Illegal Admission (2)
"Even if you never set foot in Arsen, remember this face. You might cross paths with her someday."
Those were Dian Esperand's parting words before I left Esperand Mansion. And now, the red-haired girl from that photo stood right before my eyes.
"...Pleased to meet you."
Exuding elegant poise, she was the lady of House Grander—the daughter of Grand Duke Grander, who held the real power in Arsen. Every cadet at the academy had no choice but to look up to her.
As expected, she had arrived at the guesthouse first. She was probably waiting for me. As Dian Esperand had said, it was my duty as a member of House Esperand to pay respects to House Grander.
"Yes."
I met her alone. Even setting Arsen aside—no, even looking at the entire world—she ranked among the great beauties. A single glance from her could make any man weak in the knees; she'd have no shortage of suitors. She must have already caught the eye of Arsen's higher-ups. Her looks had surely played a role in her rise to her current position.
...But leaving all that aside.
To me, this was a face I could never forget, no matter how hard I tried.
And for good reason. I'd died exactly 18 times at this woman's hands.
In the game.
"I'm Rebecca von Anastasia Grander, president of Arsen's student council."
"Sion Illeionhart."
I returned her greeting for now. Even I had to admit it was a bizarre twist of fate. This was my first time facing her as a member of House Esperand, yet here I was, confronting the woman who'd killed me 18 times. The hidden routes tied to Rebecca that I'd uncovered by dying over and over? Those were now distant memories.
"So you're greeting me with that name."
I had no desire to get entangled with her if I could help it, but this meeting was an unavoidable tradition between our two houses. As long as I belonged to House Esperand, encountering House Grander was destiny.
So.
"That's because I'm Illeionhart now."
I had no choice but to accept it willingly. A flicker of interest flashed in Rebecca's eyes at my response—but only because I had Telescopic Vision. Normally, no one would have caught it. Her rhetoric was that subtle, her expression flawless.
"...I see."
A brief silence fell. Rebecca broke it first.
"I'm not here for Illeionhart. I'm here for Shion Esperand."
"There's no Shion Esperand. Only Illeionhart here."
"Are you playing word games with me right now?"
"No, why would I?"
Rebecca's lips twisted.
"I expect you to keep your promises, President Rebecca."
Of course, that wasn't my concern.
"I doubt you failed to grasp what I meant by coming as Illeionhart, not Esperand."
I couldn't yield here. She might be my superior now, but handing her full control would turn me into that guy from the original story. Camille's lackey—who would've enrolled in my place if not for me. I didn't even remember his name, but I knew his fate all too well.
...Used like a dog and discarded.
He'd groveled to Rebecca, ready to hand over his liver and gall bladder alike. But her support eventually dried up.
Are you abandoning me, Lady Rebecca?!
Right at the most critical, desperate moment.
...Rebecca von Anastasia Grander.
Like Professor Biern, Rebecca would walk the path of the villain for reasons of her own.
Right now, she was sizing me up—gauging what kind of person I was, how useful I might be.
It wasn't pleasant for me, but this was unavoidable, given Rebecca's character. She was meticulous, always cautious, always assessing those around her.
And I knew that Rebecca inside and out.
She'd killed me 18 times, after all.
"...Very well."
In the end, Rebecca yielded first.
"As you wish, I'll treat you not as Esperand, but as Illeionhart."
"That's all I ask."
"Is it, really?"
"Yes. And as long as I'm at Arsen, I'll treat you not as Grander, but as student council president."
...It was like a coded conversation. If Assistant Professor Exion had been here, he'd have stopped us, asking what the hell we were doing.
Translating Rebecca's words:
'I want to make you one of my limbs. Join me.'
'No thanks.'
'Why not?'
'I'm here as a student, not an Esperand assassin.'
'......'
'So treat me as a student while I'm here, not an assassin.'
Something like that. Of course, Rebecca wasn't one to fold so easily. If she were, I wouldn't have died 18 times.
"Suppose I."
"Yes."
Rebecca's gaze grew heavy.
"Reported your illegal admission to the higher-ups. What then, Sion Illeionhart?"
She loosed a new arrow at me.
"You won't."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because you're the one in the most desperate spot right now, President Rebecca."
Rebecca was resisting her fate at this very moment. For that, she'd do anything—and graduating Arsen paled in comparison. That's why she'd tried pulling me under her wing.
I knew Rebecca's fate.
I knew the story of the woman who resisted but ultimately walked the villain's path.
"......"
My words stopped her cold. No change in her expression, but her eyes swirled with a storm of emotions. A faint tremor at the bridge of her nose for an instant.
