Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

33 – Midterm Evaluation (8)

“So..something else…”

“Wouldn’t that be possible? I hurt my arm, you know.”

The Princess was clearly taken aback that I’d want different compensation. The Saintess, hearing about my injured arm, asked what I meant by that.

She must have finally realized the cause of my injury, because she lowered her head once more. And then, she lowered her head even further, opening her mouth with difficulty.

“A-about your arm back then… I truly am sorry.”

“I only intended to use enough to make you faint… I didn’t specifically aim for your arm… I’m sorry…”

According to the Princess, she had only meant to run electricity through my body to make me lose consciousness, but for some reason, the electricity had condensed in my arm.

She continued to lower her head, blaming her own lack of control over her magic. Watching her, I thought, *’That… was my doing.’*

I couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable.

It was my doing, after all.

But I had no intention of saying so aloud.

The fact that I was injured was still true, and I knew that the power of the magic she used wasn’t the power meant for a sparring match.

The thought of being completely fried by electricity until I fainted only intensified my desire for compensation.

Unable to ignore my insistent gaze any longer, the Princess finally made a face as if about to cry. “W-what is it you want…”

Her timid voice, almost too quiet for even me beside her to hear, uttered the words I had been waiting for.

I was not one to let opportunity pass me by.

*

“Albert, how long will you be like this?”

“…”

Having finished my request to the Princess, I approached

Albert, who was still reproaching himself, and spoke.

This fellow, unlike the common noble, is not arrogant.

One of the few nobles who believes that commoners and

themselves are not so different, and who approaches

commoners without hesitation, abruptly suggesting they be

friends—a strange sort he is.

He was the first to approach me when I was a scoundrel,

and he is the one who continues to speak to me even now.

Saying he doesn’t know what circumstances I’m in, but I seem to be struggling.

In any case, he is a person of considerable importance to me, so

I didn’t particularly want to see him like this.

“Will you continue to be like this?”

“..Is it not because of me..”

“What is?”

“The fellows around me, they all fell victim.”

“…”

“If I hadn’t charged ahead and had surveyed the surroundings more carefully,

perhaps something would have changed..”

“..Pathetic.”

At the words tossed out as if discarding them, the fellow’s

head, which had been hanging low, finally began to rise.

Though, of course, it included a slight hint of annoyance.

“..Am I pathetic..?”

“Yes.”

“I see..”

Albert, while not on the same level as the Imperial Family, was still the scion of a ducal house.

Of course, while undergoing lessons to become an heir, he had

not been without experiences of encountering people who resented him.

However, it had now come to him too directly.

The thought that the friendships he had built up until now

might crack terrified him, and the fact that it was entirely his fault also played a part.

Soon, regret peeked through his face, as if reproaching himself,

and he buried his face in his knees again.

He, who always held his shoulders high and never lowered his head anywhere,

It was a visage difficult to reconcile with the Albert he knew.

And Jennison did not like it.

This fellow, sitting as if the world had ended with just *this*,

nor the cadets around them, so quick to blame each other.

*

“Will you continue to be like that?”

“..Pathetic.”

What was he supposed to do?

This entire debacle was his fault.

If it wasn’t his fault, then whose was it?

He was the one in command,

his opinion represented everyone’s,

he was the first to charge towards the monsters,

and then, annihilation.

So many friends were lost because of his rash judgment.

Likely they would be disqualified automatically.

He couldn’t fault them if they resented him.

But what was *this* one talking about?

This was his fault, and it *had* to be his fault.

Did he speak so carelessly simply because he didn’t know the situation?

Slightly irritated, he raised his head and looked at his face;

blackness stared back at him.

A composed blackness devoid of even the slightest ripple.

To put it kindly, he looked composed; harshly, emotionless.

His pupils continued to stare at him.

What did he want to say?

Did he want to look down on him, deeming him pathetic?

Did he want to laugh at his state?

As all sorts of delusions swirled in his mind,

and impure emotions threatened to take over,

his voice opened his mouth.

“Why do you think it is your fault?”

