"This is wrong. This is all wrong! Why is this happening!?"
Meanwhile, Zenon—fresh from his humiliating rejection by Melt—paced the waiting room of the duel grounds. He gnawed on his fingernails, muttering like a man possessed.
He had managed to poison the atmosphere, planting seeds of doubt that Yugo had used some kind of trickery to boost his strength. But it was all for naught if Melt, the one person he needed to convince, had turned her back on him.
He didn't give a damn about the faceless mob of students. The only ones who mattered were the party characters—specifically, the cute girls he intended to make his own. If they didn't fall for him, everything fell apart.
While characters like Claire followed him blindly, their trust bought by his "protagonist's charisma," Zenon was livid that this same charm had failed utterly on Melt. He stomped his feet in a fit of rage, but the sound of a knock at the door stopped him cold.
"E-Excuse me...!"
"Hm...?"
In an instant, the bitter persona of Seto Haino vanished, replaced by the heroic mask of Zenon Ash, the protagonist of Luminous History.
The door creaked open to reveal Rush, his face a map of dark bruises from his duel with Yugo. Zenon stood, greeting him with an exaggerated display of concern.
"Rush! Are you alright? That was a brutal beating you took..."
"I'll live," Rush replied, his eyes downcast. "But showing such weakness in front of my supporters... it’s humiliating."
"Don't let it get to you," Zenon said, his voice dripping with faux empathy. "Everyone knows you only lost because Yugo cheated. If I'd reached the arena sooner, I could have exposed his fraud right then and there."
Zenon clenched his fists, putting on a masterful performance of righteous indignation as he fed Rush the same delusions he had spread to the crowd. Rush’s face lit up with a desperate hope, and he looked at Zenon with pleading eyes.
"I knew it! That scum must have cheated to win!"
"Of course he did! I know how strong you are. Without some underhanded trick, there’s no way you could have lost."
(At least that much is true, Zenon thought. The guy’s early-game stats are solid.)
Rush Winhelm was a recruitable character unlocked after the prologue. With high attack power and a versatile kit provided by his two magic items, he was an excellent asset for the early stages of the game.
However, he was a classic early-bloomer type. As the story progressed, his stats would be eclipsed by the protagonist and other primary characters, and his techniques would be rendered obsolete by mid-game skills. Zenon had no intention of keeping such a hot-headed nuisance around for long, but building rapport with the student body was never a waste of time.
Zenon placed a steadying hand on Rush's shoulder. He channeled his protagonist’s charisma, staring directly into the boy’s eyes as he fed him exactly what his ego craved.
"Have confidence, Rush. You were robbed by a coward's tricks. In a fair fight, you win every time. You’re strong—too strong for the likes of Scum Yugo."
"Oh...! You're right! Hearing you say that has given me back my confidence! Alright! I'll go demand a rematch from him right now—"
"Wait, wait, wait! Don't be hasty. He'll just use the same trick again, won't he? First, we have to expose the secret behind his cheating. I need you to keep an eye on him. Catch him in the act and report back to me. Together, we’ll bring down Scum Yugo and restore peace to this academy!"
This was perfect. Strange things were gravitating around Yugo, and Zenon needed to know why. He couldn't spare the time to do it himself—he had a "sacred mission" to build his dream harem. If he let his guard down, the other Reincarnators might snatch away his target girls.
Having successfully manipulated him, Zenon watched as Rush nodded, his eyes burning with a new sense of purpose.
"I've got your back! Leave the surveillance to me! I'll report everything I find! We are brothers in arms now, Zenon Ash!"
"Exactly. We're comrades, Rush. We’ll make sure Yugo suffers ten times the humiliation you did."
(And a hundred million times the humiliation I felt when Melt kissed him in front of me, Zenon added silently.)
Unaware that he was merely a pawn, Rush looked at Zenon with a gaze full of devotion.
Rush Winhelm has been added to your party. Rush Winhelm’s Affection Level has increased. (Current Status: Trust)
(Easy as that, Zenon thought, a cold smirk forming beneath his mask. I know these characters inside and out. Progress the plot, say a few pretty words, and they’re yours. Total pushovers.)
He savored the feeling of control. He had gained a useful tool, and for a moment, the sting of Melt's rejection faded as he began to weave a web of retribution for Yugo.