Salenium Athletic Festival
Salenium Athletic Festival. It's one of those events you inevitably run into while progressing through the game.
Regardless of grade or department, every student gets split into Blue and White teams for an explosive clash of youthful vigor on the battlefield. Explosions during relay races? Par for the course. Flipping an entire field mid-romantic tangle to bury your rivals, swinging swords and blasting magic wildly in mounted combat, or in tug-of-war, not just yanking the rope but hurling the whole enemy team skyward. Everything's fair game except killing or getting killed—a true romantic arena of combat.
And since it's Salenium, the event draws massive outside attention. Winning the individual competition here means tremendous honor, post-graduation spotlight, and a credential you can proudly flaunt for life.
Injuries pile up, sure, but with those necklaces functioning as protective barriers, it's no exaggeration to say no student ever faces mortal peril.
The festival was still a ways off, but Salenium was already engulfed in an unstoppable fever, burning hotter by the day.
And the second-year Magic Department was no exception.
Students who couldn't focus on lectures as usual.
Heh heh. The Athletic Festival, huh.
Among them was a girl who'd normally listen with utmost seriousness. Uncharacteristically excited, her name was Reina von Wolfgang.
The eldest daughter of the Wolfgang family—second only to the western hegemon, House Repelheit—and vice-top of the second-year Magic Department, handling all academy intel like her own limbs.
Yes, second-year. She'd already survived Salenium's hellish first year to claim that spot.
Which meant she'd been through the Athletic Festival once before.
Gazing out the classroom window, she shook her head.
Last year, I put on a truly pathetic show and score at the festival.
What had she been like back then?
Innocent and green, clueless about everything, she'd run the anchor leg of the relay—only to fall for some scheming student council discipline captain's dirty tricks and snag third place.
Collapsed in dazed despair over that result, and then he came by.
Letting out a faint huh with that smirking face, like he was mocking her!
That guy from the East!
She still remembered his vaguely sneering expression!
This time, I absolutely won't lose!
Yes. This time, no defeat. She'd mock him right back!
With that resolve burning, Reina nodded.
Wait, come to think of it...
A sudden question amid her fiery determination.
Adrian didn't even participate in last year's festival. Is he planning to sit it out again?
Who knew. Adrian. What are you thinking?
He hadn't told her, but Reina prided herself on her deductive skills. Basing it on the Melwood Elion incident and such, she'd reached this conclusion.
Adrian was probably aiming to become the Marquis of Repelheit.
Defeat Ebnis Rothschild de Repelheit—sub-marquis and heir apparent—then the current marquis himself, and take the title.
Disowned by the family, yet return to claim the top seat.
And top first-year Magic Department student Melwood Elion? Just one of the talents he'd recruited for the faction he'd build en route to marquis.
"Ambitious, isn't it."
Of course, everyone would scoff at her. Call it idiotic. Point fingers at the impossibility.
A disowned wastrel trying to return and seize the pinnacle? Even as a novel, it'd get trashed as unrealistic.
Speaking of wastrel...
Reina didn't fully agree with the label, but she couldn't wholly deny it either.
He sent me a gift and letter for my birthday, though.
Probably from when they were kids. After they'd both grown a bit, the letters grew sparse.
Just three lines. But they packed everything needed: greetings, his recent doings, a question for her, closing well-wishes.
Without fail, one each birthday and year-end.
No, why am I dwelling on this? Whatever, drop it.
Ancient history anyway. Point was, he was chasing something laughable to everyone now.
A path that seemed utterly impossible.
I've been by your side from the start—first, even—and you didn't tell me. Kinda hurts.
But maybe that's why he hadn't told her.
Because I'm from House Wolfgang, he didn't ask me to join him.
Western powerhouse number two, Wolfgang.
Lately, letters from home urging annulment had piled up. She'd shoved the ugly things in storage out of disgust, but more would be waiting at the dorms.
