Chapter 701
Tinkle, tinkle–
Simon and Loraine stepped into the campus cafe. The bell hanging on the door jingled as though in welcome.
Since it was a cafe near the main gate, there were a lot of first-years. They had their textbooks and notebooks spread out, chatting noisily as if preparing for finals.
“Kyaa, give it back!”
“Wahaha!”
“Customers! I’ve told you several times, curses are prohibited inside the store…!”
The first-years were still brimming with liveliness and mischief. Watching the noisy underclassmen with fondness, Simon and Loraine soon headed toward the counter.
“Oh my, Lady Loraine! You’re here.”
The cafe owner, wearing an apron, ran out in a fluster to welcome her. She returned the greeting with a smiling glance.
It seemed the two of them had known each other for quite a while. Naturally, the cafe owner’s eyes shifted toward Simon.
“Oh, could this be your boyfriend?”
She laughed lightly.
“He’s our school’s Student Council President. Don’t you know him?”
“Oh? Ah, ah! Right, right! I’ve seen that face at the Dark Emperor! My apologies. I’ve been so buried in work I hardly know what’s happening in school…!”
“Simon Follentia.”
Simon also greeted with a smile. Loraine spoke again.
“About the spot I asked for last time, is it available?”
“Of course, of course. Please head up! And what would you like to drink…?”
Simon ordered an iced coffee, she ordered some complicated strawberry something. Since they had to climb a lot of stairs, they waited until the drinks were ready. And soon, Simon could feel gazes slowly gathering.
“Isn’t that Student Council President Simon and Senior Loraine?”
“Whoa, what a combo! To see them together in one place.”
“What do such big shots even talk about when they meet?”
Eyes filled with admiration could be felt from every direction.
Then one of the first-years muttered.
“But I heard President Simon is stepping down?”
“Your voice is too loud!”
Hearing the juniors’ whispers, Simon gave a bitter smile.
‘Not yet, at least.’
It seemed he had gotten used to the position of Student Council President.
It would be a lie to say he felt no regret, but he also had no intention of clinging to it. He only planned to give his all in the duel after finals.
Carrying their drinks, the two climbed up to the fourth floor.
The rooftop on the fourth floor was a terrace, and it was empty.
“Nice, isn’t it?”
“Mm. It’s quiet.”
According to Loraine, sometimes faculty or staff used it for meetings. For students, borrowing such a spot was nearly impossible, but for the next Keyzen Chancellor, nothing was impossible.
They sat down, gazing at the Keyzen campus under the setting sun. The scenery was like a painting.
Sss.
Then, sipping her strawberry drink, Loraine pulled Simon’s hand. He flinched and blushed.
“L-Loraine?”
“……”
She was staring seriously at the bandage wrapped around his hand.
“You didn’t really get into a fight, right?”
It must have bothered her.
Simon revealed that it was from “supplementary class”, fumbling as if making excuses.
“I’m not the type to go around picking fights.”
“Didn’t you duel Hector at the end of first year?”
“Ah, that was… special circumstances…”
She chuckled, then let go of his hand.
“Alright, alright. Then, shall we get to the main topic?”
What she wanted to hear about were the events in northern Carlos. Knowing Simon’s identity as the Legion Commander, she was curious what had taken place there.
Simon spoke without embellishment.
Meeting the Grand Duke, departing with the northern army, rescuing Xairos and enthroning him as the new North Star.
“I see. So after Deathland, Frost Field has joined the 7th Legion.”
She nodded slowly, put down her strawberry shake, and smiled warmly.
“Congratulations, Simon.”
“Thanks.”
She stirred her drink with a straw for a while before speaking.
“Simon, you’ve truly become someone the Alliance can’t do without.”
“Hm?”
“You’re one by one bringing troublesome lands under rule, the very ones that are headaches for the Dark Alliance.”
Was that how it was?
Hearing her say it left Simon with a strange feeling. He had only done what needed to be done.
“To be honest, I thought it was rash of my mother to reveal the existence of the 7th Legion to the public.”
Loraine raised her eyes to the sky.
“Was there really a need to dredge up what had sunk beneath the surface, just to stir up the continent? Wouldn’t it just give Simon more to worry about, more stress? But in the end, it was something that had to be faced someday. And now, little by little, the atmosphere across the continent is changing, improving.”
She smiled kindly.
“If you ever need my help, tell me anytime.”
Simon felt a lump rise in his chest, and he nodded.
“Thank you, Loraine.”
That short conversation with her gave him genuine strength.
Setting heavy topics aside, they chatted about campus life. Simon burst into laughter when she told him how, during Summon Materials Science, Eshu had blown up some lab equipment and was forced to stand with her hands up for two hours straight.
Naturally, the talk drifted toward the student council presidency.
“So the duel was postponed until after finals.”
Loraine frowned slightly, resting her chin on her hand.
She clearly disapproved of the idea of dueling for the presidency, but since it was the previous president’s directive, she said no more.
“Wait, come to think of it.”
“?”
She glanced again at the wound on Simon’s body.
“You said that was from supplementary class?”
“That’s right.”
“Mm, I thought so. Looks like the professors are training you a bit harshly?”
She smiled knowingly. Simon abruptly stood up.
“Do you have some suspicion about it?”
“I didn’t hear directly, only rumors.”
According to Loraine, in the recent faculty meeting, the second-year and third-year professors had some friction.
The student council presidency was originally the students’ prerogative. Professors had no authority to interfere, at most they could voice their concerns.
