The Villain is Too Good at Sniping

97. Women’s Relationships (3)

Galion Esperanza finished his warning and turned to leave without hesitation.

Idan stood silently, gazing out the window in the direction Galion had disappeared.

“…Galion…”

Galion didn’t harbor any hostility towards him. Unlike other Esperanza assassins he had met so far.

“So, just hide for another year… no, two years. Anywhere is fine.”

“Just stay within the tower, and that’s enough. It’ll be sufficient until all the chaos settles down.”

It was a brief but unignorable advice.

Like other Esperanza assassins, Galion had thoroughly prepared himself to face Idan. Idan could sense his overwhelming presence.

However, Galion didn’t set up any barriers or prepare any hidden tricks, facing Idan alone and unarmed.

Although mages were generally weak in close combat, someone like Idan could respond to sudden attacks to some extent. In fact, Idan had been prepared for unexpected events.

“This guy is weird.”

Even without a staff, Idan had his robe. Without his robe, he could use the artifact he always carried to overcome a crisis once.

This situation was actually advantageous for Idan, and it wouldn’t have turned out otherwise.

The reason Galion wasn’t intimidated was because he had a way to overcome this situation, just like Idan did. Whatever it was, Idan was secretly impressed.

“My name is Galion.”

Idan slowly repeated the name, making sure not to forget it, even if he didn’t know the face.

Clatter!

At that moment, the sound of dozens of footsteps came from the stairs.

“Over there! Upstairs!”

“There seems to have been a big commotion upstairs…”

“Understood. Please withdraw.”

Before the Eliseum defense troops arrived, Idan put on his robe, erasing his presence from the scene.

“Why… is no one here?”

“It seems they’ve already escaped.”

“Then issue a wanted notice and find the witnesses. They couldn’t have gone far.”

Idan disappeared, hiding behind the defense troops who arrived late.

***

“……”

“Siôn Illeayonheart-nim, you can enter.”

It was a story that took place two days after I returned to Arsene.

Although it was only a short period of two weeks, many things had happened during that time.

I visited my hometown, met Davide, participated in the demon subjugation, caught a doppelganger in Eliseum, attended a pre-exhibition at the exhibition hall, and even made contact with Idan Steelhyden.

“Hey, Siôn?”

Today, as I was wrapping up my busy schedule, I ran into Airi in front of the main building while returning to the guest house.

“Where have you been? You haven’t come back for almost two weeks. You’ve even missed classes.”

“I had to take care of some business outside… and I was busy with family matters.”

“Huh? You’re taking care of family matters, Siôn?”

“No, it’s not a big deal, so I won’t worry about it. It’s just a trivial matter.”

Officially, I was appointed as Arsene’s staff and sent out to help with Arsene’s events.

I brushed it off nonchalantly.

“Are you really okay with that? Just for a moment, what about the score? You didn’t take the test this time, did you?”

“How did it turn out? Zero points.”

“Eh?!”

It seemed to be a huge shock to Iri.

“Si-on, you’ve been doing well so far. Why did you suddenly get zero points? Is that really important?”

“It’s more important than the test.”

“Hmm…”

The lost grades can be replaced, but human life cannot.

The fact that Aidan Stillheid, who was originally dead, is alive is already a blessing.

Lara Stillheid’s unnecessary tragic fate has disappeared, and thanks to that, Lara can graduate safely without any obstacles.

Of course, Lara’s internal growth through a series of events has also disappeared, but that can be replaced with something else.

Even if it’s not an extreme case like losing parents, Lara will still grow more. As an onlooker, I can’t take away the burden on her shoulders, but I can add to it.

It’s meaningful just to have Esperanza outside, and even more so if I can repay my debt to her.

“Anyway, it’s just the first test, and we can still make up for it with our skills.”

There’s something more important than that.

“How about Kail and Lara? Did you deliver the summary properly?”

“Um… I did send the notes, though.”

Before I spoke, I felt uneasy. At the same time, I had a rough idea of what was going to happen.

“Kail, that guy, must have messed up the test. In the end.”

“It’s not like he completely messed up! Lara Stillheid’s score was higher than mine!”

“Why?”

“……!”

Iri seemed to realize her mistake and covered her mouth.

I thought to myself that I should have kept a closer eye on them.

But what’s done is done, and this is just a fortunate outcome. The original story hasn’t deviated from its course.

Still, the fact that I sent the notes means that I can maintain a high score and participate in various events at Arsene.

It seems that the score was higher than the original story.

“I knew you’d do that. You.”

“…It’s not like that.”

“It’s not like what?”

