'Barbarian' Discrimination? – The Representative Battle
I tilted my head at the preparations for the inter-year competition. '…Is calling them barbarians discrimination?'
…Hmm. Is it?
'No… of course it's discrimination on the surface…'
Fundamentally, yeah, it is discrimination. But what kind of world is this? Nobles and commoners divided, a rigid class system. Hell, some regions still have slavery running rampant. And that's not even getting into the religious schisms—heretics, apostates, unbelievers, you name it. Discrimination was everywhere you looked…
"Is barbarian really discrimination?"
"Yes."
"…Huh, for real?"
"Of course it's discrimination. Why are you acting like that, Aren?"
Lydia cocked her head cutely. Veronica was doing the same, staring at me quietly, clearly puzzled by my hollow chuckle. My thoughts were a bit tangled.
'No way… is it actually discrimination?'
Seeing Lydia and Veronica's reactions, it really seemed like it was. …Hmm.
'Pedric… you never said barbarian was discriminatory.'
I recalled the days before coming to the Academy, hanging out with that drunken adventurer Pedric. Every night at the tavern, he'd lament how he dreamed of being a heroic adventurer raking in foreign coin, only to end up a washed-up has-been begging for scraps. Watching him, me and the other adventurers who'd bet against him were always cracking up.
Especially the muscle-bound, bald-headed ones like the Martial Arts Department students here—they'd laugh at Pedric, and he'd always explode.
—You barbarian bastards…!
The adventurers would respond with laughter.
—Hahaha! Pedric, what are you if even a barbarian outperforms your sorry ass!
Put simply, it was this.
'Aren't you the real savage? Shut up if your returns are worse than mine lol.'
—Gah…!
Pedric would spew curses and barbarian this, barbarian that. The adventurers just laughed and traded insults, so I figured it was all in good fun and joined in, tossing barbarian around myself…
"…Turns out I was a fucking racist without even knowing it?"
I'd become a fucking racist by accident. On Earth, that'd be like slinging the N-word at Black folks left and right.
'…Whoa.'
If this were Earth, the algorithm would've buried me in cancel culture hell. A cold sweat prickled my back for a second, but I calmed down quick—thankfully(?), this was a fantasy world.
'Honestly, maybe barbarian isn't a big deal?'
The people themselves seemed to enjoy it, so it couldn't be discrimination, right? Right…?
As I muttered to myself, the girls nearby tilted their heads.
"?"
"Fucking racist? What's that, Aren?"
Ah. They heard me.
"It's nothing, don't worry about it."
"Doesn't sound like nothing…"
Meanwhile, while our group was lost in side thoughts, the introductions among the department reps wrapped up. That's when a woman approached us—the Spirit Department's first-year rep, none other than Adelia Berniche, this era's new woman who'd rejected being a trophy and turned the tables on the guys instead.
"Aren. Doing well?"
"Adelia?"
"First time seeing you since the training grounds that day. No word at all, so I thought you'd quit the Academy."
"Ah… nah, just been training with Veronica."
Adelia eyed me curiously.
"Not with Lydia?"
"……? Yeah, with Veronica."
"Hmmm…"
She glanced back and forth between Lydia and me, then flushed slightly.
'?'
"…Two-timing, huh."
Her mutter was barely audible.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
Aren had no clue. He didn't know Adelia had been awake during that drinking party. Or that she saw him and Lydia as a full-on couple. So he had zero idea he looked like a total playboy in her eyes.
Anyway.
As our group chatted with Adelia, the eyes of the romance novel male leads started locking onto us. Especially the Crown Prince—his glare turned murderous.
"………"
With all four core first-year reps staring at our group, the other students' attention snapped to Aren in an instant.
'…Damn it.'
The Crown Prince muttered a quiet curse under his breath.
'…Adelia blushed again while looking at the top student.'
We'd gathered to prep for the inter-year competition as first-year reps, but Adelia and Aren were distracting him too much to focus.
'…Does Adelia like the top student or something?'
…No. Not that. Anything but that.
A dangerous fantasy flashed through the Crown Prince's mind. Adelia dumping him, linking arms with Aren and walking away. Then one day, an invitation arrives—it's their wedding. After the ceremony, the two head to bed to make a kid—
'………Phew. Calm down.'
