Don't Bark If You Can't Bite
"I've gotten in touch with the Magic Tower for now, at least."
"Mm."
It was lunch hour. Cecilia had gone off to eat with Chloe, so I was having lunch with my escort, Ruche, instead.
"By the way, did you really see it? That haze of mana from the Sage's disciple—the same premonition of a rampage you saw in Her Ladyship?"
"Yeah."
"I'm amazed you managed to spot it."
"I've been trained to see what other people miss."
"Ah, right—the Boliven Viscount family's training—"
"Don't."
"…"
"You're giving me PTSD."
Ruche saw the hand holding my fork start to tremble and quietly nodded.
"Ahem. Well, the Magic Tower should take measures soon enough."
"Keep sending them."
"Pardon? But—"
"How much backlog do you think the Magic Tower has piled up?"
"A mountain of it, I imagine?"
"So keep sending them."
Unless you reincarnated as the world's most spiteful complainer, the Magic Tower was a collective that dragged its feet and did nothing.
"Yes, yes. But Grand Duke…"
"What."
"There's a rumor going around lately…"
"Spit it out."
"…about the Grand Duke of the North who's stringing along three different women."
"Pfft—!!!"
I sprayed every bit of unchewed food in my mouth straight onto the floor.
"What kind of insane rumor is that?"
"Well, recently there's been the Imperial Princess Luisilla, who sits next to you…"
All I could remember was listening to her worries and getting thanked for saying that Cecilia and I had the ideal engagement. I'd thought the entire imperial family was a lost cause, but Luisilla almost seemed… normal.
"And the special-admit second-year, Elysia…"
"That one's a disaster."
"Pardon?"
"Think about the parade of men she drags around with her. Just imagining it makes my head throb."
"Well, that's true enough."
"And."
"Yes?"
"There's one more."
"Ah—Her Ladyship, of course."
"Heh. Naturally."
Cecilia and I had put on such a flawless display of the ideal engagement for the entire academy. Of course rumors would follow.
Still, something in my chest ached a little.
I may have let personal feelings in, but Cecilia… hm.
Every time I watched how hard she worked for this, gratitude and bitterness tangled together in equal measure.
"Grand Duke."
"What."
"Your expression looked terribly dark, so I thought I'd call out to you."
"It's nothing."
"…"
"What."
"I just thought that if your father and mother were still here, the corners of your mouth would be stretched to your ears right about now."
"You're getting a pay cut."
"Ehhhh…"
We finished lunch and were heading to the next lecture hall when a group of people stepped into my path.
"What is this."
"You are Grand Duke Victor Walterheim, correct?"
"…"
The ringleader was one of the male leads—the swordsmanship specialist, son of the Imperial Knight Commander: Ryan von Meyer.
"I am. And you're from the Meyer Count family…"
"Ryan von Meyer."
"So what's this little show about?"
"Excuse me?"
"A whole pack of you crowding one person looks an awful lot like bullying. The name of knighthood must be weeping."
"Tsk."
Ryan flicked a hand, and the hangers-on behind him scowled and began to back off.
"I apologize for the discourtesy. I only wished to speak with you for a moment and never intended to create a misunderstanding…"
"Save it."
"…"
"Just say what you came to say. It's a long walk to the next lecture hall."
"Understood. I'll be blunt, then."
The calm composure Ryan had maintained until that second vanished; murderous intent flooded his eyes as he glared at me.
"Stay away from Elysia from now on."
"…"
"Consider yourself warned."
He finished his little speech and started to walk off. I called after the back of his head.
"Why are you blaming me when she's the one who keeps coming over first?"
"Kh—!!!"
He looked ready to draw the sword at his hip any second.
"Going to draw?"
"…"
"There's an old saying—if you can't bite, don't bark."
I smiled and gave his shoulder a couple of light pats.
"I don't bark."
"What…"
"I just bite."
"…"
"You—no, all of you—keep a better leash on the young lady you adore. My patience is running out."
If Cecilia hadn't been around, I would have flattened the lot of them already. You and Elysia ought to be prostrating yourselves every night in the direction Cecilia sleeps.
"Well then."
Leaving Ryan's glare behind me, I hurried toward the lecture hall for the next class.
…Boris is one thing, but that guy's eyes say he's going to cause trouble soon too.
I sighed and glanced sideways. A swordsmanship class was already in full swing.
"I carry a sword as well. Wonder what they'd say if they saw me walking around with a bow and quiver."
Cecilia was experiencing a sense of omnipotence she had never known before. The mana flowing through her body felt clearer than it ever had.
Back in her first year it had been like running down an unpaved road full of ruts and stones.
Now I can feel the current, the path of the mana inside me, perfectly.
"Student Cecilia."
"Yes."
"Excellent. Truly excellent mana control."
"…"
"You must have worked extremely hard over the winter."
No. I trained the exact same way I always have. The only difference is…
"Tsk."
Baron clicked his tongue while the professor praised her. Watching him, Cecilia felt every emotion inside her cool into ice.
…That day at the end of first year, when you abandoned me—my mana twisted harder than it ever had. But not anymore.
Looking at him, and at Elysia plastered against his side basking in his favor, produced not even the faintest tremor.
I see. All of this is because… Victor has been protecting me.
"…Lady Cecilia Roeyental."
"Yes."
She turned toward the voice that had called her name. A handsome young man with red hair, Boris Finnel, was leveling his staff at her.
"I challenge you to a one-on-one duel."
