Volume 2 Chapter 1.1
The Fraudsters' Everyday Life, Surely
the Ceasefire Agreement Will Not Be Upheld Part 1
Translator : PolterGlast
"In other words,
your current targets are those two, huh?"
The stall owner
muttered as he handed over a paper bag filled with a large amount of lollipops.
Lunch break was almost
over and there were no other students in the vicinity. So there was no need to
worry about the students wondering about his sharp eyes, which were out of
character for the harmless-looking large man who was so friendly to the
students.
After receiving the
paper bag, she answered while checking its contents.
"Of course, we
still have no proof that they know about the existence of the <shepherd's
dog>."
"But I'm sure you
have your reasons for assuming so."
"Yes, boss. There
must be some purpose for those two to be poking around the academy."
"...... You mean
the Bennet Lohr incident?"
She nodded with a
mysterious expression.
The news that Bennett
Lohr, one of only six students in the school exempted from the entrance examination,
had fallen after only one month of enrollment sent shock waves throughout the
school.
The two people who
defeated Bennett, who possessed the powerful and unparalleled unique ability
known as the <Executioner of Immolation>, were Nina Stingray, who was
also a student exempted from the entrance exam, and Jin Kirihara, who was
considered a mere low achiever.
"Why did they
suddenly target someone as powerful as Bennett? If their goal is to survive
until three years later and become candidates for the White Knights, such a
hasty approach is unnatural."
Certainly, Nina and
Jin's reputations rose drastically as a result of that incident, and some even
believe that they are now in the lead group in the race for survival at the
school. But it also led to an increased risk of being targeted by monsters of
the same or greater caliber as Bennett.
"We don't have
any evidence yet, but for the moment let's assume the worst. ......They are
probably using the fact that they defeated Bennett as bait to lure the
<shepherd's dogs> to their doorstep."
"That's
troubling."
"Yeah, very
troubling. They can now suspect everyone who approaches them."
"But you're
already in their group. You don't have to worry about them getting
suspicious."
Over the past month,
she has expanded her network within the school in many different directions. Of
course, she has also established friendships with Nina and Jin, who are in the
same class.
This way, if there
were any dangerous elements that could interfere with the plan, she would be
able to notice them right away.
She really thought
that no one would be better suited for this job than she was.
"By the way, I
heard that Jin Kirihara can nullify psychic abilities. But the <rear
window> in the admissions and ability measurement materials seems to be
recorded it as a psychic ability of the psychological type, though......"
"Perhaps that's
fake. I was there myself, and he did indeed nullify Bennett's abilities."
"If that's true,
then he's capable of being involved in the school's secrets."
"Either way,
there is no doubt he is a dangerous individual."
It is almost time for
the next class to start.
Finally, the
shopkeeper decided to check her intentions.
"If Nina Stingray
and Jin Kirihara prove to be an obstacle for us ...... you know how to deal
with them, right?"
"Of course, boss.
I'll simply exterminate those annoying insects as quickly as possible."
"....... Good. I
expect you to do a perfect job."
If there are those who
are forcibly moving the wheels of fate and trying to bring the Heiberg Academy
into chaos, they are tantamount to the enemies of the country.
Without the slightest
hesitation, they must be crushed thoroughly.
While saluting to her
boss, who was disappearing into the back of the store, with only her eyes, she
chanted so in her mind.
─All to achieve a noble cause.
It was on her way back
to the classroom building that she happened to see one of her targets.
She spoke in a
cheerful tone of voice to the back of the black-haired boy who was walking
lazily. By then, she was already back to her usual cheerful self.
"Oh, Jin-kun!
Hurry up or you'll be late!"
"What? Emma,
huh?"
Jin Kirihara's eyes,
the same color as the depths of the night, squinted glaringly.
"It doesn't
matter. The instructor for the next class has never taken attendance
before."
"You're still as
disorganized as ever. Nina-chan will be furious if she hears about this, you
know?"
"Why the heck is
her name mentioned?"
After letting out a
hefty sigh, Jin showed a sarcastic smile.
"I mean, you're
walking along with me, are you sure you'll be on time?"
"Ah~! What do I
do, I'm going to be late!"
She hurriedly took the
wrapper of a lollipop and put it in her mouth.
The <Fierce
Sweetener>, which doubles her physical capabilities, can only be activated
once a day, but if she didn't do that, she wouldn't be able to make it in time.
"...... Emma,
don't you have a <practical exam> today?"
"Aaaaah~! Look
what I did!"
As she crouched with
her head in her hands, Jin spoke words that could be considered either
comforting or sarcastic.
She is a harmless
classmate who is amiable and a little ditzy.
That's how she must
appear to everyone now. No one knows that behind her harmless mask, she is
observing her target's facial expressions closely.
◇
"Huh? You can't
use your psychic ability anymore today!?"
In front of a brick
building on the outskirts of the school grounds, Nina Stingray shouted in
disbelief.
At the Heiberg
Academy, where fierce competition for points is fierce, the <practical
exams> held every other weekend are a valuable opportunity for actual
competition.
