Chapter 22

Volume 1 Chapter 7 part3

“Here! He~re! I’ll be the representative for the duel~!”

I announced that I would be the representative while raising my hand and taking a light tone, and while enduring the gazes of everyone around me going “Who is this guy? Can’t he read the mood?”, Greg stared into my face.

“Who the hell are you?”

It seems he really doesn’t know.

Such is the painful reality for mobs.

Brad looked at me as if he was evaluating me.

“If I’m not mistaken, this is the guy who found success as an adventurer before enrolling. I heard that he has plans to be an independent baron, but was it really all his doing?”

He was obviously looking down on me.

Well, thinking about my marks and position, I suppose he would disregard me.

I ignored him and continued talking.

“Anyways, You have to nominate me as your representative, Anjelica. C’mon, hurry up.”

Anjelica looked worried.

“Err, ah…”

“Look, permit me. Just say those words and it’ll be settled.”

“I, I…permit you.”

After forcing a confused Anjelica to permit me, I turned toward the prince and the others.

“So, I, Leon Fou Balfault, will take on the role of the representative. I assume that’s no problem for his Highness and the five of you, right? I’d like to settle the method of the duel, but before that, how about we decide on the wager?”

Marie looked at me dumbfounded.

It seemed that she didn’t think I would be someone to get involved at all. I recently had Luxon gather information, so there’s no doubt about it.

This person──is a foreigner to this world, just like me. Someone who had reincarnated, or perhaps undergone something similar to that.

She’s someone who recognizes this world as that of an otome game’s. She’s probably a girl from my previous world. If she was a guy in her previous life, um…err, well, I guess it’s okay if a guy likes otome games. Thinking about it like that, it would mean that a former boy is going after other boys and making a reverse harem…I shouldn’t ponder about this too deeply. I’ll just consider her a former woman.

I turned to Anjelica.

“By the way, what’s the reason for you proposing this duel, Anjelica? I’m a bit troubled if I don’t get that cleared up.”

Both Anjelica and those around me were perplexed. They had faces of disbelief in the fact that I had stepped forward while speaking in a light tone.

However, perhaps due to me changing the mood, she told me her aspirations.

“…For her to stay away from his Highness. That’s all I want.”

The people around us started whispering.

“Did you hear that?”

“How disgusting~, could she be jealous?”

“Truly unsightly. She’s being forceful now since she can’t get him to look at her using her own charm.”

Anjelica clenched her teeth while looking down.

“So, since this is a duel, I’d like to hear what you guys want as well.”

When I turned towards Marie to ask her, the prince stepped forward to block my sight.

“Are you going this far to try and break us up? It seems that you don’t know who the real witch is. Anjelica, even if you break up our relationships, your feelings for me will never be mutual!”

Anjelica muttered something.

“I know that. I know that, but I’ll pull that person away, even if it’s the last thing i do…”

I clapped my hands to urge on the prince and the others.

“C’mon, let’s leave this for later. Look, hurry up and tell me your conditions. Hu~rry~ up.”

Marie’s faction took offense, but I didn’t care.

Marie stepped forward and stated her conditions for Anjelica.

“I, if I win, then please stop doing these cruel things. I don’t think that…boasting the power of your household is a good thing.”

When thinking about how I had heard those words somewhere before, I remembered that was the line the protagonist had said. This girl was copycatting the protagonist’s lines.

“Well, if we win, you and his Highness will break up. If we lose, we won’t get involved anymore. Sounds nice, right? Now, next is to decide on the type of duel. How about a duel where we borrow an arena and wear armor? I believe that’s the usual duel method.”

There aren’t many duels, but they do happen each year. There weren’t many reasons for a duel, but many were enthusiastic about them since they provide highlight scenes for boys.

In these cases, it’s typical to use armor──powered suit-like things. Someone saying that they have armor is enough to prove their financial strength.

Furthermore, the people around them will know about their fight, so if they win, they’ll earn honor.

For that reason, it was common for a form of duel to involve armor.

Chris looked at me with a sharp gaze. It seemed like he was about to lunge at me with a sword at any moment…He wasn’t holding a weapon, but it felt like he would do that.

