I Became the Mastermind Who Betrays the Heroines

Chapter 16 - Class Placement Exam (3)

Sssshhh—!

A faint noise brushes past my ears. In the flickering vision, dozens of sword strikes appear.

Silver lines rush toward me with a menacing force.

"Tch."

I step backward.

As I narrowly dodge and block the relentless attacks, sparks fly from the black blade in my hand.

- Clang! Screech...! Thud!

The clash of steel is intense, sending fragments flying in all directions.

With each step I take, the terrain shifts. The bushes sprout into sharp blades, and the fluttering petals transform into lethal daggers.

The roses raise their thorns, blocking my path.

I catch a whiff of metallic blood in the air.

I stifle a groan as I fend off the persistent fragments.

\'...This is definitely annoying.\'

Is this the strength of the continent’s greatest genius?

Even without having fully awakened, she’s strong enough to take down most graduates.

Blocking another incoming slash, I quickly scan my surroundings.

Clang—!

The barrier surrounding the entire arena.

What was once a flat, sandy ground has now turned into the cold texture of steel.

Rows of blooming sword-flowers sway.

It’s as if I’m standing in a garden made entirely of metal.

\'The Ashen Garden.\'

This is Charlotte’s ultimate technique.

She creates an absolute domain around herself. Within this space, Charlotte is nearly invincible.

It may look like a beautifully blooming rose garden.

But in reality, each and every flower is a sea of swords.

With a single gesture, she commands the thicket to move. Hundreds of blades sweep through like waves.

I brace myself to avoid being swept away.

Clang! Screech...!

The sharp petals scrape noisily against my blade.

As I deflect the rain of steel, I spot the platinum-blonde girl at a distance.

"Hmm."

"Ugh...!"

"Is it an act? Or are you really that weak?"

"I don’t know... what you’re implying...! But I’m giving it... my all...!"

"Something’s off..."

Charlotte tilted her head in confusion.

Whatever’s bothering her, the Little Prince isn’t lowering her guard.

I click my tongue inwardly.

\'What’s her deal?\'

My act should be flawless.

I’ve carefully adjusted my strength and completely concealed any killing intent.

I’m also cloaking myself in "Lies" to give the perfect impression of a weakling.

Clang—!

Sparks fly again as our blades clash.

It looks like I’m being recklessly pushed back, but her strikes are calculated.

She’s testing me, no doubt about it.

What exactly does Charlotte know?

Or rather, how does she know?

As I rack my brain, I continue my movements.

\'I guess there’s a silver lining.\'

She’s testing me, which means she’s suspicious.

But it also means she’s not certain.

For some reason, she’s questioning my "identity," but as long as she isn’t sure, I just have to keep up the act.

There’s no way Charlotte could actually know.

"You’re a mystery. It’s frustrating."

"I still... don’t understand... what you’re talking about...!"

"But that just makes me more curious."

Thud!

The next strike carried more weight.

Did she decide to increase her output?

I wiggle my tingling fingers and click my tongue.

\'She really is a prodigy.\'

One of the standout heroines of the original [The World Seen by the Little Prince] game.

An overwhelmingly powerful character, praised as the best playable option—if it weren’t for me, she’d undoubtedly be the top student.

No wonder people are saying I’m just a phony.

To the other students, Charlotte must seem like something beyond ordinary.

\'It’s still early in the story, so she’s not at her full strength, but... this is more than enough for now.\'

I mumbled to myself.

Now then... how do I lose this in a way that looks natural?

As I dodge the barrage of steel fragments, I sneak glances at the devices scattered around the arena.

Recording devices.

Although the arena is cloaked by Charlotte’s barrier, the internal situation is being broadcasted through these devices.

The faculty must be watching this closely.

\'It would’ve been better if the other students could see it too.\'

Unlike the entrance exam, there aren’t any screens set up for the students this time.

These devices are solely for evaluation purposes.

