’If I’m correct... It’ll happen...’
CLANG!
"Now."
***
"W-What!?"
"Is that allowed!?"
All the spectators around me stood up in sheer shock at what had happened in the field.
Something unprecedented, something unbelievable...
But to me? It was something so predictable that even with the novel’s events changing, I still had a creeping suspicion it was going to happen.
It was Julius protecting Lillian from Evelina’s final strike in the tournament, which originally happened after a hard-fought battle during the original timeline.
And even with all the changes, it still happened now.
"W-What?"
Evelina felt the recoil of her shadowy tendrils being destroyed, taking a step back in shock at Julius’ sudden entrance into the field via teleportation.
"Enough, Evelina, you have already won."
Julius stood between the two women, his eyes a piercing blue as he glared at Evelina with righteous fury.
"End the match, Professor."
He looked at Corvus, who, in turn, shook his head in amusement. This wasn’t really something he had expected to happen.
But since it did, it would be a waste to just let something so entertaining stop so quickly.
And besides, it would be good training material for the rest of the students who had barely done anything in their matches.
"Intervening in an official academy event?"
Corvus raised a brow, grinning the entire time, further solidifying his barrier to ensure nothing else would intervene and enter.
"This calls for a simple punishment."
Corvus snapped his finger, transferring some of his power to Evelina to even out the odds. He wanted to set up a two-versus-one scenario.
Just like what had happened in the original tournament.
"Evelina D’Arclight, your match will be prolonged. Do you accept this challenge?"
Evelina looked at Corvus, then at Julius and Lillian, thinking about her odds of winning.
Even with her current power and Corvus’s buff, fighting against two mages with one having attunement that countered hers was not something she could readily accept.
And with that...
She stared at me...
She didn’t even need to speak, and I could already tell what she wanted.
Her eyes were a mix of anger and reluctant excitement.
This was supposed to be an excuse for her to finally cripple Lillian for good, first to humiliate her in front of everyone, then next with demonic energy, slowly weakening her over time until she can no longer be called an equal.
But all those plans were now ruined.
And in the original novel, despite her power up from Corvus, she had failed here, losing due to one slip she had made.
Which, in turn, started her path to madness as Julius and Lillian were commended for their ability to take out another S-Rank student who had a sliver of power from a professor.
But now, I was here, and that gave rise to her reluctant excitement.
From an unsure victory to something more guaranteed.
Another change that wasn’t in the original.
"Professor, may I enter?"
I stood up from my seat, raising my hands.
Corvus looked back. He already had a small suspicion that I would probably join in when he made that offer to her.
"It’s only fair."
He chuckled.
But before he could teleport me to the field, the professor, who was slouching on the table that overlooked the field, finally intervened.
Even if Corvus was a higher-up, his actions had far exceeded the permissions granted to him.
"Enough, Corvus, we’ll follow proper procedure—"
He didn’t get to finish as a sudden blanket of shadows forced him back into his chair, covering his mouth and binding his body so he couldn’t move.
"I’m finally having fun after years of teaching in this damn academy, let me have my fun, Willis."
Corvus rolled his eyes, tapping his foot and teleporting me beside Evelina, and at the same time removing his gift to her.
[Dark Step]
"Now this is what I call education."
Corvus stretched his limbs, his tired eyes having a faint glimmer to them.
"And you brats, none of you will snitch on me, got it?"
He declared across the entire field.
The other professors who were watching didn’t even intervene, not wanting to end up like the sucker who thought he could stop a master of the dark like him.
***
"How would you wish me to deal with them?"
I asked, fixing my collar.
This was like a dream come true. I had always imagined a scenario where I was transported at this exact moment in the novel to stop her from falling into madness.
And now here I was, and quite sooner than initially expected!
This is now my chance to fight together with her, and if my old colleagues were right, this was the perfect way to start a connection!
And while this would definitely change future events, if I were correct, it wouldn’t make my knowledge null immediately.
"Deal with Julius; Valemont is mine."
Evelina brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She was going to finish what she had started.
"Of course, Evelina."
I took a step forward, meeting Julius head-on.
"You could have helped me convince the professor to end the match and have your... mistress or whatever win the match. Why do you insist on needless violence?"
Julius glared at me, his righteous and moral mind unable to comprehend my illogical actions.
"Well, it just isn’t fun that way, is it?"
I reply.
***
"This just speeds things up, doesn’t it?"
Corvus shrugged, laughing, looking at the other professors who were as stiff as a log.
"Cael Arden and Julius Lionbright... they were going to fight sooner or later during this tournament, why not just have it now?"
"Y-Yeah... I guess."
A professor crossed his arms, not daring to make eye contact with him and purely focusing on what was happening on the field.
And it wasn’t just him; all the other professors had the same idea.
Because they all knew that Corvus had everything under control with his power, no matter how... inconsistent he might seem.