On the first day, the hotels are located west of the Iberis National Stadium.
　There are seven hotels scattered around the stadium, each owned by a different country. It must have been around 9:00 p.m. when I arrived at the hotel. It's around 9 p.m. in a room that is more than big enough to accommodate 30 athletes, who are discussing the situation.

'It's not Alpha that we should be wary of. Even in the overall points, Iberis' follow-up should be taken care of sooner rather than later.
'You ruled that out in your preliminary research. Iberis' fourth wizarding academy unexpectedly won, but they should reduce their numbers after the second round. It's the second one that will definitely advance to the next round.

　Perhaps upset by the immediate results, a female student who is in the same grade as him and who is the leader of this team, spoke out in defense of the male student who raised his voice, perhaps because he was upset by the immediate results. This was because there were many other similar opinions besides him.
　They are uniformly........no, it's also an opinion because everyone here is facing the same direction to report the victory to Rusalka.
　This kind of discussion had been going on for two hours. Even though they are currently in first place in overall points, there is no tricky gap. There is a good chance that we will be overtaken tomorrow.

''But even so, I didn't expect 9 first-year Alpha students to survive.

　The more she bites her nails, the more eloquently she says that this is a painful mistake. This had already happened more than once or twice, and her nails were jagged.

'If we look ahead, it'll take us a year's worth of slots. Putting off the lineage measures has backfired on me.

　However, no one could have predicted this turn of events, and no nodding voice was raised to nod.
　There are at least two slots in the third year for the main race, and a possible win, but in the sophomore division is the defending champion, Felinella Socarrento. They've done their best, of course, but in a sense, it's a gamble. The odds of winning are less than half - and we'll have to bring in the best of the best from within the second year.
　The problem will be the alpha first year.

'Two blink-and-you'll-miss-it, I didn't know how good they were, but Ars Reagin, who first set the record for the fastest time ever at 5 seconds, didn't even pass AWR. I honestly don't know what he did...
Do you want to move to shut it down sooner rather than later?
I don't think that's a good idea.

　A male student waits for instructions with his brow furrowed as he waits for the wind of cowardice to blow in his face.
　However, the female student is undaunted and urges the first player who has gathered information to continue.

'I said five seconds, but it's actually right after the start. Your opponent collapsed two seconds later, so you spent more time deliberating.
...
'That's why. It's too risky to tip the highest currency.
So, what do you want to do?

　All eyes are focused on the leader, the female student.
　There isn't enough information to give an answer right away. Rusalka, who is aiming for consecutive championships, should have enough students to win again this year. If you take the golden age out of the equation, their simple fighting ability alone is enough to be called the strongest of all time.

　If it was as usual, the one to be wary of was supposed to be Iberis's Fourth Academy of Magic. However, just before the selection committee meeting, Alpha's second wizarding academy was ordered to be on guard, even though it had been announced through word of mouth.
　When I scoured Alpha's admissions as a target for investigation, I got information that indeed a daughter who was in the upper echelons of the nobility had been admitted, but in the end that was the extent of it.
　So, it's not that she was negligent, but the result of reaching out to other countries such as Iberis for intelligence, is that Alpha's priority has dropped.
　Of course, it's not that she doesn't take measures. This is still an honors student, having been the chief for three years.
　The countermeasures against Felinella have been taken to the best of their ability - within the limits of what students can do - but still, when it comes to battle, the odds are slim. Normally she thought it would be more immediate to let her move as she pleased and cut down on the Alpha's holding quota.
　If her fighting style was designed for demons, she might have been able to handle it. Anyone who had seen last year's finals would know that. The woman, Felinella Socarrento, is by all accounts an opponent specialist. Especially one-on-one, she is at her best.
　I know it's useless to think about such things, though.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going to happen in the future based on the information we've gathered so far. As expected of a leader, she could have done without exposing her shameful appearance.

''We still have to do something about Alpha, don't we? The only saving grace is that Alpha's third year students are devastated. If this had won as many games as our school, it might have been too late at this stage.

