I Became the Dark Wizard Who Rules Over the Heroines

25 – Tournament-4

“…It’s over.”

The black-haired swordsman, with his arms crossed, was watching the students leaving the arena.

“Isn’t it amazing? All thanks to my incredible instruction!”

Rila was boasting about the results of her students, shrugging her shoulders from beside him.

“Really? Could Professor Rila really have the ability to raise a leader to that level?”

The swordsman asked a purely curious question. It was a somewhat harsh question, but there was no mistrust or ridicule for Rila.

“No, no, Professor Karin. What will you do if you believe people too easily? Of course, I don’t know anything about it.”

“… Be careful with your words.”

Whether from fury or not, Karin looked at Leila with a terrifying gaze. Unfazed, Leila casually met her gaze with a slight stick out of the tongue.

“However, it’s definitely interesting. To match as well and as beautifully as that, even though they’re not party members who have synced with each other for years.”

“Really? Is that so amazing? Anyways, isn’t it a foregone conclusion that the team with Claire and Kellin will win?”

A Dark Priestess who can control her own power, Claire, and Kellin who has worked under the Erst family’s Karin.

Wade and Lillian were students with talents of their own, but they couldn’t be considered as significant when compared to the two.

“No, the leader of that team… it’s probably Wade, right? Their strategy is very clean.”

“Oh, is it…”

As if intrigued, Leila opened her eyes wide and looked at Karin.

“While it may be natural for the team with Kellin and Claire to win, it is a real battle, isn’t it? There are many variables.”

Karin’s fierce gaze was sharply staring at the vacant stadium.

“The strategy of the Spirit Master scattering many spirits… it’s commonly known among those who can fight, but actually not many people know it. If it’s a spell of that scale, Miss Claire would have spread the fog and immediately prepared that spell.”

Not a ruffian or a bandit, let alone a sorcerer or a demon.

Spirit Masters did not often go to the battlefield. Unless they were mercenaries with much experience in raiding territories, it’s natural that they don’t know how they would fight.

“If they hadn’t released the fog in the beginning, there wouldn’t have been room for Kellin to move. Surrounded by spirits and knights, she would have been exposed to fire from priests and mages.”

Kellin could have endured in that situation, but there were not a few variables.

“It was right to push Kellin in first. If they used her like a normal vanguard, the front line would have been drawn to them, and there would have been a big chance that Claire’s area magic would have been neutralized.”

It was a bold decision. With the party’s composition, the moment Kellin charged towards the enemy, their protective personnel would disappear.

“He’s quite a good leader. At a student level… I cannot think of a cleaner way with less variables to lead the tournament to victory.”

“Isn’t it strange? I wonder where a student like that came from.”

Leila wore a triumphant smile.

“Even though it’s strange… still, I don’t think Professor Leila came to this stadium to watch these people.”

“Just a chance encounter, a chance encounter! Well, those friends have great skills… but politically speaking, the matches happening behind the scenes are more important.”

Karin, a swordsmanship professor, Leila, a black magic professor. They were not here to watch their battle.

“Ah, she’s coming out.”

The young lady of the Erst family appeared in the stadium, emitting tremendous magic power.

“Surely, it’s tremendous! Even though it’s the Erst family, I didn’t know it would be this much?”

“Is that so… I thought it would be natural for a strong black magician to come from a good family.”

Karin looked at Leila with a curious expression.

More support, a richer environment, and the wisdom of growing strong from a good family were not absolute, but generally understood.

“Well, it’s not necessarily the case. Black magicians have a… how should I put this. They get lazy when they’re full? They have that tendency.”

“Hmm…”

“More than that, I’m curious about who Miss Karin brought along. Since Miss Kellin joined Wade’s party, a spot must have opened up.”

Karin shook her head as if it wasn’t interesting.

“That’s Karin. She would be able to pick from the crowd around her. I don’t think there will be anyone special entering-“

The Swordsmanship professor wrinkled her brow as she looked at the knight standing at the front.

“…How did she get here?”

/////

A new encounter is always joyful, isn’t it?

Karin hummed, waiting for the woman visiting her room.

Kellin had completed her purpose…

She didn’t know when the bird would reveal its new master, but Caterine had no intention of using her anymore.

So, she needed to find a new familiar.

