Chapter 142: Greeting is Basic!

The graduation festival is being held in the schoolyard, which is the largest in the academy. Perhaps they have a lot of budgets, they set up a temporary arena and spectator seats in this place every year. The stage for our battle is a thick slab of stone formed into a square, and we will lose if we fainted, give up, or out of the stage. Also, if the referee decides that it’s impossible to continue, the match will be settled at that point. The weapon used is limited to the staff you applied beforehand and you are not allowed to kill your opponent. ‘Let’s fight fair and square,’ is the official’s slogan.

「We will now begin the first match between Solte and Haruna. We will now begin the first match between Sorte and Haruna. Both players should go up to the center stage with your staves that have been approved.」

An announcement came from the broadcasting department. Finally, the graduation festival is about to begin. Karua and the others seem to be watching the match in the spectators’ seats, but I’m standing by near the entrance to the stage, waiting for the match after Solte’s match. …… Also, I couldn’t stay with them in that mood.

Looking at the stage, Solte is about to head there.

「… Solte, do your best!」

「Yes. That word alone is enough for me.」

She smiled for a moment, turned around, and went up to the stage. She’s holding a handmade wooden staff in her hand. A year ago, as part of a class at the academy, we had to make our own staves. At that time, we searched the material tree by ourselves. And while being an amateur, we weaved our magic power into them, carefully took the time to create them. Her staff is that staff.

The others were from good families, so they made the staff only for the lesson. After that, they used other staves. I and Solte, who are not from wealthy families, are still using those staves even now.

Still, you can’t make fool of them. In order to make good staves, we carefully selected the material from a tree with abundant magic power in the deep of the forest, and the production time was twice as long as usual. We were teased for being slow, but we made fairly good staves as a result. Because we made them ourselves, the compatibility of the magic power is outstanding and the ability is better than some of the more expensive staves out there. At that time, I was proud and felt triumphal.

「We also won the slots to participate in the graduation festival while using such staves. It’s very emotional. That’s why don’t you lose, Solte. After all, you are a comrade who crawled around on the ground and worked hard together with me…!」

Solte is already on the stage and is waiting for her opponent, the girl named Haruna. ……How should I put this, I feel nervous even though it’s not my turn. This peculiar atmosphere, getting excited? Anyway, I can’t calm myself down.

「Haruna, are you here? Please enter the stage.」

「Ah, yes! I’m sorry, I’m coming」

Answering the broadcast, she raised her voice from the entrance on the other side. Apparently, she was about to be late. I feel a sense of closeness――

「I’m sorry to keep you waiting~. Phew, I got lost when I went to the toilet.」

――Sense of closeness…?

「… Huh? Could it be that I didn’t make it in time? Did I just a bit too late?」

Looking at her appearing from her entrance, the venue went silent. Or rather, looking at the staff she is holding. The staff is taller than her body, entirely dyed black, and has a vicious blade on the top. She seems to be carrying it lightly, but in reality, I think it has tremendous weight. As she walks on the lawn, she leaves a clear, small footprint on it. Isn’t it dangerous if she jumps even a little?

「H-Hey, is that a staff!?」

「No, no matter how you look at it, it’s an axe weapon, right? It has a blade on it after all.」

「But, the staff of President Therese has a shield on it…」

「More importantly, how can she hold it normally? It’s made of metal, right?」

Whether she noticed the surprise and astonishment of the surroundings or not, she is panicking, worrying about her lateness.

「A-Ah, no… I’m sorry. You are still on time, so please come to the stage.」

「T-Thank goodness. If I got disqualified because of this, I would be too ashamed to meet Shishō.」

With a sigh of relief, she goes up to the stage. Perhaps it’s just my imagination, but I feel like the ground is screaming every time she walks.

「I would like to inform everyone in advance. We, the administration and the teachers, have already checked the staves that the contestants will be using. There may be some staves that don’t look like ones, just like Haruna’s staff this time. But, by confirming the activation of Staff Arts skill, we decided to allow these staves. Since it was a judgment based on the magic item that has been handed down to our academy for generations, I hereby declare that there’s no injustice.」

The management and broadcasting department seem to have anticipated this situation. They skillfully answered the question that everyone had. But, is it really okay to allow such a staff!? The student council president Therese’s staff is a defensive staff and she’s a person that can be trusted, but that thing is something to kill no matter how you look at it! It was made to kill people, right!?

「You are Solte-san, right? Let’s do our best today! It is a great honor to be able to fight the student who represents Adelheit Magic Academy!」

「It’s an honor for me too, Haruna-san. I will do it with the intention of learning from you.」

「Ahaha~. My chest is not good enough to lend to you. Rather, I want to borrow Solte-san’s chest!」

「………」

(TLn : 胸を借りる means practice with someone of higher skill, or something along this line. Literally, it also means borrow chest.)

Haruna talks to Solte with a friendly smile, just like when she greeted me. It’s not the face of someone who is about to fight. Also, it’s hard to judge whether she was joking or serious when saying that. Don’t let your guard down, Solte. Especially, be careful of that staff! I could only think so toward Solte.

「――We will begin the match. Both players should stand at the starting line on the stage. Are you ready?」

「Anytime.」

「I’m ready!」

「Thank you. Well then―― begin!」

The fire magic that signaled the start of the match flew up from outside the stage into the sky.

「Diesefilt.」

「――!?」

As soon as the signal fire appeared, the stage was instantly enveloped in darkness. It was as if a large amount of octopus ink had been sprayed all over the place, making it all black and impossible to see inside. It seems that the spectators can’t see inside too, they are all leaning out of their seats.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

And then, I saw it. Just before the stage was enveloped in darkness, I saw Haruna’s eyes changed into those of a different person. Even though she was far away, I felt a cold sensation on my back.

『Don’t be fooled by what you see and don’t let your guard down desuwa.』

The words of President Therese are replayed in my head. Ahh, so that’s what she meant. That girl’s eyes are not something you should see face-to-face. All I can do now is shout to tell Solte to be careful.

「She’s a dark magic user! Solte, be caref――」

However, everything was too late. As if to interrupt my shout, something jumped out of the darkness. Vigorously and without hesitation. It’s only a few seconds since the match started. Just what was jumped out? A staff? Magic? Yeah, I know. I know it. That was a figure I’ve grown accustomed to seeing in the academy. There’s no way I could mistake it for something else.

「S-Solteee――!?」

It was Solte, she got blown away to the outside of the stage. She bleeds fresh blood from her mouth and her favorite staff in her hand is broken from the middle. I can’t see other wounds from here. With various feelings mixed inside me, I unconsciously started to run.

「T-The match is over! Winner, Haruna Katsuragi!」

「This is not good. Medical team and stretcher, come quickly!」

「Solte, Solte!」

The teacher who was nearby and I rushed to Solte. The darkness was already cleared by that time. When the darkness disappeared, Haruna was standing at the starting position where Solte was standing and then opened her mouth with a very satisfied expression.

「Thank you very much!」