Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Not a Legend, But a Legend (15)
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# 111
#21 Their Circumstances: Aris Lil Retia's Circumstances.
I came to my senses.
I keep feeling like I'm getting swept up in something.
“No matter how strong we are, that many enemies are too much for us. We need reinforcements.”
No matter how much hellish training we endured at Yuglasia Academy, we're still just human.
It's impossible for a mere 13 of us to take on thousands.
“That's true.”
“Honestly, it was too much for us...”
The others nodded in agreement with my words.
This was our chance to talk things over now that Vice President Lisens, who usually corrupts our minds, had finally come to his senses.
“We either wait for reinforcements from headquarters or pull back.”
At the very least, the president and that Nermia girl needed to be held off one-on-one by me and the vice president.
The president had trained at Yuglasia just like us and was among the strongest of the bunch. And Nermia somehow matched him despite never even attending Yuglasia.
Could we have handled her back when Professor Niserwin wasn't around last year?
She probably would have single-handedly crushed an entire other academy like some kind of monster.
If I hadn't been toyed with by Professor Niserwin's devilish tongue during freshman orientation week and had entered Arsia Academy as planned...
Could I have stood a chance against Nermia now?
Absolutely not.
That's how strong she was. That's how talented she was.
“Our goal is to win the Imperial Tournament and liberate Night Self-Study. We can kill the president afterward.”
Right now, Arsia and Marsis were only accepting the president out of necessity.
Once the Imperial Tournament ended, he'd return to Yuglasia.
We could take him out then.
-Aris... So the fact that he needs to be eliminated hasn't changed.
-Y-Yes, Goddess! It's because he betrayed the academy! No personal feelings involved!
-R-Right. Our Aris has the charm to toy with any man she wants whenever she feels like it!
-Goddess!
The goddess seemed to be under a huge misunderstanding.
I couldn't deny having those feelings when Sir heard the story from her, but things were completely different now.
Purely, truly, I just wanted the academy to win.
Really!
“Ugh... Everyone's here.”
As we discussed our next moves, the vice president showed up looking utterly ragged, like something out of a trash heap.
“You're late.”
“Yeah, well, I took on Lady Nermia this time. Nearly got my ass handed to me.”
He might seem like his usual whiny self, but the charred upper uniform that had failed him and the lower half turned into shorts from the left side told the tale of how fierce the battle had been.
But his next words were completely unexpected.
“Seriously... Then out of nowhere, someone on her level shows up and smacks me right in the back of the head.”
“What?”
“Someone on the same level?”
“Yeah, same level. Wearing a Marsis uniform, but weirdly, didn't use any magic.”
“No way...”
It was shocking.
The world is vast, sure, but almost everyone competing in the Imperial Tournament was in their teens.
Even the oldest were barely twenty.
At that age, talent differences exist, but ability gaps come down to training and education.
For someone on Nermia's level to pop up out of nowhere meant Marsis had a select few receiving training on par with ours!
“Unacceptable!”
As frustrating as it was, Yuglasia's training pushed humans beyond their limits.
For Marsis to pull that off too?
It probably wasn't the same hell we went through.
Another existence like the Silver Devil would spell crisis for the world's very survival.
“But her skills were the real deal, Lady Aris.”
“Ugh...”
The vice president said it with such a serious face.
Coming from someone who wasn't usually like this, it hit even harder.
“We have to acknowledge it. Professor Arhan always said we should overestimate the enemy's strength, never underestimate it.”
“Yes, my mistake.”
Denying it would be pointless. Nothing was more absurd than the Silver Devil's very existence.
So let's assume it's possible.
Fairytales, novels, and myths have those kinds of beings.
Even in this empire's founding myth, the first emperor unofficially became a swordmaster at 14!
-Aris, if you'd met that professor at 13, you could've broken that unofficial record.
-Don't say such terrifying things! Unless I caused the world to end twelve times in a past life! Goddess, you're making a hypothetical me do something worse than murder!
-S-Sorry... I was wrong...
I accepted her quick apology.
Meeting Professor Niserwin at 13? No way that world would survive.
“Um... Lady Aris?”
“Y-Yes?”
Had I been lost in that horrifying thought too long? Everyone was staring at me.
“Sorry, what were we talking about?”
“Oh, no big deal. I already requested reinforcements on the way back.”
Doing that in front of a senior wasn't polite, even for a high noble's child, but at a summoner academy like Yuglasia, it wasn't a huge issue.
Contractors of high summons capable of communication often zoned out talking to them.
“Reinforcements... How many did you request, Vice President?”
We'd taken down over a hundred Arsia students in that last clash, but Marsis would send replacements.
This match would see the biggest battle yet, so we needed at least a full year's worth to claim victory.
“100.”
...Excluding the first-year numbers!
“Too few!”
Even scattered across multiple spots, sieges leave elites at headquarters.
If the main base with all the key figures fell, students at other castles would lose their commanders.
Who'd want that?
