Poisoned Chalice (1)
It took more hands than I expected.
From my point of view, knowing just how strong Dyke Elpelan is, there was already an estimate that I could never be defeated, considering my current specs.
In addition, in order to make the situation more clear, he had mastered high-level magic perfectly through Lucy. In order to take all of the possibilities into consideration.
As I memorized the elements to be familiar with, such as the theoretical part, magic response, and elemental application method over and over again, I was able to acquire high-level magic quickly by raising my sense of practice.
To express ‘I learned it quickly’, it seems that I had crossed the line several times during the duel with Lucy... Well, it was a necessary process.
– Whoa!
He returned to the waiting room with the cheers behind him. After passing through the iron window and entering the quiet interior, the scenery of the waiting room, which had not changed, was unfolding as it was.
He quickly took off his shirt, which had become nothing but a clump from running around and rolling on the dirt, and simply opened the door to the storage box that had been prepared. I took off my top, brushed off my clothes, took out an extra school uniform, and returned to the central table in the quiet waiting room.
No matter how many times I say it’s okay, it’s the school uniform Bell Maia washed.
On days when the cuffs were torn even a little, it felt like yesterday when I stayed up all night to fix it, but now I have extra school uniforms.
I feel like I’ve changed a lot from those little things. It’s a never ending job, but it’s only when you feel like you’re feeling all the emotions.
“Why did you watch it?”
A familiar voice was heard without warning.
I wasn’t surprised because I could tell who it was just by pretending to be in that strangely weak and sleepy tone.
Upon closer inspection, Lucy was lying on the other side of the sofa in the waiting room prepared for convenience. I couldn’t see the other side because of the backrest, so when did they come?
Are you worried about me, who has suddenly started to overdo it recently, or was it just that I just wanted to see a duel...
Lucy sat on the soft side opposite her with her head turned and spoke blankly.
There were minor scratches from the fight with Dyke, but none of that could be called a fatal wound.
To be honest, the fist of immense power was really threatening, but it wasn’t an attack that would allow a direct hit.
The absence of a decisive fighting sense. Dyke’s Strike Strike, which was not born with such a sense, had no flexibility comparable to its destructive power.
The power itself could have been called the most destructive power in the fighting club, but that’s all.
When it comes to the peak of growth, it will never be able to catch up with natural warriors like Ziggs and Clevius.
By 3rd grade, those two will be much stronger than Dyke. It just didn’t absorb all the systematic teachings and efficient training methods of the combat professors.
“I didn’t look.”
“If you were determined, you could have finished it from the beginning.”
“...”
Dyke Elpelan could not break through the high wind spirit, Merylda.
If he had gone out with a wand from the beginning, summoned Merylda and formed a frontline centered on the wolf, and only induced long-distance battles using Laysia and Mug, Dyke would have been helpless.
However, I allowed close combat.
To the unfamiliar spectators, it would seem that Dyke pierced everyone with his willpower and stuck to me and continued the battle...
To Lucy, who knew all my specifications in detail, it would have seemed an unnatural sight.
It was as if he had staged that fierce and persistent battle.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you allowed one room by mistake...”
While saying that, Lucy grabbed the brim of the hat and raised her upper body from her seat, and after making eye contact with me, she suddenly sank and buried herself on the sofa across from her.
A series of very natural actions made me feel as if the video was being played in reverse.
“...why are you naked?”
“I have to change my clothes. You can’t go out to see the festival like this.”
“Speak.”
“What?”
“I should have said I was changing clothes.”
“What... anew...”
In fact, considering Lucy’s past, it was strange to feel uncomfortable with this much.
Lucy, who was washing herself in the stream next to the hut camp, or taking a nap on a nearby flat rock whenever she changed her clothes, is a sight to behold.
Please tell me in advance about taking off your colossal coat. What should I do? There is no reason to say anything, and I don’t really have the personality to do that... Lucy buried her body on the sofa opposite her with her hat pressed tight.
“Well, it was necessary. Anyway, I had no intention of losing, but I wanted to at least show the audience what kind of person Dyke Elpelan was.”
“why?”
“That way, your position within the family will not be difficult. At least, he showed his willpower in front of the public.”
In fact, the public opinion on Dyke El Phelan among the festival audiences was evaluated as ‘he lost but fought hard’, ‘he showed a worthwhile fight’, and ‘it was outstanding in willpower and spirit’.
If he had been beaten helplessly and then left, there would have been no room for a voice from the perspective of Dyke, who is receiving the family’s expectations.
“Besides, it was politically necessary.”
“okay?”
“okay.”
As I buttoned up my shirt and swung my robe back, Lucy finally stood up and waved the loose ends of her sleeves.
“Well, let’s see how things go. By the way, why are you here?”
“I came to see you because I was worried. You weren’t in a normal state because you were practicing magic.”
“Aren’t you supposed to attend the concert with Rachel, the vice principal at the Ophelis Hall at this time? As the head of the whole school, we decided to sit in the front row and watch the show... I remember hearing it from Bell...”
“...”
“...I wonder if it would be right to form a consensus in that direction.”
“Lou, are you in the position of running away too, Lucy-senpai?”
“Basically, most of the time he is outside is spent running away. I rarely attend classes unless it is a required course for graduation.”
