"Vikir."
Dolores called Vikir in a low voice as she drew the curtains and went out onto the terrace.
Vikir's response was always short.
"Yes."
Dolores watched Vikir's face for a moment in silence.
Then she stepped up beside Vikir, who was leaning against the railing.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"...Just. Everything."
Strictly speaking, the reason Dolores was able to take first place in the rankings this time is thanks to Vikir.
During the early to mid game of the tournament, Vikir lured Hohenheim and Bakiraga to a single location and forced them to face off against each other, draining their power and finally catching Hohenheim.
Even if Vikir hadn't been betrayed by the triplets late in the tournament, he would have been in position of top five.
Dolores said.
"If it wasn't for the Baskerville triplets, your ranking would have been much higher."
"What's done is done," Vikir replied.
"...You're always so stoic, you don't seem to have any regrets."
Dolores stared into Vikir's eyes for a moment.
Dolores wondered what it was, the feeling of being so familiar with him, as if she had known Vikir for years, even though he was only a new student.
She spoke again.
"When I said thank you earlier, I wasn't just talking about this tournament."
"Isn't that right?"
"Yes."
Dolores bent down, resting her chin in her hand.
She leaned against the railing and looked up at Vikir at an angle.
" ...I wonder where this junior came from."
"Just an ordinary freshman."
"An ordinary freshman who have the skills of an advanced sword expert and have grades comparable to professors? and beat third years in a tournament even though you're only a freshman?"
"I got lucky."
Dolores was silent for a moment at Vikir's nonchalant reply.
Colosseo Academy is a huge community of about 20,000 people, including students, professors, and staff.
It's a place where all the supposed geniuses of the world gather, so it's not surprising that there are a lot of talented people and a lot of geniuses.
Vikir's accomplishments were truly remarkable, but compared to other famous figures in the Academy, they didn't really stand out.
Dolores alone has accomplished as much as Vikir has since her freshman year.
In addition, Dolores longtime rivals Hohenheim, Bakiraga, Lovegood, and others had even more spectacular freshman years.
Moreover, the sophomores, third-, and fourth-year seniors who received her as a freshman were now achieving even greater achievements in higher positions.
Vikir focused on that point.
"The people I've met in this competition, like Bakiraga, Hohenheim, and Lovegood, have been amazing, too. It's definitely called 'The Legendary Student' for a reason, and I'm learning a lot."
To some extent, this admiration was genuine. It's not easy to be a Graduator, or even a 4th class, in the twenties.
Of course, the world would react quite differently if it were known that Vikir had become a Swordmaster at the age of 18.
Meanwhile.
Dolores stared at Vikir.
"I don't know why you sound like you're making excuses."
"...?"
"To hide your extraordinary nature and disguise it as ordinary."
Dolores narrowed her eyes.
"The rest of the world is busy showing off their abilities, but you're so unusual, you're busy hiding what you have."
"...."
"You don't want anyone to recognize you?"
"...I don't know what you're talking about."
"You sound like a soldier."
Dolores' words were heavy with curiosity about Vikir's origins and identity.
"You're quite skilled with a bow. I've seen you take out other kids in tournaments, though the numbers don't reflect it because most of your shots were from stray arrow."
"I was just lucky."
"...I guess it was. It was pretty dark in the jungle, and there aren't many archers in the world who can bounce off rocks and logs and still hit their mark. But luck is skill, too. You were the one who gave Tudor, Sancho, and Piggy stealthy backup cover shots, weren't you?"
"Yes, because they did a good job."
"You mean the Baskerville triplets, right? They're the biggest stars of this tournament."
Dolores turned and looked at Vikir.
"But why?"
"...?"
"Why do I think you're hiding behind the Baskerville triplets?"
Vikir's expression hardened for a moment.
"If you watch just one person with them, it's bound to look unusual...."
"No. You are special, otherwise there is no way you would catch my eye like that, anytime, anywhere."
Dolores said strongly again.
"I see you everywhere I go these days, and there's no way you're an ordinary person."
"...."
"Tell me, what are you hiding?"
Vikir was silent for a moment.
On his left wrist, the Baby Madam was looking at Vikir with a worried expression.
As if to say, 'Shall I remove it, Master?'
Vikir sighed, pressing down on his wrist.
He was about to open his mouth.
Dolores came closer to Vikir and whispered in a low voice.
"You. The crown prince, right?"
...?
Vikir was stunned for a moment.
What was he talking about?