Of course, Nina has a
score of 1253 points, far above the average, so even if she loses this exam,
she will not fall to the bottom five students who will be expelled from the
school. Nevertheless, the disadvantage of damaging her reputation as an
overwhelmingly talented competitor would be immeasurable.
Therefore, it was
difficult not to be shocked by the sudden revelation from Emma, with whom she
was supposed to be tag-teaming this time.
Nina lowered her voice
a little so that the other students gathered in the exam room would not hear
her.
"...... Um, may I
ask you to elaborate a little more?"
"I'm sorry,
Nina-chan....... When I was almost late for class earlier, I inadvertently used
my psychic ability ......."
"Eh, I mean, you
were still late in the end, though ......?"
"Uuuuu~! I'm
sorry!"
Nina held her head in
her hands and cursed her own bad luck.
Nina, who has no
psychic ability, was relying on Emma's psychic ability to get through this
<practical exam>. The usual method of intimidating opponents by putting
on a tough act would not be very effective under the current rules.
Of course, she and her
accomplice, Jin, had already devised a plan, but the risk of failure was
inevitably high.
She tried to convey a
message to her accomplice, who was a short distance away, just by her gaze.
─Hey, Jin, are we going to carry out the plan as it is?
However, Jin only
tilted his head and gave her a troubled smile.
─I can't get the message across at all......!
Even so, she kept
trying to send her thoughts, but all she got back from Jin was a hand signal of
[copy that].
─What do you mean by [copy that] ......?
However, she couldn't
just sit there in despair.
Nina Stingray is the
daughter of a famous family that has produced two members of the <White
Knights>, a celebrity who is infamous throughout the Empire, a person of
overwhelming ability who was exempted from the entrance examination, and on top
of that, the person who defeated Bennett Lohr, who had powerful psychic
abilities.
"......Well, it
doesn't matter."
Even if Emma is her
friend, she can't show her impatience to her.
"Since Emma-san
isn't at her best, all I have to do is to give it a little effort. I think I
have to exert at least 5% of my strength this time."
"A-Are you sure
you can do it with only 5%!? You're too reliable, you know......!"
─Oh no, I got carried away!
Regret crossed her mind,
but her thoughts were interrupted as the students around her began to make a
commotion. Following everyone's gaze, the instructor in charge of the school
year, Isabella, appeared in front of them.
"Well gathered,
you half-witted pigs!"
The icy voice of the
beautiful instructor brought silence to the entire area.
"You've been
slacking off lately. I see that many of you have dropped out of school
voluntarily, perhaps because you were so frightened by the Bennett-Lohr
incident.
What are you
expecting, you worms? Didn't you come here to become candidates for the
<White Knights>, the greatest fighting force of the empire? You should be
willing to accept the risk of being killed by a rampaging monster. Am I
wrong?"
Without caring that
she had created a ridiculous atmosphere, instructor Isabella explained the
rules of this <practical exam> once again.
[Practical
Examination <Hide and Seek>]
◇ Rule #1: The test will be held inside the old school
building. Anyone who takes even a single step outside the building will be
disqualified.
◇ Rule #2: Participants will be divided into pairs, and
a total of three pairs will enter the building at different times.
◇ Rule #3: Each team wears a helmet with color-coded
balloons.
◇ Rule #4: The team whose balloon is not popped until
the end is the winner of the game.
◇ Rule #5: Direct attacks on the human body by psychic
abilities are prohibited.
"I don't think
there are any stupid pigs who haven't noticed this yet, but in this <Hide
and Seek>, where three teams are jostling on a three-way battlefield, quick
spotting and covert action are required. Dumbasses who can't use their brains
because they are too preoccupied with power won't stand a chance."
The students who heard
this had various reactions.
The content of this
test is not a simple battle, so there are clearly those who are suited for it
and those who are not.
Rather than those who
specialize only in destruction, those who can use strategic tactics, such as
aiming at balloons from an enemy's blind spot or hiding, will be at a greater
advantage.
"All participants
must pay 30 points each to take part in this test. The team that survives to
the end will get all the points. Of course, even if one of the duo dropped out,
the points would be divided equally."
"U-Umm! The entry
fee of 30 points is too high! Don't have that many left ......."
"Then you'll be
expelled. Someone take him away."
"Ha,
haaaaaa!?"
With just a single
word, his life has taken a major turn.
The students could
only watch as the boy was forcibly dragged away by the instructors. The
school's ironclad rule is to accept tragedy as tragedy and switch to practical
thinking.
How to contend in this
<Practical Examination>?
It does not matter if
one of the pairs drops out of the test. When Nina first heard this, she
thought, "A pretty benevolent rule for the Heiberg Academy".
However, the eyes of
her accomplice who was sensitive to malice could not be fooled.
In the back of her
mind, she recalled the speculation that Jin had made the other day.
"It's not a
benevolent rule. It's just that it's essential for the game to work."
"Ah, you mean
it's to prevent betrayal ......?"
"That's right. If
only one person who survives wins all the points, there won't be a single
student who will be serious about competing in the team game. Isn't that what
this school is all about?"
Nina really thought
that this school's system was cruel.
