Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Freshman Welcome Party
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“Dean…”
“What.”
“What’s with that getup.”
Prim and proper school uniform.
Rimless glasses.
Even her hair color had changed.
“How about it, Kaus. Cute, right?”
Veronica grabbed her twintails and shook her head this way and that.
Rustle, rustle. Her face was brimming with excitement.
“Sigh… Dean, where are you off to? Changing your look like that and all.”
“Kaus… See, it’s like this.”
Veronica raised her index finger and declared solemnly.
“Today’s the freshman welcome party. In other words, the day when something fun is guaranteed to happen.”
“…Dean.”
“What now.”
“See…”
“??”
Veronica tilted her head, hand on her cheek.
“Ha… More importantly, Dean. The Est Count family is causing a fuss.”
“…Est? They’re still alive?”
“Yes. Barely hanging on by name alone.”
“So? What’s the fuss.”
“They’re demanding we hand over the top student, Adel.”
“Huh…?”
Crack.
A vein bulged on Veronica’s forehead.
“They’re even demanding we punish the student council president.”
“Yeah. Yeah.”
“Their final act of desperation…”
Whoosh.
Black flames enveloped Veronica’s body, returning her to her original form in an instant.
“Kaus.”
“…Yes.”
“You’ve been keeping the house safe?”
“Dean… You can’t kill them.”
“Yeah. I get it.”
Grind.
Veronica shot up from her chair.
“I accepted them after they swore they’d change… And this is how they repay me, hitting me over the head…?”
“Dean… I’m telling you again, if you kill them…”
“I got it. But I can half-kill them, right?”
“…Yes, exactly half. Exactly half. The rest we hand over to the Empire, Dean.”
“Fine, I said.”
With that, Veronica strode toward the window.
Hop. She leaped out.
Flutter.
Small wings unfurled from her back, gently carrying her aloft.
“Ha… I was gonna let it slide.”
Even after they assaulted a student and got punished by the student council president…
I figured it wasn’t my place to step in.
“Humans… Why are they so damn stupid.”
***
Am I actually a genius or something?
‘Ahh…’
Applaud me.
Me, Adel.
Today, I’ve been reborn.
Why, you ask?
‘Feast your eyes on this.’
Whoosh.
A whiteboard floated into the air.
And then.
[(oﾟvﾟ)ノ]
‘Heh.’
I’d reached the point where I could draw with mana without even lifting a finger.
‘Aren’t I kinda badass?’
[This body is the strongest]
This time, letters.
Again, without using my hands.
It might look simple, but there are surprisingly many ways to use it.
‘Definitely gets the motivation going.’
Before, nothing sparked any drive, but since coming to the Cradle, things feel… livable, somehow.
Swipe.
I raised a finger and connected lines with mana.
Crackle.
And it shattered.
‘Ah.’
Failed again.
Talent ‘lowest’ really is trash.
‘What the hell am I supposed to do with this.’
Etch language into each and every strand of the line?
‘I'm screwed.’
What kind of bullshit is that.
‘What now.’
Today’s Saturday.
Meaning… the weekend.
But also the day of the freshman welcome party.
‘Duel requests…’
A Cradle tradition.
After the freshman welcome party ends, duels between all freshmen are permitted.
More precisely, from that day on, anyone can challenge anyone.
And as the top student, me?
‘I’ll be hounded endlessly.’
I can already see the future.
“You dare call yourself top student?”
“I’ll rip that beggar mask off you first.”
“A lowly commoner like you…”
That infuriating self-confidence.
Those high-energy duel requests.
And the problem is.
‘I can’t even refuse…’
Try refusing as the top student.
Who knows what fresh hell that’d unleash.
‘Haa…’
I really just want to hide.
Should I activate 【Silent Walker】 all day and hole up in a corner, holding my breath?
…Of course, that’s a problem too.
‘Can’t keep it on all day.’
And I can’t exactly skip it.
‘Made a promise with Lev, after all.’
Believe it or not, I keep my promises.
‘…Maybe skip it.’
Honestly, I’m scared.
***
Freshman welcome party.
Dress code: black and white.
But even within that, class distinctions were clear.
Nobles were decked out in fancy suits one and all, while commoners mostly wore Cradle uniforms.
“Saintess! What’re you doing here?”
“…?”
Among them, the standout was S Class.
True to their reputation, they’d all shown up dressed however they pleased.
