Chapter 36 — Those in High Places Always Make Enemies

1

After classes concluded.

Kael, Anais, Pearson, and Melanie made their way to the dueling grounds.

The Deer Class, comprised of guardian trainees, had made a reservation-

Anais held up one finger and inquired of Kael.

“Kael, you’ve never visited the dueling grounds, have you?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Ah, when it comes to dueling grounds, Mythos Academy’s is unparalleled! Many prestigious families have actually modeled theirs after the one here at Mythos-“

Pearson launched into one of his characteristic monologues.

Melanie and Kael found themselves inadvertently drawn into his vivid explanation.

The dueling grounds were one of Mythos Academy’s crowning glories.

Unlike spaces designated for exams or lectures, it was an arena created solely for the students’ benefit.

It was perpetually imbued with detection magic, and special magic circles devised by academy-trained mages were meticulously installed.

This magic would instantaneously teleport a combatant outside the arena if a near-fatal or life-threatening blow was detected.

“Thanks to that ingenious system, you can truly push your skills to the limit without fear! The magic has never failed, not even once! Not a single time!”

“I see.”

Kael nodded slightly after absorbing the lengthy explanation.

Melanie also offered a shy nod, without displaying much outward enthusiasm.

Observing their muted responses, Pearson’s shoulders slumped in defeat.

“It’s rare to encounter characters as stoic as you two. Could you muster a bit more excitement?”

“Wow, that’s truly remarkable.”

“Argh! Okay, I retract my statement! Please don’t offer that kind of forced reaction!”

Anais couldn’t suppress a chuckle.

It was astounding how well they got along despite their stark differences.

She harbored hope that this camaraderie would endure.

A fleeting thought crossed her mind, wondering if they’d manage to reunite after graduation when their paths inevitably diverged.

“Well, well, what have we here.”

“A commoner walking alongside nobles, what an unusual sight indeed.”

Eagle cloaks fluttered in the breeze.

The newcomers were far from welcome faces.

Everyone in the group instinctively frowned.

Some of them were faces Melanie recognized as well.

“Can’t you just mind your own business and move along?”

Anais retorted with a scowl.

Her growling voice carried a sharp edge, but the intruders remained unfazed.

“Hey, commoner. You’d be better off not associating with this lot. They’ll only use you when it suits them.”

“That’s right. It’s a precarious position to be on the wrong side of nobles in magical society-“

Their sneering tone was quite a spectacle.

Kael merely stared at them blankly before turning his head at a sound from behind.

The crisp click of shoes against stone was unmistakable.

The faces of the Eagle class students who detected the approaching presence turned ashen.

Kael couldn’t suppress a wry chuckle.

“Huh?”

“Even maggots can wag their tongues, it seems.”

“Ca— Caesar…”

His ebony hair seemed particularly dark today.

Piercing blue eyes carefully surveyed the Eagle cloaks.

Then, he unleashed words sharp as daggers.

“The Eagle class appears to have an abundance of idle time these days. Have you resorted to honing your verbal skills in lieu of swordsmanship?”

“Hey, let’s get out of here.”

“You there-.”

As if Manus’s words carried a tangible pressure, the one who had suggested retreat froze mid-step.

It was an astounding display of magical presence, as though he had employed telekinesis.

Creeak-.

The Eagle class student turned his head like a poorly-oiled automaton.

Manus approached him, looming over with his imposing height.

Aspiring knights typically boasted large builds due to their rigorous physical training.

However, Manus possessed a stature that allowed him to look down even on such individuals.

The tyrant’s lips parted.

“If you dare to harass my juniors again, I’ll have you bury your head in the dirt before the Snake class for an entire day. Is that clear?”

“…”

Words failed him.

They had picked a fight unnecessarily and stumbled upon a truly formidable opponent.

The tyrant hadn’t earned his moniker without reason.

That presence, that overwhelming mana, the aura he exuded was leagues apart from ordinary students.

He emanated the essence of a true noble, a genuine mage.

“Answer me.”

“Y-Yes, I understand.”

“If you comprehend, then vanish from my sight.”

Ultimately, the Eagle class students beat a hasty retreat, unable to even salvage their dignity.

Manus turned around with a soft sigh to find bright eyes fixed upon him.

Perhaps because they hadn’t yet faced the true hardships of the tower, they appeared so innocent and vulnerable.

A sudden realization struck him.

— I’m tasked with climbing the tower and saving the world alongside these naive souls.

So he tossed out a gruff comment.

“Bunch of idiots.”

“S-Senior!”

His retreating figure, cloak billowing dramatically, seemed lifted straight from the pages of a fairy tale.

That overwhelming presence persisted all the way to the dueling grounds.

The four students trailed behind Manus, chattering excitedly about him.

Of course, in hushed tones to ensure Manus couldn’t overhear.

“See, our senior is incredibly cool, isn’t he?”

“Yeah. Despite his reputation as a tyrant, he stood up for us in the end. Maybe he’s actually feeling embarrassed deep down? You know, like-“

“Shut it, Pearson.”

The one who silenced Pearson’s enthusiastic rambling was Kael, who wore a slight frown.

She was particularly sensitive to conversations regarding Manus.

More precisely, she bristled at any perceived slight against him.

Thanks to her intervention, Pearson fell silent as a clam, and the five were able to reach the dueling grounds without further incident.

It seemed a trivial occurrence.

Yet none could have foreseen how this small moment would ripple outward, creating waves of consequence.

For now, they were simply captivated by Manus’s commanding presence.

2

Dueling grounds.

A blonde man was engaged in warm-up exercises.

The Harrison family wasn’t the sole lineage born to protect others.

This man also hailed from a family destined for guardianship.

“The youngsters have arrived.”

“Mm.”

