Cecily stands up amidst the cheers.

　First, the two repeated short breaths are wordlessly relative to each other.
　They both still looked like they were letting go.
　Their faces are covered in sweat.

　After the decision was made, it was Cecily-san who spoke first.

'Isla.'

　Koku, Ira nodded one.
　As if to reply.
　Then, as I approached with a sunny face, Ira-san held out her hand to Cecily-san herself.

'Congratulations on your win.
"Oh--
'Look, Cecily you're the winner, you have to be more like it. Right?
Yes, sir.

　Cecily, the winner, was oddly horrified.

　They shook hands with each other.


Ha-ha-ha. What's going on?　Feel free to tell me, Cecily.

　Perhaps Ira-san's cheerful vivacity had taken effect, but Cecily's expression was also softening back.

'It was really, really strong.'
Yeah, thanks. Cecily was......................amazing. Ha-ha, well, I guess I could do with a good fight too, couldn't I?
No I'd rather have this final--
I mean, Cecily!

　Cecily was about to say something, but Ira interrupted her.

''What?''
'I'm sorry for the last explosive technique burn, okay?　Hey, are you okay?

　After rolling her eyes, Cecily-san breathed harmoniously.

''Huh, what do you say... there?　Yeah, I'm fine. Or rather, I wouldn't have minded the use of the explosive technique. On the contrary, I admire the fact that you used the explosive technique there. Once again, you've shown me your resolve for this Holy Martial Festival...
But Cecily wasn't frightened, was she?
Yeah.
I think that proves that Cecily was prepared to take on the challenge of the Seibutsu Festival with a half-hearted determination. Of course, she was prepared for the final match against me. That's something I'm very happy about.
Ira....
Anyway,

　Ira releases his handshake.

'So it's over, now?'

　Ira said, staring at the floor.
　It was as if she was speaking to Cecily, and also to herself.
　She was smiling, but her eyes seemed to be sad.

　The audience was still in a feverish state.
　The names of the two men who fought through the epic final were shouted repeatedly to be praised, but the number of shouts seemed to be 50-50.
　It's not just the winners that are being honored.
　The praise was also lavished on Ira, who had done very well.

　Lili finished explaining the schedule for the closing ceremony after the scene had settled down.
　The two men who had fought the final then left the center of the battle platform.
　Cecily walks towards the gate, waving to the audience.
　Isla-san exits while bowing her head politely, bowing politely to the praise and encouragement showered on her.

''...........''

　To say it was a clean fight would be an understatement.
　But--

It's over, isn't it?

　Rei-senpai, who was next to me, wiped tears from the corners of her eyes with the sleeve of her dress and said.

''You did a great job, Ira.......because you were so close against that Cecily, right?　It's amazing, really.......I feel like I could praise you endlessly all day long....
..........
''That Ira defeated the student council president and even hunted down Cecily Arkwright who used the 《Pseudo-Polar Sky》......I think I'm going to surpass him in the blink of an eye. What can I say.......I'm happy, but I'm also saddened.......
..........
Well, um...
..........
"...Blackberry?　What's going on?　The last attack and defense was so great that I couldn't even speak...?
I'm not sure...

　I clenched my fists, slumped over, and clenched my teeth.

　Oh, my God.

　I had just realized.

　The reason why Ira-san lost this final...


　It's my fault.






　After refusing to say a few words to Lei-senpai, I headed to Ira-san's waiting room.

　At first Lei-senpai said, "Then let's go see her together.
　However, when I told her that I wanted to talk to Ira-san alone, she readily agreed.
　She seemed to have sensed that I had something important to talk about.
　At a time like this, I'm grateful for the perceptive Ray-senpai.

　The crowd in front of the waiting room was sparse.
　Most of them were probably crowded towards the winner.
　I'm sure there's a huge gap between the first and second place in sports in the previous world, but to me, it's a superficial difference.
　But for me, superficial results aren't everything.
　It's just.....
　I clench my fist.

"Please, forbid me to use it.

　A member of the Holy Tree Order was at the door, but this time they let me through easily again.
　.............
　It seems like they've been treating me badly since the end-of-the-week battle between the End of the Tenth Legion and Skolbanger........

　When I entered the waiting room, Ira-san was sitting on the couch.
　She who had been staring at the flats of her hand and noticed me.

''Ah........Kurohiko.
Mr. Ira.

　Chuckling, Ira cowered his shoulders.

'The finals were, well ... as you can see. Sorry, I was so close.''

　He apologizes, he apologizes, he apologizes.
　'I'm sorry,' he said.

''No, Ira-san gave it her all. And I think the difference between winning and losing ... was just a small one.

　A small but critical difference.

But it was Cecily who was ahead of me by a small margin. But me?　I'm going to be in the ungraded class of this holy war festival--

Excuse me, Miss Isla.

