/
After hearing my question, the Director very lightly responded,
“He would probably be at the main hall.”
“……The main hall?”
“He asked permission to use the main hall, saying that he had something to tell his juniors, so I let him.”
“……”
The main hall……
Except for the vacation and opening ceremonies or tests, times where a large number of people needed to be in the same place at the same time, it wasn’t a place that was used often.
But just how many students did he want to spread his bullshit to for him to borrow the main hall?
I couldn’t be certain, but that disgusting silver tongue of his was probably the best in the academy.
“Will you be going now?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.”
At my response, the Director muttered under his breath in a small voice,
“Now I feel it was good for me to let Jakil borrow the main hall.”
“……”
Good for you to let him borrow it?
Well…
Since a lot of people were gathered in one place, he wouldn’t be able to decline so easily……
There was no way he calculated it up to this point, right?
“Go find him, before he goes somewhere else.”
“Ah, yes.”
The Director… is probably much scarier than I realize.
The plan this time wasn’t any worse than what Fire King Teron would’ve come up with.
“Then, I’ll be going.”
“I look forward to some interesting news.”
I left the Director’s office and headed directly toward the main hall, where Jakil would be.
What was this?
I felt that the hallways going toward the main hall were quite empty.
It was probably because a lot of students had gathered inside the main hall.
And this was proven true.
Creak……!
As I opened the doors and stepped into the main hall, the students gathered inside all turned around to look at me…
“Sheesh. Just how many people are here?”
“……Ruin?”
The number of students easily exceeded 50, and there was our alumni representative, who came all the way to the academy to fill the hearts of so many students with false hope.
Jakil Galehill was at the podium as he silently looked at me.
His gaze was momentarily filled with curiosity and displeasure.
That gaze was asking, ‘Why are you here?’
Yeah…
I had suddenly become an ‘uninvited guest’ who spoiled the mood of this party where the future lord of Galehill and its future magicians came together to promise a bright future for the latter.
But who cares?
I smiled brightly and greeted Jakil.
“So you were here?”
“Why do you ask? You came here knowing that.”
“Yes, that’s true. If not, why would I come here? Your rotten stench could be smelled all the way from the main gate.”
“……Why did you come find me?”
I walked into the hall confidently, and stepped onto the platform before talking in a very proper manner toward Jakil Galehill.
“I came here to request something of you, senior.”
“……Request?”
Jakil frowned, looking as though he had never expected such a word to be uttered by my mouth.
It was as if his expression was asking, ‘What are you scheming now?’
Unlike Jakil Galehill, who was showing a cautious expression, Michael Galehill, standing next to him, laughed out loud.
“A request? Hah! Are you finally conceding? Yeah. I knew you would say that in the end. But how unfortunate. We, the Galehills, don’t need someone like you. Maybe if you kneel before us, that may ch—”
“Don’t kid yourself. It isn’t a request like that.”
I didn’t even look at Michael and talked straight to Jakil.
“I heard that you received a suggestion from the Director. That the alumni should attend the joint lesson with the knights next week alongside the students.”
“……And?”
Jakil Galehill’s brows shifted a little.
It was a sign that he had guessed my intentions.
However, would he be able to decline my request?
Of course, the answer had been decided from the start.
“Please accept it. The combined lesson with the graduating students and the graduated students.”
“……A c-combined lesson?”
As soon as these words left my mouth, the audience started to mutter among themselves.
“We can take the same lessons with Jakil? Is that true?”
“Then…… will we be able to see the skills of our seniors up close?”
“Jakil was the youngest court magician in the kingdom! To be able to see the skills of such a person…! Sheesh! That’s cool!”
An overall positive reaction came from the crowd.
Of course, there were some groups that were worrying about unexpected things.
“Wait, then doesn’t that mean that Ruin might have a fight against our senior?”
“Uh? I guess?”
“……”
Now, in this situation, how would Jakil react?
* * *
Reaper Scans
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Proofreader – Artethrax
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* * *
He would obviously refuse.
The first refusal would be light, like treading water.
“Why should I?”
“……?”
“Why do I have to take a lesson like that? Do you think we, the graduates, need such a lesson? We’re already professionals who have multiple years of real world experience. On top of having no real reason to attend such a class, it’s honestly a waste of time. Aren’t you underestimating us too much?”
Yeah.
I kind of suspected that he’d say that.
As I said before, it’s a loss even if they win, and if they lose, it would become a stain.
That was why the graduates must stand on the same stage as us.
Because I needed to humiliate him.
Because I needed to show everyone that the Galehill name was built upon nothing but underhanded tactics and unsavory deals.
