Two days before the duel, Marcus delivered the finished enchantments.
"These are insane," he said, handing me a box. "If they work, you might actually survive five minutes instead of thirty seconds."
"High praise." I said flatly.
"I'm serious, Ravana. This configuration..." He pulled out what looked like three ordinary crystals. "These will disrupt holy-attribute magic. But only for about three seconds at a time, and you only get three uses total."
"Three seconds is enough."
"For what?"
"To prove he's not invincible."
Marcus shook his head. "You're either going to die spectacularly or become a legend. I can't tell which."
"Why not both?"
He actually laughed. "You know what? I'm in."
"In?"
"Your faction. Organization. Whatever you're building. I'm in." He gestured at the enchantments. "Anyone crazy enough to fight an SSS-rank protagonist with nothing but three custom crystals and a prayer is exactly the kind of insane I want to work with."
[RECRUITMENT COMPLETE: MARCUS VOIDSTEP]
[LOYALTY: 65%]
[VILLAIN SCORE: +200]
[FACTION MEMBERS: 2 (Damian Ashcroft, Marcus Voidstep)]
"Welcome to the team," I said. "Try not to die."
"Same to you, boss."
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
The day before the duel, Professor Iris Shadowmere summoned me to her office. She was exactly as described in the novel, elegant, dark-haired, with eyes that had seen too much. The teacher who would die at chapter 134 protecting Adrian from an assassination attempt.
"Sit, Mr. Ravana."
I sat.
"You've been causing quite a stir," she said, not looking up from the papers she was grading. "Changed behavior. Confrontations with Mr. Celestius. And now a duel that everyone expects you to lose humiliatingly."
"That's the summary, yes."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you change? Why challenge Adrian? Why risk everything?" Finally, she looked at me. "The Hadeon Ravana I knew was arrogant but not suicidal. So what changed?"
I considered lying, and considered deflecting.
Then I decided truth might work better here. Truth, in a way. I really can't just tell her I'm from another world right? I just can't tell her we're all in a book with roles we're supposed to play. I don't think she would take that very well.
"I got tired of playing a role," I said with a shrug. "Tired of being an ass and decided to get my act together, I finally took all the advice I've been hearing rather seriously now."
"By antagonizing the most talented student at the academy?"
"By refusing to bow to him just because everyone else does. He's not special is he?" My being here literally means I have to break the already written script of the story!
She leaned back in her chair. "Do you know why I called you here, Mr. Hadeon?"
"To talk me out of the duel?"
"No, I called you here to warn you." Her expression grew serious. "Adrian Celestius is not what he appears to be. I've been teaching long enough to recognize manipulation when I see it. He's been quietly gathering influence, making the right friends, saying the right things."
"I know."
"Do you? Because if you lose tomorrow, and you will lose, he'll use it to completely destroy your reputation. Your family's standing. Everything." She paused. "Unless that's what you want?"
"I'm not trying to lose."
"Then you're trying to survive. Which means you have a plan."
"Something like that."
She studied me for a long moment. "Whatever you're planning, be careful. Adrian has powerful backing. More powerful than you realize."
[INFORMATION UNLOCKED: Adrian's Secret Backing]
[PROFESSOR IRIS KNOWS SOMETHING]
[RECRUITMENT POTENTIAL: High]
"What kind of backing?" I asked.
"The kind I can't talk about openly without risking my position." She stood and walked to the window. "All I'll say is this, Adrian didn't get into this academy through normal channels. His scholarship was arranged by people with significant influence. People who want him to succeed."
The Council of Fates. I thought darkly. It had to be. The novel's endgame villains, manipulating events from the shadows.
"Thank you for the warning, Professor."
"Don't thank me yet. Just... survive tomorrow." She glanced back at me. "I have a feeling you might actually be interesting, Mr. Hadeon. It would be a shame if you died before proving it."
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
The night before the duel, I couldn't sleep.
I sat in my room, reviewing plans, checking equipment, running through scenarios.
[CURRENT STATUS BEFORE DUEL]
[VILLAIN SCORE: 1,450]
[VILLAIN QUALITY: Mastermind (Provisional)]
[FACTION MEMBERS: 2]
[ALLIES: 3 (Lucille - Cautious, Professor Helena - Respect, Professor Iris - Interest)]
[DEATH FLAGS: 11 Active]
[SURVIVAL CHANCE: 12%]
[EVALUATION: You've done everything you can. Now you just have to not die.]
A knock at the door and Damian's voice came through.
"Young Master, you should rest."
"Can't. Too much to think about."
After a few psuse he entered, carrying tea. "Then at least drink this. You'll need your strength tomorrow."
I accepted the cup. "Damian, if I lose....."
"When you survive," he corrected.
"If I lose," I continued, "and Adrian comes after the family, I need you to protect Uncle Victor. Help him navigate the political fallout that's surely erupt."
"Young Master...."
"Promise me."
He was quiet for a moment. Then, I promise. But it won't come to that."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because the young master I serve now is different from the one I served a month ago." He smiled slightly. "That young master would have lost already. But you? You might actually have a chance."
[DAMIAN ASHCROFT: Loyalty 45% → 78%]
After he left, I laid out my equipment for tomorrow.
Standard academy combat uniform. The three enchanted crystals Marcus made. My sword and focus. And one more thing, a letter I'd written and sealed, with Instructions to be opened only if I died. Because twelve percent wasn't zero, but it wasn't good odds either.
After lots of turning I finally fell asleep around three in the morning, my mind still racing with strategies.
And dreamed of holy light and shadows colliding.