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Chapter 99: This Is How You Taunt Someone

Preliminary Round Infirmary.

The infirmary was bustling with activity, as the enthusiasm of the students burned fiercely.

Still, the turnover rate was incredibly fast.

This was because the professors and assistants from the holy studies departments of each academy, along with their students, were out here practicing.

Unless the students were completely unconscious, they were quickly treated and sent on their way.

I visited this infirmary, holding two lunch boxes I had asked Card to prepare.

“I’m here to pick up a friend who’s admitted.”

“Oh, alright. Could you tell me their name, please?”

A student pulled out a roster and answered briskly.

The infirmary was extremely busy.

But since this was training for them as well, the students were treating patients without complaint.

“Seron Parmia from Jerion Academy.”

“Go to room J-21.”

After giving directions, the student hurried off.

Their urgency rubbed off on me as well, making me feel a bit rushed.

I made my way to the J-21 room that the student had mentioned.

When I knocked twice on the door, there was no response.

Creak—

So, I opened the door and stepped inside.

Just because there was no answer didn’t mean I wasn’t going in.

Inside the infirmary room, there was a single bed occupied by a small girl lying down.

Although her injuries had all been treated, she seemed unable to regain her strength and was breathing faintly as she slept.

I approached her and pulled up a chair.

Then, carefully, I placed the lunch boxes beside her so they wouldn’t wake her.

“...Prince Sweet Potato.”

Was she awake already?

“You’re up. You must be hungry. I brought you lunch.”

“...You think I’d be hungry as soon as I wake up? Do you think I’m some kind of pig?”

Seron grumbled in her usual way.

But she seemed somewhat lacking in energy.

That didn’t suit Seron at all.

“I watched the preliminaries.”

Seron flinched.

Her shoulders twitched, and she looked around nervously.

“Wh-When did you see that? Weren’t you in the preliminaries too?”

“Our group finished early because I performed so well.”

“Wow, listen to this guy showing off. So annoying.”

“Let’s get it straight—this isn’t showing off. I’m just amazing.”

Seron made a face of pure disgust.

Oh?

Seeing her reaction, I brought a hand to my neck.

Then, I tugged slightly on the bandages of the veil, revealing my original face as Vikamon.

Seron froze on the spot.

I smiled faintly.

Seron’s eyes widened as if she were dazzled.

“Seron, go ahead and call me annoying again.”

“Eep! Th-That’s cheating! You’re cheating!”

Seron flailed as she pulled the blanket up to her face.

Her forehead turned bright red, and her voice softened into a demure tone.

“All those things you said—‘prince’ this, ‘sweet potato’ that—so embarrassing.”

“Why were you even listening to that?!”

Seron trembled.

Seeing her like that made me chuckle.

“Looks like appearances really are cheating.”

At that, Seron’s shoulders twitched.

She bit her lip and gripped the blanket tightly.

“...It’s not because of your looks that I like you.”

Seron slowly lowered the blanket she had been clutching.

Though her face was flushed with embarrassment, she looked straight at me.

“It’s because it’s you. Whether it’s Vikamon, Hannon, or whoever—you’re the one I like.”

Her sincere gaze sparkled.

Her words were so genuine that they embarrassed even me.

As for me, what could I say in response to Seron’s honesty?

Unfortunately, my emotions were already being dulled by the veil’s curse.

Love was slipping away from me, just like anger had.

But watching Seron made me vaguely aware—this is what it’s like to love someone.

At that moment, Seron’s face turned so red it looked like it might explode.

Even a wisp of steam seemed to rise from her forehead as she practically melted.

“Ugh, stop smiling at me like that. I can’t handle it right now!”

Seron flailed her arms weakly, covering her eyes, but still sneaking glances at me.

That’s when I realized I had been smiling unconsciously.

If I stayed in Vikamon’s form any longer, Seron might completely lose it.

I rewrapped the bandages around my face, returning to my Hannon disguise.

I stood up and lightly tapped Seron on the head.

“Seron, this is my personal decision. I’m going to get an apology from Ergo.”

“Eep.”

Seron flinched, likely recalling what Ergo had done to her.

Ergo, overcome by anger, had attacked her even after the preliminary round had ended.

Because of that, after much deliberation, he had been disqualified from the competition.

There was no way someone who broke the rules like that would be allowed to advance to the finals.

Getting revenge on Ergo should have been Seron’s role.

“But I’m not the type to let it slide when my friend is treated like that.”

If doing nothing makes me petty, then I’ll live as a petty person.

“So eat up and get your strength back. You’re at your prettiest when you’re raising hell.”

“...Is that a compliment or an insult?”

“Interpret it however you like.”

Though she pouted, her lips curled into a faint smile, likely pleased by the “pretty” remark.

She was always so predictable.

“So, what’s your plan? Are you really going to get an apology? I’m fine, you know.”

Her worried eyes turned to me.

It was touching that she cared about me so much, but she didn’t want to be a burden.

Sensing her intent to dissuade me, I grinned.

“Don’t worry. I’m just going to have a little chat with him.”

“Somehow that makes me more anxious.”

“What kind of person do you think I am? I’m a gentleman, you know.”

Seron’s face only looked more uneasy.

Why did she think of me as such a troublemaker?

I truly didn’t understand.

“I promise, I’ll just make him apologize.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

After giving her my word, I left the room.

As I exited the infirmary, I instinctively rolled my neck to loosen it.

A habit of mine before a fight.

Since Ergo had been disqualified from the preliminaries, he was due to be sent back to his homeland.

Time wasn’t on my side.

Of course, I wasn’t planning to fight recklessly.