“At least the score is higher than the entrance exam.”

If Iri and Kail had studied hard and gotten high scores, it would have been even more impressive.

For example, if the two of them discovered an unexpected talent and gave up on their practical skills and combat courses, focusing only on theoretical studies to aim for a high-ranking position in the Hunter’s Association… or if they suddenly left for a magic tower…

That would be a completely different story, and at the same time, it would mean the end of my comfortable retirement.

There are still many enemies to face in the future, and I can’t handle them all alone. So, Iri needs to work even harder from now on. Kail and Lara are the same.

As much as I’m rolling behind the scenes, these guys will also be rolling behind my back. It’ll probably happen again in the future.

In that sense…

“Anyway, Airi, you.”

“Yes…?”

It’s about time to point out the current situation.

Airi was sucking on a straw, holding a packaged cake in one hand, and a paper bag full of snacks in the other. It seemed like she had bought out all the cafe food.

I smiled wryly.

“How’s your sword training going? I haven’t seen you going to the training hall since the last dungeon attack.”

“…You might not have seen it.”

“I’m not the one who didn’t see it. You’re the one who didn’t go, so I didn’t see it.”

Because, to brag a bit, my eyes are like [Thousand-Mile Eyes]. If I exaggerate a bit and climb to a high place, I can see everything that happens in Arsene.

Airi, who was carefree, had already become stiff.

From the way she avoided my gaze, I had already obtained some clues.

“You haven’t been training since then. You.”

“No, I’ve been trying my best, but it didn’t work out… Ugh?!”

I pulled out a small dagger I had prepared in advance.

Before Airi could react, I cut the string of the bag she was holding and snatched all the snacks, throwing them into my inventory.

“What the…?! What are you doing?!”

Airi naturally screamed, but I was already heading towards the training hall.

“If someone hears, they’ll think I’m taking everything away. I’ll return them after the training is over today.”

“No, you’re taking everything away! Where are you going?”

“The training hall.”

There are many reasons to head to the training hall, but the most important one is that the growth event for the main characters has disappeared since the first act ended early. However, the second act is slowly approaching.

Airi is one of the main characters at the center of the second act.

At the upcoming Academy Exchange Tournament, students from Yoahim and Dongbang Academy will flock to Arsene.

The dormitory will be crowded, and the guest house will be the same.

The story of the three major academies on the continent competing with each other will be the core episode of the upcoming exchange tournament. The main characters will face students from other academies for the first time, clash with each other, and grow.

The problem is that among the students visiting Arsene, Lilia de Sugamond, Airi’s sister, will be included.

Lilia, who is attending Yoahim, will directly test Airi to see if she’s doing well, and if Airi loses to Lilia and receives a subpar evaluation…

-You’re not suited for swordsmanship, Airi.

-You’re wasting time. Give up on Arsene and come back to the Sugamond family.

Lilia will become the representative of the Sugamond family and force Airi to drop out, taking her back to the family.

What happens after that is unknown. Airi will retire from the original story like that. It was one of the many branching points in ‘Grimoire Tales’.

However, the problem is that I, as an Esperanza assassin, know what will happen behind the scenes.

‘…Execution List 137, Lilia de Sugamond.’

The assassination plan for Lilia de Sugamond, which was on Esperanza’s execution list.

Although it was delayed due to my intervention until after Airi’s graduation, if Airi is forced to drop out, the situation will change.

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The plan that was supposed to be carried out slowly will be put into action, and I, who raised the issue, will be the one to take action.

So, I need to prepare for the upcoming exchange tournament by raising Airi’s skills. I’ll push her harder until her untapped talent blooms.

“…Why are you going to the training hall all of a sudden?”

“I need to train as much as I can. You’ve had your fun, and now it’s time to suffer. You can’t make excuses like ‘I’m tired from the exams’ or ‘I’m not in the mood’.”

“That’s how you knew it, right?!”

Iri’s face was, of course, one of incomprehension.

Anyway, what’s done is done. There’s no choice but to accept it.

In the upcoming exchange, Iri will have to blossom her talents. If she can’t, she’ll disappear from the stage according to the original script.

The problem is that my post-idol plans will also disappear from the stage.

It’s not just Iri who’ll be ruined; I’ll also be ruined. Lilia will be ruined, and with a high probability, this world will also be ruined.

So,

“Listen, even if you don’t want to, I’m saying this for your own good. Don’t think too badly of it.”

“That’s not the point! If you put that in, it’ll be a disaster!”

“I’ve tried it, and it’s fine for a day or so.”

“What, you tried it again?”

Of course, I didn’t try it.