I Became a Veteran Heroine in a Harem Story

‘Things have become complicated. But it’s still okay. Actually, it’s fortunate that this guy stepped up.’

Raines quickly turned his thoughts and glanced at Erich. In front of everyone, after appealing for the legitimacy of the initiation ceremony by even mentioning his own sister, it was impossible for him to now send Kiina back claiming there was a mistake.

But thanks to Erich drawing aggro, he had gained some time. First, he could end this absurd duel and then reconsider.

“There seems to… have been a mistake. But it’s fine. It’s almost settled anyway.”

“Are you sure? I couldn’t dare interrupt the words of my esteemed seniors, so I waited a while after arriving, and in the process, I heard everything.”

“Wh-what?”

“I will also participate in the duel to determine the fate of the initiation ceremony.”

However, Kiina didn’t move according to Raines’s intentions. She declared, all too calmly and naturally, that she would also participate in the duel.

Even Erich, who had been dissuading others, was now just staring at her blankly.

“Why…?”

Unlike his previous eloquence, Raines stupidly uttered a single word with a dumbfounded expression. It was evidence of how surprised he was.

According to Raines’s common sense, he couldn’t find any reason for her behavior.

“I agree with the logic that the existence of the initiation ceremony is not necessary for our future life. As Erich said, we can maintain strict discipline and attitude without harsh hazing.”

‘I don’t want to get involved, but there’s no need to kick away the situation that’s already unfolded.’

Though her words were principled and polished, in reality, they were mixed with self-interest.

Although she was following the rules to become part of society, Kiina also had no intention of catering to their whims and suffering humiliation by enduring unjust abuses.

“Quite different from the rumors. Yes, I’ve heard about that skill you’ve thoroughly hidden. They say you utterly destroyed your opponents with just a single strike.”

Raines barely maintained his composure and forcibly raised the corners of his mouth. Maintaining cheerfulness when flustered was a kind of defense mechanism he had.

‘Calm down. They’re just freshmen after all. The outcome won’t change.’

As he tried to think coolly, his reason gradually returned. Even though he himself was momentarily overwhelmed by Kiina’s presence, objectively speaking, Kiina was just a promising freshman like Erich.

She had never properly demonstrated her military might yet.

They say she had a perfect record in the entrance exam, but Raines himself had entered with a perfect record too. It wasn’t as if there were no people who passed with perfect records.

“Alright. If that’s your intention, I can’t stop you.”

“Thank you. And you all…”

Having made his calculations, Raines smiled broadly and acknowledged Kiina’s words. Then Kiina’s gaze turned to her peers.

Everyone flinched momentarily at her gaze, which flashed from her shadowed face.

“You should be ashamed.”

And then unexpected words came out of her mouth.

“In such an important situation, if it’s no, say no, if it’s yes, say yes. Make your own stance clear. If you had done that, things wouldn’t have gone this way. Especially in a place like this, which trains those who will serve as magic knights. The moment you hesitate, it’s the people around you who suffer.”

Her cold words pierced through the silence and into the hearts of the freshmen.

“The senior has graciously given you a last chance. Lunara, if you truly want to participate, come here.”

“Huh? Oh. Umm.”

She called Lunara, who was standing awkwardly, to her side. Lunara, who had withdrawn due to Erich’s dissuasion, joined them while glancing at Erich, who couldn’t say anything.

“Wait. I’ll do it too.”

And there was someone who gained courage from that sight. It was Deina, who had been watching this scene with a troubled face. Kiina’s eyes sparkled momentarily as she looked at Deina, who had finally spoken up.

One of the heroines of the work. Considering her special status, it was impossible not to recognize her.

“No, I refuse that.”

“What?!”

At the same time, Kiina flatly refused Deina’s intention to participate. Deina’s eyes, which had been glaring at Raines after making a big decision, rolled and widened at this unexpected answer that no one had anticipated.

“It’s already too late. How is stepping up now any different from just going along without conviction, looking around at others? You all just need to wait for the result with bated breath, having entrusted your fate to us. That’s what you chose yourselves.”

