The day we left Carpathia after a brief rest.
The Carpathia Square was in an uproar.
“Stand in a straight line! Can’t you even align in rows and columns? Have you already forgotten everything you learned at the academy?”
“The memorial service is about to begin! Move quickly!”
Shouts from the instructors echoed everywhere.
But despite the instructors’ yells, the children were busy chatting away.
It wasn’t just because they were excitedly sharing fun memories from the past week; there were simply far too many students compared to the number of instructors.
With all the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year students gathered in one place, it was as chaotic as a marketplace.
“Hey, look over there.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Those are the kids. The 1st-year students who fought and won against demons this time.”
“Ah, so those are the ones?”
Everywhere we passed, people glanced at us.
It wasn’t just the 1st years. Even the 2nd and 3rd years were whispering while looking our way.
“Those guys? I guess they’re stronger than they look.”
“Their skills are surprising, but their guts are even more so. Thinking of facing a high-ranked demon… They must be insane.”
“Well, maybe they were just too stupid to realize they were facing a high-ranked demon.”
Most of the rumors floating around were about our party’s accomplishments, but jealousy and envy were mixed in here and there.
Well, in a way, that was expected.
Even though we were divided into upper and lower classes as seniors and juniors now, the age gap was barely a year or two.
Once we all entered society, we would be competing in the same field.
It was natural for them to try and undermine us, their future rivals.
“That kid must be Zero…”
“I heard he made minced meat out of the demons.”
“They say he ripped them apart with his bare hands.”
“Hm, as expected of the devil’s underling! Terrifying.”
“There’s also a rumor going around that he tried to use his companions as sacrifices… Better be careful.”
There were also some… ahem, misunderstandings about me floating around.
“These idiots don’t even know what they’re talking about. It’s so annoying. Ugh! Should I just bite them to death?”
“Keke, leave them be. It’s only natural they’d be jealous of me.”
“Jealous? Why would they be? Look at this pathetic face of yours! It’s the kind of face that evokes sympathy and motherly instincts.”
Luna grabbed my face with both hands and started pulling it from side to side.
“Kyahhhhh!”
Wherever my face turned, the kids screamed and backed away.
I don’t get it. It’s not like my face is a cannon.
I finally managed to free myself from Luna’s grip when—
“It seems the 1st-year’s top student has already been decided.”
“That show-off kid who was claiming he’d be the next student council president… Teron, was it? I bet he’s been completely humiliated.”
“A disgrace to the Vyuern family.”
“Shh! Be quiet. What if they hear you? The Vyuern family is as powerful as the empire’s eight pillars.”
“But it’s not one of the eight pillars, right?”
“…You’re insane. If you die, don’t blame me.”
Now that they mentioned it, I had forgotten about Teron.
Judging from the reactions of the surrounding students, Teron must have heard about my achievements by now.
In fact, he probably got the information before anyone else. The intelligence network backed by the Vyuern family was no joke.
‘There’s even an event where Teron personally tries to recruit you if you manage to defeat two or more low-ranked demons in the Carpathia Defense Battle.’
Currently, it’s known that I helped defeat four low-ranked demons and contributed to taking down a high-ranked demon.
I’ve more than fulfilled the conditions for Teron to approach me.
Yet, he hasn’t come looking for me, and I haven’t seen him anywhere.
Something feels off.
“Keke, I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Eeek! Y-you’re right! I-I’m going to die!”
Maybe it was the growing attention.
Rezé’s eyes started spinning, and soon her entire body followed suit, twirling like a top.
“Sigh… Zero, stay here for a bit. I’ll take Rezé to the infirmary.”
“Keke, make sure to tie her up securely before you leave her. I recommend throwing her in with the flammable trash.”
“…”
After a while, Luna left with the dizzy Rezé.
A sharp bite mark had been imprinted on the back of my hand.
“Form your rows and columns immediately!”
“Aaah! The instructors are angry!”
“Run for it!”
“No! I said form lines, not flee!”