Finally, she spoke again.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Shion Esperand."
"Sion Illeionhart."
"No. I'm asking Shion Esperand right now. Not some mere prospective cadet named Sion Illeionhart."
Her voice, her tone—unchanged. Her face, too.
But I knew the raw truth hidden behind that mask. She'd desperately want to conceal it, but as the original game's player, I couldn't un-know it.
"...Are you angry?"
"Not at all."
Her words said one thing, but her body told another. Cold sweat beading on the long strands of hair at her temple. A microscopic amount, but my eyes caught it.
Thanks to my damn Telescopic Vision.
Not full tension, but Rebecca was definitely rattled. Probably because I'd struck at her intentions.
"Let me be clear: threats won't work on me. You know that, don't you, President Rebecca?"
"My words sounded like a threat? I only wanted to talk."
"I thought this was a negotiation, not a chat."
As expected, Rebecca didn't yield an inch. But that worked in my favor—the situation flowed as I'd guided it.
My 18 deaths weren't in vain.
"A negotiation?"
For a split second, Rebecca faltered. No time to hide her surprise.
In that fleeting moment, I caught her bewildered expression.
"A negotiation requires mutual benefit."
But she quickly narrowed her brow.
"I can give you what you want. But what can you offer me? And it has to be something I truly need for this to qualify as a negotiation."
Rebecca crossed her arms and tilted her chin—a gesture saying, go on, impress me.
"In the underground of Raknia Cave, east of Arsen, you'll find what you're looking for."
"What are you—"
"Can't blame you for doubting it."
I cut her off before she could respond.
"I know more about you than you think, Rebecca."
"You know me?"
The air shifted in an instant. Skin-crawling killing intent washed over me.
"You'd better be ready to back that up, Shion Esperand."
Rebecca was genuinely furious. My words had touched her reverse scale.
"As you said, I am Esperand."
"I know."
"You threatened to report my illegal admission earlier, but you won't, will you? I trust you, Rebecca. Or rather, I trust House Grander."
"......"
Rebecca fell silent for a beat. This was my only chance to say it.
"You know Houses Grander and Esperand collaborate closely."
"Anyone from our houses would."
"Exactly."
Rebecca's eyes reflected my face. I didn't look away. No reason to.
"I want nothing from you, Rebecca. If I had to ask as Shion Esperand, it'd just be to treat me as Illeionhart."
This was the real point.
I'd unintentionally landed a blow on her, but in the end, I only wanted one thing.
"That's why I call myself Illeionhart."
In her style. In her rhetoric.
"Consider the information I gave you an enrollment gift. That's all."
"You mean—"
"Yes. No matter what, I won't join you."
Rebecca said nothing more. She seemed at a loss, but her eyes burned fiercer than ever.
"So let's pretend this conversation never happened. The value of my intel should cover that much, don't you think, President Rebecca?"
I'd lobbed her arrow right back at her.
My message was simple: Do what you want, but I won't bend. She wouldn't risk breaking the trust between our houses. And since I wouldn't touch hers, she should leave me—Shion Esperand—alone.
...That was it. All I wanted.
How she'd take it was up to her. But I trusted the Rebecca I'd come to know.
I hoped she wouldn't end up in the worst possible scenario.
That's why I gave her the gift.
Whether she'd take it was her choice.
With that, I'd fulfilled my role today.
"......"
Rebecca stayed silent. So did I.
In the endless quiet, we simply held each other's gaze, offering no opinions.
Creak—
The door opened a few minutes later.
"My apologies. I seem to have kept you waiting."
Professor Biern smiled as he said it, but he was the only one smiling.
"You've arrived, Professor Biern."
"Oh dear, the atmosphere... Did something happen?"
We answered his oblivious question in unison—for the first time, our thoughts aligned.
"No. Nothing."
"Nothing at all, Professor."
Rebecca's eyes shot daggers of dissatisfaction, but in the end, she'd accepted my proposal.
"Then, shall we eat, Sion Illeionhart?"
And so began an awkward, uncomfortable meal amid the strained air.
Esperand had drilled dining etiquette into me, so it wasn't difficult. My hands naturally gripped the fork and knife, elegantly slicing the steak.
Crunch—
But Rebecca's hand, clutching her knife, trembled visibly. All too clearly.
It wasn't just from the uneasy meal.
I could only hope.
That Rebecca wouldn't follow the original story and become a villain.
To that end, I'd given her the one clue to save her—the one I'd found after 18 doomed attempts.
Quietly, into her hands alone.