Volume 1 - CH 9

“Hey, why don’t you lower your head more? It’s only natural for the weak to lower their head to the strong, isn’t it?”

Julis put one foot on the ground and stomped on Byrne’s head.

His head was high. So, he increased the force of his stomping foot, as he told him to lower his head more.

It took less than one second.

The only thing he had to do was to move over his opponent’s head with <Superbia> spell and dropped his opponent’s head as hard as he could.

The action was simple, but Byrne was completely unable to prevent it.

Rather, he was unable to move his body.

“What it tasted? The feeling of being helpless before The Inept? ……Ops, he’s not even listening.”

Julis had lost interest and moved his foot.

The reason for this is that Byrne’s consciousness was completely gone. If there is no reaction, there is no fun in condescending him.

(Is this “The Double”……, huh?)

How disappointing.

It made him feel sorry for himself for being so frightened because he couldn’t use magic.

The Doubles are so rare that it is said that there should only be a hundred of them in a country.

They’re not as rare as a Saintess like Cecilia, but they’re definitely geniuses among magicians, and highly valued.

That’s why Julis had been so wary, but when he finally figured it out, it was just no more than a small fish.

[W, winner, examinee number 11.]

“Thank you very much.”

After hearing the examiner’s announcement, Julis bowed and returned to the waiting area.

[[[…………]]]

When he returned, the students around him were stunned.

Some students were frozen with their jaws dropped, while others opened their eyes in disbelief.

(Inept won, so it’s not surprising that they reacted that way…….)

A boy who had been despised as Inept.

Had beaten a duke’s son, who was a dual attribute.

……The reaction of the people around might be natural.

[Yaaaa~y! Won! Julis won!]

However, despite the reaction of those around, Cecilia, who was watching from the audience seat, was so happy that she jumped up and down.

The saint is rejoicing over a boy from the Viscount family, who had been despised as Inept. Perhaps that’s another reason why everyone was surprised.

(Is this the end of the exam? ……If so, it’s brothel time!)

Julis’s ears did not hear Cecilia’s rejoices. Because his thoughts were already elsewhere.

Julis’s ability to switch quickly is number one. His mind is already about the lower half of his body.

“Oh my, I knew it, he wasn’t a match for you.”

As he was thinking about his lower body, he was suddenly called from behind.

When he turned around, there was a girl with long red hair like a red lotus.

She had a well-groomed face and sharp eyes that made her look somewhat strong and dignified.

And there was another girl with black hair cut to her shoulders.

Her petite figure and round face are charming, while her long eyelashes and cherry-red lips are a little bit sexy.

Julis wondered why one of them was dressed in a servant’s uniform while the other was dressed in a light and easy-to-move clothes.

However, Julis didn’t say such a question and bowed deeply to the red-haired girl.

“This is, Anastasia-sama ……, please accept my apology. I didn’t expect you to be participating in the exam, so I’m late in greeting you.”

“Raise your head……. In this school, titles, nobility, and commoners are equal, you know?”

“But……”

“Besides, it’s creepy that someone who just said, “Hey, why don’t you lower your head more?” earlier, would do the opposite reverently.”

Certainly, Julis in the match just now was saying that to a person of the duke’s family who had a higher rank.

If anything, he stomped on his head and provoked him as if he was ridiculing him.

She couldn’t help but feel a little creeped out when she saw such a person behaving this way after seeing that way.

“Haa…… I’m a low-ranking nobleman here, you know. So, let me treat you like a normal person would do.”

Julis tried to argue with her, but rather than go against her statement, he gave up and changed his tone.

“No, you and I are friends, aren’t we.”

“Arrogant……”

She is the daughter of a duke family.

And it seemed that Anastasia had no word for concessions.

“But you’ve done it flashy, haven’t you……. Byrne is being carried away.”

Anastasia glanced at the center of the field.

There was a scene of an unconscious Byrne with a paramedic lifting and carrying him somewhere.

“Who cares about that arrogant bastard. Who gives a shit what I do to one who arrogantly bragging their strength?”

