"...What are you talking about? You... what are you...?"
"Now, now! It’s hardly the place for a standing chat, is it? Let’s head inside. I think you'll find it much more convenient, don’t you?"
"Tch...!"
Isaac's words hung in the air, a silent threat that it would be just as inconvenient for Zenon if they kept shouting in the hallway. Grimacing, Zenon obeyed and threw open the door.
Stepping into the room, Isaac took another look at Zenon, letting out a derisive snort before spitting his words at the man.
"Seriously, though... what a hideous face! It really captures the whole 'fallen from grace' look perfectly!"
"Shut up...! Shut up, shut up, shut up!!"
Zenon let out a shrill shriek, barking in response to the provocation. Not a single trace of the lively brightness he’d possessed at enrollment remained.
His once-beautiful silver hair was disheveled beyond recognition, madness and emptiness dwelled within his golden eyes, and not a fragment of his former Protagonist aura lingered.
So this is the pathetic state of the man who defeated the Academy's Number One Scum, Yugo, and was hailed as a hero... Isaac thought, mocking Zenon. He flashed a smile at the half-maddened man.
"Now, now, calm down. I’ve come here to offer a failure like you one last chance."
"...What do you mean?"
"I told you, didn't I? Let’s have a Duel. If you win, I’ll give you every Material I have. Not to brag, but I’ve got a massive stockpile—way more than I can use by myself. With those, you’ll be able to craft more than enough gear for yourself, and you’ll even have enough left over for your party. It's a chance to become a hero again... What do you say? Pretty tempting, right?"
"I can be a hero... again...!? If I win the Duel, I can... Continue...!!"
Zenon repeated the words like a feverish mantra, listening to Isaac’s sing-song voice.
He inhaled sharply, already caught in the grip of a sweet delusion. After a string of defeats that cost him the trust of the students and led him to a Game Over, a chance for revival had finally appeared. However, Claire, who was sitting in on the discussion, spoke up to shatter his fantasy.
"Wait, Isaac-sama. A Duel implies that Zenon-sama must stake something of his own, doesn't it? What exactly are you demanding from him?"
"Haha! Isn't it obvious? Out of everything this guy owns, there’s only one thing that actually interests me."
As he spoke, Isaac raised his right arm to eye level.
He pointed his index finger straight at Claire, a grin full of naked desire spreading across his face.
"The price for this Duel... is you, Claire Rouge. If Zenon loses, you belong to me."
"What...!?"
"!!...!?"
Zenon gasped in shock, while Claire’s expression twisted in agony as her worst fears were confirmed.
Their reactions were worlds apart, and Isaac found the contrast hilarious.
He had no intention of giving away his materials for free, and he certainly didn't expect to lose. While he was laughing hysterically on the inside, a panicked Zenon shook his head so violently it looked like his neck might snap.
"N-no! Absolutely not! I won't hand over Claire! I'll never give her up, never!"
"Hmm... I see. Well, it makes no difference to me. But... even if you manage to keep her today, don't you think someone else is just going to take her away in the near future?"
"Ugh...!"
Despite saying it didn't matter, Isaac continued to ruthlessly corner Zenon with his words.
Zenon flinched, his body trembling as Isaac leaned in to stoke the fires of his anxiety.
"If you just stay cooped up in this room, the gap between you and the students taking classes and Requests will just keep growing, you know? You defeated Scum Yugo and won Claire, but that isn't a permanent victory. If the House of Rouge decides you aren't a suitable match for her anymore... she’ll be handed over to some other man. You realize that, don't you?"
"S-shut up, shut up...!"
"If you keep wasting time like this, your chances of a comeback will evaporate. If you’re going to act, it has to be now, while there's still a glimmer of hope. Do nothing, and Claire will be gone soon enough. You'll lose everything. Wouldn't it be better to take a stand before that happens?"
"Uuuuuu... ugh... uuuu..."
Everything Isaac said was correct. Staying shut away wouldn't fix anything; it would only make things worse.
The current Zenon was a far cry from the Protagonist of Luminous History. Unlike a true protagonist who earns the right to stay by his heroine's side through deeds recognized by all, he was just a pathetic man hiding in a dark room.
Having lost his status, Zenon lived in constant fear that Claire would be taken by someone else.
He had tried to look away, desperately clinging to a fragile peace of mind, but now that Isaac had dragged the truth into the light, he was overwhelmed by a crushing sense of dread.
"Let’s do this, Zenon. You might still have One Chance left. An opportunity like this isn't going to come around twice... If you want to return to your former glory, accepting the Duel is your only option, right?"
"No, Zenon-sama! Do not listen to him! You are exhausted, both in mind and body—you aren't in any condition to fight! Please, stay calm! Zenon-sama!"
"I... I...!?"
He knew it. He knew Isaac's offer was a trap.
Just as Claire said, he wasn't fit for battle. He understood perfectly well that Isaac was only making this offer because he knew he would win.
And yet... Zenon also knew that this was his final opportunity to be reinstated as a Hero Candidate.
If he let this slip away, there was no turning back. The gap between him and the rest of the world would only widen until it was impossible to bridge.
But if he lost, Claire would be taken. He would lose everything.
Then again, if he kept running, she would be taken eventually anyway. The risk was enormous... but as Isaac watched Zenon waver, he smirked. Leaning in close to Zenon's ear, he delivered the final push in a whisper meant for him alone.