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The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

Episode 146: Interest

After the fourth match between Shuvina and Sonia, a brief break is taken before the fifth match begins.

In the fifth match, we have Melt, who won her initial battle, and Iris, who is facing off for the first time as a seeded competitor.

Since Kamael surrendered quickly in Melt’s first match, she hasn’t used up any stamina or magic power, while Iris, making her debut, has no disadvantage other than her raw abilities.

As the fifth match commences, they each start by testing the waters with simple magic attacks, but given Melt’s significantly lower magic pool, she decides to launch stronger magic offensively.

However, Iris counters her straightforward attacks with simple spells and ultimately ends up stabbing a water sword in front of Melt, forcing her to surrender.

For the sixth match, Ride is supposed to face Shuvina, but when Ride steps onto the stage, Shuvina doesn’t come up.

“Shuvina-chan. It’s your turn next.”

“Ah, I forfeit. I’m too tired after that earlier match with Sonia.”

Shuvina dramatically slumps her shoulders as Lime watches her with a wry smile before announcing Ride’s victory by default.

“Hehe. You’re being glared at.”

“I don’t care. I’m just taking a rest because I’m tired.”

After realizing she has won by default, Ride glares at Shuvina, who seems completely unfazed and shrugs in response.

“Well then, let’s move on! The seventh match is Fiera-chan against Iris-chan! Both of you, come up on stage!”

As Lime calls out, Fiera approaches from the left while Iris steps in from the right.

“Alright! Do your best you two! Begin!”

With the signal to start, Lime steps down, leaving only the quietly facing Fiera and Iris on stage.

“Fiera-san, I’m really happy to have the chance to face you like this.”

“Yeah. I’ve been looking forward to fighting you, Iris.”

Neither of them are lying; both care about Lewis, and as those who have traveled together with him and those who have not, they’ve long held a curiosity about how much stronger the other has become.

“If we’re talking about sheer ability, it’s definitely safe to say that Fiera-san is stronger. So I’ll go all out from the very beginning.”

“Yeah. Bring it on.”

“Then, ‘Fog’!”

Iris starts by using the mist spell of water magic, generating fog that envelops the stage and obscures both Fiera and Iris.

(Magic Perception)

Next, Iris uses magic sensing to detect Fiera’s location, and even though the fog makes it hard to pinpoint, Fiera’s position is vividly pictured in her mind.

“‘Water Blade: Dance’”

This is the magic she used during the entrance exam. Though she hasn’t chanted, meaning it’s fewer blades than last time—only ten—the amount of magic infused is exponentially greater, amplifying each blade’s power significantly.

“Ha! Here we go!”

With a swift motion, Iris brings her arm down, releasing the ten blades that head straight for Fiera.

“Good technique. But…”

Even with her visibility reduced by the fog, Fiera skillfully evades the onslaught of blades with her honed senses, effortlessly destroying the incoming attack with punches and kicks.

“You can’t hit me.”

As the gust from her kick blows the fog away, the sight reveals Fiera standing unscathed while Iris, slightly out of breath, sits down.

“Impressive. You’re completely unscathed.”

“Your aim wasn’t bad. But the opponent is at fault. Beastmen have superior senses compared to humans. Blinding me is pointless.”

“I see. I’ve fought against our magic teacher multiple times, but never against someone of a different race. I neglected the traits associated with your species.”

As Iris catches her breath, she takes a deep breath and looks at Fiera.

“Fiera-san, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“I will pour everything into the next spell. So, it’s a bit embarrassing to ask this, but would you please wait until the spell is complete?”

Iris’s request is nothing short of embarrassing for a fighter and is also unrealistic in a real battle.

“I understand.”

However, Fiera knows this isn’t a life-or-death situation, and since Iris is going all out, it would be shameful for her not to accept the challenge as a rival.

“Thank you. Now… ‘Ruler of Waters, the great dragon who lives through the ages alongside water, dance, and I seek a portion of the mighty dragon’s power!’”

“Wait, could it be…?”

