The entrance ceremony was over and normal classes had begun at the Adventurer's School.

　A peaceful schoolhouse.
　The students, sleeved in their brand-new uniforms, sat quietly and listened to the knowledge of the instructor who was teaching them.

　But that is superficial.
　The new primary students were fidgeting with something else.

　Namely, getting personnel for the party.

　In a month's time, they would begin field testing the party.
　By then, we'll have to put together a party of four to six people.

　Partying is a big part of your grade.
　The best way to get a good grade quickly is to gather talented people.
　That's why a battle for the top performers naturally begins.

''Kya!

　A scream goes up in the school after school.
　The voice was Sarasa Vargard.
　She fell on her buttocks and the impact caused the glasses she was wearing to slip off.
　I hurriedly put them back on and looked up.

　Looking up, I saw a group of female students.
　They were looking down at Sarasa with the twilight sky in the background.
　Their eyes were somewhat dim and seemed quietly angry.

　The habit-haired female student at the front of the group says, her face contorted.

''Where's Lacelle-kun!

　A keening sound in her ears.
　Without a second thought, Sarasa closed her eyes.
　She opened her eyelids again, but the reality didn't return.
　The three schoolgirls looked down at Sarasa, unmoving.

''Sh, I don't know...''

It's a lie!

　The female student shouted again.
　She was sniffling and excited.
　Her pupils are unfocused, and her eyes are unfocused.

'You're the girl who's always hooking up with Lacelle-kun, aren't you?
How could you not know?
Say it!

You really want to... You just want to have Lacelle-kun all to yourself, don't you?

　A schoolgirl with habitual hair approaches my face.
　Their eyes are so sharp, it's as if they're looking into my brain.

　Their purpose is clear.
　To get Lacelle into the party and become a high achiever.
　In addition, they want that angelic, innocent-looking boy to be theirs.
　It was such a simple desire that was on full display.

　The bad news is that these girls are not noblemen.
　They came from the same commoner background as Sarasa.
　Hence, it seems that even though they are nobles, the [villager] Lasell is easy to relate to.

　There were some people from commoner backgrounds who believed in [villager] Lacelle.

　However, they hadn't been able to discover Lacelle Singh Stark.
　Even if they were staked out in the classroom at the end of class, he would be gone before they knew it.

　Disgusted, they turn to Sarasa, who is a close friend of Lacel's, for help.
　That's how it ended up here.

We're not demons either. If you join our party, Lacelle, we will let you in, too. That's not a bad deal. But only if you tell us where you are.

　Their admissions scores were 17th, 38th and 72nd, which is not bad.
　If you add Lasell to that list, being the top graduate is not a dream.
　Unlike the nobles, it's a title they want by the throat for a commoner with no connections.

　That's enough to get scouts from the merchant corps of great merchants, knights, or high ranking parties.......

　But Sarasa.........

''I refuse!

What did you say?

I can't be the one to sell out my friends!

　Sarasa's pale green eyes glowed.
　This time, the schoolgirl was the one who was frightened.
　She looked at Sarasa, who stripped away her hostility, and took a step backwards.

　The female student was frightened for a while, but eventually she exhaled deeply.
　The corner of her mouth goes up in an ugly smile.

'You know. You must have misunderstood something.

What?

You know what? You're sure Lacelle will choose me, aren't you?

I don't think that's--

No way, ugly!

　The schoolgirl spat.

'You're a liability. I'm sure Mr. Racel feels the same way. 'Annoying!'　
You and Mr. Racel don't mix so well.
'Let some aristocrat flirt with you and touch you with his uselessly large breasts!

I'm out of proportion to you, Racel.

　Kera Kera, the female students laughed.
　Some pointed their fingers, others held their bellies and made fun of them.
　Crazy, mad laughter and jealousy swirled around Sarasa.

　Kneeling alone, Sarasa finally opened her mouth.

'I know that,'

What?

