Hereon, the student endowed with the Speed Boost skill, had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Shredica just two months into the academic year. If we were to classify him based on anime cliches, he’d fit the typical bully archetype—a rough exterior matched by a coarse personality, almost resembling a delinquent. However, ever since his defeat at Shredica’s hands, he had oddly adopted a more subdued demeanor.
I couldn’t help but notice that Hereon seemed to be developing feelings for Shredica. While I had no concrete evidence to support this theory, it was evident that his gaze frequently lingered on her. Perhaps the beatdown he received from Shredica had stirred something within him, leading him to develop an unexpected attraction to her. I couldn’t shake the suspicion that he might even have masochistic tendencies.
When I mentioned that Hereon was the one going, Shredica paused for a moment before turning to me. “Can you help me with something?”
“What do you need?” I inquired.
“In order to improve our chances of winning, I want to gather allies. I want to recruit… uh, what’s-his-name, to join our team. Actually, I’m considering adding more allies to further increase our odds of success,” she explained.
I blinked several times in confusion. “Wait, what?” I didn’t even bother to be surprised that she couldn’t recall Hereon’s name. That was just typical of Shredica. If she wasn’t interested in me, she wouldn’t bother remembering my name either. What caught me off guard, however, was her sudden request.
“I’ve already told you once, haven’t I? I don’t want to repeat myself, so clean out your ears and listen carefully,” Shredica retorted sharply.
“I heard you,” I replied. “I’m just taken aback by your request. I thought I might have misheard.”
“You heard me correctly, Mr. Leon,” she affirmed. “I’m determined to win, no matter what. I refuse to withdraw from this school.”
If that were truly the case, she shouldn’t have agreed to the bet in the first place. And she certainly shouldn’t have put my own withdrawal on the line as well. Frankly, I still didn’t understand why Shredica aspired to become a magic knight. I couldn’t discern if it was her genuine desire or not. What puzzled me even more was how a woman who displayed no emotions on her face could harbor such a goal. I suspected there was more to her motives than met the eye. At this point, I had no idea what that might be, but I was determined to uncover the truth.
Despite her abrasive personality, among all the individuals I had encountered in this world, Shredica seemed to embody the essence of a protagonist. It felt as though she was destined for a special journey, one fraught with challenges that she would have to overcome from scratch to achieve her goals. It wasn’t difficult to imagine Shredica as the protagonist of her own story. And every protagonist needs a villain. It wouldn’t be a compelling story without an antagonist to challenge the hero. After all, every fairy tale requires a classic villain, and I was prepared to fill that role.
Shredica undoubtedly faced numerous obstacles along her path, and while I may not be the final adversary in her narrative, I was determined to become one of her significant challenges.
In our dynamic, I would adopt the role of the fool, pretending to be fooled by Shredica when, in reality, it was I who was orchestrating the deception. My motivation stemmed from a desire to witness how far she could progress in a world where skilllessness was frowned upon, and those with superior abilities reigned supreme.
So, I just sighed and acquiesced to her request, or rather, command. “Fine,” I conceded. “I’ll help you recruit Hereon.”
I remained skeptical about Hereon’s willingness to join our cause. However, given his infatuation with Shredica, there was a slim chance of success. It might not be high, but it wasn’t entirely impossible either.
“Let’s catch him off guard on his way back to the dorms once school hours are over.”
The term “ambush” left a disturbing taste in my mouth. Come to think of it, hadn’t she ambushed me in a similar fashion?
After enduring several hours of tedious lessons and enduring Professor Irene’s disapproving glances, I breathed a sigh of relief as the school day came to an end. Shredica waited for me outside our room and practically dragged me along to our destination.
Finally, we spotted Hereon exiting the school building, his bag slung over his shoulder as he walked with a subdued demeanor, one hand in his pocket. It was a stark contrast to his previous demeanor, where he carried himself like the king of the class. Witnessing this change was quite surprising. Could a man truly change so drastically from being punched? Well, if it was Shredica who delivered the blow that left his face bloodied, it wasn’t entirely unbelievable that he’d become subdued. It seemed that Shredica had managed to tame Hereon.