Kiina pressed her stunned peers relentlessly. Not expecting to hear such words, they froze and fell into confusion.

“Quite intimidating. Seniors, let’s leave the remaining business for the freshmen to resolve and disperse.”

Raines, who had been watching this scene with intense interest as if he was dying of amusement, quickly sent the other students, who had become mere bystanders, back to the dormitory.

But the confrontation among the freshmen wasn’t over yet.

“Wh-who do you think you are? Who are you to preach to us as if you’re something special? What do you know?”

Deina, trembling from the reprimand she’d never heard before in her life, finally couldn’t contain her anger and gritted her teeth. In fact, the two individuals from royal and noble families knew each other. They had merely exchanged greetings, though.

“If you have complaints, push me out. Have a duel without me and prove yourselves.”

She didn’t respond to Deina’s anger. Deina was left speechless at the dry comment asking if she could face 30 seniors in the duel instead of her.

Deina couldn’t possibly push away the confidence that bordered on certainty, born from overwhelming skill.

* * *

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“All of it. Bringing Lunara in, setting yourself against the other students, just, just getting involved in this situation in the first place.”

On the way back to their respective dormitories. Erich, who had kept his mouth shut all along, asked me as if he couldn’t understand before leaving.

I pondered for a moment upon hearing that question. All the actions I had just committed, there were reasons for all of them.

It was just a matter of whether I could tell others or not.

‘I can’t take Lunara’s share. The same goes for the others.’

First, the Lunara issue. As the first heroine, Lunara was someone who spent the most time with Erich and took up that much importance.

Erich also played a big role in cultivating the talent and potential she possessed. I couldn’t take that place from her.

And the reason for setting myself against the other freshmen was the same.

Deina and the other two heroines at the scene were also people who needed to get close to Erich.

The biggest variable in that predetermined flow was ‘me.’

Kiina Er von Adenberg, who was originally close to being an insignificant trophy heroine, is now rapidly increasing her presence due to my possession.

While it’s fine to exude that presence socially thanks to my goal of becoming the strongest and advancing my career, I didn’t want to increase my share in Erich’s heart, who needed to pursue other heroines.

I wanted to keep a distance, even if it meant setting myself against everyone. Because then, the more Erich gets entangled with the heroines, the more he would distance himself from me.

“The reason is exactly as I said. I didn’t say anything wrong.”

“Yes, I know what you’re trying to say.”

Erich chuckled and nodded, touching his head. In fact, I didn’t intentionally set myself against the other students; I just found their behavior frustrating and said what I wanted to say.

Among those present, there will definitely be people who will die or get hurt, and if by any chance they change even a little by listening to my words, maybe they could change their fate.

“It was certainly something that those who go to the battlefield to fight should take to heart. In a place where life and death are determined in an instant, if you don’t make your own stance clear, you’ll die in a moment of carelessness.”

“Freshmen are also deployed to actual combat under the pretext of practical training, and even if they don’t want to, they have to serve as magic knights after graduating from the academy.”

It seemed that Erich, true to his background, was the only one who understood my words. Naturally, the corners of my mouth lifted slightly.

“But are you really confident? All the words you spoke, all the actions you took. They’re useless if you can’t prove them. Just being arrogant and presumptuous.”

“If it was something that couldn’t be done, I would have quietly opposed you and quietly taken the beating.”

Even to the question of confidence, my answer was set. I was certain that the current me, as I judged myself, could handle a few dozen clueless kids.

Erich, who couldn’t resist stepping forward, probably has thoughts similar to mine.

[Currently Registered Heroines: Lunara, Deina, Kiina]

[Protagonist’s Heart Index: Lunara (20%), Deina (5%), Kiina (75%)

Reader Evaluation Index: Lunara (45%), Deina (0%), Kiina (55%)]

[Ranking: Kiina, Lunara, Deina]

[*Regular evaluation in progress, the lowest-ranked heroine will be given a penalty for elimination (injury or death)]

‘What on earth is this now?’

And there was actually one more reason.

The problem was an inexplicable status table that suddenly appeared the moment I arrived at that open space.