Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 100

The next day—the second day of the sports festival.

I headed for the grand stadium, my nerves frayed. Carmilla’s warning from yesterday weighed heavily on my mind. I had no idea when or where the ‘toys’ she’d unleashed would appear.

If her minions showed up in a crowded place like the grand stadium, the area would descend into pandemonium in an instant. It could easily become a disaster on par with a terrorist bombing.

...It seems like nothing's happened yet.

My ability to sense demonic energy hadn't picked up anything. The system’s [Affinity] for detecting demonic energy also showed no changes, so it seemed there were thankfully no demons nearby.

But I couldn't afford to let my guard down.

After patrolling the spectator stands, I arrived at the VIP section. Beatrice’s seat was still empty; it looked like she hadn't shown up at all. Kiriel and Elena’s seats held only their personal belongings, meaning they must have gone to participate in other events.

The only one left was Freya. I offered a perfunctory greeting to her as she sat ramrod straight in her chair.

"I enjoyed your match yesterday. It was impressive."

"Thank you. Please give my regards to Miss Ciel as well. It was a very tough match."

"I will."

In truth, the difference in Freya and Ciel’s times was only a dozen or so seconds. It was no exaggeration to call it a nail-biter.

"But what's wrong, Roen? You don't look too well."

"..."

I was about to tell her that I’d met Carmilla yesterday and that a terrorist attack was planned for the festival, but I swallowed the words. Having previously faced Gilean, one of the Twelve Honored Ones, Freya would surely believe me about encountering Carmilla.

And given her personality, she would immediately try to halt the festival. She would prioritize everyone's safety, even if it meant sending all the students back to their dorms.

But I couldn't let that happen. I clenched my fists in silence.

It might be selfish of me, but this sports festival absolutely had to end on a high note. There were many reasons for this, but the fundamental one was that I couldn't do anything that went against the grand flow and story of the game.

One could argue that it didn't matter much since the plot had already deviated significantly from what I knew, but I couldn't afford to add any more variables. A sudden cancellation of the festival would directly interfere with the actions and causality of tens of thousands of students. I couldn't possibly fathom how far the ripples of that butterfly effect would spread.

And... there's no guarantee that abruptly canceling the festival would make everyone safe.

In fact, the enemy could use the ensuing chaos to operate in the shadows. In a situation like this, it was better to go to the Chairman and explain what was happening. He would surely know a clear solution.

Now that I'd confirmed there were no enemies in the grand stadium, I needed to head to the Chairman's office.

"..."

Freya tilted her head, puzzled by my sudden silence. I changed the subject with a random topic.

"The treasure hunt event today... I heard you went around the Union hiding the prizes yourself."

"Ah, yes. If any information were to leak, it would be unfair."

The treasure hunt was an event open to all Union students. They had to find notes hidden by Freya all over the Union and exchange them for prizes. However, an article had revealed that a very ‘special reward’ was prepared as one of the prizes, making it a hot topic.

"I read an article that said the prize list includes a strange item... a weekend date with the Student Council President of Ishtal. Is that true?"

At the mention of this, Freya became visibly flustered.

"...Th-that was something my aides insisted on including to boost the festival's popularity! I had no choice. I hid it deep in the farthest corner of the Union, so no one will ever find it!"

Freya raised her voice, unlike her usual composed self. I stroked my chin and pressed further.

"Hmm. You wouldn't have burned the note or gotten rid of it entirely out of fear it might be found, would you?"

"What do you take me for? I would never do something so cowardly. The prize definitely exists. But why are you suddenly asking about it?"

"Because I plan on looking for it myself, of course."

A weekend date ticket with Freya. It wasn't an incredibly coveted prize for me personally, but in a way, it was a hidden piece. I couldn't let some other guy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠get his hands on an opportunity like that.

*

After finishing my inspection of the grand stadium, I left the grounds and headed for the Chairman's office.

Knock, knock.

Despite the knock, there was no response.

Is he out? Of all the times...

Just as I was about to turn back with a grim expression, a person passing by in the hallway bowed to me. He was an elderly gentleman with a calm and dignified air—the Chairman's faithful secretary, Sir Watson.

If Alfredo of the criminal underworld was like a cool, elderly boss from a movie, Sir Watson was the very picture of a high-ranking nobleman's personal secretary.

"Sir Watson?"

"Yes, you've come at a good time. I have a message for you from the Chairman, Young Master Roen."

A message from the Chairman. For him to leave a message for me at a time like this... it had to be an important clue.

"A message? What did he say?"

Watson spoke in a calm voice. "He asked me to tell you, Lord Roen, that you need not worry about the current situation."

"...?"

What's that supposed to mean?

I tilted my head, then politely asked him again. "Were there no further details?"

"None, to be precise." Watson cleared his throat and continued, his voice ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seemingly mimicking the Chairman's manner of speech. "'If Young Master Roen happens to visit my office, please tell him not to worry too much about this incident, Sir Watson. No further explanation is necessary.' He said this with a broad smile."

"..."

Unnecessarily detailed.

In any case, hearing Watson's words, I let out a sigh of relief. If the Chairman said not to worry, then that's exactly what it meant. Perhaps he knew everything from the very beginning—Carmilla's existence, her secret maneuvers, and even how to deal with them. His absence now was probably so he could put those countermeasures into action.

"Sir Watson."

While I was at it, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I decided to ask about something I'd been curious about. I took the fountain pen I had received from the Chairman out of my pocket and showed it to him.

"This is something I received from the Chairman. Do you happen to know what it is?"

