197th Chapter. Festival Day 2 (2)

That evening.

The excitement of the crowd didn’t cool down even after the first match of the Tactical Banquet concluded.

After Group A’s match, it was Group B’s turn the following day. Then came C and D groups.

A total of four groups would compete to determine the champion.

The winners of each group would face off in a final showdown, and the victor there would be crowned the ultimate champion of the Tactical Banquet.

Despite the throngs of enthusiastic spectators, the format of the competition was fairly simple.

It was just a matter of overpowering the opponent with skill to climb higher.

There were no particularly complex obstacles or traps on the field.

However, on the final day, the battlefields would expand beyond the stadium to the Purgatory Volcano, extending the space for combat.

Until then, competitors could face off purely based on their skills without environmental variables.

Winning in such an arena, Jenny stood out as a unique talent among many.

“Sister, you were really amazing.”

“Thank you for coming, Ray.”

“There’s no way I would sit back while you compete in such a big tournament!”

In the restaurant district near the Academy, there existed an outdoor dining facility run by Cooking Club students.

A vast garden sprawled with numerous tables, creating an inviting atmosphere.

The Cooking Club’s kitchen was also outdoors, reminiscent of a food truck—a true blend of commoners and nobility, perhaps?

In that setting, the sisters were laughing together.

It truly was a delightful ambiance, making me smile too.

“What are you laughing about over there?”

“What do you mean?”

Suddenly, Ray glared at me, her expression resembling that of a scornful prisoner looking at me.

“How dare you share a room with another girl while my sister is around? I’m really disappointed!”

“Is that all you’re going to say?”

What on earth? It seemed she had repeated that phrase more than ten times today.

I should be getting used to it by now.

When Ray arrived at Aligieri Station with the knights on the Magical Train, I was the only one there to greet her.

Jenny couldn’t come out due to preparations for the Tactical Banquet, so she had asked me to welcome Ray.

At first, Ray was delighted to see me, but as soon as she learned about my dorm life, her demeanor changed to that of suspicion.

“You dare to lie to me?! Aren’t you afraid of the heavens?”

“I get it, so just drop it.”

Even so, Ray stayed with me until the Tactical Banquet began.

Considering it took several hours, I could say she didn’t entirely reject me.

So, I decided to just roll with it.

“Don’t worry, Ray. Radon isn’t as sneaky as you think.”

“But don’t you think it’s strange to share a room with another girl while you have my sister?”

Well, doesn’t the academy’s dormitory system seem equally strange?

Nevertheless, since it was a statement from my sister, I could ease her tensions a bit.

Sure enough, sisters seem to have a knack for resolving issues smoothly.

“Are you talking about Luska?”

“Yes, that’s right! That scary-eyed girl with black hair!”

“Don’t worry. Luska is my friend too, so nothing strange will happen.”

That’s true. Nothing odd actually happened in my room.

Moreover, Luska isn’t bold enough to make any peculiar moves on me.

She merely looks intimidating, but in reality, she’s quite gentle.

“But sister, you can’t let your guard down. You never know what might happen when a guy and girl live in the same room!”

“Hmm… What might happen? Radon.”

Jenny turned sharply and asked ominously.

I immediately answered, “Nothing.”

“See? No, right?”

“You can’t trust me? That girl seems pretty beautiful from what I saw.”

“Uh, really?”

Ray suddenly complimented Luska out of nowhere.

Her impression of Luska poured out like a river.

“Thinking back, she looked scary but was incredibly captivating. Like a fox charmingly swaying its tail maybe? And…”

Suddenly, Ray scanned Jenny’s body and continued.

“I think she might have had a better figure than you.”

“What…?”

“I got to touch her a bit during lunch today. Up close, it was really mesmerizing.”

Is this kid taking a turn for the bizarre?

Her words sounded like something a friend of a manga protagonist would say when they’ve fallen for someone.

Hearing it from her filled me with an odd sense of disconnect.

“Plus, she had an alluring energy that’s just not there with you.”

“What did you say…?!”

“Maybe I want to hug her just once…”

That little rascal is just full of surprises.

Jenny, who felt semi-mocked, looked like she had just bitten into something sour.

And then…

“Do you really want to hug her?”

“Ah!”

That “actual person” just appeared behind her.

Suddenly, Luska, who had snuck up, whispered in Ray’s ear, causing her heart to race.

Angela, who was accompanying Luska, sat down next to her.

“If you want, just say the word. I can give you a hug until you burst.”

“Y-yes…”

Luska sat down with a bright smile.

She looked strangely like a beast, which made it hard for me to laugh.

And looking again, she truly was beautiful. Moreover, she’s in the Combat Department just like my sister.

