Was it a proverb from the western continent that the pure and the dull are one and the same?

''I see........it's that way you become less cautious of someone who doesn't have the slightest hint of trickery. I think I understand part of the reason why he is liked........

　While mumbling and organizing his thoughts, Dristos Kielcinha was aiming for Koudelka's waiting room.

''Oh dear... even Sagara Kurohiko is in trouble.

　Noble men tend to prefer the use of fancy words.
　They think that it is not a noble way of saying things to be communicated directly.
　In addition, flowery language is, in other words, a sign of culture and a social tool.
　That's why far-fetched words are preferred in social gatherings where aristocrats gather.

　Many of the boys in the academy are also the sons of the nobility, so many of them use bypassed and adorned phrases when approaching the opposite s*x (although some, like Phiburk Marrow and Bashkatha Troia, conversely, preferred unaristocratic roughness).

'So I am troubled by the use of such direct language.

　But with a personality like that, it would be difficult to survive in an aristocratic society.

　While I was thinking these thoughts, I arrived at Koudelka's anteroom.
　I tell the Holy Tree Knights in front of the anteroom what's going on and ask them to let me through.
　As expected of a daughter of a duke's family, her face is remembered, so it's easy to enter the room.

　When I entered the waiting room, Koudelka was sitting on a couch in the corner of the room.
　And in front of Koudelka stood Ray Citnos and Beosa Fallontessa.
　Ray reacted.

'Ah, Student Body President.'
You're here too?

　Beoza turns to me.

'Ray and I are in the waiting room for the final, you know. Well, Ray was more concerned about Koudelka's condition before that.'

　Koudelka, who had been looking down, hesitantly opened her mouth.

'I'm sorry, Doris,'

　Dristos raises one eyebrow.

'Is that ... an apology for what?'
As I said before the match, the final between you and I is not going to be possible.
You're right.
I didn't get to show my senior classmates that I was ready.

　Walking up to Koudelka, Dristos folded his arms in a show of strength.

'You don't think ... you can't see my face properly because of your apologies for not fulfilling your promise to win?
..........

　Dristos looked down at Koudelka with an accusing gaze.
　'Good grief,' she said, lowering her head.

'You are an embarrassing woman.'

　Ray interrupted.

'Hey, hey, student body president!　Even our chairman did his best!　You can't talk like that--
Okay, Koudelka?

　As if to interrupt Ray's words, Dristos called out the name of his nemesis.

'I am saying that I am ashamed that you think you have failed to deliver on any of your promises.
Student, Mr. President...?

　Ray pouts.
　Dristos continues to stare at Koudelka, who is still drooping.

The second half of the game.......although pushed by the awakened Cecily, you made an effective hit and brought it back to 4-4. And the way you went to pick up the "victory" even if you had to abandon your usual pattern, you mesmerized the audience and made them excited.

　I huff and puff.

''So... no one would have felt that Koudelka Ferraris was weak after watching that match. You've shown enough of your seniority. Besides, Krohiko told me.

　Koudelka's body responded with a jerk.

''Come to think of it, I could smell a little bit more of the strongmen I've met from Chairman Koudelka in that match.''

　Kurohiko had spilled those impressions when we exchanged a few personal observations about the semi-finals.
　I wasn't quite sure what he meant by nioi, but I understood that it was a compliment.

'I see,'

　A little bit of warmth returned to Koudelka's voice.

''And you and I can have another final match between you and me on the day I graduate from St. Renowthred School.
On graduation day?
''Yes. This Holy Warrior Festival has convinced me that I can become even stronger than before. If we're going to do this, shouldn't we be able to fight in a more mature state?　So you'll have to wait another six months, at best, to wash your head.

　After a long silence, Koudelka replied.

'I understand.'

　Dristos puts his hands on his hips.

It's a very tense reaction and I don't think we'll be able to keep up with it if you keep acting like that.
I'm sorry.

　Beosa nodded as Dristos showed him a cowering shoulder and he took it back.

''Don't worry. The next finals of the third-year division will be won by me as the top three representatives of the Little Saint rank. If I can show the overwhelming difference in strength here, people will think that the top three seniors are still strong. Hmmm........If I, the first Little Saint rank, am considered weak, then the two chairmen below me might think that I'm only that strong!
It sounds like it makes sense, but that sounds like a pretty absurd theory...

　Then Ray also got in on Beosa's momentum.

I'm going to show you what a great place the Kuki Club is by winning the second grade division by a landslide. It's a good idea to show that I'm strong, so that we can improve the reputation of the president of Koudelka together.
These people........they want to show off their good looks.......and I was trying to put together a nice package for Koudelka's nemesis.... ...ugh.

　It was then that Koudelka spoke.

'Thank you, gentlemen ... I feel very happy about that sentiment. It's just ... if I could, I would ...

　Koudelka puts his arms on his knees and nuzzles his face into his lap as it is.

「私、は――」

　彼女の肩が震え始める。

「勝ち、たかった――っ」

　かすれた声。
　悔しさのまじった、哀切な響き。

「彼の時はっ……清々しい気分だけが、残ったんですっ――でも……今回は、どうしてかっ――こんなにもっ……悔しく、て……っ」

　身を震わせながら、クーデルカが嗚咽を始める。
　彼女は嗚咽を封じ込めようとするが、上手くいっていなかった。

　ドリストスにとって、こんなクーデルカを見るのは初めてだった。
　そう……こんなにも、勝ちにこだわる彼女を見るのは……。
　なんとなく、彼女が勝敗に固執する相手は自分――ドリストス・キールシーニャしかいないと思っていた。

　どんな試合であっても終わったあとは涼しげにしている。
　それが、ドリストスが持ち続けてきたクーデルカ・フェラリスの印象だった。

　敗北に悔しさを見い出したのは、もしかすると彼女にとってはこれが初めての経験だったのかもしれない。
　本気で勝ちたい。
　そんな気持ちを実感したのは、この聖武祭の準決勝が初めてだったのかもしれない。

　無敗と呼ばれた少女。

　気づけば――《敗けない》から《勝ちたい》へ。

　小さな違いかもしれない。
　だけど今、確かに彼女の気持ちは《無敗》から《勝利》へと変わろうとしている。

　自分はここまで勝利にこだわらなかった。
　自分はここまで悔しさを感じなかった。

　ドリストスはクーデルカの隣に腰をおろした。
　そしてその手を、震える宿敵の背にそっと置いた。

　――今回の聖武祭……気持ちの面では、貴方の勝ちだったようですわね……。