With the rule that the
five students with the lowest points each month will be forcibly expelled from
the school, even betrayal and deception are part of the daily routine.
And Nina and Jin are
planning a spectacular scheme in such an academy.
─No matter how one thinks about it, such a benevolent
rule is not normal......
Fear began to sprout
by now, but the time for the exam to start was already at hand.
Nina and Emma stepped
into the old school building, where the smell of mold was in the air.
The remaining two
pairs that they were going to compete against had already entered the building,
so it was possible that they were already waiting to ambush them somewhere. The
game would start only after instructor Isabella's signal, but they could not
afford to let their guard down.
As they walked
carefully so as not to make any noise on the damaged flooring, Emma flashed a
mischievous smile. A red balloon sprouting from her helmet swayed without a
trace of tension.
"Speaking of
which, why did Nina-chan want to team up with me?"
"We always take
classes together, so I thought it would be reassuring."
"Ehh. I thought
Nina would surely team up with Jin-kun."
"I-I never said
that......"
Most of the students
in the same grade know by now that Jin and Nina are working together. Many
students seemed to have strange misunderstandings, but Jin did not deny the
rumor and left it alone, as it was more convenient for him.
Still, there is, of
course, a strategic reason why the two are working separately this time.
Nina ruminated over
the plan in her head, and resolved herself once again.
─Don't worry. I can do it.
It was unexpected that
Emma could not use her ability, but that was no reason to give up.
Because Nina is also
one of the villains who are trying to deceive the world.
"...... Emma-san.
It seems our time for chit-chat is over."
The sound of a whistle
coming from outside the old school building signaled the start of the
<practical exam>.
From this point on,
the two could be ambushed from any direction.
Of course, the four
opposing contestants are all psychics, so even if they hid behind a wall, they
would not feel safe.
"We'll have to
find our opponents first!"
"...... Ah, that
won't be necessary."
Nina quickly became
immersed in her acting.
"Since everyone
seems to be gathering around us already."
She made a vicious
smile and tried to intimidate them, and then noises indicating unrest could be heard
from several directions.
As Jin had predicted
beforehand, the two pairs must be joining hands to target Nina and Emma.
"....... I'm
surprised. How did you notice?"
The voice of a boy who
seemed to be desperately trying to hide his fear could be heard from ahead.
It was probably a
diversion. While he distracting Nina and Emma, the other three would aim for
Nina's balloons.
"It's not even a
psychic ability, you know? It's just a predator's instinct ....... No matter
how hard you try to stifle your breath, there's still a delicious scent wafting
through the air."
"You're bluffing
......!"
"By the way, why
haven't you guys attacked us yet? I'm getting bored."
Nina reached for the
brooch that glowed red on her chest.
When she removed the
brooch, the excessively powerful psychokinesis that had been sealed up until
then was released, thoroughly destroying everything around her - it was the
first Lie that Nina and Jin had created.
"Everyone, stand
back! She's about to activate the <Queen of Calamity>!"
"Bullshit!
There's a rule that prohibits direct attacks......"
"This monster
doesn't give a damn about minus 30 points......!"
The students who had
been hiding could be heard running away all at once.
─Here is where the problem begins.
Originally, the plan
was to have Emma, whose physical abilities had doubled, chase after them.
However, due to the
previous activation of Emma's psychic ability, the <ferocious sweetener>,
which has a use limit of once a day, could no longer be used.
In other words, Nina
would have to do something about it using only her overwhelming acting ability.
"It would be
troublesome if you guys keep running away from me like this. ...... Ah, right.
I've come up with a good idea."
A cruel idea was
spoken in a voice as innocent as that of a child who did not know the rules of
the world.
"How about I use
my abilities to clear out the old school building? I remember that the
instructor could restore the old school building with his ability as much as he
wanted, right? Besides, even if the building collapses, only I, who can use
psychokinesis, will be alright.
Well, you will all be
destroyed though, which is fine with me. It would be quite exhilarating, and it
wouldn't be against the rules."
"Ni-Nina-chan?
Your face scares me. ......"
Nina replied with only
a glance, "It'll be all right", as she slammed the finishing move
onto the board.
"If you don't
want to be crushed to death, I recommend you surrender as soon as
possible."
With that statement as
a signal, an explosion could be heard coming from the top of the old school
building.
As if to pursue the
screaming students who were running away, intermittent explosions gradually
shattered the brick exterior walls.
It took less than a
minute before all the opponents with blue and green balloons attached to their
heads surrendered.
"W-We surrender
...... please at least spare our lives ......."
Everyone wore an
expression that seemed to say, "This is a violation of the rules."
Their dissatisfaction
is understandable.
Given that direct
attacks on their bodies were prohibited, and that the test emphasized stealth
and surveillance skills rather than simple brute force, it was understandable
that they felt that they had a chance to defeat the strong.
However, they would never
have imagined that there would be a monster who would think of destroying the
examination site itself.
"It's a little
bit unsatisfactory, but oh well, I suppose it can't be helped."
Finally, with an
innocent smile, Nina declared so.
"Now then, everyone.
Could you please pop your own balloons on my signal?"
◆
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