Three Days Is Enough
Gripork's expression twisted into something ugly.
"You want me to hand over an executive seat?"
A shape of auror began to take form along his grotesque greatsword.
"You're challenging me to a duel?"
This was no mere shimmer of energy. This was auror given definite, solid form — the hallmark of a 5-Star warrior. An Auror Blade.
"You called me all the way out here for this cheap little trick?"
A killing intent thick enough to choke on flooded the air around them. This was the full, unrestrained presence of a 5-Star martial artist, fierce enough to steal the breath from anyone of lesser skill.
But his opponent was X.
"There's no need to get quite so angry."
He'd been living under the pressure of a 6-Star martial artist's presence every single day. A display like this barely registered anymore. The sight of him standing there so unbothered only stoked Gripork's rage further.
"You think you're in any position to talk about a duel? A third-rate mage. A lowborn piece of trash who can't even hide behind a noble's protection. And you dare challenge me?"
"Even a commoner has the right to issue a challenge."
"If that's what you think, I'll show you reality."
The words had barely left his mouth before the greatsword came crashing down in a vertical slash. Even a greatsword shouldn't have been able to reach from that distance. To anyone watching from the side, it would have looked like he was cutting empty air.
But that was common sense that only applied to low-level martial artists.
KANG—!!
The Auror Blade slammed into the spot where X had been standing. He'd been ready for it. He dodged.
So this is an Auror Blade...
The blade extending from the greatsword gleamed with a vicious light. A blue-tinged form had grown a full meter from the tip — which meant Gripork's sword was effectively about three meters long.
"Allow me to tell you what's about to happen."
Gripork wrenched the greatsword free from the ground as he made his declaration.
"A commoner like you dared to insult House Dremore. Our family's honor was tarnished, and yet, in a spirit of mercy, we offered you a chance at forgiveness."
"You mean that slave contract where I'd spend the rest of my life as a torture dummy?"
"And yet you showed not the slightest hint of remorse. A mere commoner, trampling the pardon a high noble had so graciously extended — kicking it aside like dirt."
"I did blow a head off, but I never did anything like that."
"Therefore, I shall pass judgment on you myself."
Gripork settled back into his stance.
"You die here. Today."
X checked the Synopsis and allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.
"No. I will not die here today."
"I've heard enough of your nonsense."
This time the greatsword swept in a horizontal arc. The three-meter Auror Blade came for X's neck — and still X just stood there, smiling.
I don't know what he's playing at, but I'll take his head first.
Gripork's blade had no intention of stopping. Whatever happened, he was going to kill this man.
But he was going to have to put that thought aside.
The sudden, commanding order froze Gripork in place. It was a voice no noble could ever afford to forget.
X glanced at the halted greatsword, took a step forward, and whispered to Gripork in a low voice.
"What a shame. Turns out I was right."
X dropped to one knee before the figure who had just arrived.
"I present myself before Her Highness, Princess Beatrice."
The person who had just appeared was none other than Princess Beatrice.
"I present myself before Her Highness...!"
Gripork recovered his blade at once and dropped to his knees as well. No one dared draw a weapon in the presence of the imperial family.
How is the princess here?!
Gripork's mind was thrown into chaos. Why was Beatrice appearing at this exact moment? Why was she stopping him from killing X? Questions whipped through his head like a storm.
Beatrice had appeared and stopped him from killing X. There was only one thing that could mean.
Don't tell me this bastard's backer is... the traitor in Sword Rang is...!
While Gripork was lost in that thought...
"Hah... hah..."
Beatrice leaned against the rooftop door, gasping for breath. She'd run so desperately that sweat was streaming down her face.
"Hah... hah... Just... stay like that a moment..."
There wasn't a shred of dignity left in her. She looked that frantic — and she had every reason to have run that hard.
...Andras confirmed the ring on X's hand. The boy had fallen for the temptation. That much was good — but she had never imagined he would declare a duel against Gripork. Andras ignored her class and headed straight for the rooftop.
She really ran her heart out, didn't she.
