The academy’s arena is buzzing with excitement.
Crowds flood in at the sight of the Alogantz, the mech piloted by Leon, who became a hero after defeating the Black Knight of the Principality.
Then someone placed a huge bet on Elya’s victory.
Thanks to that, the wager is now official.
Because of this, there are students betting a fortune on Leon’s certain win.
“Now I’ll finally make a profit.”
“I had a terrible time the first year, so I’m not taking any chances.”
“This time I’ll get back what I lost back then.”
No one doubted that Leon would win.
In fact, Elya’s skill can’t match Leon’s.
His mech can’t hold a candle to the Alogantz, and on top of that Leon’s a battle‑hardened veteran.
Everything about Elya is different.
The surrounding judgment is understandable, but Erika keeps her head down.
Seeing her like that, Marie steps up.
“Erika, if you don’t want to watch, why don’t you step away?”
“It’s fine. I have to keep an eye on Elya. That’s the only thing I can do.”
Marie says that to Erika.
“Erika, you won’t get what you want unless you speak up. It’s okay to be a little selfish, you know? If you like someone, tell them.”
“—That’s not allowed for me, given my position.”
“See? You do like him after all.”
Marie lowers her eyes at Erika’s answer.
“Are you okay with that, Erika? Your ‘brother’ is actually your uncle. Marrying him would be weird. Even your uncle wouldn’t want to lay a hand on his niece.”
“Mother, royalty don’t have the freedom to choose their spouses. Even if he’s my uncle from a past life, he’s not blood‑related now. There’s no problem with us marrying.”
There’s no close blood tie.
And Leon is the kingdom’s hero.
He’s worth taking.
Refusing him would be unthinkable.
Being a former‑life uncle isn’t a valid excuse to turn him down.
“What about your own happiness?!”
“—I’m already happy enough.”
“You don’t get it. Happiness is something you have to seize yourself!”
“Not being able to feel the happiness you have now is misery—Mother.”
“That’s nonsense! What’s wrong with wanting something? If you tell your brother, any wish of yours will be granted!”
Erika clenches the hand she’d placed on the railing.
“How much blood do you think will be shed for the happiness I’m after? I can’t make that decision.”
◇
The arena on a holiday is packed with spectators.
Elya’s armor, standing before the Alogantz, is a custom piece befitting a marquis family.
Still, the performance gap with the Alogantz is hopeless.
“Elya‑kun. I’ll at least commend you for coming out here without running away.”
‘—I’m not running away.’
I hate to say it, Elya, but I’m winning in every way.
There’s no way Elya could win like this.
“I’ll praise your spirit. But some things just aren’t possible in this world.”
The world is unreasonable.
Really unreasonable.
Inside the cockpit, Luxion turns one of his eyes toward me.
‘Wouldn’t it be more worthwhile to erase that black thing rather than do this?’
“You’re being persistent.”
‘Because that’s the enemy.’
“If you’re an AI, you should be more pragmatic.”
‘It’s a priority, so I can’t.’
‘I see.’
When the duel is announced, Elya charges forward.
His movement is clumsy.
But he doesn’t hesitate out of fear.
“Nice step forward.”
I let the Alogantz step back a single pace, and Elya’s sword pierces the ground.
“Hey, what’s the matter!”
I kick him, and he scrambles to his feet, charging at me again.
I’ll give him credit for having the guts to face a mech larger than his own armor.
“Don’t think you can win Erika that way!”
I punch him, then pull a blade from the container strapped to the Alogantz.
◇
Fin seats Mia beside him, watching Leon’s duel.
He props his face with his right hand.
“That guy can just do this stuff without a second thought.”
It’s less a duel and more Leon’s Alogantz mercilessly tearing Elya’s armor apart.
Mia clutches her hands to her chest, looking uneasy.
“Knight‑senpai, Leon‑senpai is scary. I never thought he’d do something like this.”
Brave, popping out of Fin’s pocket, watches the Alogantz with irritation.
‘It’s infuriating! That armor’s just a pachinko machine using our data.’
Fin nods.
‘Ah, I get it. It kinda looks like your armor.’
‘That scrap of iron stole our tech!’
Seeing Mia’s worry, Fin puts a hand on his head to reassure her.
