[Ariel's PoV]
It's been four days since Brian and I fought that terrifying monster. Yet, I still haven't figured out the true identity of the student who saved us.
There are two senior male students with white hair in this academy, Senior Baldwin and Senior Luis. However, I've already asked them both, and neither of them knows anything about the masked figure I'm asking about.
"Hey, is it true those two students defeated a level 5 monster?"
"That's what the disciplinary committee witnesses reported."
"How is it possible that second-year students, who should only be capable of fighting level 2 monsters, defeated a level 5 monster?!"
I can hear them talking about us.
Not long after we were saved by that mysterious man, members of the disciplinary committee arrived at the scene. I explained to them that it wasn't us who killed the monster, but I also couldn't logically explain how it was defeated.
In the end, they reported to the academy that it was Brian, Roland, and me who had killed the monster.
This made our classmates curious, and they kept asking us to tell them how we defeated it.
I stayed quiet, only Brian enthusiastically describing how he slashed at the enemy.
"Ariel, let's head to the Duel Arena to train!" Brian said excitedly.
Training, huh? All this time, whenever Brian invited me to train with him, I always refused. Training repeatedly makes me so exhausted that sometimes I can barely move.
"Alright, I'll go with you, Brian."
This time was different. After the fight with that monster, I realized just how weak I still am.
Since I was a child, I've always wanted to be a Priestess who helps those in need, healing their ailments and relieving their suffering.
I've always despised violence. It arises when people are ruled by their emotions. Violence causes pain, and pain inflicted by others breeds hatred and vengeance.
That's why I became a Priestess, to save lives without resorting to violence.
I'm also grateful to Goddess Diana for blessing me with Divine magic, allowing me to become what I've always wanted to be.
When we arrived at the Duel Arena, I saw a dozen students lying on the ground, their bodies covered in injuries. Judging by the red ribbons on their uniforms, they were members of the disciplinary committee.
"What happened to you all?" I asked as I crouched down beside one of the fallen students.
"Ugh… It was… because of our training session…" he said weakly.
I had no idea what kind of training they were doing, but I needed to heal them first. "Brian, go find more healers! I'll start healing them now."
"Got it, Ariel."
I began healing them one by one. Most of their injuries were on their arms and legs. What kind of training leaves people this battered?
Not long after, Brian returned with two more healers.
After several minutes of casting healing magic, everyone had recovered. I wiped the sweat from my forehead with a handkerchief.
This is exhausting...
"Who gave you permission to heal them?"
I heard a cold, intimidating voice.
Standing before us was Raul de Garcia—the infamous Noble Scoundrel.
"I asked them to heal the students because they were badly injured," I said as I stood up and approached Raul.
"I left them for a few minutes to rest during the disciplinary committee's regular training session," Raul said, glaring at me.
"This is too much," I retorted, raising my voice. "Look at them! They can't even stand because of the pain."
"That's good. Pain teaches the body to learn faster and remember the consequences of repeating the same mistakes," he replied flatly, with no hint of compassion in his words.
"Why must it be like this? Isn't there a better way?" My emotions were boiling over. I couldn't stand witnessing violence and oppression right in front of me.
"Perhaps you're right, there are other ways. But only through this can they become stronger, faster," Raul said, though his gaze had softened.
"Why the rush? They can grow stronger slowly, without having to sacrifice their bodies!" I wanted to oppose his thinking. I couldn't accept violence as the solution to problems.
"But the reality of the world won't wait for you to grow stronger," Raul replied, his voice now tinged with melancholy. "You never know when danger will strike, when death will approach, or when someone close to you will be in peril."
His words reminded me of the battle with the monster. At that moment, Brian and Roland had been defeated, and I was left alone to protect them.
I was terrified, hoping someone would come to save us. If only we had been stronger, maybe we wouldn't have been in that situation.
If I remember correctly, the student who died in the monster attack was Raul's servant. Could that be why he said these things?
I clenched my fists, holding back the storm of emotions inside me. Without realizing it, tears streamed down my cheeks.
This is so frustrating... I can't refute his words because I experienced exactly what Raul described.
No, violence is wrong. I refuse to believe that violence is the answer to any problem.
In the end, I could only cry, head bowed, unable to respond to his words. How pathetic I must look.
