I was Reincarnated as the Youngest Child of a Villainous Noble Family Who Controls the Kingdom from Behind the Scenes

"Ho ho, Alfis. That was pretty good just now."

Hyori leans against me, looking satisfied.

Seeing this, Kuklis seems to have gotten all flustered or something.

Well, you can tell just by looking at her face. No matter how you see it, she's clearly smitten.

---

"Ah... Alfis-san. Quite an unexpected partner, isn't it? But isn't she a bit too young?"

"It's not like that. This is the demon sword Disbareid."

"There's no rule that says your love interest has to be human. I support you. But since she's young, please wait a bit before making any moves."

"Can someone teach me how to have a conversation with this person?"

---

Can she not hear the words "demon sword Disbareid"?

There's no way I'd actually fall for Hyori, right?

Seriously...

---

"Umyu."

"Eek!"

I quickly shove the Level 20 Slime back into the bag.

But it's already too late. Kuklis, now fully intrigued, tries to force the bag open.

---

"Alfis-san! What was that just now!? What was that!?"

"It's nothing, you idiot. Stop it, you idiot."

"Umyuuuuu!"

---

The Level 20 Slime slips out again.

Kuklis is trembling with excitement, drooling as she stares at the slime.

---

"Alfis-san... While interspecies relationships aren't uncommon these days, this is truly a new frontier. May I hug it?"

"Sure, but don't blame me if you die."

"Don't worry! Haguuuuuuu!"

---

Kuklis hugs the Level 20 Slime with all her might.

The slime, being a slime, deforms squishily before slipping out of her grasp.

---

"Umyuuuuuu..."

"Nooo!"

"See, it's angry. It's pretty strong, so you better stop there."

---

Even though the Level 20 Slime is clearly annoyed, Kuklis can't seem to let go.

She keeps trying to pet it, but the slime keeps dodging her.

I wouldn't mind if it melted her to death, but since that would disqualify me, let's save that for later.

---

* * *

---

"Tch... What a solid defense."

"Defense successful. Please withdraw."

---

The member of Aliens who targeted Retisia's escort has retreated.

It's been three hours since the exam started, and there hasn't been a single moment to relax.

The Aliens member seemed to be aiming with a projectile weapon, but Ruushel's arrows are far more accurate.

---

It seems the training with Alfis-sama and the others is paying off.

My defense with Deflect has become much more robust, and I was able to fully protect the escort from that Aliens member.

---

"Well done, Retisia-hime."

"Please, stop calling me 'hime,' Shiuri-san. Right now, I'm just a student at Seirand Academy."

---

The escort target, Shiuri-san, is the librarian at the academy.

She's a serious-looking woman with glasses, and her slender frame makes it hard to imagine her strength.

However, she wields sound-based magic and was once an active mage.

---

"No, no. While this academy promotes equality, I believe we should still show respect to those of noble birth."

"I was born into royalty, but I have no intention of being arrogant. I am who I am, and I strive to improve every day."

"Status isn't just about bloodline. It's about the achievements passed down through generations, and it's a fact that those achievements have guided us commoners..."

"...I haven't accomplished anything yet."

---

What can I do right now?

Unlike Alfis-sama, I'm still too inexperienced and haven't been able to guide anyone.

When I met Lirisha-san, she was harsh with her words, but she was absolutely right.

---

"My apologies. That was an overstep."

"No, please don't worry about it. As Shiuri-san said, I must strive to live up to my status, and your words have motivated me."

---

I now understand why Lirisha-san was so angry.

To people like Shiuri-san, royalty and nobility are symbols of the nation and its hopes.

I can't afford to be discouraged by small things.

First and foremost, I must pass this exam and take that first step forward.

---

"Huh? Isn't that Retisia-hime?"

"Shemna-nee! It's definitely her!"

"I can't believe it!"

---

Three female students approach.

One has tanned skin, and the other two seem to follow her lead.

They also have three escorts with them, so they must have survived as fellow participants.

---

"Who are you?"

"I'm Shemna. You've heard of the Shemna faction, right?"

"Ah, one of the three strongest factions in the academy..."

"Yep. Never thought I'd run into Retisia-hime here."

---

The Shemna faction, one of the three strongest groups.

It's the only faction composed entirely of women, and they're known for challenging various students to duels.

They've reportedly taken control of nearly half of the academy's factions, so their strength is no joke.

---

"I've heard rumors about you. They say you're incredibly skilled..."

"Well, yeah. Weaklings just piss me off. I can't rest until I crush them."

"...Why is that necessary?"

"Why? Because the world is all about survival of the fittest, right?"

---

Shemna's mana begins to rise.

Her mana is wild and violent, like a manifestation of raw force that harms anything it touches.

---

"Shemna-san, that mana of yours...?"

"Retisia-hime, you're royalty, right? Have you ever thought about how many lives were sacrificed to build this country?"

"...I imagine it's countless."

"Exactly. People talk about countries and royalty, but all you did was kill the people who lived there and take their land. You're just barbarians at heart."

---

She might be right.

History only teaches us the clean, convenient parts, so it's likely that such things happened.

---

"Hey, princess. If you're not a coward, how about a match with me?"

"I'm in the middle of an exam."

"Relax. I won't touch your escort."

"That's not very reasonable..."

---

In that instant, I instinctively raised my sword.

Perhaps I sensed danger without even thinking.

A moment later, Shemna's fist collided with my sword with tremendous force.

---

The impact was so strong that my entire body lifted slightly off the ground.

As I regained my stance, Shemna stared at me with a fierce, combative gaze.

---

"See, I hate all this pointless talking. I don't like you, so I'm gonna knock you down. That's all there is to it."

---

Shemna's mana feels like multiple fists writhing in the air.

But there's something off about this mana.

It feels... artificial, somehow.

---

Regardless, I have no choice but to fight now.

It's not about the exam anymore. If I turn my back and run, I feel like I won't be able to protect anything.