“Wow……! Is this really all-you-can-eat……!?”
“Lichberg’s students are all nobles. The food standards are set high.”
“That so. Ehehe, glad I made it in, Magic Academy!”
”…… You were just eating that much cake. We have many days ahead, don’t push yourself.”
“Sweets go to a different stomach! I’m going to eat lots~!”
“You’ll get sleepy when you’re full.”
“Hmhm~, fine! Today’s Boku has a hundred-fold energy!”
A few dozen minutes later.
“Mmgh…… can’t eat anything more~……”
“Just as I predicted.”
After sightseeing, after parting with Karen, Mashiro’s eyes lit up at the dinner buffet — and she ate and ate.
If Karen had seen her, she’d have envied Mashiro’s freedom in eating.
I’d heard she has a build where her stomach doesn’t fatten. The nutrition probably gets fully absorbed into that ample chest.
Thank you, God. For granting Mashiro a boob-nutrient circuit. I thanked the divine.
After her stomach swelled to capacity, she’d played card games with me to pass the time until the drawing ceremony…… but partway through she began nodding off, drifting into the world of sleep.
She’s now in my room’s bed, looking blissful in her dream.
“Heh…… an adorable sleeping face.”
I brushed the hair off her face and gently stroked her head.
The smooth feel made it clear she takes good care of it.
“Alice. I need to head to the drawing ceremony. I’ll be fine alone, so could you watch Mashiro?”
“Understood. Please be careful.”
“Holding down the fort — I’ll trust you.”
Seeing me off with a bow, Alice stood by; I left the room.
Each academy’s lodgings are arranged like a snowflake when viewed from above, with the drawing venue at the center. It connects directly via the first-floor entrance — no risk of attack or getting lost.
The drawing venue only needs one representative per team to attend, so Mashiro can stay asleep in the room.
I could have spent the time enjoying her sleeping face, but I wanted to directly gauge the level of other schools’ students.
The participating-athlete rosters had been distributed to all academies — there was data, but it was last year’s. Some of them must have grown rapidly.
Like the duel with Arnia, I planned not to use [Magecraft Funeral (Delete)], so the question is how far I can push without struggling.
“Oh, Ouga-kun. You came.”
At the entrance, I happened to lock eyes with Reina, who was about to enter.
“Yeah, I wanted to get a look at what kind of people are here.”
“I’m pleased to see the dedication.”
If that’s so, you could look more pleased about it…… probably shouldn’t say that, though.
“Did you enjoy your time with family?”
”…… Yes, thank you. By the way, I don’t see Miss Liche or Miss Maid……”
“Mashiro is sleeping with a full stomach. Alice is watching over her.”
“Fufu, very like Miss Liche.”
“That side of her is cute too…… but standing around talking is awkward. Let’s sit.”
“Yes. It’s about to start.”
The drawing venue was wider than I’d imagined — not far behind Lichberg’s grand auditorium.
On the stage at the back hung the tournament brackets for each division. It seemed everything but the Magic Combat division was already complete.
Looking around, the other schools’ students were apparently already seated; the only empty spots were ours.
We were also the only team missing three members. As Reina Milfonti, she attracted plenty of stares.
Among them were quite a few that openly carried something like jealousy.
Reina has skill, of course, but also looks with a kind of magnetic appeal.
To have the rumored [Reject] seated next to her — well, no helping it.
”…… Don’t mind them too much.”
“I’m used to it. If anything, it’s a badge.”
Jealousy. That means I’ve been judged as fitting beside her.
“Looks like it’s starting.”
A man in a suit took the stage, holding a magical sound implement (microphone).
He bowed slightly and began.
“Thank you all for gathering. This is the Inter-Academy Magic Tournament organizing committee. Now we’ll begin the drawing ceremony for the Magic Combat division. I’m sure you all already know, but let me re-explain the method——”
Summarizing his speech briefly:
Nine teams compete — one per school. One school receives a bye by lottery.
Schools are called in order of last year’s standings to draw a magical card from the stage — when mana is poured in, characters surface on it.
Two matches per day. With all rankings being decided, it’s a six-day competition; the Magic Combat division is the final event each day.
Magic Combat is held last because it’s simply the most popular division.
The moment of top-grade magic colliding with top-grade magic isn’t something you witness in person easily.
That’s why it’s the flagship event — and powerful representatives have fans, whose cheers are tremendous.
“Which of us draws?”
“My luck isn’t great.”
“Then I’ll go.”
While we were talking, last year’s champion school, Mythosona Magic Academy, was called, and their representative took the stage.
“Mythosona Magic Academy. Representative, Sherva Anthem. Pleased to meet you.”
…… Hmm? He just glanced this way…… my imagination?
…… No. That look of his — I’d received an exact-same one only last month.
The man called Sherva, wearing glasses, took the rightmost card without hesitation; “1-A” surfaced.
That settled Mythosona for the first match.
“Royal Lichberg Magic Academy, representative to the stage.”
“I’ll be off.”
Reina rose, her movements graceful, and stepped to the cards.
She, too, showed no hesitation and took the middle card.
What appeared was——
“R-Royal Lichberg Magic Academy…… 1-B.”
A murmur rose through the venue.
It can’t be helped. Last year’s champion and runner-up clash in round one.
The organizers couldn’t hide their excitement at the sudden big match; representatives from other schools sharpened their gaze, watching the strong opponents about to grind each other down.
“Looks like my luck wasn’t great either.”
