<h4>Chapter 207</h4>


    Achievement points were always painstakingly umted, only to be spent in one go. This time, in order to begin my Mana Reinforcement training, I’d spent a chunk of points to purchase a new talent.


    However, it was impossible to predict when an unexpected event would ur, and so it was necessary to always maintain a certain level of achievement points in case of emergencies.


    To make up the shortfall, I had to gather achievement points through challenges...


    Winning the first-year tournament would earn me a bucket load of points, but at this point, it was impossible.


    Sure, Ellen, the de-facto winner, had dered that she would not be participating, but there were other candidates who were clearly stronger than me. Even without Ellen, there was still Scarlett, Vertus, and Cliffman, and they were all definitely beyond my level.


    Of course, I could ask those three not to participate in the tournament, but even if I persuaded those three not to participate, I would definitely be defeated by the Orbis ss guys.


    So, very regretfully, the challenges I could realistically aplish at this point were antics that only delinquents would bother with.


    And in addition to that...


    [(Festival) Miss Temple - 4000 points]


    [(Festival) Cross-Dressing Contest Victory - 4000 points]


    [First Kiss - 500 points]


    [Face off with the Orbis ss - 500 points]


    There were these four.


    Regrettably, there was a higher possibility of bing Miss Temple or winning the cross-dressing contest rather than Mister Temple... If I could somehow disguise myself and alter my appearance with Sarkegar’s ring, I would have a chance.


    Although I had made Reinhart’s face decent, it wasn’t that fantastic that it could be crowned the best face in the Temple.


    As for the cross-dressing contest, it might ironically have fewerpetitors, since only those who were extremely determined would participate.


    Of course, those two weren’t the only ones to consider.


    However, getting my first kiss or going head-to-head with the Orbis ss seemed equally strange.


    <i>‘A first kiss! Do they want me to throw myself at just anyone?’</i>


    These challenges seemed designed to make me look like a weirdo no matter what.


    If I were to design them, the challenges would be all based on things that were difficult to achieve, but these felt like they were created based on how bizarre the act was.


    Cross-dressing contest, Miss Temple—what was I supposed to make of these!?


    In the end, it was better not to see the list of challenges, which was why I didn’t look at it regrly.


    If I suddenly visited the Orbis ss and challenged them to a fight, it was obvious that they would get pissed off and respond angrily.


    But why would I do such a thing?


    Even though it was widely known that I was a jerk, my core principle hadn’t changed.


    I wouldn’t mess with anyone who didn’t start trouble with me first.


    I had no justification. I wouldn’t take action without at least minimal justification. Unless they picked a fight with me first, there was no reason for me to hit them.


    I didn’t want to get into such things pointlessly.


    As for the first kiss...


    <i>‘No way. Let’s not even think about it.’</i>


    No matter what, it would just end up being a trashy or insane act!


    In the end, I decided that I would not attempt any challenge.


    Although I was in short supply of achievement points, they weren’t immediately necessary, nor was I facing a life-threatening crisis.


    But then, I heard a sigh.


    “Honestly... What am I going to do about the Swordsmanship ss? That guy is going to act out again...”


    I noticed Erhi de Raffaeli talking with the two other hopeless cases in the dormitory lobby.


    “Why don’t you just speak to the teacher now?”


    “Yeah, how long are you just going to take it?”


    Connor Lint and Kaier were busy trying to persuade the glum Erhi to take action.


    “It’s not that simple. He makes his demand under the pretense of a practice duel... Even if I say no, he insists it will be a lesson... It’s that kind of situation, so I can’t avoid it... And the other students in the ss... Theyugh at me so much...”


    “What a ruthless bastard.”


    “Isn’t the instructor being too irresponsible?”


    Erhi de Raffaeli had recently gotten into trouble with one of the Orbis ss students and was being bullied during ss.


    The bullying itself wasn’t the main issue. It was the fact that a Royal ss student was getting beaten up, and it was so bad that even the students from the general sses who attended the ss secretly mocked him orughed at him.


    In simpler terms, he was facing something akin to bullying.


    Watching the three hopeless cases with their gloomy expressions, an idea naturally came to me.


