༺ The Grand Festival (3) ༻

Thirty minutes before the start of the Arc Ball race.

I changed into my gym clothes in the waiting room.

It was specially made by some second-year Class B students of the Magic Department.

The Arc Ball race was a team event, so a coordinated uniform was a requirement.

I looked around. The others had changed into gym clothes with the same design.

‘Ohh.’

Maybe it was because we were wearing matching clothes for the festival, but I felt a stronger sense of belonging than usual. It reminded me of high school festivals, and I was secretly excited.

With the safety gear on my knees, elbows, and head, I was ready to go.

I sat down and put my safety gear on the table next to me.

My teammates were already in full safety gear. The reason I was slower than them was because I came to the waiting room late.

I used [Clairvoyance] to watch the Clover Paladin enter the first-year waiting room of the Magic Department. I couldn’t help but be anxious because I didn’t know what he would do to White.

“Tristan already went out.”

“Tristan was so excited. Uhh, I’m shaking like crazy…”

“I’m going out first, Isaac. Come out when you’re ready.”

I nodded indifferently and said, ‘Okay,’ to the main character, Ian Fairytale.

The team was about to leave when the door on the other side suddenly swung open, and they stopped in their tracks.

“Huh…?”

Everyone looked shocked.

What’s up with them?

I turned my gaze toward the door and it suddenly made sense.

“President?”

“What is the Student Council President doing here…?”

Wait, what?

As the surprise visitor came in, the team parted like the Red Sea.

Then, a beautiful woman with a gentle smile came into view. For a second, time seemed to slow down before coming to a standstill.

She was neatly dressed in her uniform, with her light gold hair.

‘What are you doing here…?’

The Student Council President, Alice Carroll, walked straight up to me.

She bent down, resting her hands on her knees, until we were face-to-face.

My teammates just stood there, frozen with wide-eyed shock.

“Hi, Baby.”

“Senior Alice? Why are you here…?”

“No reason, I just miss you.”

My teammates’ mouths dropped open in disbelief and they started whispering.

Alice, this girl really didn’t know right from wrong. Was that something one said in front of people?

This was making things difficult for me. It was the same when she visited White, it was clear she was trying to provoke a reaction out of me.

Possibly because she was the type to easily brush off other people’s murmurs, Alice didn’t mind it. But please, pay attention to their chatters.

I gave her a half-hearted look, and Alice shifted her attention to the safety gear on the table.

“Are you putting on your safety gear?”

“Yeah…”

“Hmm.”

Alice looked back at me with her cherry blossom-colored eyes.

“Could you hold still for a moment?”

“What?”

Alice picked up the safety gear beside me and slid it onto my arms.

What the hell is she doing?

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking care of you, Baby.”

“No, I can see…”

“Lucky for you, then.”

Alice offered a warm smile.

‘…Hilde, do you think she’s putting on some sort of device on me?’

[I do not believe that to be the case.]

Hilde communicated telepathically, hiding as a faint glimmer around my collar.

For some reason, it seemed like Alice was just putting on my safety gear.

My teammates gaped in disbelief, rooted in their spot, as I received the undivided attention of the esteemed Student Council President.

When are they going to leave?

“Is it okay for the Student Council President to do this?”

“It seems you’ve forgotten that I’m a spectator. I’m on your side. As a spectator, it’s okay for me to be biased, isn’t it?”

She used the word biased so blatantly. She must have her own position too.

That was her own problem, so I didn’t have to worry about it.

“So, you came here to cheer me on?”

“That’s correct.”

“Why?”

“Because I like Baby.”

Alice knelt down, pressed her knees together, and began putting on the safety gear on my knees.

With a click, the gear was safely fastened all over my body.

Finally, Alice picked up the helmet with both hands and carefully placed it on my head, a satisfied smile on her face.

“All set~. Hehe, so cute.”

Alice patted my helmet.

If we weren’t enemies, I would have found it beyond adorable.

“Well then, Baby, don’t get hurt and do well. I’ll be cheering for you.”

“Ah, okay… Thanks.”

With a polite yet guarded smile, I rose to my feet.

I made my way past Alice and left the room, my teammates were still gaping at me in sheer disbelief.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Yeah…”

I exited through the door with my dazed teammates in tow. They exchanged glances between Alice and I, pointlessly speculating about our relationship.

As I glanced back, I saw Alice waving at me with a genuinely warm smile still spread across her face.

It was intriguing. Perhaps she was planning to install some strange device in the waiting room after we left?

As long as Phantom Cat Cheshire was present, I couldn’t monitor Alice with [Clairvoyance].

So after the Arc Ball race, and before we entered the waiting room, I had to check inside with [Clairvoyance] first.

‘Of course, I have to do that.’

…I doubt Alice would carelessly cause trouble in the waiting room. She wouldn’t want to risk becoming a suspect in case something dangerous happened.

I gave Alice a curt nod and then headed down the hallway with my teammates.

Along the way, I was bombarded with questions about my relationship with the Student Council President, whether we were dating, and what happened with Luce, but I brushed them all off.

***

Under the broad daylight sky, at the outdoor stadium.

Students from various departments stood at the starting line. It was like a marathon was about to start.

Around them, square-shaped bleachers encircled the stadium, structured so that spectators could view the entire route of the Arc Ball race from any direction.

Race participants were dressed in gym clothes according to their class’ concept. It made identifying team members easy. As I noticed earlier, the clothes were stretchy and easy to move in.

