Thud.

Emily, who looked as if she had been possessed by a goblin, dropped the soft cone she was holding in her hand.

"...You, why are you?"

She pointed at us with trembling fingers.

"Oh, what a coincidence to meet Mary and Ken Feinstein here."

Adrian, who was with Emily, waved his hand with a bright smile.

I glanced sideways at Mary.

I was observing Mary's expression because she was witnessing Adrian, whom she had taken an interest in during the game, with Emily.

Even if their event had not yet occurred in the game, she must have had some level of curiosity about this.

Thus, I checked her expression.

'...Huh?'

For some reason, Mary was smiling faintly.

"Are you two enjoying the festival together?"

Adrian, who had been greeting us, asked further.

I shifted my gaze from Mary to Emily and her group. Emily's expression was still stiff.

"Yes, we're enjoying it together. Ken recommended it."

Mary answered instead of me. It seemed like she was somehow holding onto my arm.

At the same time, Emily, who was in front of us, opened her mouth with her hand still trembling.

"Why are you...

Why?"

Even if she asked why, there would be too much to explain in detail.

To start, I would need to talk about Siegfreid’s story.

So, I was about to just brush it off.

"Indeed.

Why?"

Mary, who was beside me, also looked at me and asked.

She seemed to be enjoying it with a smile.

"Oh, is that so? Are you two in some special relationship?"

Adrian, who added to the conversation with a look of genuine interest, asked. He was looking at us with a sense of genuine curiosity.

'Hmm... this is troublesome.'

It seems that he has no interest in Mary at all.

Since I didn't want our presence with Mary to become Adrian's source of amusement, I immediately tried to deny it.

But after thinking about it, I realized.

'This is a good chance to naturally check the progress of my relationship with Emily.'

It was a valuable opportunity. Adrian and Emily's favourability was a crucial indicator towards the ending.

I couldn’t miss this chance.

I immediately changed my response.

"Well, I happened to get tickets to the swordsmanship tournament. If anything about this is special, it would be because of Mary."

If asked whether it's special, I would answer it is special.

After all, Mary is someone who always helps me, and I am grateful for that.

Huh?

For some reason, Mary’s grip on my arm seemed to tighten.

But I quickly turned my gaze to Adrian. Now was the time.

"Then what about you two? Seeing you both at the festival, you don’t seem like just ordinary friends."

Good, not a bad question. It wasn’t too rude and was naturally fitting in the flow of the conversation.

I intended to gauge Adrian's favourability based on his reaction to this question.

As I tried to confirm his reaction.

"I see, Emily and I..."

"We're just friends! Just close friends who came out together, okay?!"

"...So, she says."

Emily interrupted Adrian's explanation and shouted that.

No, if you answer, it won't have much meaning...

"More importantly, what does 'special' mean? Be specific!"

"Ken, it's about time for the tournament to start."

Emily suddenly approached us, ignoring her surroundings, and Mary pulled me away.

"Whoa! Wait a minute, Mary! You're going to fall!"

Despite my words, Mary didn’t stop and continued pulling me as we ran. We naturally moved away from Emily and the others.

The shrinking figure of Emily stood in place, watching us.

Guided by Mary, we arrived at the tournament venue.

The swordsmanship tournament takes place in a coliseum-style arena within the city.

It’s questionable why a coliseum exists in such a city, but it’s game setting, after all.

We submitted our entry tickets and sat in a suitable spot.

"So, Ken, who are you cheering for?"

"Siegfreid, a senior from the third year, is participating."

"Oh, the one with the black hair..."

"Do you know him?"

"Yes, he doesn’t use magic at all, but his practical results are impressive, so I remember him."

Students at the academy are often talented.

Among them, Mary, who excels in magic, would definitely remember someone like Siegfreid, who is strong without using magic.

However, Siegfreid doesn’t just avoid using magic; he is unable to use it. He lacks magical talent along with the inherent skill.

What he possesses is pure swordsmanship and physical attack skills.

Mainly enhancement and powerful strike skills.

"Even so, being in the top 10 of the third-year class is extraordinary."

Most students at the academy are adept in both swordsmanship and magical abilities.

Additionally, they use their unique skills to execute unpredictable combat.

Being in the top ranks solely based on physical prowess is remarkable.

"Oh, it's starting."

At Mary’s voice, I focused on the match.

Siegfreid caressed the hilt of the sword Ken had made for him.