    It was the justification I was looking for.


    “Hey, kid.”


    “Huh... huh? R-Reinhart? Why?”


    As I approached, he looked utterly terrified. They had been talking about a madman, and then a real madman appeared, so it was natural to be scared.


    “Hey, that bastard who’s bullying you. Let me handle him.” I loosened my fists, shing a crooked smile. “I’ll take responsibility and deal with him.”


    <i>A bastard bullying a ssmate.</i>


    There was more than enough justification, wasn’t there?


    “Huh?”


    “You, you will?”


    “Seriously?!”


    The three hopeless cases were staring at me as if they had found a glimmer of hope amidst their crisis. <i>‘If you’re willing to step up, we’re d, but do you really need to do so?’</i>


    They were all clearly happy but couldn’t hide their confusion.


    Even though it was for achievement points, I didn’t have to let them know that.


    The crazy dog Reinhart was stepping up to take revenge for a ssmate who was being beaten up by the Orbis ss. Their reactions were priceless.


    Although they were usually terrified whenever I spoke, their faces now shone with unprecedented reassurance.


    ***


    I’m wasn’t really confident of winning.


    I could lose. I didn’t know who this guy was. If he was among the top-ranked stus in the Orbis ss, I would lose.


    However, the challenge was just to face off against them.


    Win or lose, it didn’t matter. Losing would be irritating, but it wouldn’t be fatal.


    Getting beaten up in a fight was better than entering a cross-dressing contest or actually turning into a girl and participating in the school’s beauty pageant.


    I didn’t know whether or not Olivia Lanche would enter, but the thought ofpeting against her was terrifying.


    And since the Orbis ss yed both lead and supporting roles in many uing events, there was plenty of reason to check them out properly.


    Anyway, about the 500-achievement-point challenge for facing off...


    There had been a rted challenge in the first semester too. Back then, I had no idea about it and just beat up Kaier, which resulted in me unintentionallypleting the challenge.


    It was good to strike while the iron wass hot.


    I dragged the three hopeless idiots outside.


    Erhi de Raffaeli, Connor Lint, and Kaier Vioden.


    The three followed me closely from behind, and I felt like the leader of the three hopeless cases.


    Well, if you think about it, I was also a hopeless case in a different way, right? There were certainly aspects where I was worse than them.


    <i>The leader of the three hopeless cases, and the ultimate hopeless case—Reinhart.</i>


    I had all the attributes to be their leader. This was fate, wasn’t it?


    If not for the achievement points, there would be no reason to do this, and I couldn’t have imagined dragging them around like goons just five minutes ago.


    “Uh, but are you sure? His skills are quite...”


    “Who cares? If I lose, I’ll just call a stronger guy to beat him up, so it doesn’t matter.”


    If I was their big brother, then I also had a big brother I look up to.


    Ellen Artorius.


    <i>‘Even if I get beaten up, big brother Ellen will take care of everything! Don’t be scared! Reinhart is just the frontman!’</i>


    The strongest first-year in the Royal ss, Ellen Artorius, will take him on.


    Although I wouldn’t actually say that. If I lost, though, that would more or less be the turn of events.


    “So... where exactly are we going?” Kaier asked hesitantly, looking a little frightened.


    “Where do you think we need to go to beat an Orbis ss guy?”


    I pointed at one of the stops on the tram route map.


    <i>[Orbis ss Dormitory]</i>


    “Y-You mean... You’re going to directly go there?”


    “Of course. What, you thought I’d stride out onto the main street yelling for all Orbis ss guys toe out?”


    To find someone, it was only natural to go knock on their door. What else?


    Once they realized I was heading into the lion’s den, their faces turned pale. After all, it was the heart of enemy territory.


    Though everyone knew I was a reckless and crazy guy, they were visibly reluctant at the idea of going directly to the Orbis ss dorm.


    “If you want to go back, then go back. I don’t really care if I go alone,” I said, folding my arms as I waited for the tram to arrive. They looked hesitant at the suggestion of turning back.


    “Go ahead. Live your lives as cowards forever.”