So they'd have the most troops and strongest fighters there.
Charging that with 100—no, 112 people?
“I know what you're thinking, Lady Aris. But I have a secret way to win with those 100.”
I furrowed my brow slightly, and he puffed out his chest proudly.
“...A method?”
With 100 against nearly a thousand—and after our last attack, they'd call reinforcements too?
That meant fighting over 1,000 with 100. And he had a way?
“We can't afford to lose 100 people needlessly. Tell me the details.”
He pondered for a moment at my words.
“I can't reveal the details carelessly. The more people know, the higher the chance of failure.”
“Does that include me?”
“Yes, even you, Lady Aris.”
Trust level plummeted.
“But it's a method I alone learned from Professor Niserwin himself.”
Trust level skyrocketed.
And with it, pity for the enemy students rose too.
If the professor showed no mercy to allies, what merciless strategy would he unleash on foes?
“Well, to explain simply...”
Even to me, a total ally, his expression looked utterly evil as he said...
“Inciting and fabrication.”
...Huh?
#22 Their Circumstances: A Certain Villain Leader's Circumstances.
“As of now, everything has been sorted.”
“I see...”
Was it the empire's sabotage?
Or tension from the final blow to come?
The sudden riot caused few deaths but a flood of injuries.
“Shall we proceed as planned?”
“We've come too far to stop now. Pausing here leaves us nothing but death at that brutal emperor's hands.”
“Indeed.”
We'd gone too far.
Mobilizing our entire force had let the empire catch our tail.
No turning back now.
Only forward.
“Proceed as planned.”
“Yes!”
I watched the subordinate bow and hurry off, then rose from my seat.
A declaration of war against the emperor.
It wasn't what I wanted, but as leader of the anti-empire army for a millennium, it was my duty.
“How long until we seize the broadcasting magic tools?”
“About five minutes, and we'll control every one in the capital.”
“Good. The gates are already ours... Any issues deploying to the walls?”
“We took losses from the riot, but not enough to fail holding the walls.”
“No complacency. Underestimate those kids, and we lose. Don't forget—they're the empire's top talents.”
“Yes, understood!”
There were variables, but not hopeless.
A bad start got us spotted by the empire, missing this Imperial Tournament, but student levels stayed consistent.
The one wildcard: Yuglasia with a swordmaster.
Why a swordmaster at a summoner academy instead of Arsia swordsmanship school? A mystery. But our target was Arsia's main base.
Yuglasia's exploits were even drawing Marsis and Merkaria forces together, promising bigger gains.
“We've seized control of the empire's broadcasting magic tools!”
“Perfect. Now's the time!”
Cheers erupted from the subordinates.
The moment had come to unleash a millennium of pent-up resentment against the empire, staking our lives!
“Everyone except the injured, prepare to move to your positions!”
I watched them file out one by one.
We wouldn't return to this dark underground lair.
Whatever happened, we'd emerge into the light and prove we existed!
“This spot will do.”
Once topside, I found a scenic vantage and pulled out the broadcasting tool.
The capital's tools were now ours.
“Begin.”
I nodded, infused mana, and started the historic broadcast.
“I am Pellarius Run Magratina, royalty of Magratina destroyed long ago by the empire—and current leader of the anti-empire army!”
Gone was the kindly old man facade. Now, a descendant of ancient royalty defying the empire!
“I, Pellarius Run Magratina, declare from this place! At this hour!”
“Die, Nerkiiaaaaaah!”
“Die, Ner—wait, that's not it!”
Then, a thunderous roar and powerful voice from behind.
“What?!”
Turning, I saw the wall's ruins.
That was the beginning.
“Send people! Block that off now!”
Students we'd penned in could escape through the breached wall.
I ordered squad leader level troops to seal it...
“Block it yourself.”
“Yeah, always ordering us around. You do nothing yourself.”
“What, you bastards?”
Sudden insubordination from the soldiers? Now?
'Ugh...'
I hurriedly directed the subordinate holding the broadcasting tool.
If the empire's citizens saw this, our credibility would crash.
“I declare once more. As leader of the anti-empire army, I—”
Right then.
A song began.
A beautiful chorus no human throat could produce.
But within it lurked not beauty, but destructive power beyond anything!
“What is this...”
Dazed, I looked skyward.
Dozens, hundreds of spirits flew about, singing.
As the song ended, the spirits spoke as one.
-Elemental Roar.
#23 Their Circumstances: Certain Viewers' Circumstances.
Citizens enjoying the Imperial Tournament plunged into chaos once.
Every broadcasting magic tool in the capital suddenly showed one old man.
And his words were shocking!
The anti-empire army moving openly!
“What the...?”
“...Yeah?”
“Some stunt?”
Now the empire's citizens reeled for a different reason.
-Elemental Roar.
Watching Yuglasia mercilessly crush the anti-empire army to punish one traitor!
That day, the anti-empire army's downfall aired live to the empire's citizens.