In the buzzing banquet hall, the guests reacted in different ways: some looked at me curiously, some raised their eyebrows, and some were whispering to each other.
On the other hand, the students and teachers looked on in stunned amazement at the sudden engagement cancellation and duelling application.
"A-Allen?"
"You are … the commoner from that time, right?"
In the midst of all this, Anastasia and the Crown Prince react, respectively. Anastasia looks surprised like a pigeon that got hit by a peashooter, but isn't the Crown Prince's dubious face and those lines too much?
"Good grief, I'm still in the same class as His Highness, though. Rather than that, Anastasia-sama. Please acknowledge me as your representative as soon as possible."
"Eh? Ah, um, I admit."
While Anastasia was surprised, I quickly got her to admit it and swiftly moved on.
"And? What do you demand of each other in this duel? what about you, Anastasia-sama?"
"I-I have decided already. Take back the insult to the Ramslett family and apologize."
"Okay, then what about Amy-sama?"
"Eh? Umm… Don't come near us anymore."
Oh, that is the exact same line of the game. Jeez. (TL:- Does she believes that if she does the same things everything will be on track?)
"Okay. Then, if Anastasia-sama wins, Amy-sama and the others will admit that their earlier remarks about the Ramslett family were insulting and will formally apologize. And, if Amy-sama wins, (TL:-'which will not happen' is what Allen is thinking.) Anastasia-sama will stay away from Amy-sama, is that correct?"
"No, that's not it. You will stay away from Amy and the five of us."
"I understand. Then let's do it that way."
For the time being, let's finish the condition confirmation in a clerical manner.
"What about the format of the duel?"
"You've got one. Get me four more proxies. If you can't, we can match it one-on-one every day, and you have to win five matches in a row."
The Crown Prince looks down on me, or rather us, as he says this. It seems that he doesn't feel like lynching us five to one.
No, maybe he is just making fun of us, thinking himself to be the superior one here.
"Ah, that will be a bother, so can I have all five of you come at me at once? How about one against five, and anything goes except killing?"
Claude reacts to those words.
"Oi, oi, oi, you think you can fight us and win? You, with your mediocre swordsmanship and magic?" (TL:- Listening to this, somehow I get the feeling that the role of bandit will suit him more than that of a prince.)
I see. So that's how you react. Then it's just right. Since it will be the last time anyway, let's stir things up as hard as I can.
The angrier they are, the easier it is for me to do it.
"Huh? Your Highness Claude. By any chance, are you scared of me?"
"what?"
Obviously, Claude's tone intensified. If it were manga or anime, there would probably be an anger mark on his forehead. (TL:- Well, it's a web novel though.)
"Now, please calm down. But Prince Claude is right, isn't he?"
While conciliating Claude, Markus began to admonish me.
"You are no match for me or His Highness in magic, and also in swordsmanship, Leo, His Highness, or Prince Claude are superior to you. In addition, we also have Oscar, who is an expert archer. You have no chance against us. I admire your courage in coming forward to duel, but you've done enough. We won't say anything bad, so back off."
Well, if you didn't know me properly, you would probably come to that conclusion, and at first glance, it seems like a good argument, but this is a terrible way of phrasing it.
However, it's not like that I'll get angry. What is necessary now is to have the other party lose their composure.
I want to avoid any unnecessary interventions that will mess it. So before that happens, I have to end the duel quickly.
That's why even though I have nothing against Markus, I'm going to provoke him.
"Hmm? I can't be persuaded by someone who keeps losing to a commoner me, in studies, can I? Markus-sama?"
"What! Even though I was thinking of your own good!"
When I stirred him up, I got a funny reaction.
Does he have a low tolerance for agitation, to begin with, or is it that he can't stand being agitated by an entity that looks down on him?
Either way, this low boiling point will probably disqualify him from being the future prime minister.
"You're not beautiful, aren't you? As expected, if you're a commoner, you can't help but be savage, can you?"
"I see. Do aristocrats only have honours? Ah, but many nobles don't have it, so Oscar-sama and the others are in which group? Also, I think it's more barbaric to surround a woman and neglect her as a fiancée. Isn't it? In addition, when it comes to men flocking one woman, I believe bees are also like that, aren't they?"
"What!"
Oscar distorts his stunning face. Then Leonardo came at me.
"Such foolish talk is unbearable to hear. Behave properly."
"Even if you say so. You're the ones who are making accusations. And the last time I saw you, you surrounded a woman and tried to force her to admit she was wrong. Even though you are the son of the knight captain, which one of us is stupid here? Leonardo-sama?"
"What!?"
Somehow when I pressed their anger switch, they start reacting funnily.
This may be interesting, but I feel that if I find enjoyment in this, it will be outrageously bad for my character, and I'm afraid I'll fall into self-loathing later, so let's finish the story before I open any strange doors.
"Now, Your Highness Crown Prince Karlheinz. Don't tell me you're going to run away, even though it's a very favourable condition of 1 to 5?"
"What!? You, argh…I understand. Okay. Don't regret if you die by mistake?"
"Huh? Are you declaring that you're going to break the rule that forbids killing now?"
"… Don't you run away? Come to the training ground now. Hey, someone witness this duel!"
"Then I will do it."
When the crown prince said so, a middle-aged man stood up from the guest table. He was one of the men who had just laughed at Anastasia along with the Crown Prince.
Are you trying to cheat in the judgement also?
Well, okay. In that case, it's just a matter of getting these guys back on track.
"Then we'll wait for you at the training grounds first. Don't run away!"
With that, Amy, the Crown Prince & Co., and the middle-aged man strode away.
"Well then, Anastasia-sama. I'll go back to the dormitory and get my weapons, so please go to the training grounds first."
I tell this to Anastasia, who is stunned.
Ah, by the way, the reason I don't have weapons right now is that swords are not allowed inside the royal castle and the school is just a stone's throw away from here.
Anastasia came to her senses at the sound of my voice and came at me with a menacing look.
(TL:- Below is the most amusing conversation of this event. Really worth it!)
"W-What foolish things are you saying! It's not too late. I'm declining you as a representative. In this situation, no one will blame you. Besides, if anything happens to you in the duel, it will be treated as just an accident. I can't let a man as talented as you die in a place like this!"
"Hmm? Are you worried about me by any chance? It's okay. I'm not going to die. Or rather, if it's an opponent like that, no matter how many people come, I'll win in plenty of time."
"Wha!? Allen …?"
"Have you heard? There is an adventurer in this royal capital who holds the record for the youngest C rank."
"Eh? Ah, hmm, I've heard that …"
"That's me, you know. I'm the youngest C-rank adventurer who has traverse Goblin Dungeon with Goblin Slayer and Orcs Slayer achievements. I've also succeeded in defeating Blizzard Phoenix alone."
"Eh?" (TL:- Anastasia is like ↴)
For the second time today, I could see Anastasia's puzzled and dumbfounded expression.
I feel lonely when I realized that this was probably the last time I would see it. But I've prepared for this. I will give it everything I have and win this battle.
"So you should relax as you do in a big boat because I'm sure you will win this duel."