That Name
What the hell? I haven't done anything yet, and I don't plan to do anything in the future either.
“I have no reason to duel with you.”
“I said I wanted to learn from you, right? Isn't it the duty of a senior to teach a junior who asks for guidance?”
The tension conveyed without any reason was not to be taken lightly. It was the same in the original work, but Crystal's tsundere personality seemed to be thriving in reality as well.
She was the type that would pull aggro on other maps if left alone in the field.
Honestly, it was quite bothersome, but I had no choice but to accept it. If I just kept dodging like this, it would damage my reputation as a noble.
Even after reincarnation, I know that being a noble is not just bothersome; it's not a position where you can just raise your head arrogantly because you have power and authority like in the previous life.
Well, the memories of the previous life are faint, so it might have just been that.
Anyway, if this is a duty, then it's a duty. I didn't need to overthink it. Just think of it as the same as the school request to hunt monsters.
“Understood. Come.”
Upon agreeing to the duel, Crystal quickly straightened her posture and began reciting the duel oath.
“The labor of the subjects is for the kingdom.”
“The authority of the nobles is for the subjects.”
“The king's love is for all of it.”
“- I offer my sword to the king.”
It had been a while since I recited this.
Feeling a slight nostalgia, I extended my hand forward.
“What are you doing right now?”
“I am thinking of providing the guidance you desire.”
Benjamin's question, as if asking what the problem was, made Crystal feel bewildered. Despite the duel starting, Benjamin had his hand extended toward himself without drawing his weapon.
“Are you joking? Or are you teasing me?”
“I have no such intention.”
His face was completely devoid of any joking expression. The palm facing him was extremely provocative, though.
“Is that thing hanging at your waist a decoration?”
“If necessary, I will draw it. You don't need to worry about that. That said, if you're not coming, I won't wait either.”
With that said, in an instant.
In a single breath, Crystal completely missed Benjamin's movement.
-Bang!
“Ugh?!”
Crystal, who had been flying backward, barely managed to stop her body and looked down at her chest.
The violently throbbing chest and the torn part of her clothes were telling her that the pain she felt was not an illusion.
“...Hah.”
Crystal straightened her posture again and focused all her mind on the 'enemy' in front of her, utilizing her mana.
She didn't even think about the idea of 'doing what rumors say'. If this was reality, she would have died from that one strike.
Her body trembled with excitement she had never felt before.
It was an overwhelming powerhouse.
“Haaat!”
Crystal threw a fireball forward and manipulated her mana to create a wall with the thrown flames.
At the moment the flames exploded and the wall appeared, she immediately generated lightning with her right hand and cast magic on the sword she was holding.
Normally, she would have gone around the flame wall, but this person...!
She would definitely...!
She believed she would come head-on. Whether she pierced the flames or destroyed the flame wall itself, she didn't doubt that she would come from the front.
Crystal was preparing to counter, but...
“Not a bad plan, but limiting your own field of vision by facing an opponent faster than yourself is dangerous. Especially since it risks completely losing track of the enemy's position right now.”
The voice came from behind.
When did he...?!
Crystal judged that turning around to swing the sword was already too late and tried to release the magic she had cast on the sword.
Even if the damage was secondary, she thought she could avoid it if released in all directions, but it had already been read.
Feeling that something was wrong because her mana wasn't being released, Crystal realized that her hand holding the sword was being held by Benjamin.
“Your judgment and decisiveness are impeccable. If I had to nitpick, it would be that you lack experience fighting opponents of similar or greater strength.”
“When...?! No, then why is my mana...?”
It didn't make sense that holding the hand would disrupt mana usage. But in reality, her mana wasn't moving as if it was strongly bound to something.
After struggling silently for a while, Crystal realized that Benjamin was restraining her mana.
“Is this possible?!”
“As you see. Magic is something I learned by skimming the surface of a watermelon, so I can't merge it with swordsmanship like you, but interfering with its operation through contact is no problem.”
The idea was simple, but in principle, it was something that should have been impossible.
Mana is the person's own energy. Interfering with it is like arbitrarily moving the opponent's blood and manipulating the blood flow.
That's why Crystal couldn't believe it even though she was experiencing it directly.
“Who are you?”
“As you know, I'm Benjamin Jenkinson, Crystal Baker. And.”
“Today's class is over here.”
“Wait...!”
Crystal's wish to do more of various things was in vain, and her consciousness sank into darkness with a snap of Benjamin's finger on her forehead.
--
I carefully laid the unconscious Crystal on the ground.
