Vol. 1 - Ch. 323 - School Festival (5)

The Rising Star Cup was a martial arts challenge where young aspiring knights from every nation compete against one another.

In Yuglia, the candidates were chosen from among the Royal Academy's students of Knight Course, one from each grade. For reference, Leo was the representative first years previously.

But this year, a whole new wind had been guiding the atmosphere.

The catalyst was the "I bet the other academic institutes must have skilled people as well. It'd be a shame to let their talents go unchecked" statement made by Allen. Because of his insistence, for the first time ever, they were holding a qualifying tournament during this school festival to determine the Rising Star Cup representatives.

He had a point. There were plenty of people who might be terrible at studying but confident in their arms. Or those who had the raw potential to get into the Academy but missed the exams due to difficult family circumstances. Or even those who simply fell ill on the day of the test.

However, the Royal Academy entrance exam was truly an opportunity of a lifetime, held in the spring after a candidate turns twelve.

Everyone acknowledged the flaw in the system—that it couldn't save people in those situations—but even such circumstances were just another common spectacle in this kingdom, too vast to accommodate.

After all, if the count begins, just the 'qualified to give entrance exam'—but couldn't, the so-called 'unfortunate people'—candidates were in the hundreds, if not in thousands, time of the enrolled candidates.

And that's why, once failed, there was never a second chance to board the said limited-express.

Allen’s insistence that this needed fixing was the spark for the current Rising Star Cup qualifiers.

Usually, it’s difficult for those with privilege to try and dismantle it from the inside. But Allen genuinely believes that a life of "smooth sailing once you pass" was nothing more than a punishment game.

And that's how, using the school festival as the springboard, they'd decided to hold the qualifiers while the cultural exchange with other schools was being played out.

◆◆◆

"Takeeee it!!!"

"Haaaaaaaa!!"

"Grraaaaaaaa!!"

Pepped up shouts echoed all over the training ground near the centre academy's premise.

On the same absurdly huge field I had given my practical exam about a year and half ago, the qualifiers matches were being played out.

Though, strictly speaking, what was happening now was the preliminary for the qualifiers.

The only conditions for entry were that participants must be of the appropriate age and be a citizen of Yuglia—the same rules as the Rising Star Cup—so a considerable number of people had signed up.

Naturally, we had anticipated a decent turnout.

That was why we arranged for Royal Academy students to split up across the grounds to hold these "preliminaries for the preliminaries" and select the athletes for the main qualifiers. However—

“Gwah! Th-thank you very much!”

“Next, please.”

“Hyaaaah! Ouch! Th-thank you very much! U-Um, I’m from Runerelia Comprehensive—”

“Next, please.”

“Um, I’m a huge fan, Lady Alice! Please shake my hand!”

“...Next, please.”

To be sure, there were some serious contenders boasting real strength, looking to change their lives right here and now.

But alongside them were crowds of curiosity seekers, people just wanting to make memories, and even fans lining up for handshakes. It seemed things were spiraling out of control.

“Yo. You got yourself quite a crowd huh, Alice. You're the most popular among the bunch, you know? Though it's almost entirely band of girls.”

I had come to see how things were going and called out to Alice, who was currently shaking hands with a girl, seemingly her fan?

She had been recently promoted to our Class 2-A this spring after the annual grade reassessment at the school year end. She was an incredible beauty. With her long, slender limbs and a glamour reminiscent of male pop star from a certain famous music group, she was—enviously enough—incredibly popular with the ladies. Rather than someone bold, she gave off a kind prince, and perhaps that had what drawn so many girl fans to her.

But Alice furrowed her brow in distress.

“It isn’t a laughing matter, Allen. I have a few people helping, but at this pace, we won’t get through the line by 2 PM. We're talking about the Rising Star Cup here. If we don't finish, there are going to be massive complaints, you know?”

I simply shrugged at her grumble.

“It’s taking so long because you’re dealing with them one by one like a model student. Look at Parry-kun. Just look at him.”

On the opposite side of the grounds where I was pointing, Parry-kun was brandishing a wooden spear, sweat beading on his forehead. And surrounding him were four challengers.

It seemed he was treating it as a simulation for a 'surrounded by enemies' scenario.

Naturally, keeping up a battle against multiple opponents while new enemies kept rotating in couldn't be easy, even for someone like him.

