The Lion's Whiskers
"Run, Simon!"
Camibarez fired off Blood Bullets in rapid succession, mowing down the students chasing after them. Her projectiles had dramatically extended range and velocity compared to an ordinary explosive Blood Bullet — she looked like a sniper covering her mark.
Under her protective fire, Simon was able to sprint at full speed without a single interruption, and at last—
— Class A, Simon Polentia. Entry into the mansion has been confirmed.
He stepped through the mansion's entrance. Hearing the announcement echo through the halls, Simon let out a long breath and braced his hands on his knees.
"You're late?"
Lorraine, who had been waiting inside, waved lazily. She was in the middle of dismissing her Skeleton Horse back into subspace.
"We ran into a little trouble on the way."
Simon answered, wiping the sweat from his brow with his sleeve.
"Oh my — looks like I'm the last one here!"
Serene was approaching the mansion. Around her, a dozen-odd students were desperately shielding her from the hail of incoming attacks — blocking them, or taking hits meant for her. Thanks to her escorts, Serene strolled up to the entrance on light, unhurried feet without lifting so much as a finger.
— Class C, Serene Aindark. Entry into the mansion has been confirmed.
"Good work, my slaves."
She snapped her fingers. The feathers clinging to the students' bodies scattered and dissolved into the air. They came to their senses, blinking around in confusion.
"Huh? What—?"
"Why am I here?"
Lorraine narrowed her eyes and stepped toward Serene.
"Don't you think that's a little cheap? You were perfectly capable of getting in on your own, and yet you made other students take the damage for—"
"I used my abilities fairly. So what's the problem?"
Serene spun around with a bright smile.
"If it bothers you, go tattle to your mommy over there. Go on — ask her to get me expelled."
"Don't spout nonsense. You will never move me the way you move them."
The two of them began to growl at each other. Caught in the middle, Simon sighed inwardly.
Being stuck between these two is a serious drain on my mental energy. Seriously.
"Simon!"
Camibarez came scrambling over and grabbed his hand tight.
"Thank goodness! Oh, thank goodness! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"..."
Her pure, unguarded concern washed over Simon, and his mood lifted all at once. His chest even felt a little warm.
Yeah. This is what being around people should feel like.
"I'm fine, Cami. Thanks for earlier."
Camibarez startled and let go of his hand. She stared sheepishly at her feet for a moment, then looked back up with a giggly smile.
"Now then — Simon?"
Serene called his name and glided closer. Simon felt his body stiffen on reflex.
"You do owe me a rather large debt, don't you?"
"...Y-yeah. Thanks for the help."
He had no choice but to admit it. Serene pressed a finger to her lips with a sly grin.
"Ahh, I do enjoy moments like this. Now, what should I have you do?"
"I do owe you, but that doesn't mean you get to make wishes come true or anything."
"I know, I know. In that case—"
"SIMON!!"
SLAM!
Meilin, fresh off her fight with Elisa, came storming over with terrifying momentum. She shoved Serene's face away with her palm as she marched straight up to Simon. Serene let out a theatrical "Kyaaa!" and made a show of tumbling to the floor, but Meilin didn't spare her a glance.
"I warned you, didn't I! I told you if you ever ran into that girl, you stay away from her no matter what!"
"Uh? Uh, well..."
"So why are you standing next to her?!"
"There were, uh, circumstances—"
Just then, Serene latched onto Meilin's arm with a beaming smile.
"Kyaaang! It's Meilin! What are you doing here?"
"Oh, for — get OFF!"
Meilin pushed her face away with a voice like a knife. Serene pouted her lips and put on a sulky expression.
"Boo. That's so mean. Serene just wants to be close friends with Meilin."
"Serene can freeze to death! It gives me goosebumps — I told you to stop talking like that!"
Meilin said, looking green around the gills. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, her eyes hardened.
"And you — you son of a—. You planted a feather on me when I wasn't looking, didn't you?"
"Hmm? Hmm~?"
"Why else would I attack Simon! That was YOUR doing!"
Serene tilted her head.
"Serene has no idea what you mean."
"Don't play innocent!"
Meilin's face flushed scarlet with fury. Serene waggled her finger side to side in a babyish little chide.
