Entering the Game with a Cheat Physique

Duel (3)

Duel (3)

The day of Herak and Apollo’s duel.

Olympia Academy was buzzing with heated debates everywhere.

The topic of conversation, spanning both the Knight and Magic Departments, was one:

—Will Herak win, or will Apollo win!

The academy’s attention is currently focused on this question of who will be victorious.

Apollo, who has often won against Penel since his first year, solidifying his position as top student.

Herak, who became a second-year and achieved unexpected outstanding accomplishments, creating the concept of the ‘Battle Mage.’

With news of these two dueling, all students had put forward their own predictions.

Eventually, the conversation flowed and flowed into the mouths of the third and fourth years, showing the level of attention this topic has drawn.

Some said Herak would win.

Just looking at his victory over Jackson, his growth is extraordinary, and Apollo will also be a victim of that surge, they said.

As the founder of a new magic school, who knows what secret techniques he might have hidden.

But most students predicted that Apollo would win.

After all, Apollo is the top student and has frequently won against Penel.

How could Herak, who is probably less skilled than Penel, possibly win?

That was the current prediction of most students.

The upperclassmen are trending towards the same agreement.

And, there’s a particular group that can’t possibly ignore a topic that’s drawing this much attention on campus.

“Sapphire! You ready?”

It’s the student reporters of Olympia, the so-called “Newspaper Club.”

Crimson-red twin pigtails bouncing.

Ruby rushes in, her pigtails flying wildly.

Pen in one hand, documents in the other, her energy is intense.

“Sis. Aren’t you being a bit over the top? There’s no guarantee they’ll even give us an interview.”

“No! I’ll make them do it. It’s our mission and our skill.”

The woman who called Ruby “sis.”

Sapphire Duerre sighs, picking up her pen.

She has blue twin pigtails, but her body is noticeably larger than Ruby’s.

You could easily mistake who’s the older and younger sibling.

“Besides, you’re going to stir up trouble again, aren’t you? Stringing together all those sensational sentences.”

“That’s the virtue of modern reporters. If you write politely, nobody reads it.”

“But….”

“Enough with the pointless talk! Come on, let’s go get that interview!”

Ruby grabs Sapphire’s hand, who only grumbles, and immediately leaves the Newspaper Club office.

They’re headed to the ‘Colosseum,’ Olympia’s designated dueling arena.

They’re going to record the voices of the many students waiting for the duel.

*

─Wow. There’s a shit ton of people here.

─I’m hyped. Don’t they sell popcorn?

The Colosseum was already bustling.

Students from all departments crowded in, a human sea.

They were waiting with various cheering tools, or buying food, and chatting.

A banner hangs on one side of the Colosseum.

[Knight Department’s Pride, Top Student Apollon, Win! Fight! Conquer!]

[Magic Department’s Rising Star, Heracles, Will Not Fall!]

“They’re really serious, huh. The people.”

“Of course. How long has it been since a duel? It’d be weird if it *wasn’t* noisy.”

She spoke her thoughts while briefly gazing at the scene.

Ruby and Sapphire quickly walked to their destination.

“So, Berry, what Herak said was…”

“Ugh. I get it, Penel.”

Inside the colosseum, at a table set up for students to relax.

Two women could be seen, chatting.

A woman with cherry blossom colored hair and a woman with ebony hair.

Yes, the person they went to see first was Penel.

This was also something Ruby had pushed for entirely.

‘Penel *sunbae* definitely likes Herak *sunbae*.’

It was certain.

If you were a woman, there was no way you couldn’t tell the honey-dripping gaze when looking at the man you loved!

“Hello. Could we do an interview?”

“…Huh?”

Penel’s gaze turned towards them.

Ruby, smiling brightly trying to lower their guard as much as possible, and Sapphire, greeting her with an awkward expression.

Penel looked at them with a reluctant expression.

“Interview? Why?”

“Because you’re the closest to Herak *sunbae*. We really want an interview with someone like that before the duel. Is it okay?”

“…Hehehe, I see. Well, I guess it can’t be helped then.”

She initially had an unwilling expression.

Was it because they had specifically mentioned she was ‘the closest’? Penel quickly let down her guard and beamed.

Thanks to that, Berry, who was next to her, was the one who sighed instead.

“What are you curious about? I’ll answer anything.”

