Chapter 224: A Reckless Challenge

“Logically speaking, I think it’s right to scrap the existing strategy. Why wouldn’t the opposing team expect us to target the ribbons of Hailga and Senior Risi? Especially when we’re down by three points. They’ll surely expect us to go after those two and have some countermeasure ready.”

“That’s true….”

Svein nodded, showing an accepting attitude toward the original protagonist’s statement.

This was even though he couldn’t hide his dissatisfaction and refused to acknowledge things when I spoke.

‘Well, Reysir is the protagonist of this novel’s world. Besides, I was the one who rejected Svein first!’

So, this discriminatory treatment could be considered natural.

However, understanding that fact with my head and accepting it with my heart were two different things.

I wasn’t in a very good mood.

“And you know, Svein, I want you to fight with us.”

“Me…?”

“The other side is fighting without Hailga and Senior Risi anyway, so even if you join, the number of people participating in the battle is the same, right? I thought our side would be overwhelmingly superior… but as you can see, we were wiped out. Seeing how things turned out, I wonder if I was too arrogant.”

Reysir spoke to Svein with a bitter smile.

I wondered if he was trying to attempt an Influence Event again, and my already sour mood worsened further.

‘Seeing how he keeps trying to trigger Influence Events on me too… does he just keep retrying infinitely until he succeeds?’

It was very displeasing.

Nevertheless — no, because of that, a thought suddenly occurred to me that it might be better to just leave it be.

Even if the Influence Event concluded successfully, Svein would just be influenced by Reysir.

It didn’t mean Reysir would be influenced by Svein.

‘Once the Influence Event succeeds, there’s a possibility Reysir will pay less attention to Svein.’

Unlike heroine characters who have to periodically show heart-fluttering moments to the protagonist, in male-oriented fantasy novels, showing a male supporting character being influenced by the protagonist once is usually enough.

“Senior Reysir is entitled to have confidence. You have the skills for it. The reason the ribbon was taken was entirely because of Senior Karbaldr…”

“That’s not it. Karbaldr was actually worried about me, fearing I might get hurt while looking out for him. Getting distracted during battle was simply my fault, and ‘skill’ is determined by including all these factors.”

Seeing Reysir flatly deny Svein’s words and take my side, I felt even more that it would be fine.

Even if Svein slandered me, it seemed Reysir wouldn’t be shaken by those words and would trust me.

‘And anyway, if the original author intends to make Svein a traitor this time too, Svein will try to put the Awakened Special Class students in danger regardless of whether the influence is successful!’

What I had to stop was someone losing their life due to Svein’s betrayal, and Reysir getting hurt by the feeling of betrayal.

‘If I stay vigilant so the original traitor can’t pull any nonsense, and just interfere enough so the original protagonist doesn’t fully open his heart to him… wouldn’t that count as achieving my goal?’

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed better.

Rather than being anxious every time I see Reysir taking care of Svein and pouring attention on him, or stepping forward to sabotage every time an Influence Event happens and drawing the original traitor’s resentment, it seemed better in many ways to just watch the protagonist of another novel influence Svein just once.

So, instead of jumping in between the two and breaking the flow of the conversation, I decided to stand with my arms crossed and quietly watch what the original protagonist was doing.

“Anyway, so the conclusion is, I want you to help us.”

“Do you really think I can be of help, Senior Reysir?

Even though I might widen the score gap even more by getting my ribbon taken without being able to do anything again?”

“Since you’ve had that experience, this time…”

The original protagonist, who was setting a serious mood and proceeding with the Influence Event with a very kind expression and voice, suddenly faltered.

Then, for some reason, the protagonist of another novel kept glancing at me, checking my reaction.

At that incomprehensible behavior, I tilted my head and frowned.

Then Reysir, with an embarrassed face, turned back to Svein and finished what he was saying.

“I think you’ll be able to do well this time.”

I felt that if he wanted a more dramatic effect, it would have been better to use a convinced expression like ‘I believe’ rather than a lukewarm expression like ‘I think’.

Furthermore, since he suddenly checked my reaction while giving the closing remark, there was no way the influence worked properly.

“If you think so, Senior… then… I’ll try my best… being careful not to lose the ribbon vainly this time…”

“Yeah… right. Work hard.”

‘What was with this awkward atmosphere?’

They say even things you’re usually good at can fail if you hesitate when the stage is set, and that was exactly the case.

The protagonist of another novel completely botched the Influence Event, even though I didn’t interfere.

‘What on earth have I been worrying about and guarding against all this time…?’

It was so absurd that I stared blankly at the face of the protagonist of another novel for a moment.

Then I realized this wasn’t the time for that, so I uncrossed my arms and asked a question.

