This is the Fischanatika School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
In the training grounds, an additional match to determine the representatives was currently taking place.

-- ''The winner!　Kyogoku!

Saeki and the other brave students watched Kyogoku fight.
Kyogoku had overwhelmed the senior students without a single use of magic, just physical prowess.

Saeki leaned forward from the audience and stared at Kyogoku, who was showing a relaxed expression.

--This is Kyogoku........

Wasteful and seamless movement.
It was clearly beyond Saeki's level.

-- "Representative Saeki-san. The headmaster would like to see you. Please come to the principal's office as soon as possible."

Then an announcement was made.

"Saeki-kun, you're wanted.

It was David who said that.

"What?

The principal wants you in his office.

Ahhhhh.

Saeki leaves the scene, unable to sort out what he just saw.




　Walking down the corridor, Saeki sees the scene from earlier all the way down the hallway in his mind.
How can I catch up with Kyogoku now?
That's all I can think about.

Excuse me.

He knocked twice and entered the headmaster's office.
Then I saw Oswald there.

'I'm sorry to call you out of the blue?

Oswald said at the opening.
Saeki waited until Oswald told him the details.

The opponent for the match against the school has been decided. But before that, I have some things to tell you in advance.

"Report?

As he took his seat at Oswald's behest, Saeki questioned him.

'I mean, about your opponent.

Saeki didn't understand why he had to summon him to speak.

'I will tell you the truth, you are dealing with 'Nito the Adventurer'.

...What?

Saeki was stunned for a moment when he heard the name.
But he soon found out who it was.

The fame of the adventurer Nito, of course, reached Saeki's ears at any time.
Right now, the world is full of talk about the Empire and Nito.
Of course, there is also various information flying around in the small details.
Some of them include information about the 21 brave men.
But even more than the heroes and other topics, the topic of Nito and the Empire has attracted a lot of attention, and Nito in particular has even generated a boom.

'This is a story that will not be made public, but I will tell it to you. You are aware of the story of the appearance of an Imperial figure in Heilkwaite?

Well, yes.

As a matter of fact, I had a little accident at that time.　There were many abstentions among the participants in the preliminary round. Most of them were the best in Heilkwaite. The reason for this was Nito. But I can't talk about the details.

Choppy information.
And a particularly important part is missing.
But I could tell by Oswald's tone that something untoward had happened.

'As a result, Nito has been selected as one of the representatives of Heilkwaite. He is your opponent this time.

Oh, I see.

But Saeki still doesn't know why.

''Hero, dungeon conqueror, S-rank adventurer.......a mage with various titles. It's no exaggeration to say that he's a great mage. He's probably even more formidable than me.

Saeki's eyes widen at those words.

'Hey!　Wait a minute!　Nito the Adventurer.......is stronger than you?

Yes, I know, because I saw it firsthand. It is a fact that I can no longer doubt. Perhaps you will understand when you see him.



I'm sorry to hear that. This tournament is the most unusual of all. With Nito's participation in the tournament, Ficianatica will start with a point in hand from the start, which means.... In other words.....

'So you're saying that my match was bound to be lost from the start? .....

I don't think...

'So ... what's the match all about?'

Saeki appealed with his eyes.
He wondered what he had worked so hard for, and why he had worked so hard.
But Saeki didn't learn magic in order to gain the approval of those around him.
The reason is something else.

--But what is this disparity?

Obvious discrimination.
Are you going to go that far just because someone named Nito is the highlight of your life?
Wasn't this a venerable schoolhouse?
Saeki was both bewildered and angry at the unfair treatment of him.

The school is funded by money. Without it, it would be impossible to survive. Nito is the main attraction of this year's tournament. The investors will come to see Nito. That's the truth.

Saeki knew why Oswald had called him out.

'Does that mean I'm a discarded pawn with no talent?

'Not so!　No, that's not true, but the fact that Nito is in Heilkuyet is already well known. We can't hide it from our investors. What's this?　It was good that Nito was willing to participate, but even if he hadn't wanted to, he would have been forced to do so. That is the problem.

Saeki is not stupid.
He understands what Oswald is saying.
But I'm not convinced.
Slowly he tried to swallow the words, but it was as if his anger was flowing backwards.
Pushing it down, Saeki swallowed his spit again and again.

'You just have to win, right?　Win.....

Oswald narrowed his eyes and looked at Saeki.

'I'm going to win, okay?　And I'm going to break Nito's nose with my investors. This isn't a Nito exhibition!

There was the old Saeki there.

'Nito doesn't take himself seriously.

What--?

Just as in the exercise area, a guardian's ward has been placed in the hall. As you know, it is possible to disguise all wounds received in this space. There are three levels: Basic, Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. And on top of that, there is the Wandspeak level. The guardian wards fall under this category. But...

Oswald had a choice of words.
Should he tell them or not?
And if so, how should he tell them?

Perhaps the magic that Nito possesses is even more powerful than that which he possesses. This is magic that even I don't know about, and if he is serious, the Guardian Wards are nothing more than a trivial spell. Your life depends on it. I've instructed Nito not to show his true colors.

Saeki didn't understand the meaning of that word.
It was the first time he had ever heard of a 'wandspeak' level.

"What level of magic do you have in your possession now?

...advanced.

"Advanced magic... but perhaps only in the 'mallet series'?　No, it's fine. In fact, as long as you are able to handle a high level of skill at your age, you are excellent. And that's no different. But this is not the case with Nito. He is an exception. You may have your mind made up, but you are no match for him. Of course you should go to him with all your might, but that won't do you any good.

Saeki thinks about the meaning of Oswald's words.
But there is no way to know.
There is a limit to what you can imagine.
To Saeki, who seemed to have discovered magic just recently, 'advanced magic' was an advanced and powerful thing.
Of course, that is a fact, and it is no different for other mages.
But there is a higher level in the world, and Nito says it is even higher than that.
Such a story was not something that could be believed by any means.

But that was not the fundamental purpose for Saeki.

''Sensei, do you know of an organization called the 'Dragon's Heart'?''

Oswald puts a question mark on the question.

'Of course I know that, but...'

So who's stronger, the dragon's heart or Nito?

Oswald combed his long beard with the palm of his hand, searching for the heart of his words.
Then he began to speak slowly.

The Heart of the Dragon is a mysterious organization of which we do not know much. I don't have the information to answer that question. But.....

"...hmm?　What is it?

I'm afraid Nito is equal to or better than that, in my opinion.

Then hearing those words, Saeki sat up.

''It's enough to know that much.''

Oswald had no idea what the word meant.
What did Saeki agree with?

'It doesn't change anything you say anyway, does it?　So I have to be in the game anyway?

Well that's the way it should be.

'If I said no, were you going to pick another student at random?　The point is, all you have to do is show Nito fighting, right?

I'm not sure...

'Well, I don't mind. I'll be at the game.

I'm sorry.

'No, I'm rather grateful. I didn't expect to fight someone so strong so quickly. Besides, my opponent is an S-ranked adventurer, a hero of Razhuisen.

....

They're all good.

Then, after saying just that, he left the room without refusal.


Oswald did not have the luxury of time to blame Saeki.
If the school hadn't been tied to someone like an investor, he wouldn't have been this insolent in ignoring the students.
The world may be a good mage, but they can't help themselves in the face of power.


After Saeki left, an announcement was made in Fischanatica's school, announcing the representative of Heilkwaite.