Arena Fourteen: The Right To Rule IV

I passed the day walking around the campus, noting the locations of the important facilities inside my head.

While the gear would provide me with the directions I needed, I didn't want to rely on it much. I still couldn't trust Grey and the others fully.

I decided to head back to the dorm as the night approached. Raymond had notified me of a welcoming party in the evening, and I was going to attend that.

While I didn't want to mingle with the nobles much, without any friends or allies, my academy life would be bland, if not threatening.

I walked towards the dorm. As I came closer and closer to the building, the number of students around me decreased until there was none left. Grey had told me the truth, people tended to avoid the building for some reason.

Looking at the magnificent structure in front of me, I could only sigh in worry as I entered the premises.

...

The first thing that greeted me was an ear-blowing "Welcome!" from Raymond.

Wincing in annoyance and surprise, I looked at the masked senior in front of me.

The hall was brightly lit by the chandelier hanging above us, with a large table placed in the middle, filled to the brim with food and drinks.

Around the table were several people, all of the same age as me. I couldn't see any seniors there besides Raymond.

"Are the seniors going to join us?"

I asked him as he led me to the table.

"Hm? I'm the only senior here."

"What? Then what about the previous batches?"

"Well... I used to live here alone, you see. Back in my day, there weren't so many oddballs in the academy."

Raymond joked, but I could feel the stiffness in his voice. His memories of the previous years must have been painful.

"... Sorry."

"Don't be."

Raymond laughed my apology away and stopped in front of the table.

The people around it, each having a quirk of their own, stared at me with curiosity, hostility, and indifference.

"Ugh..."

Especially the hostility, coming from a boy in the corner, made me feel awkward.

"There there, no need to get all angry."

Raymond put up his hand, and the boy averted his gaze.

I didn't even know why he was angry.

"This is Arnold Tilgen, the latest addition to your group. Rank A Technician. Be sure to treat him well."

Raymond casually introduced me and prompted the others to introduce themselves.

Starting from the left, the first person out of the five people in front of me spoke up.

It was a boy with dark circles under his black eyes. His face was pale, and his physique was skinny and weak.

His black hair was dishevelled, giving off an aloof and eerie vibe.

"My name is Sebastian Zenohart... Nice to meet you."

He bowed slightly, and looked down at his food.

"Sebastian isn't a technician, but he is one of the hundred students enrolling via the scholarship programme. He is quite talented when it comes to tweaking and modifying things."

Raymond added more on his behalf. Hearing that, I looked at the boy in awe. So he was a genius in modifying tech, I noted inside my mind.

"Lilian Elrick. Rank B [Co-ordinator]."

The next girl, a beautiful blonde with blue eyes, introduced herself. Her eyes radiated strong will and determination.

"[Co-ordinator]?"

The unfamiliar class made me confused. I did know that Technicians weren't the only classes related to the battles, but wasn't aware of the other class names.

"Ah, right. Grey had told me that you didn't have much interest in Stigma before?"

Raymond asked me while the others looked at me curiously.

"Y-yeah."

I nodded. I didn't remember why, but I hadn't learned... or more specifically, had avoided learning anything about Stigma and the battles.

But more than that, was it okay to say Grey's name here?

"Um, Raymond, you said Grey's name..."

"That's fine. Everyone here knows who he is."

"Oh..."

It seemed that everyone here had circumstances like mine.

Seeing me nod, Raymond explained the [Co-ordinator] class.

"The [Co-ordinator] class, as the name suggests, synchronizes the Elliots. Or more specifically, they are in charge of the plans and strategies most of the time."

"Ah. A strategist, then?"

"That's simplifying things too much but yes."

Raymond laughed and nodded. The girl smiled as she sipped her drink, didn't seem to mind too much.

"Quin Walfred. Rank A, [Technician]."

The haughty boy next to her glared at me. He was the one who was glaring at me in the beginning.

"Hello, Quin."

