"Hahaha! Yes! There we go!"
Rhamn stood in front of him, raising her hands towards the sky with an exhilarated smile.
"Too proud? We? Never! We are just being realistic about our abilities! Even all your pathetic classmates put together, complete with an ambush at the end, could not defeat us!"
"They were so easy to manipulate! Almost too easy! I pity their feeble minds!"
"Hahaha!"
Rhamn laughed without restraint, her bell-like voice the only thing in Cyril's ears for a few seconds.
A red butterfly made a loop in the air, almost dancing to the joyful voice.
Morpho began flying around here and there in a chaotic manner, while the barrier around her slowly regenerated.
Cyril slowly wiped the grin off his face, observing her with growing calmness.
Rhamn stopped and sent him a glance, a playful smile on her face.
"Oh, don't pretend. I know you agree with me!"
...It just feels less satisfying when you say it like that.
"I'm just being honest~"
Cyril lay on the ground for a while longer.
He was still, his eyes closed. To someone else it even might've looked like he fell asleep.
A butterfly landed on his head, folding her wings to rest as well.
As the scene from before played out in his head, a warm feeling slowly spread in his body, making him feel better.
Maybe it was just mana slowly recovering, bringing him out of the brink.
At this moment his sharp hearing picked up someone's quiet footsteps approaching.
Don't tell me there is more...
"We'll defeat them all the same! Haha!"
Morpho suddenly flew in the air and bolted in a specific direction.
Shortly after, a scream rang out.
"Ah!"
Someone dropped to the ground.
"..."
Cyril slowly raised his body, no longer as tense.
Someone just randomly walked by, maybe...?
There on the ground sat a female student with black hair and eyes, her face unremarkable.
He had seen her before already.
Jack's sister...
Cyril dusted off his clothes and walked towards her.
Morpho didn't use the technique?
"She already ran out of mana during the fight. It's a miracle she can still fly."
The girl observed the butterfly threateningly hovering over her, then looked at the approaching cold blue eyes.
Suddenly tears started running down her face as she lay on the ground, quietly mumbling to herself.
"Am I really this worthless…? I can't even ambush someone exhausted from a fight..."
Cyril halted, staring at the girl softly crying to herself.
Did she hear my speech after all?
"It's a common issue, that's why I chose it. Most people nowadays have low self-esteem, be it noble or otherwise."
"Hehe, weaklings."
He walked a few steps closer, crouching in front of the girl.
She flinched and closed her eyes, expecting that familiar sense of pain.
After a few seconds, however, it still hadn't arrived, so she opened them in confusion.
Cyril blankly stared at her, silent.
Somehow, the more he looked at her, the more muddied his feelings became.
Rhamn no longer laughed in the background. Instead, she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
After a second of quiet contemplation, Cyril slowly opened his mouth.
"What's your name?"
"...Emily."
The girl replied with caution, her eyes glued to his every action, full of fear.
Cyril nodded, no emotion on his face, and stood up.
I think it's better I go.
"I am not interested in fighting for now. I'm done."
Emily's face turned blank, staring at him without words as he slowly began walking away.
Then she quickly got on her feet.
"Hey! Wait a minute!"
"What is it?"
Cyril turned around, pausing for a moment.
Emily hesitated for a long while before mumbling.
"...Thank you."
For what?
Despite his confusion, Cyril gave her a nod and continued on his way.
Emily observed his back for a few seconds and soon walked after him, in total silence.
Morpho sat on his shoulder, eyeing the girl walking behind with caution.
Emily tried to ignore the insect's persistent gaze and looked at the grass.
"Can I ask, what are your next plans?"
"Why does she care?"
"...I'll look for Cedric and Myra."
Emily immediately brightened up, as if finding hope.
"I think I know where to find Cedric!"
Cyril stopped, Emily almost hitting his back, before hastily making a few steps back.
"Where?"
Emily took a light breath and looked around them.
"Leo publicly challenged him to a duel... again. They were supposed to fight near a pond somewhere. I think I'll be able to find it. People talked about it a lot."
"A pond... Not bad."
Cyril nodded and stepped aside, motioning with his arm.
"Lead the way."
Emily cautiously walked ahead.
As she passed him, Morpho suddenly fluttered her wings.
She lightly flinched and sped up ahead, her back stiff.
Cyril followed after her as he gently brushed the butterfly's wings.
"Don't worry about that. She is just playful."
Emily's hands twitched as she walked.
"Ye-yeah, I see..."
"Coward."
...
They walked in total silence for the whole road.
Emily's mouth twitched at times, eager to ask something, but she always stopped herself at the last second.
She clearly wants to ask something. Maybe about Jack?
"I am not sure we have the patience to deal with that thief's failure of a little sister."
I still have some patience left.
"Are you really feeling guilty over what happened at the hill? Shake it off, it's nothing big."
"..."
As he was thinking to himself, his ears caught the chatter of people nearby.
"We are here," Emily whispered and briefly paused, allowing him to overtake her.
They emerged at a small, shallow lake surrounded by a grove of dark trees.