Beatrice's appearance had been planned. He'd predicted that if he challenged Gripork to a duel on an empty rooftop, the man would attack immediately. And if Andras had seen the Soul Trap Ring on X's hand, she would absolutely try to stop it.
She was this close to making a subordinate demon. No way she'd let that slip away.
So she'd sprinted here with everything she had to stop it. And that wasn't the only thing he'd been aiming for.
X glanced at Gripork's twisted expression. He could read the man's thoughts as clearly as if they were written on his face.
Until now, the existence of a traitor was just a hunch.
No matter how much you hinted that there was a traitor, room for doubt remained. The question of how to divide the spoils was certainly a hot potato — measuring out how to split the profit and the power was never going to be easy. Because Sword Rang had executives, but no leader.
No leader means they can't make a hard decision.
So until now, they'd tacitly ignored the subject. They could divide it after they took over the academy. It was hard to say for certain that there had to be a traitor.
But Beatrice's appearance changed a great deal.
The moment the princess showed up, suspicion became certainty.
Every executive would be thinking the same thing right now.
The traitor has joined hands with Princess Beatrice.
He confirmed the result in the Synopsis.
...The instant he moved to kill X, Beatrice appeared. That she had come in such a frantic rush as to abandon all dignity meant only one thing. Beatrice and X's backers were on the same side. The traitor had joined hands with the princess.
Just as I expected.
Confirming the result, he finally allowed himself to relax.
Meanwhile, Gripork spoke, holding his rage in check.
"Princess Beatrice... why did you stop me...?"
"Hah... ahem. I can hardly stand by and watch a student die at the academy."
"...Is that all? If perhaps there was some other intention..."
"I would advise you to stop guessing at my intentions, Gripork Lou Dremore, heir to Count Dremore. I am not in the mood for jokes."
"However..."
"I am currently."
Beatrice flicked her finger through the air as if drawing a line downward, and—
KWAANG—!!!
Intensified gravity slammed down, flattening Gripork against the stone.
"Guh...!"
Gripork's entire body was crushed under the weight.
"I am not in the mood for jokes."
Watching him pinned to the ground like a frog, Beatrice spoke with solemn gravity.
"F-forgive my impertinence...!"
At Gripork's plea, Beatrice waved her hand. The crushing pressure vanished, and he dropped back to his knees.
"I am most grateful for your mercy..."
"There will not be a next time."
Beatrice let out a sigh of relief. She'd barely managed to prevent the worst-case scenario of X dying. If he died before even becoming a demon, the entire plan would collapse.
Andras looked down at X, who remained motionless with his head bowed, and let out a faint sigh.
I didn't see this coming. His negative emotions and malice were this strong?
She'd expected him to act out once the curse of soul corruption took hold. She'd figured a week at the earliest. She never imagined it would blow up the very next day. Which meant this was the most intense negative emotion and malice she'd ever seen in a human.
Summoning a demon that's too strong would be a problem...
A little excitement mixed with the worry. But that was something she could adjust from here on.
First I need to get this guy away from here...
The moment Andras resolved to bring X under her control—
"Of course! Princess Beatrice! You've come in person to officially sanction my duel! I scarcely know how I shall ever repay this grace...!"
"...What?"
X cried out in a voice trembling with gratitude, loud enough for everyone to hear. The completely unexpected outburst brought Gripork and Beatrice's thoughts to a grinding halt.
Whether they froze or not, X kept going.
"I have yet to repay the grace of your witnessing my previous duel, and now you've come once more to serve as witness...! I shall give my utmost — for Your Highness's sake!"
"No, wait..."
"In that case!"
X rose and threw his remaining white dueling glove — right at the back of Gripork's kneeling head.
"I hereby formally declare it once more, in this very place! Gripork Lou Dremore, heir to Count Dremore! If you have any honor, you will not run!!"
"Stop, you...!"
The duel had been declared.
His voice was so loud it could have echoed across the entire academy. Whether it reached everywhere or not, anyone in the academy's main building would certainly have heard that declaration. Knowing that, Beatrice's face went pale.