I nodded, trying to probe him.

"Heh, so you do have some intelligence."

He snorted and crossed his arms.

"What are you trying to say?"

I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Just what I said. I'm surprised that you are a sentient being."

He chuckled, insulting me. It wasn't much of an insult, to be honest.

"I mean, from your viewpoint, everyone must seem like a sentient being."

I smiled, riling him up. It seemed that the others also understood the joke, and they all laughed to some extent.

"Y-you... !"

He tried to rush at me with a red face, but Raymond stepped forward and stopped him.

"Now, you were the one who riled him up. Just admit your defeat."

"... I..."

"Stand down."

Raymond said forcefully, and the boy obliged. I sighed in relief, and the next person introduced herself.

"Lara Thompson, Rank B [Core-Programmer]."

The brunette haired girl smiled at me as she kept pecking on her bun. I smiled back, then turned to Raymond for an explanation.

"This class specializes in programming the software and the A.I. in charge of the Regalia. Basically, while the [Technician] class works on weapon and armour and the software related to those, a [Core-Programmer] works on the main core of the Regalia itself, be it maintenance or creating a new one."

I nodded, and looked at the person beside Lara.

"Julius Welkin, Rank C [Technician]."

The final boy nodded at me with a smile, his deep, long green hair swaying slightly. His eyes were sharp and focused on me, observing my every move.

I nodded back, and Raymond handed a glass to me.

"With that done... Cheers to our new year!"

Raymond took a glass and said in a loud voice.

"Cheers!"

Everyone held up their glasses, even Quin, though somewhat unwillingly. I held up mine, and smiled.

...

"Agh... Ugh... Please..."

A groan escaped her lips as she clawed at her throat, trying to pry the hands open.

"You bitch! You thought you could escape me?!"

The man laughed as he sat on her, strangling her with increased pressure.

"P-please... your s-son..."

"Like hell I care! This boy is just a tool for that old hag to replace me with!"

The assailant didn't falter even as the girl mentioned his son.

"Ugh..."

Soon, her hands fell down, and her heart stopped moving.

"Heh... "

The man smiled sadistically and got down from the bed. He quickly removed the gloves he was wearing, and shoved them into the dead girl's mouth.

He then left the room in a good mood.

"Truly a horrific event. A father killing his unborn child..."

The words of mock sadness came from beside the door. The man turned around and stared at the hooded person leaning against the wall.

"Shut the fuck up, snake."

He hissed at the man, who just laughed with a silvery tone.

"Haha, alright. I won't tease you anymore. But you know what you have to do, right?"

"Yeah... Though, I don't get it."

The man looked at them as if they were a freak.

Perhaps they were. A freak.

"Get what?"

The person asked, playing innocent.

"Why are you asking me to do this? And even went to such lengths to ensure my help?"

"Because you are the best candidate."

They laughed again, but the man narrowed his eyes.

"Don't you love her?"

He asked, lowering his voice.

"Love who?"

"Anastasia."

"I do."

The robed snake replied without hesitation.

"Then why?"

He became more confused.

"Because... Through despair, she will grow. Through pain and suffering, she will shine like the gem she is."

"I still don't get it... But as long as I make her life a living hell, it's fine?"

"Yes."

"How far can I go?"

"As long as you don't break her mind completely, you can do whatever you want. I will give you my utmost support."

"Hoh? So her body doesn't matter?"

"No... But to think that you would lust after your half..."

"She's not."

"But..."

"She's. Fucking. Not."

The man growled, and the robed person backed down.

"Alright, alright. Just do your job."

"Hmph."

The man turned and left the corridor.

The robed person stayed behind, staring at his retreating back. Then they looked at the corpse inside the room.

"I'm sorry, but it's for the sake of the empire."

They bowed at the dead girl and her unborn child. Then they donned on a new pair of gloves and started removing all traces of the crime.

Tomorrow morning, a maid would discover that their lady had died from a heart attack...