Why, he asked?

Wasn’t it obvious?

He represented them, commanded them…

“You didn’t force them, dragging them along when not a single person agreed, did you?”

No.

They offered their opinions to him, and

It was a decision made amidst an atmosphere of collective agreement.

“So, did they seem unmotivated, then?”

That wasn’t it, either.

Everyone, including myself, smiled with confidence,

thinking about the potential bonus points.

“Or did you know about the presence of mid-tier monsters,

and deliberately ignore it to proceed?”

No.

The information relayed by the reconnaissance team

didn’t record the presence of mid-tier monsters,

and I trusted that information.

“Can you explain any inappropriate judgments you made?”

“…”

“Is there any reason you should feel guilt in this situation?”

“…”

“Shouldn’t you be happy, rather, since you eliminated others?”

“What…!”

I tried to continue, but couldn’t.

It felt like words were stuck in my throat.

“You seem to be mistaken, but this is an evaluation.”

“This is where you and the others will be ranked.”

“If the others disappear, doesn’t that mean your rank rises accordingly?”

“From the start, the bonus points included students as targets.”

“So, there’s no need for you to blame yourself for

knocking the others out.”

“..I didn’t know there were fools in the world

who blamed themselves for being swept away by a typhoon.”

Who would have predicted it?

That mid-tier monsters would be on this island.

Who objected?

No one objected to catching these monsters.

So, whose responsibility is this?

*

Hmm…

Looks like we’re almost there…

I need to get rid of that insane self-blame first,

before we can have a proper conversation.

“E-even so…”

“Enough, Albert.”

“….”

“No matter how much you blame yourself, their elimination

“There is no turning back.”

Can they see you like this?

Can your self-reproach be shared with another?

Did they say directly that they resent you?

Have you committed a sin grave enough to warrant the resentment of all?

He shook his head to each of my words, but at the final question,

he stilled, leaving his head motionless.

Whether he believed his sin that great I couldn’t know, but

a flicker of hesitation lingered in his eyes.

All the better.

Hesitation meant he was wrestling with it.

His head remained frozen,

but his pupils trembled violently.

His mouth was pressed tight, lips vanished from sight,

and from the blood seeping from his fist, it seemed his nails had dug in.

Never had anyone witnessed Albert in such an unstable state.

Even the cadets who had blamed him fell silent at the sight, and

the Saintess who had tried to heal him, as well as the Princess and Isabella,

could only stand and watch.

Finally, his silence broke, and

he slowly rose and began to approach me.

Nearly all the cadets were now watching, but

he paid them no mind, continuing towards me, and

finally, at a distance of only two or three fists,

he stopped and stared at me.

He continued to gaze like that,

then let out a hollow laugh and walked past me, and

ahead of him stood the group who had been blaming him moments ago.

Some cadets looked on with anticipation, wondering what Albert would do,

while others hesitated, unsure whether they should intervene.

Among those who knew his strength well,

the gang was included.

Realizing they had been too disrespectful to him,

they replayed their recent actions in their minds, and

preemptively assumed an attack was coming, so

they quickly closed their eyes.

But no matter how long they waited with their eyes shut,

Albert did not attack.

“My apologies.”

“..Huh?”

“My hasty judgement led to the elimination of many cadets.”

“….”

“I will accept all your resentment after the evaluation concludes.”

It was a sight quite unforeseen by the surrounding cadets.

After all, Albert was a noble, a Duke’s house.

And yet, despite such words being spoken to such a person,

instead of an attack, he offers an apology.

The recipient himself seemed bewildered, as if

unable to grasp the situation at hand.

“If that beast continues to rampage…

we cannot hope to survive for long.”

“…”

“It is shameless of me… but lend me your strength, one more time.”

“…”

“I, at least, do not want our evaluation to be

ended by those monsters.”

“…”

“But alone, I cannot. Therefore…”

I ask for your help.

The apology was so unexpected,

the voice so filled with genuine sincerity,

that every cadet present could feel the truth in his words,

and it was more than enough to reignite their will.