That was why I responded like I was baffled by his answer.
“Hearing that…… It’s a bit unexpected.”
“……What?”
“Wasn’t the reason the seniors visited our academy to impart their knowledge and insights to us?”
“That’s right. That’s why I’m giving you guys special lectures.”
“Isn’t a combined class the perfect way for the teachers to display their amazing skills to the juniors? But to call it a ‘waste of time’…”
“Of course, it would be an important class for you guys, but to us, it’s not that helpful……”
“You were emphasizing so hard that the Galehills are a group, but in a situation where I’m making a request for the sake of the students who gathered here, you refuse? Or is there maybe another reason you refused?”
As I looked toward the students in the main hall, fluster flickered through Jakil’s gaze as he looked around.
The students had curious expressions directed at their respected senior, Jakil, as he declined the suggestion, and I muttered toward those students,
“Maybe… you’re scared……”
This wasn’t a request, but a taunt.
It was a method for me to scrape at his ego as the youngest court magician of the kingdom.
And this was quite effective.
“Scared? Who? Me? Of you? Hah, what nonsense.”
Jakil hid his shock and tried his best to talk nonchalantly.
But I could see a subtle shake in his eye.
It was very effective.
He started to babble on by himself.
“Kid, even if you won in the Grand Festival, you’re still just a student who lacks real world experience. Contrary to that, I am a magician who has sharpened and mastered his magic. A provocation from a punk who would cower in front of a real sword…… You… Have you killed before?”
Goddamn, he talks a lot.
I have stood in front of a real sword too many times, and I have even nearly killed.
To measure a person’s skill with such criteria……
Since it wasn’t worth answering his question, I continued my initial statement.
“……If you’re not scared, please accept the request. Not for the seniors, but for your juniors.”
“Hah, I hate going in circles. Why should we do something so bother—”
“Yes! I want to see the skills of our seniors!”
“……What?”
Hearing me say ‘for your juniors’, one of the students who was listening quietly the entire time shouted,
“Yeah! The skills sharpened and mastered in the real world……! I’m curious as well!”
“Please show us!”
“……”
Jakil’s eyebrows shifted again.
Then, the unaware younger brother standing next to him, Michael, dealt the final blow.
“Brother, why are you hesitating? Just accept.”
“……Hey, be quiet and don’t—”
“Ah, why? Just destroy that guy in this time where everyone will be watching.”
“What?”
“Ruin, you’ll regret requesting that. You’re a fool if you think my brother is the same as me. He’s a really strong magician.”
“Sure, sure.”
“……”
In this situation where everyone was wanting the same thing…
Would our respected senior be able to refuse?
No, never.
“Fuu…… You brats…… Fine.”
Jakil looked to be in quite a tough spot, but he couldn’t let that show on the outside.
Wasn’t this hall filled with dozens of lovely juniors who believed only in him?
He needed to show to these lambs who their strong shepherd was, and he also needed to show the calm and relaxed form of a senior.
That was why the answer had been decided from the start.
“……Fine. It’s quite a bother…… but for the sake of my juniors,  I’ll accept.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. A joint lesson with the knights? They would probably be those trainee knights from Poldren, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ve been facing real knights until now, so against trainee knights…… You’ve heard about them too, right? The Silver Light Knight Order. The elite knights that protect the princes of the kingdom. I’ve eaten them up like breakfast. Yeah, I’ll show you what methods a magician has when facing knights.”
“……”
Ah, was that so?
The Silver Light Knight Order I saw was filled with inept and idiotic knights.
But there was no reason for me to display my superiority here.
Be as happy as you like in this moment.
“Woooaaah!”
Shouted out the students exploding with anticipation after hearing Jakil’s confident response, and Jakil enjoyed the reaction, acting confident till the end.
“Ruin, I was initially declining the offer because I knew I would decrease the student’s opportunities to show off in the lesson, but will you really be alright? At least for your grade…… If you want, I can make it so that this never happened……”
What bullshit.
“No, please do it. I insist.”
“……Well, if you really want that, then I shall.”
He pushed out his hand while still acting like the magnanimous senior.
“Let’s do well.”
It was a handshake.
However, this handshake was Jakil’s worst decision.
Why?
I smiled brightly and gripped Jakil’s hand during the shake.
In that moment, I put in a little bit of strength.
“……!”
Crack!
Instantly, Jakil’s face turned pale, and he tried to let go.
But I held onto him.
Rather…
“Then, I’ll be in your care, Senior.”
“Y-you……”
I dragged him to my side and talked softly so that only he would be able to hear.
“……Please look forward to it.”
Senior, your laughable skills won’t work on me.