“Second place. Don’t scare people like that.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
Laphia and Serros were in matching comfy training clothes.
Top and bottom tracksuits, giggling as they wandered around.
“You guys really are entertaining.”
Crown Prince Rufus observed them, clad in a black suit embroidered with golden thread and white gloves.
“…There is no sign of the top student.”
The most put-together was Charlotte.
Simple black-and-white mixed athletic wear.
Neither suit nor uniform—a perfect compromise.
“Nom nom.”
Neru was shoveling food as usual, draped in a rag-like outfit that left little to the imagination.
“…”
Lev de Lumière.
Was dressed in her usual saintly robes from the Holy Kingdom.
Standing silently in the corner, avoiding the crowd.
“What about Erwin?”
“Dunno. Think he’s still training.”
“Wow… That guy trains nonstop.”
“Agreed. He’s been even more intense lately.”
And then.
Thud.
All the venue lights went out.
Dozens of students looked up in unison.
“Oh?”
“What’s going on…?”
“It’s starting?”
Thud.
A second light went out.
This time, a single spotlight dropped from the ceiling, aiming for the center of the venue.
“Student council?”
“Who’s that…?”
“Student council president!”
“Really? First time seeing her in person!”
When the light fully hit, the figure who appeared there was.
The student council.
“Ahem.”
In the center stood a girl with snow-white hair swaying gently.
“Freshmen of the Cradle, it’s a pleasure.”
She cleared her throat lightly and spoke.
“I am the Cradle’s student council president.”
The light hit her shoulder.
There was an armband embroidered with a star emblem.
The glowing pattern symbolized the absolute authority of the student council president.
“Cornelia von Delbar.”
The weight of ‘student council president’.
It was not just academics—it sybolised combat, leadership and grace.
Approved by the faculty evaluations and student council verification, and finally by Veronica herself: the pinnacle of the Cradle.
“This year’s freshmen are said to be an unprecedented gathering of talents.”
Cornelia’s eyes darted around.
Searching for someone.
Or perhaps waiting for someone.
“…I have high expectations.”
The white mask.
That annoying face was nowhere to be seen.
“…For the brilliant light you freshmen will show!”
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The lights came on one by one, flooding the venue with brightness.
And then.
“So… I sincerely congratulate you all on your enrollment!”
As her words ended, some cheered, others silently raised their glasses.
***
At that moment, I was…
‘What’s that guy doing.’
The protagonist of ‘Calamity Incarnate’, who should’ve been drawing all eyes inside the venue.
That Klaus guy was.
Instead, outside the venue, slumped against the wall, curled up with his head down.
Step.
I quietly approached him.
“…”
Klaus looked up at me.
“…You?”
[Hello?]
“…You! …Are you okay?”
Klaus suddenly jumped up and checked me over.
[What’s wrong?]
“…Sorry. About back then.”
Back then…
He means when that Grape whatever was beating on me?
[I’m fine]
“…You can speak casually.”
[I’m fine]
Klaus hesitated a moment, then leaned back against the wall and sat.
‘…As expected of the protagonist?’
Worrying about others before himself.
Even while broken and hurting, he looks after others.
[What’re you doing out here?]
“…Just. Taking a breather.”
[Not going in?]
“…Nah, doesn’t feel like my place.”
Ah…
This is bad.
The protagonist’s self-esteem had hit rock bottom.
‘What am I supposed to do if you’re like this.’
What about the story ahead?
The calamity?
What about Charlotte, who’s supposed to be your girlfriend.
[Not your place?]
This was dangerous.
The ‘protagonist’, who should always be positive, was crumbling inside.
There was no hope anywhere in his heart.
“…Just, I… don’t belong there.”
Not that the world had turned its back on him, but he’d turned his back on it—those were his eyes.
‘…’
This is no good.
I can’t leave him like this.
If Klaus abandons his ‘protagonist’ role, it’ll fall to me.
And I’m not ready to take it on, mentally or otherwise.
That weight would crush me.
[You know?]
Somehow, I had to get Kaus back on his feet right here.
“…What?”
He had to reclaim his ‘self’.
[Miracles come to those who don’t give up]
“…!!”
Yeah.
No wonder he’s shocked.
Those words…
‘Are what your parents said.’
The last words of Klaus’s parents, now gone from this world.
Engraved deeper than anything in his heart.
