Edric didn't particularly care about the scores for this training session.
He had only one thing he wanted when he participated in this training.
That was Emil.
Emil and Chris.
It was about the two people who were showing a strange atmosphere.
'She definitely said she was going on a date with him last time…'
Edric glanced back at Emil, who was walking with him inside the dungeon.
In this training, where they explored the dungeon as a four-person team, the positions were arranged in the order of Sierra, Edric, Emil, and Chris.
When he subtly looked back, he saw Emil sticking close to Chris.
"…"
His fiancée.
Chris was tightly clinging to Emil's back, appearing uneasy.
Someone not close to her, like Sierra, might not have noticed.
But to Edric, who had known her since before the academy, it was clear.
Her face wasn't as bold as usual.
Her shoulders were subtly trembling.
And a hand secretly grasping Emil's clothes.
"Tch…"
Edric didn't like what he saw.
Why was that?
Because she was his fiancée?
No, this engagement was a relationship they had mutually agreed to break off once they graduated from the academy anyway.
Edric had even declared it to her first.
That they should each try to get along with someone they liked, as long as they didn't get caught.
That's why Edric was actually targeting Sierra, who was ahead of them.
But.
'It's infuriating…'
A while ago, probably on the day Chris suddenly came to his dorm.
A slight change had occurred in Edric's feelings towards Chris.
He felt an attraction to Chris, to the point where he wondered why he hadn't noticed it before.
And.
That Chris held feelings for Emil.
Upon realizing that, Edric felt an unbearable jealousy.
'It's fine though… Chris is my fiancée anyway…'
He realized it late and regretted it, but.
Edric composed himself.
Chris was his fiancée, after all.
Even if they had agreed to break it off.
Socially, Chris was Edric's fiancée.
Edric clearly thought he had a chance.
'I'll seize that chance today.'
For that, a place like a dungeon was a very good option.
Women naturally held feelings for superior men.
He didn't know why Chris had feelings for such a bookworm.
'If she sees him make a fool of himself, she'll doubt her feelings.'
In this joint training, Emil would make a clumsy spectacle.
And he would protect Chris, who had lost her reliance, thereby winning her heart.
It was classic, but there was no more effective method.
But.
"Enemies ahead!"
"Got it—!"
Whoosh!
Slash!
Emil immediately rushed out and sliced the waist of the suddenly appearing kobold.
"…"
"Heh, Emil can move surprisingly well, can't he? Heh heh, the morning training wasn't a waste of time after all?"
"…I've said it repeatedly, but your stamina and strength are both lower than mine, you know?"
"Oohoohoo, combat isn't about strength. It's about skill!"
"…My skill is also superior, you know?"
"We'll have to see about that!"
Emil, leisurely chatting with Sierra after dealing with the enemy.
'He's fast…'
Emil's movements were unexpected.
Certainly, his movements during the practice duel with Chris before weren't this good.
'He grew this much in such a short period…?'
At Emil's unforeseen skill, Edric gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
"How was it?"
"U-uh… It was good. That movement just now."
"Haha, it's thanks to my master teaching me well."
"Ugh… Yeah…"
Furthermore, Chris's reaction also bothered him.
Her cheeks blushing shyly at Emil's performance, drawing even closer to him.
Her usual dignified demeanor was nowhere to be seen; her girlish behavior, seemingly only for Emil, caused him displeasure.
'That too, will soon be over… Emil…'
But it's fine.
If it's just this much, it's still within the scope of his plan.
"Let's go this way."
"Huh? It's a side path?"
Sierra, who was leading, questioned Edric's words.
Edric nodded.
"From our current position, this seems like a smoother path."
"Hmm… But the gem we need to retrieve is closer if we go straight, isn't it?"
"In this training, quickly returning is important, but the safety of the entire party also earns points. Look, even if we take the side path, it'll be quick."
"If that's the case…"
At Edric's explanation, Sierra nodded, and Emil and Chris followed him without a word.
'It's going smoothly.'
At his teammates' unproblematic reactions, Edric grinned in the dark.
And then.
[Who… who is it?]
The monster Edric wanted.
Revealed its presence with a whispering voice.
"This is… a Whisper!"
"Eek!"
At Whisper's appearance, Sierra reacted quickly, and a small scream was heard from Chris, who was at the very back.
[F-f-fou-found, found… found? Did you find it? You found it… M-my…]
"Everyone, be on guard! Emil!"