　The female students stopped moving.
　Sarasa stood up slowly.

''It's only that me and Lacelle-kun don't match up...''

Yes. What the... You know what I'm talking about. So....

That's why I want to be strong...

'What?　What are you talking--

'I want to be as strong as you, Lacelle!　I want to be strong enough that he can't ignore me!　I don't want to choose Lacelle-kun, I want to be strong enough for Lacelle-kun to choose me!

What do you mean by that, you don't know what you're talking about?

　The slapper flew in.
　It's quite sharp.
　He seems to be trained in his own way.
　The opponent seems to be a 【Warrior (Warrior)】.

　However, Sarasa isn't keeping quiet either.

　She easily evades the female student's attack.
　I didn't use [Future Vision].
　This is because the use of magic outside of class is against the school's rules.
　There was no need to use it in the first place.

　--This kind of attack compared to Lacelle-kun's special training........

　Sarasa takes the female student's hand.
　As it was, she went around her back and twisted her arm up.

''Ouch!　Ita-ta-ta-ta-ta!

　The female students scream.
　The other two could only stare in amazement at the brilliant move.
　Meanwhile, Sarasa's eyes grew even sharper.

''You won't understand why, you guys!

What did you say?

''You try to put aside your own abilities and hang on to Lacelle-kun's strength. ........You are much more out of balance with Lacelle-kun than you are with him!

Yuck!

　The female student finally activated her magic.
　[Warrior (Warrior)]'s [Strengthen Muscle Mass] is deployed.
　In an instant, she unwrapped her hand.

　She turns to Sarasa.
　Then 【Warrior】 pulled out a slender sword.

''He says I'm not balanced with Lacelle-kun.

'If you can't hear me, I'll say it again. I have no ambition like you. You are a weak-minded girl, Mr. Racel...!


　I hate it, I think!


Shut up!

　The female student thrusts out her sword.
　Fast.
　A trained [Warrior] stab.
　Even if she had activated her 【Future Vision】, I don't know if she could have avoided it.

　The only thing Sarasa could do was to see the trajectory of the sword.
　Slowly the thin tip of the sword was sucked into the girl's side.

　--Ah..... I can't dodge it. It's no good, me. I'm still weak.

　Sarasa's eyelids close.
　That was the moment.


　Ballyhoo!


　A metallic sound echoed.
　With a whoosh, something cut through the air on the side.
　A moment later, with a binging sound, the tip of a fine sword stabbed into a nearby tree.

　I lifted my closed eyelids.
　The sunset.
　A large stretched shadow.
　Sarasa's chest squeezed when she saw the profile that was bathed in the full light of twilight.

''Lacelle-kun...''

　I felt like I was going to cry.

　And the three female students also looked like they were about to cry in a different way.

''Rah, Lacelle-kun........''

　I swooned as if I were an actor in a world-attracting theater company.
　But in an instant, the look on his face turned to horror.

　Gasp!

　In the next moment, a palm strike slammed into the face of the schoolgirl who was holding the fine sword.
　The tremendous impact effortlessly blew the light girl away.
　As she spun in a cone-rubbing fashion, she crashed straight into the magical silver wall.

''You!　What are you doing?
How dare you!

　The other two take out their weapons.
　Apparently, both of them are 【Blacksmith (Blacksmith)】.
　Activating magic, he grants 【Sharpening】 to the blade he held.

　I kicked the ground and stood against Lacelle, who was in love with me.

　But--.

　[Lightning strike]

　Relentlessly, lightning attribute magic poured down.
　In the blink of an eye, it dyed the surroundings pale and white.
　A sharp sound cut through Sarasa's inner ear.

　The next time I checked, the two of them had fallen to the ground.
　They didn't move even a twitch, but they seemed to be conscious.

　--Wow.........

　I was incapacitated in an instant.
　This is despite the fact that he was never weak.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. You're strong, Lacelle-kun.

　When she was out of it, Sarasa suddenly lost consciousness.