Is that Varaga Wormood?

　As we left the Great Sanctuary, me and Mr. Currier were walking down the main street.

'Sounds like a nasty one, right?　As I've said before, I'm not very good at it.
'You say that, but it's a relief to have Mr. Currier around in those situations.
Feeling safe?
Like with Hibigami and Lokiia, Currier-san speaks like an old acquaintance who's used to being treated like one. He's not afraid of anything.

　Even after seeing Varaga's transformation just now, Currier-san only showed a dumbfounded face, ''It's certainly a vice to not be able to control your true self.

''Really?　I'm just talking in the same old sense...

　With the exception of Currier-san, the people from the 6th House that I've met so far were all unknowns.
　I have no hesitation in fighting them as enemies, but that doesn't mean I don't have a weakness for opponents who have that kind of air about them.
　However, there was a strange sense of security when Currier-san was talking with them.
　That may be the air that can be created because it is a hometown person who knows the other person from the past.

''That man is also........strong, isn't he?　Hibigami even treated him in the same category as Currier-san as a potential nemesis.
'I don't know what he's really capable of, because he's a man who, like Rokia, doesn't show the bottom, either. I don't remember seeing Varaga fight for real. However, he definitely surpasses me in defense. If that guy is serious about defense, even Hibigami might not be able to break him.
'It seems that Hibigami is good at creating motivation for his opponents to fight, but... didn't... didn't Hibigami mess with Varaga's world or something?'

　It's easy to get them to take you seriously with that kind of excessive hatred you have for these vermin.

I'm sure that's why they don't plan to take a straightforward approach against the six people who were named just now - simply to subdue them with force. I'm sure Varaga has prepared other countermeasures for the six people who were mentioned. In that respect, it's the same as Noyes: it seems that even during his time in the Sixth House, he had a number of measures in mind to discourage the excitement of Hibigami.

　'Well, we don't need to deal with the noise anymore,' added Currier.

'It looks like Varaga Wormood is not a straightforward opponent either.
The "my world" as he calls it has always been unclear. It's a good thing that you can't get rid of it. I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of people who will be able to help you out.
''Uh...I think I understand...''
'What?　It's a pain in the ass, isn't it?

　I had heard that he was a competent person that Hibigami recognized, so I would have asked for one of the mock matches if I could.
　But if that's the case, it would be wise to avoid getting involved.

''I'd like to ask that guy to go back to the Empire as soon as the Holy Martial Arts Festival is over--what's with the amused look on your face?''
No, Currier-san, I just thought you were really harsh when dealing with someone from the sixth house.
"Wow, I don't like to be a bitter-sweet talker, do I?　It's the fault of those who come here without permission.

　Mr. Currier gets prurient and angry.

'That said, the founder of the Sixth House did a good job of keeping that dense group of people together, didn't he?
According to Noyes, though, Tassogale had some of them in his head, too.

　I had imagined a more superhuman figure, but it seems that the founder of the Sixth House was also endowed with a sense of humanity.
　It must have been hard work just to get all four of them together, Hibigami, Rokia, Noyes and Valaga.

''By the way, Noyes was hated by Varaga, wasn't he?
'The only people in the Sixth House who had a soft spot for Noyes were Tasogale and Hibigami. But whether you like it or not, I think everyone recognized Noyes' abilities even back then. In terms of combat skills and ability to specialize in a single point, I'm sure the other 6 houses would have been better, but in terms of overall strength, I think Noyes was outstanding. It's no longer possible but like Varaga said, if they were on our side, there wouldn't have been such a reassuring ally.

　Then we walked down the main street, talking about our impressions of our guests.
　At the end of the street, we turned around in the direction of the Great Sanctuary.

　The guests are all there.

　Finally, tomorrow, the Holy War Festival would begin.

　I'm not a participant, but I might be more nervous than the person who is participating in the festival.
　Everyone has worked hard for this Seongbu Festival.
　It's true that the results are important.
　But above all, I hope it's a good tournament.


 

　On the first day of the Seibu Festival, the first round of each division is held.
　The place is the school's training ground.
　In the case of the winners, the first round will be played in a single day with a maximum of three matches.
　Today alone, more than half of the participants would be eliminated from the first round.
　Anyway, due to the large number of matches, today's matches are packed tightly into the morning.
　Each match in the first round has less time per game than the second and later rounds.
　For this reason, the first round is likely to be more effective in anticipating a short battle.

'It's finally the first fight, Ira.
Yes.
Anyway, let's keep calm.
It's all right. I'm calm. Well I'm gonna have to go, Kurohico.

　Ira-san walks to the center of the training ground with a light step while shaking her red hair.
　Nervousness cannot be seen from her expression or gait.
　From her complexion, she doesn't seem to be in bad condition.
　This is the eighth training ground.
　This is the training ground where the first round of the ungraded class and Ira Horn will be held.

　His opponent was Gans Verheid, a male candidate from the third year twin snake class.
　Ganth is small in stature, but he has the body of a warrior.
　He has an air of elegance and grace.
　However, his bare arms are covered with a few faint scars.
　I wonder if they are wounds received during the attack on the Holy Ruins.
　In his eyes, the war spirit of someone who has gone through the battle dwells.

　Borrowing from Lei-senpai's information network, he had obtained information about his opponent beforehand.
　The current Little Saint rank is fifteenth.
　He's ranked tenth, so it's safe to say that he's a talented person.

　Gans is a third year student.
　Fifteenth place is a weighty result of two and a half years of accumulation.

　The two presidents and Cecily will be talked about, but there are a lot of students with that kind of ability in the ungraded class.