After all, she's the protagonist, and I couldn't treat her like garbage on the roadside. Moreover, such an act would be unbecoming of a noble.
That said, I thought I was getting used to this world, but seeing the protagonist move in person was still refreshing in its own way.
Especially the lightning magic I was about to use. It was something I used to wipe out mobs in the game.
Thanks to that, I felt a slight sense of pleasure.
“...How did you know her name?”
“Huh?”
After laying Crystal down and standing up, Camilla approached me and spoke. She seemed angry for some reason. Was it just my imagination?
Curious, I tilted my head, and Camilla's questioning question followed.
“You don't remember people who aren't interesting to you? You have to see their faces at least three times to remember them. But why do you know about that girl? You met her for the first time today, right?”
Ah, so that's what was strange. Since Camilla had known me for quite a while, it made sense she would think oddly.
But I couldn't say I knew because she was the protagonist, so I pointed to Peter approaching Crystal while looking at us and said carefully.
“I heard it from him.”
“...I see.”
It seemed she understood. That said, I had ended up entangled with the protagonist I had been trying to avoid as much as possible.
Of course, as long as I don't do the garbage things like in the original work, there wouldn't be much to fear, but I couldn't help but feel uneasy because the existence of the 'force' was unclear.
But since I was already entangled, there was no point in worrying. I decided to be more careful from now on and tried to leave.
“As soon as you returned, you caused quite a commotion, Benjamin.”
Since I had already endured quite a bit of bother today, I had a strong desire to ignore it, but of course I couldn't.
I turned toward the direction the voice came from and bowed respectfully to the strikingly handsome silver-haired blue-eyed young man standing at the front of the group.
“It has been a while, Your Highness.”
“Isn't it too stiff to meet after a long time? Call me Felix like before.”
It was strange how he said it despite the lack of goodwill.
His name was Felix Jack Animus. As the name suggested, he was a prince of the kingdom, the student council president, and one of the main targets for Crystal's affection.
Moreover, for some reason, he seemed to dislike me very much.
“Understood, Felix.”
“Hmm. You don't have to use honorifics, but if I say it, you won't listen. As the student council president, I sincerely welcome your return.”
Unlike his friendly tone, his eyes weren't smiling at all, this prince.
If I had done something wrong and he disliked me, he would have apologized, but since there was no clue, it was troublesome.
As a noble, I didn't want to make enemies with the next king, so it was even more troublesome.
I was thinking that it would be good if he told me what he disliked so much, when another handsome man standing next to Felix spoke up.
“Have you decided on any club activities after school? If not, how about the student council? You would be welcome anytime.”
This guy was quite sincere in his invitation, unlike the terrain. His name was Lucian Jack Animus. He was the student council vice president and one of the main targets for Crystal's affection, like Felix.
If Miles and Hayden were there too, it would have been a scene where all the leaders of the royal faction, noble faction, and commoner faction in the Royal Academy would gather, but fortunately, their appearances were not visible.
I thought it was really fortunate. Nobles and politics are inseparable, but still, being bothersome is bothersome.
“I will consider it.”
After giving an appropriate reply and exchanging meaningless small talk about recent news, I soon realized something surprising.
It was that the first day of returning to school hadn't even started yet.
Upon realizing that, I desperately wanted to go home.
--
“There are no noticeable external or internal injuries, but rest well today.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Crystal obediently nodded at the nurse's advice, and as soon as she went out, she lay down on her back and looked at the ceiling.
It was the first time. To be overwhelmingly defeated by someone.
Since Crystal had never lost in any field since childhood, even to adults, this situation itself was very unfamiliar.
Still, I feel a bit good.
I don't know if he is the understanding person I was looking for. I wasn't just looking for someone stronger than me.
But it was clear that he was an existence she had never seen or experienced before. Whether he would become her understanding person or not would be something to observe in the future.
...I'm bored.
It was good that I decided to skip school today, but the problem was there was nothing to do.
Even if I didn't know how he had handled it, there was no aftereffect of the duel. Lying around tossing and turning, Crystal eventually got up from the bed again.
“Huh?”
When she got up, she felt presence beyond the curtain. Without hesitation, she flicked the curtain open, and a female student who was leaning on the bed reading a book jumped in surprise.
“W-who are you?!”
“Then who are you... eh?”
Despite boldly opening the curtain, Crystal's gaze, which was questioning, turned to the book the female student was reading.
The author's name on the cover was, by chance, the very name she had just decided to properly remember.