"Also, Serene's power doesn't create feelings that aren't there — it amplifies the ones already inside you. You lunging at Simon isn't something Serene made happen, it's just you being honest with your own emo—"
"Skip the sophistry and just DIE already!"
The two of them tangled into a fight. Though honestly, it was less a fight than Meilin beating Serene one-sidedly while Serene let herself be beaten.
KWAAANG!
"SERENEEEEEE!"
A voice so enormous it shook the entire mansion rang out. Serene gave a wry smile.
"Like I said — I'm a woman with many sins."
"?"
The figure stomping out of the mansion's interior was none other than Special Admission No. 10, Malcolm Randolph.
"You son of a bitch!"
He crossed the distance in a single stride and seized Serene by the collar, hauling her up. She offered no resistance, letting her arms hang limp.
"You dared to control me and make me do that humiliating—"
"Oh my — I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about..."
CRASH!
Malcolm hurled Serene hard into the floor. As she crumpled, murmurs rippled through the onlookers.
"...It has to be you."
Malcolm snarled.
"You're the only one who could make a person look that pathetic! You dared to toy with me like a dog?"
Sprawled on the floor, Serene made no reply — she simply wiped the blood trickling from her lip. The staff in Malcolm's hand trembled under his crushing grip.
"Ivory Tower or whatever the hell else — what you need is a beating."
Just as Malcolm hoisted the staff high — Simon slipped behind him like a shadow and clamped both hands around it.
"...!"
"That's enough."
Malcolm strained, but the staff didn't budge an inch. His panicked eyes darted backward.
"What the hell do YOU want?!"
"This is a non-combat zone."
Malcolm bit his lip and grunted, pushing with both hands, but he couldn't beat Simon's grip. And of all moments, it had to be in front of a crowd of watching students — his face flushed crimson at the sudden humiliation, and he swung his left fist straight at Simon's head.
"Then you can just die too—!"
Shhk.
A black-edged dagger whizzed soundlessly past Malcolm's eye.
Then — thock — it buried itself in the wall.
Lorraine, seated at a table with her legs crossed, sipping her juice, was staring at him with crimson eyes.
...Lorraine Archbold. Even her?!
It had been nothing more than a thrown dagger, yet Malcolm felt the strength drain from his entire body. His fighting spirit snapped; the tension left his staff, and Simon released it too.
"Damn it all...!"
Malcolm shoved past Simon's shoulder and stormed up the stairs. The hush that had fallen over the room dissolved back into murmurs the moment he was gone.
"Are you okay, Serene?"
Simon held out a hand. Serene smiled sweetly, took it, and rose to her feet — while beside her, Meilin stood with her arms crossed, watching with an expression of profound displeasure.
"Thank you, Simon."
"Good. Then I guess that makes us even—"
"Nope~"
Serene's eyes curved into crescents.
"You don't honestly think rescuing a mouse that prodded a lion's whiskers makes us even, do you? Surely you weren't about to say something so silly?"
Simon's expression stiffened.
Great. So trying to brush it off won't fly.
"If you want payment, take it up with Malcolm~ Thanks to you, he just went from dying to living. That's on you~"
With that parting remark, Serene waved and vanished. Lorraine drained the last of her juice, stretched with a long yawn, and wandered off to shower.
"Oh, right — where's Dick?"
Simon asked, turning to Camibarez.
"We're waiting for him too."
"I figured he'd have beaten us here."
About ten minutes remained. The students guarding the mansion's perimeter had begun trickling inside one by one.
Group 7 kept waiting at the entrance for Dick.
"Meilin, did you happen to see Dick at all, even briefly?"
"...Ah, don't know."
She answered curtly and snapped her head away. Why does she seem to be in a bad mood?
Five minutes left now. Students poured in for a final sprint, and even Elisa and her crew, who had been holding their ground around the mansion until the very end, finally entered.
"You dared to sink my Ghost Ships?"
The moment she stepped inside, Elisa's face twisted as she glared daggers at Meilin. Meilin just smirked and waved her off like a stray dog.
"If you're that mad, come at me whenever you like~ I'll sink every last one of your ships."
"Grrkh...!"