As Iris begins her spell chant, Lewis, who had been watching the battle from a distance alongside Shuvina, shows a slight expression of surprise.

“Hehe. How interesting. Has she become able to use that magic?”

Understanding what Iris is attempting to unleash causes a smile to break out from Lewis, borne from excitement.

“Water swallows everything and washes away all. Now, become the torrential flood that destroys everything! ‘Sea Dragon King’!”

The moment Iris finishes her chant, her magic power erupts into a massive surge of water that begins to form the silhouette of a dragon.

“Hehe. The amount of magic power and control still isn’t enough, so it remains vague, but that’s definitely Leviathan. How nice. I wanted to fight too.”

Leviathan, the ruler of aquatic elements, is an SSS-rank monster that rivals the strength of the transcendental beasts.

The magic created in the reference to Leviathan, known as Sea Dragon King, is a highly complex spell that only the top-tier court mages can wield.

Seeing Iris utilize such a high-difficulty spell—even its vague semblance—makes Lewis take interest for the first time.

“Now, I wonder how Fiera will handle this.”

Lewis watches intently, eager to see how Fiera will respond to Iris’s magic with everything she’s got.

(This is amazing.)

At that moment, before the colossal water dragon, Fiera is filled with excitement, getting goosebumps and laughing joyously.

“Iris, this is the best! I have to give it my all to match your power!”

Fiera says as she partially transforms her arm, signaling Iris with her eyes that she’s ready to go at any moment.

“Ha, ha! Go!!!!”

With the sudden drain of magic power almost making her dizzy, Iris shouts as the sea dragon opens its majestic jaws to lunge at Fiera.

“‘Howl of the Wolf King’”

Fiera, in response, silently crouches and readies her fist, unleashing a punch reinforced with fighting spirit.

It leaves sound behind, and the echo that follows resembles the roar of a wolf, as the shockwave from her punch collides directly with Iris’s magic.

The aftermath of the clash is felt all the way back to Lewis and the others watching, while the surrounding students struggle to maintain their footing against the shockwave.

As the mist from their titanic attacks clears, the scene reveals Fiera with a slightly torn uniform standing unharmed and Iris collapsed, seemingly out of juice.

“Ha, ha… hehe. That’s a full defeat.”

“That last attack was quite good.”

“Thank you… so much. Thanks to you, I was able to learn about the gap between us, Fiera-san.”

“Mm. I had fun too… El.”

After a bit more conversation, Fiera turns her attention to Lewis, who was watching with an amused expression from the audience.

“Ha. Well, I guess I have to.”

Realizing what Fiera meant with just that, Lewis swiftly moves up to the stage and approaches Iris, still sitting.

“Lord Lewis?”

Iris is confused by Lewis’s sudden appearance right in front of her, but she lacks the strength to respond.

“Don’t move.”

“Eh?… kyaah!”

Lewis says only that before squatting down and wrapping his arms around Iris’s back and behind her knees, lifting her effortlessly.

“L-Lord Lewis?!”

“Shut it. You’re too loud in my ear.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

Iris is taken aback by being suddenly scooped up, and her heart races at the unexpected intimacy, but Lewis’s irritated response quickly brings her down.

“Lastly…”

“Lastly?”

“The last spell was great.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Iris never expected to receive praise, and that single line brightens her previously gloomy mood, flushing her cheeks.

(This is so wonderful!)

Finally getting recognized, and having her hard-learned magic praised by Lewis made her so happy, she instinctively tightened her arms around him, cherishing this blissful moment.

Afterward, Lewis carried Iris to the infirmary, leaving the rest to the teacher as he returned to the training ground.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

I’m sorry.

I actually intended to bring Ride-kun into today’s story, but I had so much fun writing the battle between Iris and Fiera that it turned out longer than I expected.

I’ll have Ride-kun face off with Fiera in the next chapter.

As for Ride-kun, I’ve prepared my own ultimate “take that” moment, so I hope you look forward to it!

So if it’s okay, please look forward to the next chapter too!!

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