“Everyone, please follow the event staff’s instructions!”
“Please line up! Cutting in line or trading places is prohibited!”
Before anyone realized it, the day of the No Entrance Exam Festival had arrived.
Even though it was early in the morning, the inside of the academy was bustling with activity as they welcomed guests.
Despite the academy grounds being the size of a small town, the crowd that had gathered to witness its fame made it tough for the management staff from the early hours.
“So? Are you ready?”
“Uh-huh… I did my best, but I’m not really sure…”
It was still morning, before the festival had officially begun.
Once the spectators filled the grand dueling arena in about an hour, that would mark the real start of the festival.
Honestly, since I wasn’t participating, I could just sit back and enjoy it. But since my childhood friend Pollo was competing, I couldn’t just not cheer him on.
The girls were taking a long time with makeup and accessories, so I decided to meet up with another guy like Pollo first.
The festival was scheduled to run for four days in total:
Day 1 was for the preliminaries.
Day 2 was the main tournament.
Day 3 would cover the quarterfinals and semifinals.
And on Day 4, the finals would be held.
For reference, the Saintess’s divine blessing ceremony was planned as a congratulatory event on the fourth day, after the finals.
“Have they decided your opponent?”
“Yeah. Seems like it’s another first-year student from Campbell Academy.”
That makes things easier.
It may be overshadowed by my own presence, but Pollo was actually incredibly skilled himself.
He was not a count’s son for nothing.
Pollo wouldn’t lose to just any opponent. That’s part of the reason I felt so at ease.
He might come off as a bit naïve because of his kind and considerate nature, but when it comes to swordsmanship, he was on a different level. He was personally trained by the count, after all.
Until I had my awakening and came into my own, I used to lose to Pollo all the time.
“I know you well, and there just aren’t many people out there who can beat you. Even if you do lose, that defeat can be a valuable experience to help you grow, so there’s no need to be too tense.”
“Hehe, thanks.”
When I patted him on the shoulder to cheer him up, Pollo gave a goofy smile and thanked me.
I glanced around and saw that aside from Pollo, plenty of other students were also getting ready for the upcoming preliminaries.
If there was one thing they all had in common, it was that their faces looked absolutely grim.
“I can do this, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this…”
“Ugh… Ah! My stomach suddenly hurts…!”
Tremble, tremble, tremble, tremble.
Not that I couldn’t understand their nerves.
Since this was a match-up between promising students from different academies, it was bound to attract attention from top figures in each country.
Maintaining composure under that many watchful eyes was no easy task for such young students.
If it were an average student, they’d be crushed by the pressure and anxiety. But with this guy, I didn’t need to worry.
“Do your best. I’ll be cheering you on.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Are the others still getting ready? Honestly, women always have so much to fuss over…”
“I’m sure they’ll be here soon. They’re not the type to be late.”
“Yeah, true.”
It’s not like I was particularly worried, but since they were fellow club members I’d known for a while, I figured it would be good to give them some encouragement.
“I’m gonna stop by the restroom real quick.”
Before meeting up with the others, I headed toward the dorms to use the bathroom.
It was a bit of a walk, but it would definitely be more comfortable than using the main building’s restrooms, which were packed with people.
As I was leaving the dorm restroom and making my way back to the main building,
I spotted a woman with blue hair walking absentmindedly in front of the dormitory.
I don’t think I’ve seen her before.
I didn’t know every single person at the academy, but if someone that striking had been around, rumors would’ve definitely spread.
On top of that, the aura she gave off made it clear she wasn’t just some ordinary person. She was clearly strong.
“Hmm. Now where should I go…”
“Excuse me.”
At my call, the woman slowly turned her head.
With a somewhat blank look in her eyes, she tilted her head and stared at me.
“……”
“……”
“……”
“Uhh… You’re lost, right? If you don’t mind—”
“No. I’m not lost.”
“……”
Oh boy.
My head started to ache just a little as I looked at the blue-haired woman who, despite the situation, proudly declared her stance. She was clearly too proud to admit the truth.
***
Frezia Auros.
The only daughter of Duke Auros, the guardian of the Northern Mountains. She was a swordswoman of exceptional skill.
Now that she was a first-year student at Bellum Academy, she had it all….looks, talent, and personality.
With nothing lacking, she stood out in every way, earning affection not just from her fellow students but also from the faculty.