Trembling with rage, Elisa nonetheless bit back whatever else she had to say and turned her back. Simon blinked at the sight.
"You fought Special Admission No. 7 — and won?"
"Well, 'won' might be a stretch, but everything's got a bad matchup."
Meilin chuckled, looking like she had a trump card tucked up her sleeve.
"It's countdown to going home, people!"
The students waiting at the entrance began a loud ten-second countdown. Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the door.
"Five!"
"Four!"
"Three!"
"Two...!"
And just as they were about to call one — Dick strolled through the mansion's entrance with time to spare.
"Wahaha! Success!"
"Dick!"
Piiiiiiiiiip!
— Survival Island has concluded. All students are to cease combat and remain in a safe location.
— Forced teleportation will proceed in sequence, beginning with students outside the mansion. Once a teleportation circle is drawn, do NOT step outside it under any circumstances.
"WOOOOAAAH!"
"It's over!"
"Forget monster meat — let's go eat actual steak!"
"Anyone hitting up Rochest tonight?!"
The students inside the mansion cheered, reveling in their joy. Simon grinned and slapped Dick a high-five.
"What were you doing, showing up this late?"
Dick snickered.
"I just waited nearby until the timing was as safe as it could possibly get. What, was I supposed to risk my neck for no reason?"
"We made it, Dick!"
"How is cutting in with one second left 'safe'? Geez, you idiot!"
Simon sank into a nearby sofa, leaning back to rest at last. The thought of returning to Kizen made his whole body go slack.
Thud. Thud.
Then it happened. Hector came lumbering toward Simon, the scales slung across his body dragging along the floor. The three nearby friends flinched and tensed, wary of him.
"...Simon Polentia."
Simon looked up at him. What now?
"That monster that appeared on the southern island."
Hector's eyes flashed as he continued.
"Was it you who took it down?"
Simon gave a small smile and shook his head.
"Think whatever you like."
"..."
Hector stared at him in silence for a long moment, then simply turned his back and climbed the stairs.
Before long, the entire first-year class had returned to Kizen.
The dormitory bathrooms and communal baths buzzed with students. Those who had washed at the mansion changed their clothes and headed straight out to Rochest, while others went hunting for food before anything else.
And then—
"Yes, everything went off without a hitch. Of course~ No problems at all."
Serene was speaking with someone through her communication crystal.
— How did the persuasion of Simon Polentia go?
"Oh, that failed~"
Serene replied, utterly unbothered.
"He's not the type who responds to threats or intimidation, you see."
— Well, he is Special Admission No. 1 for a reason. Then we proceed with the original plan. We begin the operation this week, so—
"By the way."
Serene cut the man off mid-sentence.
"Does he really have to die?"
— Yes. There is no alternative. If he is not our ally, he becomes our enemy. We must move before Kizen notices and acts—
"Uncle."
Gazing down at the communication crystal, she propped her chin on her palm and smiled with narrowed eyes.
"You're working so, so hard. Could it be... you're interested in the Legion Commander's seat?"
Bewilderment spread across the man's face in the crystal.
— Wh-what kind of talk is that?! That's far beyond your place!
"Ahaha! My apologies. That was just a joke."
She waved her hand airily.
"As someone working in the field — and as the successor of the Ivory Tower — here is my next directive."
— Yes?
"Give me a little more time."
— Th-that's—!
She smiled sweetly.
"Simon Polentia is irreplaceable. Eliminating him just to steal his Legion would be a mistake. I'll take my time and persuade him slowly, myself."
— Impossible! Please reconsider! The future of the Ivory Tower is at stake! Successor or not, you cannot unilaterally decide a matter of this gravity—!
"I'll speak with Father directly. I'll take full responsibility for everything. That's acceptable, yes?"
She severed the communication unilaterally.
At her graceful wave, a feather bearing a teacup glided forward. She picked up the cup and took a sip of coffee.
Ahh.
Savoring the sweetness, she gazed up at the ceiling with a curious little smile.
"I'll be expecting great things from you, won't I? Simon Polentia."
And so, the Ivory Tower's radical faction plan to assassinate Simon was shelved indefinitely — by Serene's sole authority.