Chapter 106

“And what is the reason?”

Though I felt a little deflated, it was something I had to ask.

“Well… there are a few reasons, but first, it concerns you.”

Eh? Me?

“Is it my fault?”

Sharl, I’m sorry!

“It’s not like that. The relationship with other towns has grown complicated, so we’re considering some sort of crisis management or self-defense measures. These days, wizards who don’t fight really don’t fight at all. That’s the problem.”

“Isn’t the idea that fighting isn’t a good thing?”

“Using martial arts to fight and using martial arts to protect oneself are different. This isn’t just about the relationship with other towns—it’s about having self-defense options.”

“I guess I can understand that. After all, I’m teaching Sharl martial arts for similar reasons.”

“This is sudden.”

“It seems they’ve been considering it for a while. In fact, apparently, there’s been a demand from quite a long time ago. A lot of wizards aren’t prepared for one-on-one combat, and support or healing wizards who need the most practice don’t even participate because they know they’d have no chance of winning. That’s why they don’t join, which feels odd.”

“Why not include more drills in regular lessons? Twice a year seems too little.”

“That, too, is met with complaints. Things like, ‘It promotes war,’ or ‘It could lead to bullying.'”

Troublesome…

“Feels inefficient.”

“That’s how organizations work. You’ll understand when you grow up.”

Hmm…

“Can I tell Sharl about this?”

“Of course. Even the La Folle faction wouldn’t want to be hated due to a misunderstanding.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It must be tough… By the way, has Tsukasa decided who to partner with? His sister?”

What is this about?

“Toko is absolutely out of the question. She feels the same way.”

“Ah, I see.”

“They often pair twins together, but we don’t particularly like it. Plus, we’re hiding the fact that we’re siblings.”

“We’re bound to be discovered if we fight together.”

“Ah… I forgot about that. So, what will you do?”

“I was thinking of letting the teacher decides.”

“Huh? Really? I thought you’d pair up with a friend.”

“Can’t be bothered. Maybe if there were prizes or credits involved.”

No motivation…

“Since it’s just a practical exercise, they can’t offer that. But if you participate, you should at least try your best?”

“Nope. I’d team up with Yuika and annihilate everyone.”

If I team up with Yuika, who specializes in combat, I could do it. Though, she’s already paired up with Toko.

“You seem confident… Having the teacher decide isn’t a bad idea. They’ll consider the students’ aptitudes and compatibility when deciding. Given that Tsukasa doesn’t know much about magic, it might be the best option.”

If Michelle says so, I guess that’s best.

“In that case, I’ll do that. Thank you for explaining everything.”

With that, I stood up.

“It’s completely fine. It’s part of my job, and besides, I’m from your family’s faction after all. Oh, by the way, if Erik asks for help in the future, would you join the La Folle faction as a wizard?”

“Well, if I’m jobless, I’ll probably go crying to Erik saying twins go together.”

Erik would surely help me if he’s that kind.

“Ah, you’re so laid-back.”

“It’s tough if you take it too seriously, isn’t it? Being a wizard or part of a prestigious family doesn’t mean you can’t live happily.”

“That’s true… You really believe that… sigh… This is hopeless. Truly hopeless.”

Michelle pressed her hands against her eyes and looked up to the sky.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s fine. As Grandma said, you really are such an honest and good kid.”

“…Thank you.”

I feel like there’s some hidden meaning here…

As I was wondering what I could be, it got dark, so I hurried home.

The next day, everyone was still talking about the Magic Tournament.

By Friday afternoon, I was consoling a downcast Sharl during the Enchantment Class, and Saturday came.

Sharl and I were practicing martial arts in the park since morning, and I threw a distracted Sharl.

She fell on her back and stared up at me, unblinking.

“Th-thrown by Toko and then Yuika’s dagger stabs me…”

“Sharl, stop imagining losing like that.”

Picture something better.

“Do you think I can beat those two?”

“I don’t think so either. But it’s fine. Probably won’t happen anyway.”

“Yeah… I don’t know…”

Still doubting.

“Didn’t I explain it yesterday?”

I’d just explained the background of the Magic Tournament changes to Michelle’s instruction the previous day.

“That’s unrelated. I just feel like they’ll hit me…”

She’s completely negative.

“Who are you teaming up with, Sharl?”

“I don’t know.”

What?

“You don’t know? Are you letting the teacher pick your partner?”

“Right. I don’t have friends anyway.”

How sad…

“Uh…”

“It’s fine. If anything, I was originally supposed to partner with Mathias, so this is better.”

Even ignoring Mathias’ skills, I wouldn’t want to pair up with him.

“Maybe you’ll end up with a good student, so that’s something to look forward to.”

“No way. With me only excelling at long-distance magic, if I get teamed with a balanced type that prefers close combat, they’ll just become prey to Toko and Yuika. I’ll be prey too.”

Probably Frank or Ilmera’s type…

Certainly, she’s not suited for Yuika. Worse still, Toko is great at close combat and can also use magic from a distance.

“Give up. It’s just a training exercise.”

“That’s true… even if it’s embarrassing, it’s a fact that I’m weak. I’ll use this as motivation to work harder.”

Saying that, Sharl stood up.

“Why don’t you team up with me? We’ll crush Yuika and Toko.”

“Aren’t you supposed to team up with someone from your class?”

“Not really. I intended to leave it to the teacher.”

In the end, Frank ended up pairing with Cedric.

“Huh, surprising… Eh? Are you paired with Tsukasa? That’s cross-class—Class C and D. Plus, there’s the whole Iver and La Folle rivalry.”

Well…

“Why does that matter? It’s no problem.”

“Eh…”

“If you really don’t want to, that’s fine too.”

“Wait… let me think…”

Sharl crossed her arms and started thinking.

“Take your time. But you have until Monday.”

You need to submit your request to the teacher by Monday.

“Hmm… Tsukasa… We might be able to beat Toko and Yuika… But then there are the class and family issues… No, this is just a student drill, so it doesn’t matter. Tsukasa in front, me in the back… It’s not bad… But we’re both too specialized…”

She’s so indecisive…

“Don’t overthink it. There are others pairing across classes as well. No one really cares. And it’s just an exercise with no championship to win.”

“True… Alright! Let’s take down Toko together!”

That’s the spirit!

“Leave it to me. My mom will make her favorite raw oysters the night before.”

I don’t like them, so I won’t eat.

“No, that’s not good… Don’t do it. That’s cruel.”

She’s been hit before, hasn’t she?

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