#80: Even The Tickets Abandoned Him — Exiled in a Class Trial for “Poor Dexterity” (WN)

For the commemorative ceremony honoring Onesuko’s great achievement, many sponsors voiced their support.

Large donations poured in, and it was decided the event would be held on a grand scale.

The venue used the Royal Pioneer Academy’s schoolyard, lavishly decorated.

Though limited to within the Leak Eight Kingdom, many influential figures and reporters visited.

The Royal Pioneer Academy’s location was treated as top secret, and its whereabouts were not disclosed.

Even the long-distance travel magic, the “Transfer Magic Circle,” was normally kept restricted so only school personnel could use it.

But today alone, it was opened as a special exception.

As hosts, the principal and vice principal stood before the gate that welcomed the guests, rubbing their hands nonstop.

“Welcome! Thank you for coming, de aru! I am Nekodran, principal of this academy and the one who raised Onesuko-kun, de aru!”

“Yes! The principal provided a bit of support, zamasu, but I—Yesman—am the one who guided Onesuko-san as her main instructor, zamasu!”

The principal and vice principal nudged each other with their elbows, never missing a chance to advertise themselves.

“By all means, entrust your precious sons and daughters to me, de aru!”

“And then I will turn them into splendid students, zamasu!”

Suddenly, a certain sponsor stopped in front of them.

In an instant, the two froze at attention.

“Hii—! I-It is the height of honor that you have come!”

“O-Of course, that trash has been completely shut out! He can’t even get in a single ‘L’!”

Both of them were so intimidated they forgot their usual speech tics entirely.

The sponsor nodded silently and passed through the welcome gate.

A staff member hurried over and guided the sponsor to an entrance labeled “Royal VIP.”

The mismatched duo exhaled in relief.

“Wh-When that person is in front of me, I feel like I’m not even alive, de aru…”

“Yes… the principal looked like a frog being stared down by a snake, zamasu…”

Once the guests had assembled, the commemorative ceremony began.

There was a stage inside the venue, and reporters packed tightly around it.

A little farther away was the VIP seating area, where dressed-up guests sat at tables covered with white cloths.

A luxurious meal was being served.

On both sides were standing buffet booths, and the entire student body was delighted by the feast they hadn’t had in ages.

Among them, Monaka and Kotone—students of the upper-ranked classes—were in a glass-walled special room.

Soon, fireworks announced the start of the stage event, and a live band began to play.

To thunderous applause across the venue, Onesuko, the principal, and the vice principal took the stage.

The vice principal served as master of ceremonies.

Holding the Magical Amplification Device with his pinky raised, he cleared his throat.

“Ahem! The moment Onesuko-san received the profession of Knight at the entrance ceremony, I knew it, zamasu! I thought: this brilliant student is an uncut diamond, zamasu! From there, I provided her with special guidance, zamasu! Sometimes strict, sometimes gentle… and together we swore it, zamasu! That we would climb the steps to becoming a holy knight—together…!”

Not only the vice principal, but even the principal used as much time as possible to appeal to the VIPs that this was all their doing.

Onesuko watched them with a blank, puzzled expression.

“Finally, in praise of Onesuko-kun’s achievement, Class 1-2 shall be promoted by two ranks, de aru!”

Class 1-2 B+ ⇒ A

“Now, Onesuko-kun, convey your joy—and your respect for me—to everyone, de aru!”

At last, the amplification device was directed toward Onesuko.

Onesuko tried to take it, but the vice principal refused. “I’ll hold it for you, zamasu.”

With no choice, she delivered her thanks as-is.

“Honored guests, thank you very much for gathering here for my sake today. Becoming a holy knight was my dream, but I never imagined I could climb the first step so quickly. And it’s all thanks to one person. No—everything is because that person was there for me.”

The vice principal swung the amplification device back toward himself and cut in.

“That would be me, zamasu, right!?”

Onesuko shook her head side to side and said clearly,

“No, it isn’t.”

“Then it must be me, de aru!” the principal barged in next.

“No, not at all. The reason I was able to overcome the trial was Leo—”

“K-kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー!!!!”

The familiar shriek came through the amplification device, so it was more destructive than usual.

It hit the venue like a lightning strike.

A glass cracked with a sharp ping, and the VIPs hunched down, covering their ears.

Normally, the vice principal would get knocked out at this point—but…

Today, he was different.

The vice principal glared like he was staring at a traitor.

He hid the amplification device behind his back to prevent his voice from carrying, and he spoke to Onesuko in a threatening, low tone.

“So you were being blackmailed by that trash too, zamasu…! Since you’re Monaka-san’s attendant, I suspected it, and I was right, zamasu…! If you say that name out loud, you’ll regret it, zamasu…!”

“W-What!?”

Onesuko flinched, but immediately snapped back.

“I-I’m not being blackmailed! He really did help me! Leo—”

“Kieee—! You’re still saying it, zamasu!? Then I have my own plan, zamasu!”

The vice principal leapt back and plunged a hand into the inside pocket of his tuxedo.

“I didn’t want to use this, zamasu, but I have no choice, zamasu!”

…Shubaa! His hand came out shaped like a pistol.

Pinched between his fingertips was—

“Th-Those are… my tickets!? And two of them!?”

“That’s right, zamasu! The ones you used at the School Store, zamasu! I’ll use these to issue a command, zamasu!”

Grinning, the vice principal raised his thumb like he was cocking a hammer on his finger-gun.

“Slave Ticket effect, activate! My command to Onesuko-san is…! I forbid you for the rest of your life from pronouncing or writing the word ‘Leopin’—and any word that sounds like it, zamasu!”

“E-EEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー—!?!?”

At last, someone other than Leopin managed to draw out this scream.

The vice principal’s face twisted into something like an evil laughing mask.

—I did it, zamasu…!

Finally… finally…! I’ve sealed that trash away, zamasu…!

I’ve won…! This is my victory, zamasu…!

Now all I have to do is trade the cost for lifting the command…

And make Onesuko-san chant my name instead of that trash, zamasu…!

Then against that trash…!

Total. Complete. Victory…!

But it was only a fleeting moment of glory, like a mirage.

The ticket at the vice principal’s fingertip—the portrait of Onesuko—shook its head side to side.