"…"
"I'll ask you again…!"
"Alright."
Edric gathered the party around himself and shouted towards Emil.
And seeing him nod at his words, he smiled sinisterly.
***
[Screeeech—!!]
As Whisper was cut by my sword, coated in holy water, it vanished as if burning away.
"Wow… I wondered how we'd defeat it. What on earth did you do?"
"Holy water. I brought some because I thought it might be useful."
"As expected of the top student… your preparedness is thorough."
At Sierra's admiring words, I casually tossed the holy water.
Preparedness, huh.
It wasn't exactly prepared with the thought 'something like this might happen.'
…Encountering Whisper was part of my plan from the start anyway.
'Though it was unexpected that Edric led us to it.'
The problem was how to lure the party towards Whisper.
That was the issue, but unexpectedly, Edric solved it.
And that grateful Edric…
"U-ugh, h-hngh…! Ugh…!"
Pshhhhh…
"Oh dear…"
"Hmm…"
"…"
Was slumped before us, staring blankly at the air with a pale face.
Between his legs, a large puddle had just formed.
'I never thought you'd have the same idea as me… Edric.'
The moment he specifically asked me to deal with Whisper, I caught on to his intentions.
Whisper.
A rare monster that uses psychic attacks in the form of a female ghost.
It sometimes appears in academy dungeon training sessions, but.
It inevitably appears in dungeons that are part of the final evaluation.
Edric likely obtained information about this dungeon beforehand and lured us here.
"This… what should we do? Should I carry him?"
Sierra looked down at Edric, who was peeing himself, with a disgusted expression.
"Ah, no… Let's just observe for now."
Chris, with a face similar to Sierra's that showed disgust, replied like that.
'If I hadn't known the strategy, I would've ended up like that.'
Edric's plan was excellent.
He probably intended to show Chris my appearance after being subjected to a psychic attack, to lower her opinion of me.
Unfortunately.
This was my sixth time doing this joint training.
I already knew Whisper's strategy.
Whisper targets the first person who sees her face for psychic attacks.
The strategy is simple.
When her form appears, you just need to look at her feet.
That's why Edric asked me to deal with Whisper.
'If I attacked first, I'd see her face first.'
However, when I attacked Whisper, Edric, thinking I had succeeded, confirmed Whisper's appearance.
As a result, Edric became the target of the psychic attack.
"…"
"A-are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
A moment later.
Edric, released from the psychic attack's influence, opened his eyes and saw us looking at him.
Sierra, trying to console him with a calm face.
And Chris and I, glaring at him amidst the awkward atmosphere.
"…"
He blushed with shame and lowered his head.
Then, with trembling shoulders, he stood up.
We simply followed him without a word.
That silence probably pierced his heart even more painfully.
***
Afterwards, we, along with a silent Edric, set out to find the target, the retrieval gem.
Fortunately, the target's location was near the side path, just as Edric had said.
"Found it! Now we just need to go back, right?"
The target they finally obtained after a few battles.
Sierra held the glittering red gem in her hand and smiled brightly.
Following suit, Chris and I also smiled in relief.
Only Edric remained silent, avoiding eye contact.
'Is this somewhat exhilarating?'
Looking at the back of Edric's head, I felt a refreshing sensation in my chest.
Of course, it wasn't as satisfying as when I directly beat Malcolm, but.
He still peed himself.
And in front of the two women he had feelings for.
'Alright, I'll let it slide with this, Edric.'
Since Edric in this timeline hasn't done anything to me yet.
Ending it with this humiliation.
However, given that he planned this with Whisper, I don't think he'll remain still going forward.
'After all, he tried to kill me.'
If Chris's capture ends.
And then Edric tries to do something to me.
I'll take additional revenge then.
"Then let's hurry back!"
Having found the gem, we began walking towards the return route to conclude the training.
A situation where they retrieved the target faster than other teams.
Sierra's steps, leading the way, seemed light, as if high scores were expected.
'It's around here.'
And then.
It was about time for my true objective to appear.
Rumble rumble rumble…!
"W-what…? What is it?"
Just then, the precursor announcing 'it's' appearance began to reverberate inside the dungeon.
"What? An earthquake?"
"Kyaa!"
"…"
At the sudden sound of vibrations, Sierra showed bewilderment, Chris let out a small scream, and Edric stared at the ceiling with a stiff face.
And then.
"Aaaahhh—!!"
Someone's loud scream began to approach us.