    <i>‘Turn back. Go back and live the life of a coward.’</i>


    Not a single one of them said they wanted to turn back, perhaps gleaning something from my casual remark.


    ***


    It was Thursday.


    If it were Friday, the target might have gone home or gone out to have fun, but it wasn’t, so there was a high chance he’d be in the dormitory. If he wasn’t there, we’d just have to wait.


    The Orbis ss dormitory was situated on the opposite end of the Temple grounds from the Royal ss dormitory. Unless you ran into each other on the main street or in sses, there was hardly any chance of students from the two sses meeting near either dormitory.


    Of course, during the morning exercises when I did a circuit around the entire Temple with Adriana, I’de across the Orbis ss jogging in perfect formation a few times.


    While the Royal ss trained autonomously, the Orbis ss behaveed uniformly.


    That’s why talent-driven ckers like Erhi were easily beaten.


    While on the tram heading toward the Orbis ss area, Erhi was fidgeting nervously.


    “B-But Reinhart... even if you win. What if he holds a grudge andes down on me... even harder?”


    <i>‘What does this guy expect from me? I’m just going there to confront this guy because I have a reason to do so; I don’t care whether you get beaten up or not.’</i>


    “... What, you want me to take care of him afterward too?”


    “N-No. It’s not that... it’s just...”


    I red at him, my eyes wide, and he shut up quickly. Kaier and Connor Lint also seemed to wrinkle at the thought that things might get worse after I dealt with the guy. I folded my arms and sighed while sitting in the tram seat.


    “It sucks being bullied, doesn’t it?”


    “... O-Of course it does...”


    “If you knew it, then why’d you do it?”


    This guy had hit Scarlett in the back of the head for no reason and bullied her. But he couldn’t do that anymore, and he had now be the recipient of bullying.


    Erhi looked startled. He seemed to havee to a new-found understanding. He probably never realized how those he’d bullied in the past felt.


    The Swordsmanship sses took almost the whole day. After his miserable skills were exposed during the ss, Erhi was written off not only by the Orbis ss students, but also by the ordinary students.


    I wondered if Erhi realized his actions and regretted them.


    I wasn’t sure. Generally, people did not remember their own poor actions, especially if they were malicious. They’d say “Oh, did I do that? I don’t quite remember,” or something along those lines.


    “...”


    Erhi couldn’t say anything. He might not have been feeling guilty, but he was at leasting to some sort of realization after having gone through it himself.


    “It’s fine. It’s not entirely your fault. The people who made you like that are partly to me too.”


    Just as Scarlett was a victim of the bizarre setups I created, Erhi was both a perpetrator and a victim of the strange way I had set up the backstory.


    All the problems of this world eventually looped back to me. Criticizing Erhi waws like spitting into the wind.


    “... Are you insulting my parents right now?” Erhi demanded, his voice rising slightly.


    <i>‘Ah. That’s not what I meant.’</i>


    Hearing that statement without context, did indeed sound like an insult to his parents, since “The people who made you like that” would naturally be his parents.


    Connor Lint and Kaier also looked aghast at my inadvertent and scathing insult.


    Their expressions screamed, “You really don’t know any boundaries, do you?“


    “That’s not what I meant. If it came across that way, I’m sorry.”


    Since it could see how my statement could have been misunderstood, I decided to just apologize and move on.


    “That sounded pretty harsh...” Erhi mumbled timidly.


    <i>‘Wait. Now that I think about it, trash talk or not, doesn’t it apply to all kids who have both parents? I don’t have any, so why can’t I talk a little trash to someone who has?’</i>


    “What the heck, man? I have no parents, so wh can’t I say something like that to you who has both?”


    “... What?”


    “Isn’t it true? Some say that those who have morein more. Good grief, how dirty is this world? Huh?”


    “No, b-but still... You were the one who started it, so why are you getting mad at me?”


    The expressions on their faces were priceless as they watched me transition mid-apology into a sudden rant.


    <i>‘Don’t you think it’s better to have something than nothing? So shouldn’t you just put up with a little trash-talk from me?’</i>


    Even I thought it was aughable nonsense.


    <i>‘No, but seriously, I didn’t intend to trash-talk your parents!’</i>