“Phew…”
This is comfortable.
She used to be glued to my side, but since the incident this morning, Alice has been leaving me alone more often.
Thanks to that, I have free time, and school life has been stress-free.
I do need solo time to plan my next moves.
“Alice is starting to understand what I want… I’m glad she’s growing.”
Judging by her attitude when we are together, she’s not disappointed in me.
So I can enjoy my tea like this — at peace, alone…
It was lunch break, and I’d moved out of the classroom to the café terrace.
Set apart from the main building and near the old school building, this spot has few users.
“And no rude stares, either.”
Being called an incompetent is something I got used to at the black company I worked at in my past life.
The department head’s favorite phrase was, in fact, “incompetent.”
So when it comes to letting that kind of thing slide, my skills are sharp.
I don’t feel a thing when nameless background characters call me that.
“The actual problem is Liche. How to close the distance again…”
“——Lord Ouga!”
A cry that shattered my elegant tea time pierced my ears.
“As expected of Lord Ouga. You’d already foreseen it…!”
”…Of course. Something has happened, hasn’t it…?”
A lie. I have no idea what’s going on.
But given how panicked she looked, I decided to ride the wave.
“Liche! Those three took her to the old school building!”
”…! Tell me on the way. Lead!”
“This way!”
I followed behind Alice as she ran.
I still couldn’t see the full picture, but seeing her rush like this, Liche must be in trouble.
A deserted old school building. Three thug-types and a girl with massive breasts.
The conclusion arrived at is…
“High likelihood that they’re doing it…?”
“I share that view.”
That’s no good!
My plan to add Liche to my harem is going up in flames!
I won’t let those macho idiots have their way…!
“Well noticed, Alice.”
“No. Since the incident the other day, I have only been watching Liche according to your instructions, Lord Ouga.”
”…………?”
“Don’t miss the decisive window. I was merely obeying your words.”
”…Splendid, Alice. As expected of my sword.”
…So that’s why! That’s why Alice has been disappearing on me from time to time!
I had absolutely no such intention…!
That was just a vague holding pattern phrased to sound cool…
B-but, thanks to Alice reading deeply into it on her own, I now have a chance to close the distance with Liche all over again.
I can’t let those macho types have her.
I was the one who set my sights on her first.
Once I decide I want something, I get it by any means necessary.
Heh heh heh — what an underhanded scheme, perfectly fitting for me, who aims to be evil.
Saved from peril twice — she won’t be able to refuse my demands.
“Eek!?”
”——!!”
I clearly heard Liche scream.
In an instant, we both broke into a sprint toward the source.
“——Found you.”
“Huh!? Why are you—!?”
Through the doorway I caught the eyes of Ruark’s two hangers-on.
I kicked the door open through them while they were frozen, and stepped inside.
”…Wh-why are you here…!?”
“What are you all doing?”
“Lord Veret…!”
What jumped into my view was Liche, her ample chest exposed — and Ruark with his belt undone, mounted over her, looking shaken.
This isn’t what I expected…? The atmosphere is all wrong.
If anything, from the situation, it looks like she’s been assaulted… Could it be Liche was being bullied again?
If so, my course of action is just one.
”…Don’t worry, Liche. Now that I’m here, I won’t let them lay a single finger on you…!”
…Nailed it…
Liche’s enraptured expression as she looked at me — no question.
My affection rating with her must be skyrocketing now!
“D-don’t get the wrong idea! We were on the same page—”
”…You really think that excuse is going to work?”
“O-of course it is! This girl came on to me, so I just—”
“Th-that’s not true! He forced me…!”
“She’s saying so herself. And I have the evidence locked in.”
I gestured with my thumb toward Alice, holding a magic-camera.
“From the start, I’ve captured everything.”
“A camera!? Fuck…!”
He seemed to finally grasp that he was the one cornered.
Ruark unsteadily got to his feet.
“Why… why is I the one going through this… It’s all, all…”
…This might be bad.
I signaled to Alice with a hand gesture to grab Liche.
If my read is right —
“YOUR FAULT!!”
— he’s going to lose it and use magic.
Ruark brought his palms together and aimed them at me.
“Fire Spirit, burn my enemy to ash! [Twelve Flame Arrows]!”
Twelve fireballs shot out.
The average mage can control eight at most, so he too must have some skill.
“Lord Veret!!”
I have no magical aptitude, so I can’t cast a counter-spell.
There are too many to dodge — and the old school building would turn into a sea of fire if I tried.
So, what then.
“BWAHAHA! Just die!!”
I should erase the magic at its source.
“[Magecraft Funeral].”
I spoke the activation phrase of the technique I’d built.
In that instant, the flames struck me.
“Direct hit! What an idiot! You shouldn’t have crossed m—”
“——Hm. That was nothing.”
”…Huh?”
A stupid voice escaped Ruark.
Can’t be helped. The reaction always looks like this the first time.
Even Alice had been surprised when we first sparred.
“H-how!? How are you unharmed!? They all hit, definitely—”
“Yeah, they hit. And at the same instant they hit, I erased them.”
“H-how the hell…! Magic that erases magic doesn’t exist—”
”…Now then.”
“Hiiii!?”
Ruark let out a pathetic squeal at the lowered register of my voice.
The face that just minutes ago was overflowing with confidence — there isn’t a scrap of it now.
“Now that you know magic doesn’t work on me, you understand what’s about to happen to you, yes?”
”…!! N-not yet! Hey! You don’t care what happens to this girl—huh!? Wait, where is she!? Where did she go—!?”
Liche has already been retrieved by Alice.
“As if I’d leave a hostage on the table.”
“N-no way…”
He’s out of moves. Checkmate.
“You’re the one who started a fight with lives on the table.”
I took a step forward. Each step, he took one back.
“Naturally I’ll assume you’re prepared to be hunted.”
His face drained of color, and he shook his head wildly side to side.
“You’re so pathetic — so pitiful — that…”
“Wha—!? Eek!?”
His back hit the wall and, off-balance, he collapsed to the floor.
From the one who looked down to the one looked down upon.
I drew back a clenched fist, ready.
What scenes of his own misery were running through his mind?
“I’ll make the pain last just a moment, incompetent.”
“AAAAAAGGH!”
A high-pitched scream filled the room.
Ruark fell back, foaming at the mouth, eyes rolled white.
My fist hadn’t actually landed.
It had grazed past his nose and slammed into the wall behind him.
In other words: he’d assumed he was hit and fainted on the spot.
”…Not even worth punching.”