Always has to show off. Gerhard clicked his tongue.
"What do you want to do?"
"Since attention has been drawn, rather than confronting them, let's use this opportunity to get closer to our destination."
And prepare a few measures just in case.
Gerhard began to move stealthily.
***
"They're not here."
Rudger checked around. He could sense presences here and there, but not the ones he was looking for.
The Luina Berchef and Gerhard Goldenheim pair.
The Carlo Deneb and Allia Torta pair.
These were the pairs he was most concerned about.
"What kind of person is Gerhard?"
"Why do you suddenly ask that?"
"You seem particularly concerned about him despite his being merely ranked 10th, Your Highness."
Rudger smiled at Almon's words.
While the second-ranked Luina was certainly worth being wary of, Almon was indirectly questioning why they needed to worry about the 10th-ranked Gerhard.
"Don't you find it strange?"
"What do you mean, Your Highness?"
"The Goldenheims interfered with the Berchef family. Those who should know about this already do."
Comprehensive pressure had been applied to block their funding sources. While they maintained a certain level of propriety, such interference between marquises definitely crossed a line.
"The Goldenheim's reach and power are so vast that everyone kept quiet about it. In return, the Goldenheims invested quite heavily."
Interfering with the Guardian of the North was no easy task, even for the Goldenheims.
"But suddenly, after Gerhard visited the Goldenheim family, he became Luina's partner."
"There must have been a deal between the two families."
"That's what I suspect."
"But whether anything can be achieved by merely becoming partners..."
"Exactly."
Just becoming partners didn't mean anything special. Nevertheless, Rudger wanted to undermine their relationship and grades for now.
"Even if it seems meaningless at the moment, the Goldenheims always have a bigger picture. So the surest way to deal with them is to extinguish even the smallest sparks."
Becoming Luina's partner was clearly aimed at improving grades.
"If someone who was deliberately hiding his abilities now mobilizes Luina too, isn't that suspicious?"
"You're saying Gerhard has been hiding his abilities?"
"Yes."
That's why it's suspicious, that's why we should be wary, and that's why I want to disrupt them. Rudger's lips curled upward.
He spoke to the 14 students following him.
"Go. All of you, eliminate everyone hiding ahead."
He added one more thing.
"We will be the top-ranked."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"Let's go!"
"Some of us have been fighting intensely, while others have been hiding like rats? You're all dead!"
Those who followed Rudger and those who didn't clashed.
***
Watching dozens of students collide in chaos, Gerhard let out a hollow laugh.
"As expected of Rudger. Is he planning to sweep everyone and then determine rankings among his followers?"
"How do you think it will turn out?"
"It will go according to Rudger's wishes."
The opposing side had more numbers, but Rudger's side had the quality advantage. The outcome would clearly be settled without much difficulty.
"But what if we join in?"
"Is there any need? We can just quietly watch and enter the destination when it's time."
It's been said that winning without fighting is the best strategy.
"Look. They're so busy fighting each other that only 5 minutes remain. Our victory is assured."
"...Unfortunately, I think it's too early to conclude that."
Luina gripped her sword handle. Gerhard's face hardened as he turned to see what she was looking at.
"Luina? Gerhard?"
"When did they get all the way there?"
"Were they hiding until the end while we were fighting?"
The battle had ended. The pro-Rudger faction, reduced to 8 students, was breathing heavily as they looked at them.
"Gerhard. What are you doing, sneaking around like a rat?"
Their leader, Rudger, was approaching leisurely.
"Trying to get first place."
"We didn't give you permission to be first, did we?"
"I wasn't aware I needed anyone's permission."
"Oh, but you do. At least right now."
Attack. At Rudger's murmur, the students began charging.
Seeing this, Gerhard planted his staff in the ground and began chanting. A magic circle started to form.
No, the magic circle was already there.
"Huh?"
"What is this...?"
The magic circle that had been pre-placed on the ground where the students stood began to glow.
"Take a nap."
A magic amplifier hidden in his bosom lent Gerhard strength. Massive mana surged.
Cruuunch—
"Run away!"
"Break through...!"
Whoosh—
A massive wall rose up and swallowed all the students. The ceiling closed, sealing off even the sky.
There were no exceptions.
—!
——!
Impacts continuously echoed from inside the dome. Luina nodded at the shifting dome.
"It really went as you said."
"It's killing me."
"You even carry magical reagents around."
He had used magical reagents to enhance the quality of his magic when drawing the circle. A mana cascade using storage and amplification orbs, plus magic enhancement through reagents.
Thanks to those two factors, a prison containing ten students was completed.
"Keep the mana storage orbs, amplifier, and reagents a secret. I'd like to use them as secret weapons for now."
"Haven't Carlo and Allia already found out?"
"They're not fools. They won't tell others about it."
After all, everyone's a competitor.
"Understood."
But it still seems cowardly. Luina muttered.
"How long can it hold?"
"Let's hope it holds out for the remaining time."
"What happens if it doesn't?"
"What do you think?"
Having to deal with the anger of 10 students, including the top-ranked knight student and the second-ranked magic student...
"We're screwed."
***
———!
With a tremendous sound, the dome was breached.
"We broke through!"
"How long were we pounding at it? Was this Gerhard's level?"
"Are all 10th-ranked students like this?"
The pale-faced students murmured amongst themselves.
"...We were completely tricked."
Rudger let out a hollow laugh.
In his opinion, not much time had passed. But Gerhard and Luina were nowhere to be seen, suggesting the appointed time had arrived.
"He really was hiding his power, just as Your Highness said."
"Didn't I tell you?"
Rudger sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Next time, I won't fall for your tricks, Gerhard."
He gritted his teeth and said to Almon.
"Let's go, Almon."
"Yes."
Rudger shouted.
"We missed first place, but except for Gerhard and Luina, nothing else has changed. As agreed, we're the top-ranked, so we'll enter in order."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"Yes!"
Naturally, the first to enter was Rudger.