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Chapter 29: Source of Worry
I run a small shop in the capital city, but in the afternoon, I leave it to my wife and head towards the Aslan Magic Academy.
There is a certain battle that I am looking forward to and absolutely can’t miss.
It shouldn’t take too long, but to keep my wife happy, I’ll buy something on my way back.
Today, the top-ranked first-year student, “Luke Wizaria Gilbert,” is participating in the ranking battle
 I’ve been eagerly anticipating this for a long time now.
Having watched the ranking battles at Aslan for many years, I know that this year’s first-year students are exceptional.
The first battle I saw was between the “Azure Flame Beast” and the “Little Thunder God.”
I remember how the pure and overwhelming flame transformed into the heat of the arena.
And then there was the “Ice Empress,” who froze everything, including that flame. It was so amazing that I shivered with excitement.
—So, who is the top-ranked first-year student?
After a while, there was a match that sent the crowd into a frenzy: the first victory for the “Little thunder god” and the birth of the “Hero”.
I myself was so excited that I lost my voice for both of them.
However, that’s why I wanted to see it so badly.
What kind of person is the top-ranked among these amazing students?
I want to see them, I want to see them soon.
My expectations continued to grow day by day.

 But, it still hasn’t happened yet.
Why is no one challenging them?
Even though there are also a  lot of incredibly powerful individuals, why
?
The answer will be revealed today.
Entering the arena from the entrance for the audience and climbing the stairs I saw that, despite coming quite early, most of the seats were already taken. I looked around and sat in the best available seat.
“Oh, you came to see it too. As expected, you can’t miss it!”
Someone next to me called out.
“Oh, Butcho-san!”
It’s good to see a familiar face.
He runs a small tavern in the city and, like me, is an avid fan of ranking battles.
We became friends after meeting each other many times at the arena.
We chatted for a while, killing time as fans of ranking battles naturally do.
And finally

[Okay, the ranking battle between the 45th ranked ‘Porupon Levi Dine Myrstia’ and the 47th ranked ‘Luke Wizaria Gilbert’ will begin now.]
The pre-match introduction echoed with an emotionless tone.
Although I felt that the commentator for this match was not very good, just hearing those words brought my excitement to its peak.
The other spectators were the same, and the arena was filled with cheers that made it tremble.
“Finally, it’s starting!”
“Yeah! This is it!”
The two of them enter the arena.
Seeing them, the audience’s expectations for what will happen next escalate even more, and their excitement level rises.
“There he is
”
That’s when I saw the boy named Luke for the first time.
In that moment, I felt a certain conviction that I couldn’t explain, almost like an intuition.
He was “evil”, that much was clear.
A surprisingly distinct feeling of certainty dominated my heart, telling me that he was definitely not “good”.
“
 Begin!”
However, once the match began, such things became irrelevant in an instant to me

‘What is that
 What’s going on
!?’
When I was a child, I encountered a dragon.
Later, I found out that it was still a newborn, but I still vividly remember the fundamental fear that made my blood flow backwards in my veins.
I was forced to understand that there was a vast difference in power between us humans and those creatures and that death was the only option for me back then.
It took me many years to recover from that nightmare.
If it hadn’t been for the adventurer who happened to pass by and save me, I wouldn’t be here now.
I don’t know why, but a very strong emotion filled me, almost like that experience.
However, it was an intoxicating heat, not fear.
This battle was so intense that I even forgot to breathe.
“AHAHAHAHAHA!”
As I heard that evil laughter, I thought to myself.

It’s the “Demon King”.
The very embodiment of evil in the stories sung by the minstrels.
A king who rules over demons with immense power and plunges the world into fear.
I don’t know if such a being really exists.
But if it does, I’m convinced that this is what it must be like.
Ahh, I don’t care about favorites anymore!
I just want to see what happens to this boy!
I want to see it no matter what!
Before I knew it, everyone in the arena had stood up and was giving an enthusiastic round of applause.

Occasionally, there were terrifyingly thick letters from my parents or too much money sent to me.
Various problems surfaced within two months.
But somehow, I got used to it all.
In my case, most problems were non-existent.
Even things that ordinary people struggled with were nothing to me.

Or so I thought, but my stomach ache still hasn’t gone away.
And now

“Huh? Prince?”
“That’s right. The one you defeated yesterday was the second prince of this country
 You’ve met him several times at the palace party, but I guess you really have no interest in other people, do you?”
“
”
In addition, my worries increased.
I couldn’t say anything back to Alice, who walked next to me as if it were natural.
I can’t seem to remember about the person who I thought was insignificant though