　Now that we've assumed a long way off, we've decided that we can do something about it now. It shouldn't be too late, we still have him in our first year.

(If he makes it to the finals... no, that's a needless worry.)

　The female student's gaze turned to one of the male students. As if caught by it, all the students shot out without letting their gaze wander to one of them.

''What do you think Alpha's second magical academy will do in the future?　Philly.

　The student called Phililic was alone by the wall, arms crossed, lost in thought.

'Phililic?'
Heh?

　My own name came up, but I was like, "What was it again? That's the look on his face. He doesn't seem to be such a lone participant, but there's no reprimand here. That's partly because of his ranking, and partly because of his face for being a single mage in Rusalka.
　But the most important reason is probably because his meek face makes him less inclined to be angry. It could be taken as innocence, but his maniacal changes in battle have left some people with a chill in their hearts.
　But otherwise, he has a gentlemanly temperament.
　The reddish hue of his hair, which is hidden from view, covers his eyes, so it's impossible to get an accurate look at his expression.

'So, it's an alpha move,'
Alfa, they're definitely trying to destroy us.

　That being said, it's the first player to get blinkered. However, to be so sure, it means that you've guessed the strongest player in the first year.
　Phililic has a tone of conviction in his voice. There's no doubt that he's hiding something from himself as a leader. It's currently impossible to get it out of him, but I won't mention it because I only know that he won't do anything that would be detrimental to the Academy.
　What is the basis for this?　And I didn't say it out loud.
　So be frank.

Can you win?

　Phililic smiled wryly at the question, but his reply was vague.

''I don't know. But I would like to fight.

　The other players here momentarily groaned that they'd heard wrong; they didn't think he'd be beaten as a freshman in the 400s. It wasn't a humble quality, so I wondered if he meant it.
　Some players took it seriously and their cheeks twitched, while others interpreted it as being unpredictable because they'd never seen Ars, a player they'd never seen before.
　Some had never seen Ars before and didn't expect it, because they thought he was well into the 400s.

　Fililic has a regretful feeling that he can't say anything openly because Jean has kept him quiet. That Ars Reagin is the strongest mage #1.
　Of course, he was also told to take measures against it and gave the leader the message from Jean, but he couldn't make a good plan due to lack of information.

(There couldn't possibly be a wizard stronger than Jean-sama. And they say they're the same age, and it's a terrible story, even if it raises eyebrows)

　He may be a good single player. But he couldn't forgive the rank of No. 1. It was impossible, considering his age.

(I don't know what kind of moves Alpha used...)

　It didn't seem like it was going to be an arm and a leg, and if he could show a three-figure mage that he was struggling, it might make him happy with his training so far and cause him to reconsider his rightful place in the pecking order.

　The previous information was that he was an acquaintance of Jean's, but he didn't tell us more than that.


　Phililic was found by Jean where he was forced to live in part of the poverty line. In Rusarka, there were many aristocrats and many scraps that were fattened up for personal gain. This made the inequality unstoppable, and some of them were clearly poor. Of course, they are a minority, and in recent years there has been an attempt by the state to offer them jobs in temporary housing as a relief measure.
　Still, there is no quick fix to the problem. When such enforcement began to take place, Fyrillic and Jean, who spent their days stealing and living the day to day, met.
　Originally, finding the qualities of a magician was something that would be discovered after a long period of training. If not, you can measure your aptitude as a mage by seeing it firsthand through the exercise of magic.
　Yes, Phililic was able to survive as a thief because he was exercising his magic. The time when security was good and thieves could get by was long gone. The only reason he was not caught in such a situation was because of his magic.
　Jean, who happened to be on a visit to the poor, met him at the very scene of the crime.
　He was confident that he would be able to get away with it even if he was found. By the time he realized it was easy to capture him, he was rubbing his cheek against the ground before he had time to use his magic.
　After that, being a lifelong loner, he just nodded his head in response to the questions he was asked. I could expect to be thrown in jail, but in reality, it was different. He received a reformation program and learned general education, and when that was over, he was drilled with the basic knowledge of magic.
　Thus, when the makings of magic were budding, I was called to Jean's room. I had acquired enough knowledge to know right away that I was only of a high rank in the military.
　The question I had been asking myself, why wasn't I in prison for a few years? When this mystery was solved, on a bed with white sheets, where he could eat like a normal person and sleep like a normal person, Phililic struck at Jean.
　Perhaps it was a feeling of pity, almsgiving, or something like that.