Returning to her seat, Reina said it.
“If we’re going for the championship, we have to win anyway. Earlier or later, only a difference of timing.”
“What sturdy comrades I have. A relief.”
“That’s my line.”
Reina’s words notwithstanding, she showed not the slightest sign of nerves. The order doesn’t interest her a bit.
Win wherever you land. That’s the brain-muscle thinking she has.
The buzz didn’t subside as the drawing continued, and all academies were placed.
This information would be conveyed through the organizers to Lamdarb Kingdom; tomorrow morning would be electric.
“All right, let’s head back.”
“Yes. Tomorrow’s planning can——”
Reina’s words stopped because three figures were standing in our way.
One of them was Sherva, who had looked at us earlier.
“Yo, Milfonti. You’ve been making fools of us.”
For someone of intelligent appearance, quite the bellicose greeting.
A brawl, just like that…… could it be that all the other schools have Arnia-types too……?
If that’s the case, my outside-harem plan collapses.
“Making fools of you…… meaning what? I, at least, assembled a team I intend to win with, you know?”
“Oi! Putting a first-year barely a month enrolled on your team, and you expect that line to work? You think there are many irregular cases like you?”
“Even so…… hmm. He’s far stronger than you all. Right, Ouga-kun?”
…… Bouncing it to me here, huh.
Reina grabbed my shoulder and pushed me forward like a shield.
Sherva looked me up and down and gave a contemptuous sigh.
”…… Reina Milfonti has fallen. As I thought — you’re the defective who isn’t worthy of Floné-sensei.”
“——Oi. Take that back.”
At his thoroughly dismissive attitude toward Reina, I responded firmly.
Mocking me is perfectly fine.
But staying silent while a precious ally is insulted in front of this crowd — that would be too embarrassing to face going home.
It’d literally be the disgrace of House Veret.
If you’re going to throw it, be prepared to catch it back.
“Huh? Why? She lost to us, period. That’s fact.”
“If you’re going to say that, your win was a hair’s-breadth thing pushed by a single person, no? Strutting after that is rich.”
“Blaming her teammates? Then it’s even worse this year! A first-year representative is rare in the long history of this. And the only first-year who’s ever performed is the very Reina Milfonti behind you! Apprentice of the hero, [Floné the Lightning Strike]! What else would you call this but a failure?”
“None of my concern. There’s no precedent for Ouga Veret. So your data is meaningless.”
“Ahaha! True, data doesn’t apply to you…… because you’re the [Reject]!”
Sherva, having recognized me, laughed especially loud.
Not just him. The mocking laughter spread to the two behind him.
“I’m convinced. Reina Milfonti is preparing throwaway pieces again this year so only she survives. Realizing she can’t beat us, she chose these members.”
“I see. Then your eyes are dull as stones.”
”…… Don’t get carried away, [Reject]. What kind of mouth are you running at me?”
“For an underling who can’t even tell the gap in strength, this is enough — I’d thought. Was I wrong?”
The moment I said it, an arm extended at my throat and grabbed my collar.
Through the lenses, an angry face.
“I’ll make sure this face of yours never sees daylight again.”
“You don’t even realize I’m deliberately not dodging — at that level, never.”
”…… Tch. Your mouth is at ducal-house level, at least.”
After staring at each other for a few seconds, Sherva left a parting line and walked off.
That man — quite the fixation on Reina.
“I’m sorry, Ouga-kun. To get this bad……”
“Doesn’t bother me. More importantly — what’s the relationship? It didn’t look like just other-school students.”
“Last year, Sensei refused his request to apprentice. He’s directing his frustration — that I, who lost, remain her apprentice — at me.”
“I see. Then I’m relieved.”
“Relieved?”
“Yeah. If I, whom he thinks is beneath him, beats him, his swollen nose gets cracked, doesn’t it?”
”…… You’re unexpectedly hot-blooded, Ouga-kun.”
“Getting angry when a precious person is mocked is natural, isn’t it?”
“Ah, Miss Liche.”
“No — Mashiro too, but you, Reina. You’re included.”
Reina, hearing it, blinked rapidly.
Why is she so surprised. We’ve been spending time together for a while now — was my appeal still insufficient?
…… Well, fine. I like her even more.
She doesn’t fall easily. That’s evidence of deep loyalty.
When she comes to work under me, she won’t betray easily.
”…… You say that kind of thing to anyone, Ouga-kun?”
“Of course not. Only to people who are special to me.”
”…… I think I understand a little of how Miss Liche and the others feel.”
“Hm? What does that mean?”
“Nothing. May I drop by your room tomorrow morning? I’d like to confirm our strategy.”
“Waking Mashiro is awkward. Got it. After breakfast, straight to my room, then.”
“Understood. Until then.”
Having finalized the plan, Reina headed toward her own room…… but on the way, turned back.
”…… Good night.”
In an unaccustomed manner she waved her hand small, and in a voice so small it could be missed if you let your attention slip, she said it.
“Yeah. Good night. See you tomorrow.”
”…… Yes. See you tomorrow.”
This time, Reina actually turned away and walked off.
Her pace seemed faster than usual.
…… Was she sleepy?
To force a greeting through that level of drowsiness — what a dutiful one.
Right, I’m tired too after walking around all day.
Unfamiliar environment brings fatigue you don’t notice. I should sleep early to face tomorrow in top form.
—— I opened the door to find Mashiro performing a dogeza on the bed.