He was exhausted. It only needed someone with good enough skills to push him to make an error. And it wouldn't matter if it was an handicapped battle, the winner would proudly bear the badge for lifetime as the one who won over Parry Abenil, a student of Royal Academy.

There's no way that prideful to a fault Parry wouldn't be frustrated if that happened. But, much to my thoughts, Parry-kun raised his voice again.

"I don't care how many there are! Just keep coming!"

...Ah. It appeared pride was no more in his consideration, at all.

As soon his voice travelled, the onlooker who had been waiting to challenge Parry-kun as a chance to gain fame, confident of their ability, swarmed at him like ants rushing at sugar.

But Pari didn't flinch. Wearing a thrilled grin, he stepped forward and mowed down the swarm one by one.

It was like watching Zhao Yun charging single-handedly into enemy lines.

Lately, he had been deepening his profoundness in spear mastery, led by some sort of trigger for change. Just this first half of summer vacation, I heard from Fey he stuck to Dio like glue and tackled challenges both insane in difficulty and numbers back at Dragreid.

The effort wasn't in vain either, it seemed. Parry-kun, who had been in a dilemma at his stagnated growth, was slowly breaking out of his shell. That success was breeding confidence, which in turn strengthened his mind and body—creating a one full loop.

"......It appears you have hit your growth phase, Parry-kun."

As someone who dearly loved the old, petty-villain version of Parr-kun, I muttered it drowning in melancholy. Alice, hearing me, bit her lip in frustration.

“...I also... don't mind how many of you come at once! Please, keep them coming!”

As Alice loudly declared this to her line, the two girls at the front exchanged glances, steeled their resolve, and stepped forward.

“ “Can we have your autograph!?” ”

“............Next, please.”

◆◆◆

"So Parry Abenil, huh...... Not gonna lie, I only ever see him as the henchman of Feyrune, but he sure has a cute face for himself, no? What do you think, Isoku? Or is he too weak for you?"

A woman, seemingly an artificer from her appearance, inquired. She was one of the foreigners invited from the Kukora City Federation.

Isoku she addressed was a tall boy, chosen to represent Kukora City Federation for the 2nd year category to compete in the Rising Star Cup.

But Isoku didn’t answer. Whether he heard her or not, he simply stared straight at Parry with a grim expression.

A pile of defeated candidates had already appeared at Parry's surrounding, being carried off on stretchers one after another.

“......According to his profile, his weaknesses are—...was stamina and lack of actual combat experience, wasn't it? ...But it certainly isn't the case. Our intelligence department is really washed."

Another of the boys, also the representative for 1st year grade, forced a twitching smile as he dripped sarcasm.

“What’s wrong?! No need to hold back, come at me with everything you've got! ...Come on!!”

“Eeek!”

At this moment, Parry had entirely stepped into 'fighting form’, his attention only spanning in the range of the arena. The crowd of candidates who had circled around the perimeter spread wide in fear as he urged them, exuding an intense fighting spirit.

This attracted more than just the attention of Kukora City Federation's group. The peculiar atmosphere had the passerby halt on their steps when they noticed it. The grounds were already in an uproar thanks to the swelling crowd of spectators.

“...If anything, he has all the makings to represent Yuglia in the Rising Star Cup given the past candidates. And, I mean no disrespect to Isuka, but there's no way you're winning against him if you've a duel. I read he's ranked at 15th or 16th for his skill in this academy, but... yeah, the report is completely useless."

The woman—a small number of adults are permitted to accompany guests from other countries as chaperones— chaperoning the Kukora delegation stated this with exasperation.

In the midst of the hesitant crowd showing no sign of attacking, Parry calmly wiped his sweat, a somewhat sorrowful look in his eyes.

“...H-Hmph. So he’s the Yuglia's ace, destined to become one of their twin pillars alongside that prodigal scion Leo Zaitsinger. He’s actually not bad. If anything, it’s a waste to keep him as just Feyrune's lapdog.”

The Artificer-like woman said this, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"Go-go! Drill Parry! You're doing great! Atta boy!"

All of a sudden, a vaguely familiar voice echoed in the training group at an odd timing.

"D-drill Parry...? As one of twin pillars of Yuglia, isn’t the nickname too... lame?"

This time, the training ground erupted into a buzz for another reason.

Parry turned into the direction of voice, his face devoid of any expression, saving the faint curl of his lips like the noah-mask.

" "......" "

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