LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 34
Chapter 34: Division (1)
The cold in the forest was murderous.
The more sweltering the weather during the day, the sharper it felt.
Beatrice entered the Blue Team’s base camp amidst the biting chill.
‘Step by step.’
She looked at the wooden sword.
This place was, after all, an officer academy.
As it was prohibited to provide real weapons to cadets, they were given safer alternatives.
Naturally, these weapons were lighter and less powerful than real ones.
Wood had poor mana conductivity.
It was similar to the relationship between rubber and electricity.
She had to pour more mana than usual, and mages’ power also weakened in the same way.
It might seem disadvantageous at first, but Beatrice knew better.
She recognized this as a condition highly favorable to her.
Because her opponents wielded the same weapons.
With conditions equal, a lighter weapon was preferable for someone like Beatrice, who lacked physical strength.
‘Subdue them.’
This was the strategy she could choose.
For Beatrice, whose mana was almost depleted, this was her only viable option.
‘I don’t know how much this body of mine can endure, though.’
Her strategy was simple.
She would create a 1-on-1 situation by any means necessary and subdue her opponents one by one.
During this process, if Argos left an opening, she would seize the flag.
Though simple, it was an incredibly challenging plan.
The moment she made even the slightest mistake, Beatrice would be caught.
[There’s an easy solution here, but you insist on taking the hard route.]
‘Because it’s more fun that way.’
She smirked.
Beatrice hid behind a tree of appropriate size beside an artificial path.
Her small frame was completely concealed by the tree.
At times like this, her small build was an advantage.
“Talk. Where is Beatrice?”
“This man, Clone! I can’t betray my comrades!”
“…Do you think this is some kind of independence movement?”
“Torture me? Go ahead! See if I so much as flinch—!”
Argos sighed.
“I wasn’t planning to torture you, Clone. Let’s take it easy, alright? Don’t you get it? You’ve already lost.”
“Yeah, guys. Let’s wrap this up and rest. We’ve lost anyway.”
Red Team’s total strength was 15 members.
Only three were injured.
In contrast, Blue Team had been completely subdued.
“What makes you so confident? Beatrice?”
The Blue Team kept their mouths shut and didn’t utter a single word.
By now, someone should have spilled something.
Argos felt frustrated.
This wasn’t even a real situation, so why were they so tight-lipped?
Especially Clone.
“Just try to make me talk! Haha!”
‘What is this guy, some kind of masochist?’
He seemed eager to be tortured.
But, of course, actual torture wasn’t an option.
The situation made Argos feel uneasy, as if he were some kind of real villain.
“Fine, have it your way.”
“Foolishness. We’ll prolong the game as much as possible, so keep it up.”
The Red Team members, muttering complaints, turned their backs.
Extracting information from them seemed pointless.
“Beatrice’s location is obvious anyway.”
Argos spoke to his teammates as he walked.
“She must be near our base.”
Gareth responded.
“Dividing their forces confirms it.”
His tone was confident.
It was no wonder.
Even in the chaos, the “victors” were nowhere to be seen.
That fact pointed to only one conclusion.
They had missed each other.
“Victory is ours. We have far superior numbers.”
“Don’t let your guard down. Beatrice defeated 15 losers by herself last night.”
“Hey, that was because they were losers…”
-Zap.
The defeated members of the Red Team glared at the cadet who had just spoken.
That cadet coughed awkwardly and tried to read the room, but still finished his sentence.
“…You see. Most of us here are winners. The skill gap is massive.”
“Well, we’ve got Argos too. We won’t see a repeat of last time.”
“Losers are losers for a reason. They’re weak, that’s all.”
The victorious cadets subtly insulted the losers.
They already looked down on them to some extent.
And since the three who had been incapacitated earlier were all losers, the remarks carried extra weight.
“Hm, now that you mention it, do you think Beatrice deliberately threw the losers to us?”
“Why would she? No way.”
“Think about it. Even on our side, some losers were more of a hindrance than a help.”
The cadet sneered as he scanned the losers.
The losers’ faces hardened visibly.
“Maybe she abandoned the losers on purpose to fight more effectively.”
“Hm, that does make some sense.”
“So, the real battle might be starting now.”
Of course, the victors didn’t genuinely believe this.
In combat, numbers usually decided the outcome.
The side with more people held the advantage.
There was a reason even powerless peasants were conscripted during wars.
But now that victory seemed almost certain, small gripes began to surface.
‘What, free riders?’
The losers hadn’t contributed anything.
Though, to be fair, neither had most of the winners.
In truth, Argos’ decisions had made the biggest impact.
But the winners felt a sense of camaraderie.
To them, both Argos and themselves were “victors.”
And that led to thoughts like these.
‘Ugh, this is infuriating.’
The thought of the losers freeloading and still getting the coveted “Mana Heart” was galling.
Those subtle feelings of discontent began to find their way into words.
“Shouldn’t the Mana Heart be confiscated from the losers?”
The losers’ expressions instantly stiffened.
Among them, someone tapped Gareth, who held some influence, on the shoulder.
“What is it?”
“Gareth, shut those guys up. You can do it.”
The cadet’s face was flushed red with anger.