Maybe because we realized we wouldn’t get another break like this until the final exams, the kids started running away from the instructors.
“Keke, what a mess.”
And I got caught up in it, too.
For a few minutes, I was swept along by the chaotic crowd, being pushed and pulled in every direction.
Eventually, I managed to settle in one place.
Where am I? It looks like I’m among the 1st-year students, but…
“…”
“…”
What is this? Why do I feel so many hostile stares coming from all directions?
It’s not the usual envious gazes admiring my handsome face. No, these eyes were filled with more aggression.
Come to think of it, I recognized some of these faces.
Wait… Am I in—
“What’s he doing here?”
“Is this a provocation? Or is he celebrating his victory?”
“Arrogant bastard… His confidence is sky-high.”
Yes. I had somehow wandered into Teron’s faction’s area.
This… is not good. What if I run into Teron or Daike here?
I can’t say for sure, but it definitely won’t end well.
I should sneak out carefully. Like a cockroach… scuttle, scuttle, scuttle…
“Zero, it’s been hard to get a glimpse of your face lately.”
Perhaps hiding my handsome face was impossible from the beginning.
I was caught right away.
“You cockroach-like bastard… Still up to your old tricks, I see.”
Daike, Teron’s hound, muttered as he glared at me in disdain.
He looked ready to pounce, but Teron raised a hand to stop him.
“Zero, you’ll have to understand. Daike’s in a bit of a foul mood.”
“Keke, the usually calm Daike is upset? Did something happen?”
“It’s because you performed too well. Didn’t you snatch the 1st place in the midterms from me? Naturally, he’s pissed off.”
First place.
Since it was Teron, who was utilizing the Vyuern family’s information network, his words were as good as confirmed.
One thing that puzzled me was how calm Teron seemed.
“Keke, does that mean you’re okay with it, Teron?”
“What can I do? It’s my own fault.”
‘Oh, he’s taking it surprisingly well,’ I thought, but then—
“I can’t believe I forgot that you’re crazy enough to fight even high-ranked demons after taking down four low-ranked ones. My mistake, right?”
Teron grinned as he said that.
His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were not.
As Teron’s intimidating presence loomed larger, I instinctively took a step back.
Then, Teron let out a deep sigh as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
“Ha… Should I call it reckless or impressive? It’s hard to say.”
“Keke, it was a foolish move. I regret it myself.”
“Well, at least you know. Just don’t do anything that reckless again. What will you do if you end up dead?”
Teron grumbled in an irritated tone. At this point, I got curious about his ranking.
He seemed relaxed, so his ranking must be fairly high.
“What place are you expecting to get, Teron?”
“…I think I’ll be 6th.”
Sixth place, Teron?
I couldn’t hide my surprise.
Normally, Teron was set to follow right behind Yuridia, securing 2nd place by default.
The player’s performance could influence the rankings, but no matter how much I did, the story itself wouldn’t change much.
Still…
‘Isn’t that a bit much?’
Even if his ranking dropped, Teron should at least be in the top 3. But 6th?
I felt a twinge of guilt. Knowing what was to come, it was inevitable.
“…I’m sorry.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard you apologize. Well, there’s no need to feel bad. You earned it fair and square. It would be weirder to blame you.”
Teron would eventually understand why I felt sorry.
But that wasn’t important right now. I decided to let it go for the moment.
“Anyway, Zero, you sure have a knack for getting yourself into big messes.”
“Keke, you seem pretty calm for someone saying that.”
“Well, of course. The more competent my subordinates, the better.”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, I can endure a little humiliation if I know all three of you will eventually be working under me.”
All three.
Me, Luna, and the burning trash rabbit (?).
He was referring to our party.
“Keke, subordinates? Did I ever agree to that?”
“Does it matter? It’s bound to happen anyway.”
Teron smirked.
Rational thinking, confidence, and a masculine charm.
Honestly, I really liked this guy.
‘Too bad he’s destined to never be an ally.’
