The Villainess in the Romance Fantasy Is Strange

22. Accidents always happen unexpectedly (1)

“Uh, huh? What…… ?”

Lea, whose face was as white as a sheet of paper, stuttered back.

I turned to Lia and asked again.

“I heard you knew that Bern was the second prince of the empire. Where did you see it?”

“…… My, did I say that?”

“Yes, you clearly said so.”

Lea’s pupils waver mercilessly. She can’t keep her gaze on one place and she keeps coming and going and she does.

She’s trying hard to pretend to be calm, but it’s probably because she can’t hide her bewilderment.

I looked around to see if anyone was listening and confirmed that no one was there. And he stared at Leah, who was still licking his lips.

“Lia-sama, by any chance….”

“What about Cain?”

“Yes?”

“So Cain, how did you know Bern was the second prince of the Empire?”

If I said honestly, ‘It was written like that in the original work’, they would probably ask what the original text means?

If you explain the meaning of the original, they’ll treat me like a madman or a psychopath.

I don’t want such an unfortunate incident to happen, so after thinking about it for a while, I decided to use the excuse I used before.

“The way to find out people’s secrets is because our family’s trade secrets.”

“…… Then, I am also a secret.”

“A secret?”

“Yes, secret. Didn’t Cain tell me how he found out? So I’ll keep it a secret too. I feel like I’m losing money if I’m the only one telling you.”

“… ….”

It’s a theory so there’s nothing to say.

That’s probably because give and take is basic common sense among nobles. If you want to pry into someone else’s secret, it’s right to reveal your own too. No matter where you go, if you only receive what you deserve and get lost in, you will be criticized for not having a concept.

Anyway, our Lia. Even 7 years ago, when I asked a question, he would innocently answer everything. Now that my hair is thick, it’s not like that.

Should I rejoice at the inner growth of the lady I serve, or be sad? I was about to give it some serious thought, but Leah turned her head away, blushing.

“Well then, this is the end of the story. Any complaints, Cain?”

Although she was very curious how Lia knew Bern was the second prince. It’s not information I want to find out by revealing my secret.

For me, it would be better to end it at this point. I nodded my head politely.

“Yes, I understand. Then, shall we go?”

“Huh? Where are you going?”

“Since I made an excuse to tell Vern that I would stop by the student council room and come back, wouldn’t it be better to come back for a while to have a clear alibi?”

“Yes, yes, but no one is in the student council room right now, right? The 2nd and 3rd year executives are preparing hard to help the 1st year practical classes today.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if no one was in that wide area? You’ll be able to eat sweets to your heart’s content without paying attention.”

“…… Oh, is it? Then, can you wait a little while?”

“Yes, let’s go. I will escort you.”

* * *

This is the case of ‘Saint Awakening’, which I arbitrarily named, and the outline of today’s practical training is simple.

Starting from the outdoor training ground a little away from the Bern Academy site, you can defeat as many monsters as you can within a 3km radius.

What are monsters here? It is not a real monster, but a virtual monster created by illusion magic. However, since it was created using a real monster as a motif, its behavior and habits are exactly the same as the real thing. Some entities are tangible and even attack students.

In other words, it’s a monster created by illusion magic, and if you’re not careful, your flesh may fall off and blood may flow.

Maybe that’s why, even though this class was training, the tension was quite high. Not only my classmates, but also Lia next to me. He’s making a lot of fuss about what to do when he meets a real monster.

“Cain, this is subtly nerve-wracking. Right?”

“Yeah, what….”

For me, the tension from other meanings was greater than the tension from the monster itself. It’s also true that this practical training is an important training that will affect the ranking changes in the future.

I don’t think that’s possible, but someone subdued more monsters than me and Leah Fair. If you get a high score, you may have to give up the top and bottom seats depending on the results of the written test.

Because we, freshmen, must keep the top and bottom seats if we want to continue to serve as executives of the student council. There shouldn’t be any misfortune like that.

So I won’t look down on my opponents even if they are children, and I’m going to win the overwhelming first place with all my heart from the beginning.

“Then, it seems that everyone has made a pair, so I will announce it once again. The time limit for monster subjugation, a practical training that starts in 5 minutes, is 2 hours! It starts at 10 am and ends at 12 noon. By the way, if it’s past 12 o’clock, even if you subdue monsters, it won’t count, so keep that in mind.”

