proposal.
“Your Highness! Why should we give them such an opportunity?”
“Exactly! It makes no sense! Shouldn’t they be the ones yielding?”
As expected, fierce objections rose from Eleonora’s faction. But Eleonora bit her lip and decided to push forward. If she backed down now, a full-scale war between dozens of students on both sides might erupt.
“If we win, Lady Rosengart and everyone supporting her will be excluded, and we will each purchase two sausages. However, if Lady Rosengart’s side wins, we will all purchase one sausage each.”
Irina sensed that this was the maximum concession Eleonora could offer. It was a decision that carried considerable burden for her as well. The clear dissatisfaction on the faces of Eleonora’s faction proved it.
“I accept.”
At Irina’s decision, the girls of her faction and the male students who had sided with her did not protest. They had been secretly worried that they were losing ground.
But at that moment, Semira suddenly raised her hand.
“Wait. I have an objection.”
Having come to represent the neutral faction, she had not originally been its leader. Yet her presence had surged dramatically, positioning her as the de facto head of the neutrals.
“We will hold a separate duel with Lady Rosengart’s side, independent of Her Highness’s faction. We will also send three representatives.”
Irina’s expression hardened. That would mean her faction would have to fight consecutive duels. Their three strongest fighters might have to face two separate groups of opponents in succession. Even if not, they might have to send students ranked fourth through sixth instead. In that case, victory for Irina’s side would become very difficult.
“Lady Tenev. This is unfair.”
“My, Lady Rosengart. Why do you say it’s unfair? If I don’t step forward, the neutral students—who make up the majority of the Sword Department—will rebel even more fiercely, won’t they?”
Semira showed no sign of backing down. Irina frowned at the girl who dared openly defy her and issued a cold warning.
“Lady Tenev. Do you truly believe the Tenev March will remain safe after this?”
At Irina’s threat, Semira’s expression turned icy as well.
“I wonder. However, Lady Rosengart…”
Semira spoke in a cold, resolute tone.
“If the Rosengart Duchy would harbor a grudge and seek revenge over a single sausage… then I must ask—would the honor of the Rosengart Duchy itself remain safe?”