Silence to the pursuer Bel Maia.
“Hey, are you still maintaining the top grades?”
“Initially, the actual performance was at an unbelievable level. You don’t even know his grades.”
“Yeah, it is. But as far as I know, the penalty points accumulated on the Bachelor of Ophelis Hall are huge...”
“Because the actual performance is so great that it is more than enough to offset all of that...”
Lucy Meryl is the only sorceress to be able to wield the highest level of magic at the student level.
There are fewer than five humans in the entire empire who can handle the highest level of magic. All of them, except for Lucy, are grandfathers and grandmothers with small wrinkles.
In the first place, he has far surpassed the level of a student, and the reason why he is attending Sylvania itself is covered in questions. Normal people don’t know about Gloct’s will.
“By the way... you did well in Dalian, brother. Every time we meet, you seem to grow exponentially stronger, so to be honest, even as a younger brother, it’s a bit scary.”
“I don’t feel so surprised when I talk with a lot of fuss.”
“is that so? In fact, since I became the student council president, every day has been a series of admiration, so maybe it’s because I’ve become dull...”
Tanya shook her head for a moment and lamented for a while, then lowered her voice and said.
“Is it the idea of Princess Fenia to give all the credit to Princess Selaha?”
“Didn’t I say something to you too?”
“Well... I can’t go to the royal residence very often. I was thinking of doing something, but I didn’t know it was going to be like this.”
To be honest, Tanya’s reaction was surprising.
It was because she thought that Tanya would ask the reason why she did such a thing when she bowed her head so openly to Princess Selaha, whom she had considered for nothing.
However, since becoming the student council president, Tanya’s inner life has also undergone many changes.
More than anything, I feel like I was strongly influenced by Lortel, and I feel that I have the ability to make rational judgments even in embarrassing situations.
He always cries and whines, but when he needs political judgment, he sharpens his eyes.
“There is no point in trying to divide the opposing powers or try to convince and encourage conflict by force. Above all else, the Elpelan family has a long symbiotic relationship with Princess Selaha.”
The powers of the Elpelan family and Princess Selaha have a long history of exchanges.
In particular, the current head of the El Phelan family, Balveron El Phelan, knew a lot of the deep secrets of Princess Selaha, and had a deep trusting relationship with each other.
If you want to destroy such a trusting relationship, there is a limit to how you forcefully separate and convince.
The Elpelan family must make themselves dissatisfied with Princess Selaha. However, the trust relationship that takes time cannot be broken so easily.
So, you have to attack very slowly.
The Elpelan family follows Princess Selaha because they are convinced that if she ascends to the throne, they too will be able to rise to a higher position and position.
You need to destroy that conviction.
A more special competitor than the Elpelan family should appear.
A family with far more capable talent, who has already seized power once and is good at a post, is a duke with far more authority than a count, and a family with a much stronger and more capable successor... It will go under the care of Princess Chae Selaha.
With that alone, the status of the Elpelan family will be shaken.
Even from the Elpelan family’s point of view, it would be far more effective to moderate the Roth Taylors than to moderate them.
Those little seeds of doubt.
They plant the seeds of anxiety that they might become sacrificed words used to gain power... Secretly and surely in the enemy’s crevices.
That will be the starting point for finally making the Elphalan family, who is the closest confidant of Princess Selaha, give up their allegiance.
– ‘Sellaha will probably want to have you. Because he came from an authoritative duke, and he was strong and influential.’
On the terrace of the royal residence, the story of Princess Penia whispering softly.
– ‘Up until now, I’ve been in a completely hostile position, but if you bow your head first, acknowledge your authority, and approach them carefully... Selah Unnie will never turn away from someone like you. Ed Roth-Taylor You’re... you’ve got everything Selaha likes.’
– ‘If you suddenly act like you’re skinny, won’t that side be wary of you?’
– ‘At first, yes. Still, Sellaha... she’ll never miss this bait.’
Laying down the teacup and looking up at the blue sky, the platinum-haired girl who inherited the blood of the royal family speaks with dim eyes.
– ‘If the opportunity to grab a human named Ed Roth Taylor came in, I would try to grab hold of it by all means. But... For Selaha, the human Ed Rothtailer is poison in itself.’
The hallway leading to the waiting room.
The large gate at the other end opened, and several soldiers engraved with the imperial coat of arms pushed into the hallway.
There must be some time left before he can meet the emperor, but before that, the imperial guards moved first.
This is not a military force moving on an official schedule.
It seemed that Princess Selaha was an army that mobilized to move arbitrarily. Needless to say, the Dalian schedule has not been completely finished yet.
After all the stages were over, and before I went out to meet the emperor... He came to meet me first.
Not anyone else, but Princess Selaha herself. to be alone with me.
What came out through the soldiers was a princess with an alluring impression with sharp eyes.
Selah, Princess of Frost, has revealed her appearance in earnest.
Lucy, as usual, buried her face in my shoulder with her blank eyes and exhaled slowly, while Tanya was quietly swallowing dry saliva without others knowing.
It is rare for a person born with royal blood to directly visit someone. Usually, they are called to the reception room of the building where they are located.
However, she personally... went all the way to the waiting room hallway to meet me.
The expression on his face was still full of vigilance.