Chapter 66 |
"Cough..."
"What, it's over already? I expected as much, but that was too easy."
Luna sheathed her sword.
The duel with Godner.
It ended with Luna's victory.
It was a one-sided duel.
To the extent that the prideful Godner couldn't even think of standing up.
'Damn it! What kind of monster is she?'
It was only because Luna switched to using the back of her sword midway through the fight.
'But in the end, I'll be the one standing, you stupid girl.'
Both in the event of winning and losing.
He had it all calculated.
Sneer-.
Godner, kneeling on one knee and bowing his head.
Luna saw it.
The faint smile on his face.
'Smiling?'
It was when Luna sensed something odd.
The entrance of the duel arena became noisy.
"Huh? What's going on?"
"Is someone there?"
"People are in the duel arena?"
A swarm of children poured in.
It was the Teron and Yuridia factions.
And they too saw it.
Luna and Godner standing in the duel arena.
"Was there a duel going on?"
"What? Did Godner lose?"
"No, wait. Just the two of them? Where's the witness?"
"What? Did they duel without a witness?"
The children started chattering noisily.
But the situation wasn't hard to grasp.
Yuridia clicked her tongue.
'Tch, I should have known when he insisted on me accompanying him...'
Late at night.
Teron's suggestion for a discussion to advance the first-year students.
They talked at a slight distance, and following Teron led them to this place, the duel arena.
'He must be showing what happens to those who oppose him.'
It was no different from a public execution.
Luna also realized the situation.
They were trying to drive her out. Out of this academy.
"Teron! I did not lose! That girl used underhanded tactics!"
"Hey! When did I ever do that?"
"She drew her sword first and swung it at me! I am the victim!"
"You're the one who beat up an innocent kid first!!"
Godner squealed.
His squealing was no different from a pig being slaughtered.
But Godner wasn't concerned about that.
Right now, his claim of being a victim was what mattered most.
'Hihi, you're done for.'
Luna, who broke the rules, would be expelled from the academy.
His honor as the victim would be restored, and he would secure his position in the Teron faction as a hero of this incident.
Just when he thought everything was going perfectly,
Teron spoke.
"It's difficult when both parties have such conflicting opinions."
"Teron...?"
"Shall we continue the duel? Until one side..."
Teron's eyes gleamed ominously.
"Admits their wrongdoing."
* * *
"Te, Teron? What do you mean by that..."
Yes. Teron wasn't aiming to simply expel Luna from the academy.
He wanted something worse.
Teron intended to 'execute' Luna.
Socially and physically.
End her completely.
"Teron, what are you talking about? Continue the duel?"
"It may sound a bit harsh, but these fools fought without a witness. Everyone knows that Godner is a friend who works with me."
It's natural he would take Godner's side.
But.
"I can't just blindly cover for him. It has to be fair. Isn't that one of Annwood Academy's principles?"
At first glance, Teron might seem like a fair person.
Despite his subordinate being involved, he's willing to handle it fairly.
But Yuridia knew.
The real meaning hidden inside.
"...So, you're saying the duel should continue until someone admits their fault?"
"Yes. Wouldn't that be more fair?"
"Fair? What's fair about that! It's a system where the stronger person takes all! What if the winner is lying?"
Teron laughed heartily.
"Winner takes all. Isn't that the nature of this world? You should be thankful for such an opportunity."
Yuridia quickly calculated her options.
An illegal duel between students. The claim to handle it fairly.
The justification seemed to be on Teron's side. But what about the benefits?
If Godner wins, Luna would be expelled from the academy as the guilty party.
If Godner loses, he would be the one expelled.
Either way, Teron wouldn't be directly harmed.
Rather,
'By executing the punishment, he instills fear in the other students.'
No matter the outcome, Teron benefits.
That's why Yuridia couldn't accept it.
"But there's no witness! We, who are not part of the student council, don't have the authority to certify. This means the duel cannot continue."
"Then if there is someone with certification, it would be alright?"
"What? What do you mean..."
Teron pulled something out of his pocket.
A wooden tablet. A tablet engraved with the word "Certification."
"I received this certification tablet from Teacher Lérang. Currently, I have the authority to act as a certifying agent."
Yuridia's face drained of color.
'This bastard Teron. How long has he been planning this, and to what extent?'
Yuridia turned around.
She refused to be a pawn in someone else's game.
"I will bring a teacher. A certifying agent. You will have to take responsibility for that."
Teron grabbed Yuridia's wrist abruptly.
"Let's not make a big deal out of this, Yuridia."
"..."
"Today's duel will be as if it never happened once it's over. No one will be hurt."
No one gets hurt? That's impossible.
What Teron was suggesting,
"Surely you have nothing to lose. Or, do you really want to go against me? All for that one girl?"
Yes, the one who gets hurt is either Godner or Luna.
One of the two. There's no loss for Yuridia.
But,
"You said it would be as if it never happened if Luna wins?"
