I entered the hall with Luna to find Elithia waiting for us there.
"Finally, you've arrived."
"Why? Is there something special happening today?" I asked.
"Today is a theoretical lesson about swordsmanship, and you know how much I love swordsmanship."
As if I wanted to become a knight.
"I know that. The important thing is—why are they all crowding around me?"
The students were gathered around, paying attention to my conversation and reactions with Elithia and Luna.
One of them stepped forward.
"I heard you have a garden of girls. Is that true?"
Another chimed in,
"I heard you have forbidden torture tools in your mansion."
My stress and anger towards them rose. I had to keep my composure, or they'd build the wrong image of me.
I raised my hand, denying all the accusations.
"Impossible. Who would want someone like me?"
Luna nudged me with her elbow, turning her head sharply to the other side.
Did I say something wrong?
"And how could someone as weak as me have a torture chamber? Impossible."
Some understood the situation, but then someone from the back row stepped forward—a giant, bigger than his age should allow.
Is this guy really seventeen? Just look at his physique.
He approached, facing me directly.
"You're the villain, and I'm the hero."
Heh, as if you will be.
I opened the system window, checking the Author's panel and saw his rank was B.
I guess pleasing him would be difficult.
"I don't want to start a fight, my friend."
I patted his shoulder. Just go, shoo shoo, I don't want to make a scene.
He grabbed my hand and squeezed hard. A sharp, searing pain shot through it.
"Let me go, you son of—"
I couldn't hold back and kicked him hard in the chest, but nothing happened.
"What's wrong with you?" I said, in a slightly arrogant tone.
He let me go, and I fell to the ground, clutching my injured hand.
"How about a duel?"
"A duel?"
"As you heard. You're the villain, and villains must be eradicated."
I shrugged my shoulders.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I'll do it myself," he said quickly.
I felt as if I were inside a scorching sandstorm, my body swaying, being played with from every direction.
Is this his aura?
The giant charged at me, drawing his sword without me even noticing.
He's fast.
Blood sprayed into the air as I lowered my head slightly to find his cold iron blade had pierced my chest. From the torn end, crimson dripped with a sound like water being punched.
That burning sensation turned to the opposite; I felt an icy chill surrounding my body.
Cough ~ Cough
I coughed violently, blood spilling from deep inside me, passing through my mouth.
Luna and Elithia rushed in—Elithia drove her sword into his back, and Luna severed his head with her scythe.
Of course, they would defeat him—they're on a completely different level from him.
Luna threw her scythe aside and rushed toward me as I was slowly dying.
She held my trembling, frozen body in her arms, her eyes filled with tears.
"Hang on, Klo… please."
I smiled at her, forcing out my last words.
"Sorry for worrying you, Luna."
"I'm the one who should apologize. You mean everything to me."
My eyes widened at her words.
Mean everything to you, huh… Sorry for doubting you.
My vision faded to black until the system notification appeared before me in the darkness that had swallowed all light from my eyes.
[ Notification ]
"One rewrite chance deducted from the total of 11."
I felt as though I was being pulled violently, the world collapsing around me, the system window crumpling with me.
When I came to, I found myself outside the room with Luna, exactly back in the hall. The light was blinding, hurting my eyes that had just adapted to sudden darkness.
I closed them to ease the pain.
"Finally, you've arrived."
That was Elithia's voice. I had returned.
I opened my eyes slowly to find Elithia standing before me, leaning her head toward my face.
"Are you okay?"
I placed my hand on my chest, rubbing the spot where the blade had pierced me.
It itched.
"Klo?" Luna said.
"No… nothing, I just feel a little dizzy, that's all."
"Are you sure something's not wrong?" Luna asked, and Elithia followed behind her.
"We'll take you to the infirmary if you feel unwell."
"I agree with you both."
My current goal was to get rid of that giant—he was a threat right now.
Luna and Elithia took me to the academy's infirmary, where the nurse was working.
We all entered; there were two beds and four chairs.
I sat in one of the chairs.
Luna and Elithia were clearly worried about me; their faces told the story without them uttering a word.
"You two can leave."
"Are you sure?" Elithia asked.
"Of course. If I couldn't stand on my own, I would've called you."
"…"
They both left the infirmary, returning to their class to begin the lesson.
Meanwhile, I was alone, thinking of a plan to bring him down.
This would be my second move; all I had to do was move one or two pawns to bring the ceiling down.
I got up and walked to the window, searching for bait until I found them—
Jeremy and Ryan, sitting in their usual spot.
I climbed onto the window ledge and jumped toward them. Despite the height and distance from the ground, the fall wouldn't affect me.
They were sitting with their group, apart from each other, each facing the opposite direction.
I reached them.
"Wh—who are you? Oh… it's you."
"Hello, Jeremy, Ryan. How's your friendship going?"
"…"
They refused to speak. That meant nothing to me.
"How about helping me with my second move?"
They both nodded, fear etched on their faces.
"Do you know the giant boy in Hall 12?"
"You mean Big?"
I snapped my fingers, the sound echoing.
"That's the one. Can you lure him to the back of the academy?"
"What are you going to do to Big?"
"Hmm, you could say… remove a difficult piece from the board."
If he advanced this year, he'd spill my blood for sure. I had to stop his growth now.
"We won't do that to our friend."
I drew my sword from the system, placing it near Jeremy's neck—his face reflected pure fear, sweat dripping onto the blade.
"Now, what do you say? I don't like people who refuse me or look down on me."
He trembled slightly, then stopped, breathing heavily.
"W-we'll do it."
I hid the sword and clapped my hands.
"That's how I want you two to be, my friends."
They both left to call Big, and I pulled a teleportation stone from my system inventory to head to the mansion.
After crushing the stone, green lights surrounded me—if they were any stronger, they'd blind an onlooker.
When the light faded, I found myself standing before Nevin.
"Hello, Yuthnir. It's been a while since we last met."
"Hello, Nevin."