“Let’s start with an obvious question. Who do you think will win?”

“Isn’t it too obvious? Of course it’s Herak.”

“Ooh. As expected of Penel *sunbae*. No hesitation.”

Ruby, with a huge smile, scribbled with her pen.

Only Ruby knew what variations Penel’s words would morph into.

“So, what would you do for Herak senior if he wins?”

“Huh?! ……What would I have to do?”

“Well, as a ‘friend’, there must be a lot you could do, right? Like a gift for a friend who won a difficult fight, or something.”

“Ah. ‘Friend,’ you say. Right.”

‘Thank goodness.’

Emphasizing the word friend worked.

If I had made her conscious of a romantic vibe, she wouldn’t have answered.

Penel pondered for a moment before replying.

“Hmm… how about we hang out? Hanging out is the best between friends. Right.”

“Of course, of course.”

Ruby nodded vigorously, her pen dancing.

Sapphire, quietly watching the exchange, could barely maintain eye contact, but

Penel wouldn’t know.

“And…”

“Wait. Wait.”

Berry cuts off Ruby’s question, which was about to continue.

She intervened to prevent her naive friend from being tricked any further.

“I think that’s enough, can you leave now? We’re getting ready to go to the stands.”

“Ah, I should have asked Berry senior too. My mistake.”

“……What?”

But Ruby was also an experienced reporter.

She smoothly transitioned the flow.

Toward asking Berry.

“Berry senior, you received help from Herak senior, didn’t you. Could you tell us how you felt at that time?”

“Wha…?! Wh-Why would I?”

“Wow, wouldn’t you be curious since Herak senior is dueling because of that? Or how about this, what would you want to do for Herak senior when he returns after winning the duel—”

“G-Get out of here! You little things!”

“Ahahaha. Excuse us.”

Ruby scurried away, fleeing from Berry, whose face had quickly turned red and angry.

Sapphire bowed deeply behind her, following suit.

“Well, that’s one success under our belt.”

“Unni, are you sure this is okay…?”

“No problem. The important thing is the buzz. We just need to boost sales.”

It was a statement so world-weary, it was hard to believe she was a student journalist.

*

Their second target was the most esteemed individual in Olympia right now.

“Oh my. An interview, you say?”

“Yes. Your Highness.”

The Empire’s Princess, Helene.

A brilliant move, daring to directly request an interview with her.

Standing before someone of such a high status, who would normally be impossible to even speak to, Ruby’s heart pounded.

“Hmm~ Alright. I actually have some things I’d like to say too.”

“Thank you!”

The sisters bowed in unison.

Helene spoke leisurely from a privileged seat in a corner of the Colosseum, inaccessible to the other students.

“What are your thoughts on this duel, Your Highness? It’s the match all eyes in the school are focused on. I’m curious about your assessment.”

“Hmm~ I don’t know how helpful my opinion will be. But if I had to say something…”

Ruby’s eyes lit up.

This duel, the focus of all the students’ attention right now.

What one-liner would Princess Helene offer!

…Just how much could they increase their sales with this!

Ruby was so excited, she could hardly breathe!

“—I hope Herak doesn’t go down a bad path?”

“…Pardon?”

Ice.

Ruby’s hand froze.

Not understanding the meaning behind those words.

Helene smiled at Ruby, who had even forgotten to scribble with her pen.

“I knew Mr. Herak was popular~ Hmm, but still, doing such an adventure for another woman feels a bit uncomfortable, wouldn’t you say?”

“Ah, aha. Yes.”

“I was sure I’d marked it out… I’m a little disappointed.”

“Of course. That’s right….”

She’s agreeing, but Ruby’s heart begins to slow down to a crawl.

Where the hell did the pounding from just now go? It feels like a block of cold ice has been placed there.

‘This is scary….’

Helene is smiling, but the atmosphere is anything but.

So cold, so frigid.

The detached gaze of a ruler looking down on an underling.

‘No, I did suspect she cared about Herak-sunbae, but….’

Well, she knew that after the inter-school exchange, Helene met Herak-sunbae on her own, separately.

She knew it, but feeling it so blatantly like this is a whole different story.

‘…Did I mess up?’

Was she not someone I should dare to get an interview from?

Can I even publish this as an article…?

“Ah. This, it’s going to be published as an article, right?”

“Ah, uh, yes?”