Attacking a royal without justification could bring severe consequences.

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Besides the apology for Seron, there was something else I wanted to get from Ergo.

I had originally planned to strike a deal with him anyway.

Now, the timing couldn’t have been better.

So, I decided to challenge him in the most legitimate way possible.

I moved quickly, seeking out one particular individual.

Upon finding them, I immediately bowed my head.

“Iris, please help me just this once.”

“Huh?”

A card even higher than royalty—a member of the imperial family.

* * *

In the world’s longest-standing kingdom, the Kingdom of Sky.

A kingdom that inherited the bloodline of the great royal family, Parazon, who stood alongside the legendary hero, Wolfram.

And among them, the overwhelming heir to the throne of Parazon:

The sole prince, Ergo Parazon.

With golden hair and garments gilded to match, he now wore a deeply displeased expression.

The reason was simple.

He had been disqualified from the preliminaries for punishing a girl who dared to speak against him.

“They dare disqualify me? These outrageous fools.”

His teeth ground together in anger.

Ergo, with his towering self-esteem, believed everything he did was justified.

Coupled with his innate talent, he had a strong tendency toward tyranny.

But even so, it was undeniable that he was capable.

Though called a tyrant, he had already shown exceptional political acumen.

And so—

“Prince Ergo, the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion, has come to visit.”

There was no way Ergo would ignore a meeting with the Third Princess.

The anger in his eyes vanished as if washed away.

The Third Princess was one of the individuals closest to the imperial throne of the Hysirion Empire.

There was no reason to refuse her visit.

“Let her in.”

Ergo adjusted his attire and sat on his chair.

Squeak—

The door opened, and two people walked in.

Ergo’s eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at them.

One was the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion.

Renowned even in foreign lands for her beauty, she was a sight to behold.

Beside her was a boy who bore a resemblance to her.

With black hair and red eyes, he was a small, young boy.

“Lady Iris, is that your younger brother?”

“Yes, he’s my brother.”

Though Iris usually spoke informally, she refrained from doing so with Ergo.

As the confirmed heir to the throne, he was the future king of Parazon.

“Pleased to meet you. My name is Hannon Irey. I am Lady Iris’s cousin.”

Her cousin.

Hearing this, Ergo smiled faintly.

The fact that Iris had personally brought him here meant this was someone she cherished deeply.

Naturally, Ergo would not act discourteously.

“I see. Nice to meet you. I am Ergo Parazon.”

Ergo knew that Hannon had not inherited the name of the Dukedom of Robliage.

However, he chose not to dwell on it.

In this world, lineage wasn’t everything.

“I apologize, but my visit today concerns a personal request.”

“Oh? A request, is it? Go ahead.”

It felt awkward to hear that the request was Hannon’s rather than Iris’s.

Still, Ergo decided to listen to Hannon’s story as a gesture of goodwill.

“Prince Ergo, you possess the Sword of White Dreams, do you not?”

“I do.”

The mention of the Sword of White Dreams made Iris glance briefly at Hannon.

Ergo found this curious but chose not to ask.

“Would you consider exchanging that sword for mine?”

“The Sword of White Dreams?”

Ergo’s eyes widened slightly.

He was deeply attached to his sword.

The notion of exchanging it without any preamble was bound to irritate him.

Had it been Iris asking, perhaps he would have considered it.

But her cousin?

His tyrannical nature began to surface but was suppressed with effort.

“You don’t seem to have a sword on you.”

“Not at the moment, no.”

Hannon’s vague response caused Ergo’s irritation to rise.

But just as Ergo’s face began to sour, Hannon removed something from his neck.

What he held was a pendant.

When Hannon tapped it, a sword materialized.

It was an old, worn sword but carried an unmistakable sense of quality.

At first glance, there was nothing particularly remarkable about it.

As Ergo’s interest began to wane, Hannon spoke.

“This is the sword wielded by the ancient hero, Parazon.”

The moment those words left Hannon’s lips, Ergo’s eyes widened.

“What did you say?”

“It’s the sword of the ancient hero, Parazon.”

“That’s… what?”

Ergo’s face was a picture of confusion.

Even Iris looked surprised, her eyes widening as she stared at Hannon.

But Hannon’s expression remained unchanged.

“If you recall the portraits of the Parazon lineage, you’ll find they match. Feel free to verify its authenticity if you’d like.”

“W-Wait a moment.”

The sudden revelation caused Ergo to feel a sharp headache.

He rubbed his temples, his eyes fixating on Hannon’s sword.

He vividly recalled the paintings of the Parazon family.

He could clearly remember having grown up looking at the hero Parazon’s portraits.

‘It’s unmistakable.’

The sword matched the one depicted with Parazon.

Yet countless forgeries of Parazon’s sword had surfaced over the years.

This sword could easily be another fake.

‘But still…’

The fact that Iris had come with him lingered in his mind.

Would someone Iris vouched for dare to deceive a member of the Parazon lineage?

On the other hand—

‘The Sword of White Dreams is an excellent blade, but…’

Was it worth exchanging for Parazon’s sword?

The sword of Parazon was something the royal family had sought for generations.

Though believed long lost, its discovery would warrant emptying the royal treasury to reclaim it.

Even if the sword itself lacked special powers, its symbolic value was enough to mobilize the Parazon lineage.

To propose exchanging it for the Sword of White Dreams was perplexing.

“And there’s one more thing I’d like to request.”

Ergo’s expression shifted.

He had suspected there was more to this.

What Hannon said next, however, caught him completely off guard.

“Fake prince, would you care for a duel with the real prince?”

Hannon smiled faintly.

Let’s settle this, impostor.

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