Three months have passed since classes started, and we are a few days away from ending the semester and the month of March, to start the April vacations.
A week before the end-of-semester exams, there is a dance, to show the students what they have learned in etiquette class.
The general party hall was a place so immense that it occupied an entire building on the west side, where the Moonlight dormitory was located.
The decoration, servants, food, and musicians were the finest one could imagine. Lyle, my stupid older brother, told me about this celebration when we were still in our territory.
This party was made not only to celebrate an ending but also to give students a chance to connect with those of higher status and for marriage proposals. All the young people who were here were from four of the five classes. I was trying my best to try to connect with someone of high status or a girl of viscount rank, but my luck was always disgusting.
"Hah? You're just a miserable baron, I'm not interested unless you're at least a viscount."
"I refuse. I wish to live in the city, and the countryside is the worst option for a fine girl like me."
"Your lands are nothing and yet you want to establish connections with me? Know your place, trash!"
I had been rejected by several girls and boys, the latter being the worst of all because he pushed me to the floor.
"Damn it!! Each and every one of them is human scum! Die, you damned pests!!"
I was so annoyed that I went to a buffet table to eat roughly to vent.
"Shit!!" I said quietly as I took bite after bite and then washed it down with a glass of mineral water.
I was annoyed and sad because, despite being a first-year party, we had been separated—nobles and commoners in different areas. I was in this place while Irisdina went to a bar with the other commoners.
I entrusted Ixion with the holy task of protecting her from any trash that tried to take advantage of her. So currently, I am alone. A lot of time had passed since the party started, and I was about to leave for where Irisdina was since no one wanted me here.
After finishing eating and cleaning myself, I was heading to the door when...
"Klein, explain to me what this means?!"
I heard the scream of a woman coming from the center of the hall. The music suddenly stopped at the sound of someone's voice.
"Hey, Alice. Are you really sane to suddenly start shouting?"
The two people in the center were the children of dukes. Klein in his uniform with two girls in his arms, and Alicelotte, who wore a beautiful dress and red shoes with thin gloves as part of her outfit.
Her hair was gathered in a Victorian style for this dress, and a pair of shining red earrings. Even her lips looked beautiful and sensual with that crimson tone on them. But the part that caught my attention the most was her well-covered neckline that still showed the shape of her magnificent and enormous mountains.
Apparently, she was demanding an explanation from Klein, and Klein showed indifference.
"Explain to me, Klein, what was all that you've been saying about me lately, and on top of that, you have the audacity to... make out with these girls in front of me!!"
Alicelotte was telling Klein a bunch of things, but he only responded.
"So what?"
Grabbing one of the girls, he put his hands on her rear and then proceeded to stick his tongue in her mouth like a dog. Everyone watching was stunned. Alicelotte had a sad face with mixed feelings in her expression; pain, sadness, helplessness, frustration, among other things, were reflected in her gaze and grimace.
I stopped immediately before leaving to observe Klein with hatred. Even though what he was doing was grotesque, I didn't care. It wasn't my business what Alicelotte felt because of her fiancé, but...
A part of me for some reason felt a deep hatred and disgust towards Klein. I couldn't explain it, but Klein was an existence that made me hate him just by seeing him, as if... I were seeing a kind of reflection of myself.
It was foolish to think that since I never did despicable things like that. I slowly approached, looking at Klein.
He took his tongue out of the girl's mouth, and a trail of saliva could be seen between them. He wiped the drool that dripped with his sleeve and stared fixedly at Alicelotte.
"See, Alice? Do you think I care even a little about your opinion? You're just a woman born to be the womb of the future heir of the Kingsfort Principality!! Nothing more and nothing less than that!! Stop pretending you're something more than just a walking container!!"
It was then that I stopped. The words he said are something I had never heard in my life. This trash that calls itself human... how does he see women?
The bastard kept talking.
"Engrave this in your hollow head. I am the heir of the ducal Household with the most history in this country. If there were no prince, I would be the next king and would rule as I please."
"Your family was the one that came to my father years ago to form this engagement, so you should be grateful that a sow like you has the right to be the partner of the great me!!"
Klein kept talking and talking trash until...
"Stop talking nonsense!!" It was Alicelotte who shouted that at him.
