What is this?
All those looks of curiosity and expectation have turned into cold stares of hostility and doubt.
“Is he that incompetent mage?”
“I’m sure he took the credit from someone else.”
“Like you could beat Black Raven.”
I’m in a picture of hell, with abuse flying left and right.
But I know better than anyone how the world sees me, so this is nothing new.
“I heard rumors. You decided to stop being an exclusive mage and caused Miss Ruby problems. Have some shame!”
One of the knights throws some false accusations at me, and the others agree.
“I didn’t just leave, I told her very clearly I was quitting.”
I say plainly, trying my best not to get emotional.
“Ruby’s a genius, and I couldn’t even get half the materials she wanted, so I thought she should be with someone who was better at picking materials.
That’s why I retired from being an exclusive mage and became an adventurer.”
I say.
“Shut up! Stop making excuses you coward! First you take someone else’s credit, then you try to throw responsibility to someone else!?”
“Hey, who did you take this achievement from, you thief!”
I don’t know when it happened, but now they’re convinced I took someone else’s achievement.
A bad reputation really is a scary thing. It can even bend reality.
People really do only see what they want to see.
Incompetent exclusive, hanger-on, worthless other than being Ruby’s childhood friend.
That’s how the world sees me.
But that doesn’t matter now. What others think is secondary.
I told the truth to accept my past self. I wanted to clear away my bad reputation too, but that one looks like it will still be too hard.
“Everything Mister Loyd is saying is the truth.”
Says Iris, who has been quiet this whole time.
“Did you fool even Miss Iris!?”
Says a knight, starting to twist even Iris’ words.
But just as I’m thinking I really can’t settle this situation…
“Enough already!!”
Roars Iris.
“I have been quietly listening all this time, but you sure like talking about Loyd stealing someone’s credit and being an incompetent mage, despite not even being there.
Mister Loyd risked his life to save me from an assassin, so don’t speak badly of someone who I owe my life to!! It’s very unpleasant!!”
The knights are at a loss for words, as they face Iris’ rage.
Even I’m surprised, because I’ve never seen her bare her emotions and get angry like this.
At the same time, the fact that she’s angry over me makes me happy.
“Miss Iris is right. What you’re doing is nothing but prejudice and insulting.
Your behavior is very unfitting of the kingdom’s chivalric order.”
Isolte agrees with Iris, and admonishes the knights in front of her.
It looks like this has settled down for now, thanks to them. But of course, the root cause hasn’t been resolved, so the knights are still silently glaring at me.
“I’m sorry for the knight’s rudeness, Loyd.
If I knew you were the exclusive mage, I would have introduced you with that in mind, but…”
“I’m sorry for keeping it a secret.”
“Don’t worry about it. Everyone has a secret or two.”
Leaving your past bad reputation aside, you are doing a great job as Miss Iris’ guard mage now. And I commend you for that.”
She’s saying something very nice, but still misunderstanding something important. When is she going to realize it?
“This is a good opportunity Loyd. How about a practice match with a member of the chivalric order?”
“Eh? A practice match?”
“People have said for a long time that if you can’t make them understand with words, tell them with your sword. And one-on-one duels have long since been the language of knights.
We knights always find the answer when fighting.”
Spoken like a sports-minded girl. But that might be for the best here.
And so, I decide I’m going to have a practice match with the kingdom’s chivalric order. Isolte says she’s going to look for a suitable opponent, and leaves for the time being.
“Iris, thanks for that earlier.”
“No no, I just did what I had to for a friend.
I believe the Goddess of Order Emeraude would also praise you for facing your past and revealing who you are.”
She says with a smile.
People I don’t know said a lot of bad things about me, but being accepted by Iris makes everything all right in the end.
And ten minutes later, Isolte comes back.
“Loyd, I found an opponent for you so you can prove you beat Black Raven.”
“Thank you. That was fast, guildmaster. What kind of person did you bring anyway?”
“The knight’s captain.”
“Ah?”
“He’s usually holed up in his office, but he said he will gladly help after I spoke about you.”
“N-no way guildmaster! I can’t fight someone that great!”
“Hahaha, I can’t wait! I don’t know when it happened, but now they’re convinced I took someone else’s achievement.
I said I’m not her guard mage, and it doesn’t matter if you believe in me!!!
We’re taken to an outdoor training area next to the knight’s station.
There’s an older man with an austere look and a well-groomed mustache. He looks cool, like I can really tell he’s the captain.
“So you’re Loyd. I heard what happened from Isolte, and I apologize for my subordinates’ rudeness.
I will give them a good scolding.”
He says with a gentle smile.
“No no, there’s no need to apologize, I don’t mind.”
“You’re mature for your age. I wish my knights could learn from you.”
Unlike the other knights, their captain is very mild-mannered.
“We call this a duel, but we will just be crossing swords a few times.
I won’t attack, so feel free to attack me.”
“Are you sure, captain?”
“Don’t worry, my school of swordsmanship is Extorion (western swordsmanship). No one has more confidence in their defense than me.
If you show them your best magic a few times, they’re bound to understand, so come at me, and don’t hold back.”
“Very well, thank you.”
I really appreciate the captain’s consideration.
Since he’s a powerful student of Extorion, I’ll take him up on his offer, and attack with all I have.
He stands in a stance peculiar to Extorion, with a light grip and his sword horizontal to the ground with the tip directed at me.
Extorion’s strength is mostly defensive. It’s all about seeing through attacks and countering, so a half-hearted attack won’t work at all.
I’m sure the captain is master rank, so it would make sense for my magic to not hit him at all.
And so, I’ll get serious too.
I’m not using magic without an incantation like I did with Black Raven. This time I’m chanting, and activating Full Grow.
“Hmph!”
I attack the captain, and he gets ready to defend, but his movements are slower than I expected.
He’s not going to make it in time at all. And since I said I’m attacking with all I have and executing a real attack, I can’t stop myself either.
Full Grow can’t just be stopped suddenly.
Bam!!
My fist hits him cleanly in the face, and the captain passes out after smacking into a wall.
The knights watching are dumbfounded, like they can’t understand what happened.
“I-I might’ve done something bad…”
But he did tell me not to hold back…
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