Chapter 30 – ３０ – In the Duel Waiting Room

Entrance Ceremony Arc

“…”

Upon arriving at the hall that had apparently been chosen as the stage for the Duel, I was immediately guided toward the waiting room.

This Duel was supposed to be extremely sudden, but I suppose it’s just like the Duel Academy—they seem well-accustomed to such things.

Once inside the waiting room, I began reviewing the Duel rulebook just to be safe… and immediately after, there was a knock at the door.

Wondering who it could be, I called out, “Come in.”

“Naru! What do you mean you’re having a Duel?! And betting your expulsion and your future on it?!”

“Suzu?! Wait, I heard you guys were in a meeting. Why are you here?”

It was Suzu who appeared.

Behind her were Ichi and Marie, and for some reason, Ms. Maruta was there as well.

“The meeting flew out the window the moment the news of the Lady Goddess’s descent arrived! Everyone who was interested was told to gather in the hall to see how the Duel between Naru and Fuchibeni would turn out. Since we’re people close to Naru and have a stake in what’s being wagered, they let us through to here. Now, that’s our side of things, but why on earth are you having a Duel, Naru…?”

Suzu pressed in on me.

Her expression was a whirlwind of emotions: pleading with me not to do anything dangerous, wanting me to explain my reasons, and a hint of happiness that I had gotten angry on their behalf.

“I just had to… well, it’s how things went. He said something utterly unforgivable. In a sense, I suppose I took the bait of his provocation.”

“Naru… any intention of calling off the Duel?”

“Not a chance. Besides, backing down now would just be a forfeit. That would make me the biggest loser of all, wouldn’t it?”

“I mean, that’s true… Ah! If you lose, Naru, don’t worry—I’ll support you!”

“That’s not the point. Given Fuchibeni’s attitude, if he wins against me, I think he’ll immediately challenge Suzu and the others with the same demands.”

“It’s fine. I’ve already figured out a way to unilaterally kill someone like Fuchibeni.”

“…”

I feel like the most disturbing comment of the day just slipped out.

Ichi and the others pretended not to hear it, but their faces clearly asked if she was serious.

Yeah, I want to pretend I didn’t hear it too.

But I can’t just ignore it; Suzu is exactly the type of person who would actually do it.

“Ahem. Anyway. I’m not stopping the Duel. And I have no intention of losing; in fact, I plan to beat him to a pulp. So Suzu, please just stay in the spectator seats and watch. Whatever you do, don’t try anything against Fuchibeni, either before or after the Duel.”

“…Fine. I’ll do as you say, Naru.”

Good, for now, I’ve managed to persuade Suzu.

“So, do Ichi and Marie have something for me?”

“From Ichi, it’s regarding precautions for the Duel. I’ve reviewed the details of this particular match, which were provided here.”

“I see. Was there anything specific?”

I had Suzu sit beside me and turned toward Ichi.

Ichi held out the rulebook toward me and began to speak.

“Yes. I will explain in order. First, the basic rules of a Duel. You must activate your Masquerade within ten seconds of the signal to start. You must not intentionally attack an opponent who is not in their Masked Form. Regardless of the reason, if the Masquerade is deactivated once activated, you will be teleported outside the Duel area and declared the loser. These are the basic rules and remain unchanged.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Normally, since these are hosted by the state or the academy, there are various additional clauses… but perhaps because this is hosted by the Goddess, there are none.”

“Meaning?”

“For example, if Mr. Naru were to expose his chest or groin, it would not result in a disqualification. However, conversely, you cannot use loopholes in the rules to force a disqualification. It will be a pure, head-on battle.”

“I see.”

If what Ichi said was true, it just meant I had to fight properly.

That worked in my favor.

I’m not good at underhanded tactics anyway.

Since I have the advantage in Magic Capacity, I just need to handle him methodically.

“Mr. Naru. That is exactly why it’s a problem.”

“?”

