"I'm disappointed, Reisir. I expected you to be a generous person who would forgive Karvaldr's past faults and accept him as a friend. To think you were just bowing down and playing the role of an attendant."

Even though this must be his first time meeting Reisir face-to-face, Nidr wasn’t satisfied with merely using a tone as if dealing with a close acquaintance. He put on a one-man show, arbitrarily setting expectations and then getting disappointed.

Since it was their first meeting and he knew nothing about the other party, it was only natural that his conclusion was a complete mess.

'The original protagonist acting as my attendant? Even if he's mistaken, how could he make such a nonsensical mistake?'

Reisir had been laughing his head off while teasing me just in the last chapter, so how could that be possible?

He merely treats me as someone who is 'clumsy at human relationships and easy to take advantage of as a pushover.'

So he must have assumed I couldn’t bring myself to cast Nidr aside because he was acting friendly despite making me uncomfortable. He must have felt a sense of responsibility to step in.

'However, if one doesn’t know these circumstances. Just as Tridric dealt with those approaching the possessed body on his behalf, it’s not unreasonable to misunderstand that Reisir is doing the same.'

Just because there was a reason didn’t turn an unpleasant misunderstanding into a pleasant mistake.

I watched Reisir’s reaction, expecting him to frown and get angry.

However, unexpectedly, what entered my field of vision was an expression that couldn’t have been more peaceful.

"Think whatever you want. Because no matter how you evaluate me, that sort of thing can’t exert any influence on me."

In the early stages of possession, I had witnessed Reisir shouting Wak-wak several times.

So I had thought that since Reisir at this point was still young, he was full of vigor and somewhat hot-tempered.

Did he act unusually emotional back then because he had too much resentment accumulated against the possessed body?

Or is he maintaining his composure because he judges that this isn’t a situation worth getting worked up over?

Or perhaps, as Reisir said, he truly doesn’t feel any emotional response because Nidr’s evaluation genuinely doesn’t matter to him.

It might be that he became able to maintain his composure after his emotions stabilized thanks to escaping the bullying.

"That answer is quite to my liking."

As I stopped the Thought Acceleration Skill that had activated unconsciously, Nidr’s voice was heard.

The content itself wasn’t much. Even more so when compared to the remark about acting as an attendant.

And yet, this time, a distinct furrow appeared between Reisir’s eyebrows.

"Just what makes you so great that you look down on others and make judgmental remarks like that?"

"It’s a bit embarrassing to say this myself, but... I am different from others. Very special. Everyone will come to know once this tournament is over."

It’s strange.

To me, Nidr is someone I want to avoid and a complete stranger, so why do I feel embarrassed by his dialogue?

And this character is definitely the same age as the possessed body, so why is he still suffering from such a severe case of Eighth-Grader Syndrome?

[N1] "...So you’re saying you go around disregarding others just because your martial power is a little strong?"

"It’s not just a 'little', you know."

When it comes to talent in swordsmanship, he can’t even follow in Vigdís’s footsteps, and in terms of current strength, he falls far short of Reisir.

A frog in a well, raising his nose high, intoxicated by his own self-importance.

'To think such a childish character goes around committing serial murders, then undergoes an artificial awakening experiment and becomes a monster as a side effect...'

His behavior—evaluating people by his own standards and selecting only those he wants to keep by his side as if collecting items—is extremely unsightly, but.

He is merely suffering from an excessive case of Eighth-Grader Syndrome later than others.

I suspect Author Senna might have bestowed too harsh a fate upon him.

'But what can you do? He’s a character with a setting that says he goes around killing people just because he felt a bit of an inferiority complex.'

Goosebumps rose all over my body when I recalled that fact.

Let’s not pity him just because his mental age is young.

The opponent is a villain whose humanity itself is rotten to the core.

"Well? Won’t we find out if it’s a little or not if we wait and see?"

Reisir spoke as above, then straightened his posture and gazed straight ahead.

Nidr clicked his tongue, "Tsk tsk," with an expression that deemed him foolish.

I suspect the two are thinking of each other, 'Once this tournament is over, he won’t be able to say things like that ever again.'

Anyway, not long after the conversation was cut off like that, today’s first match began.

Since Ríolíkin and Nidr’s match was the fourth, it was during the third match that someone among us raised their voice.

"L-Lord Karvaldr. I, I have to go out soon..."

"I know that too."

"T-Then, some words that could give me c-courage..."

Wouldn’t it be better to save the courage used to say those words to me and use it on the stage?

Although such a thought came to mind, I didn’t put it into words.

Unlike Reisir, who compromises appropriately and moves on, Ríolíkin doesn’t treat it as encouragement or praise unless it’s something he can be satisfied with.

"I will be expecting much, so go do well."

"Ye, yessir...! I will go do well!"

Fortunately, the OK sign came at once.

I suspect the word 'expectation' had a significant effect.

While feeling strangely proud, a reality check hit me as I wondered why I should be happy about something like this.

[N2] As I was managing that emotion, the following words came from behind.

"I’m asking just in case, but you don’t actually think Ríolíkin can beat me, do you?"

A snicker was embedded in Nidr’s voice.

It was a word of encouragement squeezed out with difficulty within the limits of not conflicting with the possessed body’s character traits, but it seems it sounded extremely preposterous to him.

'Should I say it’s a misunderstanding...?'

A thought like that briefly crossed my mind, but I decided to just stay silent.

Explaining the conditions proposed to Ríolíkin in detail would be too pathetic, and.

If Nidr learns in advance that the goal is not winning but knocking him down, he will be wary of it. And Ríolíkin achieving the condition would become unlikely.