Watson looked at the fountain pen, stroking his beard as he slowly shook his head.

"I'm afraid I cannot give you the answer you're looking for. My apologies. However..."

Shhk—.

"I have one of those as well."

Watson took out a fountain pen from his coat that looked identical to mine.

"I received this about ten years ago. It was the year that marked my twentieth year of service to the Chairman. What took me so long to receive, you received in a mere few months, Young Master Roen. In a way, you could say you've been acknowledged by the Chairman."

"I see."

"And as for this fountain pen's special feature..."

Swish—.

Watson took out a notepad and wrote in a flamboyant cursive script.

"It writes exceptionally well. The nib is smooth, and the ink never dries. It is a fountain pen of the highest quality."

"..."

Watson gave me a smile and a nod. "Please, treasure it."

*

I left the main building feeling like I had gained something and nothing at the same time. I hadn't managed to resolve the issue I'd gone to address, but my mind was much more at ease. Was it because of the Chairman's words? I felt as if a great weight had been lifted.

"Hoo."

I returned to the VIP section of the grand stadium and leaned back comfortably in my chair. I'd thoroughly inspected the booth area yesterday, so there was no need to go again. Today, I would just relax here and watch the games.

It would have been nice to have Ciel here for company, but she was competing in another event today. Yuliana, who could have been a substitute, had also disappeared, saying she was participating in an event match. Freya, who had been here just a moment ago, was also gone, leaving the VIP section completely empty.

"Hm."

The grand stadium was filled with the cheers and shouts of tens of thousands of spectators, but there wasn't a single person near me. It was a strange feeling—a sense of isolation amidst the crowd—but not an unpleasant one.

Lost in thought for a moment, I glanced over the sports festival schedule and yesterday's match results posted on the wall. There were various inter-academy competitions like Super Bowl, softball, the ancient decathlon, and relays.

Normally, the inter-academy matches of the sports festival proceed without any major upsets. The stronger teams would crush the weaker ones without fail, leading to a series of predictable matchups as they advanced. The difference in strength was the biggest factor, but the motivation of the weaker teams was also an issue.

That's because most of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the festival's benefits and prizes are strictly divided based on rankings.

The large academies swept up nearly all the prizes, leaving the smaller academies with no reason to try hard. Why bother giving your all when you get nothing out of it anyway?

This year's festival, however, was a little different. While the major academies still dominated, there had been a few upsets along the way. A prime example was Izelin Academy. I'd also heard that other smaller academies were putting up a good fight.

It was likely because of the special prize the Student Council had offered. The special prize was awarded to any academy whose total score surpassed a certain threshold, regardless of their final ranking. Even if they couldn't place in the top ranks, they could secure a tram stop and route just by earning a minimum number of points.

This was a tremendous benefit that helped the entire student body, far more than a simple trophy. So, even the smaller academies had no choice but to participate with passion.

Thanks to this measure, the festival had become much more entertaining to watch. After all, a one-sided match where one team completely dominates is never fun. People always root for an underdog's upset.

In any case, this positive cycle served to heat up the festival's atmosphere and encourage student participation. The slight increase in my approval rating was just a bonus.

I gazed down at the grand stadium. Right now, the grounds crew was tending to the grass while the athletes took a break. It seemed there was a short interval between the major events. Taking advantage of this lull, an event match was being held on one side.

"Aaalright! This event is a relay three-legged race! It's a special match featuring the presidents of each academy! The academy that takes first place will earn the privilege of being the first to enter the cafeteria!"

The announcer's cheerful voice echoed across the stadium. Anyone who's lived in a group setting like a school or training camp knows that being the first to enter the cafeteria is a massive perk. The food is still warm, and you can enjoy your meal without wasting any of your lunch break.

"Come on, come on up! Everyone's waiting. Let's start with our dear President Freya, one by one! You can't refuse!"

At the bubbly announcer's words, the student council presidents hesitantly stepped onto the track. The presidents of the Four Great Academies—excluding Beatrice—as well as the presidents of various other academies like Chepesi, Eleina, and Klimt, lined up.

There were only eight lanes on the track, so the presidents were divided into eight groups. As if by a twist of fate, the drawing paired Chepesi of Jerome and Eleina of Izelin in the same group. The two of them growled at each other like cats and dogs. Watching their war of nerves from the VIP section was quite amusing.

"Alright, everyone's here! Today's event match isn't just a simple three-legged race. Ta-da!"

The announcer produced a lottery box from somewhere and placed it on a table.

"Okay! This is a drawing to pick the students who will pair up with our presidents for the race. Please come up one by one and draw a slip. First, I'll draw one as a demonstration."

The announcer shook the box, pulled out a slip, and read it aloud.

"Aha! The slip I drew says, 'a student from Voltimir wearing a hat.' So, you just have to find a student in the audience who meets that condition. Simple, right?"

The announcer continued. "By the way, you can't reveal the contents of your slip to anyone! Only I, the host, will know. Now, please come up and draw!"

Following the instructions, the academy presidents drew their lots and headed toward the spectator stands to find students who matched the descriptions.

"Whoa!"

The students in the stands grew excited whenever the presidents came near, hoping to be chosen. This was especially true for popular figures like Freya and Kiriel.

Just then, Elena, who had drawn her lot, scurried toward the stands. The students in that direction stirred with anticipation. But looking at the direction she was heading, it felt like she was coming not toward the stands, but toward the VIP section where I was.

Hm...

My intuition wasn't wrong. Before I knew it, Elena was standing in front of me, holding out her hand with a bright smile.

"Roen, run with me."