“If it gets published, please ‘do well’, okay? You’re a student reporter, but still a reporter, right? I believe you’ll do well?”

“Ah, ha-ha. Right….”

…This is a huge problem!

There isn’t a single gap in Helene’s golden eyes.

Her face is saying that she won’t forgive me unless I write an article that suits the princess’ taste.

“W-well, I’ll be going now…”

“Oh my. Where are you going? We still have more to talk about.”

“Ha, haha. You’re right. Shall we continue….”

…Ruby, on the verge of tears, sent a distress signal to Sapphire, but.

Her heartless younger sister just shook her head.

*

And so, finally the last person.

The one who was in the duel, and who would represent the pride of the second year magic students.

Ruby and Sapphire came to find Herak Leonhardt.

“You’re here for an interview? Well, I don’t really care…”

“……Ugh.”

“……Why’s she acting like that?”

But Ruby was already down for the count.

The price for attempting an interview that wouldn’t upset Princess Helene—a feat even the Empire’s most famous reporters wouldn’t dare—was this.

She was face-down on the table in the pre-duel waiting room, letting out a groan.

“Ugh… I didn’t say anything, Your Highness….”

“I’m sorry. My sister got a bit of a harsh scolding. I’ll do it instead.”

“Whatever.”

In the end, it was Sapphire who stepped up to take her pathetic sister’s place.

She pulled out a pen and document from her belongings and calmly collected herself.

She lacked the experience of Ruby, but she was also a member of the newspaper club in her own right.

She was confident she could handle an interview, even with a noteworthy person like Herac…!

“Um… first, the reason for this duel. What are your thoughts on that?”

“That’s a vague question. Be more specific.”

“Erm, well… Do you regret helping Senior Berry, the thing that brought about this duel?”

She asked if he regretted getting into a duel just to help another student.

In response to Sapphire’s question, Herac answered without a change in expression.

“Not really?”

“……Really?”

“It wasn’t like I acted without knowing what could happen. And even if things went wrong, I wouldn’t regret it.”

“……I see.”

*Scratch, scratch.*

Line by line, she carefully wrote down the sentences.

Though it lacked the sensationalism of her sister’s style, it was filled with genuine content.

Sapphire Duer’s assessment of Herac.

“Then, if you win, what will you do?”

“Hm?”

“There are rewards that come with a duel, especially for a duel of honor. What will you offer as the price?”

“A price, huh.”

He rested his chin on his hand, as if he hadn’t considered that.

Hmm─ Heraq pondered for a moment.

Then, he chuckled and answered.

“Well, at least they wouldn’t offer any compensation *for me*, right?”

“……Then?”

“If it were compensation for Penel, or Berry… maybe.

“……”

The expression on Heraq’s face as he spoke was completely serene.

A calm face without a hint of doubt, not a moment of hesitation.

It was only then that Sapphire felt she truly understood the value of her senior, Heraq.

‘…Amazing.’

Could there be anyone else like him?

Someone who fought for others, not himself.

A person truly like a hero.

“Thank you. I think I’ll get a good article.”

“Is that enough?”

“Yes. Oh, do you perhaps have anything else you’d like to say?”

“If I were to press the matter, yes. For example─”

Sapphire focused on Heraq’s lips.

But what came next was beyond her expectations.

“─Trampling Apollo would feel pretty thrilling, I’d say?

“……Excuse me?”

“Ah, you don’t have to put it in the article if it doesn’t fit. It’s just a side note.”

Heraq said this with a shrug.

Sapphire wore a stunned expression for a moment, then broke into a soft smile.

‘…Maybe he’s more human than I thought.’

Seeing this side of him didn’t make him feel so distant.

That felt like its own kind of charm.

“Okay. Then I’ll wrap up the interview here.”

“Alright?”

She smiled brightly, setting down her pen.

The sentences Sapphire had written wouldn’t see the light of day just yet.

But eventually, once they were in the papers and known by the students, they would surely cause a massive stir.

“Well then, shall we be off?”

The interview concluded.

Herak rose from his seat.

Goo-oo-oo…

A powerful heat could be felt beyond the door.

The attention and cheers of countless students gathered at the Colosseum.

The flow of air seemed to ask if he was ready to stand before the judgment seat in front of all those students.

Herak answered calmly,

“Of course.”