“Why does your life have to be so messed up? Your powers have gotten even stronger, yet now you have to worry about your clothes moving too?””
“…I don’t have an idea. How should I know?”
The more Liana held her stomach and laughed, the more Kono Lint scowled. Luckily, contestant No. 40, who he had teleported away, had returned his clothes to his classmates, and Kono Lint was able to get dressed and out into the street again.
He didn’t even hope for a victory and just wished for this to be over quickly, so now all Kono Lint wanted was to return to the dormitory and rest to clear his mind.
It was a terrible experience, but it was all over now.
No, were they all just bad memories?
That person who smiled and said they believed in him when he didn’t even believe in himself.
That trust ultimately led to the successful use of the new ability, albeit with a downside.
He wondered who that person was. Where were they from?
He wasn’t planning to do anything with that information, but it would be nice to at least know that much.
At least then they could have become friends, right?
The hand that he held, if briefly, to teleport the girl, no, the boy, was surprisingly soft.
When that person was in the waiting room, he bit his nails most likely due to nervousness, so they looked a bit chewed on. But even so, that person’s hand was surprisingly smooth.Kono Lint ran his hands through his hair as if trying to get rid of the strange thoughts that kept appearing in his head.
“… What’s wrong with you?”
Liana took a few steps back, wondering if Kono Lint’s had lost a few marbles during the contest..
“Oh, isn’t that person over there?”
As Cayer had pointed out, there was a silver haired person walking down the street. They were still wearing the dress with a hoop skirt.
Although only the back was visible, there was only one person dressed like that today which was contestant no. 40. Erich also nodded his head while looking in that direction.
“That’s right.”
“…Seems like something’s going on, but what could it be?”
Heinrich cocked his head while looking at the scene.
In front of the over two meter tall giant, stood contestant no. 40, who was much shorter, and surrounding them was a laughing group of people that looked like a bunch of delinquents
-…
-…
It’s not close enough to hear what they’re talking about.
However, no matter how you look at it, the only way to interpret this scene was a giant and his group of delinquents were harassing and threatening a girl in a dress.
Everyone realized that the giant was the same guy who participated in the cross-dressing contest. His appearance in a dress was so shocking that it remained in people’s memories.
Liana smirks with a raised brow.
“Huh, are those guys bullying a pitiful pretty boy?”
Though the choice of words was a bit peculiar, that seemed to have been the truth when viewed from afar, resulting in everyone frowning.
It’s clear that it’s an awkward situation, although they didn’t know what was actually going on.
“He needs to be rescued by this noona.”
Liana was about to come to the rescue of the pitiful pretty boy who was clearly in a tight spot.
“I’m just going to …?”
“…Huh?”
One side of the group that surrounded him opened up, and the silver-haired boy nodded to the giant before walking away on his own.
They didn’t know what was going on, but it just seems like they are letting him go. He even waved goodbye, as if he was grateful for something.
“What a surprise.”
“It’s a relief that nothing happened….”
Liana bit her lip as if she was disappointed nothing had happened. Liana watched as the giant stared at contestant no. 40’s back as he walked away.
“Anyway, he seems to be a sinful man.”
Liana giggled, finding the sight hilarious.
“Anyway, I can’t help but wonder what major and class he belongs to….”
Liana stopped talking in the middle of her sentence.
The group that seemed to have been harassing contestant no. 40, just let him go as if nothing had actually happened. They must have been misunderstanding the situation. However, Liana gestured towards contestant number 40, who was getting farther away.
More precisely, somewhere a little bit behind him.
“Hey, that over there.”
“That?”
“Isn’t that person over there the one who was at the competition venue earlier?”
Liana pointed at someone wearing a black robe, who was quietly walking behind contestant no. 40.
“It looks like… how strange…”
Erich knew what Liana was talking about since he had already seen that eerie person earlier.
The person wearing that black robe, who looked indeed very suspicious, was really walking behind contestant no.40. At Liana’s words, everyone’s expression became serious.
“I have no idea what he’s up to, but doesn’t he seem really suspicious?”
An unknown villain was chasing after contestant no. 40. Liana and the other Royal Class students were all thinking that something might happen to him.
“Let’s follow them.”
“Isn’t it dangerous to go up there…?”
