Episode 7
"This session will be practical training. Everyone follow me outside."
When break time ended and class resumed, Isollet said only that to us before turning around and walking out of the classroom.
"Tch, if it weren't for the Bywork family..."
"How troublesome... rather than this, she should've just continued the lecture like before..."
While the commoner students quietly prepared to leave, most of the noble students frowned deeply and began badmouthing Isollet.
'Unable to say anything to her face, only whispering behind her back... disgusting.'
Someone like me wants to speak openly but can't, and it's driving me crazy, yet for these guys, that kind of behavior is everyday life.
But are these guys actually skilled?
Absolutely not.
Most of the noble students in Class A, the academy's top class, got in through connections. In other words, if Isollet were to launch even a single sword aura, the majority of them would be flattened.
On the other hand, most commoner students got in through their own abilities. Perhaps because of this, nobles look down on them as lowly while simultaneously envying them.
"Um, Lord Frey. If you happen to change your mind..."
As I was quietly glaring at such nobles, the Saintess approached me with an eager expression and began speaking again with a pleading look.
"I said I won't. You wretched woman."
Of course, since I had no intention of dying until I defeated the Demon King, I gave a cold reply to the Saintess who was trying to drag me down.
"........!"
At that, the Saintess made a shocked expression and then hurriedly rushed out of the classroom. Well, given her kind nature, she's probably rarely heard profanity, so that's understandable.
'...Still, does she intend to keep doing that? That would be problematic.'
Although the Saintess possesses the cheat buff called 'Sun God's Blessing,' she's lacking in schemes, so her actual danger level is low. As long as I stay alert, I probably won't die by her hand.
However, if the Saintess maintains this attitude going forward, it will become quite troublesome.
That's because 'Villain's Intuition,' which warns me of life-threatening danger once a day, would be rendered useless.
If the Saintess approaches me like that every day and forcibly triggers 'Villain's Intuition,' I won't be able to know when a real crisis arrives.
In other words, the Saintess is unintentionally neutralizing one of my most useful skills and driving me into danger.
I'll need to come up with countermeasures soon.
"...Ugh."
While I was thinking that, a groan suddenly reached my ears, so I looked to the side and saw Irina sitting on the floor with several noble ladies surrounding her.
"Oh my, what's wrong? Did you twist your ankle or something?"
"What's this? They called her promising, but she's nothing special, is she?"
"Ha, I don't know how a mere commoner crawled into Class A... Did you bribe your way in?"
Judging by the black smoke rising from her stomach, it seems she got into a dispute with the nobles and was hit by magic.
If she were at her full strength, she could have taken care of the surrounding nobles with just a snap of her fingers, but in her 'mana exhaustion' state, she can't even use basic magic properly, so she's unable to resist even those amateurs.
"........."
Irina, clutching her stomach and whimpering, discovered me watching her and began glaring at me with eyes full of hatred.
Normally in this situation, if I were the protagonist of an ordinary hero story, I would have impressively driven away the surrounding nobles, then taken the fallen Irina's hand and helped her up.
Then, Irina would develop feelings for me, a noble who saved a commoner like herself... and she would probably become part of the 'harem' or 'fishing pond' written in the prophecy book.
But the sad thing is, I'm not the protagonist of an 'ordinary' hero story. Because to become a hero, I must commit 'villainous acts.'
"...With that kind of performance, do you think you can even join the student council?"
".......What?"
"Know your place, you lowly thing."
As I insulted her, the noble ladies around her began preparing their next magic with sneering smiles, and just before numerous spells were about to strike her in that desperate moment...
"Please, please stop!!"
"...Arianne!"
Arianne, Irina's friend, intervened by deploying barriers with both hands.
"Irina! Are you okay?"
"You, you..."
"Um, please stop tormenting an innocent person... and go where you need to go, alright?"
".........."
Blocked by her powerful barrier, which was her specialty in protective magic, the noble ladies tried poking the barrier with magic a few times before seemingly losing interest and starting to scatter one by one.
"How fitting for a lowly person to have such a lowly friend."
I watched that scene, then tossed a remark at them and fell into thought while conversing with the noble ladies who had now turned their attention to me.
'...Arianne. She's a friend who could be quite helpful in caring for Irina.'
Arianne is Irina's childhood friend.
Born with an aptitude for protective magic since childhood, she and Irina, who had exceptional talent in offensive magic, were a dream team.
When the Demon King's army invaded in the future, their joint combat once annihilated an entire legion, so that says it all.
"Arianne... thank you..."
"No, don't mention it! We're friends, right? But Irina, what exactly were you doing that caused mana exhaustion? Did you cast a curse on someone or something?"
".........."
Meanwhile, Irina fell silent for a moment at Arianne's sharp question before finally speaking.
"Arianne."
"...Yes?"