“Don’t worry. Leon’s thinking this through.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, so it’ll be fine—probably.”
Even Brave doubts Fin.
‘Who knows? That scrap is Old Humanity weaponry. Those guys can trample people’s hearts without a second thought.’
Mia covers her mouth and starts giggling.
“Boo‑kun, you’re mixing up weapons and being cool, huh?”
Both Fin and Brave are at a loss for what to say to Mia’s sudden laughter.
“It was funny for you, right? Well, whatever.”
‘Buddy, you should just say it straight: your sense of humor’s off. It’s like I’m trying to make you laugh and you keep stopping me. It’s making me sad. Hey Mia, stop laughing already.’
“Because Boo‑kun makes me laugh.”
‘—You really have no sense of humor.’
Fin watches the duel from the stands.
A one‑sided fight can’t even be called a duel.
People are already shouting, “Isn’t this a bit much?”
(Leon, what are you thinking?)
What does he want to do with Elya?
Fin ponders as he watches Leon.
◇
In the one‑sided fight, Erika clutches her chest.
She closes her eyes.
“Uncle, stop it already. This is cruel. You said you wouldn’t crush Elya’s pride, but this is the opposite.”
Leon’s voice booms through the arena.
‘Weak, first‑year! You’re way too cocky with the upperclassmen. You challenge a duel and can’t even land a hit—pathetic!’
‘Hah, still going!’
‘What’s wrong with you! With that trash‑level skill, did you really think you could beat me?!’
Marie calls out to Erika.
“Erika, watch properly. Elya’s standing up to your brother over and over for you. Is this really okay with you?”
Erika shakes her head, her black hair swaying.
“No, don’t bully Elya.”
Crying, Erika tells Marie about Elya.
“Elya’s actually a good kid. He told me he liked me and tried his best for my sake.”
He wasn’t outstanding.
In that otome game, he was the obedient fiancé who never defied Erika’s whims.
He liked her because she was the villain‑princess.
“Even when the engagement was broken, I wasn’t allowed to see him.”
That was Milène’s decision.
She thought that letting them meet again would only leave lingering feelings.
“Did you complain to the queen? Did I say I’d rather have Elya?”
“I can’t say. Mother thinks that’s best for me.”
For the country, and for Erika.
Milène truly believed that.
If they’d kept pushing the engagement with Elya, the nation could have slipped into civil war, and Erika might have died in the chaos.
She concluded that was the lesser evil.
Because Erika knows that, she can’t say anything.
Elya shouts toward Leon, who’s piloting the Alogantz.
‘Even if I can’t win! —Even if I can’t win, I have no choice but to challenge. I know it’s hopeless, but I can’t just give up!’
Given the kingdom’s situation, Elya’s challenge is a bad move.
He knows that, yet he couldn’t stop himself.
Leon smiles.
‘Can’t win but you still challenge? That’s what fools do!’
Elya gets slammed by the Alogantz and rolls on the ground.
Seeing that, Erika squeezes her eyes shut hard.
“—You never speak your feelings, so the queen thinks her own ideas are right! If you don’t like it, just say so! You don’t understand because you never say anything! If you say it, maybe something will change!”
Marie pours out her feelings while crying.
The arena crowd watches the duel, not caring about the two of them.
“When I let you go, I thought it’d be better for you! I thought it’d be better than me raising you! But you said, ‘I want to be with Mom.’ Say it! If you don’t say it, I won’t know!”
In a past life, Marie handed Erika over to her parents, and her life spiraled into decadence.
She ended up with a useless man.
When Erika opens her eyes, tear‑filled, she says to Marie:
“Even if I say it, nothing changes! Did my selfishness ever fix anything? Hey, what’s the point!”
It’s the first time Erika resists Marie.
Marie is shocked, but also oddly pleased.
Her sore spot has been hit, yet she’s no longer alone.
In the arena, Leon continues to torment Elya.
“I’m saying it for a reason! Do you even get how awful, cowardly, infuriating, and maddening your brother is? He’s terrible, but—he’s also incredibly reliable! He’ll solve any petty problem you have, anytime!”
“That’s impossible. This is a national issue. I can’t stand seeing people die for someone else’s sake.”
Seeing Erika cry, Marie turns her gaze to the arena and shouts at Leon.
