Nia returned to the Ainsworth manor carrying a sense of defeat unlike anything she had ever known. She had been utterly crushed by the Vile Aristocrat, Hollow von Heisenberg-and to make matters worse, she had been forced to beg for a mercy he had granted with frustrating ease.
"..."
When she opened the massive front doors with a gloomy expression, the butler cleaning the foyer widened his eyes.
"Young Lady, what happened to your classes?" the butler asked.
"...I'm sorry. I'm feeling a bit unwell today, so I've decided to rest," Nia replied.
"Good heavens! I shall summon a physician at once," the butler said.
"No, I'm fine. I think I'll be better if I just lie down."
"If you say so, my lady."
"I want to be alone for a bit. Don't let anyone into my room," Nia said.
She retreated to her room and collapsed onto the bed, still in her uniform. She gripped the sheets with white-knuckled intensity.
(...I lost...!)
She had never imagined the gap between them was this vast. Hollow was Rank 1; she was Rank 4. Only three spots separated them in the hierarchy, and yet the distance was a chasm between heaven and earth.
"...What on earth was that...!" Nia hissed.
What first shocked her was Hollow's god-like mastery of magic. Her own pride and joy, the Innate Magic <Primordial Flame>¹, had been completely neutralized by a common, low-tier spell-a simple <Wall> that anyone could cast.
(<Primordial Flame> is an Origin Class² spell of the highest order. In terms of raw specs, I should have been the one overwhelming him... and yet, I couldn't even touch him...!)
Hollow's caliber as a Mage left Nia far in the dust. The disparity in their strength was so extreme that even the power of <Primordial Flame> couldn't bridge it. His execution was terrifyingly fast; the construction of the spell, the mana infusion, and the alteration of reality happened in one unnaturally rapid, perfect sequence. He wielded magic as naturally as breathing.
(That level of skill... how did he even get it?)
It was a genuine mystery. Magic skill wasn't something gained overnight; it was a domain where steady, daily accumulation and grueling effort were the only things that mattered.
(Could he have...? No, impossible. That incarnation of Slothful Pride would never lift a finger to practice.)
In reality, Hollow's divine skill was the result of incredibly dull and tedious training, but Nia had no way of knowing that.
(Regardless, Hollow wasn't even being serious. He's still hiding a trump card...)
The image of that blink-of-an-eye movement from the end of their fight flashed in her mind.
(That mysterious magic he used to get behind me... that definitely wasn't <Refraction>. It was something higher-a space-manipulation type Innate Magic. Could it be... the same as Xeno, the Calamity who destroyed the world a thousand years ago-?)
She gave her head a small shake. She wouldn't pry into Hollow's secrets. She, more than anyone, had promised that. If she broke her word after losing the match, she would never be able to live with herself. Nia's heart was pure and noble; she was made of different stuff than that debt-ridden horse-girl who hung around the academy.
(...I have to forget it...)
She buried it all-how he knew the darkness of the Ainsworth family, where he had heard the secret of her body, his god-like magic, and that horrifyingly massive mana she felt at the very end.
(Hollow is... that monster is an Anomaly.)
In this world, such singularites are born from time to time. Comparing herself to such a thing only made her feel pathetically small.
(But, I won't make it in time at this rate...)
She let her white shirt hang open slightly and pressed a hand to her chest.
(...It's growing again...)
The magic factors of <Primordial Flame> dormant within her body were strengthening by the day. The growth of a magic factor is usually a reason to celebrate, as it equals a Mage's power, but for Nia, the situation was different. The moment the magic factor fully bonded to her body and <Primordial Flame> truly awakened, it would be seen as the Completion of the Vessel, and the Plan would be executed immediately.
(Before that happens, I have to defeat my grandfather... the Great Wraith Zoeva. Otherwise, everyone will be killed...!)
There was no one she could lean on. Her parents, the butler, the teachers-none of them could stand against her grandfather, the current head of the house, Zoeva le Ainsworth. And with good reason. Zoeva was a specter over three hundred years old; his very existence was the history of the Ainsworth family itself. Nia had to face this monster all alone.