He had just reached a comfortable state, his body sufficiently limber.

The blonde man, Buckley Guillermo, stepped onto the dueling grounds.

With a chiseled jaw, thick eyebrows, and a prominent nose, he exuded an aura of steadfast reliability.

He also ranked among the most popular male students in the academy.

“…I wasn’t informed that he would be attending.”

“Y-yeah. But we shouldn’t instigate conflict, right?”

Guillermo regarded the five mages with a stony expression.

These were purportedly the most exceptional among this year’s first-years.

He scrutinized their features intently.

The most commanding presence among them.

He also took note of the individual he despised most within the academy walls.

Caesar Manus.

The one who had brought indelible shame to the Buckley family.

Though a considerable time had passed, the humiliation from that incident remained fresh.

“Greetings, Senior Guillermo. We appreciate you making time for us today.”

“You lot.”

Anais offered a polite greeting as the group’s representative.

Guillermo was known for his typically gruff demeanor.

However, he wasn’t one to bare his fangs quite so openly-.

His reaction seemed oddly hostile.

Had some unfortunate event transpired?

“What’s your relationship with Manus? Is he subjecting you to any form of bullying?”

“I beg your pardon?”

The four exchanged puzzled glances before shaking their heads in unison.

Manus, a bully?

He had just reliably shielded them from harassment moments ago.

“No, not at all. How could that be? He’s such a dependable senior. We requested his presence to observe, so he graciously made time for us.”

“I see. Understood.”

Guillermo turned away after studying the innocent students’ faces.

He then summoned his waiting juniors.

“Prepare yourselves!”

“Yes, sir!”

Deer Class.

The guardians’ actions bore a striking resemblance to military discipline.

Juniors heeded their seniors’ words as though they were orders from a superior officer.

Some criticized it as a detrimental habit, but it was also intrinsic to the guardians’ nature.

Guardians are those sworn to protect others.

Consequently, they were not meant to act autonomously.

They were beings who would willingly die if commanded, or leap into flames without hesitation.

“Preparations complete!”

“Today’s mock battle aims to simulate approaching while evading mages’ attacks. I trust our Snake class colleagues will cooperate fully.”

“Agreed.”

Guillermo succinctly explained the rules of engagement.

Mages attack while maintaining distance.

Guardians advance while closing the gap.

Guardians lose if they drop their shield or sustain a direct magical hit.

Mages lose if the shield makes contact or they find themselves cornered with nowhere to retreat.

“While this is practice, I urge you to treat it as a genuine confrontation.”

“Um, I specialize in close-quarters combat. How should I proceed?”

Following the explanation, Melanie timidly raised her hand.

Not just Guillermo, but all the guardians wore expressions of bewilderment.

Not literally, of course, but their confusion was palpable.

Melanie glanced uncertainly at Manus.

She was likely seeking reassurance about revealing this ability to others.

Manus met her gaze, then offered a slight smile and a nod of encouragement.

“It’s your innate talent.”

Did a butterfly require permission to shed its cocoon and unfurl its wings?

“Thank you.”

She bowed her head in gratitude.

She could hear the excited voices of spirits swirling around her.

They seemed eager to participate, creating quite a commotion.

‘Patience. Your moment to shine approaches.’

Her eyes underwent a transformation.

Whoosh-.

Her pink hair shifted to a vibrant red.

An overwhelming aura, incongruous with her delicate frame, swept through the arena.

Everyone except the five mages gaped in astonishment.

The seemingly fragile mage had vanished.

“I’m a close-combat mage, so-.”

“Impressive.”

Guillermo’s admiration was genuine.

He had heard whispers of such individuals.

Those who fought by channeling the power of entities imbued with magical force.

It was said they borrowed the strength of beings invisible to ordinary people.

Such rare individuals were known as:

“A spirit mage, I see.”

“W-what should we do, senior?”

A guardian sought guidance from Guillermo.

He contemplated the impending clash between knights and guardians.

They should possess the skills to contend with such variables.

The answer crystallized in his mind.

Guillermo spoke as he raised his shield.

“It’s straightforward. We fight until one side falls.”

“Understood.”

“Is that acceptable to you?”

A guardian peered over his shield, addressing Melanie.

Melanie nodded bravely in response.

Guillermo had initially planned to supervise from the sidelines.

But upon noticing a particular individual, his resolve shifted.

He gestured with his shield towards a specific target.

“You. You’ll face me directly.”

“Is there truly a necessity for that?”

Where he pointed, Manus stood with arms crossed, exuding nonchalance.

At that moment, Manus found himself recalling Guillermo’s character profile and backstory.

A fragment of text that had briefly caught his attention.

It mentioned that Guillermo harbored intense hatred for someone, and had temporarily lost his drive when the object of his animosity vanished.

He never imagined that the target of such resentment was the original Manus, who had met such an absurd demise.

Such details had never surfaced in the original work.

‘What grievous offense did I commit this time?’

He couldn’t recall any wrongdoing, nor fathom how he might have incurred such wrath.

The version of himself on Earth wasn’t omniscient.

The game hadn’t even delved into the life of the good-for-nothing young master sacrificed in the tutorial.

However, he couldn’t simply disregard a tank essential for conquering the tower.

As he pondered his next move, Guillermo stepped forward and spoke.

“Why, are you going to hide behind your family’s influence again? Are you going to cower behind that pompous tyrant title?”

What could have possibly transpired?

Guillermo was renowned for his unflappable composure, regardless of the situation.

What could be the catalyst for such uncharacteristic agitation?

Manus himself was consumed by curiosity.

So, against his better judgment, he posed the question.

“Enlighten me.”

“What?”

“What transgression have I committed against you and your family?”

Guillermo’s eyes blazed with a fierce crimson light.

–TL Notes–
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