"I am not your servant or anything!! I am Alicelotte von Bismarck, the daughter of a duke, and I will not allow anyone, even you being my fiancé, to insult me and disrespect me!!"
Alicelotte's words sounded loud and powerful. All the people were amazed by her words, and she earned my respect.
(I always thought high-class women were materialistic scum, but I see she is not like that.) I said in my head while directing a look towards her.
But Klein...
He gritted his teeth at Alicelotte's strong, powerful words and lunged at her, grabbing her dress. Everyone saw that scene and did nothing.
The moment I saw it, I tried to move, but Lyle's words came to my mind.
I answered myself between my teeth. (Is this what he meant?)
A feeling of helplessness was born in me and made me see my origins.
(I am a baron, an insignificant and inferior existence compared to a duke.) That was in my head and increased the distress.
(If I try to do something, I'm putting my life and my family's at stake! She is just a stranger with whom I have never established a connection, so no one can judge me or call me a coward!!) I thought while watching the scene with trembling eyes.
Suddenly, Klein let go of Alicelotte and tore off one of her gloves to throw it at her voluminous chest.
"Pick it up." He pronounced as if giving an order to a dog.
Alicelotte looked down in fear and then returned her gaze to Klein.
She knows what this means. She knows what will happen if she picks it up. She knows the consequences that will come, no matter what.
But even so, she looked at Klein with a face of strong will in her eyes. Only to then be trampled by reality.
She turned to look at the people who were part of her entourage, but everyone averted their gaze.
"Eh?? Guys??"
Alicelotte turned left and right more than once. The students, her entourage, even the teachers and other party members did the same.
They know what it means to challenge the heir of a duke, but no one wanted to do it, especially one who is very hostile.
Alicelotte's eyes were about to cry, looking around for someone—anyone, anyone who could help her at this moment. It was then that her eyes met mine.
It lasted only a few moments, but our gazes met. It seemed as if everyone in the place had disappeared except for the two of us.
We had never seen each other.
We had never spoken a word.
We had never crossed paths until today. However...
At this moment, Alicelotte's eyes looked at me like a child asking for help after being separated from their parents. Her lips seemed to want to utter a word that would have made any decent person help her, but...
I closed my eyes and, with a half-turn, disappeared into the crowd.
◇◇◇
Alicelotte had lost her last hope that was seen in her gaze. After cleaning herself up in a refined manner, she spoke to Klein.
"Even if I have no one around me, I will remain steadfast as the daughter of Duke Bismarck!"
Her words didn't seem weakened, and that bothered Klein so much that it wiped the smile he had for one full of anger.
Then suddenly, he walked with strong steps towards Alicelotte and grabbed her dress with his left hand and shouted at her.
"You talk too much for a sow!! I'll teach you a lesson right here and now!!"
Raising his free hand as high as he could, Klein formed a fist. Alicelotte immediately tried to cover herself. The people around averted their gaze so as not to see while Klein laughed horrifyingly.
"You think any of the trash here will do something!! I'll strip you naked and parade you around like a dog!! So that you learn once and for all that no one can mess with the heir of the Kingsfort Princip—!!"
Before he could finish speaking, a spherical brown dessert hit his cheek.
Both Klein himself, Alicelotte, and the others were stunned by what they saw.
Then a second brown sphere hit the same cheek. A voice was heard coming from the back.
"Sorry, but it accidentally landed on your cheek. My aim was for it to enter your stupid mouth, which is bigger than an elephant's rear."
The person making those sarcastic comments was Rudel, who had two of those fleshy spheres left that he finished throwing without hitting.
Everyone present watched with shock the bizarre scene they were witnessing.
Suddenly, Rudel approached Alicelotte and with one hand pushed Klein's hand aside, then bent down to pick up the glove.
Alicelotte couldn't process what was happening as she watched Rudel stand in front of her to speak.
◇
"Now, please designate me as your representative." I said in a mocking and friendly tone.
"Eh??" Alicelotte responded based on my answer.
But Klein interrupted them.
"Hey, trash, I don't know who the hell you are or who you might be, but let me tell you that you're getting into a place where riffraff like you shouldn't enter."
His sharp words echoed throughout the hall, but I was unfazed.
"Ojou-sama, please, designate me as your representative. I cannot respond to him if I am not treated as your squire."
