Chapter 30
Chapter 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: B-Class Tournament (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
My mind was in utter turmoil.
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t make sense of it.
“Jace! Jace!”
“Go all the way to the top!”
“Jace! Please, win this for me!”
“……”
What in the world is wrong with you all?
You were quiet during the preliminaries, weren’t you?
Sure, I got some attention yesterday.
But that was just because of my fame.
Even Jace, as a Hero Candidate, would have struggled to garner this much popularity.
As much as I appreciate good things…
This felt far too suspicious.
Above all, my intuition whispered a fragment of the truth.
Those students weren’t cheering for me out of pure goodwill.
‘They definitely want something…’
But I had no idea what it was.
Amid the roaring cheers, my opponent let out a deep sigh.
You know something, don’t you?
My guess was that only the B-Class students could understand what was happening.
I wanted to ask.
But we were about to fight, so it wasn’t the right time.
“The match will now begin.”
I’ll have to win first.
After I end this quickly, I’ll ask Ceria for the full story.
* * *
“Woooah!”
“That’s Jace for you!”
“Yeah, we were counting on you!”
I won, but I had a hard time focusing.
As I returned to my seat, something occurred to me.
These guys…
Could they have bet on me?
Starting a gambling ring from the main tournament onward.
There was no other reason for them to make such a fuss.
“……”
Ah, if I’d known earlier, I would’ve gone all-in on myself!
That would have covered a good portion of my little one’s food expenses.
My finances were that tight.
If only I could convert achievement points into money…
Half-doubting, I asked Ceria, but she just tilted her head.
“Betting? This is the first I’m hearing of it. I don’t think that’s likely.”
Hmm, so that’s not it?
Her reaction made me reconsider.
Even in an academy as chaotic as this one…
As long as the student council existed, running a gambling ring would be impossible.
“Then why are they acting like that?”
“I’m a bit baffled myself. You’ve always been wonderful, so it seems unnatural for them to suddenly fall for you like this…”
She didn’t know either.
Aruru also shook her head.
I guess I have to ask a B-Class student…
Just then, my eyes met Chloe’s from a distance.
She gave me a look, as if offering to solve my puzzle.
The girl known as an information broker.
It seemed she could clear up my questions nicely.
I slipped out of the stands, using the excuse of needing to run an errand.
“Explain. Now.”
“Well, it’s a combination of factors. For one, they dislike you…”
“—??”
Wait, then why are they cheering for me?
I had a few guesses as to why they might dislike me.
I once hunted B-Class students to raise my rank.
Since I targeted them relentlessly, it was only natural for them to see me in a negative light.
Also, my participation in the B-Class tournament was, in itself, a nuisance.
-Wow! That guy was a Hero Candidate, and now he’s preying on the weak?
Even I had to admit, it didn’t look good…
It was understandable that they’d frown upon it.
“That’s exactly why.”
“Hmm?”
“To put it crudely, they want you to hurry up, win, and get lost.”
“……”
Huh? That actually makes sense.
If I were to remain in B-Class, there would be nothing more annoying.
An unbearable existence.
I could be seen as the one disrupting the ecosystem.
They must be wishing for me to disappear, one way or another.
But still, weren’t they being a bit too supportive for that?
“That’s why I said it’s a combination of factors. In this tournament, there are two participants even more troublesome than you.”
“Kalden and Julian…”
“Yes. They looked down on the B-Class students and were excessively rough. Unlike someone else we know.”
Ah, I think I get it.
An elementary schooler is more afraid of a middle schooler than a high schooler.
It’s about the difference between having regular contact and not.
From the B-Class perspective, A-Class was close by.
But S-Class students wouldn’t step in, if only for the sake of their pride.
I wasn’t S-Class now, but…
Because I once was, they seemed less wary of me.
Kalden and Julian had beaten up B-Class students.
I, on the other hand, had gone easy on them as much as possible.
“Because you defeated Kalden…”
“The support shifted to me for taking down that nuisance, is that it?”
“Something like that.”
Hmm, interesting…
Because of those guys’ pathetic schemes, I was now getting support from the B-Class students.
They were just extras, but you never know.
Individually, their power might be weak, but if they all banded together, they could exert great force…
“There’s one more factor. You were originally very popular.”
“Was I?”
“As expected, you weren’t very interested. I think that’s very you. According to an unofficial survey…”
Chloe continued speaking.
Among the Hero Candidates, Jace’s popularity had been overwhelming.
‘I didn’t realize it was to that extent…’
The Hero Candidates each had their own unique charms.
By my standards, Aruru was number one, and I also held the Saintess and ‘that guy’ in high regard.
Even Cedric and Gale, despite being nasty pieces of work…
Exuded an undeniable presence with their unique auras.
Anyway, this body was number one.
That was a good thing, not a bad thing at all.
Well, it seemed to have earned me the ire of a few other Hero Candidates, but that wasn’t my fault, was it?
“You weren’t just strong. You had a dignity befitting your skill. You were the only one who possessed that.”
I suddenly remembered the male student who had been my practice partner.
He said Jace was his idol. If an A-Class student felt that way, it must have been even more so for those in B-Class.
Now all my questions were answered.
It was a bit sudden, but there were reasons for everything.
Their dormant respect was being expressed through cheers…
“It’s the same for me.”
“What is?”
“I’ve come to respect you. No, it’s closer to adoration, I suppose.”
“……”
As if she’d been waiting for an opportunity.
The girl slyly revealed her true colors.
If she were a true villainess, I would have cut ties for sure, but her feelings seemed genuine, no matter how I looked at it.
Was she suffering from a broken heart all by herself?
She had a tough side, but she was still just a girl, and that made me concerned.
“Your thoughts are written all over your face. Do they usually call people like you heartbreakers?”