There were many variations possible depending on the midterm rankings, but there was one thing that could never happen.
That was—
‘Teron becoming the top scorer in the midterms.’
Other things could change, but it was impossible to make Teron 1st place.
Even if I killed three low-ranked demons besides Mabelga, the outcome would be the same.
Caron would always find a way to drag Teron down from 1st place.
It was an absolute law of this scenario.
“By the way, I heard you survived not just one, but two encounters with a high-ranked demon. Are you alright?”
“Keke, are you worried about me?”
“Well, if you end up crippled, your value as a subordinate drops. So, are you hurt?”
“Not at all. Luna took good care of me.”
“…I heard about that. I’m jealous. Someone who sacrifices themselves for you… I don’t have anyone like that.”
“No way. Teron, you have an excellent ally in Daike, don’t you?”
“Huh?”
“Daike. Isn’t he a great ally and a friend?”
Teron and Daike both flinched simultaneously.
“Friend… you say?”
Teron seemed about to say something more when—
“Hey! What are you guys doing over there?!”
Someone suddenly yelled as they ran up and jumped on my back.
No need to look. It was obviously Luna, the embodiment of friendship.
As soon as Luna made her appearance, Teron’s face twisted into a bitter smile.
“You wanna die? Cheating on me right in front of my face?”
Why does she always say things that lead to misunderstandings?
“Keke, were we ever in that kind of relationship? Friends meeting other friends isn’t called cheating, you know.”
“I don’t care! If you don’t play with me, it’s cheating!”
Then what if I play with a toy? Am I cheating with the toy, too?
This girl is a romance disaster.
Just as I was struggling to peel the whining Luna off me, Daike took a step towards us.
“Can’t you see they’re in the middle of a conversation? If you’re a subordinate, then act like one and stay in the back where you belong.”
“Hmph~ You think you can handle me? You mangy mutt?”
“Seems you’ve already forgotten the time I beat you senseless. Is your intelligence at a cat’s level?”
“That wasn’t the me of today. Haven’t you heard that women grow quickly?”
Grrrr!
Hissss!
As the two beasts(?) stared each other down—
“…You’re being too loud.”
A spine-chilling voice echoed in my ears.
Everyone in my line of sight froze on the spot.
Even those not in my field of vision were undoubtedly in the same state.
There was no need to guess who the owner of that voice was.
“Do you think this is a square or something?”
The empire’s rat, Caron.
It was indeed a square, but no one dared to say, ‘It is a square,’ aloud.
Because if they did, Caron would instantly turn it into an execution ground.
Turning a public square filled with people’s laughter into a blood-soaked execution ground.
If anyone could do that, it was Caron.
“Line up by year and class. You have 30 seconds.”
“3rd year, Class 1! Class 1, over here!”
“Class 2, gather here!”
Thud, thud, thud-!
The kids started running in a panic. It was a complete 180 from earlier.
“Teron, sir!”
“…Zero, we’ll meet again. I expect you to have that cat tamed by then.”
The students from Teron’s faction lifted his chair and dashed off.
The only one left was Daike, still glaring at Luna.
“Keke, I guess we should get going, too.”
“Let me go! It’ll only take me 3 seconds to rip that mutt apart!”
“I enjoyed fighting with you this time. I hope we’ll have another chance like this in the future.”
“…Get lost.”
Daike turned his eyes away.
It seemed this ‘temporary alliance’ trope had reached its end.
I would have loved to team up again, but…
‘Not gonna happen.’
After the grades are announced, the real fight with Teron will begin.
Both Teron and Daike will meet their worst possible fates, so we’ll never get to fight with our backs against each other again.
“Isn’t that a shame, Luna?”
But there was no response. Then, I saw it.
Luna frantically waving at me from a distance, and…
The Killing Machine, Caron, charging straight at me.
–TL Notes–
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Zero already trigger Teron saving hidden piece,When will he notice it?
From Zero’s perspective that was a cat and dog being scared by a giant rat.