“What happened to your arm……”
As Raze was spacing out, Addis, who had entered the classroom, stopped next to her.
He asked with a surprised look, but for Raze, this was the fourth time she had been asked the same question.
“Ah. I slipped on the ice and fell down the stairs.”
Even though she had done it intentionally, being asked about it so many times made her want to hide it.
Feeling restless, she put her free hand behind her head.
In the military, no one would care about an injury like this. The real concern would be if someone was seriously injured and couldn’t get up. While it might be a topic of conversation, a broken bone isn’t something to make a fuss about.
“……Which stairs?”
“Um……The shortcut stairs from the Clock Tower to the student dormitory.”
“Those stairs…… Don’t you have a lot of bad luck? Maybe you should go to the chapel and get a purification?”
“That might be a good idea.”
Raze smiled wryly. She didn’t have much faith in the guidance of the stars, but it might be worth a try.
Addis glanced at Raze, who didn’t seem particularly down, and then sat in his seat.
Then, another visitor appeared next to Raze.
“Good morning.”
“G-Good morning……?”
As always, Claude, dressed impeccably in his uniform and wearing his signature fake glasses, came to Raze’s seat for the first time since enrollment. Raze couldn’t help but look for Ruben, who was usually with him, and saw him exchanging morning greetings with Carne.
“Here, if you don’t mind. It’s a medicinal water that speeds up healing.”
As Raze wondered what he wanted, Claude, who needed no explanation, handed her a small bottle.
“Um…… Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome.”
Raze was surprised but accepted it.
She was surprised that someone who seemed interested only in Ruben would be considerate towards her.
Claude, having finished his business, quickly descended the stairs.
Raze noticed Addis looking at her with a puzzled expression but pretended not to see it.
After all the classes ended, it was after school.
“Just as Granoli told me, I had a match with Bill-senpai yesterday! That guy is amazing. He wasn’t surprised at all when I tried to fight him with a spear, and his reactions were quick! Above all, the way he closed and created distance! His feints are especially good! It was a great stimulus!!”
In the training ground where the snow had been cleared, Ian was energetically warming up.
As he talked to Raze, he spun his spear with the speed of a master. He was in a state where the spear was his best friend.
Seeing Ian’s beaming smile, Raze felt a pang of guilt.
“–Ian-sama. There’s something I need to apologize for.”
“Hm? Apologize?”
Ian stopped moving as Raze began to speak hesitantly. His stance was perfect.
“I recommended the spear technique without knowing anything about the knight order. I didn’t know that only sword users have become brigade leaders……”
Raze bowed her head and said, “I’m sorry.”
Ian blinked repeatedly.
“Oh, is that all? You don’t need to apologize. I understand.”
Raze was surprised by his bright response, as she had been bracing herself for any reaction.
“Eh……”
Raze looked up at Ian.
He seemed to understand the disadvantages so easily that she wondered if he really knew what he was talking about.
In this world where magic exists, it is culturally valued to use tools that can be treated equally without using magic. The knight order has a culture of using the same sword weapon to measure the difference in strength in an equal contest.
Raze was about to explain, but–.
“Just because there’s no precedent doesn’t mean we have to be bound by it. I’ll be the first knight order leader in history to fight with something other than a sword!”
Ian said with a carefree smile.
“The opportunity came from you, Granoli, but this is the path I chose. I’ll aim to be a strong and trusted knight that everyone can recognize.”
He had accepted everything and was determined to follow the long and sharp path of the spear. There was no sign of the conflict and suffering he had shown before.
“So, first, I’ll aim to be the best in the winter tournament!”
Raze widened her eyes and then squinted at his radiance.
He was such a straightforward person. Unlike her, he must have walked proudly under the sun.
That made her–a little envious.
“……Please do your best for my share too. I’ll teach you everything I know.”
“Yeah! Thanks!”
Raze nodded.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
“–……Well, I knew he was a genius, but……”
Standing in the center of the arena was the strongest first-year student.
“Winner! Ian Masse Drua!!”
Colorful paper confetti rained down with a loud pop, celebrating the winner.