“So, what is the strategy?”

Since the number of people participating in the battle had increased by one, the strategy naturally had to change.

At most, it would just be about who joins forces with whom to face which opponent on the other team.

I thought an answer would come back immediately, but…

‘Why is he contemplating so much?’

When I started to feel anxious, wondering if he was going to tell me to accept Svein’s help or support him, Reysir opened his mouth.

“I think you already know this… but the strategy with the highest chance of winning would be for me to rush at Her Imperial Highness or Pret and take their ribbons before Liolikin and the Imperial Princess’s Familiar block my way… right?”

Fortunately, it wasn’t what I had worried about.

I could reply with a light heart, nodding my head.

“I suppose so. It’s a huge loss of combat power for you to be tied up by Liolikin and the Familiar, whose ribbons you can’t even take.”

“I guess so…”

“?”

Even though I didn’t oppose his opinion but agreed with it, his reaction was very lackluster.

And that attitude was maintained throughout the following conversation.

“Then, would it be better for you to deal with Liolikin? He won’t be able to give his all against you. Even if that’s not the case, it’s well within your skill to stall for time while keeping him in check…”

“No, that’s impossible. My attacks won’t be any threat to Liolikin while he’s wearing the Armor of Protection. If Liolikin decides to ignore my attacks and rush at you, there’s nothing I can do. It’s better to have Vigdis, who can directly block his way, as the main and attach someone as support.”

“Hmm… I see…”

At first, I wondered why he was acting like this.

However, as I ruminated on the sentence Reysir first blurted out — ‘I think you already know this’ — I could realize the reason.

“If you want to continue facing Liolikin and Her Imperial Highness’s Familiar, then just do so.”

Reysir flinched at my words and looked at me with surprised eyes.

Judging by that reaction, it seemed I had hit the mark.

“If it were a real battle where life and death were on the line, it would be right to take the strategy that guarantees victory. But if it’s training aimed at gaining experience, isn’t a reckless challenge more valuable than a safe victory? Whether it’s to confirm your limits or to surpass them and grow one step further.”

“…Do you really think so?”

Reysir asked me for confirmation in a cautious tone.

Although he didn’t show it outwardly, losing the ribbon must have been a shocking enough event to make him lose confidence.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t withstand the pincer attack of Liolikin and Lausa.

It was just that he couldn’t protect his ribbon because he was surprised by Yor’s scream and looked after my safety.

‘No. Maybe it’s because of that? He should have stayed even more alert if the people around him were in danger, but instead, his concentration faltered, he lost the ribbon, and caused me to worry!’

Of course, I didn’t worry about Reysir, but since he thought I worried about him, that’s how it was from his perspective.

“Do I look like I’m saying something I don’t mean right now?”

“No.”

“Then why did you ask such a question?”

“Because you opposed it when Svein said he’d try for Hailga and Senior Risi’s ribbons again…”

Good grief, you have to compare things that are comparable.

I was so dumbfounded that I was speechless.

However, if I didn’t speak up at this timing, it might lead to a misunderstanding that I was discriminating against Svein and only depriving him of the opportunity to grow.

I quickly moved my mouth and answered.

“I opposed it because it was obvious he would just walk into a trap and come back without gaining any experience. But isn’t your case different? Unlike a trap that cannot even be detected, Liolikin and Her Imperial Highness’s Familiar are obstacles that can be sufficiently overcome with your abilities.”

“Does that mean… you believe I’ll be able to overcome those obstacles during this training?”

Encountering the look full of expectation in his eyes on his previously dejected face, it was difficult to flatly deny it.

I felt like it would be an act of uprooting the confidence that was trying to revive.

“No, well… right now you seem to be having a hard time because you’re not used to their pincer attack, but that experience will accumulate in real-time as you face them, right? So I should say this isn’t a matter of belief, but rather that I’ve just stated a very obvious fact…”

“Is that so? It’s a very obvious fact?”

I mumbled out something that could be an explanation or an excuse.

Then, as if he had never lost confidence or fallen into despair, the protagonist of another novel smirked and teased me by drawing out the end of his words.

It was an attitude beyond insolent; it was downright ungrateful.

“Anyway, that’s my opinion, but check with the others to see what they think. I’m not the only team member, am I?”

Actually, there was no need to check the opinions of others.

Since Reysir was the original protagonist, Vigdis and Svein would naturally support his challenge and show their trust.

Even while thinking so, the reason I said this was…

‘Why else? It’s to stop Reysir from teasing me any further!’

Reysir turned his head with an “oops” expression and looked at Vigdis and Svein.

And those two, as if they had been waiting, poured out lines encouraging the original protagonist’s confidence, saying that Reysir could surely do it.