Chapter 73 - Chapter 72: The Child of Madness
"Please, just stand there until my boredom lifts?"
Mika said that to the children, and the children looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Gyahahaha, what is this guy saying?"
"What's with the confidence?"
"You're probably shaking with fear, aren't you?"
While mocking Mika in unison, one of the boys behind him suddenly launched a surprise attack.
Mika pivoted on his right foot, spinning halfway around in place.
"T, t, t..."
The fist of the boy who tried to punch Mika from behind missed the air where Mika had been just a moment ago.
As the boy lost his balance and stomped on the bellows《tatera》next to Mika, Mika shoved his back.
The boy crashed forcefully into another boy who had been watching Mika with a smug grin.
Without waiting to see the result, Mika immediately leaped at the nearest boy and grabbed him by the collar with both hands.
"Eh? Ah?"
Then, pulling with his full body weight, he slammed him into the boy next to him.
While the boys were stunned, Mika quickly moved to the next target.
A boy who came at Mika, confused as to what was happening, still managed to kick out instinctively.
Mika dodged the kick, grabbed the kicking leg, pushed it up, and completely cut the pivot leg.
The boy whose leg was cut spun once in the air with momentum and fell to the ground.
The five boys didn't know what happened and sat there gaping.
The remaining three also seemed unable to catch up with what had happened, standing like sticks.
Seeing the children like that, Mika let out a sigh.
"Um..."
He scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Can you guys try a bit harder?"
Mika smiled bitterly.
(Maybe I don't even need "Blast" for this?)
I didn't intend to use [Physical Enhancement], but I planned to use magic without getting caught.
But with this pace, as long as I watch out for the sides and back using my magic range, victory is certain even without "Blast".
"T, you bastard..."
"I'm going to kill this guy!"
"Don't mess with us!"
The children snapped out of it and stood up.
Their expressions were quite terrible.
(They're making such evil faces even as children. They won't become decent adults, will they?)
It was a terrible glare that didn't seem like a ten-year-old child.
The face of someone who knows the joy of trampling others with violence.
(Leventein said something about this. Before everyone notices, I should gather their hatred.)
Gather hostility towards myself, beat them thoroughly, and then break their spirits.
It is correct for an animal to attack a few with a group, but bringing that explicitly into human society is troublesome.
Especially in such a small community of children.
I thought I'd just play along to relieve some stress, but the meaning has changed a bit.
For the sake of everyone in the Leventein Group, it seems I need to put some effort in here.
I delivered a punch that felt like gouging into the right side of the boy who attacked from the side.
(Liver.)
For the boy who grabbed me from behind, I punched slightly above his stomach as I turned around.
(Epigastrium.)
As a bonus, I also struck the neck of the child who came close.
(Throat.)
Mika confirmed positions and movements with his magic range, and for now, struck vital points one by one.
Compared to the fast movements of magic beasts, they are incredibly slow.
Mika isn't using [Physical Enhancement] either, so he can't move quickly, but if he grasps the movements, he can easily dodge them.
(...Completely amateur movements. Well, I haven't learned any martial arts either.)
At the academy in the Leventein territory, we were forced to practice only the "forms" with a staff, but in the end, no explanation was given as to what that actually was.
Still, we were drilled on how to deflect attacks using that staff, at least the movements.
Essentially, the staff just changed to bare hands.
It's difficult if the opponent has a weapon, but between bare hands, there's no problem.
Using knowledge of vital points that wouldn't be useful against magic beasts, I efficiently and surely land blows.
Dodging two boys attacking at once, just as I was about to punch their sides, another boy grabbed me from behind.
(Behind first.)
It won't be in time if I punch first.
Mika kicked backwards without turning around.
That kick landed right in the opponent's knee, and a nasty sensation was transmitted.
(Ah, I messed up.)
With the momentum of the grab, the knee was broken.
The boy whose knee was broken groaned, "Guuh!?" and screamed in the next instant.
"Gyaaaaaahhhhhhhh......"
Seeing that, I mercilessly delivered a liver shot to the boy in front of me who was stunned.
The remaining boys also shrank back, frightened by the boy holding his leg and screaming.
--- But Mika didn't care about that, calmly striking the vital points of the children.
"It hurts! It hurts!"
"Shut up."
Mika lightly kicked the chin of the boy crying and screaming with a broken knee, causing a concussion.
There are teachers at the academy who can use [Heal] anyway.
It was a bit excessive, but well, there shouldn't be a problem.
"...You bastard, do you think you can get away with this after doing this...!"
"Hm?"
Everyone was rolling on the ground, and the boy who took a knife-hand strike to the throat said with difficulty while pressing his throat with his hand.