Gareth sighed and stopped walking.
Since he was at the front, everyone halted when he did.
“Why should I?”
“…You’re in the same boat as us. Doesn’t it make you mad, being treated this way?”
-Smirking.
Gareth replied with a sneer.
“Don’t think you’re in the same league as me, you useless fools.”
“…What?”
“Even when handed a perfect strategy, you couldn’t execute it. You’ve got some nerve.”
“You, you bastard…!”
The already irate losers were further provoked by Gareth’s disparaging remarks.
“Gareth, don’t you think you’re going too far?”
“I’m just stating facts. If you weren’t so incompetent, you wouldn’t have been wiped out by a single girl.”
Gareth finally vented the frustration he had been suppressing.
The key incident had occurred the night before.
Though he disapproved of the victors living comfortably, he had crafted and executed a flawless plan.
Gareth’s plan had proceeded perfectly without a single variable.
But.
These people.
They were too weak.
So weak it was disgusting.
No matter how skilled Beatrice was, to some extent.
How could 15 people be wiped out so completely?
At that moment, Gareth had a realization.
‘Ah, so this is why trash shouldn’t be recycled.’
Trash was still trash.
Completely useless untouchables.
They were nobles in title only, no different from commoners.
“Haha! Gareth, you’ve got a way with words. That’s right. Everyone will agree that you could be a winner at any time. After all, you’ve contributed as much as Argos in this war.”
When Gareth, the only loser who had achieved something, sided with them.
The winners began openly mocking the losers.
As the cadets’ remarks became increasingly severe, Argos intervened.
“Enough.”
He spoke seriously.
“I understand that you’re tired and sensitive. But let’s avoid internal conflict. It’s almost over. Soon, we’ll all earn the Mana Heart and gain the Crown Prince’s trust together. There’s no need for us to fight.”
‘Why are they ruining the atmosphere?’
Argos furrowed his brow.
He couldn’t understand.
Why create trouble unnecessarily?
‘Do they not realize that even here, the positions of losers and winners can change?’
That was the rule of this game.
Even though they were grouped on the same team, losers could ambush winners at any time if they wished.
‘I need to end this before any variables arise.’
The tension between the losers and winners was palpable.
If more time passed and grievances piled up, the situation could explode at any moment.
That would be a major complication.
The game wasn’t over yet.
After all, Beatrice, the most critical force, was still out there, watching with sharp eyes.
“Let’s pick up the pace. Gareth, keep casting magic to strengthen our defenses. She’s probably hiding somewhere…”
“Urgh-!”
“…!”
A groan rang out.
Argos quickly turned his head.
“…Damn it. She’s finally here.”
At the back of the line, Beatrice stood, holding her sword.
‘Here they come.’
Beatrice hid behind a tree, suppressing her presence as much as possible.
The Red Team’s formation was steadily approaching.
‘Hmm, unfortunately, I can’t aim for Argos.’
She quickly scanned for vulnerabilities.
Argos was the first to catch her eye.
As expected, he was holding the flag in his left hand.
If she took it directly, the game would end.
But targeting him in one move seemed impossible.
Even if he were separated from the group, there were two seemingly strong cadets flanking him.
Deciding to observe for now, she concealed herself.
Soon, the Red Team passed near where Beatrice was hiding.
At that moment—
“Why should I?”
“…You’re in the same position as us. Aren’t you angry about being treated like this?”
The cadets stopped walking.
“Don’t think you’re in the same league as me, you useless fools.”
‘…Internal division?’
Beatrice narrowed her eyes.
From the look of it, some kind of discord was brewing.
She quietly listened to their conversation.
Her suspicion was confirmed.
‘Perfect.’
It was clearly an advantage for her.
They were splitting into factions of losers and winners.
Gareth’s betrayal was the main reason.
Even from Beatrice’s perspective, he seemed to regard the losers with utter disdain.
His expression, the tone in which the cadets berated them.
It was an act of thoroughly trampling on the losers’ pride.
“Enough!”
When Argos stepped in to restore order, Beatrice thought.
‘This makes things easier than expected.’
It wasn’t something she had planned for.
But Beatrice couldn’t help but smile.
What she was about to do.
Would undoubtedly deepen their division beyond repair.
It was easier to shatter glass that already had cracks than glass that was intact.
The group resumed their formation and began walking again.
However, perhaps due to their earlier pause.
Or because the losers had deliberately separated themselves to conspire.
A clear gap was now visible between the winners and losers.
-Haap.
Beatrice took a deep breath and held it.
It was her routine to unleash explosive power in an instant.
Her target was the two losers lagging behind.
The timing was now.
“Urgh-!”
She sprang forward, striking the closest loser in the solar plexus.
To inflict greater damage, she used the hilt of her weapon, ensuring a significant impact.
No doubt, a couple of ribs were likely broken.
Without pausing to catch her breath, Beatrice swiftly struck the neck of another cadet who had widened his eyes in shock.
-Thwack!
A somewhat chilling sound rang out as the cadet collapsed.
Her eyes met Argos’s, who stared in surprise.
She smirked and pointed her sword at him.
“Argos. I’ll come for it soon.”
Then Beatrice turned and bolted without looking back.