“Is she alright, Sharl…?”
After hanging up the phone, I tilt my head.
I decide to give someone else a call.
“Helloooo? What’s up?”
After a while of ringing, the voice of Michelle comes through.
“Hello. Sorry for calling you suddenly.”
“Oh no, I just finished work and was relaxing at home.”
So, she’s on this side of the world right now.
“Sorry, but would you mind if I asked you something?”
“About the Magic Tournament?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Sure thing. Talking over the phone is kinda pointless, so come to the park over there.”
That’s the park where Sharl and I always practice martial arts. It’s also where I first met Michelle.
“Got it. I’ll be right there.”
“Okayyyy~”
After hanging up, I change into my workout clothes, leave the house, and run towards the park. There, sitting on the bench where Sharl and I usually meet, is Michelle waiting for me.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Oh no, my place is close by. Anyways, have a seat.”
Encouraged by Michelle, I sit down next to her.
“Starting as a teacher today, right?”
“That’s correct. Though I wasn’t assigned any specific classes, I’ve just been doing odd jobs.”
Working must be tough.
“Sorry for calling you on such a busy first day.”
“It’s alright, don’t worry about it. So, what do you want to ask me about the Magic Tournament?”
“Um… I don’t know if you’re aware, but why did it change so much?”
“Hmm… I guess you could say I do know something about that. By the way, what do you think?”
Michelle smiles at me while tapping her cheek with her finger.
“Well, I talked to Sharl earlier and she was saying it was La Folle’s scheme.”
“Huh? Scheme? What would La Folle gain from that?”
Michelle looks genuinely confused.
“Apparently, Toko lost to Sharl in a duel and now she wants revenge. It’s clear that Sharl will lose next time.”
“Ah, I see… That girl, is she strong-willed or not?”
“She’s strong-willed but carries a lot of insecurities. She’s very conscious about her low magic power and strength.”
“True, she doesn’t seem weak though. Her magic power isn’t that low, right?”
That’s true, her magic power isn’t low—compared to Toko, that is.
“Relative to Toko, yes. And with the whole Ivre and La Folle situation, those two are rivals. But since Sharl, from a martial family, has lower magic power and is weaker, she dwells on it. Especially since she’s the next head of the family.”
“Ah, I see… Well, I can kind of understand, but that girl is completely suited for a research role.”
“You get that?”
“Of course! She may come from a martial family, but she doesn’t seem like someone who’s ever held a sword.”
That’s probably true.
“Truthfully, she is quite weak. What makes her weak is… her overly kind nature—she’s not suited for battles.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“It’s definitely a compliment!”
“Try telling that to a martial family member—it’s more like a disqualification stamp.”
That might be true.
“Still, that’s just the reality. There are two kinds of people who are suited for battles.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
“One type of person can suppress their emotions—someone who doesn’t get angry and calmly carries out their tasks.”
Michelle and Chloe probably fit that description. Also, among my classmates, Frank is like this.
“I see. And the other type?”
“Some would call them passionate-hearted.”
“What would a harsher description be?”
“A barbarian.”
If I were to honestly say it plainly—that’s exactly what they are.
“Barbarian, huh…”
“Sharl is the type who hits back if hit. A timid person wouldn’t even be able to fight back in the first place.”
“So, is that good?”
“Not quite. Barbarians strike first at the mere hint of being hit.”
Ilmera and Yuika fall under this category.
“Ah, I see…”
“Sharl definitely has a competitive spirit. She has an unusually strong desire not to lose. But, her overly kind personality is her downfall. She hesitates to hurt others, which is fatal in a fight.”
“You’re really observant.”
“That’s because we spend almost every weekend together, and I teach her martial arts.”
To be honest, she’d never take the time to teach me like this if she weren’t so kind.
“This is serious… It’s completely beyond repair.”
Michelle crosses her legs, rests her chin on her hand, and gazes off into the distance.
“What is?”
“No, nothing. It’s just that someone as kind as Charlene would absolutely have no chance against Toko, right?”
“Pretty much impossible. Toko crushes her opponents with preemptive strikes.”
“She loses in magic power, martial arts, and even disposition. I get it now… there’s no way she’d win.”
Surprises don’t happen twice.
“Sharl understands this too. She was saying she’d never fight Toko again, but then this happened.”
“Of course she’d start claiming La Folle is pulling strings behind the scenes, huh?”
“Exactly. But, what’s really going on? Do you know anything?”
“No way. Why would La Folle, a research-focused family, care about winning a fight? Besides, what does it matter who wins among students? It’s just practice.”
Chloe said the same thing…
“Don’t overthink it.”
“She’s such a troublesome kid…”
“Are you saying Charlene is troublesome? Compared to my academic difficulties, she’s a breeze…”
Sorry…
“Ah… sorry about that.”
Stupid me, sorry…
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