I've been studying hard all week, and at the end of classes I've been subjected to tests. As I expected, I don't have any talent. While the others have shown visible improvements, I haven't changed a bit.
The worst of all was Yuki and Hana they seem to have gotten even worse than in the modern world. Also, Yuki comes angry almost every day, and the 6 of them tried to befriend the Grand Duchess.
However, it didn't quite work out. She talks to them, answers their questions, and even asks things, but her eyes are always of pure disinterest. She basically doesn't care about them and just converses out of politeness.
Yuki, while using me as a target, complains about how indifferent the Grand Duchess is towards her. They practically didn't get any information about her, while most people see the "Heroes" as something to be worshipped, the Grand Duchess simply doesn't care.
The information the Grand Duchess provides is mostly things the others already know. For example, thanks to Yuki's complaints, I found out why the Saint is afraid of the Grand Duchess.
Apparently, when the Grand Duchess was 15 years old, the Saint insulted her, and in retaliation, she cut off the Saint's two arms in front of everyone and then left with pure indifference.
Of course, the Saint healed, but she was still traumatized by it. The Saint has high status, so having her arms ripped off without being able to react at all left her ego a bit shattered.
Something interesting about the Grand Duchess are her reasons for hurting or killing. Although the stories about how she killed or hurt someone exist and are true, they are not many. It's generally not just anything that makes her angry it's mainly when someone insults her appearance or when they insult the person the Grand Duchess has as an idol.
However, no one knows who this "Idol" of the Grand Duchess is, so most people avoid insulting anyone in front of the Grand Duchess.
'I find her terrifying...' No matter how beautiful that girl may be, she has a bizarre aura, as if she's some kind of monster.
Ignoring the Duchess issue, I've been walking a lot around the castle and tried everything to learn and get stronger, but without success. I'm really just an ordinary person, and my ability is useless.
'I think I'll leave...' It's better to leave than to stay here being tortured by my bullies. I'm sure if I ask for some money and say I'm leaving, they'll let me go.
After all, from what I've noticed, they spend a fortune hiring all kinds of instructors and spend a lot on items and materials to make the Heroes stronger.
"Takashi Nakamura, come with me, the Saint is summoning you," a maid stops me and tells me to follow her. After seeing how useless I am, even the servants treat me badly or indifferently, while they treat the other Heroes with adoration.
I follow her and enter a room. Sitting on a sofa is the Saint, the same look of contempt still in her gaze a stark contrast to the way she trembles in fear in the presence of the Grand Duchess.
"Takashi, I'll be honest... you know you have no talent, right?" She says in a cold voice.
"...Yes, it's true," there's no point in denying it.
"So that you won't be... someone who will get in the way, I'd like you to leave... I'll give you a bag of gold coins, and in 5 days you'll be gone... do you accept?" she says, throwing a bag full of gold coins on the table.
"...Yes, I accept, Saint Rosaline."
'I already wanted to leave anyway, this saves me time... but I feel something's wrong.' I have a premonition that something bad is going to happen.
"Don't tell the others... when you leave, I'll say you gave up and left on your own," she says, leaving the room.
"This conversation never happened..." she says, closing the door and leaving.
I take the bag of money, hide it in my clothes, then go to my room and hide it so no one steals it, and go to sleep. It was a tiring day, but in 5 days I'll be able to leave and try to live a good life.
Meanwhile, in another room in the castle, a group is talking.
"Hana and Tsubasa, it's better that you fulfill your part," the Saint's voice says to the group, focusing mainly on the 2 who had the biggest role in the idea.
"Relax, Saint, we won't break our part of the deal," Kaito says to the Saint, making a hand gesture to confirm that everything is in order.
"...I'm leaving... and it's better not to fail, you hear me," the Saint says, leaving the group.
'Tsk, why did we have to have the bad luck of summoning a useless one? We had to sacrifice more than 30,000 people from the kingdom to summon them, and a useless one came.' I can only think of the hatred I have for that useless one.
In addition to the expenses he's causing, he's not even usable.
'Well, at least I managed to make a deal with the most promising group among the summoned ones.' That's the only good thing that comes from something involving that useless one.
"Good evening, Saint Rosaline," a beautiful voice says. I look to see who is bothering me.
"Hiii," I let out a scream of fear at the sight of who is in front of me.
"G-Good evening, Grand Duchess," I say, making way for her to pass. She soon resumes her walk and leaves.
My whole body trembles with fear the entire time. I know what people think of my attitude towards this girl.
However, it's not that simple. It's not just about her having ripped off my arms, it's what I saw that really scares me. Her eyes when she made that move were disturbing. She wasn't just going to rip off my arms her first attack would have cut off my head, and she only stopped because the Grand Duke used magic to temporarily stop her.
I felt the Grand Duke's magic stopping her. If he hadn't done that, it wouldn't have just been my arms detached from my body. The worst was that bottomless pit of hatred I saw in her gaze.
What I said was an insult regarding her disturbing appearance. I, who was very confident in my strength, wanted to see how strong that girl who was feared by all was.
I deeply regret trying to test her, and it didn't end there. I feel this every time she looks at me. She's never forgotten the insult I made, and she looks at me with a gaze that seems cold and indifferent, but deep down it's like a predator just waiting.
The fact is that I was the only person who insulted her and got out alive. No one has ever irritated her and escaped only injured. I don't know what the Grand Duke did to this girl, but he clearly created her to be a weapon.