Cayer spoke with a hint of fear. He wondered if they were getting involved in something unnecessary.
“Do we really have the time to talk about that right now?”
It was surprisingly Kono Lint who said that, not Liana.
My skin crawled.
This time, I was sure it wasn’t a simple pervert like the middle-aged man from earlier.
Even though everyone at the competition venue was looking at me, I definitely noticed the person shrouded in a black robe staring intensely at me.
It made me feel uncomfortable, but since they weren’t the only one staring, I let it go, and now they’re following me.
What are you going to do to me?
I had to take off my dress and remove my makeup, but that weird person was following me.
They weren’t following me too closely, but they were definitely closing in on me. If I stay on this main street, they won’t be able to harm me, but I really wanted to get home quickly!
I made my way down the main street and blended in with the crowd, but the black-robed pursuer was still following me, keeping a certain distance.
I could have told the security guard that a strange person was following me, but I didn’t want to get involved in a commotion.
Wondering why I’m going through something like this, I entered an alleyway for the time being.
I’ll lose them and go out of Temple. Then, I’ll return to the dormitory as Reinhardt.
With those thoughts swirling in my head I turned in an alley.
“!”
“…”
The black-robed villain who had been following me appeared right in front of me.
This guy, they’re a dangerous one.
As soon as I thought that, my fist was already at motion.
-Whoosh!
But my fist slashed through only air, as the robed villain lightly dodged my straight punch with a shake of their head.
Their movements were out of the ordinary. Despite my sudden attack, the hooded villain did not retaliate.
“…I’m just trying to make contact because we’ve made our decision, Reinhardt, and I have no intention of attacking you.”
”!”
My brain froze at those words.
They recognized me.
No one else had noticed.
“Who are you?”
The opponent remained calm even against my snarling growl.
“You must have known that the Order would be contacting you soon.”
The Black Order.
They said they’d be in touch soon.
Of all times.
Of all days, it had to be today.
It was a feeling beyond brain freeze, I felt like I’d been hit with a hammer.
No, no….
Why.
Why today?
No one among my fellow dorm mates, be it Ellen, Bertus or Harriet had found out.
But strangely enough.
I’d been found out as a cross-dresser by a member of the Black Order who was neither an enemy nor an ally, with whom I would be discussing serious matters in the future.
“Uh, since when… did you see me? Damn, how did you even know…?”
“I looked at the participant list. Entry number 40, Reinhardt.”
Damn, you saw that. How did you even know that I was going to a cross-dressing contest?
Even though it’s the Black Order and the document wasn’t really confidential, is it really okay that they can go through the list just like that?
The member of the Black Order was looking at me from within their black robe.
“So, umm… This is, well, you see… I have my own reasons…”
There’s a story behind this!
I can’t explain it properly, but there’s a story behind it!
“I have no interest in your personal preferences.”
But instead of respecting my tastes, they dismissed me as if they didn’t care.
It’s not like that! The stalker I suspected of trying to do something weird to me had actually no interest in me at all.
I’m trying to make excuses for this situation, but they don’t give a shit..
But still it bothered me. According to these guys, I’m a big shot who bosses around a Vampire lord. The fact that someone like me was walking around like this, I thought it would lower my credibility.
“We care about the valuable information you have, not how well you look in a dress.”
That apathetic stance….
It.
It’s strange, but I felt hurt….
Even Ellen wasn’t this indifferent!
Were all the members of the Black Order assholes, or was it just this guy….
It was hard to tell whether they were able to easily infiltrate Temple because it was a festival or if infiltrating Temple was just a simple matter for them.
Even though I was teetering on the brink of panic and danger, the member of the Black Order remained calm and collected, saying only what they needed to say.
“You said you needed the Order’s knowledge and that you could give us information about Cantus Magna. Is that correct?”
“…That’s right.”
It felt humiliating to talk like this, but since the other person wasn’t paying any attention to it, I felt like I was the only one weird.
“What knowledge do you require?”
Dealing with The Black Order.
It started at this weird timing.
Were they really unrelated to the Gate incident? I didn’t know for sure. But I had to find a way no matter what.
There was no time to joke around or waste time being played around with.
“I want to know if you have a way to access other worlds.”
“….”