“Now’s our chance, Mr. Leon,” Shredica remarked as she observed Hereon. “Ambush him, now.”
“Me?” I questioned incredulously.
“Who else?” she replied matter-of-factly, as if it had been my duty all along.
“Fine…” I relented, stepping out of our hiding spot and positioning myself in front of Hereon, like a final boss determined to thwart his progress.
“Why the fuck are you blocking me?” he growled, his tone dripping with hostility as if I were his arch-nemesis.
“I just want to talk about something,” I replied calmly.
“Not interested,” he snapped back.
His response was cold, but not entirely unexpected. Like the administrators, Hereon harbored disdain for the skillless. He had taunted me in school for being skillless before, but now his demeanor suggested a certain level of submission. Perhaps his crush on Shredica, who was skillless, had softened his stance towards those without skill.
After he brushed past me, I quickly caught up and blocked his path again, my arms outstretched.
Hereon let out an irritated sigh. “What the fuck do you want now?”
“I need to talk to you, and you’re going to listen,” I insisted.
“What if I don’t want to listen?” he retorted.
“Then I’ll follow you until you’re ready to hear me out,” I replied firmly.
Hereon rolled his eyes. “This is fucking ridiculous,” he muttered, scratching the back of his head. Suddenly, I felt mana coalescing around him, and then he disappeared from sight, moving with the speed of the wind. Though I could still see him, I didn’t attempt to follow any further. My threat to follow him was just a bluff to get him to listen to me.
Since Hereon had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me, resorting to his skill to evade me, convincing him to join us would be an uphill battle. After letting him slip away, I approached Shredica, who shot me a glare that could cut through steel.
“Why didn’t you follow him?” she demanded.
“Because it would’ve been pointless,” I replied calmly. “Forcing someone to collaborate when they’re unwilling isn’t true collaboration. It’s coercion.”
“I don’t mind using force,” she stated bluntly. It was typical of her to resort to such tactics. “In fact, I’d gladly use it to get what I want.”
“Yeah, just like you did with me, huh?” I muttered under my breath, forcing a wry smile. “But you can’t approach collaboration that way. If our intentions don’t align, true collaboration is impossible. Do you really think Hereon will abandon his goal of winning the King’s Game just because you say so? I may put up with your antics, but I doubt Hereon will. He might be eyeing something in the King’s Game. So, I don’t think he’ll team up with you. Humans tend to be like that.”
“That’s just stupid,” she spat.
“Well, that’s the nature of humans, I suppose,” I responded. “The creator designed us as creatures of desire. If they don’t see it benefiting them, they won’t lift a finger.”
People, regardless of who they are, will do anything to fulfill their desires. Shredica would resort to anything, even unsavory tactics like blackmail, to achieve her goals. Hereon was no different. And neither was I. The poor strive to be rich, while the wealthy crave even more wealth. Commoners yearn for status, and kings hunger for more power.
That’s simply how the creator designed us. Creatures of desire.
“Anyway, I don’t think anyone will want to team up with you if you want to win. Remember, only one person can triumph in the King’s Game. It’s okay to form alliances, but in the end, there can be only one victor. If you team up, they won’t just surrender the game because you say so,” I stated firmly.
Shredica regarded me with a puzzled expression. “What do you mean? I don’t expect them to give up. I intend to win fairly and squarely. If it comes down to just us, I’ll challenge them to face me. If I lose, then we’ll both be out of school. But if I emerge victorious, then we’ll rise to the top of the class. Remember my words, Mr. Leon.”
I was taken aback by Shredica’s meticulous planning. I didn’t think she possessed the mental acumen for it. Yet, it was a shrewd strategy. Collaborating early on enhances your chances of success. Then, after vanquishing all other competitors, alliances would dissolve, and they’d engage in a final showdown until a sole champion emerged.
