Chapter 17 - The Inter-year Exchange Competition (2)

Golden Apple, a café frequently used by students at Olympia.

It's a place for dates between couples and for friends to chat. Here,

Ruby and I were sitting face to face, drinking beverages.

Sip─ 

Red liquid flows over Ruby's cute lips.

She chose strawberry juice to match her color.

She smiled happily at the sweetness, then continued the conversation.

"It's a shame. I wanted to get more interviews from Senior Penel too."

"Give it a rest. Don't you know what family she's from? You might lose your head if you bother her too much."

"Ah! That's true. No matter how much a reporter shouldn't yield to external pressure, the Moira family is an exception."

The prestigious ducal house of Moira in the empire.

Penel, the beloved daughter of Moira, is currently absent from our side.

Unable to bear the shame from Ruby's mischievous questions, she ran away.

Thanks to that, I'm left to deal with Ruby.

'It's not like I stayed behind for nothing, though.'

I could have just refused the interview if it was too bothersome.

Ruby Duer, this girl must have a reason for specifically requesting an interview with me.

That's why I'm deliberately going along with it at the café.

"Now then, shall we get a recording from Senior Herak? Since you're such a precious person who agreed to an interview, I'll keep it as brief and to the point as possible."

To the point, huh? What a fierce choice of words.

Rustle. 

Ruby pulled out several papers from her pocket.

The titles I glimpsed had terrifying phrases like [Herak's Activities: From Admission to Present].

She seems to have prepared quite thoroughly.

"Senior, you're currently in a state where the interest and questions of many students never cease. You know that, right?"

"Roughly."

"Let's go over your recent activities as the last place student in the 2nd year. First, the 'Exercise Oddity' roaming Olympia. Can we hear about the reason?"

"...They've come up with quite a strange nickname."

Exercise Oddity, am I some kind of monster?

"I just exercise for myself. For survival, studies, training, everything combined."

"Oho, oho. I see. Indeed..."

Scribble─ 

I don't know what she figured out from my brief words.

Ruby quickly moved her small hand with the pen. She didn't show me what she was writing on the document, but I could roughly guess the nuance.

She's probably adding some exaggeration to capture the students' attention.

'Sigh.'

If it weren't for my purpose, I'd have given her a flick on the forehead.

"Next question. There's a rumor that you completed Instructor Angelina's assignment in [Introduction to Elementology] first and most excellently. Is this true?"

"It's true, but there are too many adjectives."

"You're not denying it, right?"

"That's right."

Ahem─ 

The pen moves again.

The corners of Ruby's mouth are raised as if reaching her ears. She must be excited thinking about increasing sales with my interview.

"Then, the last question."

Finally, the main point has come.

The reason why Ruby specifically sought me out for an interview.

She paused slightly, then asked with shining eyes.

"The reason for participating in this Inter-year Exchange Competition! And your attitude towards it! Can we hear about that?"

"......"

Her sparkling pupils show not a hint of wavering.

As if she's really not hiding anything at all.

But I didn't fall for it.

"Before that."

"Yes?"

Thud 

I put down my cup.

I set aside the coffee I was drinking and asked Ruby with a serious expression.

"I think it would be easier to answer if I knew who my opponent is."

"...Hm? What do you mean by that?"

Her nonchalant answer sounds like she's not shaken.

But I clearly saw it.

The moment Ruby's red pupils wavered when she heard my words.

"I know everything. The school sent you, right? The matchup is set for me to be utterly humiliated, isn't it?"

"Um, uh, no? That's not it?"

Eventually unable to hide her confusion, Ruby's words become disorderly.

Seeing her, unbecoming of a reporter, caught up in a psychological battle, I inwardly clicked my tongue.

'Tsk.'

As I thought.

To summarize the situation, it's like this:

The Magic Department instructors are uncomfortable with me. The reason is probably because they judge that I'm lowering their status.

As I've said before, I'm an outcast in the Magic Department.

No skills, no good grades.

Those who are extreme might think I'm a disgrace and hope I get expelled soon.

So the Magic Department instructors came up with a plan.

─Make him say something careless in the interview, and if he loses, humiliate him.

So that they can expel him for sure.

And the evidence is clear.

'My opponent will be higher ranked than me.'

Much higher, at that.

"You can be honest. I won't blame you. After all, you're just doing what you're told as part of the newspaper club."

"......"

"Tell me. Who is it? My opponent."

I take another sip of coffee.

Ruby tried to deny it at first, but soon nodded obediently.

"...Indeed. It's as rumored. No, should I say it's even more than the rumors? It seems you're not just physically capable, but mentally sharp too."

"......"

"Your thoughts are correct, Senior. The school administration deliberately told me to conduct an interview to make you say provocative things. I thought it went against a reporter's duty, but I wasn't in a position to refuse..."

"So who is it?"

"Jackson."

Ruby pointed to one person's name.

The delinquent I met right after possessing this body.

And the guy who told the Vice Chairman he wanted to choose his opponent.

"Knight Department 2nd year, 7th place, Jackson has designated you, Senior."

The named person doesn't sound unfamiliar.

No, it's more like I expected it.

Somehow, I intuitively felt it.

That he would target me.

"...Hmm."

I think while holding coffee in my mouth.

'It's good that I gave the interview.'

If I hadn't met this girl, I wouldn't have known my opponent.

I would have adapted to whoever came out, but knowing in advance is certainly significant.

I already know Jackson's characteristics.