　Jean told him calmly that he would only take one hit, "You have the power. But it's a power that means nothing if you don't know how to use it. Who do you think gave you that power? To which Phylliric replied, "God," to which he was given a fist bone.
It was given to me by your mother. Then why don't you try to use it for the right thing?
I've never seen my mother's face in my life.
'So what? Phililic, you're here, so why not?
But I don't know what the right thing to do is.
'I think that's fine. I think it's right for me to slay demons, but I don't think it's the same for everyone, and I don't think it's the same for everyone. You can do what you think is right when you learn your magic and how to use your powers.
A crime?
Even if it's a crime. And then I'll get you again.

　Thus, Fyrilic enrolls in the Academy of Magic under Jean's supervision and protection.

　He is able to help Jean with his work outside of the academy, albeit a little bit, and he is also given training a couple of times a month to help him with his training. After a few years of being dodged and beaten to a pulp, he has been running frantically with the man Jean as his goal.

　That's why I think - I'm sure of it.
　I'm sure that there is no one else as strong as him, both as a magician and as a warrior.
　It's a reminiscence that comes to mind like a lantern. The days of hard training are proven by victory - even if it's first place. Phililic gloats that it was good to know early on.

'What do we do now, senior? If we don't beat you early, won't it be irreversible?

　I'm going to pose the choice with a slack-jawed expression, as if I've read the female students' inner thoughts.
　Considering the position of the leader who unites this team, you can't help but be cautious. If she wasn't the leader, she would have suggested that we should strike out.
　It is her position that this is not enough. If you want to lead Rusalka to the championship, you will crush their heads right here and now. That would allow Rusalka to advance two slots into the main race. But there are some disadvantages to consider here, and one of the several prizes for the winning country in the tournament is preferential trade treatment. Of course, you can take advantage of that until you're the runner-up, but the percentages will be inferior to yours.
　So, if they play and lose, Rusalka's chances of advancing to the main tournament will drop to single digits. This is also because Alpha is actively targeting Rusalka.
　If that happens, the overall points will be wide open. Considering the motivation after that, I came to the conclusion that even the runner-up was in danger.

''So what are we going to do, senpai?''

　Personally, I'd rather have him come out and settle this as soon as possible, because she's not a patient person by nature.
　I'm not going to be able to say it. This is not an individual's decision, but a decision on behalf of the Academy.


　♢ ♢ ♢


'Why are you struggling with such a difference in ability?
I had to do it. It's preventable.

　Ars and his team were in the players' bleachers. It's good that it's in the stadium, so it's close to the game field, but there's little difference in height, so it's hard to see.
　It's better to stand and watch the game, but I don't want to rush into the crowd.

It's a good thing that you have a lot of magic. It's your fault for being stingy with it.

　Tesfia made a reluctant face and was unable to argue. In the end, the amount of magic power consumed would have been much cheaper if he had used a big technique from the beginning.
　The second round opponent was able to win without difficulty, but the third round opponent was an inexperienced type, and this was probably due to the fact that he didn't know how to construct his tactics.
　She was a female student who excelled in defensive magic and was an earthy mage like Ciel. The trouble was that she was turned into a defensive fighter through and through. Walls of earthen masses grew from one to the next, impeding their progress.
　The magic owned by Tesfia is not basically a tracking type of magic at the target, and if there is an obstacle in its progress, it will take effect there, so the freeze will only end up freezing the wall.
　There's no way to get close. You'll be blocked by mass-produced walls, and even if you get close enough, they'll crack the walls in.
　In the meantime, I was lured into a maze-like area of the game field where a portion of the game field had been turned to mud. The Tesfia, chilled by the high viscosity and the state of being completely tripped up, ices its feet and forcefully pulls it out and produces two Icicle Swords with maximum firepower.
　The rest is completely brute force. It was easy to penetrate the protection of the wall, and it was a straight line through the eyes of a highly respected opponent.
　It's a good idea to win, but Tesfaye herself is keenly aware of her inexperience in not being able to celebrate.