The thought struck me as quite strange.

`Living with such an attractive person… How can that guy possibly be normal?`

Luska and Angela began unpacking the food they brought and started eating.

It seemed like they had merely joined us to share a meal. However, the Saint, munching on rice balls, looked a bit odd.

Luska started chatting with Jenny.

“I watched your first match. Congratulations on winning Group A. I’ll be up soon, so wait for me.”

…Such remarks came from Luska.

She must also be a competitor in the Tactical Banquet.

And Jenny urged her not to get eliminated and to rise higher in the ranks as well.

Both are top-tier in the Combat Department and acquaintances of Radon Crawler…!

`What is going on? I feel a swell in my chest all of a sudden.`

They hadn’t even fought yet.

Yet just imagining facing each other in the finals stirred excitement within me.

Furthermore, a strange current flowed between them in their current conversation.

Their gazes meeting felt like swords clashing among martial artists, creating a massive impact.

The fight had already begun, and Ray could sense it.

`That sister… Surely she will win in Group B!`

A, B, C, D groups.

Once two of the remaining four collapse, the true final battle will commence.

I could already picture the scenes of the Queen of Snowstorms and the Crimson Beast brawling in the volcanic valley.

An inescapable fate.

But Ray held onto her belief. She knew her sister would win.

Because her sister is closest to that guy Radon.

“Hey, I’ve got a question.”

“Yes?”

Ray addressed Luska, who was chewing on her food.

She asked for confirmation.

“Has anything unusual happened since living with Radon?”

Luska blinked, exchanging glances with Angela as if wondering what on earth she meant.

But soon enough, Luska burst into laughter.

“Ah… Hahaha, nothing of the sort.”

“Really?”

“There are plenty of others living in a similar setup besides me and this guy—no need to be suspicious.”

Thinking about it, that was a valid point.

Despite the dormitory policy in place, I hadn’t heard of any incidents occurring.

Thank goodness, she said there wasn’t.

In that moment, Ray wanted to elevate her sister’s image.

“I see. Of course, the only person who’s kissed that guy must be my sister!”

“Ah, I did that already.”

“Y-yes…?”

Upon hearing her unexpected claim, Ray was left dumbfounded.

Rather than being flustered, Luska laughed back. She wore an amused expression.

Ray felt like she had been struck by lightning.

And then…

“Hey, you!”

“Huh?”

“Are you seriously lying again?”

Ray suddenly fixed her fierce gaze on me.

She didn’t have quite the same lighthearted attitude as Jenny, but I could tell it wasn’t fully friendly either.

Then grinding her teeth, she licked her lips.

“You said before that nobody except my sister has kissed you.”

“Ah… Did I say that?”

[Declining Erosion Rate: -10%]

[+1000 Credits]

“What do you mean ‘did I say that’? It was obviously true, you jerk!”

Is she really planning to bite me?

Instead of the feast on the dinner table, does she want to use me as her meal?

Just as Ray’s anger was about to take a bite out of me again…

“My darling~”

Suddenly, Mary came flying down from above, landing on my shoulder… No, she completely crushed me.

“Ugh!”

As I fell from my chair, I was squashed underneath Mary while letting out a short scream.

The collision with her shoulder and the bend of my waist hit me all at once.

Thanks to that, Ray stopped her onslaught, looking at me with an expression that said, “What now?”

No matter how you slice it… whether it’s getting bitten or squashed… it all hurts just the same.

“Uh… Are you out of your mind? Why suddenly squish a person like that?!”

“Huh? This is super fun! It’s thrilling!”

Thrilling my foot! If that’s the case, go ride a roller coaster at an amusement park.

Oh wait, there are none in this world?

It’s a filthy world where such cravings can’t be fulfilled. I wish I could change it so badly.

“But what’s that you’re wearing on your face?”

“Huh? This?”

Mary had something covering her mouth and nose.

With her pink hair and a chubby figure, I recognized her instantly as Mary, but she was ridiculously wearing a long scarf over her face like a mask.

Then she climbed onto the vacant chair and announced,

“Um hahahaha! I am a ninja! Bow before me and all shall be slaughtered!~”

Oh dear… I wonder where she picked that up?

Not just me, but the other kids also gazed at her quizzically.

At this point, she’s practically an invasive species in the ecosystem.

“The time for slaughter has come!~”

And with that, she jumped off her chair, running around like a child.

I knew she was weird, but it’s ironic how she yells like this every time she pulls one of her antics.

`Some things just never change.`

Wait, slaughter?

And a ninja?

That sounded eerily familiar.

Thinking back, there was a ninja character in the novel records I had written who went around dispatching key characters with lines like that…

Hmm…

*

Preparing for events was arduous work.

