WeTried Translations
Translator: Coughing Baby
Editor: Coughing Baby
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 78: A New Bug
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Rin Glacia.
The eldest daughter of House Glacia, a girl considered the greatest genius of her generation.
She was also the most dominant top student in Grandia Academy's history.
Even senior-year students found it difficult to approach her.
She was like an ice rose blooming in a snow-white field.
“...”
Rin had never cared about anything.
She considered it all worthless.
Her world had always been gray.
No one and nothing could draw her interest.
Recently, though, there was one person who kept getting on her nerves.
‘Viktor.’
A commoner without even a family name.
The top student of Class E.
According to the rumors, he was a weakling with E-rank overall stats.
It was a wonder how a student like that had even enrolled.
Normally, he would have been an extra not worth a second glance.
‘But...’
His every move kept catching her attention.
His accomplishments were far too impressive for someone from Class E.
‘It's strange.’
During the last practical training, he had overtaken her and taken first place.
He had worked with the faculty to root out an insider.
Rumors said he was dating Javert, the chief investigator known as the academy's true second-in-command.
He defeated the top student of Class C during the Freshman Welcome Test, then later made even the top student of Class B his pet.
‘There's no way someone like that is in Class E.’
His strength made no sense for someone who was supposedly only the top student of Class E.
Rin knew because she had fought Caitlin herself.
Caitlin's speed was not something one could surpass through simple luck.
At the very least, her peak speed ranked among the fastest Rin had ever seen.
‘And he toyed with the top student of Class B.’
Viktor had not suffered so much as a scratch.
At the very least, he was in the lower ranks of Class A. At most, he had the ability to reach its very top.
‘And... he seemed to use a unique power.’
The boy used a power that was neither magic, divine power, nor sorcery.
His performance was impressive as well, so of course he had drawn her interest.
Her interest in Viktor continued to grow, and it irritated Rin more and more.
‘Top finisher in the practical training...’
Rin had already lost to the boy once.
It had badly wounded her pride.
She had to be the best, always.
‘I can't leave things like this.’
She needed confirmation.
Confirmation that he was inferior to her.
She needed proof that he was nothing more than worthless trash.
On an official stage, before everyone's eyes, she had to prove that she was the best.
‘If I fall behind someone like him, even my family won't look at me anymore...’
It was a kind of obsession.
A habit ingrained over a lifetime.
Without hesitating, Rin headed straight for Class E.
She confidently entered the classroom and stopped in front of Viktor.
-W-What is that... isn't that the top student of Class A?
-Lady Glacia? That genius everyone says is the best in the academy's history...?
-Why has someone so important come to our classroom?
-Does she have some business with big brother...?
The Class E students whispered around her.
Naturally, that noise never reached Rin's ears.
Those cold blue eyes were focused on only one point.
“Top student of Class E.”
“...”
A masked boy sat before her.
A clown who looked genteel, yet somehow gave off an ominous air.
Rin stared at him coldly.
“Fight me during the practical portion of these midterms.”
It was neither a request nor a proposal.
The girl had delivered a unilateral declaration.
Rin had never considered refusal an option.
Silence from the boy, or a frightened nod, would be enough.
“I won't accept a refusal. I'll properly reclaim the top spot you took from me during the practical training, in front of the whole student body.”
“...”
“Answer.”
“...”
Her attitude was overbearing.
Perhaps frozen by it, the clown could not even open his mouth.
Rin waited briefly for an answer, then abruptly turned and left the classroom.
She had taken Viktor's silence as agreement.
“I trust you aren't a coward who'll run away.”
It was a final remark meant to needle him as she left the classroom.
An utterly arrogant thing to say.
“You're going to be utterly crushed anyway.”
Her footsteps carried her down the hall.
Only the scent of pure white winter lingered in the classroom.
Without managing a proper answer, the boy could only blankly watch Rin's retreating back.
* * *
Rin's declaration of war.
The news spread rapidly among the students.
Only a day had passed, yet it had become such a major topic that the entire academy knew about it.
-Did you hear the news too?
-Ah! You mean that?
-They said the top student of Class A really went for it this time?
Rin Glacia.
The genius called the best of her generation.
She had issued a challenge.
-She asked to fight the top student of Class E?
-Viktor? Isn't he the guy who overtook even Caitlin last time?
Her opponent was Viktor, the top student of Class E.
The student receiving the most attention in Grandia lately.
After apprehending the insider and achieving one feat after another, he was currently at the height of his popularity.
A clash between those two.
It was only natural that the academy would be thrown into an uproar.
-During the midterms? The top students of Class A and Class E are fighting...?
-I never expected Lady Glacia to take an interest in someone.
-This is bad... What is the top student of Class E supposed to do? I feel sorry for him.
-Even if it's him, won't Lady Glacia be too much for him?
The students showed fervent interest.
In their boring academy lives, events like this were their only entertainment.
The cadets quickly began talking about the news with excitement.
“Big brother!”
And it was just as noisy around me.
“Are you really all right?”
“I heard Lady Glacia challenged you to a duel!”
“W-What are we going to do? If it's the midterm practical exam, everyone will be watching...”
“Still, this is incredible! They say this is the first time the top student of Class A has taken an interest in anyone since enrollment!”
The Class E students made a fuss while worrying about me.
The Shuttles, especially, were getting worked up with concern.
“I'll be fine.”
“But...!”
“Besides, it isn't anything as grand as a duel. She only said we should settle which of us is better during the midterm practical exam.”