“Do you plan on winning against us? If you don’t want to get hurt, then you should withdraw from being a representative. You can’t compete against us with your ability.”

Does this guy think he knows me? Well, since he only remembers people with prominent skills, I suppose he just forgot my name and was treating me like a worthless chip of wood.

“Huh? Why did you arbitrarily decide that I’m going to lose?”

I tried fanning the flames, and was met with a whirlpool of laughter from the people around.

“Did you hear that?!”

“He plans on winning. He really doesn’t know his place.”

“It seems this guy has a knack for making people laugh!”

“I can’t help but laugh at this guy who became a baron by a fluke.”

Not only the girls, but the guys also laughed at me. Well, those five were indeed prominent and excelling people within the first year students.

Furthermore, those five weren’t someone a guy should pick a fight with.

Greg approached me. He brought his face closer to try and threaten me,

“Come to think of it, there was someone who ran off after calling out to a group of girls and getting tossed away by their exclusive servants. Was that you?”

He knew and called me out on it. This guy had a bad personality.

“…You can’t compete with us. If you’re just here because you want to stand out, then scurry home, small fry.”

Greg had actual combat experience, so his intensity was different from the others.

Well, they really are an imposing group of people. That’s why I’m going this far to protect this weak girl.

From the view of an outsider that wouldn’t know anything, it just seemed like Anjelica was suffering from severe bullying.

…They really are an imposing group of people.

“Huh, what? Are you trying to talk me down? Perhaps you want the duel method to be a debate? How troubling~. I’m not too good at those kinds of things, you see. However, since I’m the one who initiated the challenge, I must accept it. It seems you don’t want to fight, and instead want a battle of words. It can’t be helped. Let’s do our best and spar with each other.”

Greg, who hated guys that settle things with words, had a vein appear on his forehead in response to my agitations.

Jilk intervened.

“We’ll go with one-on-one matches using armor. However, there are five of us. We will allow you to gather up to five people within a certain time limit to participate. About the arena…well, summer vacation is just around the corner. We can borrow one for the day after the end-term ceremony.”

Now that the conversation was reaching its conclusion, I nodded my head. However, since there’s only a couple of days left, we probably won’t be able to gather people.

“I almost thought you’d suggest one-on-five. Well, it’s not a problem if it’s five rounds of one-on-one.”

It might be dangerous if all five attack me at once, but if it’s still one-on-one, it should be fine.

Jilk looked at me with a doubting glance.

“Do you really plan on winning? Although it’s rare at this point in history, it’s still possible that you could lose your life in a duel.”

The rule about putting one’s life on the line slowly became obsolete, so now death in duels is the result of just being unlucky. It’s sort of a special rule in the academy.

“I know, it’s fine. Can I ask one thing?”

“…What is it?”

“Why are guys making those faces like everything will be alright? I get that you want to look good in front of the girl you like. However, isn’t it too naive to think that you guys aren’t at any risk of death?”

Jilk narrows his eyes. It’s really frightening when this guy, who’s normally gentle, gets angry.

“I heard that you had some achievements, but apparently you seem to be a let-down. It appears that you can’t judge your opponents’ abilities.”

Julian forced himself into the conversation.

“Leave it, Jilk. It’s as Leon says. We shouldn’t pass it off as a joke. You’re prepared to face the possibility of it, right?”

Marie, who didn’t step forward and was surprised beyond expectation, didn’t show signs of calming down.

With how confused she was, I was hoping that she wouldn’t heighten the situation regarding Anjelica. That would be an inconvenience for me.

Let me just say this now…I’m a pretty timid person.

“So, break up with your oh-so important lover, Prince. Oh wait? Since the other four are unrelated to this matter, even if you lose, they can still associate with her while you look on in envy. How’s that?”

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The prince’s gaze toughened.

Though I was provoking him, I didn’t want him to get furious with me.

Actually….Anjelica, who was behind me, was no longer the focus of attention.

I wanted the prince to think seriously about the reason why his fiance is standing front of him.

I think it would better if each of those prestigious nobles were more aware about the fact that they’re actually being deceived by one woman.