When Vikir remained still, Dolores spoke once more.
"The current Emperor of the Empire has no children. They all died in accidents."
"...."
"However, it is rumored that a single illegitimate child survives, and that this child has been admitted to the Colosseo Academy here."
"...."
"Isn't that you?"
Vikir had heard the rumor, too.
But it was a rumor that had circulated before his regression and had never been proven to be true, so he had tuned it out.
Dolores, unaware of Vikir's thoughts, continued.
"The Emperor has the mystical power to foretell the future. If you are of his blood, you may possess similar abilities. If you are able to foresee future exams and events, it explains your current accomplishments...."
"Enough."
Vikir interrupted Dolores' rambling.
Then, in a low voice, he proclaimed his innocence.
"I have nothing to do with the imperial family."
"You lie."
"I swear on my father's honor and before the almighty Rune."
Dolores' gaze wavered at Vikir's firm words.
There was no way Dolores could say no to that.
Of course, Vikir didn't care about his father Hugo's honor, so he could hang it anywhere.
Dolores, meanwhile, seemed to wince at Vikir's response.
"Then open your heart, and let me know who you are!"
Dolores wanted to read Vikir's soul.
Most people kept the doors of their hearts open to some degree, but there are not many people who close and lock that door as tightly as Vikir did.
Of course, from Vikir's point of view, this was not an option.
Even if it didn't matter that Osiris had deposed all of Set's minions from the House of Baskerville, revealing the identity of the Baskervilles would....
'Then the identity of the Night's Hound would be revealed.'
I didn't think I'd be able to hide forever.
It was still a bit early for the plan he had in mind.
'...It won't be long now.'
The Hound of Baskerville. The Night Hound. The moment his true identity is revealed, it will be catastrophic.
Vikir closed his eyes in silence.
Dolores watched him, her mouth open in unexplained impatience.
"Say something...."
Just then.
"...Open up! Open up!"
"...Give me the right!"
"...Freedom!"
The shouts came from the fence outside the inn where the students of the Colosseo Academy were staying.
A large group of people seemed to be protesting in unison.
"...?"
Dolores looked away for a moment, hoping to see something.
And there it was, a stunning sight.
The professors of the Colosseo were scrambling to keep the crowd at bay.
In fact, there was a huge crowd of people trying to get into the inn.
They were all carrying glow sticks and wearing red bands around their heads.
And at the front of the line is a face Dolores recognizes.
"...Merlini Lovegood?"
The Student Council President of Themiscyra Women's Academy.
And she's leading a group of students, all of them from the Themiscyra Women's Academy.
They've been fighting back against the professors of the Colosseo Academy.
"We will take our freedom!"
"Come on, everyone! Unite!"
"Humans unite for a noble cause, that's what makes us different from animals!"
They had become fighters for justice and were literally clashing with the professors.
Dolores gripped the terrace railing and listened more closely.
Themiscyra Women's Academy.
It was completely different from the school culture that pursues something archaic and static.
The sight of them running towards us with their hair down was like an angry beast.
"What's going on?"
Dolores shook her head as Vikir casually turned the conversation outward.
"It's…I can't hear very well."
The sounds of so many people shouting overlapped each other and sounded like a muffled sound.
The words Dolores could make out were humanitarian values like "freedom," "love," "opportunity," and "equality".
"...."
Dolores had no choice but to use her holy power to open her ears.
Then, one by one, the noise that had been pouring in began to separate.
At the same time, their passionate emotions began to come through, like listening to a lamb's confession.
"Please allow us to join the Colosseo Academy's after-party!"
"There's no need for it! Just show us Vikir!"
"We want to congratulate Vikir too!"
"Colosseo Academy should open up the after party to students from other schools! Open it up!"
"Let's have an after school party, Vikir-nim!"
"They say joy is double when it's shared!"
"I fell in love with your sexy appearance on the Magic Train!"
"Big brother, I don't want to break up like this!"
"What do you mean, he's five years younger than us!"
"I don't know, all good-looking guys are big brothers!!!"
The students of Themiscyra Women's Academy seem to want to join the Colosseo Academy's party.
I don't know how long they've had this goal, but it's pretty blatant.
"...."
"Do you know what it says?"
"Huh? Uh...."
Dolores struggled to turn away, releasing her grip on the railing.
"It's...."
Dolores quickly stood up and replied.
"Oh, they say there's no hot water, I've got to go, it's getting late, you should go to bed!"
With that, she hurriedly ran off somewhere.