“There’s basically no suspense anymore.”

After getting away from Pink Bear, Muen continued watching the matches.

Among the contestants going up this time, there weren’t any of his acquaintances. The kingdom’s side sent up someone who seemed to be a very famous competitor again, named Coton Brownwin. Muen could hear quite a few spectators around him discussing the man’s past feats. On their side, meanwhile, it was a fifth-year student from the academy—also very outstanding.

But it seemed that, to recover face for Baror, who’d just been brutally “humiliated” for three minutes by Ariel in the previous round, that Coton from the kingdom went all-out the moment he made his move. His offensive came like a gale and a downpour, utterly merciless.

The fifth-year upperclassman on the academy’s side was clearly having trouble holding up. He gradually started falling into a disadvantage, and though he occasionally used some strange tricks, trying to seize the rhythm, not once did he succeed. The courage was admirable, but it never worked.

Both sides displayed strength worthy of their reputations. The battle was fierce, and compared to the one-sided crushing of the previous match, it was a lot more watchable. Unfortunately, even when two strong opponents clash, there’s always an ending—let alone when there truly was an undeniable gap in strength between the two.

“The kingdom winning is only a matter of time. That fifth-year upperclassman lasting this long is already very impressive.”

Muen shook his head, thinking that aside from a few “special” people, the academy really was at a disadvantage in this exchange.

The kingdom’s side wasn’t stupid. They came prepared. It was just that there were some existences you couldn’t measure by common sense.

Like a certain flat board.

“Oh, shit!”

Speak of the devil. Muen suddenly saw Ariel, who still looked like her lingering anger hadn’t dissipated, step down from the stage and seem to start walking this way. Unwilling to step on that landmine while she was mad, Muen immediately twisted his body and vanished from where he stood.

“Can I go in?”

With a casual turn, Muen just happened to end up in front of Celicia’s private guest lounge.

Of course Headmaster Hathaway didn’t have to personally stand guard for something like this, so the one stationed here was a female knight from the Royal Knights. Her face was solemn and stiff, the kind that looked hard to talk to. Before this, she had no doubt already refused countless people who wanted to go in and flatter Her Majesty.

But she only glanced at Muen indifferently and then stepped aside.

“Lady Hathaway conveyed Her Majesty’s order. Mr. Muen may enter.”

...

...

“Damn it! Too much—this is too much!”

Ariel was so furious she looked like she might grind her teeth to powder. She used both hands in front of her broad, flat chest to mimic a curve.

“What do you mean I’m flat... I’m just delicate and compact, that’s all! Am I flat? Teacher, be fair—am I really that small?”

“...”

“Teacher, say something!”

“...What am I supposed to say?”

After hesitating for a long time, Ariel’s teacher finally forced out a few words.

“All I can say is—there’s promise for the future.”

“...” 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Ariel slumped, letting her hands drop, pain and sorrow showing in her eyes.

Yes. Some things weren’t something she could change just by lying to herself. Facts were facts. No matter how angry you got, you couldn’t alter them even a tiny bit.

She really was... just a little, a teensy bit, an itty-bitty, a microscopic bit flat... that’s all.

Compared to a big milk-cow like Liya, she really might be lacking a little.

But...

No need for despair!

That’s right—this wasn’t a big deal. It was only a slight disadvantage. She was still growing. It wasn’t time to nail the coffin shut. She could always grow later!

Definitely!

What they call coming from behind—wasn’t her strength the same? It had improved at lightning speed only after she entered the academy. Chest size was the same logic: small now didn’t mean small forever!

“I’m not thinking about those depressing things anymore. The more I think, the angrier I get!”

Ariel slapped her cheeks and forced her spirits up.

“Think about good things. That’s right—good things. Baror was infuriating, but my performance this time made everyone’s eyes pop!”

Beating the “brute-force-invincible” physical monster Baror into that state barehanded in three minutes—the gap in strength was enough to shock countless people watching from outside.

The kingdom’s side, which originally thought they had the win in the bag, would definitely put away their contempt now.

And most importantly...

“I bet... even Celicia was surprised by my performance, heh heh...”

...

...

“Huh? What?”

Ariel glared at the stiff female knight standing by the door. “Me too? I’m not allowed either?”

“No.”

The female knight’s expression didn’t change as she refused Ariel’s request to see the empress again.

“Her Majesty has important matters to handle right now. In principle, unrelated people cannot disturb her at will.”

“But I’m not unrelated—”

“Then may I ask what position you currently hold, and what matter you have to see Her Majesty about?” The female knight looked like she was handling official business, iron-faced and impartial.

“Th-That’s... how it is?”

Ariel scratched her head helplessly.

Even if she claimed she’d already carved a grievous mark into Celicia’s heart, there was still a gap in status. She had lost the noble status of House Bugaard, while Celicia was already the empress of the empire.

Of course Her Majesty couldn’t just casually come meet a student with no position at all. Other ministers would remonstrate with her on the grounds of neglecting state affairs.

And besides...

“Celicia must be really busy right now.”

Ariel let out a sigh.

For an emperor who had just ascended the throne, the empire’s miscellaneous affairs had to be incredibly complicated. The fact that she could even spare time to watch this competition was probably only because she had dragged her exhausted body here after long work.

“But it’s fine.”

Ariel’s eyes turned firm.

“As long as I keep showing my value, I think one day all of this will become—”

Hard training?

Ancient ruins?

Because she happened to see that scene with Liya, so her grief and indignation turned into motivation?

Or did she remove “women” as the factor that could affect how fast she drew her sword?

Or...

Muen thought seriously for a while, then came to a conclusion.

“Probably because of that.”

Muen clapped his hands once and said firmly,

“Black Bread is amazing!”

Pink Bear: “...”

Pink Bear stayed silent for a long time, staring at Muen. For some reason, he suddenly had a premonition.

—Sooner or later, this brat was going to end up just like that Barlo in the arena, beaten into a pig head by Ariel.

His hunches were always accurate.

...

“Alright, it was a joke.”

Muen counted the bills in his hand to make sure Pink Bear, that shady, scammy bastard, didn’t pull ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) anything. It wasn’t much money, but he’d earned it with his own hands—and he’d earned it off Pink Bear, too—so it was genuinely precious.

“I’m done playing with you. While there’s still time, I’m going to find Celicia.”

Before he left, Muen glanced at Pink Bear one last time and suddenly asked,

“Oh, right. I didn’t ask earlier—what’s that on you?”

“On me?”

“That’s blood, isn’t it? Who did you fight?”

“Oh, this?” Pink Bear didn’t care at all as he patted his leather pouch. “Earlier, when I was selling—when I was kindly giving our foreign friends a little help, some kid who didn’t know his place provoked me, so I taught him a lesson.”

He said casually,

“Didn’t think I’d get blood on me. How careless.”