Wait, did I really think the second prince was unimportant unconsciously?
Also
 The second prince is a “shota” with a vulgar expression that doesn’t seem to match his age.
Well, it’s only natural for the royal family of this country to excel in magic.
And as such, it is also not surprising that he’s enrolled in this academy
 I feel like his name had “Mrystia” in it.
“Haah
”
I have a bad feeling about this.
While I hope nothing happens, there’s a part of me that’s resigned to the fact that it will be troublesome.
“I-it’s okay
 Luke.”
“
 Yeah.”
Why would I give up?
It was because Mia, who was walking next to me like Alice, had an incredible presence.
Mia mastered the “Thunder Healing Armor” during these two months.
Although her skill was still low, she did well in a short period of time.
She also achieved her first victory in the ranking battle.
Against a girl named Lily who always sticks with Abel.
Now she was burning with a fighting spirit for revenge against Lloyd.
However, I thought to myself.
Right now, I don’t need pawns.
The trigger was Alice’s brother, a creepy man named Yolande.
Well I sure do need someone who is loyal to me in the future, but it doesn’t have to be now.
There are too many other things I need to spend my time on.
By directly leading her, Mia must have definitely overcome her fear of defeat.
So, I told her that she could quit being a “pawn.”
Thinking I fulfilled the minimum obligation to her.
What happened as a result?
She burst into tears.
Alice also cried so much that she lost her words.
I told her when we were in the school building, and it caused a mini-panic as teachers and students who were there gathered around us.
I really don’t understand it.
I certainly took advantage of her weakened heart, but I didn’t particularly treat her kindly.
Rather, it was rough treatment and it wasn’t even that long.
So why did this happen?
Once again, my stomach suffered greatly.
“
”
I glanced at Mia again.
Is it just my imagination that the depths of her eyes seem to be way darker than before?
Although Alice was initially aggressive to Mia, now she doesn’t say anything to her.
The fact that it’s becoming normal for the three of us to be together is scary.
But not everything bad had happened.
A few days ago, I learned from a letter from my father that there will be a big event called the “Sword Saint Festival” in the neighboring empire in the summer.
The strong people from each country who have confidence in their sword skills will gather there to determine who’s the best of the best.
I am sure Alfred may have told my father about it.
It’s really wonderful and I want to participate.
But is it okay for the school?
Can I say, “I’m going to a tournament in the empire that day,” and be approved?
I don’t know.
Who should I ask about this?
For now, my homeroom teacher Freya seems appropriate.

However, I can’t forget Freya’s strange behavior that day.
She usually has a very strict personality, so I can’t understand it at all.
Why did she need to hide in the locker?
It just doesn’t make any sense.
While thinking about such things, I saw the student cafeteria.
I went inside, took some random food, and sat down at a random seat.
It was just as usual, but the surrounding stares were annoying.
“
”
If I say it wasn’t like this before, it would be a lie.
However, maybe because of yesterday’s rank battle, I feel even more strongly the stares today.
Well, it doesn’t matter to me.
“Ah! Luke!”
“
 Hmph!”
When I was about to start eating, I heard a voice.
It was Abel and Lily.
As usual, they sat across from me.
“
”
This is also one of the things I can’t understand.
Although the reason is completely unknown
 but like a puppy that has been fed on a whim, Abel is getting attached to me more and more.
So much actually, to the point where he even wants to eat with me like this.
Why
what did I do to this guy?
“I watched yesterday’s rank battle! It was really amazing!”
“
Is that so?”
“Yeah! I have to do my best too
”
“Mia! I’ll definitely get revenge, just you wait!”
“
Whenever you want.”
“Hmph! You’re too confident!”
“An ugly fight between the bottom-feeders, huh.”
“W-what did you say!?”

Noisy.
My surroundings are getting more and more noisy.
Damn it, does that mean there are things even I can’t do anything about?
Don’t mess with me, there’s no way that’s possible
 but let’s not get tired of it.
“Luke
 look.”
At that moment, Alice whispered in my ear while indicating a direction with her eyes.
When I looked, a student was walking towards us.
I immediately understood who it was and a deep sadness spread in my heart.
The one walking towards us is
the shota prince “Porupon”.
Stop it
please don’t involve me in any more trouble

What do you want anyway?
No, wait, it’s too early to jump to conclusions.
“
 Luke.”
Why is it

I now know that I’m also blessed with a talent for getting into trouble.
“I have a request to make of you, even if it means swallowing my pride!”
“
 I refuse.”
“What! N-no don’t
”
“
”
Easily discouraged, huh? Seems pretty weak.
“But, I can’t give up here! Please, won’t you at least listen to me?”
“
sigh, go ahead and speak.”
“Thank you!”
This bizarre scene was attracting attention, whether I like it or not.
I wanted to end this situation as soon as possible. So I decided to listen for the time being, but

“I want you to teach me magic!”

I deeply regretted it.
Who could have imagined being asked such a nonsense thing?
If I couldn’t do it, it was impossible for anyone else.
With the best facilities and top-notch teachers available, why me?
“I know that you taught magic to a girl named ‘Mia’ over there. And she made an incredible amount of progress in just one month. I understood the reason for that in yesterday’s ranking battle. 
Please, teach me magic too! I
 I absolutely have to become a top ten ranker!”

Does something like that have an impact here?
It started with the thought of using Mia as a ‘pawn’, and then the prince of this country asked me, a villainous aristocrat, to teach him some magic
 Why?
“I am a member of the royal family. If it becomes known that I, as a member of the royal family, am studying under Luke-kun, rumors will quickly spread. This fact should surely elevate your reputation. 
So, what do you think?”

My words and actions seem to unexpectedly cause unexpected situations.
I am truly not loved in this world.

So what?
Who’s going to give up?
I will resist until the end.
In this academy, only strength matters.
Whether he’s a prince or not, now that it has been proven in the ranking battle that I am better than him, there is no need to place too much importance on etiquette anymore.
“Get lost, you little worm. Who the h**l are you even?”
“No, I don’t want to!”
“Just go away
”
“Please
 uuh”
“Go away
”
“Uuuh
”
“
”
Huh, why does this guy seem like he’s about to cry any second now

Don’t mess around. I’m just refusing, you b*****d.
Sigh
 I guess I have no choice but to move to another place and ask for the detailed reason.
Why do I have to go through this?
However, the situation becomes even more chaotic.
Thanks to Mia’s outrageous statement.
“I was taught because I became Luke’s ‘pawn’. I think it would be nice if His Highness also became Luke’s ‘pawn’.”
Mia said with unclouded eyes, as if blindly believing that doing so is happiness for all.
“Pa
 wn
”
Of course, the shota prince was confused.
And I was already tired

Ugh, my stomach