He glared at Mika with eyes full of hatred, looking like he wanted to say "Just wait until later!"
"D, d, d......? Did you misunderstand something?"
Mika walked up to that boy and squatted in front of him.
The boy glared at Mika as if trying to kill him.
"What do you think you've finished?"
"A...?"
Mika slowly stood up and went to another boy rolling nearby.
Then, he kicked the side of that boy who was holding his side and groaning.
"Blast."
He whispered softly.
Dok! The boy kicked away flew about five meters.
The boy who had been glaring at Mika stared at the flying boy in astonishment.
"Don't worry. I don't have any intention of saying 'I'll kill you' like you guys. I won't kill you. So relax."
He spoke so that the boy who had been glaring at Mika could hear.
Mika went to another boy.
Dok!
And kicked him away just like before.
Adjusting "Blast" so he would fly near the first boy who was sent flying.
When Mika turned to the next child, that boy started crying.
"Sorry! No! Stop it!"
Mika looked confused for a moment, then smiled brightly.
"There's no way I'll stop."
The moment the boy's face twitched with a "Hii!", he was sent flying into the air.
Thus, he gathered the boys rolling one by one in one place.
While kicking them away.
However, he left the boy whose knee was broken as is.
It's a bit pitiful after all.
Mika mercilessly made the boys stand up one by one, punching and kicking them away.
"I said stand there until my boredom lifts, right? This is too considerate, and I'm getting more frustrated. Can you try a bit harder?"
Mika said with boredom.
Most of the boys were already crying, but Mika still didn't stop.
(What's fun about this...?)
I know there are crazy people who get pleasure from dominating others with violence.
And these boys have already stepped one foot into that.
What they do where I can't see is none of my business, but I won't allow my acquaintances or those within my sight to suffer such a fate.
Then, I will take on that mud.
Mika wants the people around him to smile.
A life without hardship is impossible, but at least I want to avoid unfair treatment.
If I can become a breakwater for that, I will freeze my heart and wield power however much it takes.
Knowing the barbarism of humans, I have no hesitation in using violence as a necessary evil.
Mika stood in front of one boy.
The boy who had glared at Mika and said "I won't let you get away with this."
He didn't seem to have the will to resist anymore, so he wasn't glaring.
But his frustration was visible on his face.
It seems his heart hasn't been broken yet.
While all the other children just prayed for this nightmare-like time to pass and begged for forgiveness.
"Next is your turn."
Mika deliberately smiled brightly.
"Why...! That's enough! ...Guh!?"
Mika kept smiling and punched the boy.
"What are you saying? Isn't this what you wanted? 'Who is better'?"
"Y, you're better! That's fine, r... guh!?"
He punched again.
"Is it okay if I'm better? But, I, d, o, n, 't, k, n, o, w. Who is better, then. ...So, p, l, a, y, a, l, o, n, g, w, i, t, h, m, e, u, n, t, i, l, I, k, n, o, w."
Mika declared with a deliberate brightness.
(It won't end by your will. It will continue until I say it's over.)
He carved that in.
To engrave into their bones that their wills are not considered even a fragment.
"Anyway, we're skipping afternoon classes. Is six o'clock okay for dorm curfew? There's still plenty of time."
Mika smiled innocently.
As if to say, "We can still play."
Hearing those words, the boy finally made a face like he was despairing.
"I, it's enough already! You win! I, I, I..."
Mika punched his right side.
In that pain, the boy crouched.
"You are truly an idiot. Didn't I say just now that I still don't know? Besides, this is just venting. I need you to keep going until my mood lifts."
Mika continued to wield violence while wearing a cold smile.
(You've probably lived your life trampling others like this until now, haven't you?)
He grimaced slightly at the nasty sensation transmitted through his hands and feet.
(Try tasting even a tiny fragment of those people's pain.)
From then on, he just continued to beat the children in silence.
No matter how much they begged for forgiveness, he didn't answer, just silently continuing violence like work.
"W, what is this...!?"
As Mika looked at the children rolling on the ground and wondered who to target next, such a voice came.
Turning around, a female knight with long pink hair was coming towards them.
"---!? What are you doing, you!!!"
The female knight looked around the children, trying to grasp the situation.
"Whatever you say, it's just a fight."
"A fight!? Is this a fight!?"
The female knight said that and quickly checked each person's injuries.
"Ah, please don't move that child. His knee is messed up, and moving it will be terrible. The others... well, minor injuries."
"A knee...!?"
She seemed to notice the slightly unnatural bend of the knee and glared at Mika.
"Do you... do you know what you are doing...!?"
At the female knight's intimidating presence, Mika shrugged his shoulders.
If told it was excessive, that would be true.
