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Chapter 78

The swordsmanship tournament was over.

She'd expected Louis to be upset since he seemed hungry for victory, but instead, he remained excited even after it ended.

He must have been impressed by Kaien's skill. They'd agreed to eat together to celebrate his runner-up finish, but Louis wouldn't leave Kaien's side, making things difficult.

The Harvest Festival was the Academy's celebration, continuing with the swordsmanship tournament, magic duels, and then a ball.

The day after the tournament was the magic duels.

Which meant it was time to cheer for Ferdinand.

"Huh? Senior!"

As Ber, Einja, and Silva were finding seats in the stands, Louis called out to someone happily.

"Senior Kaien! Over here!"

The moment she realized who it was, Ber's expression froze. Why bring him over here when just a greeting would have been enough!

"Louis, I have a seat over—"

"Come on, the view's better here. You came to cheer for my brother, didn't you?"

"That's true, but..."

Kaien answered with a troubled expression, glancing at Ber. Their eyes met, and Ber awkwardly bowed her head.

"Ber, this is Senior Kaien, who won the swordsmanship tournament. Is it okay if he sits with us?"

At Louis's request, Ber nodded silently. Even as Louis introduced Kaien to Einja and Silva and got their consent, Ber kept her head down.

Why was she acting like this? Ber gripped her knees.

She couldn't even bear to look at Kaien—his expression during the tournament kept coming back to her.

And so, feeling deeply awkward, Ber began watching the magic duels.

Unlike Louis, who'd been overflowing with enthusiasm from the first match, Ferdinand showed little passion for the duels.

"I'll be back."

With a languid wave to the group, Ferdinand slowly ascended the arena.

Well, Ferdinand had always been more interested in solo study and research than in competing with others.

Maybe he's just not interested in offensive magic.

But the results were contrary to her expectations.

Ferdinand kept winning.

"As expected of my brother!"

Hearing Louis's booming cheer, Ber shook her head in disbelief.

As expected of the young count of Grizzly—a prodigy among prodigies.

At the same time, high-pitched screams came from the stands behind them. Amidst the squeals, she caught phrases like "the nobleman of the Magic Department."

So that's how Ferdinand is known.

Feeling both proud and embarrassed, Ber clenched her fists and looked up at Ferdinand on the arena.

Swordsmanship competitors wore practical training clothes, while magic duel participants dressed more flamboyantly.

There was a rule allowing items that boosted magic power and defense—wands, cloaks, and the like—so their attire didn't look very practical.

Ferdinand wore his usual wand and a magic-enhancing cloak—a relatively light outfit—which actually made him look more like a "nobleman." The girls' voices were noticeably louder than during the swordsmanship tournament.

The duels continued, and soon it was the quarterfinals.

Even the screaming students grew quiet before this match.

Because it was between the top and runner-up of the Magic Department.

Fourth-year top student Adrian Renard versus third-year runner-up Ferdinand Grizzly.

The original Harvest Festival focused on the fight between male lead Adrian and sub-male lead Kaien, so she hadn't realized Adrian was the top student.

But it made sense.

A fox beast-person—and a mage weak in close combat—had beaten a wolf beast-person trained in swordsmanship. That alone was enough to explain why Adrian was the top student.

On the long arena, Adrian and Ferdinand faced each other at a distance. The referee stepped back and raised his wand—the signal to begin.

"Ferdinand."

Despite the start, Adrian lowered his wand and spoke.

"I was hoping to meet you a little later."

"That's unlike you, Senior Adrian. As the fourth-year top student, you're not afraid of a mere third-year runner-up, are you?"

"No, that's not it. I'm just disappointed."

With a bittersweet smile, Adrian added:

"Because this match is going to end too quickly."

Adrian's face soon returned to his usual sly male lead expression.

He gestured with his finger as if to say come at me. Ferdinand smiled faintly and began casting.

As Ferdinand swung his wand, a massive stone creature began to take shape—a golem nearly filling half the wide arena. Uniquely, it had bear ears and bear paws.

It was an impressive golem from the start—enough to amaze even Magic Department students, let alone other departments.

Ferdinand pointed his wand at Adrian. The golem charged, swinging its fist.

Kwoong! The golem's fist struck Adrian with a heavy sound.

The audience gasped—then the golem's right arm was ripped off and sent flying toward the ceiling. Adrian had used wind magic to tear the golem's arm away.

Crash! The golem's arm broke through part of the barrier spread over the ceiling and began falling toward the stands. Fortunately, it lost its magic and disintegrated into sand-sized particles before hitting the audience.

Mages waiting by the stands repaired the ceiling barrier and checked the stands' barrier. Unlike the swordsmanship tournament, magic duels featured large-scale attacks, so barriers covered everything except the arena itself.

The stands grew even quieter. This was on a completely different level from the previous matches.

Now it was Adrian's turn. Drawing a large circle with his wand, flames erupted. Adding wind magic turned them into a fire vortex hurtling toward Ferdinand.

It was an immense blaze. Even the stands felt waves of heat.

The golem blocked in front of Ferdinand with its remaining arm. The arm began melting in the intense flames. Controlling the golem with magic, Ferdinand cast another spell.

Water surged from his wand tip, growing into a powerful torrent. A water column as fierce as a flooded river swept away both the flames and the golem.

"Eek."

Just as the golem, pushed by the water, was about to slam into Adrian, he dove to the left. He'd dodged so hastily that he couldn't stop his own spell—the fire vortex from his wand shot upward.

Crack. The ceiling barrier shattered again. Mages worked frantically to repair it.

The duel continued.

The golem, melted and reformed, started running around the arena again, while Adrian's wind magic tore holes in the arena floor and surrounding barrier.

Dodging the golem's attacks, Adrian kept chanting silently. The chant kept lengthening without the spell firing, so Ferdinand was certain—Adrian was preparing something far more powerful than the fire vortex.

I need to finish this before he completes the chant.

A spell with a relatively short chant but high power. Quickly strategizing, Ferdinand moved his wand and began incanting.

A flash of electricity sparkled at the wand tip—then a golden bolt struck from the golem's raised hand.

Kwoong! The lightning fell before Adrian, shaking the entire hall.

Thinking the match was over, the referee raised his wand—but this time, light rose from Adrian's side.

His chant was complete.

What Adrian's wand unleashed wasn't ordinary fire. It was lava-like flame that melted everything it touched.

Kwaang! The golem, hurled skyward by the flames, struck the ceiling barrier. Crack. The barrier fractured again—with enough force to damage the ceiling itself.

The golem began to melt.

Pudeudeuk. The golem crumbled into sand, falling onto the stands' barrier. Ferdinand had severed his magical control over it.

But because the spell was so large, Adrian couldn't stop it immediately.

In that gap, Ferdinand fired a spell at Adrian's wand. If he could disarm him with wind magic, the duel would end.

But at that moment—

Crack, jjaeng!

With the sound of the barrier breaking, part of the ceiling collapsed.

It was falling over Ferdinand's head.

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