Norman and I went to the square in front of the school.
　Students from our class and Irene gathered around to watch the showdown. Some were betting on who would win.

'And then?　How do you play the game?
Duel.

　Norman threw the gloves he was wearing at me.

"How about we walk three steps back to back, turn around and unleash a spell? Shall we agree on a rule that the person who casts a spell on the opponent wins?
I see. Then the one with the fastest and most powerful magic chant wins.
How true. It just goes to show you what a wizard you are. There is no such thing as winning in Magre.
Okay. All right, let's do it that way.

　The dueling technique has been decided upon.
　The students were whispering to each other.

"Hey. Who do you think is going to win?
'Yes. ....... Mr. Kaiser is an excellent teacher. Isn't Ms. Norman a better wizard than you?
But you're Meryl's father.
Hey, hey. Let me in on the bet. Yeah?　Which one do you want to bet on?　That's all my dad's money, of course!

　Before I knew it, Merrill had put all his money on me to win.
　This is too much to lose.
　No, it wasn't supposed to, but...

"d*mn. Kaiser. So much for you to stay on your game. I will show you the difference in power in front of everyone.

　Norman pastes a wry smile to his mouth.

''I graduated top of my class from the Academy twelve years ago. I have mastered three of the five major magic attributes. That proves you're a first-rate wizard. He uses his magic to great effect as a court wizard after graduation. You don't have the background of a third-rate wizard from the countryside. Of course the number of tragedies I've encountered is incomparable.

　Norman talks about how great he is.
　I couldn't help but chuckle.

"This isn't a job interview. I don't need you to tell me about yourself. Shouldn't you be focused on the game instead of talking?
'Guh. ......!　You cocky bastard to all intents and purposes: ......!　All right. I'll let my body teach you what I'm capable of as a wizard!

　Me and Norman stepped up to each other and stood back to back.
　We took a step toward each other .
　I heard the soles of my shoes scrape the ground with a slow .......
　Second step. Tension builds.
　And on the third step-- as soon as the soles connected, both men looked back at each other.
　Norman was the first to move. He raised his right hand toward me and tried to break the chant to activate the spell.

"Hahaha!　Kaiser!　You would be surprised!　This is how you break the magic chant!　An advanced technology that only a first-rate wizard could master!　While you are chanting your magic, my Thunder Arrows will pierce your body!　Take it!

　When a magic circle appeared beside Norman, arrows clad in purple electricity were shot out of it - sooner or later the magic circle was engulfed in a whirlpool of fire.

''H......!

　The magic circle that had appeared at Norman's side had vanished without a trace.
　By the fire magic I unleashed--flame.

''Bah, that's ridiculous. ......!　Now that's ...... chanting destruction!　Kaiser. Do you possess the same advanced technology as I do?
No, breaking chanting isn't high skill. I've learned this much magic in less than a month, okay?
What? A month?
Yeah. . ...... did I say something funny?
'I've been training bloodily to learn to discard chanting: ......!　It's a bluff!　This has to be a bluff!



　Norman shouted in dismay, and--

'Hey, then!　Water magic!　With a water shot that's resistant to fire magic, we should be able to neutralize his fire magic!

　Another discarded chant activates water magic.
　A blue magic circle appeared at Norman's shoulder.
　A bullet of water shot out of it like a bullet.
　But...
　But... my shot blasted the bullet back.

What?
'Awesome ......!　I can't believe you cancels out water magic that should be incompatible: ......!　There's a substantial power difference between the two, which is why the trick is ......!

　Irene's eyes were wide open behind her glasses.

"Norman. Is it over?

　I turn to Norman and ask him.

"Here we are. Now come on, show me some of that magic you've got. --But I'm faster and more powerful than you, so you can't win.

　Norman knew that, too, and he fell to his knees. He hung his head in a crouch as if he had lost the will to fight.

'Why, ......!　You're supposed to be a third-rate country wizard: ......!　So how can you do this much magic: ......!
My mentor taught me a lot of things when I was in the country.
...... Master?
Yeah. A wizard named Etra.
'Etra!　Etra?!
Do you know?
'I know and nothing else, she's a wizard who's gone down in the history of King's Landing: ....... She's named after the same wise man as Meryl!
I knew you'd be famous.
"She didn't take an apprentice because she didn't want to waste her time on a talentless person. But you studied under her. ......
It looks like we've got a winner.

　Irene pushed up the vine of her glasses and said.

'Mr. Kaiser wins.'
Dad. That was so cool.

　Meryl ran over to me and squeezed my arm.

"But why were you holding back?
What do you mean, take it easy? Norman hissed.
'Well. Because if you pull that trigger, you might kill him. I kept it to about three minutes of force.
...... I'm completely defeated. You're too good at teaching and too good at wizardry. It seems you are a true wizard.

　After that-- .
　Norman would give up teaching classes when I was at work.
　And he and Irene took my class with them. And when they heard about my classes, the rest of the class would come.
　The room was packed to the gills.
　And everything seemed to be falling into place.

It's nice to know that everyone knows who you are. But it's not gonna give me much time to spend with you, Dad.

　Only Meryl's cheeks were puffed up and she looked unhappy.