"...Even if it's to protect you, I will definitely accomplish it. Absolutely."
".....?"
Arianne, tilting her head at Irina's meaningful words, had died protecting Irina from the Demon King's attack in her place. So for Irina, that must still remain as trauma.
Those words are probably... her determination to never let her die before her eyes again.
[Villain Points 60pt acquired! (Instilling Will)]
I sighed as I briefly looked at the system window that gave points when Irina filled with the will to kill me, then left the classroom with the giggling noble ladies.
.
"Today's outdoor training is combat training."
Professor Isollet opened her mouth while looking at Class A gathered on the training ground with sharp eyes.
"The content of the training is to duel against me."
When such an enormous statement came from her mouth, the training ground instantly became noisy.
"Silence!! Quiet!!!"
She silenced the children at once with a thunderous shout, then looked around at the tense children and spoke again.
"This is to assess your abilities and potential, so come at me with everything you have."
Having finished speaking, Isollet drew a practice sword and began calling the students one by one.
And shortly after, her noble slaughter spectacle began.
"I'll ask you to go easy... gah!"
"...Pathetic. Next."
"Eek!!"
"What you just used isn't a Fireball, it's a firecracker. It would be suitable for family birthday parties. Next."
"Good heavens, why so dramatic... ugh...!"
"Street thugs would handle a sword better than you. Next."
Thus, she completely destroyed them without any consideration for the dignity of the nobles who came through connections.
"Hah... hah..."
"...Endurance is lacking, but the initial attacks were sharp. Keep that in mind and continue to improve. Next."
"...Tch."
"The spell completion is high, but the chanting speed is slow. In actual combat, chanting speed is directly tied to life and death, so you should pay attention to that. Next."
"Huaap!!"
"...Overall, excellent. Next."
However, most of the commoners, unlike the nobles, were able to have a good time receiving praise or having areas for improvement pointed out.
"...That professor is so obnoxious, isn't she?"
"Didn't you know? That professor only favors commoners. Even though she's a noble herself."
"Leave her be, she probably thinks she's a good person doing that."
Naturally, her reputation among nobles couldn't be good.
'...Idiots, it's just that their own abilities are lacking.'
Of course, Professor Isollet is evaluating based strictly on ability. In fact, a few noble students with actual skill did receive praise.
But those foolish noble kids wouldn't know that.
"...Young master."
"...Yes?"
While I was thinking that, Kania spoke to me from beside me.
"...Are you feeling unwell these days?"
"What kind of question is that?"
I tilted my head at the completely unexpected question and asked back, then Kania quietly examined my eyes and continued.
"...It's nothing. Just, somehow you seemed that way."
"...I'm perfectly fine, so don't worry about it."
"...Understood."
Having finished the conversation, Kania turned her head and began watching the matches, but her face still showed signs of pondering something.
'...Why is she acting like that?'
I tilted my head for a moment at her incomprehensible behavior, but when the professor called on Kania, I put aside my questions and began to tense up.
'...Black magic better not come out.'
Her mana is in a very unstable state, so black magic could accidentally manifest. I had infused a lot of life force this morning to prepare for that, but I'm still a bit anxious.
- Tap.
After pondering for a moment, I gently touched one of the several brooches attached to my clothes and began watching Kania.
The brooch I just touched is an artifact that can transfer life force to someone I'm looking at in emergencies. It consumes dozens of times more life force than transferring through physical contact, so it's a tool I absolutely never use normally.
However, when a situation arises where Kania might be caught using black magic while I can't make physical contact, I do use it occasionally. Just like now.
'Even if the kids don't notice, Professor Isollet would react immediately to even the slightest black mana... it can't be helped.'
"...Hup!"
"...Oh my."
As I began sharing my life force, Kania started using magic with a more relaxed expression than usual, and the duration of their exchange soon broke a new record.
As I felt my body's sensation fading and wondered whether to continue this, Kania withdrew her magic and bowed her head.
"...I'll stop here."
"Hmm? Why? You seem to have more capacity to fight."
"I have congenitally unstable mana, so if I fight any longer, my mana could run wild. I apologize."
"...So that's why you were excessively cautious when attacking."
Professor Isollet sheathed her sword and gave her assessment.
"...If you can just fix the mana instability, you'll become an outstanding mage. I'll help you from now on."
"...Thank you."
After Kania bowed politely and returned to my side, Isollet called Irina next.
"...Ugh, uuugh."
"......?"
Facing Isollet, Irina grit her teeth and trembled, then barely summoned a single mana arrow.
"...What are you doing?"
"I, I'm sorry... let me try again..."
After that, Irina concentrated until her eyes turned bloodshot, but even after quite some time passed, she only managed to create 2 more mana arrows.
"...Ugh."
Despite continuing to pour out mana, Irina eventually collapsed on the spot and lost consciousness.