Hugo, who is the instructor in charge of this practical training and has impressive eyebrows straight up, said.

“I have a question, Instructor.”

“So what is your question?”

“If the number of monsters subdued is not one, but several, how will the score be calculated?”

Vern raised his arm and asked a question.

Hugo stroked his chin with his right hand, north of his hair.

“Good question. As Berne points out, individuals in packs have a higher base score than individuals acting alone. However, in the end, the final score is assigned in proportion to the difficulty of subjugating monsters, so to get a high score, it would be advantageous to find and hunt strong individuals, regardless of the number of individuals.”

Hugo looked at Bern with eyes that said, ‘How is it, this should have been an answer?’

Vern shook his head.

“Yes, thank you. To put it simply, don’t think of cheating.”

“Well, you have a knack for making long explanations short.”

Laughter flowed from all over the place at Hugo’s joke-like words.

Hugo caught everyone’s attention by clapping his hands loudly with his hands like a pot lid.

“Now, we have two minutes left. Everyone to their assigned positions!”

──To the location!

After standing on the starting line, we checked our equipment.

There is a sword.

I have magic tools for emergency communication.

Lia, it’s not a piece of equipment. Anyway, it’s right next to me.

“One minute before departure, get ready!”

“Lia-sama.”

“Yeah, why?”

“Do you remember what I said in the student council room earlier?”

“Um…. Oh, did you say that apple pie is sweet because it resembles me?”

“…… When did I?”

This woman shamelessly fabricates in front of people.

“Other than that, the strategy to get first place in this training. Could it be that you forgot?”

“Ah, why are you serious about something you joked about? Of course you remember Didn’t you mean to run to the faraway cave as soon as it started?”

Lia muttered in a small voice, and here she glanced at the entrance of a cave about 2km away.

“Yes, that’s right. My guess is that they probably placed strong monsters in that cave.”

“I think so too. From the inside of that cave, I can feel a strong flow of mana.”

It was the same in the original work, and there was also Lia’s declaration that she could feel the flow of mana. The place where the strongest monster in this training, the Rock Golem, exists is in the depths of that cave.

According to the description of the original work, the rock golem whose entire body is made of rock has a surface strength far exceeding that of ordinary rocks.

Therefore, it can be seen as a guy like the 30th problem of the math exam that can never be subdued at the level of a freshman in the first year of the academy.

“30 Seconds ago!”

For us, the story is a bit different.

It’s probably a killer problem that the instructors just brought to tell you not to solve it and not get a perfect score.

With my swordsmanship and Lia’s support, it’s worth a try.

I glanced at the instructor who was counting the count, and held Lia’s hand.

“Lia-sama. I’ll start running right away, so don’t let go of her hand. You know?”

“Yeah, okay. I will hold your hand and follow you.”

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1. ──Start!”

* * *

5 Minutes have elapsed since the start of practical training.

Hugo, who was watching the battle between the top and bottom pair in real time through magic tools for surveillance placed throughout the outdoor training ground, drool.

‘…… Her.’

As soon as the training started, it was unusual to run inside the cave, which was like a trap, and then cut down with a single blow to face a monster made with illusion magic.

Without any sign of competing for sum or conducting any special search battles, he just aimed at the weak point and unleashed a sword. That is a no-nonsense swordsmanship that directly leads to effective hits.

Watching Cain’s sword cut off Hellhound’s middle head at once, thinking it would be difficult for freshmen to deal with. Hugo let out an exclamation involuntarily.

“Huh….”

Although the monsters in this area are fakes made with illusion magic, their physical strength is similar to that of real monsters. Therefore, it means that you can’t cut off the neck so leisurely, like cutting water with a sword.

[Ria, strengthening magic!]

[Yeah, okay!]

Kain Reinhardt, he actually makes it possible. It was so elegant, and so leisurely that it made the viewer feel that it was a very beautiful swordsmanship.

If I covered his face, showed only my swordsmanship skills, and said, ‘This is a freshman from Bern Academy,’ no one would believe me.

Even considering the existence of the support magic of the freshman’s chief and pair mage, Cain’s swordsmanship skills far exceed the average swordsmanship skills of a freshman.