Oddly enough, the participants from the first-year Class D of the Magic Department had the stiletto-like hairstyles that I saw during the Grand Festival preparations. Of course, not wanting to be bothered, I ignored them.

‘Okay.’

I warmed up a little. I was in good condition.

The first day of the Grand Festival, the first Arc Ball race.

Fortunately, there had been no incidents involving White. But now, the real game began.

The Clover Paladin glanced at me briefly before clicking his tongue with a frown.

However, he quickly composed himself and flashed a charming alpha-male smile at the group of female students who were looking at him from the stands, screaming, ‘Kyaah.’

Each time, the decibels of the girls’ voices increased.

What an uproar…

Then, the Clover Paladin’s face stiffened in annoyance.

He had been like that ever since he saw my name on the participant list. He realized his plan to make me watch helplessly as White suffered had been thwarted.

However, he hadn’t completely abandoned his plan. He still intended to attack White to provoke me.

Now the real battle began.

On the other team, I saw Dorothy. When our eyes met, she flashed a smile and waved her hand at me like she had been waiting for it.

‘So pretty.’

I felt an urge to hug her tightly. Seeing her warm smile made my heart leap into my chest.

On the other side, White was shivering in excitement and nervousness.

Good luck, White.

I also recognized other familiar faces.

Among my peers from Class A, Lisetta Lionheart was participating. She seemed pretty excited at the thought of clashing with others.

But when our eyes met, she quickly turned her head away in fright.

Is she still scared of me…?

It was disheartening how she reacted like that every time she saw me, even though I wanted us to get along.

“Ha!”

Among my teammates, the vain blond nobleman, Tristan Humphrey, let out a gallant chuckle.

“This heat! These cheers! Truly a perfect stage for this body! Kaha…!”

Bam bam bam.

The band began to play, and Tristan gasped and began to choke in his laughter, coughing in surprise.

“And now!! The moment you’ve all been waiting for has arrived!!”

The lively voice of the announcer echoed throughout the academy. It was Amy Holloway, a girl with short white hair adorned with black ribbons that were tied to resemble the shape of rabbit ears, and also Ian’s girlfriend.

As the announcer, she was also dressed up in pretty clothes for the occasion.

Standing at the announcer’s booth above the stadium, she energetically shouted into the megaphone as the band played in the background.

“All participants have assembled! The preparations for the Arc Ball race are now complete!”

The students in the stands let out a unified cheer.

And the band’s music changed to an upbeat tune.

‘Amy looks excited…’

This is nice.

My teammate, Ian Fairytale, also smiled fondly upon seeing his enthusiastic girlfriend.

“Before we start the Arc Ball race, let’s go over the rules briefly! The competition will take place over 3 days, skipping a day in between the 5 days of Jeblem! Teams will be selected based on their performance to advance to the next round!”

It meant that the tournament would be held every other day.

“Now~, everyone, please raise your heads and look at the sky!”

Amy raised her right arm and pointed toward the sky, prompting both participants and the audience to look up.

I also gazed up at the sky.

Above the stadium, in the air, numerous mana particles moved around, clinking and clanking through telekinesis, orchestrated by the delicate magic of the Hegel Tower Master, Aria Lilias.

It was the same as the end-of-semester evaluation when I was a first year. That immense mana mastery was as impressive as always.

The mana particles formed a map mimicking the surroundings. The route and destination of the Arc Ball race shone brightly in vivid colors.

“The race track extends to the outskirts of Märchen Academy, and today’s destination is Bartos Hall! The first six teams to reach the destination with the Arc Ball will advance to the next round! The rest, unfortunately, will be eliminated! On the last day, the top three teams will receive the very, very nice prizes announced during the opening ceremony, so everyone, do your best!”

All participants shouted, ‘Woah!’ Raising their arms in excitement. I joined in too.

“Lastly, let’s hear some words from the idol of our female students, the cool and handsome, Professor Fernando Frost!!”

As Amy pointed to the silver-haired, handsome Professor among the faculty, the female students screamed their lungs out, almost roaring.

Fernando cleared his throat with an, ‘Ahem’.

He picked up the megaphone and spoke firmly and without expression.

“First-year Class D of the Magic Department, be prepared if you get eliminated. I’ll double your homework.”

“Impossible!! A terrifying statement I hoped I’d never hear!! But, it looks like my juniors are now motivated! Excellent!!”

Aside from the horrified first-year Class D students of the Magic Department, the rest of the academy erupted in laughter.

“Now, then~!”

With a beaming smile, Amy stretched out one arm forward.

“We now commence the crowning event of Jeblem! Let the Arc Ball race begin!!”

Boom!

A firework made of fire magic bursts in the sky, creating colorful patterns in the air.

The band played a grand and lively melody.

Students cheered, each supporting their team, creating an electric atmosphere.

And then.

“All participants, get ready!!”

As Amy raised her right arm, students on either end of the starting line raised their flags forward. At the same time, the cheers from the entire academy died down.

A heavy tension filled the air. I bent my upper body slightly and braced my knees, ready to run.

I had a few goals during the Arc Ball race. Protect White, land a blow on the Clover Paladin, to win a prize, and although uncertain, I hoped to gain some EXP as well.

I glanced at the Clover Paladin, Pierre Flanche. He was eyeing his target, Snow White. He looked like a creep.

I was going to take this opportunity to show him how foolish his plans were.

Soon, Amy threw her arms up and shouted, her voice filled with laughter.

“Race start!!”

The flag was raised.

Amidst the cheers and shouts of the students, I, along with the other participants, crossed the starting line and dashed forward.