"...I have nothing to say. Someone take that child to the infirmary. Next."
When Isollet spoke coldly, Arianne approached Irina with a worried expression, then carried her on her back and headed not to the infirmary but to the classroom.
Well, it can't be helped.
If Irina officially reveals that she's suffering from mana exhaustion, the cause will be investigated, and through spell traceback, the death curse, and the fact that she cast it on me, would be revealed, so she has no choice but to hide that fact.
When the system's item shop opens, I should check if there are any tools to help her.
"U, um... I'll forfeit..."
".....What?"
Next, the Saintess Perloche declared forfeit as soon as she stood before Isollet.
"Are you playing games with me right now?"
"N, no... this power wasn't meant to be used on the professor..."
Perloche is currently using the Sun God's Blessing without permission, which should only be obtained through prayer once a year on a holy day with the church's approval. If she spars with Isollet, that fact would be quickly discovered.
Of course, one might think she could just spar moderately with Isollet, but there's a reason the previous Saintess has a legend of tearing off the Demon King's flank.
The Sun God's Blessing has the weakness of being ineffective against large groups, but in 1-on-1 situations, it's a fearsome blessing with few ways to oppose it. In other words, even Isollet wouldn't be able to withstand it.
"...Then this next one will be the last."
Isollet, who had been coldly glaring at Perloche before gesturing for her to leave, looked at me, the last one remaining, and spoke.
"...Status window."
[Name: Isollet Arham Bywork]
[Attributes: Strength 8.5 / Mana 5 / Intelligence 7 / Mental 7]
[Special note: Right arm injury]
I murmured softly to bring up the status window, briefly examined Isollet's information, then drew my practice sword and spoke.
"Having friendly bonding time with commoners? Sister?"
".........."
"Why no answer? When someone asks a question..."
"...You've fallen, Frey."
That's right. I actually know her.
The Starlight family and the Bywork family have been deeply intertwined through bonds passed down from the hero party of 1000 years ago. Thanks to that, she and I have been close like sister and brother since we were very young.
But the her who trained in swordsmanship with me as children and played house together is no longer on my side.
Because I am now everyone's enemy.
"...Fallen? That's ridiculous. You're just stupid, sister."
"........"
"Kicking away the position of Royal Guard Captain to come to an academy of all places, and what you're doing is playing house like when we were kids... it's not even funny..."
"...Come at me."
"If you insist."
The moment she cut off my words and spoke coldly, I began charging at her with my sword pointed at her.
- Clang!!!
And, a flash of light burst forth.
".....!"
"What's wrong? Surprised?"
She barely managed to block my attack and was pushed back significantly while her right arm trembled, and I seized that opening to unleash fierce sword strikes.
"...What? Was Lord Frey that skilled with a sword?"
"Well, he's from the Starlight family, so isn't that expected?"
"...But I heard rumors that Lord Frey had no particular skill in swordsmanship?"
At my unexpected display, the students began whispering in surprise, while Perloche, who had been looking down dejectedly, began coldly glaring at the red brooch shining on my chest.
- Clang!!
The fierce exchange ended with me knocking her sword away and planting it in the ground, and just as all the children were reeling at the result...
"...It's dark magic!"
Perloche stepped between us, pointed at my brooch, and shouted.
"...An evil energy is dwelling in that brooch!"
Saying that as she approached me with long strides, Perloche infused divine power into my brooch, and at that moment, an evil aura began seeping from the brooch, and soon terrible screams started erupting.
- Kieeeeeeek!!!
The brooch, which had been screaming eerily for a while, eventually couldn't withstand the continued infusion of divine power and shattered into pieces. Watching this scene quietly, Isollet spoke with a cold expression.
"...To sink so low as to resort to dark magic, you are the disgrace of the Starlight family."
"Aren't you the disgrace of the Bywork family, sister?"
"Frey Raon Starlight, minus 20 points for using a prohibited artifact."
"...Why? Nothing to say so you're trying to suppress me with institutional authority?"
"...And a personal meeting. Follow me right now."
Leaving those words, I followed Isollet who started heading toward the main building, then sighed as I looked at the system window floating before my eyes and murmured.
[Villain Points 100pt acquired! (Appropriate Investment)]
"...That was an expensive one."
I remember using a third of my assets to custom-order that brooch. Well, I got the desired result so it doesn't matter, but... I could have reused it indefinitely, so it's really a shame.
'...I should write a letter to Father asking for money.'
Lamenting the ironic fact that money is needed even for villainous acts, I quietly followed behind Isollet.
.
While Frey grumbled as he followed Isollet,
"Dark magic..."
Upon hearing the word 'dark magic,' Kania recalled the blood-covered handprint on her bed in the dormitory and muttered with a cold expression.
"...I need to find out exactly what he's doing in his room."
Inside Kania's grasp, black energy was gathering and forming something.