"…"
"Will you accept?"
"Student Boris Finnel, you are the disciple of the Sage of the Magic Tower. To challenge Student Cecilia, who has only just become a second-year—"
"I accept."
"Student Cecilia!"
The professor blanched and tried to stop her, but her manner was absolute.
"Oho."
"If I win this duel, you will never appear in front of me or Lord Victor again."
"Ha!"
"Do you accept?"
"Fine. But if I win, you drop every single magic-related class."
"Very well."
The professor scrubbed a dry hand over his face as he looked at the two of them.
"Understood. The format of the duel will be decided by Student Cecilia."
"I don't care. Anything is fine."
Elysia clung to Baron's side, putting on a perfect show of helpless distress.
"What do we do… Baron, Boris is…"
"Don't worry, Elysia. In every form of duel so far, Boris has never lost to anyone except the Sage himself. And besides—"
Baron curled a mocking smile as he looked at his former fiancée.
"With magic from a woman who could rampage at any moment, she won't even leave a scratch on him."
Of course not! Do you know how much I've invested in Boris?
Elysia fought down the laughter that threatened to burst out of her and began welling up with tears, as if the situation were simply too tragic to bear.
"Boris!! Please stop… Lady Cecilia and I already made up, so—"
"Don't worry, Elysia. I'll win and dedicate the victory to my beloved muse."
"Boris…"
"Hmph."
Watching Baron click his tongue in jealousy, Elysia could no longer hide her excitement; her feet began to tremble.
Heh… Yes, that's it. Compete like mad for me… I love that look so much…
Cecilia had tied her hair back in a single simple tail. She walked toward Boris.
"The format will be high-speed chanting."
"What? Hahahaha!!!"
Boris threw his head back and laughed at the words that left her mouth.
"Are you serious? High-speed chanting is the very thing that tangles your mana pathways and triggers a rampage—the thing you're worst at—"
"Are you refusing?"
"…Heh."
Meeting Cecilia's ice-cold stare, Boris ground his teeth.
I'll crush you thoroughly, you damned ugly bitch…
"The duel format is high-speed chanting. Both parties, take your positions."
They stood at opposite ends of the circular arena. While Boris watched the professor for the signal, Cecilia closed her eyes.
…Lord Victor.
Her heart fluttered. Her pulse raced. A rising thrill filled her. The mana pathways running through her body felt like living things.
Cecilia.
"…Yes."
I love you.
"Both sides, begin chanting—"
Whoosh!
The instant Boris lifted his staff and started the first verse of his spell—
"Arrow."
"Huh?"
BOOOOM!!!!
A magic arrow shot from Cecilia's staff and slammed into Boris's body. At the same moment—
"Guh—!!"
Boris hung suspended in the air for a heartbeat before he was launched clean out of the arena, tumbling across the ground outside the ring.
"…"
"…"
"Huh?"
"What… just happened?"
Every spectator failed to process the scene that had unfolded right in front of their eyes.
Boris sprawled outside the arena. Cecilia, already retrieving her staff, undoing her hair ribbon and loosening her necktie.
"Stifling."
"Ah… the winner of the duel is Student Cecilia."
At the professor's declaration, Cecilia offered a light bow toward the fallen Boris and walked out of the lecture hall.
I won. And yet…
She did not feel good.
Strange. I just defeated the person who tormented me so badly last year, but instead of joy…
She felt hollow. The mana that had been surging only moments ago settled into quiet stillness. A crushing listlessness washed over her.
"Cecilia Roeyental!!"
"…"
The voice came from behind. Cecilia turned and identified its owner.
"What is it?"
"H-how did you beat Boris?! Wh-what did you do?!"
"…Ha."
Cecilia looked past Baron, who was jabbing an accusing finger at her, and settled her gaze on the pink-haired girl beside him—the one wearing an expression of pure shock. A smile curved Cecilia's lips. It was not a smile of pleasure. It was simply—
Pathetic.
Yes. A self-mocking smile at the realization that she had once suffered such humiliation over something this worthless.
"D-did you just laugh?"
"Forgive me. I used so much mana that my emotions are a little—"
"Y-Your Highness, it's dangerous! Lady Cecilia still can't properly control her mana—"
"Khh—a mana rampage!!!"
Ha…
How freely they spoke. Even under Cecilia's razor-sharp stare, Elysia's little mouth never stopped spinning accusations and insults.
Maybe… I should just give them exactly what they're claiming.
Her brow furrowed; her hand began to rise toward her staff—
"Cecilia."
"…Ah."
In a world that had turned entirely gray, a single point of red light appeared. The moment Cecilia saw its owner, her stopped heart began to beat again. Light returned to eyes that had been clouded over.
"Are you all right?"
Again. Once more you worry about me. Because of the contract. You draw a careful line and hide behind it. That was so unfair—and at the same time it filled her with relief.
If that shield hadn't been there just now… I probably would have…
…lost control of this feeling and crossed a line she could never uncross.
"Lord Victor."
"…"
Victor's gaze shifted to Baron and Elysia. Baron swallowed hard. This was different. The anger rolling off Victor was on an entirely different level from anything before. He looked ready to charge them that very second—
"Lord Victor."
"…"
"Let's go."
"But—"
"I won the duel."
"Yes."
"I… want to brag about it. Just the two of us."
"…"
"Come on."
Cecilia turned a frigid stare on Baron and Elysia. That look carried a single iron will: she would never allow filth like them to touch the gaze of the person she held most precious.