　I put my head down.

'Kuromi...?　What's wrong with you, apologizing all of a sudden?
Well... it's my fault that Ira-san lost that final match.
"...what do you mean?　No, Kurohiko did everything he could to help me win the game.　Because Kurohiko figured out how to fight with me, I was able to get to the final.......
I didn't find out until after the final.
Didn't you notice?

　Yes, I hadn't noticed.

　I didn't realize what kind of sword Ira-san's sword that I was practicing with had become.

　Looking back on it, I should have felt uncomfortable earlier.

　It was obvious even in the semifinal against Chairman Dristos.


　In every match, Ira-san, when he went to get an effective strike, he went for the "vital point" of the human body.


　The majority of the attacks were concentrated on the neck and left chest armpit.
　The armpit of the left side of his left chest was directly connected to his heart if he cut it with a blade that was not drawn.
　The other things I was aiming for with the pommel head during in-fighting, if you recall, were mainly the chest.
　As expected, I wasn't aiming at the eyes, but if it was a real fight, Ira-san was aiming at a part of the body that could inflict a fatal wound on the opponent.
　In other words, what I was teaching her was not a sword to win a match--.


　A sword to kill the enemy.


　If it was to win the match, it was good to aim at the arm.
　The final attack and defense of the final match.
　That powerful blow with a horizontal cleave was evaded just before it almost caught Cecily-san's neck.
　But if my aim had been my arm - I think the sword would have taken an effective strike earlier, without being evaded.

　I didn't notice.

　Cecily-san had honed her sword to win the match.
　And yet, I've been teaching Ira-san a sword to survive a real fight.

　That was the reason for her defeat.

　When I told him this, Ira was surprised.

''That's right... I didn't even realize I was doing that at all...''
Excuse me.
'Uh-uh!　Kuhn, there's nothing for Kurohiko to apologize for.
But...
No.

　Ira shook his head loosely and stood up, placing his hands on my shoulders.

'I've been training to be Kurohiko, you know?　That would mean that Attachi approached Kurohiko's sword of his own volition.

　Ira-san smiles thinly.

But that may be the proof that I have been relying too much on Kurohiko. That's why from now on, I'm going to make my own - the sword of Ira Horne - by myself.
Mr. Ira....
And you know what, I'm really happy about it.
Happy?
The fact that it resembles Kurohiko's sword, you see... it means that you might have gotten a little closer to Kurohiko, right?
Glad you're so close to my sword, eh?

　This is probably a good thing that they're paying attention to me.

'Well, well it's not all about the sword, is it?　Above all, you know...

　Ira sat back on the couch and plodded his feet as he looked at the floor.

'Just for a moment I think I've changed. I'm really glad that I'm in the ungraded class of the Seibu Festival now. The reason why I've been able to experience so much is because of Kurohiko's support. There's nothing to be apologized for........not one thing.

　From there I almost apologized a few times, but it was all blocked off by Ira.

'Moo!　Even though we lost, we're still runners-up!　Kurohiko, you should be more than happy to oblige!
I'm sorry.

　I was pissed off with Punsuka.
　But.........I should really be the one to cheer up Ira-san who didn't reach the championship, but it felt like Ira-san was cheering me up instead.......

Ah.

　Then I remembered.

"Speaking of which, Miss Ira.
Hmm?
'Well you said before that you had something to tell me if you win, but that's what--'
"Ha-ha.

　Ira-san laughs, as if in trouble.

'Well I guess that's something I've decided to do another time?　I had already decided if we won. Besides, what I wanted to say to you I don't think it would make sense to break that decision to tell you.

　 .

I understand. Please let me know again when you get another chance to do so in Ira's mind.
Yeah, I'll do my best for Kurohiko.
You mean for me?
Awwww!　Hey, it's nothing!　Yes!　Now I'm going to get even stronger from now on, so much so that I'm glad Kurohiko trained with me! I was just trying to get into the spirit!　Seriously, more importantly........it's time for Cecily to show her face, too!
But...
'I'm sure Cecily is waiting for you!　Kurohiko should really be the first person you want to hear from if you win!
Okay, okay. Oh, and as for the wound--
I'll be fine!

　...........
　That's right.
　

''Then........I'll see you after the closing ceremony.
Yes.

　As I put my hand on the door to the waiting room, I remembered something I'd forgotten to mention.
　As Ira sat on the couch, I said to him.

'All the fights were really, really respectable. I'm glad I was able to work with Ira," he said. It was a great experience for me, too.
I will always remember this feast as a precious memory and I am the one who wants to thank you for it. Thank you, Kurohiko.

Good work, Miss Isla.

　When I turned around, Ira was smiling at me.

'Yeah.'