“……”
“There are probably countless girls agonizing over you. I’m just one of them…”
She said she wouldn’t be the first or the last.
She gave a wistful smile, as if telling me to just ignore her.
Ah, she’s playing dirty.
If you’re going to do that, just try to seduce me already!
That would be troublesome in its own way, but still!
“Actually, I was just kidding.”
“What do you mean…”
“Just think of me once a day. I’ll be satisfied with that for now.”
As soon as she finished speaking.
She gave a slight bow of her head and left.
“……”
A belated realization dawned on me.
A woman’s heart was this complicated.
No, perhaps love itself was complicated…
In that sense.
I was truly fortunate that Ceria was my fiancée.
There was no push and pull, which was comforting.
Playing games might have its own appeal, but…
I preferred pure love, so this was perfect.
As for Chloe…
It would probably be fine to leave her be for now.
She seemed to be good at restraining herself.
If I handled it wrong, I might trigger a bad ending.
-If I can’t have you, I’ll destroy you!
That would be a problem, wouldn’t it?
There’s nothing scarier than a yandere who’s gone to the dark side.
To prepare for that, I needed to regain my former strength.
My thoughts concluded, I returned to my seat.
Aruru was already taking a nap.
As if waiting for that defenseless moment, Ceria was hugging her tightly.
“……”
“……”
Hand her over.
My head was a mess; I needed some healing.
I couldn’t yield my little one, not even to my fiancée…
“Um, would you like to share?”
An offer to share.
It was now clear that she also saw Aruru as a living doll.
In the end, the girl’s tail became my share, while Ceria took her head.
Yes, I can’t resist this softness.
Her tail was as big as her body and incredibly fluffy.
Ceria stroked Aruru’s cheek, a motherly smile on her face.
It felt a little strange, but…
Just as I was thinking it was a warm, family-like atmosphere…
“I’d love to have a daughter like Aruru. We should try for one later.”
“—!”
I couldn’t help but be startled.
Try? How were we supposed to try?
My innocent, boyish mind couldn’t quite grasp it.
A fantasy, as if to say ‘not a chance,’ popped into my head.
Regardless of the result, the process itself would be sublime.
She seemed a little embarrassed herself.
Ceria’s face flushed as she pinched Aruru’s innocent cheek.
A faint smile graced the girl’s lips.
She looked utterly happy.
I found myself completely immersed in that cozy feeling.
* * *
Through the quarterfinals and semifinals.
I felt a strong threat to my life.
“Die!”
“……”
He was blatantly emitting killing intent.
It was less about winning and more about taking me down with him.
What are you, some kind of hitman?
At this point, he was no different from a contract killer.
I had a gut feeling.
He had to be one of Cedric’s faction members.
He was desperately trying to follow the order to eliminate me.
Not a chance.
Against my Contempt for the Weak, it was a futile effort.
Still, it was quite dangerous.
When a top-tier B-Class student comes at you with everything they’ve got, it’s bound to be tricky.
Should I use them, or not?
I considered using my Mind’s Eye and spirits but managed to hold back.
He was strong, but in the end, he was just a lackey.
My opponent for the finals was already decided.
I would save my skills for when I crush the A-Class powerhouse sent by Cedric.
“Keuk!”
His stance faltered.
Even with my Mind’s Eye sealed, I could see his openings.
I’d gained enough experience by now.
I unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks.
His face contorted, his hands moving frantically.
He seemed to have finally realized who he’d messed with, but it was too late.
Since he was a villain’s minion, I had no reason to hold back.
I feinted toward a vital point, then suddenly changed direction.
A lightning-fast thrust.
My sword plunged into my opponent’s shoulder and pulled back out.
“—!”
He tried to swallow his groan.
But that alone revealed he had nothing left.
As time passed, the number of his wounds increased.
He was somehow still holding his sword, but one look at his trembling legs told me he was at his limit.
He was also losing a fair amount of blood.
If I pushed any further, my image would be tarnished.
“Let’s stop. Now, admit your defeat…”
“Don’t make me laugh!”
Hmm? A mere B-Class student… talking back?
I can’t let this slide. He’s forcing my hand.
I sheathed my sword and walked toward him, step by step.
He swung his sword as if for a final attack, but there was no power behind it.
“Gah!”
I lightly dodged and punched him in the gut.
As his upper body collapsed, I chopped him sharply on the back of the neck.
“Kugh…”
“……”
Hey, why are you still conscious?
You should have passed out, if only out of respect for my effort!
Being quite strong, he was showing unnecessary resilience.
“Match over.”
Just in time, the man in the black suit declared my victory.
The medical team immediately rushed in and collected the loser.
“Finally, the finals!”
“He never fails to deliver.”
“Jace will win, right?”
“I don’t know, his opponent in the finals looks tough too.”
The students cheered.
Excited anticipation radiated from all corners.
‘Of course they’d be like this…’
It was the B-Class tournament final.
But it was a bizarre situation where a former S-Class was facing an A-Class student.
Perhaps because of that, they believed it would be the greatest match in history.
I agreed with that, for the most part.
This time, I couldn’t guarantee victory.
Standing alone in the arena, I slowly turned my head.
“……”
“……”
My eyes met Julian’s.
He had watched every single one of my matches.
What is this guy?
Even though his rank was lower than Kalden’s, he was exempt from my Contempt for the Weak.
There was only one reason for that.
He must have been hiding his true strength.
It was a crisis, if you could call it that, but I was still brimming with confidence.
I would use the points I’d saved up to raise my stats.
How high would I raise them, you ask?
Until my Contempt for the Weak activated, of course.
“……”
The will to win, no matter what.
This wasn’t being cheap; it was just being thoroughly prepared. Ahem