“Huh, I am. What, nonsense….”

“Instructor Hugo, are you sick? Why do you keep making weird moans?”

To the side of Hugo, who can’t believe that he has the swordsmanship skills of a student who just turned 17, watching and admiring Cain’s battle scene. A woman with flowing blonde hair approached.

The woman’s name is Lacey. Unlike Hugo, she is an instructor in charge of the 2nd grade, but on the day when practical training is scheduled, a lot of manpower is required, so the division of the grade in charge disappears.

“Ah, Instructor Lacey, you are welcome. Would you like to see this with me?”

“Where, what is it? Did you find anything interesting?”

Lacey sat down next to Hugo.

She looked at Cain and Lia’s activities displayed by the magic tool for monitoring with nonchalant eyes for about 5 seconds.

“…… Uh, what? What is this? Instructor Hugo! What happened to this?!”

Stop making a dumbfounded noise, I grabbed Hugo’s shoulder and shook him.

Hugo grabbed Lacey’s wrist and put it under her, smiling.

“How about it, isn’t it great? This is the swordsmanship skill of the second freshman.”

“No, second seat? So, are you saying that the senior freshman is stronger than him?”

“Okay. I can’t be sure yet. Looking at the results of the entrance exam alone, the second place had an advantage in practical skills, and the top students in writing had an advantage.”

“Ah, the chief is a brain type. Are you saying that the second seat is blue?”

“No, what I said is only about comparing the top and bottom seats.”

“Uh, that means…… ?”

“It’s hard to compare these two with students who rank second or lower.”

At Lacey’s question, Hugo rubbed his black beard.

“The two are different from each other.”

* * *

30 Minutes after the start of training.

After cutting down all the monsters in sight and moving forward, we slowly reached the end of the cave. After passing through this dark passage, go to the space beyond the wall where some light is leaking. You will see the rock golem, the owner of this cave.

“Whoa.”

By the way, is it because you moved your body a lot in a short period of time? Despite Lia’s strengthening magic, sweat drips down her chin. I lifted the back of my hand and placed it on my chin.

By the way, it sucks. Lia grabbed my wrist. When I looked at her, she shook her head from side to side and wiped my sweat with her handkerchief.

“Oh, that’s fine. This is how it usually flows….”

“No, if you do it with your hands, your face will get dirty. Stay still.”

Lea, who cut me off and stopped me, gently rubbed my chin, cheeks, and forehead. In her sweat, she folded her handkerchief neatly and put it in her pocket.

“Thank you. By the way, can you give me that handkerchief? I’ll wash it clean and return it.”

“Yeah, no. These handkerchiefs are expensive, so don’t wash them carelessly. It should be left to the experts.”

“Oh, is that so….”

Are there any experts who wash handkerchiefs? I mumbled, blinking her eyes, and Leah looked up at me and she gave a light laugh.

“Cain, you know what? When I see you sometimes, you don’t look like you’re 17?”

“Yes, what. Sometimes I hear that I am like an old man. Right away, my older brother and teacher did the same.”

“No, I’m not saying that I’m like an old man. Did you mean to look younger? Not often, but occasionally. Fourteen, thirteen years old? There are times when it seems like that.”

“…… When?”

“Well, what if it was just like that?”

It was the moment when I was about to ask in detail what the case was like.

-Koo Goo Goo!

The ground shook suddenly. No, the entire area was shaken. Dirt and dust fell from the ceiling of the cave overhead, covering the place where Lia and I were standing.

I almost instinctively moved her body first, wrapped my arms around Leah’s waist and quickly stepped back from her. Because of the quick reaction, Nanaria’s body was fine. However, it was not a situation where I could comfortably ask my regards.

-Thump, thump, thump!

“Lia-sama.”

“Yes, Cain.”

Before Lia could answer, she heard a roaring sound.

Then the cave wall in front of me cracked on both sides like soft limestone and collapsed. The 30th math problem that Lia and I didn’t hope for.

“Come.”

-Thump, thump, thump!

-Koo-gu-gu-gu-gu!

──Gooooo-!!!!

So, the rock golem, the monster that will give us full marks. Literally ripped through the cave and emerged.