First, you conceptualize everything in your head, and then you meticulously carry it out by hand.

One can’t even begin to estimate how much time and effort that takes.

If other members lend a hand, I could endure it.

Laughter and chatter would wash away the growing melancholy from being busy.

“Ha… What on earth have I done?”

But here… there was a student who was grappling with that melancholy and solitude while preparing.

Despite being the top of the Alchemy Department, his withdrawn demeanor led to no social interactions.

Had he not been the top, he would have long since been left behind.

“No one is coming…”

Baimon Dreadnote sat atop a box, lamenting.

It was particularly unfortunate that among the Alchemy Department, he excelled at Golem creation, which led the academy to request one thing from him.

The plan was to open the Golem Plaza and present awe to the spectators.

Naturally, it came with the promise of excellent performance, leading him to agree and secure time for preparation while embarking on external duties.

Thus, the Golem Plaza was completed… but there was no one around.

`Why is that?`

His parents had passed away when he was young, and the remaining family had abandoned him, seizing his inheritance.

His only companions were the golems.

Realizing his golem-creating ability in childhood, he made friends to substitute for human companionship.

Yet in the public eye, they praised him for that power, claiming he was a descendant of a great alchemist.

Ancestors? Who cares about that. He didn’t have the will to remember their names.

He just wanted to live quietly and comfortably.

But he had no intention of playing the fool.

Those relatives who had abandoned him wanted to come back when they noticed his golem talent.

Naturally, he refused and decided to enroll in Aligieri.

Even if he was emotionally drained, he could instinctively sense the need for some boundaries.

However, the academy seemed no different.

This place, where one could never truly coexist with “humans,” was devoid of the unknown.

As long as no one bothered him, that was enough.

He simply aimed to build academic credentials, achieve excellent results, earn scholarships, and create a kingdom of golems to live peacefully.

That single goal was what had led Baimon to confine himself in the corner to learn.

Even so, he felt glad to have come to Aligieri. He learned a lot, enabling him to create even better golems.

The only friends he could find were the golems.

He wished to spread the greatness of these companions far and wide.

But…

“Is it just me who can’t succeed?”

While other events were filled with enthusiasm, his corner remained ice-cold.

Except for the clattering of the golems and the occasional caw of a crow, it was eerily quiet.

It seemed he truly couldn’t mingle with the world.

Just as he resolved to believe that, someone appeared to break the silence.

“Uh? Where is this place?”

A girl appeared at the entrance of the Golem Plaza.

An inhabitant of Aligieri Town? Or perhaps a tourist?

“I have no idea how to get back.”

From her words, she seemed likely to be the latter.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have expressed herself in such a lost manner.

At that moment, the girl spotted Baimon and approached him.

“Hey! Big brother! Where is this?”

Even though the other party was a child, it felt incredibly strange.

What should I say when caught in a situation like this…

“Looks like those weird iron figures are everywhere.”

The child remarked while looking at the metal golems.

Could she be confusing the golems with something odd?

This dim place, with no one around, might indeed look bizarre.

Only then did Baimon summon the courage to speak.

“It’s the Golem Plaza.”

“Is this a venue for an event too?”

“Yes. But for some reason, it has zero popularity.”

“….”

The girl silently stared at him in shock for a while.

Another silence engulfed the plaza, and Baimon felt a mix of doubt and hope.

Then the girl said.

“It’s amazing!”

“What?”

“Of course, it’s the Magical Banquet. I never expected to find such glamor in a remote location!”

Suddenly, his heartstrings began to resonate.

Others had praised the golems too. People from the academy or other alchemists frequently held them in high esteem.

As “achievements.”

“Did you make all of these?”

“Um… yes.”

“They’re super cool!”

Yet another round of compliments came, but… Baimon shook his head and replied.

“But it’s nothing. These golems I made now don’t have any ‘performance’ aside from showcasing.”

“What’s so unremarkable about that? Just having it is incredible.”

“….”

Once more, the feelings of inadequacy surged through him.

This was the first time someone praised the golems simply for being golems, not as “achievements.”

“Really… you think so?”

“Of course! Can I play here all night?”

What on earth is this feeling?

The coldness that always enveloped him suddenly felt like a passionate thrumming.

Though nothing physically exhausting had happened, his heartbeat raced.

For a fleeting moment, it felt as if he had been electrocuted by shock magic.

Ultimately, his face reddened as Baimon asked the child.

“Hey, what’s your name…?”

How often had he asked someone that?

The emotion towards the child, who made it happen, could be summed up in one phrase.

“I’m Amy Crawler.”

The child then responded with a very kind expression.

It was love at first sight.

Surviving as an Academy Scammer.