Chapter 20

【Felter】

Was he really this kind of guy?

While thinking about this, I followed the group that had moved to the courtyard.

Rocks used magic in a fit of anger, and his lackeys assisted him. Even if they were rotten, they were still students of the magic academy. Everyone used intermediate-level magic and above, casting spells one after another.

Fireballs, ice arrows, wind blades, and rock spears. Various attack spells flew, but Coat was fighting back while carrying that female beast on one arm.

Even though he was mostly just running away, he was quite skillfully defending against the magic. Coat seemed to be good at earth magic, using quick, basic or intermediate-level spells to block the attacks.

Still, there were limits.

Even a teacher would be hard-pressed to handle such a large number of opponents.

"…!"

The rock Coat had released to counter the attack was shattered in front of him, and the fragments hit his leg, causing him to roll on the ground. The woman was with him.

"Ugh… Ah…!"

Seeing Coat bleeding, the lackeys turned pale as if they had been doused with cold water. It was understandable. Despite appearances, Coat was the heir of a prestigious family that had produced representatives of the Coat Highland Federation.

If he were injured, it would become a major incident that could affect the entire country.

Thinking this, their legs trembled.

"Pitiful bunch."

If they were going to be scared by such a thing, they shouldn't have started it in the first place.

"Back off."

Pushing them aside, two of the lackeys fell over.

At the edge of the courtyard, the woman was groaning, and Coat was protecting her while bleeding from his leg. Rocks looked down at them and clicked his tongue.

"…To defy a strong person when you have no power. Coat Hedge Butler, I thought you were a smarter man. Could it be that you fell for such a piece of trash?"

Rocks laughed, but my evaluation of him wasn't low.

"…Coat, you can actually fight pretty well, right? Your movements suggest you have combat experience. I was fooled by your usual attitude, but one-on-one, you must be quite formidable."

Hearing this, Coat twisted his face into a wry smile.

"You flatter me."

Muttering this, he stood up. With a wound on his thigh, it must have been quite painful, but Coat didn't show any weakness.

Rocks crossed his arms and glared, then nodded his chin.

"…I'll forgive you if you swear not to defy me. Coat."

It was as if he was offering mercy.

This was Rocks Kilbegan speaking.

He had no ill intent; he genuinely believed that it was natural for others to follow a royal. In a way, he even thought he was being merciful by forgiving Coat for his mistake.

But these were words that should never be said to the son of a noble family.

Now, in this situation, Coat couldn't back down. And a man as intelligent as Coat would understand that he couldn't just brush it off.

What was at stake was his pride as a noble.

Watching with interest, Coat smiled sardonically and drew a dagger. He pointed the blade at Rocks' face.

"…Get down and apologize. If you do so now, I'll forgive you. Foolish prince."

Hearing these words, Rocks lost his composure.

He drew his staff and began to chant a spell.

---

【Barrel Black】

When I stepped into the courtyard, I heard a series of sounds. Shouts of abuse echoed, and I went to see what was happening.

There, I saw Senior Rocks continuously casting various spells at a wall of rocks or something.

I thought it might be practice, but his shouting suggested otherwise.

"Defying me and then this?! How pathetic, Coat!"

Senior Rocks' continuous casting of intermediate-level spells made my spine chill. I had heard that royals had exceptional innate magical abilities, and indeed, Senior Rocks was special.

After all, he was the only student who had reached advanced levels in all four major attributes.

A little further away, I saw Senior Felter. He was unusually skilled in non-elemental magic but could use most spells at intermediate levels or higher. He was known for never losing in mock battles against teachers, making him stronger than the faculty.

"…Whoever is fighting those two must be an idiot. Probably a commoner who doesn't understand the hierarchy of nobles… But, he called out 'Coat'…?"

As I muttered this, the rock wall shattered under Senior Rocks' onslaught.

Behind the wall, a white-haired woman appeared. I could see the beast ears on her head.

It was Shenry Lu Rosenstiel, the female beast student who had skipped grades to enter the advanced class with me. I remembered her because it was rare for a beast to skip grades.

"Water Bullet!"

Shenry cast a water spell, aiming at Senior Rocks. But Senior Rocks easily nullified it with earth magic.

He was skilled. He used a basic spell in a pinch but deflected it at an angle. This reset the casting for both of them, and Senior Rocks' victory was certain.

But then, a figure appeared from the opposite side of Shenry.

"Rock Shrapnel!"

A tall man with crimson hair. Using Shenry's spell as a decoy, he cast an intermediate-level earth spell. He must have prepared his spell during the exchange.

Even with a skill gap, this would make a difference. Senior Rocks would have to twist his body to minimize the damage.

But reality was different.

Senior Rocks suddenly disappeared. I realized that Senior Felter, who was standing apart, had dragged him down to avoid the spell.

It was an extraordinary move. Even from a distance, I couldn't tell what had happened, so the two opponents must have been completely unaware.

"…Are you getting involved too, Felter Kear?"

Hearing the sardonic voice, I finally recognized it as Coat Hedge Butler. His expression was so different that I hadn't recognized him.

"…I judged that it could be fatal. Besides, the audience is growing."

Senior Felter said this, then stood up, leaving Senior Rocks on the ground.

I was exposed.

My shoulders tensed, but Senior Felter's gaze was directed elsewhere.

Everyone's attention turned in that direction.

The sound of a pebble being stepped on echoed, and a figure appeared in the setting sun.

"…What are you doing?"

It was a low, female voice.

Despite its volume, it resonated clearly, sending shivers down my spine.

Everyone froze, but only Shenry shed large tears and called out the figure's name.

"Aoi-sensei…!"

The desperate tone in Shenry's voice, as if she were spitting blood, conveyed a terrifying anger from the figure.

My legs trembled in fear, even though I hadn't done anything. It felt as if I had been caught doing something very wrong.

But Senior Rocks stood up calmly and glared back.

"…You again. What? Are you going to say something? We're already at a point where we can't back down. If you speak now, you'll be involving yourself in a national dispute…!"

Senior Rocks couldn't finish his angry words.

He was slapped by Aoi, who had appeared in front of him in an instant.

I only saw the aftermath of the slap, but Senior Rocks was thrown back as if hit by a runaway horse, rolling on the ground.

"If you want to fight me, backed by your country, I'll accept."

Aoi said this in a low voice, looking down at the fallen Senior Rocks with a face devoid of emotion, then spoke again.

"Come at me with the resolve to die."

Hearing this, Senior Rocks looked as if he had seen something unbelievable.

And Senior Felter was grinning, showing his teeth in amusement.

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