The secluded balcony in the corner of the lavish banquet hall.
Two young ladies were talking in secret.
"Are you sure this is all right? We're dealing with the Grand Duke of Kardenos..."
"Are you thinking of backing out now?"
One young lady anxiously fiddled with her fan, while the other clenched her lips and glared.
A few days ago, the eldest Young Master of the Rosenthal family had hired them.
-Do whatever it takes to humiliate Kardenos at this Founding Day Festival. If you make them the laughingstock of high society, Rosenthal will become your steadfast backer.
With the magic-renowned Rosenthal family backing them, their future at the Magic Tower would be as good as assured.
For two young ladies walking the Magic Path, this offer was an irresistible poisoned apple.
"But if we provoke Young Master Astin..."
"Even Rosenthal would have trouble dealing with that violent lunatic. Have you forgotten? He told us to humiliate Kardenos, not Astin."
"So we're targeting the bastard?"
"Yes. Was her name Celine? She'll do."
She was a bastard to begin with. If they spun things the right way, they could at least tarnish Kardenos's reputation.
"But he seems to care about her, even though she's a bastard. What if Astin beats us up? Like he did Young Lady Azelin..."
"Then all the better for us. His reputation's the only thing that'll suffer, right?"
"...Oh! That's true. We should provoke him even more, shouldn't we?"
Young Master Astin had even laid hands on Rosenthal's precious darling.
It was obvious what he'd do if his anger boiled over.
If he struck a young lady at the Founding Day Festival, his reputation would hit rock bottom.
It was a crude thing for a young lady to say, but they could use their bodies to take the blow.
Their only concern should have been Kardenos's retaliation.
But Rosenthal had said they'd smooth things over, so there was hardly anything to worry about.
"Then how should we humiliate that bastard?"
"I've already thought of something. First, we'll walk past that bastard..."
***
My sleeve was stretched taut.
Lucia, crouching beneath the table, was tugging on it.
"You don't have to go. Stay here."
She'd suddenly popped up like a cat and grabbed hold of me.
It took me five seconds to snap out of my daze.
"It's not that I don't have to go. I need to get out of here fast. I don't think anything good will happen if I stay."
"If you leave, nothing good will happen to me. You're tall enough to block them all by yourself. Please, save me."
Save her from what? She wasn't being chased by a hunter.
"I thought you didn't even want to be near me."
"Me?"
"You seemed like you didn't want to breathe the same air as me."
"When? I never said that."
"Do I need to say it out loud? It's obvious."
Lucia, who'd been looking up at me, lowered her gaze.
She pouted and tapped the floor with her heel.
"I wasn't like that..."
"I know. I'm very perceptive, after all."
"Fine. Whatever."
"Yes. Have a happy Founding Day Festival."
I bowed and turned away. I was about to leave when my sleeve was tugged taut again.
Why was she so desperate to keep me here?
I knew she was using me as a shield to avoid those four men. But why did it have to be me?
She'd been glaring at me like I was her sworn enemy just moments ago.
She was supposed to hate even breathing the same air as me.
"Did you hear something from Sir Julian?"
"......."
As expected, I'd hit the mark.
"What did you hear that made your attitude change so much?"
Lucia hesitated, then managed to open her mouth.
"I'm sorry for misunderstanding you. I was wrong about you, Young Master."
"That's unexpected. I didn't think you'd apologize so quickly."
"To be honest, I'd suspected something was going on between Azelin and Sir Julian for a while."
"It seemed suspicious for a mere senior-junior relationship."
"...Yes."
"Let me ask you something. What does Azelin say about the Duel? About what led to it?"
I had plenty of questions about what Azelin had been going around telling people.
More precisely, I wanted to know just how awful she was.
"She said you were the one who caused it. That was the only way she could escape your oppression..."
"So she made me out to be an outright villain."
Lucia gave a small nod. A dark shadow crossed her face.
I liked that she wasn't blindly defending her friend.
"I can guess the rest. She dressed up her improper relationship with Julian as a tragic romance, a way of fighting back against your oppression."
"That's right."
"You're not going to object because I insulted your friend?"
"How could I? Sir Julian told me the whole story. It's wrong to take your friend's side just because they're your friend."
I didn't bother asking how Julian had explained it. It was probably similar to what he'd told me.
"I actually thought you'd get angry, Young Master."
"Me?"
"Azelin said awful things about you behind your back. Anyone would be angry to learn their fiancée had done that."
"What good would getting angry do? I'd only lose my hair."
"...You're nothing like the rumors."
Lucia's expression said, 'You're not what I expected.'
"I didn't just believe Azelin's words. I judged you on my own because of the rumors, too."
In other words, Azelin's tearful act had combined with my abysmal reputation to sway her.
"Now that I've seen you, I guess rumors really can't be trusted. I keep telling myself not to judge people based on rumors, but I always end up forgetting."
I deeply agreed with her.
You shouldn't judge people based on rumors.
Everyone knew that, but when the time came, it was easy to be swayed by them.
I was no exception.
"The fact that you admit it and apologize makes me think you're a decent person, Young Lady."
"Oh, that's only natural."
Her ruby-like eyes shone clearly.
She'd acknowledged her prejudice and corrected it. She really was as upright as the protagonist.
"Most people can't do that. I couldn't, either."
"You too, Young Master?"
"I was worse than you."
"Then I'll say the same to you. The fact that you admit it and reflect on it makes you a good person, Young Master."
No way. I rolled the short sentence around in my mind.
Now that I thought about it...