Delusions. Unlikely ones at that. He bit his lip, deeming his thoughts excessive.
'Gotta pull Adelia's attention my way.'
"Now that introductions are done, shouldn't we elect a rep for the first-year alliance team?"
"His Highness is right. Time to pick a leader, no?"
"Indeed. I believe His Highness should lead us."
A few students stepped up to nominate the Crown Prince first. The others started buzzing.
"Hmm. Yeah, His Highness makes sense."
"Right? He's got the legitimacy."
"So, the Crown Prince as rep?"
Feeling the mood shift instantly, the Crown Prince nodded inwardly.
"Everyone recommending me so enthusiastically leaves me at a loss. If it's not too much, may this humble self take the role?"
"Of course, Your Highness!"
"No one else but you, Your Highness."
"Haha, thank you."
He glanced at Adelia. As expected, her eyes were on him.
'Now, Adelia. Behold my splendor.'
The leadership and charisma of the man who'll one day rule the Empire. Impressive, right? Women can't resist a dominant, cool guy—so if he secures the rep spot, Adelia's interest will fully—
"Hold on, I have an objection."
…
"…?"
"Objection."
The Crown Prince stared at Aren, who raised his hand at the worst possible moment. All eyes turned to him.
…Even Adelia's.
"Objection… to what?"
"There's someone more suited to be year rep."
"…What?"
Question marks popped up over every student's head.
'…Is the top student gonna run himself to check me?'
"—I nominate Veronica."
…
…What?
"…Huh? M-me?"
Veronica, who'd been quiet beside him, panicked and tugged Aren's arm—she hadn't expected to be thrust into the spotlight.
"Why me all of a sudden…?"
I whispered to her flustered self.
"Forgot, Veronica? You have to shine brighter than anyone in this inter-year competition."
"……!"
That was it. The reason I'd suddenly pushed Veronica and challenged the Crown Prince—all for her.
She needed to outshine everyone in this competition. Only then could she flip off her enemy-like parents, Duke and Duchess Adel Adler.
But.
"…Still, I can't be rep. His Highness is here—how could I—"
"Get a grip, Veronica."
"…Pardon?"
"Do we pick reps by power ranking?"
True, actually. But that wasn't the point now.
"The rep should be the truly capable one. And this is the Academy—a place unbound by status."
Here, talent alone could make a commoner rep or even student council president. The Empire's top institution.
…On the surface, anyway.
"Anyway, remember—you have the skills and the status."
Veronica was a duke's daughter. A notch below the Crown Prince, but not lacking.
So, prove her ability, and snagging the rep spot wasn't impossible.
Leaving the now-convinced Veronica behind, I raised my voice.
"Just as you all nominated His Highness, I nominate Veronica—no, Lady Veronica Adel Adler—as year rep!"
The Crown Prince asked stiffly.
"…What's the sudden reason?"
"Reason? Simple."
Veronica just fit the role better. That's all.
"……What?"
"Ah, don't misunderstand. I'm not saying His Highness lacks ability."
But thinking about it, hadn't the Crown Prince fallen behind Veronica in rankings since midterms? And from what I'd seen, his combat prowess was on par with Jeto or Darsen.
'Then the Veronica I trained might actually win.'
Thanks to my sticky, intensive training, she'd grown two whole levels. Could the Crown Prince handle that?
"………!!"
Sensing my vibe, the Crown Prince hardened with humiliation. The noble students panicked too.
But I kept stirring the pot regardless.
"Don't you all think so? Since midterms, Veronica's grown faster than anyone, rocketing up the rankings. Another exam, and she'd claim second place easy…"
Anyone could see her current performance topped the Crown Prince's.
"And with her being a woman adding that rarity?"
Come on. A kind, beautiful maiden rep leading us—who could resist?
"………!!"
"True! Better a woman than some dull guy!"
Oh, nice assist there.
'Martial Arts Department for ya—easy to vibe with.'
My fondness for barbarians shot up.
'Oops, right, that's discrimination.'
Handsome muscle men it is.
Anyway.
"What do you say? Your thoughts?"
Maiden archmage (candidate) Veronica vs. lame watery male Crown Prince.
Who wins?