The Manipulated Duel

Thump-thump-thump-thump.

Zane walked to the restaurant with a blank expression on his face, as if lost in thought.

'Pendragon, Pendragon... I think I've heard that somewhere.'

It seemed that it was one of the countless families that were half or completely wiped out in the past.

But Zane soon decided to put his complicated thoughts aside.

'I don't know why Max hates Zane, but it's actually a good thing he's the one on the other end.'

Zane recognized Max at first sight.

'That guy is a bad guy.'

A villain so evil that you could see the dark malice oozing out of him. It was a level of malevolence that was hard to find at that age.

'... A duel with Max Pendragon.'

Considering Zane Cromwell standing up to this point, it was quite strange for him to beat Max in a duel class.

Sudden growth, skills that could beat the powerhouses of the school. There would be more and more people like Emma who cared about him. That was a specification.

But that didn't mean Zane could just give in to the harm done by that little brat who didn't even smell like milk.

'… Then there is only one way.'

Zane nodded, thinking of a good answer.

'Wouldn't it be better to kill him before the fight?'

***

Professor Feiyang, who was in charge of the Dalian class, slammed the desk hard.

Bang!

The nameplate on the desk rattled loudly.

"… Are you telling me to manipulate the match schedule right now!?"

The sparring competition was one of the biggest evaluations within the Holy Academy.

The enemies you meet in society are unpredictable. You may encounter enemies far superior to you, or you may encounter opponents who are weaker than you. Sparring matches were a valuable opportunity to practice how to respond in such situations.

Therefore, the fairness of the bracket was of the utmost importance and had been handled with extreme care.

But the boy in front of him was trying to make all of those traditions and meanings fade away.

Max Pendragon.

He was the successor to the prestigious Pendragon family, which had produced outstanding inspectors in every generation.

He was said to be a model student who lived up to the expectations of the school and was famous in all grades.

"… Even though you are a professor, you are slow to understand."

Max stood before Professor Feiyang with an expression completely different from his usual humble demeanor.

Max placed his finger on the desk where Professor Feiyang was sitting.

"How many times do I have to tell you this? In this duel, I will be pitting myself against a first-year Silver Owl class student, Zane Cromwell. Is this difficult? Should I speak a little more slowly so that you can understand?"

Professor Feiyang felt dizzy at Max's confident attitude.

"… Do you think what you are doing is fair?"

But Max just chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"I think it's more unfair that a professor who is just a 'commoner' has the power to decide my bracket."

"What!?"

Max motioned with his hand to Professor Feiyang, who was trying to get up, as if to calm him down.

"Why are you so angry? Just close your eyes and write Max Pendragon vs. Zane Cromwell. You're a commoner who has done all sorts of dirty things to become a professor. This isn't some kind of big deal, is it? Yes?"

Feuille Drew.

A dragon born in a stream.

He was the only professor of commoner origin at the Holy Academy, who rose to this position solely through his own abilities.

But...

"Or should I just fire you from your professorship right now? The Pendragon family donates so much money to this school every year. Do you think they can't even do that much?"

"…"

The power of the prestigious family, which had been passed down since before the time of the vacuum, was too much for a common professor with no support to handle.

Max tapped Professor Feiyang on the shoulder.

"Our professor, you need to prepare for your old age. You also need to think about your family. Oh, right! Your wife's family probably lived in our Pendragon territory, right?"

Professor Feiyang couldn't control his trembling body.

The uprightness he had maintained throughout his life was sharpened like a blade. He bit his lower lip until it bled, but there was nowhere for his anger to be directed.

"…"

Because the nightmare reality that would unfold if this offer was rejected was all too clear.

***

Max's steps as he walked down the dormitory hallway seemed not just brisk but frivolous.

'Anyway, you little punk. Why bother whining when you're just going to follow me anyway? You're just wasting your time.'

Although he grumbled inwardly, a smile appeared on Max's face.

He was on his way back after confirming that Professor Feiyang had sent the rewritten match schedule to the school principal.

'You've been the same ever since you started bragging about being a professor. Even though you're from a humble background.'

From the moment a human is born, their social status is determined. No matter how much commoners fly and crawl, they are nothing but insignificant creatures before the power of the great Pendragon family.

That's why Max thought life was easy since he was young.

Just by saying the name of Pendragon, bread and wine would come out even if you just sat still.

The nobles are those who are born from above and die from above.

The power that the concept of status brings is absolute and at the same time sacred.

… But sometimes there are those who break the rules of this world.

'The pitch-black fangs, those useless bastards.'

Pitch-black fang.

The person who created that bad circle was actually Max himself.

How to harass and drive away guys you don't like without getting your hands dirty. That was done using the family's money to manipulate people.

You could manipulate any idiot from a mediocre family as long as you had money.

Except for one person.

'… Emma.'

Max pursed his lips as he thought of Emma's graceful face.

An arrogant girl who, despite being of commoner origin, tries to stand above the heirs of the family.

There were plenty of commoners who thought they were great and then fell behind, but Emma was special in some way.

"… That kind of girl needs to be properly educated so she can save her reputation as a noble."

Max twisted the corners of his mouth into a crooked expression again.

'Emma. Make her mine, play with her until I'm sick of her, and then throw her away like trash.'

This recent match was a stepping stone for that.

'... Zane Cromwell, that guy. How can I embarrass him?'

If Emma were to brutally trample on Zane, who had been acting up a lot lately, Emma would be quite shocked. There was even a possibility that she would take a more submissive attitude to protect him.

"Of course, I'll have to give him a few permanent disabilities."

Max smiled darkly.

Zane Cromwell.

He was a guy so poor in both personality and ability that it was hard to believe he came from a prestigious family. He was literally a disgrace to the nobility.

Max couldn't accept that such a person existed in this world.

Killing him would be a problem, but making him into a cripple could be roughly dealt with.

Max opened the door to the dormitory, imagining Zane lying naked on the floor, crying.

Squeak!

The sound of the dormitory door opening so gracefully, so softly, like his own life.

But beyond that…

"…?"

An unfamiliar shape of shadow appeared.

Zane Cromwell.

Why was that insolent junior student, who had already died in Max's imagination, here?

For a moment, Max checked the room sign again, wondering if he had come to the wrong dormitory.

At that time…

"… You're late."