The protagonist of that Romance Fantasy had played around with men and shirked responsibility.
I'd judged Lucia that way based on nothing but rumors.
That was the only way I could pin all the blame for the world's destruction on her.
The Romance Fantasy I'd read had actually been a fantasy novel wearing a Romance Fantasy's skin.
The long-held regret brought a bitter smile to my face.
Just as I looked up at the sky to shake off that feeling...
Creak—
I suddenly heard a door open behind me.
I quickly stepped away from Lucia. She flinched.
"Ah..."
She reached out, but only grabbed at empty air.
I was sorry, but there was no choice. If I kept hiding her, I'd only invite misunderstandings.
Actually, I wasn't sorry at all.
"There you are, Brother."
"Hm?"
Celine approached, smiling brightly.
Was it you?
"I got scared for nothing."
"...What do you mean?"
"Nothing."
Celine stopped in her tracks.
The moment she noticed what was beneath me, she clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Gasp! That pretty lady?"
Lucia let out a sigh of relief and patted her chest.
It was a relief that she wasn't one of the four, but this wasn't the time to relax.
"What were you two doing...?"
Celine's gaze shifted meaningfully between us.
I didn't see any need to explain. I figured Lucia would take care of it herself.
As I looked at her expectantly, Lucia stared right back at me. Was this some kind of staring contest?
"Young Lady Lucia."
"Yes?"
"Aren't you going to explain yourself to my little sister?"
"Your little sister? Wow, she's so cute. She doesn't look anything like you, Young Master."
"...That's because she's a bastard. Unlike me, she's got plenty of cute qualities."
Celine scratched her cheek, embarrassed.
The meaningful look she'd been giving us, suspicious of our relationship, disappeared.
She was remarkably quick on the uptake.
It was impressive that she could read the dry atmosphere between a handsome young man and woman alone together on a terrace.
Tap, tap!
Another presence joined us.
It was none other than one of the four men: Damian, the Deputy Tower Master of the Sirius Magic Tower.
I quickly turned around so he wouldn't see my face.
"I knew you'd be hiding here, Lucia! Hm? But who's that... a man?"
Footsteps approached.
I hoped he'd just walk by, but he suddenly leaned in and peered at my face.
"Good heavens! Young Master Astin?!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Damian."
"What are you doing here, Young Master Astin?!"
It sounded more like a shout than a question.
He looked back and forth between Lucia and me, then went berserk.
Damn it. This was why I'd tried to leave.
"How dare a good-for-nothing from Kardenos! Why are you standing beside Miss Lucia?!"
"That's quite a way to speak to someone you've just met. I'm not here because I want to be—"
"Shut up, Astin!"
"You asked me a question, then told me to shut up. Which am I supposed to do?"
"You shameless brute! A man who beats women! Get out of here at once!"
Damian's eyes blazed. The mana around him surged, making the air prickle.
The fact that he'd raised his killing intent without even asking what happened showed just how obsessed he was with Lucia.
I'd promised Father I wouldn't cause trouble, but—whatever.
I wasn't about to back down, either.
"Shameless, my ass. You're a fool who abandoned his duties and falls all over a woman."
"...Ha! You really are insane! I came here solely to escort Lucia!"
"You're as obvious as a horny stray dog."
"You bastard!"
"It's amazing an idiot like you became Deputy Tower Master. Don't you agree, Young Lady Lucia?"
"Um... I suppose so...?"
Damian's facial muscles twitched.
Thump!
He came right up to me and pressed his fingertip against my shoulder. It didn't hurt, but it felt unpleasant.
"Stop dodging the question and answer me. Why are you alone with Miss Lucia? If you threatened her and forced her to stay, I'll turn you to ashes."
"Alone? Did you leave your eyes at home to make soup? Can't you see there are three of us?"
"Are you trying to play word games with me?!"
Without thinking, I pointed at Celine with my index finger. Damian's murderous gaze followed my fingertip.
Celine's shoulders shrank under his stare.
Worried the hostility might spill over onto her, I clenched my fist.
If things went south, I'd punch him in the jaw and knock him out.
A mage was only a mage at a distance. At this range, I had the advantage.
"......?"
I wondered what had happened. Damian had frozen like a statue.
Since he'd frozen while looking at Celine, he must have glimpsed her potential.
A fifth-rank mage could estimate someone's potential just by looking at them.
"......Ah."
As expected, Damian approached Celine with a stunned expression.
Her potential was enough to catch the eye of even the next Tower Master.
I'd already expected as much, but an expert's confirmation was another matter.
Smack!
Suddenly, Damian covered his face with both hands.
"Aaaagh!!! This can't be happening!!!"
"Jeez, you scared me."
Damian let out an incomprehensible scream and tore at his hair.
He'd clearly sensed the gap between himself and Celine and realized what a worthless idiot he was.
"Argh! N-no... I have... Aaaagh!!!"
Thud!
At last, Damian's knees hit the floor.
His head hung low, and his eyes were closed.
Had the shock been too much for him, knocking him unconscious?
The three of us stared at Damian as if he were a lunatic.
Lucia and Celine looked concerned, but neither dared approach him.
They'd instinctively realized they shouldn't get involved with a lunatic.
Flash!
Damian's eyes snapped open.
"Ah. The beauty within is so fleeting..."
After uttering something incomprehensible, he lifted his head toward Celine.
"Oh, beautiful young lady whose name I don't know. If there is a goddess of love and beauty, she must be just like you. I beg you, tell me your name. Please whisper it with those sweet lips."
"......Yes?"
That son of a bitch?