As I wondered why, I felt Ichi’s reprimanding gaze.

“The scales balanced for a Duel hosted by the Goddess. That means the balance was struck precisely because both sides have a possibility of winning. Therefore, even if you are superior in Magic Capacity, you cannot afford to be careless.”

“Ah, I see.”

I don’t know what the actual probabilities are.

It’s possible the odds of me losing are actually higher.

However, the Goddess permitted the Duel because both sides had a chance to win.

Therefore, I must absolutely not let my guard down.

That’s the gist of it.

“Got it. I’ll be careful. To the point where I won’t deactivate my Masquerade on stage no matter what happens.”

“Please do. Our futures are tied to this as well.”

“O-oh… right.”

Yeah, I’ll stay cautious until the very end.

Even if my magical power drops to the point where I can’t summon my rider suit, I have to maintain the Masquerade.

“Next, information from Marie. This is Fuchibeni’s Masked Form, yes?”

As Ichi finished, Marie produced a photograph.

The person in the photo was a Masked Form wearing a black full-body tights suit with a gold vest, protectors, and a mask, holding a golden gun.

Apparently, this was Fuchibeni’s Masked Form, but…

“A nouveau riche?”

That was the only impression that escaped my lips.

“Hmm. Ahem. I’ve researched as much as I could, and Fuchibeni’s primary characteristic seems to be an extremely strong ambition for upward mobility. You could even call it a sort of obsession. He has a powerful desire to become strong and elite to amass wealth and be recognized by society.”

“Marie’s accent… disappeared?!”

“It’s hard to be understood if I keep that accent during times like this-ra.”

I almost got distracted by the impact of Marie dropping her accent, but realizing now wasn’t the time, I returned my attention to the photo.

“Now, resuming the explanation. Fuchibeni’s primary armament is almost certainly the handgun at his waist, a revolver. Judging by its appearance, it is capable of firing, with a capacity of six rounds. He also had something like a loader, so he can likely reload. The power is unknown.”

“A gun, huh…”

“As for physical abilities, judging by his behavior in class, he’s slightly above average. However, with the increase in concentration on the Duel stage, he may exhibit potential beyond his usual self, including the power of the gun. Depending on the functions and characteristics of the Masked Form, there may be things unimaginable from his appearance.”

“I see. So I can’t let my guard down.”

“Far from just ‘not letting your guard down,’ depending on the power and where it hits, it’s possible for a Masked Form to be shattered in a single blow, resulting in defeat. I believe you should avoid or block the first shot at all costs.”

“Got it.”

She can tell all that from one photo?

Well, perhaps it’s because Marie, or her collaborators, are people capable of thorough observation, but it’s a scary thought.

And even with all this information, it’s ultimately just what can be seen from the outside, so I can’t deny the possibility of some hidden trump card.

“Now, finally, my turn.”

“Ah, Ms. Maruta. Um… I’m sorry for using the Duel techniques you taught me for something like this.”

“I don’t care about that. I’ll just say this.”

Ichi and Marie stepped aside, and Ms. Maruta stood directly in front of me.

✧

“Since you’re the one who picked the fight, win.”

✧

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”

I curled the corners of my mouth up at Ms. Maruta’s words, responding with a grin that showed my teeth.

“The fact that you respond with a smirk proves you really are suited for being a Duelist. Oh, and one more thing. This Duel won’t be televised, and since it’s hosted by the Goddess, it’s fine during the match… but if there’s any exposure of obscene parts during the Duel, I’ll drag you away the moment it’s completely over, so keep that in mind.”

“Ah, yes.”

I guess exposure really isn’t allowed.

I personally think the nudity of my Masked Form is more of an art piece than something obscene, but I suppose that’s one thing and this is another.

“Well, it’s almost time. Ready? I’ll take you down to the base of the stage, so go out there and show them.”

“Yes, I’ll show them.”

And so, we moved toward the stage.