Kill Zoeva and atone for her own sins-Nia had lived for that purpose alone. She had hardened her body, swung her sword, applied herself to her studies, and scoured magic grimoires. While friends her age were playing, enjoying family dinners, or sleeping in warm beds, she had trained like a madwoman. Always alone, never praised, she had silently continued to sharpen her fangs.
(It's okay. I'll be okay... I've worked this hard, so everything has to go well. I can win, even against that monster Zoeva. No-I must win...!)
She told herself that over and over, using strong words to bolster a heart that felt like it was on the verge of snapping. If she didn't, she felt like she would break into pieces. The time she had left was vanishingly small. She didn't have the luxury of crying and complaining, yet the burden she carried was far too heavy for a fifteen-year-old girl.
"...Someone... please... save me..." Nia whispered.
Trapped in a tragic script, she shed tears in the silence of her room.
* * *
After my victory in the mock battle with Nia, I left the underground training hall and headed for the Special Advanced Class. As I swung open the back door of the classroom, the gazes of my classmates crashed into me like a tidal wave.
"Whoa, looks like Hollow won after all..."
"Nia-san hasn't come back yet. Is she going to be okay?"
I didn't even give them a look. I walked straight to my seat by the window and sat down. Right then, a <Call> from Fiona-san buzzed in my head.
(Um, Hollow-sama? May I ask you a quick question?)
(What?)
(I don't see Nia-san anywhere... you didn't, like, kill her or something, did you?)
(Don't be ridiculous. Why would I kill a classmate so casually?) Hollow replied mentally.
(R-Right! Of course! ...Whew, that's a relief. Hollow-kun is just a bit too strong lately, so his 'holding back' isn't really holding back at all... I was actually pretty worried, thinking what if he accidentally finished her-)
(-Hey, the line is still open.)
(Eek?! Ah, that was, um... m-my apologies...!)
Fiona-san cut the mental link in a panic.
(Honestly, what does she think of me...?)
As I let out a sigh, I realized the class's attention was still glued to me.
"Hey, look. He fought that Rank 4 and he doesn't have a scratch on him...?"
"For real? Even among the Four Great Noble Houses, is there really that much of a gap?"
"That's Rank 1 for you. The 'Vile Aristocrat' isn't just a title," a student whispered.
Hmm. I might be standing out in a bad way here. But well, it couldn't be helped. If I hadn't stepped in during the argument between Allen and Nia, the two of them would have entered a duel in a perfectly natural flow of events, leading straight into the Main Course scenario.
(In the original Main Course, everything converges on the death of the villainous noble, Hollow...)
That was the one thing I had to avoid at all costs. In exchange for a little unwanted attention, I managed to break the Protagonist's power-up event and put a leash on Nia. On the balance of things, this is a massive win.
While I was running the numbers in my head like usual, a voice that made my spine turn to ice echoed from behind me.
"Um... you're Hollow-kun, right?"
"!!"
My cells shrieked, and the hair on my arms stood on end. I shoved my heart back down into my chest before it could pop out of my mouth and slowly turned around. There stood my lifelong natural enemy-Allen Fortis.
"...What is it?" Hollow asked.
I was doing my best to play it cool, but internally, I was shaking like a leaf. Allen is the arch-nemesis of the original Hollow. If we fought now, I probably wouldn't lose. Nine times out of ten, I'd win.
(But even so, nothing is absolute...!)
After all, Allen is the one who holds the world's absolute favoritism. There's no telling what kind of Main Character logic might kick in. The optimal solution for dealing with a Protagonist is-don't. Don't give him a good impression, don't give him a bad one. Just be a non-entity.
"About earlier... you were sticking up for me, weren't you?" Allen asked.
"Hah. Don't flatter yourself. That woman was just being annoying. I couldn't care less about the likes of you," Hollow said.
"I see... Still, I was really happy you did that. So, um... thank you."
Allen said it with a soft, gentle smile on his androgynous face.