As the referee’s decision was announced and the audience erupted in excitement, Raze shivered.
It wasn’t until I noticed myself smiling that I understood it was the trembling of a warrior’s excitement.
(“I really want to… fight seriously against him…”)
Raze found herself captivated by Ian, who raised his spear high into the sky in victory, his passionate red hair swaying.
Although he had the basics, Ian had only started using the spear seriously a few days ago. His progress and natural talent were simply unbelievable.
The flexibility of his body and wrists, his sense of distance –
without doubt, he was a born spear wielder.
“Why am I…”
Why was I just standing here?
Something stirred within, and Raze had to suppress the urge to rush forward.
The winter tournament had reached its final day in what felt like an instant.
His family, who had come to watch, were surprised to see their son suddenly wielding a spear, but they understood once they saw his gallant figure. His talent was undeniable.
Meanwhile, as planned, Raze-Granoli had withdrawn due to a bone fracture and didn’t participate at all.
Although the tournament became just a spectator event for her, she properly supported Carne and Folia while carrying out her guard duties for Ruben. This time, appropriate measures seemed to have been taken, with no harm from assassins. She was completely in a house-sitting state.
“They were both amazing, weren’t they! …Raze?”
Folia, who was next to her, peered at her face, bringing Raze back to reality.
“Ah, yes. Lord Ian was skilled this time, but Lord Zarth was close too.”
She had been caught up in the heat of the moment. Switching her consciousness, she smiled.
The first-year final match was between Ian and Addis.
It seemed disadvantageous for Ian, who specialized in close combat, to face an opponent capable of medium to long-range magic, but he had prepared for that. To remain in the tournament’s upper ranks, one must master some degree of defense regardless of their specialty.
Ian’s specialty was body enhancement magic, which he had evolved further to obtain an iron-like physique.
Rather than multitasking with various magic and combat techniques, it’s better to eliminate waste and master techniques that are easiest to use and focus on – this increases both speed and win rate.
Ian was strong, deflecting wind and focusing solely on attacking without fear.
Addis initially countered with wind magic, but upon realizing Ian had figured him out, he switched to sword attacks.
While manipulating wind and maintaining distance, he exchanged blows without giving major openings, but he couldn’t close the distance himself.
Ian had completely seized control of the match.
Knowing he would eventually need to make his move, Addis watched for an opportunity while using wind magic, but Ian’s stance rarely faltered. So Addis gambled on an aerial battle, attempting to float Ian’s body with his strongest wind and strike the finishing blow while he was immobilized.
However, his height calculation was insufficient. To avoid risk of fatal falls, he lifted Ian to a lower height, but Ian increased his weight through body hardening and fell faster than expected. Even though Addis read that he couldn’t change the landing point, and aimed to strike there, Ian used his spear to push off the ground and alter his posture just centimeters before Addis’s sword could reach. Quickly regaining his stance, he counterattacked the delayed Addis. As a result, the tip of Ian’s spear caught Addis’s vital point.
Though defeated, Addis showed more than enough skill. It would be a waste to keep either of them as mere students.
“I could never catch up to them.”
“Well, Folia, your specialty is healing magic. It might not match well with tournaments. But I thought your use of magic was really good.”
“Really? Hearing you say that makes all my practice worth it! I need to thank Lord Luca for training with me too!”
Both summer and winter tournaments are divided into several blocks, largely allocated based on individuals’ magical attributes. While those who specialize in attack magic tend to remain until the end, those who top different brackets are properly evaluated too.
Folia shouldn’t feel inferior just because her close friends are exceptionally talented from this tournament. She too is a rare magic user.
“…I’ll be careful to participate properly next time too.”
“Yes!”
Folia nodded energetically, as if to encourage Raze.
No matter how ugly it becomes with all its patches, the truth can never be told.
Still. Because I can’t bring myself to hate this life or myself as Raze-Granoli. Please, let me stay this way until the end.
Just a little over two years until graduation–
“Time flies…”
Auburn eyes gazed up at the clear, refreshing blue winter sky.
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