The School Trip (1)
The duel, packed with shock and awe, had finally concluded after a full two hours of unrelenting brutality. The boy who had danced until he collapsed now lay sprawled across the arena floor with a resounding thud.
He rolled limply across the ground, utterly exhausted. Even in his depleted state, his hips continued to twitch and spasm in a grotesque rhythm that made every onlooker wrinkle their nose in disgust. The students stared down at the spectacle with cold, unfeeling eyes.
……
The training grounds, which should have been filled with cheers, had fallen into a stunned silence. The very same students who had idolized Ian only hours earlier now stood speechless. The looks in their eyes held no trace of respect. It was simply too hideous a sight.
Students, professors, followers—every single spectator gazed at the boy with the same awkward, uncomfortable expression. The flawless elite. The greatest talent of his year, the sole candidate for the next student council president. The image he had spent years carefully cultivating was crumbling before their eyes. All that remained in their memories was the sight of him passionately twerking.
It was perhaps the most horrifying ending imaginable.
Heh heh.
Meanwhile, only the one who had orchestrated the entire performance was smiling. The snake’s lips curled upward in unmistakable delight at the boy’s social death. He discreetly covered his mouth with one hand. It was the very picture of a classic villain.
……Ah.
The duel has ended.
Ian Ternado is unable to continue. The winner is Yuda Snakers.
The announcer’s voice rang out belatedly. Though it declared the victor, neither applause nor cheers followed. Only a heavy silence lingered in the air.
“It was a fierce match.”
Yuda shrugged and turned away. The students watched in a daze as the snake’s back receded into the distance.
The battle between the top students had ended in overwhelming fashion. It was so one-sided that calling it a fight felt generous, yet it had still provided quite an entertaining spectacle. It had been a long time since he last tasted dopamine this potent.
I might have gone a bit too far.
The thought crossed his mind. Not only had he trampled the boy’s pride—he had shattered it into a million pieces. The image of the flawless genius could never be restored. While it was satisfying to see him suffer after everything he had done, Yuda also felt a twinge of pity.
Still, he felt no regret.
It had to be done.
Objectively speaking, Ian had brought it upon himself. He had picked the fight first, accepted the duel, and even insulted his own professor in front of the head assistant. In terms of justification, Yuda held an overwhelming advantage.
Anyway. The time had come to settle the price of the duel. The phase known as Enforcement.
They spoke with casual ease.
“How have you been, Senior Ian?”
“……”
Ian sat there, his face noticeably gaunt after just a few days. His trembling lips remained sealed. Every time their eyes met, he flinched violently. It seemed the trauma from that day had yet to fade.
Thanks to that, the answer Yuda wanted came easily.
“My request is simple.”
“……”
“Just once. Become a piece on the board I control.”
“……A piece?”
“It’s nothing complicated. When I give an order someday, simply obey.”
“What exactly are you planning to make me do?”
“Who knows? I don’t believe I’m obligated to tell you in advance.”
“……”
Although he had been thoroughly toyed with, Ian was still the chief student of the second year. He had been preparing to run for student council president next year. Of course, that position might now be in jeopardy, but he remained a capable talent nonetheless. He was simply a genius whose reputation had been forever stained by twerking.
With this condition attached, there would surely come a moment when he would prove useful. Moreover, as the head assistant to Professor Kadel—who stood in direct opposition to Selena—he could serve as a useful tool for keeping opposing forces in check. In many ways, he was a diamond in the rough with great potential.
“Ah, and one more thing.”
Yuda added without missing a beat.
“You must attend classes properly, just like before.”
“W-what…?”
“Hiding away in the research building until graduation is not allowed.”
In truth, this condition held little meaning. He had simply added it because it sounded amusing. After all, the boy had become the academy’s idol—the greatest dancer among the students. It would be a shame to let him skip class. It was the proud heart of a producer who had just debuted a superstar.
“W-wait, why are you giving me two conditions? The duel was only supposed to grant you one!”
A natural protest came in return. However, Yuda crushed that resistance with a relaxed tone.
“Senior Ian.”
“Y-yes…?”
“If you dislike it, I’ll consider it the same as watching you dance once more.”
“……”
The choice Yuda offered was simple: accept the terms, or experience that horrific nightmare again. This time, he planned to make him perform Zero Two right at the main gate. For three full hours.
“Please choose comfortably.”
“……”
Ian sat there in a daze. His haggard face trembled for a moment before he finally lowered his head in defeat.
“Please… make me your piece.”
His moist eyes glistened. Following the single tear that fell, the once-promising boy knelt before the mastermind.
It was truly a ruthless scene.
News of the duel sent ripples throughout the academy. A freshman who had yet to shed his new-student status had completely overwhelmed the second-year chief student, who had been considered the very best. It was almost embarrassing to even call it a fight.
To the students, it was a massive shock. Among all the difficult subjects, illusion magic was known as one of the hardest. Yet this freshman had wielded it with perfect mastery and utterly crushed a senior. It was enough to leave the children speechless. As a result, many began to look at the subject in a new light.
Of course, the topic wasn’t limited to his skill alone. The contents of the duel were too vile to speak of aloud. The memory of how viciously he had toyed with his opponent remained burned into everyone’s minds. Whispers filled the halls.
Emilia, who had flown through the air before ultimately wetting herself in front of everyone. Ian, whose passionate dance had furrowed every brow in the audience. None of them had escaped humiliation.