"I just really wanted to say that. See you later!"
He gave a shy little wave and went back to his seat.
My heart gave a sharp, strange throb.
(What the hell? This guy is actually a total sweetheart...!)
Back when I was in the real world... if I'd had a friend like him, I bet I would've had a much better life.
Summary:
Nia experiences a crushing existential defeat after her duel with Hollow, retreating to her manor to grapple with her tragic destiny as a 'vessel' for her grandfather Zoeva. Meanwhile, Hollow returns to class and successfully disrupts a major plot flag from the original story. The chapter ends with a surprising emotional shift as the protagonist, Allen Fortis, expresses genuine gratitude to Hollow, softening Hollow's cynical view of him.
Trivia:
- Nia's physical 'growth' indicates her magic power is nearing its peak, which will trigger a catastrophic 'Plan'.
- Nia suspects Hollow's magic is linked to 'Xeno', a Calamity from 1,000 years ago, hinting at Hollow's true source of power or soul origin.
- The 'debt-ridden horse-girl' comment serves as a character-flavor callback to the original game's wider cast.
- Allen's smile and Hollow's 'throb' suggest that despite Hollow's efforts to remain a non-entity, his actions are fundamentally changing the interpersonal landscape of the story
Character Insight:
Nia has moved from viewing Hollow as a mere arrogant noble to an 'Anomaly' she respects and fears. Hollow's dynamic with Allen shifts from pure survival-based avoidance to a budding, albeit unwanted, emotional connection triggered by Allen's kindness.
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The 'Origin Class' tier and 'Innate Magic' represent high-level power classifications. The Ainsworth family history is tied to the 300-year-old Zoeva, positioning them as a faction with ancient, dark roots.
TL Notes:
The term 'Tunku' was localized as 'throb' to convey the involuntary emotional physical reaction rather than leaving it as romaji. Names follow Japanese surname-first order to maintain cultural immersion.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Primordial Flame: Nia's signature Innate Magic, classified as an Origin Class ability.
2 ↩ Origin Class: The highest tier of magic performance and classification in the series' world-building.
Notes:
• Heisenberg - Lord of the Heisenberg family. One of the Four Great Noble Houses. Noted for his immense wealth and territorial holdings.
• Hollow - 15‑year‑old heir of the Heisenberg ducal house, 170 cm tall, dark crimson medium‑length hair in a ribbon‑ponytail, crimson eyes, lean aristocratic build; wears a black school uniform with a navy jacket. Top‑ranked freshman at Redrick Academy, known as the Vile Aristocrat and founder of the organization ‘Void’ under the alias Void. He wields Origin‑Class innate magic ‘Void’ and Refraction, hides intense training behind a slothful façade, sits by the window, and plots ruthlessly as a transmigrated noble.
• Nia - Rank‑4 Special Advanced Class student, heir of the Ainsworth house. Fifteen, long golden hair, amber eyes, twin‑tails, black blazer, white shirt, slit mini‑skirt. Holds Origin‑Class ‘Primordial Flame’ magic that grows soft breasts. Grudges Hollow from an eight‑year‑old tournament; he humbled her. Original heroine.
• Fiona - An 18‑year‑old Arbiter of the Ministry of Magic, 160 cm, slender, black‑ponytail, mauve eyes, snow‑white skin, wearing a white jacket, black shirt and miniskirt. She is a classmate and mental‑link partner of Hollow, respecting him while speaking casually; former private tutor and now teacher at Redrick Academy, ex‑Ministry member, legend‑class mage. Loyal to Hollow’s family, owes him 60 million Gordo and obeys his whims.
• Allen - Fifteen‑year‑old protagonist of Ronzolkia, now a preparatory student in the Special Advanced Class under Hollow’s watch. Snow‑white medium hair, sky‑blue eyes, androgynous gentle smile, wears a white track uniform and a ‘White‑Vest’ denoting his underdog status. Rank 31, last place, yet wields Hero’s and Demon King’s factors, high‑agility dagger style, and is genuinely kind.