Because I am doing it on purpose as a warning.
For this kind of person, just winning will only increase their hatred.
One must not underestimate someone with a rotten nature.
"I have no intention of arguing with you here. Since it's not over yet, could you go over there?"
"Not over!?"
The female knight was shocked, then after a slight hesitation, took out a whistle from her waist.
She blew it three short times several times.
Then, after a while, four knights ran from behind a building like a gymnasium.
Seeing that all the knights wore the same armor, they were likely knights from the Leventein territory.
It seems Cleiria's guards were not just the knights in the classroom.
"What!?"
"What happened, Virone!"
"What happened!?"
The arriving knights called out to the female knight named Virone.
"Please detain that boy! And contact the academy teachers!"
Detain? That's harsh, isn't it?
Mika shrugged and raised his own hands.
"Understood. I won't resist, so please spare the detention."
The knights also heard Virone's order, but it seems they didn't intend to go that far.
"Please behave."
One of them stood next to Mika and just kept watch.
Then one of the knights went to contact the academy, and after a while, several teachers arrived.
Mika was taken to the student guidance room as a caught offender.
"You went too far, idiot."
"Yes! Sorry!"
A burly teacher with a sports club vibe listened to Mika's story and sighed with exasperation.
I wonder what this teacher reminds me of. Seeing him brings back the vibe of my school club days.
"You didn't use [Physical Enhancement], did you?"
"Yes! I didn't use it!"
"Then, that's fine."
Of course, there's no proof of not using it, but the burly teacher didn't pursue that.
Mika was the one who wanted to ask, "Eh, is that okay?" because it was so simple.
What can I say, this sports club《sensei》seems like a very understanding teacher and taught me some interesting things.
Apparently, fights like this happen every year right after enrollment.
And the ones likely to be targeted are students from the Leventein Magic Academy.
Why?
Because they are stronger than other children from other magic academies.
Therefore, every year, children from the Leventein territory become the center of the grade.
According to this sports club《sensei》, the academy in the Leventein territory is extremely strict compared to other academies.
In other academies, they don't even do the ultimate goal of breaking fifty kilometers, and even [Physical Enhancement] is considered "top grades if manifested."
(As I thought! I thought it was too strict! Was it only the Leventein territory!)
I thought it wasn't a menu for children, but apparently, other academies weren't making children do it either.
The one who approved that crazy education《curriculum》was probably that Marquis《old man》.
He looked scary, and it seems his inside was scary too.
So, for children who just enrolled, if they want to show off, the atmosphere is "beat the Leventein territory guys first."
It seems to be conveyed to children from other territories like they are being incited.
"Alright, if we beat those guys, we're number one. Let's beat them all up."
It seems very stupid children are hooked by this story every year.
By the way, those stupid children are all from the group enrolling at age ten.
There are no such idiots among those from local academies.
And the Leventein students who survived that hellish field trip won't be beaten so easily by just children.
It's not like Mika facing eight people alone, but it seems overwhelming a few with many is an annual tradition.
Some children seem to use [Physical Enhancement], but for that, it seems they are just given a verbal warning basically.
This seems to be a special exception only for a short time right after enrollment.
(If you know that much, why don't you stop it properly?)
I can't help but think that, but the academy seems to accept this "ranking."
To let the children who have endured the magic academy for two years already know that others can't compete no matter what.
(Well, they didn't seem like kids who would listen anyway.)
However, as Mika who stood in the front line, he has some thoughts.
Even if I stepped forward myself...
Then, while several teachers came and went from the guidance room, the detailed situation was almost complete, taking into account the testimonies of the victims? children.
By the way, the children had already been treated with [Heal] and were fully recovered.
It seems the knee injury healed without problems. Good for them.
(There are people who do terrible things.)
Thinking of it as if it were someone else's problem, he listened to the story told by the teacher.
Well, since Mika was also a party to the fight, there was no need to hear the cause.
I thought those boys might lie, but they were indeed lying.
But there were many witnesses to the exchange in the cafeteria.
Since it was clear they provoked him, it seems making up any excuse was meaningless.
What Mika found strange was why Cleiria's guard knights came to such a place.
This was also taught by the sports club《sensei》.
After parting with Mika, everyone in the Leventein Group returned to the classroom from the cafeteria.
At that time, Rimliche seemed to worry and tried to follow Mika, but Cecilia and Murt persuaded and stopped her.
I told Murt that without [Physical Enhancement], but if it comes to it, there is [Physical Enhancement].
So, at least, they won't lose.
After returning to the classroom, Cleiria became suspicious that Mika was missing, but the Leventein Group held their tongues or made up excuses.
Judging from the morning's situation, they had gained some resentment from everyone.