[I can’t speak, my body’s weak]
A body that coughs blood at a word, that doesn’t gain a single muscle after half a year of training.
[Yet here I stand]
Still, I made it this far.
Never gave up, took one step at a time.
[So get up]
Even I’m standing here like this.
Are you gonna sit there, Mr.protagonist?
“…”
Klaus stared blankly, mouth agape.
“…Kh.”
Then burst out laughing.
“Haha… You really sound just like my parents.”
Ordinary words, but the darkness weighing on his shoulders seemed to lift a little.
For some reason, a chuckle slipped from me too.
‘Good.’
That’s enough.
The Klaus in ‘Calamity Incarnate’ would’ve been far stronger and more positive right now.
But recovering even 10% was progress.
That’d do.
‘You’re the protagonist.’
The one possibility in this mad world.
The sword that cuts through despair, the hand that grasps hope.
Step.
I turned and headed for the venue.
“…Hey!”
Klaus’s voice came from behind.
“What’s your name? I’m Klaus.”
Familiar.
The name I’d heard endlessly playing ‘Calamity Incarnate’.
I quickly wrote my name on the whiteboard.
[Adel]
“…Adel?”
The moment my foot hit the venue threshold.
“…The top student…?”
This guy.
He didn’t even know I was top student.
‘Yeah. If a guy like me can be at the top.’
What’s stopping you.
‘Stand up.’
And move forward.
Look straight ahead.
‘You’re… the protagonist, right?’
***
[Hey Lev]
I found Lev crouched in the corner.
“…Late.”
Oh no.
I was in big trouble.
That pouty face screamed she was sulking.
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
[ Lev de Lumière ]
Favorability: 【Strange Friend】
Status: 【Positive】
■■■■■□□□□□ (5/10)
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
Hm.
Strange friend.
What’s that even mean.
[Something came up]
Truth is, I’d wasted time agonizing over whether to come.
[But did you really need me?]
Honestly, it didn’t seem like it.
No one was paying attention to Lev, and she wasn’t the center of any crowd.
“…Gotta watch.”
Watch, huh.
Yeah, crouched in the corner like this, maybe no one recognizes her.
Step out into the light, and our saintess would definitely stand out.
[Got it]
So Lev and I decided to tour the venue together.
One lap.
Then another.
Our saintess’s curiosity was beyond imagination.
Which food tasted better, why two chandeliers on that ceiling.
[Tasty?]
“…Yeah.”
[That one?]
“…Nah.”
Lev set down her pudding.
We passed the time with pointless chit-chat, a bit awkwardly.
And then.
“Who’s that…?”
“Erwin?”
Murmurs started rippling around.
Lev and I turned to follow the gazes.
There.
Step.
Wrinkled clothes, dirt on his hands.
Everything screamed he’d just come from training.
“top student, Adel.”
A fellow S Class freshman.
Erwin von Orpheus.
“I challenge you to a duel.”
He threw down the gauntlet to me.
“…”
I stared blankly at Erwin.
‘What the.’
What’d I ever do to Erwin?
‘No idea…’
Hadn’t said a word to him, no real connection.
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
[ Erwin von Orpheus ]
Favorability: 【Inferiority Complex】
Status: 【Negative】
■■■■■■■■■■ (-10/10)
✦━━━━━━━━━━━━✦
‘…Messy.’
Why’s he like this.
Inferiority complex maxed out.
“Seriously?”
“The first freshman duel is between S Class!”
“Really? The top student vs. Erwin?”
“Who wins?”
“Even so, against Erwin…”
“Nah, didn’t you see the cafeteria fight?”
“…There was a fight in the cafeteria?”
Murmur murmur.
The students’ eyes locked on, heat building.
‘But…’
In myposition right now… it was fifty-fifty?
I was half doubting, half convinced.
‘It's winnable…’
Students who saw me drop that Grape guy in the cafeteria bet on me.
Those who didn’t bet on Erwin.
‘…Was this actually a chance?’
It was the perfect shot to solidify my standing.
Hm… yeah.
‘I’ll crush him utterly.’
Time to etch it in with a decisive blow.
Overwhelm him so no one dares even suggest a duel.
‘Even if I cough blood.’
Even if my body breaks.
‘Jealous genius bastards.’
The lowest-talent genius pretender will break you.
‘Wait for me, peaceful life.’
I’m coming.