"Eh?? Sure... eh?!"
The entire hall shouted the same thing. "Eh!!" as she did.
A representative was a personal knight of the squire type. In the royal and military academies, they were the only places allowed for this title.
Making someone a squire meant becoming that person's patron or patroness during a duel. And that's what had happened just a few minutes ago.
Alicelotte had accepted me as her squire, and with that, Klein's duel.
I smiled.
"Now yes. Sorry to have kept you waiting." I said, smiling cynically at Klein.
"The ojou-sama has accepted the duel and has accepted me."
"Since you are an heir of a duke, I would like you to allow me to select the place."
Klein looked at me with a murderous look, given how tall he was.
"Hoo?? Why should I do that and not settle it here and now?" He said very anxious to hit me.
But I responded calmly.
"I have two reasons for that; the first is that it will benefit you more than me, and the second is that this way you will show the riffraff how kind the duke's son is, even when insulted by an inferior being."
Upon saying that, Klein looked at me for a few seconds and then directed his gaze to the people around. While he was doing that, I approached his ear and whispered a few words to him.
"And as an extra, the prince is already coming here, and I don't think you have enough time to invent excuses, right?"
The moment he heard that, Klein felt a chill, and only Alicelotte saw it.
(In her head, she wondered what I had said to him to make him look like that.)
Then I withdrew from Klein's ear and extended my hand to close the deal. Klein saw it and extended his hand towards me and spoke.
"Fine, trash. Tell me, where do you want to do this?"
"After next week comes the inter-school tournament, and I would like to settle it there. It's the best way and the most appropriate way to show your true power, isn't that right, heir?"
I responded confidently to an irritated Klein. Upon hearing that, he squeezed my arm tightly from top to bottom to seal the agreement.
"Fine. In two weeks, I will put an end to your life in front of this riffraff. I also promise you that no one will harm you until then." He said with a sinister smile.
I also smiled and turned to Alicelotte.
"Did you hear, ojou-sama? In two weeks, you will have your duel. Do you have any requests in case you lose your fiancé?"
People were dumbfounded by what I said. Klein himself just laughed and responded sarcastically.
"That's very simple; I will answer for her since I know very well. If I win, you will never interfere in my life again, but if you win... pff, hahahahahaha!!"
He laughed at the possibility of me winning. The others also laughed at that. But I didn't care about their laughter. Alicelotte looked at me very confidently.
Then she spoke.
"I-If I win, I want you to stop your misdeeds and behave like someone worthy of the nobility." Those were Alicelotte's words.
She looked at Klein with intense eyes, and he accepted in a sarcastic and mocking tone.
Upon saying that, Klein said, "Deal." And grabbed the two girls he was with, and before leaving, he said to both of us.
"I will eagerly await these two weeks. Alice and trash. Hahahahahaha."
With a manic smile, he left laughing, and the scene returned to normal, and the musicians began to play.
◇◇◇
Alicelotte was still stupefied, and the people who were her entourage also left, leaving her alone. Rudel watched them leave and from a distance made a victory gesture to Alicelotte, who had no idea what it meant.
Everyone wondered why this happened, but no one knew the answer.
Of course, there was an answer, and that was something called an "event."
Even though the three main characters were off on adventures and had no idea what was happening, and even Erselica herself was locked in her room studying for having wasted time on her coming fantasies.
In the game's story, the situation was more or less exact, with the differences being that the one insulting a victim was actually Alicelotte.
She had been shamelessly flirting with an unknown man, and Klein saw that and replicated her immoral behavior. But Alicelotte simply laughed, calling him exactly what he called her.
The people laughed at Klein, and when he couldn't take it anymore, he grabbed one of his gloves and threw it at her. When he came to his senses, he couldn't process what he had done and tried to apologize. Alicelotte spat in his face, calling him an impotent coward.
It was then that Rudel entered the scene and also challenged Klein, who was shattered inside. Alicelotte, amazed, accepted Rudel as her squire because of the way he humiliated Klein.
That's how the situation was supposed to happen.
But once again, the factor named Rudel altered the order of things, yet leaving the same result. No one imagined the disaster that would come at the inter-school tournament.
◇◇◇
Somewhere beneath an island, at the bottom of the sea, for some strange reason, there was a shadow. This shadow was large but had now shrunk so much that it disappeared.