On top of that, her talent as a swordswoman was remarkable, to the point where the swordsmanship professor praised her endlessly and held her up as a role model for many students.
However, if there was one flaw—
“Where am I?”
—it was her terrible sense of direction.
Even as a freshman at Bellum Academy, she got lost constantly, to the point where the headmaster firmly insisted she always carry a beacon device to show her location.
So, wherever she went, she brought the beacon along.
The problem was, during a visit to Amor Academy, she lost that device.
And so, unaware of where she was, she wandered around until she ended up in front of the boys’ dormitory.
“…The Inter-Academy Tournament is about to start. Where do I go…?”
– Frezia! You are our last hope. Please, win this tournament and fulfill this headmaster’s long-cherished wish!!
She recalled how the headmaster of Bellum Academy had grabbed her hands just a few days earlier with his eyes brimming with tears as he urged her to win the tournament—
And that’s when she fully realized just how awkward her current situation was.
Determined to find her way back to the opening ceremony venue, she scanned the surrounding buildings.
“Hmm. Which way should I go?”
“Excuse me.”
A sudden voice called out to her.
When she turned her head, she saw a man standing there.
Black hair and brown eyes.
He had a slightly exotic look and a rather handsome face. He looked at her with concern.
“……”
“……”
“……”
“Uhh… You’re lost, right? If you don’t mind—”
Twitch.
The question of whether she was lost coming from a man she had never met before made her pride flare up for a moment.
Back at the academy, she was a model student and respected by everyone. The thought of being seen wandering around lost at another academy was too embarrassing to bear.
An odd impulse surged within her: she just couldn’t bring herself to admit it.
“No. I’m not lost.”
“……”
The man looked genuinely dumbfounded by her response.
Although she felt a bit embarrassed by her knee-jerk reaction, she decided to carry herself with confidence now that things had come this far.
“I see. Well then, carry on.”
As the man abruptly turned and walked away, Frezia grew restless. She started wondering if she should just swallow her pride and ask him for directions.
The thought that she might not even make it to the opening ceremony of the No Entrance Exam Festival filled her with worry. Just as she was debating whether to stop the man in his tracks, he muttered under his breath.
“Hmm, guess I should head to the festival now~ The way’s this direction~”
“!!”
With those words, the man started walking slowly, and although it was awkward, Frezia quietly trailed after him.
His… back is broad.
She thought to herself as she followed him. At some point, the path ahead started to look familiar.
“If you keep going straight from here, you’ll reach the waiting area. The other participants from your academy should be there, so you’ll find them easily.”
“Th-Thank… you.”
“No problem. You’re competing in the No Entrance Exam Festival today, right? Sword or magic?”
“Sword…”
At her answer, the man’s eyes lit up slightly, and he gave her a friendly smile. Frezia blinked in surprise at his reaction.
“So you’re a swordsman too. I’m looking forward to it now. Do you have a goal in mind?”
“…To win.”
“!!”
She confidently declared her goal of winning, but to her surprise, he didn’t laugh or scoff.
“I see. Then good luck!”
Frezia felt something different stir within her. Something unlike the cheers she’d received from others when she heard the sincerity in his encouragement.
“Um… are you, by any chance, a student at Amor Academy?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then… do you know someone named Mars Noctus?”
“Ah… yeah, I do.”
The man averted his gaze slightly as he replied, and though his awkwardness showed, for some reason, Frezia felt a strong urge to share her true goal with him.
“I’m going to beat him. I don’t care if he’s a real Aura Lord or not. I want to show what real talent with the sword looks like.”
Though she was incredibly gifted, Frezia had always been compared to Mars Noctus ever since his sudden rise. She didn’t even know him personally, but the mere mention of his name filled her with jealousy.
Having grown up constantly praised as a genius, she couldn’t help but see Mars Noctus who had appeared out of nowhere and started to eclipse her reputation as a rival.
“If I win… I’m going to ask for a match with him. And I’m going to win. I’ll show everyone that I’m the better swordsman.”
“Uh… um…”
The man started sweating nervously.
Just then, the sound of cheering snapped Frezia back to reality, and she took off running toward the waiting area.
“Thank you. A-And good luck to you too!”
Though they’d only just met, there was something comforting about him. Leaving that feeling behind, Frezia headed to the waiting room with a light step.
“Should’ve just let her figure out the way herself…”
But in the end, she never heard the man’s late muttered regret.
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