– Bam!
I was startled by the sound of a punch.
Brian had just punched Raul in the face, knocking him to the ground. Blood trickled from Raul's mouth.
"How dare you make Ariel cry!" Brian shouted, his face full of anger.
Raul got up and spat out the blood in his mouth, smirking at Brian.
"You've got a big mouth for someone I knocked out not long ago," Raul said provocatively.
"What did you say?!" Brian marched toward Raul, their faces now inches apart.
"Raul de Garcia! I challenge you to a duel, staking my honor!" Brian declared.
"No, Brian! Why would you risk your honor over something like this?" I protested against his rash decision.
As a knight, staking one's honor in a duel means that if they lose, they'll no longer be recognized as a knight for the rest of their life.
If Brian loses this duel, his dream of becoming a knight will be destroyed over something so trivial.
"Ariel, to me, your tears aren't a small matter," Brian said, trying to reassure me. "I'll make him pay and force him to apologize for making you cry!"
Hearing Brian's words touched me deeply. No one had ever cared for me this much before.
"Brian… I—"
"Alright! I accept your challenge, Brian!" Raul interrupted. "If I win, you'll give up your path to knighthood. If I lose, I'll apologize to Ariel for making her cry. The duel will take place tomorrow after classes."
With that, Raul left the arena.
---
[Raul's PoV]
As I walked away from the arena, I was relieved my plan was progressing smoothly.
With this, I'll be able to awaken Brian's Blessing during our duel. I'll also rid Ariel of her naïveté to trigger the awakening of her Blessing.
But I didn't expect seeing Ariel cry would shatter me to the point where I couldn't even dodge Brian's punch. I guess I'm still not fully used to Raul's lingering emotions in this body.
For some reason, seeing Ariel cry reminded me of Liana's tears when we decided to part ways.
Crossing through the main gate, I finally left the Duel Arena.
"You always manage to cause trouble wherever you go, don't you, Raul?"
A familiar voice spoke beside me.
I turned to see a graceful blonde woman leaning against the arena gate. It seemed she had witnessed everything that had happened inside.
"What are you doing here, President?"
Elena walked toward me.
"Well... as someone who recommended you for this position, I had to see how your first day as the new leader of the disciplinary committee was going," she said with a smile. "But, as expected of Raul the Scoundrel, you always manage to make people hate you."
This woman... Did she come here just to rub salt in my wounds? I swear, I must have programmed her personality wrong when I was testing this game.
I swear, if I ever get back to my world, I'll make sure Elena marries Raul in the game and make her fall madly in love with him. Let's see if her attitude stays the same then! Your life will be filled with suffering in that game, Elena.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, hugging herself as if I were some sort of pervert.
I just sighed at her antics. "We should hurry back to discuss the preparations for next month's survival exam, President."
"Hey, don't be in such a rush. I still want to have some fun teasing you, you know."
I pretended not to hear her and began walking toward the student committee office.
The survival exam...
This exam is the first major event of the initial chapter. It's crucial for the academy students, as the points awarded at the end of the exam are substantial.
I need to make sure Ariel and Brian awaken their Blessings before that event starts. I can't guarantee I'll be able to stop all the professional assassins who will be targeting them later.
Just as I reached the office door, it suddenly opened from the inside, revealing a stunning woman with green hair.
"...."
Valeria looked shocked to see me there.
For some unknown reason, her face suddenly turned red. I could faintly see steam rising from her ears, and her body started trembling.
"Perv..."
She muttered something under her breath.
"You pervert!"
– Slap!
A sharp pain stung my left cheek. It seems Valeria had slapped me again with her second-tier strength-enhancing magic.
Ugh... Her magic was so strong it knocked me to the ground.
After slapping me, Valeria ran out of the academy student council office.
I tried to get up and noticed all the students in the room staring at me.
"So, the rumors are true. He really defiled Valeria's purity."
"Filthy noble..."
"What a scoundrel..."
I could hear their whispers, cursing me over a misunderstanding. Suddenly, I heard laughter next to me.
"Ahahahahahaha!"
The President was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes from seeing what had just happened.
All I could do was sigh after going through such a miserable experience.
Being the antagonist isn't as easy as I thought.