Episode 48: The Five Great Nobles

In the private chamber of the student representative, Randolph.

“…I have a report, Lord Randolph.”

The one who spoke in a quiet voice was a noble student under Randolph’s command. He had come to this place to report several incidents that had occurred throughout the day.

“During today’s lunch break, at the indoor training grounds. Three third-year noble students were about to give ‘guidance’ in swordsmanship to three first-year commoner students.”

“Guidance, huh…”

Randolph muttered lowly.

He knew… the so-called ‘guidance’ here was nothing but a pretext.

In truth, it was merely an act of noble students tormenting commoner students for their amusement.

A common sight at the military academy. And yet.

“However, an intruder suddenly burst onto the scene… Siegfried.”

At those words, a grating sound, like Randolph’s teeth grinding, echoed faintly.

“Siegfried reportedly said, ‘Please give me some guidance too, seniors.’ And the third-year noble students took the bait. All three attacked Siegfried at once, or so it’s said. But… they were utterly defeated. Siegfried, while saying, ‘Are you holding back for my sake? Come on, don’t hesitate—get serious,’ completely crushed the noble students without mercy, or so the story goes.”

“Tch…!”

Randolph’s sharp click of the tongue reverberated.

“Furthermore, three similar incidents have been confirmed today alone.”

During lunch breaks, after school, even during classes—whenever a noble student acted tyrannically, Siegfried would appear out of nowhere, thrash them, and leave.

“Siegfried himself has been saying cryptic things like, ‘I’m just hunting villains,’ but… in any case, rumors are spreading throughout the academy. They say, ‘If you act unjustly, Siegfried will show up to deliver punishment.’”

“…”

“The noble students are trembling in fear at these rumors. Meanwhile, some commoner students have even started to idolize Siegfried as a hero. If this continues, the academy’s order could collapse at its very foundation…”

“I get it!”

Reaching the peak of his frustration, Randolph suddenly stood up. He strode toward the student delivering the report.

Raising his leg as if to vent his anger with a kick—

But Randolph’s movement stopped there. What halted him… was fear.

(Could it be… Siegfried’s here too?)

Siegfried, it was said, would appear from nowhere at any scene of bullying, whether in the school building or the dormitories.

He didn’t think Siegfried would show up in the student representative’s private chamber, of all places—but an almost instinctual terror froze Randolph’s actions.

“…That’s enough. Leave!”

“Y-Yes…!”

Barely restraining himself from lashing out, he dismissed the student.

Alone in the room, Randolph grabbed the table in front of the sofa—and flipped it over with all his might.

“Damn it!”

A glass that had been on the table fell to the floor, shattering with a sharp sound.

Siegfried’s actions were growing more audacious by the day. At first, he was merely fending off harassment from students sent by Randolph. But lately, he had taken to seeking out tyrannical students and doling out punishment.

Why he was doing such things was unclear.

But one thing was certain: Siegfried’s presence was shaking the very order of the military academy.

The order of the academy was, in essence, an absolute hierarchy of status. Commoners were base, while nobles were exalted. And among them, Randolph, heir to one of the Five Great Nobles, was meant to stand at the pinnacle—a warped order.

To commoners, it was nothing but oppression, a far cry from the academy’s founding principle of ‘education regardless of status.’ But to Randolph, such things were irrelevant.

“Siegfried… that guy has to be eliminated…!”

Yet, the more freely Siegfried acted, the harder it became for Randolph to make a move.

Why? Because the notion that ‘Siegfried is acting under special orders from the king’ was gaining more and more credibility.

For him to act so brazenly, Randolph couldn’t help but think it must be because he had the backing of His Majesty the King.

In reality, it was a complete misunderstanding.

“But even sending assassins from the shadows… would that work against him?”

Even if they tried to stage an ‘accident’ to eliminate Siegfried, it likely wouldn’t work against that man’s extraordinary physical prowess.

Authority was useless. Direct violence was useless.

It felt like there was no way to deal with him.

“Damn it! As if I’d accept this! Me! Me…!”

In his rage, Randolph kicked the sofa repeatedly.

“…You seem quite worked up.”

A voice suddenly called from behind. For a moment, he tensed, thinking it was Siegfried—but he quickly dismissed the thought.

The voice was far too familiar, and it was clearly not Siegfried’s.

“Father…!”

Turning around, he saw a middle-aged gentleman with neatly trimmed auburn hair and a well-groomed beard.

His features bore a resemblance to Randolph’s, though he was slightly taller.

Even just standing there, an air of refined nobility naturally emanated from him.

This man was none other than the academy’s headmaster and one of the Five Great Nobles: Duke Ludendorf von Rekrem-Steyart.

“My apologies. Had I known you were coming, I would have greeted you at the gate…”

“No matter. I arrived earlier than usual this year.”

Ludendorf, the headmaster, stayed at the academy only twice a year: during the autumn entrance ceremony and around the spring martial tournament.

There was still time before the spring tournament, but it seemed he had come early this year.

“That aside… to lose your composure like this, Randolph. It’s unlike you.”

Ludendorf spoke to his son with a refined smile.

“I’m ashamed, Father. There’s… a student I’m struggling to control.”

“Hmm… a student even you can’t control, you say…”

Ludendorf had sent his son to this academy to hone the qualities befitting the heir of one of the kingdom’s most prestigious noble families.

Using the authority of the Five Great Nobles, he was to dominate the other noble students and expand his influence.

Building a faction, amassing power, and gaining further prestige—that was the path set for the heir of the Steyart family, and Randolph had faithfully followed it.

But it seemed he had now encountered an opponent against whom those methods were ineffective.

“—Very well. Then I shall act as headmaster.”

“Is that… truly alright!?”

“I had intended to leave everything to you until graduation, but… it wouldn’t do for the Steyart name to be tarnished. Let us teach this student the folly of defying a Steyart.”

At those words, the corners of Randolph’s mouth curled into a grin.

(Ha… haha. This is my victory.)

Everything had seemed hopeless. But if his father—the headmaster—took action, the situation would change entirely.

(No matter how great you are, you can’t stand against the head of the Five Great Nobles… This time, this time for sure… I’ll crush you, Siegfried…!)