"Will this help?"

This tournament is special for Siegfreid.

It is the first time he can prove a promise he made with his childhood friend.

In the distant audience seats, a girl with pink hair waved at him.

"Sieg! Do your best!

You absolutely have to win!"

A girl who, for some reason, was even more nervous than Siegfreid himself, shouted with enthusiasm.

Her name is Elise Granville. She is a friend and a sister-like figure whom Siegfreid vowed to protect.

"If you don’t win, you won’t get any food!"

In a way, she could be seen as an older sister.

Siegfreid smiled slightly as he thought about it.

A dear friend with a fiery and emotional personality who always seeks him out when things don’t go well.

A precious promise with such a friend.

"This tournament, I will definitely win."

Siegfreid steeled his resolve. His eyes shone with sharp determination and willpower.

"Indeed, Siegfreid is strong."

Ken's evaluation while watching the match with Mary.

Certainly, as a top-ranked student of the third year, Siegfreid quickly won the first round. His performance was like a black lightning bolt.

Despite the name of the swordsmanship tournament, which allows magic and skills freely, Siegfreid quickly closed the distance, ignoring the fireballs thrown by his opponent.

With a sound like thunder, the ground where he stood was torn up.

In the blink of an eye, he was in front of his opponent.

And the sight was of a black sword strike.

The black trajectory caused an enormous sword wind.

Crash!

"...Gah!"

The opponent was slammed into the arena’s outer wall like a cannonball, breaking it.

‘So scary.’

The calm but sharp eyes of Siegfreid.

Is this the sight of a future Sword Saint and Dragon Slayer?

Ken felt a shiver running through his body as he watched Siegfreid’s strength.

"Winner: Siegfreid Gardner!"

When the opponent’s scarecrow couldn’t withstand the impact and broke, the match ended.

The arena was filled with cheers and applause.

‘It feels like a finale response.’

The audience was thrilled with the match.

Such overwhelming strength was centred around Siegfreid.

"Oh, so that’s how it’s decided."

"It’s probably because it would be problematic if someone really got hurt."

Since it was her first time seeing such a tournament, Mary seemed more interested in the broken scarecrow doll than Siegfreid.

In the tournament, magic dolls are used as a measure to prevent injuries.

The scarecrow dolls, set up through a simplified contract, receive fatal injuries in place of the players if they are in danger, thus breaking and ending the match.

Winning is based on breaking the scarecrow.

"With this level of skill, Siegfreid is likely to win."

Mary’s impression after watching the first round.

And Siegfreid’s own thought after finishing the first round was similar.

"It seems that this sword won’t have much use."

Siegfreid touched the hilt of the black sword and looked towards Ken in the audience.

Although he was grateful for the well-made sword, if the tournament was at this level, he could have won with just a wooden sword.

But Ken’s opinion was different.

‘That part is truly a malicious design by the creators...’

Siegfreid is certainly strong. Perhaps stronger than anyone else in this place right now.

Yet even so...

In [Epiris Academy], unique skills are hidden cards that can overturn such strength.

"Kyahaha! Got you, Siegfreid!"

The unexpected event happened in the finals.

It occurred with a red-haired, unruly opponent.

‘...Damn it.’

Siegfreid was unable to move.

‘Is there no way?’

To be precise, he could move his arm slightly while holding the sword, but his overall movement was sealed.

‘That must be his unique skill...’

Ken recalled the settings as he looked at the bizarre doll in the opponent’s hand.

The eyes of the doll were coated with the blood from the earlier minor wound Siegfreid had received.

"Kyahaha! How fitting! How fitting!

I’ve been eagerly waiting for this day when you, always so proud, would face this!"

The opponent, who didn’t let Siegfreid move, mocked him with glee.

As if enjoying it immensely.

Mocking him with a smile.

But Siegfreid’s confusion outweighed his embarrassment.

"...Do you know me?"

"How dare you!!"

The opponent, who was laughing, hardened his face and yelled with curses that echoed through the arena.

"You... you don’t know me?

How can you not know this ‘Kazin,’ who’s always stuck at 11th place because of you?!"

"..."

Kazin, the man, pointed a trembling finger at Siegfreid.

Siegfreid, who had been watching with a stiff face, answered.

"Sorry, I don’t know you."

"You bastard!!!"

Kazin’s waist bent back as he screamed in frustration.

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