It's over.
This couldn't be walked back. Once a duel was declared, it had to be carried out. If no one had heard, perhaps. But after shouting like that, someone had definitely heard.
Gripork knew it too.
"Heh... heh heh heh..."
Gripork laughed under his breath, a low, suppressed sound. Hearing that laugh, X shot back sharply.
"What's so funny?"
"You just kicked away your own lifeline."
Gripork rose slowly and locked eyes with X.
"Throwing away a life the princess herself just saved, like a worn-out shoe. You've lost your mind. You've gone completely insane."
"And what do you intend to do about it?"
"What else?"
Gripork glared at X as if he meant to kill him with his eyes alone.
I, Gripork Lou Dremore, heir to Count Dremore, formally accept X's challenge to a duel.
The declarations had been exchanged. Backing out was now impossible. The two men stared each other down, waiting for Beatrice to speak. A witness's declaration of official sanction was still required.
Beatrice realized there was no way out and clenched her teeth.
"...By my authority, I shall recognize your duel. I will serve as witness. Does anyone object?"
"I am most humbly grateful, Your Highness."
"As Your Highness wills."
Hearing both X and Gripork confirm, Beatrice's mind raced. She couldn't let X die in this situation. Fortunately, there was a way to put things on hold.
"This is not an informal bout, but a formally declared duel. Accordingly, in accordance with tradition, we shall determine the time, place, and terms. Does anyone object?"
Gripork did not like that declaration one bit. If it had been an informal bout, he would have taken X's head then and there. But if they followed tradition, he couldn't. It was obvious she was trying to keep X alive somehow.
"...As you will."
Not that he could refuse. Dishonoring the princess would mean immediate execution.
It doesn't matter.
All it meant was this vermin's lifespan had been stretched a little longer. The time for the duel would come, sooner or later.
"Then I shall set the rules according to the laws of the duel."
Beatrice continued the formal proceedings.
"Gripork, as the challenged, you will determine the terms of combat."
The terms Gripork would declare were obvious.
"One weapon only. Direct combat. No proxies."
His opponent was a mage, one well-versed in all manner of magical tools. Restricting him to a single weapon would put him in a bind.
And that genius Elia had just enrolled as a first-year, hadn't she.
That cut off any chance of calling in a proxy to fight for him. Which meant he'd have to fight in person, with a single weapon. The worst possible conditions for a mage.
Of course... of all the conditions he could have chosen...
Knowing that, Beatrice felt her insides burn. If he'd been allowed multiple weapons, she'd planned to supply him with every artifact and magical tool she could. If proxies had been allowed, she could have sent any of her knights, even if it cost her some honor. But those options were now off the table.
"...X, as the challenger, you will determine the time and place. Under the laws of the duel, the date may be set as far as one year from the day of declaration. Do you understand? Up to one year! One full year!"
If that was the case, she at least needed to buy time.
Please say one year from now...!
She'd thrown dignity out the window and hammered the "one year" point home. Even an idiot would have picked up on it. As long as she could use him for her own plans, that was enough. Whether he died in the duel after that was none of her concern.
Hearing that, X spoke after a brief moment of thought.
"The place: the academy's Indoor Training Arena."
At least he'd chosen a location that favored him. Indoors was better for a mage than outdoors. But the timing of the duel mattered far more than the location.
"As for the time..."
"Going to say one year from now, are you?"
Gripork cut in before X could finish. He continued, his voice dripping with mockery.
"Well, I suppose beating a third-rate mage as a 5-Star warrior wouldn't be particularly honorable. A month, a year — I don't care. Take all the time you need to prepare..."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
This time, X cut Gripork off. Gripork glared, offended by the rudeness, and X smiled faintly.
"A year? That's excessive. There's no need to go that far. I beat Circe, a 4th-Circle mage, on the same day I challenged her."
And then X declared the date of the duel.
Gripork's eyes went wide with shock, and Beatrice's mouth fell open in horror.
The date he'd declared was three days from now — Sunday.