Anyway, after finishing this match, Nidr will also notice that Ríolíkin’s goal is not to beat him.

So I see no need to worry about being targeted by a future serial killer for no reason.

Probably... it will be... okay.

Rather than that, right now I’m more concerned about the readers.

I’m /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ worried they might feel frustrated because I keep acting timidly regarding matters concerning Nidr.

Since I was also a reader before becoming an author, I fully understand that feeling, but being aware of the existence of a serial killer with a modern person’s sensibilities, I can’t help being scared.

'As expected of the expected runner-up, he is much stronger than me in martial ability too...'

As I lined up excuses using both narration and thoughts, the third match ended before I knew it.

Yor and Reisir offered words of encouragement to Ríolíkin, who took off his coat and rose from his seat.

"Yaong yaong~."

"Ríolíkin. If you just do as we practiced yesterday, you will surely be able to obtain a good result."

Judging by how he mentioned a 'good result' instead of saying he could knock down the opponent, it seems Reisir also judged that there was nothing to gain from informing Nidr of the specific goal.

Nidr scanned me, Reisir, and Ríolíkin with a gaze as if looking at something insignificant.

Then he smirked, "Pish," shook his head from side to side, and headed to the stage first.

"I-I will go do well. S-Surely...!"

Ríolíkin spoke with an expression more full of resolve than ever before and picked up his armaments.

His back as he moved toward the stage, exuding a solemn atmosphere, was quite determined.

For someone cowardly to an unsightly degree, his gait looked surprisingly confident today.

He was unlike me, who was busy shrinking back, wary of the original villain and retreating out of fear of the original story.

So, at the moment when I was unconsciously following Ríolíkin’s back with my eyes—

"It would be great if Ríolíkin surely achieves the condition. Right?"

"Yeah, indeed."

"Karvaldr, did you just say 'Yeah, indeed'?"

"......!"

The cowardly and shrewd protagonist of someone else’s novel attempted to draw out my true feelings by aiming for the moment my guard was down.

I am ashamed of myself for falling for such a sloppy trap so spectacularly.

"Wow...! I did think that if I asked in a gently probing way, you might unconsciously affirm it, but to think such a tone would come out..."

"S-Shut up...!"

"Rest assured. The host is chattering right now, and the surroundings are so noisy that there probably isn’t anyone who heard our conversation."

Listening to the person who set the trap speak as if comforting me, he is extraordinarily detestable.

To think I felt even a brief sense of disappointment that someone like this is scheduled to withdraw from school—I must have been crazy.

"Didn’t your gaze suddenly become too cold?"

"Hmph!"

I turned my head sharply, making it clear I had no intention of continuing the conversation.

Just in time, Ríolíkin and Nidr’s match had begun, so Reisir couldn’t comment on my tone anymore and closed his mouth.

Thus, we silently watched the match, praying for Ríolíkin to achieve his goal.

Simultaneously with the start of the match, Ríolíkin activated the 【Armor of Protection】 skill and quietly gazed at Nidr.

As if he already knew that if he charged in carelessly, he might suffer a counterattack.

'Is it a reflection of a coward’s uniquely cautious personality? Or is he following Reisir’s advice?'

A small question came to mind, but it wasn’t significant enough to ask the person next to me.

Since Nidr immediately went on the offensive, it wasn’t an appropriate moment to ask either.

Like a talented individual expected to be the runner-up, he was far more skillful than Ríolíkin’s Round 1 opponent.

While distracting him by striking Ríolíkin’s shield with a sword wrapped in Ether, he abruptly launched an attack targeting the ankle joint exposed beneath the shield.

He seemed to tilt his body as if moving to the right, but then—

When Ríolíkin rotated his body in response, Nidr gained a side position simply by returning his center of gravity to its original point.

Then he swung his sword immediately, and at that moment, I thought the match was over.

'If Ríolíkin hadn’t deflected that attack with the shoulder of 【Armor of Protection】, it would have ended right there.'

I had buried the small question that came to mind earlier since it wasn’t significant, but.

This time, I couldn’t help but ask the new question that arose.

"Looking at how he responds immediately without being flustered by attacks targeting the gaps in the armor’s joints, and the defensive movements using the shoulder armor... it seems Ríolíkin uses that armor-form Ether skill quite familiarly; did you teach him?"

"Rather than me teaching him something, Ríolíkin just naturally picked it up during sparring. To avoid getting hit."

Anyway, that means he did make Ríolíkin activate 【Armor of Protection】 during sparring.

Since Vigdís and I didn’t see that, they must have practiced during weekday evenings.

"Practice is essential to properly utilize an ability, right? What the school rules prohibit is using Ether for direct attacks to the bitter end, so Ríolíkin’s Ether ability, which is a defensive skill, doesn’t fall under that category. So I just told him to use it freely."

Come to think of it, since I also used buffs and the Thought Acceleration Skill without hesitation during sparring for the same reason, it’s not something to take issue with.

However, the fact that Reisir took such an interest in Ríolíkin’s growth struck me anew.

I was slightly dumbfounded, wondering just how much he must have been hit for Ríolíkin—who hadn’t even tried sparring once—to become capable of such reflexes.

"The preparation period for the tournament wasn’t even that long, yet he managed to grow that much."

"Tell him those words yourself later when Ríolíkin returns."

"...Hmph."

Although I snorted to cut off the conversation, it wasn’t a bad suggestion.

Even if Ríolíkin ends up losing without being able to knock down Nidr.

Mentioning the extent of his growth and effort, I think it wouldn’t be bad to say I’ll give him just one more chance.