Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330668938362906/episodes/16818023212114205040
By nature, underclassmen rarely duel with upperclassmen.
Of course, they may do so depending on club activities or examinations, but this is because it is not very beneficial for both parties.
Even if one of the upperclassmen or the underclassmen, or both of them, beat the higher-ranked person, there is no change in the ranking.
Conversely, if the higher-ranked person loses to the lower-ranked person, their ranking will drop, and the rankings of the other students in the same grade will simply move up.
When Adele and Serena fought, the situation was a bit special; therefore, they would rarely exchange fists with upperclassmen.
That is why this is Elesia’s first time facing an upperclassman.
(I don’t know how good she is, but…)
No holds barred.
Elesia points her finger at Cain and shoots out light from her fingertip without chanting.
However, Cain twisted his head and ducked while exchanging swords with Serena.
“Chantless, isn’t this year’s freshman a little too advanced?”
“For that reason, you can easily avoid it.”
“I’m sad to say that it’s my side of the story, though!”
Serena quickly swung her sword towards his side.
Then, Cain grabbed Serena’s wrist before she could shake it off, and then threw a kick.
“Kaha!?”
“You know?”
Serena’s body rolls up to Elesia’s.
“By the time you get to the second grade, more than half of the hundred or so students who have enrolled will have left the academy. The first exam doesn’t affect their grades, but that won’t be the case next time. A duel can turn a farce into hell.”
Cain then closed the gap to them with a single kick and swung his sword sideways as he did so.
As soon as she stepped forward with her sword over her head, Serena’s hands felt a shock that was too heavy for her.
“This is why most of the second graders are so grainy. Not to mention those who are in the top ranks among them.”
Cain swung his sword two or three times at Serena’s sword.
“So, I’m going to do my fair share of that, okay? So why don’t you get serious, Countess Prodigy.”
Elesia frowns as she meets Cain’s gaze.
Did he think I was holding back? Elesia lets out a small sigh.
“If I take a serious shot, this place will collapse. I don’t want to see this place fall apart, and I don’t want to see the audience get killed.”
“But if you don’t, it’s going to be the end.”
“But that doesn’t mean I’m going to cut corners.”
Elesia claps her hands.
Then, countless particles of light began to rise into the sky above.
“The maiden who has been blessed with the bounty of light, bless her equally.”
A chill ran down Cain’s back.
The gap between the two was so tight. He abandoned it and reflexively retreated backward.
At that moment, a particle of light pierced the spot where Cain had just been. The ground there was –melting with a puff of smoke.
“…If you get it right, I won’t be free.”
“Will you surrender?”
“No way.”
Cain ran across the ground once more.
“I know someone much nastier and more powerful than you.”
At the same time, Serena runs out.
From behind her, Elesia’s floating sphere rains down.
It’s an amazing operational sense. She spreads a barrage of magic in synchronization with Serena’s movements to avoid hitting her allies, inevitably reducing the opponent’s escape routes.
“You’re doing too good a job of that, aren’t you, Elesia sama?”
“A mage’s main job is to provide rear support.”
If even one shot hit him, it would penetrate his body as he melted.
That fear should have struck Cain ……, but for some reason he was not frightened.
Although she was making fun of him, Elesia was feeling quite uneasy about it.
Then, while Cain was exchanging words with Serena, he grabbed the girl by the scruff of her neck and threw her on her back with one hand, as if they had switched places.
“……!?”
“I fell behind in that two-on-one, but that’s how it’s supposed to be.”
Serena bites her lip as she is knocked to the ground.
(It’s a monster to be able to stand around in this situation, isn’t it? ……!)
She feels like she hasn’t been of much use since the beginning.
It is true that they are doing well to avoid being killed. After all, he just want to push through, not kill or injure.
However, the sword she uses doesn’t have a blade, and even if she really hit someone, she won’t be able to cut consciousness with a single blow unless she hits hard.
She is cutting corners, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t serious.
Nevertheless, the second place in the ranking of the second grade is still standing around with impunity.
This is the difference between first and second grade.
Serena swung her sword in a fallen state and showed at least some resistance, but her wrists were held by her feet and she failed to strike.
“But I don’t understand.”
Elesia speaks up as light shoots out from her fingertips.
“Is it possible to cause such a brazen incident and get away with it? I don’t feel any murderous intent, but it’s clearly an obstruction equivalent to being expelled from school, isn’t it?”
“It’s a big deal, sure, but a big deal is nothing if the people around you don’t understand it.”
Cain evades the light by twisting himself.
“Our heretics specialize in creating false images. As we speak, there’s a virtual image of me and you in the auditorium with everyone else—in other words, you’ve already passed the test.”
“…………”
“So, if you were to accuse me of fraud here, one would just think, ‘What are you talking about?’
They’ll just think, This is the insurance we have.”
If someone who has already passed says, “We were sabotaged!”, no one believes them.
After all, they were there just now.
And why would they do such a thing when they have passed? It only makes them disbelieve.
Therefore, Cain and his team were careful not to put the person and the false image in the same space, and it was enough to go back.
The opinion of the many who believed the lie is better than the opinion of the few.
Cain and his team knew from their past experience that this was the way things were supposed to go.
“So give up, please.”
With a look akin to a plea, Cain finally approaches Elesia’s side.
At that moment, Elesia…
“…… like you, I’m not particularly attached to the academy.”
She put one hand on her clenched fist.
And when she widened it – for some reason, a sword of light blinking from between them.
“The only thing that matters is master’s body and the path he takes.”
What is it? Cain’s brain is filled with questions.
“Completed, the Sword of Light.”
But it doesn’t matter.
At this distance, it is faster to swing the sword than to use magic.
Therefore, without hesitation, Cain swung his sword sideways with the same force he was approached.
And Elesia’s sword was placed in its orbit to prevent it.
“I have studied in the Marquise of Astia…”
Then, just as the swords met, the sword slipped and melted in half.
“Surprisingly, it seems that a knight is surprised by any human being when he loses his partner.”
Cain does not know.
This sword is an aggregate of the particles.
When converged, the sun’s rays generate tremendous heat. Just as light collected by a magnifying glass and shone on a piece of paper will cause it to burn.
In other words, Elesia’s sword is a magical sword that has more heat than fire.
Its power is a blade that melts even iron.
“Ha…?”
Just as Elesia said, a momentary blank is created in Cain’s brain.
At that moment, Serena, who stood up behind him and held the sword at the ready, showed a bitter smile.
“Really, I don’t want to make Elesia sama my enemy.”
Right after that, Gooonk!!!
A dull sound echoed in Cain’s ears at the same time as the pain that ran through his skull.
(…..Ah, I see.)
I lost, he thought.
In his fading vision, he suddenly thought of that.
And then…
[You are not suited for the villain’s side. After all, you are a gentle person.]
─ ─ ─ For some reason, at the end, the image of a beautiful girl with peach-colored hair appeared in his mind.
“Let’s get going, Serena.”
“Indeed,…… our second rank is also a monster, isn’t it?”
Here and now, the battle of the followers, which was carried out in secret, comes to an end.
Once again, an underclassman scored a win, resulting in an upset.
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