It's not the same as Ciel, as expected, but if it's a year of the earth system, it's set in stone. There isn't much offensive magic, so the opponent wasn't bad as a battle strategy either.

　As much as Ciel could turn to attack, he hadn't expected Ars to be so thoroughly defensive as well.
　If I say so, it is unexpected, but it is also a waste of time to be wary of this degree from the start. And since they are both first-years, and since we are both first-years, there is no way they would have an abundance of defensive magic and would not pose a threat, so we didn't even include it in our training.
　I'd like to see them use their brains a bit more in battle, to tell the truth.
　For example, if he is as good as Fanon Trooper, the fourth-ranked Clevidito, who is said to have mastered defensive magic, he will be able to maintain an ironclad defense and turn to the offensive at any time. Barriers also have interception barriers, and even barriers can be applied to capture, so strategy carefully...Ars thinks about strategy roughly.

(Or let the firepower speak for itself, I suppose.)

　In addition, the rest - including Ars - the three of them had finished the third round with a victory.
　Currently, the first year's division was over and the second year students were gradually beginning to gather. Normally, Ars and others should go out to gather information, but as expected on the second day, the number of losers has increased and there is room for more people, so they are sticking to one block. Of course we have permission.

　Ferrinella just walked into the game field.
　That's right, the match we're looking for is a Ferrinella match. It's not so much an exaggeration as a plea from Tesfia, but it was decided to watch the match as desired. Ars is simply tagging along because he has nothing to do, and when that happens, Loki will naturally be in attendance.
　Well, I guess it's a potency that can only come from the words of a winning player.
　It's a good idea to have a good time with them. She was staring at the screen that showed the start time now.

　His opponent was Lusarka's First Magical Academy, a combination that would ensure that Alpha would eliminate Lusarka as planned.

'If it was a Feri match, I would have watched it all the time in training. Why now ... I don't think there's any need to support him.
That was you, and your training was great, but Feri was so dominant.

　Ars nods his head slightly. If you listen to him, he says it's not even supportive. It's true that I switch my thoughts in a serious battle myself, though.

''I've only heard about it through Fia's souvenir stories, but I hear it's great. What is it, they say that Feri-senpai was called up the last time they won the championship.......
It's "Orchestrated Puppet Dance!　Apparently Felli-senpai doesn't like to be called that, so no one at the academy would call him that, but maybe the people who were watching the competition would feel more comfortable with this.
You were here last year to see it?

　The affirmation comes back. As expected, since the world is paying attention, it is also the stage that aspiring wizards yearn to be on, so perhaps it is not an unusual thing.
　Well, being a nobleman, it wouldn't be impossible to secure a seat.
　Loki, who immediately sits on the opposite side of the Tesfia, interrupts the natural question.

''What is orchesis?''
'My opponents dance. You'll know it when you see it.

　Not only did Loki have that kind of magic, but also Ars?　I tried to wash the knowledge away, but I couldn't figure it out in the end because it couldn't be such a simple concept. Some of the detection mages can interfere with the spirit, and dark system mages have magic with illusionary effects. However, neither of those things applied to Felinella.
　She frowns at the words she's proudly included, but she'll be in good shape if she says, "Tell me about it here.
　I'm not sure which way he's going to show us, but we'll find out during the tournament.
　More or less curious, Ars shifted his gaze to the game field.