"Please! Just one more chance!"
"Hm? What's all that noise...?"
Yugo had already parted ways with his companions and was hurrying to meet the Warrior Shrine Maidens and their fathers, who had begun their tour of the campus. He frowned as a familiar voice reached his ears.
Heading toward the source, he found the very group he had been looking for—and there was Professor Lamy, clinging to them and screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Calm down, Professor Neila. This is hardly the time or place—"
"Please, please give me one more chance! I've reflected on my previous blunders, and I promise to be perfect next time! So, please—!"
Ignoring Professor Castle’s attempts to restrain her, Lamy continued to implore the fathers of the Warrior Shrine Maidens.
She looks like an evil female executive begging the Great Leader for her life right before her execution, Yugo thought as he drew closer. Sakura and the others noticed him and called out.
"Yugo-dono! I must apologize for my father’s extreme rudeness earlier!"
"It’s fine, don't worry about it. More importantly, what’s going on here?"
Yugo asked for an explanation of a scene that was simultaneously obvious and baffling. Setsuna provided the answer to a confused Yugo, who vaguely recalled that Lamy was supposed to be recovering in the hospital.
"It seems she escaped from the hospital. She appeared before us and immediately started acting like this."
"I think she’s panicking because the role of liaison between Yamato and the academy was handed over to Professor Castle," Sakura added.
"Ah, I see..." Yugo muttered, nodding slightly.
Between the monster rampage during the Selection Exam, her recommendation of the troublesome Hero Candidates, her careless actions that triggered the 'Society of Friends of the Night,' and finally being used as a pawn in Koumaru’s plan during the transport mission—her failures had truly piled up. Her desperation was understandable.
Now that she had been stripped of her duties regarding Yamato and replaced by Professor Castle, whom she considered a rival, she clearly felt she couldn't afford to stay in bed.
That being said, her behavior was nothing but a nuisance to both the fathers and the academy staff.
"That’s enough! You're troubling Kogarashi-san and the others!"
"Please, just listen to what I have to say! I beg of you, please!"
"Sigh... I guess I’ll have to help Professor Castle out."
The situation was only getting worse, and Professor Castle was at his wit's end. Yugo prepared to intervene on behalf of the students, but before he could act, an even more troublesome group arrived to throw the scene into total chaos.
"Professor Lamy is right. Please, listen to what we have to say as well."
"What?! You lot...!"
Professor Castle turned his gaze toward the students who had cut into the conversation, using Lamy’s plea as an opening to insert themselves.
Sian stood at the front of a swarming crowd of Hero Candidates. Motonari addressed them with a question.
"Who are you? If you don't have urgent business, I would appreciate it if you stepped back."
"We are the students recommended by Professor Neila, the ones said to be worthy of standing alongside your daughters. We know this is disrespectful, but please, hear us out."
"Worthy of standing alongside my daughter? You boys?"
Tadakatsu stroked his chin with a suspicious look, staring down at Sian. Judging that Tadakatsu was the most likely to listen, Sian began his desperate appeal.
"It’s true that we’ve been a step behind in recent incidents. But that wasn’t because we lacked the strength! If we’re just given the chance to show what we can really do, I’m sure you’ll recognize us!"
"Fail! Do you even understand who you’re talking to?! Stand down! And the rest of you as well!"
Professor Castle was past the point of anger; he was simply appalled that Sian and the others would worsen an already chaotic situation. To assist him, Sakura and Setsuna spoke to their respective fathers.
"Father, please do not entertain them. If you keep acting as you did when you challenged Yugo-dono to a test of strength, you will bring shame upon the Amamiya name."
"I agree. There is no need to listen to them. It is a waste of time."
"...My daughters seem quite firm on that, but what do you think?"
"With all due respect, your daughters are misjudging us! It’s not just about combat ability! We have command ability, situational judgment, and many other talents!"
"...Well, judging by the current situation, I find it hard to believe you are capable of making any kind of correct situational judgment."
Motonari spoke the blunt truth while adjusting the bridge of his glasses.
As Sian’s face turned bright red, Raiha, who was standing beside Ujiyasu, widened her eyes and let out a small gasp.
"Ah...!"
"...!"
Noticing Raiha’s gaze, the Reincarnators all simultaneously deluded themselves into thinking she was looking at them.
It was a remarkably convenient way of thinking, but the Protagonist Correction mindset—the belief that they were special beings—still lingered in their minds.
If she talks to us here, if her father recognizes us, and if we can get those Dragon Materials, we can turn everything around.
As they secretly jostled for position behind the scenes to step in front of Raiha, dreaming of an impossible fairy tale, a low voice boomed from behind them.
"...You're in the way. Move."
"What? Who the hell do you think—?!"
Sian spun around to vent his anger at the dismissive insult.
However, the moment he saw the speaker’s face, his body froze in a violent shiver.
"...I believe I warned you once before. Have you forgotten already? If so, I’ll tell you again."
The Reincarnators were overwhelmed by the suffocating aura of the man walking toward them. They scrambled to the left and right, clearing a path.
Sian remained frozen, unable even to join the retreat. To him, the man spoke with a voice laced with quiet, simmering rage—the one person they dreaded meeting most.
"...Don't ask me questions."