In other words, no one other than the faculty can see what’s happening inside the barrier.

If this were an ordinary student’s barrier, the inside would be transparent, but this is a "domain" created by the Little Prince.

Ordinary eyes wouldn’t even be able to perceive it.

"Huff, huff...!"

"Strange. Are you really just weak? Are you hiding nothing?"

"I’ve already... told you...!"

Creak, screech...! Clang, thud!!

It’s almost time to collapse.

It would be nice if she hit me with something big... but all her attacks so far have been awkwardly mild.

She’s holding back just enough to keep me on the edge.

She might even be trying not to hurt me.

‘If this drags on, it’ll never end.’

I appreciate the consideration! I’m thrilled to be treated with care!

But I still need to do what I came here to do.

In the midst of the clashing steel, I subtly flick my finger.

A drop of shadow falls to the ground.

The shadow wriggles like a snake before sliding toward the platinum-blonde girl.

Then—

Snap!

It sinks its fangs into her ankle without hesitation.

"Urgh...!?"

A faint groan escapes her lips.

For a brief moment, Charlotte’s legs wobble.

The wildly dancing petals fall still. The girl stands frozen like a statue.

"Your Highness?"

I ask as if concerned.

My tone sounded worried, but I couldn’t hide the smirk tugging at my lips.

Everything’s going according to plan.

I grin ominously.

***

"Haah."

Charlotte took a deep breath.

Maintaining a large-scale domain was draining her mana faster than expected.

She wondered if she might be overdoing it, but quickly dismissed the thought.

The air was thick with the stench of iron.

A garden of brilliantly blooming roses. In the ruthless yet beautiful field of flowers, only two people stood.

"…"

The girl silently looked ahead.

Reflected in her clear blue eyes was a peculiar-looking boy with golden hair and narrowed eyes.

She vaguely recalled that his name was Judas.

Clang! Screech...!

The boy was busy blocking the flurry of sword strikes from all directions.

Sweat trickled down his brow, giving the impression that he was truly on the brink.

Charlotte asked quietly.

"Hmm."

"Ugh...!"

"Is it an act? Or are you really that weak?"

"I don’t know... what you’re implying...! But I’m giving it... my all...!"

"Something’s off..."

Though he replied between gasps, Charlotte still didn’t lower her guard.

If anything, she tilted her head even more in suspicion.

Her doubt had a reason.

It stemmed from something she had witnessed just two weeks earlier.

—The atmosphere in the slums has been unsettling lately.

—There’s been a rise in kidnappings, murders, and disappearances... It seems the heretics are on the move again.

It was a report from her direct informant.

To verify the situation, Charlotte personally ventured into the slums.

While searching for clues, she accidentally stumbled upon a terrifying scene in a secluded alley.

—I gave you a chance.

—You’re the one who threw it away.

—People should know their place, shouldn’t they?

A shadow writhed unnaturally.

It spread like an ominous ink blot, devouring everything around it. The darkness resembled the primordial void.

Nothing survived within that pitch-black fog.

Only the smiling figure of a man with golden hair remained.

All Charlotte could do was hold her breath.

She knew that even the slightest movement could mean the end of her life.

The grip of silence tightened around her neck. In her trembling eyes lingered the retreating back of that "monster."

‘That was the most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen.’

It was power beyond comprehension.

Just being in its presence was like plunging into an abyss of despair.

It was a catastrophe... no, annihilation itself.

For a brief moment, the girl had glimpsed the face of doom.

Her breath trembled as she tried to steady herself.

Charlotte forced herself to focus on the opponent before her.

‘That student named Judas... he reminds me of that man.’

Of course, there were many differences.

His energy was faint, and his skill was far below her own.

But there was one thing they had in common.

It was the atmosphere.

Sticky, sickly sweet, and ominous... that distinct feeling.

Once experienced, it’s impossible to forget.

"You’re a mystery. It’s frustrating."