Seeing no reaction, it was unclear even if Wade was a part of Cazort…

There were no certainties.

Suddenly, she felt as if she was dropped into the world. Wade was such a strange and alien existence.

In that case, it would be reasonable to assume he was a planted by the princess.

The Empire always held power amidst hypocrisy. It was a public secret that they were cultivating unseen dark magicians.

According to the princess and Caterine’s enrollment, it wouldn’t be surprising if they had admitted one of their grown talents.

If this hypothesis turned out to be true… then she would presumably have one of her dear ones taken away by the Empire.

Then, it was appropriate for an Imperial knight to fill the void left by Kellin.

She heard the knock on the door.

“Come in, Olivia.”

“…”

After a moment of hesitation, the lady knight outside reluctantly opened the door.

Anger, resignation, sadness, and pain mixed in her eyes as she looked at Caterine.

“I’m glad to see you. It must’ve been a hard journey, thanks for coming.”

“I…haven’t made a decision yet.”

It was a meaningless remark. Both Caterine and Olivia knew it.

From the moment Olivia had personally sought out Caterine, she couldn’t return to her former life.

Her visit wasn’t a secret. In a few days, chatterboxes would spread throughout the academy that she was conspiring with Caterine.

Those following the princess would scorn her even more aggressively, passionately. The reputation of her family would fall, and the Empire would regard her with suspicion.

But still, what I can do…!

However, producing results could solve all these problems.

The nobles of the Empire can’t just oppose the Erst family forever.

Caterine respected the authority of the Empire first and came into the academy herself.

Whether for espionage, or for connection, being close to Caterine could be purposefully utilized.

Somehow, she had to win…

If Caterine’s party could overpower the princess’s, and if it could be proven as a result, the Empire wouldn’t be able to disrespect them.

Even if it’s a match between newcomers, a fight between Caterine and the princess wouldn’t be strange for it to be a war where no one dies.

If she revealed the gap in power, she could earn respect. She could be acknowledged again. She needn’t retreat.

Even if she fell into dirty, disgusting things, into a nauseating corruption in the process.

“Why… did you call me?”

But, she couldn’t avoid this question.

Of course, Olivia was confident in her skills, but she didn’t think she was strong enough to be called out by Caterine.

“It’s all about unity, unity. The professors love it, don’t they? Regrettably… during the joint class, there was no chance to invite a proper knight, so I wanted to bring one in at this opportunity.”

Caterine, laughed.

“And this is also a personal apology.”

“What do you mean?”

“Although it wasn’t intentional… you trusted me, and were thrown away by the princess and her followers, right? It’s a pitiful situation.”

“I don’t intend to receive your pity.”

Olivia stared sternly at the princess. The princess, too, regarded Olivia sternly, a small smile barely evident on her face.

“Do you not empathize with my situation, too?”

“…What?”

A warm statement that doesn’t match the cold atmosphere. Olivia found herself momentarily lost as she watched Caterina.

“You’ve been doing what you think is right and have been abandoned.”

Suddenly as if the previously cold atmosphere was an illusion, Caterina gave a soft smile.

“The Ernst family doesn’t abandon such people.”

Olivia couldn’t shake off the doubt. All of this could be an act, or it could just be a scheme to deceive her.

Nevertheless, it seemed like Caterina’s eyes held sincerity. Or perhaps that was what Olivia wanted to believe.

“I will do it.”

Regardless, it was not like she had any other choice left.

“So, what should I do?”

“You don’t have to do anything. Just stand in front of me and watch my victory.”

“Excuse me?”

“I couldn’t help it. I have my way, and I gathered party members for it. I can’t change everything for Olivia’s sake now.”

“… “

How to use party members is up to the leader’s authority.

Even if it’s like cutting with a sword instead of an axe or chipping stone with a shield instead of a pickaxe, obeying the leader’s order is the right thing to do.

However, Olivia couldn’t accept this.

“Just a while ago my skills were-“

“Well, I think you can showcase your skills, irrespective of my strategy.”

There’s no expected role. Olivia clenched her teeth.

“If you want, I can modify the strategy. But to do that…I’m sorry to say this, but it’s a bit lacking with just Olivia.”

Caterina gave a hearty smile.

“If you want, can we discuss this further?”