SWNOVELXO Chapter 103
“If Alice had approached me with some other reason, I might’ve doubted if things had gone a bit sideways.”
It might sound paranoid, but I could count on two hands the odd twists that had happened because of me.
Maybe my actions triggered some ridiculous butterfly effect, and Alice had already sided with the Evil Society.
Or perhaps the Evil Society was trying to hide their identity and was just using Alice to get to me.
But strangely enough, I didn’t find it suspicious that she approached me for such reasons. She had always been like that in the original story.
Sympathizing with the weak, hating evil, rigid yet surprisingly tender-hearted. You could say she had a knight-like personality.
Anyway, it naturally led to Alice challenging me to a duel.
But I wondered if I should accept that.
There wasn’t any huge reason; it was purely because the gap in our levels was just too much.
No matter how much she swore she had to go to the Evil Society, there’s no way she could beat me.
Even before I reached my current level, it would’ve been a stretch for her. In fact, when I really thought about it, there weren’t many who could take me down.
“It’s pretty obvious who’s going to win, so how about we just call it already?”
If it were the start of the semester, I would’ve gladly crushed her, all puffed up with pride after climbing to Class A, but right now, I just wasn’t feeling it.
To be precise, I did want to, to some extent, but I also didn’t want to because I sensed it wasn’t the right vibe.
However, despite my mercy, Alice got mad, questioning if I was looking down on her, and insisted on fighting regardless.
The other students and Justitia seemed to notice the commotion and gathered around us while Alice wasted no time in formally challenging me to a duel.
With so many watching, I couldn’t just back out… Besides, she was the one making a ruckus for me to step on her first.
So, I wasn’t at fault. With that in mind, I glanced at the kids around me.
They looked worried, as if saying they didn’t want me to do anything cruel like at the start of the semester.
Fukukin’s expression darkened, as if recalling some bad memories.
“You started this, okay? No whining later.”
“We’ll see about that. Don’t get all clingy now.”
What kind of confidence did she have? If she’d seen how I fought during the Sports Festival even a little, she would know she was out of her league.
Oh, maybe she missed it while getting treated in the infirmary? I could accept that excuse.
Alice was already powering up, electricity crackling around her while I strolled casually to the open area Justitia had prepared.
As Justitia explained the rules, I secretly extended my tendrils under the ground to spread beneath Alice’s feet.
Trying to hide it, I used my internal suit rather than the visible one, making me feel a bit off.
What kind of sensation is this anyway?
It was somewhat akin to having someone yank out your intestines, but different enough that I couldn’t quite pin it down.
Besides, since I could no longer call it a suit, should I just refer to it as slime from now on?
After filling the tendrils I jabbed into the ground with a bit of water, I cut the roots connected to my feet and gathered slime underneath where she was standing.
Alright, set up done.
“Especially Alice, since she mentioned her power has become hard to control lately, please stay particularly cautious. Now, both contestants, ready… Go!”
The moment Justitia shouted “start”, Alice charged at me, electric currents wrapping around her body and weapon.
Her ability was Biogeneration. She could produce electricity within herself to enhance her body or envelop herself in it.
But lacking output power, she was still stuck in Class C, and without that opportunity to join the Evil Society, her growth had skyrocketed in both quantity and output… or something like that.
But her speed didn’t even come close to Minho’s, and she couldn’t shoot electricity like Jinhyeon, so she wasn’t that tough of an opponent.
Before she even took two steps, I manipulated the slime I had set up on the ground to form tendrils and bind her body.
“What’s… Ugh?!”
Even in the sudden situation, she resisted, spilling electricity, but trying to fry the slime that wasn’t even connected to my body did nothing at all.
That stuff doesn’t react to electricity at all.
After shoving a bunch of tendrils into her mouth, I strolled over with my hands behind my back.
I thought about what to say to her while figuring out how to step on her gently, but I decided to refrain from saying anything too harsh when the kids’ faces popped into my head.
“At least you have the passion of Class A. Do your best.”