“You’re the arrogant one.”

“That’s why my power is deadly sins. You know that, don’t you?”

“Well…… Yeah.”

Anastasia sighed, reminiscing a bit.

ーーーーIf you move aside the relationship of nobility between Julis and Anastasia, they are like childhood friends.

The reason is that the one who controls the Anderberg territory is Anastasia’s father, Duke Miller.

Because of this, they would occasionally run into each other, and since they were the same age, they often played together.

(Even though he was always hiding behind me before…….)

Julis, who had no mana and could not handle magic, always hid behind Anastasia.

Therefore, Anastasia had scolded him many times to be proud and stood dignifiedly like a nobleman.

However, before long, Julis was no longer hiding behind Anastasia’s back.

And the trigger of it, she knew exactly whatーーーー

(That power, right?……)

The power that Julis directly told her about.

How can I protect my inferior self? Can I move forward? It’s a power that he finally acquired through many struggles and setbacks.

After acquiring that power, Julis no longer hid behind Anastasia anymore.

Anastasia was a little sad and lonely about it.

“I’ll definitely win next time.”

“Huh? You’ve never even been able to hit me once, and Anna thinks you can beat me?”

“Yup…… The next is a match without sorcery, do you know it.”

“Ain’t I, absolutely going to lose?”

The sorceryless Julis is just a mere human being.

It is unlikely that he can beat the Anastasia who can use magic in such a state.

If you can’t win, then play on what you can win.

The desire not to lose is wonderful, but it is quintessential cowardice.

“Heey~, please ♪.”

Then Anastasia pulled her face closer to Julis.

Her cherry-red lips and long eyelashes filled his vision, and the faint scent of a girl’s unique good smell stimulated his nose.

Any normal boys would have been charmed by such beauty and would have nodded their heads involuntarily.

However, Julis was different.

Julis cast his gaze down to Anastasia’s chest.

Unfortunately, her chest is so flat that it can’t even be compared to the women in the brothel he frequently visitedーーーー

“Pheew, can you please not get any closer!”

“Where did you just look?”

“My, my templeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

Anastasia used her body-enhancing magic to grip Julis’ temple with all her might.

Needless to say, a violent scream spread throughout the training field.

“Fufu, it’s fun to talk to Julis for the first time in a while.”

(The hell it’s fun!)

For Julis, who just had a painful experience, he could not understand Anastasia’s feelings.

But, however, if he said anything unnecessary here, he would only suffer more damage.

Julis returned calmly, still holding down his aching temple.

“Yeah…… surely, it’s been half a year, hasn’t it?”

“Yup…… Julis could come to visit me right away, but he never does.”

“It’s because of the distance, and our ranks are different……. I can’t just go out there and play. …… And alsoーーーー”

Julis moved his gaze and glanced at the crowds.

There was a girl in a nun’s uniform moving around, desperately looking for a place to get off.

“Ah……, The Saintess, right, who is rumored that she is staying in your territory.”

“I’ve to keep an eye on her as long as she’s here. I would have liked to come to visit, but…… I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mind. I want you to come, but I don’t want to force you to come.”

Although she said so……, the truth is that Anastasia wanted him to come and play.

For Anastasia, a duke’s daughter, aristocratic society is very suffocating.

She had to wear a mask to avoid breaking her parents’ face, and girls her age basically approached her with ulterior motives toward the duke’s family.

(Besides, engagement, engagement, and engagement, those were really annoying these days…….)

This is why Anastasia’s environment is so cramped.

For Anastasia, who has few people she can talk to without hesitation, Julis is one of the few people who can give her a break.

“Well, we’ll have more opportunities to see each other once we’re both enrolled in the academy……. Let’s chat again at that time, shall we?”

“…… Please be easy on me.”

Anastasia nodded in satisfaction at Julis, who dropped his shoulders.

“Let’s go, Millie.”

“……Yes, milady.”

Anastasia felt somewhat better after talking to Julis for the first time in a while.

Her steps were somehow light.

Then Anastasia turned her back and walked away from Julis.