Thanks to that, dark rumors began to spread among the students.
The rumor was clear: beware Young Master Snakers. Such ghost stories spread from mouth to mouth until they eventually reached the person in question.
Yuda smiled bitterly.
“Oh dear… It seems I’ve earned quite a bit of resentment.”
He could feel the students’ gazes—some overt, some hidden. As he let out an awkward laugh, Emilia, who had been walking beside him, answered.
“Hmph. You brought it on yourself.”
Her blue eyes glared at him. Her pupils were filled with considerable contempt. Perhaps she felt sympathy as a fellow victim. The girl furrowed her brow and then snapped at him accusingly.
“This time you really went too far.”
“I am reflecting on my actions, in my own way.”
“Your mouth is practically reaching your ears.”
“Ah.”
He belatedly covered his mouth. The villainess let out a quiet sigh.
“……Of course, I know it was justified revenge.”
“I’m glad you understand.”
“I also know you held back a lot. If you had truly wanted to destroy him, it wouldn’t have ended with him simply becoming a laughingstock. You would have erased him from the world without a trace.”
“What a terrifying thing to say.”
“Because you’re someone who could actually do it.”
“Just because one can do something doesn’t mean one necessarily will.”
“You never let anyone have the last word, do you?”
Emilia eventually pressed a hand to her forehead as if she had a headache. Her red lips murmured softly.
“That person named Ian… I wonder if he’ll ever be able to walk around with his head held high again……”
“Ah, I think that part will be fine.”
“Huh?”
“After all, Lady Vanity is doing quite well these days.”
“What did you……?”
A perfectly timed sneak attack. The strike pierced straight through her defenses and into her vitals.
“Y-you… j-just now… what did you……”
The girl’s face turned bright red in an instant. Her pupils trembled. Anger, embarrassment, and shame mixed together in chaotic discord. The villainess froze for a moment before snapping back to her senses and shouting.
“You! You clearly promised you wouldn’t tease me about that…!”
“I’m surprised you actually believed me.”
“Y-you, you trash!”
“How innocent you are.”
“Ugh, uuuugh!!”
Emilia looked like she was dying of embarrassment. Yuda lightly dodged the ice spears falling from the sky while continuing his relentless teabagging. He was simply fulfilling his duty as an agent of chaos.
“You may rest easy. I can embrace even Lady Vanity’s shameful past……”
“Shut up!!”
“Isn’t this what true pure affection looks like?”
“Uwaaaaaagh!!”
They walked together through the noisy atmosphere.
The rather noisy duel event caused the week to pass by in the blink of an eye. The academy was already beginning to be dyed in deep summer colors. With lush greenery flowing down the landscape, the students celebrated the passing months.
Life at the academy was a continuous cycle of suffocating competition. Yet even in such a fierce place as Galimar, the first vacation where they could set aside their studies had finally arrived.
It was the school trip.
“It’s already tomorrow.”
As he muttered while sitting on the sofa, a voice came from beside him. It was Irene.
“If the schedule starts tomorrow… it’s the school trip?”
“That’s right.”
The fox was personally brewing tea. She was clearly trying, but her skills were still too clumsy to be called a proper maid. Yuda swallowed the tea, which had a strangely bitter aftertaste.
“Unexpected.”
“Hm?”
“You look like you’re actually looking forward to it.”
“Of course I am. Where in the world is there a person who dislikes vacation?”
“I thought you’d be different.”
“Please try to think of me as a normal person.”
“I’ll try.”
She fiddled with the teapot with an expressionless face. After a long silence, Irene suddenly asked as if she had just remembered.
“When are you coming back?”
“They said one week.”
“Shorter than I thought. I’ll just stay and guard the dormitory.”
“Oh? Did I not tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“You’re coming with us, Miss Irene.”
“Me too…?”
“One servant is allowed to accompany. I planned to bring you along.”
“Can I refuse?”
“No.”
“I figured.”
Irene let out a short sigh. Yuda chuckled and gently stroked the tail that was swaying beside him. The soft texture flowed through his fingertips.
“……Why do you like my tail so much?”
“Rest assured, Miss Irene.”
“I told you not to touch my tail.”
“A vacation where we all go together will be quite enjoyable.”
“No, my tail.”
“I hear the destination is a coastal area. Quite a fitting choice for summer, isn’t it?”
“You’re not listening to me at all.”
He skillfully soothed the whining fox. Yuda murmured softly.
“Heh heh… It will definitely be fun.”
After all, an unimaginable event was waiting for them.
A sinister smile spread across his lips. Suppressing the corners of his mouth that curled on their own, he lifted the teacup once more. It was still bitter.
One night passed, and the long-awaited morning of the school trip finally arrived. From early in the morning, the Class A students had gathered at the carriage station. Each of them carried large travel bags. They were ready for the journey.
As they waited with eyes full of anticipation, their homeroom professor arrived last. Perhaps she had drunk heavily the night before the vacation. Selena looked like she was suffering from a terrible hangover. Even so, the fact that she refused to let go of her liquor bottle made her seem every bit the alcoholic.
She checked the final headcount and gave her orders.
“Everyone, please board the assigned carriages. We will depart immediately.”
The students each found their places. Not long after, the line of carriages set off with a powerful neigh. The sound of horseshoes echoed as they passed through the academy’s main gate and crossed the streets.
The School Trip
🌊 The sea that shines brilliantly, the children who sing —
It was the beginning of the vacation.