In the middle of it lay an arena-like island. Two people stood there: Cedric and Leo. Before them, a pole as tall as a person flew the Empire's flag, swaying under an illusory wind.
Watching them from the coast were many students from all classes.
Cyril even recognized some of them. Everyone was excitedly talking about the coming fight.
"Leo apparently had an intensive learning schedule. Maybe he has a chance?"
"I don't think he'll beat Cedric anyways. I don't want to see him win either."
"I know, right? Leo is so unpleasant, especially lately."
"Is that why we are not helping? Leo is on our side, while Cedric is the enemy..."
"Don't be so underhanded. This is an honorable duel!"
"Fine..."
Cyril inconspicuously stood some distance away, wanting to listen to Leo and Cedric.
However, be it by chance or because Morpho's bright coloring really attracted attention, a student nearby noticed Cyril.
"He is here!" Someone yelled with all his might and started running away as fast as his feet could carry him.
At the same time the rest turned their heads at him, saw that Cyril was indeed here, and then collectively started running, leaving only a few brave souls behind.
Cyril watched with a wry expression as everyone escaped in a panic.
"They are like scared deer," Rhamn mocked with a satisfied smile.
Cedric and Leo observed it all with blank faces.
Soon from a small crowd of spectators, only two people remained.
"Cyril, hello." Anna helplessly waved and walked closer to him.
The other was Regina, who warily stared at him from a distance, her hand behind her back.
Cyril nodded to her, then looked at Anna, who was quickly right in front of him.
For some reason she gave him a bad feeling.
"Where is Tigris?" Anna looked all over him and at Emily at his side, in her eyes a question mark.
"He can't fight, so I left him with a professor."
"Oh, that makes sense." Disappointment briefly flashed on her face before she waved at the butterfly on his shoulder.
"Hi, Morpho."
The butterfly fluttered her wings in return, somewhat slowly.
Then Anna glanced back at Emily, her expression becoming much more subdued.
"Hello." She bowed lightly and stepped away, returning to being a spectator.
So did Cyril, he looked at the two students on the arena-like island.
She doesn't look afraid at all... I didn't encounter her once so far... Lucky.
"For her."
At being mostly ignored, Regina breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.
"Cyril, good to see you! I was really in a pickle there!" Cedric enthusiastically waved his hand with a wide grin.
Leo was silently fuming at the side, glaring at Cyril.
Soon he pointed at Cedric, his teeth clenched.
"You got lucky this time, bastard! When I next-" But before Leo finished, Cyril interrupted him.
"I will not interfere in your duel, you can go on."
Leo's words were stuck in his throat, and his gaze alternated between Cedric, Cyril, and a certain merciless butterfly.
"That would be fair. What do you say, Leo?" Cedric cautiously said.
Leo Arken's face was becoming more and more red, and finally he raised his hand to cast a spell.
Cedric prepared to block it. However, the spell turned out to be a smokescreen.
Leo immediately started running away, almost stumbling in the process.
Without any parting words, he was soon gone from their sight.
"Coward, as usual."
Cedric awkwardly scratched his hair but soon brightened his expression and turned to Cyril.
"How have you been? Heard of your fight on the hill. Really impressive, but couldn't you have been a bit... lighter on your words?"
There was nothing malicious or fearful in his gaze. He was still looking with the same friendly expression as always.
Emily tensed up at his words, taking a step to the side and cautiously observing Cyril's reaction.
"Maybe. But what's done is done,."
Cyril replied and briefly looked at Anna out of the corner of his eye. Her face didn't seem to change at the mention of that incident.
She doesn't care...?
Cedric shrugged helplessly and quickly put on a smile.
"Oh well, there will be an opportunity to solve this in the future."
Anna's expression remained the same, but Emily at the side widened her eyes, stunned.
Cyril looked around the island, his gaze stopping on the pole bearing the Empire's flag.
"Is this the object you are guarding?" He asked.
Cedric nodded and gave a thumbs-up.
"This thing is a bit cumbersome to move, but not that bad. I was initially in some castle, but thankfully I didn't have to guard the whole thing. It was a bit too conspicuous for me, haha."
He walked towards the pole and in one move pulled it all out of the ground, resting it on his shoulder.
"And yours is that disc? It's easier to carry around, I am a bit jealous."
Cedric turned around and longingly stared at the crystal in Cyril's hands.
"I was defeated plenty of times because of the pole... I guess it means I need more training."
Cyril tilted his head with intrigue.
"You lost already? What happens when the barrier is broken?"
Cedric's smile twitched a little, and he sighed helplessly.
"Nothing too special. You are transported into some underground complex, and after being treated, you are supposed to go back to the 'starting zone,' as they put it. And bam! You are suddenly back in the forest."
"I see."
Emily silently observed their more normal than expected interaction, glanced at Anna, who didn't look scared at all, and took a deep breath.
With eyes a bit more brave, she looked at Cyril.
"...Uh, Cyril! Can you tell me where I can find my brother!?"
She then bowed, her back somewhat shaking.
"Please, this is important to me!"
Find? Is there some story between them...?
"Maybe this won't be as boring as I first thought."