“Ugh!! Urrgh, uhhh!!”
This should be unobtrusive enough. Patting myself on the back for my restraint, I pointed my finger at her like a gun and pulled the trigger.
Simultaneously, I manipulated the tendrils and gently sprayed water out of the ones stuffed in her mouth.
Alice seemed to think I was pouring poison into her, struggling to spit it out, while tears streamed down her face as she slumped over.
“Duel over. Victory goes to Blanca.”
As soon as the duel ended, I pulled back the slime binding her, extending a hand toward the now powerless Alice… but held back.
Though she was weak, she still crackled with sparks, and I didn’t want to end up in a bad situation.
“That was just water, you know.”
So, I gave her a form of encouragement and returned to the kids.
“Great job, Blanca. But really, that looked like a foul play.”
Jinhyeon was the first to step forward, congratulating me while also wanting to tackle me.
Even though I felt annoyed at Jinhyeon’s demeanor, I decided to toss him a reasonable explanation due to past grievances.
Besides, if I didn’t throw him a bone, he might continue to be a bother.
“Maybe. But you think the teacher wouldn’t notice something you caught onto?”
While watching Minho dash towards Alice, I asked Jinhyeon that.
I didn’t get a definitive answer, but Justitia probably knew about the tricks I’d set up beforehand.
After all, she was the one who meticulously monitored my inspection results.
“That…”
“She must’ve known. But allowing it to happen means she must have had a reason.”
I didn’t exactly know what Justitia was thinking, but I could at least assume something.
Since I already knew her path from the original story.
After that event, Alice gained enough power to rival Class A, crushing everyone in her own class and showing a performance way beyond expectations during finals.
As she single-handedly dominated, even when she climbed into Class A, she overestimated her abilities and made a dramatic fall, which Minho picked up from…
And that was about how it went.
“Maybe she wanted to leave a lesson for Alice, even if it was harsh, about being humble. I mean, getting to Class A that quickly, she could easily let it get to her head, right?”
To prevent her from getting prideful, maybe she purposely allowed it.
I spun this plausible theory for Jinhyeon, who then turned a shade of gray.
What on earth does that gray mean about his feelings?
If I had to guess… confusion, maybe? Was he really the type to get confused?
That couldn’t be right.
Looking back at him, judging by his hair and expression, he was the very picture of confusion.
…Has he changed?
Has he become someone who understands skepticism already?
Seeing that face made me chuckle to myself. Seriously, that guy could be quite the faker.
“Sometimes you need to be cruel for the sake of doing good. Keep that in mind.”
Feeling a bit emptied seeing Jinhyeon more human than before, I tossed another piece of advice into his muddled confusion.
Leaving Jinhyeon behind, I approached Minho, who was still comforting Alice.
It seemed I had messed up the plot again because of me. Originally, it shouldn’t have escalated like this.
“Ah, Blanca. Uh… could you apologize to Alice? I’m sorry, I know it sounds selfish…”
I understood pretty well why Minho was apologizing to me.
However, since it was my fault that the heroine’s narrative had tangled, I felt less bothered about it.
If doing this could bring the plot back on track…
Taking a step toward the still sniffling Alice, I tried to genuinely apologize as Minho requested.
…At least, that was the plan until Alice suddenly slapped me.
It wasn’t magical, nor was it a great swing, so it didn’t hurt. But I was taken aback.
Is she completely out of her mind? Slapping me and then hitting again?
Just when I was about to lose my cool, Alice shouted in outrage first.
“You… this is too much…! That was my precious… my first kiss I saved for someone special, and you treated it like that… so ruthlessly… I can’t forgive you!”
…Oh, so that’s what this is about.
I was too startled to even get mad. I mean, she could have died from that. And she’s upset over that?
Minho seemed the same way, his expression a mix of embarrassment and disbelief as he looked back and forth between me and Alice.
Meanwhile, the kids in the distance were gathering again, wondering what the hell just happened.
I can’t stand this.