No normal human being could have a gaze like that. Even the most terrible monsters I've fought didn't have a gaze that hides so much hatred.
Every time she sees me, she greets me. People think it's because she's forgiven me, since she normally doesn't talk to anyone, but to me it's obvious that's not the case. It's a warning, a warning that on my next slip-up, she'll cut off my head. I always feel a shiver when she looks at me, like a butcher choosing which part to cut first.
And the worst part is knowing that she's a mage. I've never seen a mage with as much strength and speed as her.
I decide to stop thinking about this monster the Grand Duke calls his daughter and go talk to the king about my deal with the Heroes, since after the king speaks to the Grand Duchess, I don't have the courage to try a long dialogue like that with her.
Four days have passed since the Saint gave me the money, and I'm already getting everything ready to leave tomorrow. I don't have much beyond my clothes, so it's quick.
"Takashi, the Heroine Yuki Suzuki is calling you," a maid announces through the door.
'Tsk, until the end, this bitch bothers me...' I go to the door, go out, and follow the maid.
Soon I arrive at Yuki's room, the maid has left and left me alone in front of the door.
"Yuki... Yuki-sama, can I come in?" I say to the door.
"Come in," she said.
'...Strange... she didn't curse me.' Something is wrong, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
I enter through the door and see Yuki lying on the bed.
"Sit there," she tells me, motioning to a chair near the bed.
"What do you want... Yuki-sama?"
"...Nothing."
"..."
We stay like this for a few minutes until I get up to leave.
'This situation reminds me of something...' I decide to leave now, it's more than obvious that she's plotting something. I have no more reason to stay here, so I leave through the door.
"Hey, where are you going, come back here!" I ignore her, I won't go back there, my instincts tell me she's setting a trap.
'I won't wait until tomorrow, I'll flee today.' I go to my room, grab the bag of money, and have no reason to stay here waiting for her boyfriend to come beat me.
I start walking through the corridors at a fast pace, as if I'm running away from something.
'Damn it...' My instincts aren't the best, but I won't ignore this bad feeling.
When I turn the corner, I bump into an armor and fall to the ground.
"Takashi Nakamura, you are under arrest for treason, attempted rape, and theft," the guard says, showing me a decree.
"...What?" He soon grabs my arm and knocks me unconscious with a strong blow to the head.
After some time, I wake up in a large hall. In the hall are several nobles, guards, and the whole group.
'Tsk... DAMN IT, DAMN IT, DAMN IT' Now I understand the reason for the bad feeling.
"NOW WE WILL BEGIN THE TRIAL OF TAKASHI NAKAMURA," a guard speaks loudly.
"HIS CRIMES ARE TREASON, ATTEMPTED RAPE, AND THEFT," He finishes speaking and withdraws.
"T-THIS IS A LIE!" I scream forcefully.
"Shut up, you insolent, you are in the presence of His Majesty and the Grand Duchess," a guard says.
"Takashi Nakamura, in addition to trying to steal confidential information, he tried to rape his fellow Heroine Yuki Suzuki, and stole the Saint's necklace," I look at everyone and notice the lack of surprise it's obvious that almost everyone in the room planned this.
'THIS BITCH' Now it's clear that the Saint is helping Yuki.
"These are the evidences" the man activates what appears to be a hologram made with magic, showing two "videos" of me. In the video, I seem to be trying to rape Yuki, then Kaito arrives and expels me, and in the second one I seem to be stealing documents.
"THIS NEVER HAPPENED, DAMN IT!" It's obvious it was forged.
"The second evidence is this, this thief had this bag of money, and in it was the Saint's necklace."
"Everyone knows this necklace is a sacred relic."
'I can't believe I fell for this...'
I have no way to defend myself since they have "evidence". I see some laughing at me or looking at me with disdain, in this crowd of gazes the only one that feels nothing is the Grand Duchess she simply doesn't care and seems bored with this trial.
"Now His Majesty will give the judgment," the voice finishes speaking, leaving the stage for the king.
"For your crimes, I condemn you to... DEATH PENALTY," He says, speaking with the others.
'THESE DAMNED FUCKERS, THEY'LL PAY DEARLY' My mind is consumed by hatred.
"How many here agree with this?" He asks, soon everyone raises their hand, except the Grand Duchess. When everyone sees this, they get nervous. No matter if they want to kill me, if the Grand Duchess doesn't accept, they'll have to give up.
However, it's obvious she doesn't care about me, there's no reason for her to try to save me.
"Tsk, they called me here to see a mere trial," she says, leaving the room, showing that she doesn't care about this trial and that it was just a waste of time for her.
"Do whatever you want, I don't care," she says as she leaves the room, showing that she doesn't care about this trial and that it was just a waste of time for her.
"Then the criminal Takashi Nakamura will be executed."
"Your Majesty, let me cut off the head of this traitor who tried to rape one of my friends," Tsubasa requests, bowing to the king. The king agrees and asks the guard to give his sword to Tsubasa.
"YOU DAMNED MOTHERFUCKERS, IF I EVER SEE YOU AGAIN I'LL KILL YOU, I SWEAR BY EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD THAT I'LL MAKE YOU SUFFER HELL," I say with a voice full of hatred. Soon the guards push me to the ground and hold me while Tsubasa approaches.
"Hahaha, this is your end, Takashi. What could a useless like you do? Don't say something you can't fulfill," Tsubasa says, raising the sword ready to behead me.
"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH, I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU..." As I was about to finish speaking, Tsubasa brings down the sword, beheading me and signaling my end.