“She was looking down on you, big brother! Talking about crushing you and calling you a coward...!”
“I don't really care. It didn't particularly bother me.”
I barely managed to calm them down.
The exams were approaching. They couldn't get so worked up over a pointless event like this.
“I'll be fine. Please focus on your own studies.”
“Big brother...”
“Once again, for our sake...”
“You don't want us to lose focus on our exams...”
Even those words were taken seriously.
They seemed to think I was pretending to be fine because I didn't want them to worry.
“We'll show you improved grades, no matter what...!”
“We've been memorizing the secret manual you gave us every day!”
By this point, I was tired of explaining myself.
I just let them interpret it however they wanted.
‘Still, it's nice seeing them take my side like this...’
Though it did seem a little excessive.
I scratched my head and accepted their concerns halfheartedly.
The Shuttles weren't the only ones to react to the news.
“Sir Viktor! I heard the news!”
“V-Viktor...”
Ranne and Alice.
The two of them now stuck together like a set.
“You were challenged by Lady Glacia!”
“S-She looks so scary...”
“You'll take over Class A too now!”
“Still, p-please be careful not to get hurt...”
The blonde smiled brightly, while the black-haired girl spoke timidly.
I could only tilt my head at their reactions.
They had a rather different attitude from the Class E students.
“Aren't you two worried about me?”
“Y-Yes...?”
“Worried about Sir Viktor?”
They looked at my question as though they had no idea what I was talking about.
Soon, apparently deciding it was a joke, Ranne burst into laughter.
Her purple eyes were full of certainty.
“Pfft... That was a funny joke!”
A joke.
“There's no way Sir Viktor could lose in a fight between students!”
“R-Right... Viktor will w-win anyway.”
“He's someone who tears an Apostle apart with only a tree branch in hand.”
“Was that some kind of trick question? M-Maybe I didn't understand it...”
The two of them seemed more flustered than anything.
They looked as if I had asked why one plus one equaled two.
Purple and blue eyes blinked at me, making me feel oddly awkward.
‘What is this?’
It seemed like they trusted me far too much.
Well, they were the two who had watched my exploits most closely...
“Um... I don't know what to do with such high praise.”
“Ha ha! You're humble as well, Sir Viktor.”
That was a considerable amount of trust.
All I could do in response to those burdensome gazes was smile awkwardly.
Unlike them, someone else reacted with what seemed like nothing but mockery.
“Ha...! I heard that monster bitch challenged you this time?”
“Miss Caitlin.”
Blatant ridicule.
The tanned blonde delinquent girl spoke as if mocking me.
“Finally, I get to watch you make a complete fool of yourself when you lose.”
“It seems Miss Gay Teeth thinks highly of the top student of Class A as well.”
“I know because I've fought her. She's completely insane. She could probably match most faculty members. She's a different species from us.”
“My.”
“What the hell did you do to get that monster to hate you?”
“I didn't do anything to make her hate me...”
“Whatever. It fucking serves you right. Get completely wrecked in front of the whole academy and make a total fool of yourself.”
“Are you introducing yourself?”
“Y-You bastard...”
She had come here spouting all kinds of trash talk to get under my skin, yet one remark from me had gotten under hers instead.
Despite her appearance, she was quite the pushover.
Jingle.
I gave Caitlin's leash a few light tugs.
Did she not realize how ridiculous it was to provoke me while looking like that?
At the signal, she stiffened and glared at me with a sour expression.
“Come to think of it, I don't think I've heard it even once today.”
“...”
“Miss Caitlin?”
“...”
“Miss Gay Teeth.”
“Please, anything but that...”
Crackle.
Her yellow eyes wavered.
Sparks flew as though leaking from her emotions.
But a ruthless vampire hunter never let prey escape.
“Expulsion?”
“...”
Her shoulders trembled.
Caitlin lowered her head.
I tugged her leash and met her eyes again.
“You need to answer.”
“...”
“Expulsion?”
“P-Pi... Pik...”
“More clearly.”
“P-Pika...”
“More cheerfully!”
“Pika...!”
“More energetically!!!”
“P-Pika...☆ Pikachu!”
Her face was flushed scarlet.
I vigorously patted Caitlin's head as she boiled with rage.
“Good girl!”
A brief rude-attitude incident had occurred, but it was safely defeated with a magic spell.
Why did she bare her teeth every time when she knew this would happen?
Still, that prickliness had begun to feel charming by now.
The tear-filled glare she gave me as though she wanted to kill me was absolutely delicious.
“Ahem.”
I played with her hair, which was standing on end from the sparks.
After I thoroughly messed it up, she looked like she was about to die of happiness from the vigorous petting.
I left the Class B classroom in an even more refreshed mood.
As I walked down the corridor, various thoughts settled into my mind.
‘Rin Glacia... A match against the top-scoring first-year student.’
It seemed I should make some preparations.
There was no harm in being thorough.
I crossed the corridor with light steps.
The place I arrived at was the office of a certain chief investigator.
“Professor Javert.”
“Student Viktor.”
Javert greeted me calmly despite my sudden visit.
Green eyes blinked through her loose red hair.
She set down the documents she had been reading and asked,
“What brings you here?”
Her eyes were as lifeless as ever.
Regardless, I answered in a bright voice.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor...?”
“Yes, a favor.”
It was about time to bring it out.
Compared to my other stats, my attack power was particularly low.
There was a bug that could grant me attack power equivalent to a nuclear bomb.
“Could you help me for a moment?”
Now then.
Shall we put this new bug to use?
Footnotes:
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