She climbs onto the railing and yells at the top of her lungs.
Her voice gets drowned by the noisy arena—but…
“Brother! Do something for your cute niece!”
—The Alogantz halts, grabs the battered helmet of Elya’s armor, and holds it up for Erika to see.
‘Erika‑sama, your ex‑fiancé was a pathetic man, wasn’t he?’
Facing Leon’s taunts, Erika trembles.
The audience looks at Erika, then falls silent.
‘You’re glad to be cut off from such a former fiancé, right?’
Leon asks, and Erika furrows her brows.
“—No.”
‘Huh?’
“Elya isn’t pathetic!”
‘Where? He’s the heir of the fallen Freyzer house. You’re glad you didn’t have to marry, aren’t you? Deep down you’re relieved, aren’t you?’
◇
Blood streams from Elya’s forehead as he listens to Erika’s voice.
‘It’s irrelevant. I’ve been watching Elya from the sidelines and thought it was lucky to marry him. Cancel the “pathetic” label!’
Elya lifts his head.
Standing tall, he shouts at Leon, gripping the control stick.
“—Erika”
‘You can say anything with just your mouth.’
‘Yes, that’s right. I— I loved Elya. He’s a better man than you right now.’
‘There, you said it! —Don’t ever forget those words.’
Leon’s deep voice reverberates through the arena.
His voice carries a weight forged by countless battles.
“Ugh!”
Elya steers his armor away from the Alogantz’s arm.
His armor is in terrible shape, barely functional.
One arm is dead, the weapon‑hand trembles.
—I knew from the start I couldn’t win.
“Even so— I—”
It started as a political marriage.
But after meeting Erika, he fell for her instantly.
She’s the one who truly sees him, sometimes scolds him harshly, and means everything to him.
“I wanted to tell Erika properly—”
— I wanted to say I love her.
I wanted to show I love her.
His leg joints give out, collapsing.
As he falls, he swings his sword at the Alogantz, but Leon doesn’t dodge.
The first hit lands on the Alogantz, yet it doesn’t even scar it.
“—I love you too. I’ll love you forever! So please be happy. Make that child happy. Please— please.”
He cries, ready to admit defeat to the judge.
But Leon speaks first.
‘Judge. I lost.’
◇
Back in the cockpit, Luxion calls out to me.
‘You really pulled off the villain look, huh?’
‘Ah, it hurts. Being hated by my cute niece brings tears.’
‘Did it never hurt before?’
‘Eh? Maybe it did?’
‘—By my read, your master’s heart is already in tatters.’
‘I’m pretty thick‑skinned.’
‘You understand why letting Elya win matters, right? Are you ready to handle the messy aftermath? If I decide the master’s broken, I’ll force‑bind him and then take over this country.’
‘Whoa, scary. I’ll just be careful, okay?’
The arena’s audience is stunned.
After all, a lot of idiots bet on my victory.
So I raise my voice.
‘Hey, everyone who bet on me and lost spectacularly, your wedding gift fund for the two of us is on me!’
I flash the bundle of tickets I’ve been holding.
They’re proof of the bets on Elya’s win.
I’d bet a fortune on my own loss.
Seeing the blue tickets, the students who bet on me toss red tickets into the arena.
‘Don’t mess with me!’
‘Give me my money back!’
‘This is invalid!’
I never intended to cheat from the start.
It just turned out that way.
I’ll even refund them.
‘If you learned anything, quit gambling! You losers have no talent for it!’
I laugh, and trash flies around the arena.
‘Coward!’
‘See, Leon’s still Leon!’
‘You cheating bastard!’
I retort.
‘You finally realize, you idiots!’
I laugh again as voices erupt from all sides.
‘He’s lucky Erika didn’t end up with a wife!’
‘Exactly!’
‘What Erika deserves is Bartfort, not anyone else!’
The familiar five‑idiot chant rings out.
The crowd joins in, making it funny.
‘Is everything going as planned?’
‘Well, yeah.’
I step down from the Alogantz and pull the dazed Elya out of the cockpit.
‘Um…’
He looks like he wants to say something, so I whisper to him.
‘If you made Erika cry, next time I’ll really take you on. Don’t forget that.’
‘Y‑yes!’
I pat the trembling Elya’s shoulder and head toward Erika and the others.