But then–
—A duel? No, no, Student Simon should simply step down gracefully. The position of president symbolizes the strongest in Keyzen. Now that a second-year is president, he has to explain himself every time he meets someone, it’s a nuisance.
—Exactly. Exactly. A boy who couldn’t even withstand a single exchange with Aizel, serving as president? Laughable.
As soon as one professor said that, Jane and some other second-year professors snapped in protest.
Even Simon’s strength had become a topic of debate.
‘…Professors.’
Simon smiled bitterly.
Even as adults, even with age, people still thought the same way.
“For even Professor Jane, who’s always so composed, to get angry… that says it all.”
Loraine fiddled with her glass.
“Maybe that’s why they’re giving you all kinds of training.”
Simon nodded.
The professors’ clash of pride had spilled over into him.
It seemed he was going to be tormented for quite a while.
* * *
Since the terrace had another reservation, the two left the cafe and walked together toward the Summonology dormitory.
The road to the dormitory itself was in a secluded area, so they could walk at leisure. Simon was sharing some light anecdotes from the north when—
Fwoooooooosh–!
A fierce gust of wind swept past. Fallen leaves nearby spun round and round.
“Simon.”
Loraine’s expression grew tense, while Simon calmly looked straight ahead.
Soon the wind died down, and the sound of footsteps echoed, tap–.
A gray cardigan, draped over his uniform, fluttered as it settled.
Keyzen’s strongest, Aizel Bringer.
“It’s been two days.”
With neat attire, sharp eyes and jawline, he raised his glasses with the perfect image of an elite. No one else was around, it seemed he had come alone.
“I’d like you to come with me for a mo—”
“What business do you have with Simon, senior?”
Loraine stepped forward instead.
Her ruby-like eyes shone with wariness.
“I heard the duel was postponed until after finals. At such a sensitive time, isn’t there no reason to approach Simon?”
Aizel stared at her with a blank expression.
“I didn’t ask you.”
Keyzen’s strongest, Aizel Bringer, and Neftis’ daughter, Loraine Arkbold.
A clash of tension between the two. To anyone watching, it would have felt like the stillness before a storm.
‘But.’
Knowing Aizel’s true self, Simon noticed odd details.
Outwardly, Aizel overflowed with charisma, but a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, and the tips of his legs trembled ever so slightly.
This man—
‘He’s trembling!’
Never mind skill, his timid personality seemed to shrink before Loraine’s sheer presence.
And yet, no one had ever noticed this clumsy disguise until now.
“It’s fine, Loraine!”
Simon quickly stepped forward with a smile.
“It’s not that, we were just going to talk about the student council budget! A few things have changed since the beginning.”
“……Really?”
Her eyes were still sharp with suspicion, but soon she closed them.
“Alright.”
Then, pulling a small communication crystal from subspace, she firmly pressed it into Simon’s hand.
“If anything happens, contact me right away, understood?”
“Yeah.”
Even as she left, she kept her eyes on Aizel, and only with great reluctance gave a slight nod to show courtesy to a senior before vanishing into the Forbidden Forest.
“……”
Aizel moved.
“Come.”
“Yes.”
The two walked in silence through the woods for a while.
Only when they reached a place utterly deserted—
“……That was scary.”
The words slipped from the lips of the imposing Aizel.
“So she’s Neftis’ daughter. First time I saw her, and her presence was overwhelming, I nearly froze.”
“Haha.”
With his secret already exposed to Simon, he had no reason to hide. His trousers sagged, and his height shrank by several centimeters.
The hair once styled elegantly to expose his forehead now drooped limply. No matter how many times Simon saw it, the sight never felt natural.
“Anyway, about our duel, have you thought about how to handle it?”
At his question, Simon scratched his head.
“There’s no way to avoid the duel itself, so how about just fighting fair and square?”
“No good. If we do that, I’ll definitely take the president’s seat.”
As expected, this man never even considered losing.
“I’ve been thinking during class. How about this?”
He raised his index finger.
“The ‘Aizel Bringer’ I’m portraying actually has an image of generosity, someone who recognizes others and shows mercy.”
“Yes, yes.”
“So what if, during the duel, we make it look like you and I fight as equals? Of course, in the end I’ll win, but then I’ll say something like this—”
Aizel put his glasses back on, returning to his solemn tone.
“For a second-year to match me equally in combat, he is surely not lacking for the student council presidency.”
Then he took the glasses off again.
“That’s what I’ll say. How about it?”
“Urgh.”
Simon gave a bitter smile.
“So you’re suggesting we rig the duel, right?”
“No, no! It’s completely different from rigging! We’ll just coordinate a little, make it look convincing to the others.”
Simon looked uneasy, while Aizel smiled and extended his hand.
“I get what you’re thinking. Then before finals, want to have a quick friendly match? Of course, the outcome won’t count.”
Simon’s eyes widened.
“Is that alright?”
“Take my hand.”
The moment Simon grasped Aizel’s hand—
Fwoooooong–!
Their bodies shot into the sky. It felt like riding a teleportation circle. The scenery around them blurred and sped away.
“Wh-where are we going?”
Simon shouted, clutching his hair whipping in the wind.
Aizel also shouted back.
“To a place no one else would ever come!”
“Does Roke Island have such a place?”
“Almost none. But—”
Simon’s eyes went wide. Before he realized it, they had left Roke Island, and the sea stretched out beneath their feet.
“You can just make one.”
Aizel grinned and gestured.
Ssshhhhhhhhh—!
Simon couldn’t believe his eyes.
The sea was splitting apart.
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