I can strategize for tomorrow's duel.

However, contrary to my thoughts, Ruby seems to feel differently.

She sighed and drooped her shoulders.

"Haah. By the way, this is bad. To have my intentions read so clearly by the interview subject... This article is ruined."

"No. That's not true."

"Huh?"

"Let's do the interview as planned. I'll give you as provocative statements as possible, so write the original text as is. Ah, feel free to process it even more."

"...Pardon?"

Ruby's eyes widen into circles.

Having read the whole situation as it's laid out, why am I willingly going along with it?

As she sends a questioning gaze like that.

I smile and answer.

"It's no fun if I just let them have their way."

They want to humiliate me with a defeat after provocative statements?

'It's the opposite.'

Trash talk is best when it succeeds, you know.

***

The next day.

After the 3rd and 4th years' Inter-year Exchange Competition ended.

When it was time for the 1st and 2nd years, I arrived at the 'Colosseum' located in the lecture building.

True to its name, it's a place often used for duels within Olympia.

─Ah, please... Are we losing again?

─Why isn't anyone winning?

Students from both departments are already gathered in the stands.

As I walk towards the empty seats on the Magic Department side, I survey the scene.

The dueling arena located in the center of the Colosseum. A knight and a mage are already on it.

They seem to be engaged in a fierce duel from the start, with magic constantly exploding and making loud noises.

Boom─ Boom boom─

However, despite the noisy sound effects, there's no substance.

Swish! 

With the sound of a sword cutting through the air, the magic is cut off.

It seems the winner this time is probably from the Knight Department.

Immediately, dejected voices from the mages followed.

─Are we losing this year too?

─The Knight Department won last year too, right? It's the same even in 2nd year, damn it.

─Wait. The real victory is in the top student battle. If Penel wins, it's fine.

As they say, currently the record between the 2nd years at Olympia heavily favors the Knight Department.

Especially since Penel often lost to Apollon.

That's why everyone is hoping even more that Penel will win this Inter-year Exchange Competition.

Rumble... 

The noise subsides as the duel seems to be finishing.

Then the instructor calls out the next match.

[ Next. Knight Department 2nd year, Apollon Simon. Magic Department 2nd year, Penel Moira. Please come to the arena. ]

Perhaps because it's finally the match between the top students.

The venue buzzed with excitement.

─Please. Penel, win!

─Give those Knight Department bastards a taste of their own medicine!

While the Magic Department students' desperate conversations continue.

I sat down in an empty seat and quietly watched the arena.

The figure of Penel slowly appearing after hearing her name called.

'I wonder if she can really win.'

Honestly, I think it will be difficult.

Penel lost in the original work too.

I can only hope she puts up a good fight, but─

"...Hey!"

"Hm?"

A shrill cry hits my ear.

Looking to see who it was, it was Berry.

She was in such a hurry, breathing heavily as she rushed at me.

"Hey, hey...! Are you crazy? What is this? Are you in your right mind?"

"What are you suddenly talking about?"

"Look at this, this! Look at what's written here!"

As she said this, she waved a newspaper in front of me.

Thanks to that, my vision became dizzy and frustrating.

I quickly reached out and grabbed Berry's thin arm, trying to calm her down.

"First, calm down. Nothing gets solved when you're this excited."

"...Phew. Right."

She flinched slightly when I grabbed her arm, but she takes a deep breath, seeming to have cooled her head.

Then she plops down next to me and shoves the newspaper at me.

"Look at this, this. Your interview is causing a stir in the academy right now."

"Oh. What does it say?"

"See for yourself!"

I look at the headline Berry showed me.

Immediately, a provocative sentence caught my eye.

────────────────

[ Special Article: The Revolt of the Last Place?! ]

[ Magic Department 2nd Year Herak Leonhardt's Determination. He Can Win Against Anyone from the Knight Department! ]

[ This reporter succeeded in recording an interview with Herak, the recently talked-about student.

He is an eccentric who is using the entire academy as his personal gym, and despite not being able to use magic, for the Introduction to Elementology assignment… ]

────────────────

My impression after speed-reading the article was simple.

"Is there a problem?"

"There is a problem!"

Snap 

Berry got angrier than even me.

She pointed at each word in the newspaper as if it was unfair.

"Look here. 'Jackson? Not even Apollon, Jackson is a bit...' 'I should half-kill him. It's a shame I can't kill him completely.' What is this! They fabricated statements you never made!"

"Ah."

I understood why Berry was angry.

She thinks I've been set up and is venting her frustration on my behalf.

She probably thinks fake news was deliberately written provocatively in yesterday's interview with Ruby.

Berry is probably afraid of the backlash when I lose.

But.

"Why are you getting angry? It's true."

"How can they make up such... What?"

Berry's eyes suddenly turn dumb behind her glasses.

As if she doesn't understand what she just heard. She stammered and asked again.

"T-True, you say?"

"Yeah. The interview content is all true."

"A-Are you c-crazy?! How are you going to take responsibility for this!"

Why is she making such a fuss when it's not even her business?

Berry shook my shoulders as if she was very worried about the ridicule I would face.

"Don't you know how uneasy the mood among your classmates already is? How much criticism will you face if you lose after making such provocative statements!"

"That's why I did it."

"What?"

Berry is making a big misunderstanding.

That you shouldn't consider the risk of losing when doing trash talk.

Rather, what you should focus on is─

"This makes it more fun."

The return when you win.

The thrill of reversing all the negativity that has been directed at me so far.