"I still... don’t understand... what you’re talking about...!"

"But that just makes me more curious."

Thud!

And so Charlotte pressed harder.

To confirm whether this boy was truly the same as the man she had seen. And at the same time, hoping he wasn’t.

The petals in the garden fluttered somberly.

"Huff, huff...!"

But the more the situation dragged on, the more confused she became.

Every instinct told her this boy was dangerous, yet he fought like a fragile student.

Barely strong enough to scrape into the top ten at best.

"This is strange. Are you really just weak? Are you hiding nothing?"

"I’ve already... told you...!"

Her certainty began to waver.

Charlotte started to question herself.

Was it all just a misunderstanding? Was she simply tormenting an innocent person?

These thoughts gradually clouded her mind.

She began to lose her resolve.

Naturally, the force behind her attacks also weakened.

Just as her doubts were starting to fade... something bit her ankle.

"Urgh...!?"

A sudden wave of nausea hit her.

An inexplicable dizziness washed over her, muddling her consciousness like she’d been struck by a potent drink.

The mana she’d been controlling wavered, shattering her focus.

Charlotte staggered briefly.

She swung her arm instinctively.

It was an unconscious reaction to the vertigo, but the consequences were significant.

Rumble!

This garden of steel responded to the girl’s movements.

The larger the motion, the greater the force unleashed.

That’s why Charlotte had been standing still, only making small gestures with her fingers.

"Uh, oh...?"

She hadn’t intended to unleash an attack that could threaten the boy’s life.

She’d been carefully controlling her strength to avoid causing harm.

But then, an unknown external force had interfered, leading to a control error.

Rumble...!

The ground roared.

The vines, roses, and thickets all writhed and rose into the air.

They merged and aligned before surging forward like a colossal wave.

This wasn’t just a metaphorical expression.

It was a literal tsunami of steel rushing toward the boy.

Crash!

The oncoming blades shredded everything in their path.

The disaster was aimed directly at the golden-haired boy. He stood frozen in shock.

"N-No...!"

Charlotte finally regained her senses.

She hurriedly moved her hands, but it was already too late.

The garden’s torrent was surging with unprecedented ferocity, making it impossible to block without taking damage.

Not even Charlotte, the continent’s most gifted prodigy, could stop it.

\'This isn’t right.\'

She had wanted to test the boy.

But this wasn’t what she intended.

She didn’t want to see others get hurt.

In Charlotte’s world, there was only one person allowed to suffer. She reached out without hesitation.

"Hnnngh...!"

If she couldn’t break the flow, she would redirect it.

Charlotte reset the target of the attack.

From the boy, to herself.

The wave that had been crashing toward the boy veered toward her instead.

Her clenched fist acted like a magnet, drawing the blades toward her.

Rumble, crash—!

The fierce storm of steel surged toward her.

Charlotte looked up at it calmly. It seemed unlikely she could block it without injury.

At the very least, she would be hurt badly enough to be sent to the infirmary.

"...This is going to hurt."

Charlotte muttered quietly.

Even in the face of such a situation, she maintained her usual composure.

She was simply relieved that the boy wouldn’t be harmed.

Swish...!

A rose-blade grazed her nose.

Charlotte closed her eyes, bracing for the impact to follow. Then came the explosive sound.

Boom—!

"..."

But for some reason...

Despite the deafening noise, Charlotte felt no pain.

Could it be that she was hurt so badly that she had lost all sensation?

"...?"

As she slowly opened her eyes, wondering about the situation...

"Are you alright?"

There was the golden-haired boy, calmly standing in the sunlight.

When their eyes met, the rare sight of his white pupils quickly disappeared as they narrowed back into slits.

"This really puts me in a spot... Can I count this as a favor you owe me?"

The boy, holding her gently in his arms, smirked.

Behind him, the shattered remains of the garden crumbled into dust, scattering into the wind.