They didn’t answer my question, didn’t ask why I wanted to know it, just watched me in silence.
“Do you know?”
“I asked what knowledge you needed, I didn’t say I could answer that. If you have something of value to offer, we will share our knowledge in return.”
“But you are admitting that you have some knowledge worth sharing?”
It’s not necessary to know the concrete methods or anything like that.
The fact that the Black Order could provide that method would be already proof enough for me.
If I gave them information about Cantus Magna, they would tell me how to open a dimensional gate to another world. The moment they confirm that, the Black Order becomes a suspect related to the Gate Crisis.
I’m not curious about the method at all.
Whether you know how or not, that’s all I am interested in.
“I cannot answer that.”
However, the Black Order wasn’t so naive.
“That’s an unfair trade. Even if I give you information about the Cantus Magna, there’s no guarantee that you can provide me with the information I want. Why should I make such a deal?”
There was no reason to make a deal in which one side incurs losses unilaterally. The very purpose of this discussion was to sound each other out.
“Do you have reliable information about Cantus Magna?”
“Well, I can’t say..”
“Are you saying you don’t have the information?”
The Order member’s demeanor changed; they seemed angry, if only slightly.
“More like, I can’t tell if the information you have is worth my time.”
“….”
Could this be called a psychological battle? Neither of us has shown any animosity or aggressiveness towards each other.
“We will discuss this issue and contact you again later.”
Was that something that even the guy in front of me couldn’t decide on his own?
“….”
“Until then, I hope information about Cantus Magna will be prepared.”
“What if it’s not?”
“I don’t think you’re someone who would play pranks on us.”
In the end, we only knew what each other wanted from this contact, but there was no actual exchange.
However, Black Order did not deny that they knew.
It seemed that there was at least a little possibility of resolving the Gate Crisis.
My heart was pounding like crazy.
While this won’t necessarily solve all of our problems, it’s a step in the right direction.
But once I get over the biggest hurdle, the rest should be smooth sailing.
The Black Order didn’t seem to be curious about my intentions at all. They just seemed to be doing business, saying that it’s a deal when both parties are ready to pay.
“At an appropriate time, I will come back…”
-Crackle! Thud!
“….”
Just as the conversation was about to conclude, suddenly a bolt of lightning flashed through the air and struck near the right cheek of the hooded figure.
In a flash a barrier appeared and blocked the lightning bolt.
What’s going on?
“Hey, pretty boy! Come here!”
I turned around to see the guys from the Royal Class,who had come to watch the cross-dressing competition along with Liana de Grantz and Kono Lint.
Why did they come all the way here? However, judging from their urgent expressions, it seemed like they had some worries about the cloaked figure and had chased after me.
And pretty boy, really? Just what are you shouting, you idiot?
With a pale face, Liana shouted.
“Quickly!”
Liana shouts urgently at me, and the Black Order member looks at me and nods subtly, as if they were willing to play along.
Was that a signal to go?
They were an asshole, but they could go with the flow.
“Ye,yes!”
As I hurriedly ran towards Liana, she tightly grabbed my hand and glared at the black-robed wizard of the Black Order.
“Are you a wizard, asshole?”
“….”
“I don’t know what you’re up to, but that kind of nonsense won’t work in Temple! Get out of here right now!”
-Crackle! Crackle!
A flash of lightning sparkled near Liana’s hair. It seemed like a warning that if someone tried to do something foolish, the lightning would strike them down.
Oh, no…
Even if it’s you, it’s not wise picking a fight with a Black Order member.
Luckily.
“Well, that’s too bad.”
The Black Order member suddenly started to play the kidnapper and began to back away.
“I’ll see you next time, then, pretty boy.”
“….”
That.
Was that a parting shot, you fucker?
I don’t know if they were acting or teasing me, but they slowly backed away, turned, and disappeared.
When the black robed villain disappeared, Liana looked at me and asked worriedly.
“Are you okay? Did something happen to you?”
“Oh… Yes, yes… Nothing happened…”
No….
You didn’t have to come….
“Ugh, so what were you doing, not going back quickly? Even if you tried to shake them off, how could you come into this alley? Are you stupid? Where do you live? This noona will take you home.”
“Ah… no, it’s okay.”
The disgustingly long day ended with Liana’s clumsy stumble.
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