But when class started and ended, and Mika still hadn't returned, Cleiria went berserk.
"As a member of the Marquis Leventein family, I ask. Answer honestly without hiding anything. Where is Mika-sama?"
It seems they pressured everyone in the Leventein Group by bringing up the Marquis family name.
Once it comes to this, it's hard to hide.
If you fumble with a bad excuse, you might really be punished.
Children just slipped and told a little lie, or hid something. That's not enough for nobles.
Messerite sensitively sensed this and told them about the incident at the cafeteria, saying "It would be bad if someone here got stubborn and said something careless."
This was Messerite's fine play.
I'll pat his head later.
Thus, Cleiria, who learned that Mika was taken by eight boys, ran out of the classroom to look for Mika.
But, as expected, the guard knights held her back, and instead, that female knight named Virone came to look for Mika.
"I'm sorry to everyone."
She never thought she would be pressured using the Marquis family name.
For commoners, nobles are objects of fear just by existing.
This can be seen from Amalia and Loretta's reaction during Mika's "escaping the academy" suspicion.
Amalia and Loretta, when told they needed to have the Lord judge, were trembling with fear just from that.
(But... did Cleiria get so much resentment from everyone?)
That is a problem on this side too.
If we can avoid getting involved, no matter how much resentment they hold, we could just leave it alone.
But we see each other every day, and Cleiria comes to interact with Mika.
If we leave this alone, something bad might happen in the future.
(Besides, they aren't bad kids.)
Mika remembers the time he met them at the Leventein Marquis family.
He worried about Mika's ears and was embarrassed that he really wanted to say thank you.
"Let's meet again in the capital."
Mika remembered Cleiria's bursting smile when she said that.
■■■■■■
[Virone's Perspective]
In the corridor of the Leventein Marquis family's separate residence in the capital.
"Haa..."
Virone wiped her wet hair and couldn't help but sigh.
She had just washed off the sweat in the bathhouse and was returning to her assigned room.
"How can I make them understand...?"
Finally, the first day of the capital's magic academy ended, but there were more serious problems than imagined.
It was known beforehand that Lady Cleiria was interested in a boy named Mika Noisheim.
The kidnapping incident a year ago.
Virone was grateful from the bottom of her heart to the boy with a girl-like appearance who saved Lady Cleiria.
But, after all, he is a commoner's child.
I was thinking it would be troublesome to get too involved just because of interest.
Lady Cleiria has no friends of the same age, so she showed particular interest in the magic academy where children of the same age gather.
That boy, Mika Noisheim, is an object that attracts Lady Cleiria's interest in that sense too.
A hero who saved her from vile thieves, and a boy of the same age attending the magic academy.
Moreover, she had been nurturing those feelings for a year.
This is something Virone cannot change with words; she won't be listened to easily.
So, at first, I thought I would turn a blind eye to some things.
But---.
"...The opponent is too bad."
Many children were lying down.
Standing among them, a single boy.
That cold look when he noticed Virone and turned around.
I almost reached for my sword.
Virone didn't realize it was Mika Noisheim even for a moment upon seeing his face.
Despite being ordered by Lady Cleiria to find the very person she was looking for right now.
(Is this really that boy...?)
Even after realizing it was Mika Noisheim, I couldn't believe it.
The boy who smiled shyly when Lady Cleiria thanked him a year ago.
The boy who was spoken to by Lady Cleiria in the morning and responded with a smile despite being confused.
That boy and the boy in front of me now did not look like the same boy to Virone.
The Mika Noisheim I knew should not be a boy dripping with such madness.
"That boy, Mika Noisheim, is dangerous. He is not suitable to be by Lady Cleiria's side."
I gave that advice when I found Mika Noisheim in the classroom and reported the situation.
"Indeed, there was a bit of excess. But, there were eight of them? If you didn't hold back, Lady Mika would have been beaten one-sidedly. I don't think Lady Mika is at fault in this matter."
Considering the situation, that certainly looks true.
But, the problem is not that.
No matter how much I explained those things, Lady Cleiria wouldn't listen.
On top of that---.
"He has a cute face, but he's quite brave, isn't he?"
"Eight people in a counterattack. This one has a promising future."
"That's the boy who saved Lady Cleiria, right? Not just [God's Miracle], but his skills are good too."
"I want him. Won't he come to the Marquis Army《us》in the future?"
Even the knights who heard Virone's report were like this.
(That boy is dangerous! Why doesn't everyone realize that!)
Virone threw the towel onto the chair as if slamming it.
Then, she sat heavily on the bed.
Virone's eyes stared into the void.
"If I, I don't protect Lady Cleiria...!"
Virone's whisper echoed in the dark room.