From the water emerged a wasp with a very long stinger that had trouble flying. It's not known where its objective was, but that thing had the intention of finding "something or someone."
◇
Two days have passed since that incident, and Klein has kept his word not to harm me until he pulverizes me at the inter-school tournament. That was supposed to be fine, but the situation was different.
"How dare a miserable country baron like you get in the way of a duke's heir!!"
"Defending that whore was your biggest mistake!!"
"Know your place, peasant!!"
For some reason, boys started hitting and kicking me from the morning after that day. The girls told their servants to do it too.
I don't understand what they gain by doing this to me if, according to Klein, he's going to shred me in a few days. These guys always pull me out of class, except for etiquette class, where my instructor fails them if they do it. He looked at me very sympathetically, as if that was all he could do for me.
Truly, this man is a role model, and even more so that he told me, "Defending a lady is a knight's obligation, regardless of status."
I cried when he applauded me for what I did. Another person who worried about me was the lovely Irisdina. When she saw me, she cried and used her light magic to heal my wounds. She yelled at me, "Fool, fool, Rudel-san, you're a fool! Why do you get into trouble that doesn't concern you?"
I just laughed seeing her cry for me. My heart was happy to see this side of her.
After getting up from the beating they gave me, I headed to the place where I had been summoned. It was a very small meeting room, and inside there was only one person standing. Unlike me, that person, that girl, only had her uniform trampled on, while I was a wreck.
It was Alicelotte looking at me with concern.
"I see. So they did this to you too, but in your case, it was worse." Alicelotte told me in a sad and melancholic tone.
"Don't worry. This is nothing. I'll make sure those scoundrels pay in the end. By the way, they were your lackeys, and it seems they're trying to win Klein's favor. Do you know why they're trying to do that?"
I asked Alicelotte, who only averted her gaze to the floor.
"They are no longer my entourage, but the worst of all is that I thought they were my friends."
Leaning back with her hands, Alicelotte vented.
"Maybe they want to weaken you so that Klein defeats you faster and to win his affection."
"What a pitiful woman I am. Not even my family will try to help me."
Oh. I really didn't expect this.
"They said it was my problem and that I should solve it myself. It seems I was born under the star of tragedy, without a doubt."
Alicelotte brought a hand to her eyes to hide her tears and continued talking to me.
"You should quit now while you can, before it's too late. I'll try to appease him so he doesn't do anything to you—"
"No!!"
I interrupted her before she could finish speaking.
She removed her hand from her face and looked at me. Her eyes were tearful and only determined me more.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not doing this for you or for anyone else."
"I'm doing this for myself, because I really want to beat up your fiancé!!"
"But..." she said in a nervous tone.
"Here is my condition as a squire! You will end your engagement with that imbecile when you see him cry by my hand, understand?!"
My words sounded penetrating in her ears, which bewildered her quite a bit.
"So don't talk about me losing before it's time!! I'll crush that bastard and everyone who looks down on me!!"
I turned halfway to leave there.
"I'll make both you and them engrave my name in their bodies and minds!!"
"Remember this well!! Rudel van Bradford never enters a fight he can't win!!"
Upon leaving, I slammed the door hard and walked away from there.
"I know you're there, Ixion."
I called Ixion, whom I kept close to Irisdina so nothing would happen to her for associating with me.
"I want you to prepare everything and find out who will participate and what mobile knight unit Klein will use!"
"Understood, Master."
"Would you like me to bring that boy as well?"
"Of course!! These idiots will never imagine the calamity they have provoked. I'll show them a spectacle of pain and suffering they never imagined!!"
◇◇◇
Rudel walked with a furious and demonic face. Erselica, who was in the vicinity, saw that and clutched her skirt upon seeing him while muttering between her teeth.
"Finally, it's here!!"
"I've waited a long time for this event, and it seems to be going like a breeze!!"
"It won't be long now until I can see it. Not only the ruin and fall of that woman, but I will also be able to see your end... and death, Rudel, in the flesh."
"Fufufu."
With wicked words, Erselica proclaimed the ruin of Alicelotte and the tragic end of Rudel.
__________________
The academy arc continues.
The mini-arc of the "Inter-School Duel" has just been unlocked.