Chapter 142.1: Part 1
As I watched Ares and Idea's fight, I couldn't help but be impressed.
As expected.
Ares, the combat instructor, displayed extraordinary skill even without resorting to Fighting Spirit or sword force.
His movements were purely physical, yet they were captivating enough to elicit gasps of admiration from the students.
"Impressive."
"Indeed."
Guwar and Baltan, both specializing in martial arts, exchanged awed whispers as they watched Ares.
Even they recognized the depth of experience reflected in Ares's every move.
Moreover, Ares's display successfully ignited the audience's enthusiasm, heating up the atmosphere within the arena.
Look.
"Waaaaah-!"
The deafening roars of the Sytan students reached even our waiting room.
Witnessing Ares and Idea's exchange sparked a fresh wave of anxiety within me.
'Will it be possible?'
The question gnawed at me: could I deliver a performance that surpassed the intensity of their fight?
However, whether I felt confident or not was irrelevant; this was a task I was obligated to fulfill.
Lost in my thoughts, I continued to observe the captivating duel unfolding before me.
"Ugh, I told you to go easy on me...! You're all brawn, no brain!"
"I went easy. You're just too weak."
"Ugh, this is so frustrating! So frustrating...!"
Idea, having regained her senses, was rubbing a bump on her head while Ares basked in his victory.
Their banter drew laughter from the student audience.
The atmosphere was a stark contrast to the tense midterm exams.
It was refreshing to witness the students embracing their youthful spirit.
[...It's bittersweet, isn't it?]
Samuel's voice resonated within me.
A wry smile touched my lips.
Though Samuel never expressed it outwardly, he harbored immense guilt for failing to protect these students.
Sharing a body with him meant I couldn't escape his inner turmoil.
Still, I hoped he could find some joy in this moment.
It was likely the last time they'd experience such camaraderie in Sytan.
"Haa, this is why I shouldn't talk to blockheaded seniors... Anyway, let's move on to the second match of this competition!"
Idea, done teasing Ares, spread her arms wide.
I watched, my throat suddenly dry.
"The highlight of this competition! The hope of the Demon Realm! It's time for the 'Inter-Year Battle'! Unfortunately, the third years have a bye... So, we'll be having a showdown between the first and second years!"
...Here it comes.
The moment of truth.
I strained my ears, anticipating the names Idea was about to announce.
Finally, she called out the name of the second-year representative.
"From the second years, Ackerman, please step forward!"
Ackerman.
The name was unfamiliar.
It seemed even the strongest among the second years couldn't hold a candle to the figures whose reputations had reached my ears.
Baltan, his competitive spirit ignited, flexed his fingers.
...Patience.
Baltan's opponent had to be someone on par with Gurk, Guwar's older brother, or someone of similar strength.
Of course, the decision wasn't ours to make.
"Waaaaah-!"
Amidst the thunderous cheers, a male student sauntered onto the battlefield, his face etched with confidence.
...He looked familiar.
As I scrutinized him, recognition dawned.
It was the same second-year student who had slung his arm around Rene's shoulders with a smug grin.
The memory of his disrespectful gesture, the one I'd punished with a subtle display of force, came flooding back.
'...I thought he would have learned his lesson.'
Despite meeting my gaze, Ackerman maintained his arrogant smirk.
It was as if he was saying,
"I let you win last time."
Smirk-.
He then turned toward the recording device capturing the event and flashed a triumphant grin.
In that instant,
I almost stormed out of the waiting room and onto the battlefield.
"...That's infuriating."
[I agree.]
Baltan and Samuel chuckled simultaneously, sharing my sentiment.
We waited with bated breath as Idea prepared to announce Ackerman's opponent.
And the first-year student chosen was,
"The sole representative of the first years! And the youngest daughter of the Bares family, hailed as the strongest among the Children of the Seven Deadly Sins!"
"Ohhh!"
The mention of a Child of the Seven Deadly Sins sent another wave of excitement through the crowd.
It was unprecedented for all the families of the Seven Deadly Sins to have their children enrolled in Sytan.
Furthermore, these students had already cemented their notoriety during the midterm exams by effortlessly defeating infamous figures from the Demon Realm.
It was only natural for the other students to hold such high expectations.
Discreetly, I turned my head to observe the student Idea was about to call.
"...."
Rene, adjusting the sheath of her sword, rose from her seat.
"Bares Rene! Please come forward!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Rene, seemingly bothered by the attention, brushed her hair aside with a frown.
I smiled at her and said, "Lady Rene, please do your best. As your escort, I cannot fight in your stead."
"...I'm aware."
*Thud, thud, thud-*
*Click-*
With a curt reply, she pushed open the door of the waiting room and walked out.
As the door closed behind her, Baltan chuckled and remarked,
"I wonder how strong a Bares actually is. She seems overshadowed by Diana."
"...My lady is the strongest."
Baltan's comparison between Diana and Rene earned him a sharp glare from me.
As Rene's escort, it was my duty to defend her honor, especially against any dismissive remarks.
Baltan simply shrugged.
"Well, we'll see about that."
"...."
Instead of arguing further, I turned my attention to the screen.
As Baltan said, I was also curious to witness Rene's growth.
I lightly touched my eyelids.
In the original story, Rene was a character whose Eyes of Arrogance were forcibly taken by one of the protagonists and who ultimately met a tragic end.
Now, I knew who killed Rene.
...And I had a pretty good guess about who killed the head of the Bares family.
The original story never explicitly mentioned Rene's name, so I hadn't realized it at first.
But after carefully retracing the plot, it wasn't that difficult to deduce.
In any case...
'I hope she's gotten much stronger...'
For me to survive in the Demon Realm and uncover the secrets of the Six Families, the Bares's support was essential.
Rene needed to survive for my position as her escort to hold any meaning.
With Diana already suspecting me of being Arsene's descendant, losing my backing would be disastrous.
Lost in thought...
[There she is.]
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