"Exactly. Today's duel will vanish as if it never took place. It's not good for us either."
Yuridia clenched her fists.
If Luna wins, everything ends without incident.
Teron gains nothing but a sense of fear.
That wasn't a bad deal.
'Luna, you can do it.'
Yuridia decided to trust Luna.
But what she didn't know was,
She was already caught in Teron's trap.
"Now, we can continue the duel. One must prove their innocence."
"Teron...?"
Godner's expression turned blank.
He hadn't heard of this plan.
The plan was just to make Luna draw her sword first, and then he'd handle the rest.
"Why...?"
"Godner, I trust you. Show the honor of a noble."
"What?"
"You wouldn't surrender, would you? Being a brilliant noble."
Godner looked dazed.
Teron whispered in his ear.
"Don't ever give up."
Only then did Godner realize.
He was also trapped.
* * *
Thump! Thump!
"Ugh, ugh..."
Godner groaned.
His flesh bruised and swollen from being hit with the flat of the sword, black blood oozed out.
"Hey! Just admit you lost!"
"I, I have not lost..."
"This idiot, really...!"
Thirty minutes into the resumed duel.
Godner was being beaten one-sidedly.
Yet, he did not declare defeat.
Fighting Luna meant being beaten to death.
Surrendering meant being expelled from Teron's faction.
The problem was, his father was a vassal of the Vyuern family.
'My father...'
If he's expelled, his father's position would also be jeopardized.
For his father's sake, surrender was not an option.
"Ugh..."
"He passed out."
"He has not yet admitted defeat. Wake him up and continue the duel."
The children splashed water on Godner's face.
Godner couldn't even stand up. He just lay there, opening his dim, clouded eyes.
This was the third time he had passed out.
Continuing like this might kill Godner.
"This... what kind of duel is this."
This wasn't the kind of duel Luna knew.
Noble and immensely honorable.
That was the true nature of a duel.
But none of that existed here.
What they were doing was nothing more than collective bullying, not a duel.
And then everyone realized Teron's scheme.
‘Proxy duel.’
The plan was to have someone else stand in for Godner and fight Luna.
But for a proxy duel, there needed to be a valid reason.
The elderly, children, those suffering from illness unable to duel, or those on official duty.
In these situations, one could appoint a proxy duelist.
And there was one special clause.
‘If someone is designated as a proxy duelist, they must carry out the duel.’
It was Luna's turn to nominate someone.
This clause was created because of the nobles.
Places more sordid than anywhere else, where the slightest love affair could escalate into war.
This clause was created to stop that, to end fights in the dueling arena.
‘The nominated person does have the right to refuse, making the clause virtually ineffective.’
However,
In situations like this, it was extremely useful.
If Luna nominated Teron, then.
A ‘real duel’ would begin.
"Co, come at me..."
Godner muttered while lying down.
But Luna couldn't swing her sword anymore.
‘Luna, don't! Hold back! You mustn't say those words!’
The students in the Advanced Class knew.
Despite her harsh words, Luna was a tender-hearted girl.
Luna looked up at the sky, realizing.
Ah, I see. This is.
‘A trap to draw out Zero.’
Using her to somehow pull Zero in, whether to join Teron's faction or as a warning to those who oppose him.
Luna had no choice but to be shocked.
- Luna, don't get involved with Teron's faction.
- Protecting the bullied weak is also forbidden.
‘So, Zero anticipated even this.’
Advice given back in the ant nest.
How far he had foreseen the future was astonishing.
Only then did Luna realize what Zero had been doing.
Protecting her all this time.
But look at what she was doing now.
‘I've ruined everything.’
Caught in their trap, moving exactly as they wanted.
No matter how this duel ends, Zero will be entangled with Teron's faction.
Her thoughtless actions had endangered Zero too.
‘The proxy duel is a trap.’
A final trap tightening around both her and Zero's necks.
If she fell into it again, calling her foolish would be an understatement.
But,
If things continued, Godner would end up crippled or dead.
She had no choice but to choose.
‘There are two options before me.’
Declare defeat and take the blame, leading to expulsion.
Or declare a proxy duel and continue the fight.
Teron's strength was unknown, but Zero had warned her.
‘Teron, Daike.’
Not to fight them seriously.
Yet, Luna made her choice.
‘I'll nominate a proxy duelist.’
She didn't want to be expelled. She had goals to achieve at the academy.
‘It's enjoyable.’
Her time at the academy with Zero had been too pleasurable.
A balm for the past ten years.
She wanted to continue her academy life with Zero. So, the first option was out.
She chose the second option, the proxy duel.
Of course, she wasn't completely thoughtless.
‘I'll break their leader.’
Defeat the head of Teron's faction and secure Zero's safety.
Godner, lying there gasping for breath.
Luna passed him by and then,
Swoosh-.
She pointed her sword at Teron.
"Hey, stop pretending to be noble and come at me."
I'll bite you to death.
--TL Notes--
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading