The news of the duel between a first-year and a second-year student continued to spread, causing an even greater commotion throughout Kizen. Some people even joked that this was practically a rebellion led by the first-years.
It didn't stop there.
For some reason, news of the duel quickly spread beyond the academy as well.
When the King and Queen of Dresden heard about it, both of them immediately turned pale.
Unlike Andre, they had witnessed Knox's strength with their own eyes.
If Knox was capable of defeating the Royal Knights of Dresden, could a mere second-year student from Kizen really defeat him?
That wasn't an easy question to answer.
After all, strength varied from person to person. Even among Kizen's current second-year students, there were already quite a few monsters.
Putting the King and Queen aside for the moment...
Let's take a look at another member of the royal family, Molly Dresden.
Unlike her parents, Molly's reaction was completely different.
She looked at her brother with nothing but disdain, while openly cheering for Knox instead.
Because of that, she immediately begged her parents to let her travel to Kizen and watch the duel in person.
The King could only sigh. On one hand, he wanted to grant his daughter's request.
On the other hand...
He really didn't want to watch his own son get beaten into a pulp right before his eyes.
As for the Queen...
She had already started wondering whether it was finally time to remove Andre from the royal line of succession.
In the end, the King chose not to go.
Only Princess Molly, accompanied by several royal attendants, would travel to Kizen to watch the duel.
Because of this, the Student Council found themselves with quite a headache.
They couldn't criticize Benya for acting without authorization, since everything she had done was well within the authority of a Student Council member. The real problem wasn't the duel itself, but the people involved. One was a prince who behaved like a street hooligan, while the other was Kizen's rising star, someone whose reputation already rivaled that of royalty despite being a commoner.
Determined to prevent the situation from escalating any further, the Student Council wasted no time.
Just one day after the duel had been declared, both Knox and Andre were summoned to the Student Council office.
"Welcome, Junior Andre. Junior Knox."
The one who greeted them was Phantasus Hugh Ickel, the current Student Council President of Kizen, the academy's strongest student, and Merida Hugh Ickel's older brother.
Even while sitting behind his desk, Phantasus' massive physique made him appear imposing. In the novel, Simon had once mentioned that he was the tallest human in Kizen, standing even taller than Hector Moore and only slightly shorter than the giant hybrid, Chatel Mayer. Combined with his broad frame and naturally dignified presence, anyone seeing him for the first time would find it hard to believe he was actually a necromancer rather than a martial artist.
"Hello, Senior," Knox greeted with a polite bow.
"...Hello," Andre replied.
Phantasus slowly looked back and forth between the two students who had been causing the Student Council an enormous headache before finally speaking.
"First of all, the duel itself isn't the problem. The issue is that this is a duel between a second-year student and a first-year student. Depending on how people look at it, this could easily be seen as a senior bullying a junior. So before anything else, let's discuss this calmly."
Hearing that, Knox spoke without waiting another second.
"With all due respect, President, I don't have any complaints at all, as long as I get to beat this talking mushroom face."
"You...! You're truly beyond arrogant!" Andre immediately shot back. "No matter how famous or strong you are, you're still just a first-year! Do you really think you can defeat a second-year?!"
By this point, Andre had already finished investigating Knox.
Learning that Knox had defeated the Royal Knights of Dresden had certainly planted a seed of doubt in his mind. Even so, Andre stubbornly refused to believe it. He convinced himself that Knox's victory had been nothing more than luck.
Unfortunately for him...
Knox had no intention of letting that hesitation fade.
"Of course I can." Knox shrugged. "Even a passing stray dog would think so."
He paused for a moment before smiling.
"Ah, I see."
"You think you can't beat me unless you have every possible advantage, right?"
"Alright."
"How about I give you a handicap?"
"I won't use my summons at all."
"How kind of me, right~?"
Hearing that blatant provocation, Andre finally snapped.
"Enough, you rascal!"
Just as Andre was about to leap out of his chair...
A tremendous aura suddenly filled the room.
The pressure stopped Andre in his tracks before he could take even a single step. His body immediately stiffened, while the overwhelming presence pressing down on him forced him back into his seat.
Yet...
When Andre glanced at Knox, he found the white-haired first-year sitting there as calmly as ever.
Seeing that only made his pride ache even more.
Andre was still gritting his teeth, his pride refusing to let him lower his head despite the overwhelming pressure filling the room.
Phantasus glanced at him for a brief moment before shifting his gaze toward Knox.
"Sigh, alright."
"If that's not mere arrogance, but genuine confidence..."
"...then let's make it a condition."
"Chairman!" Benya couldn't help but raise her voice in surprise, while Andre's eyes lit up with excitement.
Ignoring their reactions, Phantasus continued calmly.
"Since this duel involves both risk and responsibility, it should also have appropriate conditions."
"I originally intended to have the loser simply apologize to the winner."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"However, after everything that has happened, I don't think an apology alone will be enough."
"So..."
"Here's my proposal."
He looked at both students in turn.
"If Junior Andre wins, Junior Knox will formally apologize."
"And if Junior Knox wins..."
Phantasus' eyes settled on Andre.
"...Junior Andre will grant Junior Knox one request."
"How about it?"
The room immediately fell silent.
Benya subconsciously glanced toward Andre.
Meanwhile, Knox rested his chin on one hand, seemingly giving the proposal some thought.
"..."
A few seconds later, the corner of his lips slowly curled upward.
"I have no objections."
After all...
The condition worked perfectly in his favor.
Andre, on the other hand, laughed confidently after hearing the proposal.
"Hmph! Fine! I accept!"
To him, granting one request meant nothing.
After all...
He had no intention of losing in the first place.
After agreeing to the conditions, Andre suddenly spoke again.
"Of course, although I agree with the conditions, that alone isn't enough, President." Andre looked at Knox before continuing. "Besides, didn't you just say that if he defeats me, I'll have to grant him one wish? That's hardly fair. So, how about this? Regardless of who wins, the loser must grant the winner one wish. The loser will also have to offer a formal apology."
Hearing the proposal, Phantasus raised an eyebrow slightly.
Before he could respond, Andre quickly added,
"President, I'm not asking for an unreasonable wish." He pointed at Knox. "If I win, I only want him to make me the main character of his next novel."
The Student Council room fell quiet for a moment after hearing Andre's request.
Everyone present understood how valuable that request actually was.
By now, Knox's novels had become famous throughout the continent. If Andre became the protagonist of Knox's next work, not only would his reputation soar, but it would also strengthen his standing within the royal family. At the same time, Andre could use Knox's fame to expand his own influence even further.
On the other hand, if the novel failed...
Knox's reputation would take the blow instead.
As for Andre's own reputation...
He believed that, as a prince, very few people would dare criticize him openly.
Only then did Knox finally understand what Andre was aiming for.
"I see..." Knox nodded slowly before clapping his hands a few times. "So if I lose, you'll not only gain prestige and recognition, but you'll also use my name to increase your own influence. And if my novel flops, I'll be the one taking the blame."
He looked at Andre with a faint smile.
"I never thought a mushroom like you actually had a brain."
Although his words sounded almost admiring, everyone could clearly hear the sarcasm hidden beneath them.
"What did you say?!" Andre shouted once again.
Ignoring Andre completely, everyone else in the room quietly nodded.
At first glance, Andre's request sounded harmless.
In reality, however, it allowed him to gain benefits while making Knox do all the work. Depending on the outcome, it could even damage Knox's reputation in the process.
It was a remarkably ruthless proposal.
"Hmm..." Phantasus nodded slowly. "I have to admit, that's quite a brilliant move, Junior Andre."
"Hmph." Andre folded his arms proudly. "In exchange, if this commoner somehow manages to win, I'll grant him one wish. Even if I have to use my status as a member of the royal family."
He paused briefly before adding,
"Of course, requests involving expulsion or anything unreasonable are excluded."
Then, Phantasus turned toward Knox.
"What about you, Junior Knox? Considering Junior Andre's request, I'd say these are fairly reasonable terms. What do you think?"
Knox thought for a moment before giving a small nod.
"I see... Unfortunately, I don't have any wish that someone like him can fulfill."
He glanced at Andre before continuing.
"So... how about this?"
"I won't ask you to do anything."
"My wish is simple."
"Whatever happens in the arena..."
Knox's expression gradually turned ice-cold.
In that instant, the atmosphere inside the Student Council office changed. An invisible chill swept across the room, and the temperature seemed to plummet without warning. Phantasus, the Student Council President, every council member, and even Andre instinctively stiffened, as though an icy hand had silently wrapped around their hearts.
The warmth that had always lingered in Knox's eyes vanished without a trace.
"...Make sure that neither you, nor anyone else, blames me for anything."
Silence engulfed the room.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the icy atmosphere disappeared. The warmth quietly returned to Knox's eyes, leaving everyone wondering if what they had just felt had only been their imagination.
"How about it?" he asked with his usual sunny smile.
No one answered immediately.
Everyone inside the Student Council office looked at Knox in surprise. None of them had expected such a simple request. Yet instead of feeling relieved, an inexplicable sense of unease quietly settled over the room.
It wasn't because Knox's condition was unreasonable. On the contrary, compared to Andre's request, his was far simpler. That was precisely what made it so unsettling.
Meanwhile, Andre seemed to have returned to his usual self. The brief spark of intelligence he had shown only moments ago had already burned out.
Without giving it a second thought, he confidently accepted Knox's condition.
"Hmph! Fine! I accept!"
"Good." Phantasus nodded before clapping his hands once.
"Then let's strike while the iron is hot."
"We'll hold the duel tomorrow."
Neither Knox nor Andre raised any objections.
If anything, Knox was genuinely grateful that Phantasus had accepted his proposal without the slightest hesitation or objection.
Hehe... Enjoy that smile while it lasts, Andre.
Because I promise... by tomorrow, not even your own parents will recognize your face anymore.
And just like that...
The duel between Knox Aznable and Andre Dresden was officially scheduled for the following day.