　And the ungraded class is inevitably dominated by third graders.
　I've heard that most of the first and second graders have registered for their respective grade divisions.
　The reason for this is that third-year students tend to have more experience, and there are many underclassmen who are not as good as them.
　So it's rare for a student like Ira-san to participate in an ungraded class as a first year student.

''You're the daughter of the Horns, aren't you? Your older brother is Nord Horn-dono, who serves as the Eight Swords in the Holy Tree Knights, was it?
Yes, sir.

　Selecting a training sword and picking it up, Ira nodded.

''I plan to become a holy warrior in the future, surpassing my brother.

　The two sides are relative.
　As if to see how well he was doing, Gance made a swing of his sword.

"You can't say that your minor sanctity is high by any means. But...

　Ganth takes a half-hearted stance with his sword sticking out.

''An opponent who dares to come out to the ungraded class despite being a first year student I will not go easy on you and I will do my best to deal with you.

　The third year students who are thinking of joining the Order of the Holy Tree would like to leave as many results as possible before graduation.
　This is because it will give them an advantage in the examination for membership.
　It is said that the number of people who want to join the Order of the Holy Tree has decreased due to the Four Deadly Diseases, but there are still a certain number of people who want to become a holy warrior.
　What a holy warrior who joins the Order gains is not only honor.
　They receive various benefits from the state.
　Some of them exist that are applied after leaving the Order.
　Many of them want to take advantage of these benefits.

　This Holy War Festival, the third year students will also have to make a decision when choosing a division.
　Should they aim for a high ranking in the third-year division, which had a low basic evaluation score but had no strong enemies other than Beosa Fallontessa?
　Do you jump into the ungraded class with a high basic rating score, but be prepared to fight the two presidents and Cecily Arkwright, as well as other candidates who have the skills to do so?
　In the first place, the ungraded class was said to be filled with candidates who wanted to test their strength and expressed their willingness to compete.
　The enthusiasm of these future holy warriors made the Sogut Commander happy.

　I looked around the four sides of the wall that surrounded the training ground.
　The number of spectators, including me, was six.
　Registration for the Holy War Festival is not required.
　I heard that about eighty percent of the contestants were present.
　Also, because there are many candidates who have their own matches in the first round, the number of contestants spectators is small.
　Nevertheless, in this first round, non-participants and ordinary Wangdu residents are allowed to watch the match.
　The spectators themselves had gathered at the school in a good number, and the campus that I saw before I came here was more crowded than usual.
　However, the number of games is huge.
　That's why the only matches that seem to draw crowds other than those related to the participants are the matches between the two presidents and Cecily-san.
　The duo who are whispering to each other from a distance from me also seem to be students who did not participate this time.
　They seem to be classmates of Ira-san's opponent.
　I had been hearing their conversation since a while ago.
　Even now, the two of them are having a conversation about the Seibu Festival.

''Oh, by the way, why didn't you participate in the Holy Martial Arts Festival?''
'Because in the Holy Martial Arts Festival, the power of the art form is suppressed, right?　Most of the guys who didn't participate this time around are good at jutsu, to begin with.　And they say that's what caused Beoza to forgo the ungraded class.
'Weapons can be made for training, but the training jutsu itself doesn't exist... well, the only reason I'm not participating is because of my injured leg.

　One of the pair stole a sideways glance at me.

''Speaking of non-participation, I hear that the Forbidden Spell Maker and Currier Versteen aren't participating either.
''I heard that those two are good enough to deal with the Four Deadly Disasters, so the academy decided not to let them participate because they thought it wouldn't be a competition.　I hear you get a grade point for not participating.
I think it's the right decision. I think it's the right decision. The guests from other countries would be disappointed to see a match with such a wide gap between them.
'But you know... it's like that non-participation determined the veracity of the story about those two defeating the Four Deadly Plagues, right?
''Yeah. Anyway, it's quite something, the curse master in our school. Even that left eye of yours was lost in the battle against the Four Deadly Disasters, right?　I'm sure it was the most epic battle we could ever imagine...
'But how could that cursed user be here to watch a game like this?
"Isn't that red-haired girl in the same group?
'If they're in the same group, maybe they'll go to see Cecily Arkwright's game.　They're known to be close.
Right?　Do you know who she is?
Um I'm sorry, I don't know.
Um, but... isn't she pretty enough?
'No, well, I agree with you on that, but...'

　I guess not many people know the story of me being Ira's training partner.
　The topic of conversation on campus related to the use of forbidden spells seems to have ended up being the case of the match with the student council president.
　Well, it's much better than being poorly marked.

　And - good, good, the time to start the match is approaching.

　Before the start of the match, both parties wore bangles-type magic tools with crystals in their arms.
　If the green crystal in that bracelet turns red and emits more sound, you will be disqualified at that point.
　What happens to the sound is said to be determined by the amount of holy elements.
　Taking into account the existence of candidates who are good at jutsu, the use of jutsu is also allowed in matches, to a point.
　However, if the amount of holy element is too much, it could cause lethal damage to the opponent.
　The match format of the Holy Martial Arts Festival is only a mock match.
　Since it is a battle, one must naturally be prepared for a certain amount of injuries, but this is not a tournament that is intended to exchange lives.
　There are many powerful attacking techniques.
　That's why the academy prepared a special bracelet so that they could only knead a certain amount of holy elements into it.
　By the way, this Seibutsu Matsuri, I can't use any magic, so I left most of the magic-related matters to Ira-san.

'You finished wearing the bracelet, right?　Now, both of you, in your positions--

　The match lasted nine minutes.
　The judges raised their hands high and swung them down vigorously.

Start!