You don't need to worry about that stuff.
Grumbling, Reina smiled anyway.
That was him all along. Seeming gruff and indifferent, yet naturally considerate in ways you only noticed if you really thought about it.
Even if something felt different lately, that core hadn't changed.
So if she crushed Daisy von Shukros—practically an archenemy—in the festival, humbled that lofty nose...
Gained leverage in her family to declare no annulment...
Maybe the letters from home would ease up.
After class, I should go see him. Need a good excuse... Oh, that self-study room thing I bailed on last time...
"Before we end class, one announcement."
Professor Walnut clapped, snapping Reina's head around.
"I get it, everyone's hyped for the festival. So the student council sent this down."
TA Melwood Elion shuffled over with dead fish eyes and a stack of papers, plopped them on the desk, and left.
"Student council wants three per person: survey the competition venues in detail, write reports, bring 'em back. Pay's volunteer service points. Interested? Grab one."
"That's it!"
Reina shot up, hand high.
Seeing it, Professor Walnut cackled.
"Whoa, what? Wolfgang, you in?"
"Ah, uh..."
Face flushing crimson, voice shrinking, she sat and mumbled.
"One... please..."
"Adrian!"
Reina's gear upgrade. What to give her? And where to source it?
Sipping a drink at a café, lost in thought, when the man himself appeared from afar.
"Reina, what's that in your hand... Ah."
"Adrian, do volunteer work with me."
That. The thing I'd suggested to the student council yesterday.
Asked where she got it; "Professor Walnut was handing them out—said it came from the council?"
And the pay? Volunteer points normally just for council members.
Even non-members could parlay it post-grad into "I collaborated with the student council." Smart play by Canaria.
Win-win for council and regular students alike.
"Sure, good timing. I was looking for you anyway."
"Pardon...? M-me...?"
"Yes. Bit out of left field, but could I see your staff for a sec?"
"Sure. And it's not out of left field at all?"
At my words, she drew the staff from her belt. Gem at the tip, gold engravings.
This was the staff she wielded in the "Reina boss fight" if you botched her route.
Swappable only at affection level 9+ in the original.
It gleamed like treasure, but...
"Yeah, trash."
"Pardon? Ex?"
Absolute trash.
My main Spiritwood Branch was growth-type, so early stats were crap—but this was crapper. Not even worth socketing options.
"Didn't they issue wooden staves at Magic Department enrollment? Why ditch it for this garbage?"
Reina looked on the verge of tears.
"Adrian."
"Hm."
"This is the staff you gave me for my tenth birthday..."
Oh. Right.
That trash had such a tragic legend.
"My cherished staff... Adrian..."
She pouted sadly.
Hm. Better to brazen through than half-ass an apology here.
"Hmph, foolish girl. Reina."
"Pardon?"
"That was a staff for ten-year-old you, not the you of now."
"...Pardon?"
"Back then, you weren't the genius mage you are today. Just a kid with a knack for magic, right?"
She nodded.
"That's why I gifted it—to help my fiancée with magic talent grow familiar with it."
Whether that's truly why? No clue. That was pre-possession Adrian's doing.
"Right."
"But now? You're no mere talented kid—you're a mage who claimed vice-top at Salenium."
"...Yes."
"Clinging to a childhood gift for getting used to magic is like a Knight Department student training with the wooden sword from age ten."
"Ah... True."
She hummed in agreement.
"This staff's holding you back. Not suppressing your magic... just limiting it."
Probably why I breezed through that elemental duel exam. And maybe why she hadn't topped Daisy von Shukros yet.
"...Yeah, I felt something like that. Like it snagged at crucial moments."
"So, here's my proposal, Reina."
I handed the staff back.
"After this volunteer gig today, want to shop for a new one with me?"
At my words, she clasped her hands and yelled.
"Yes! Let's go! Uh... but where? The staff shop in the shopping district?"
"Trash. Don't set foot there again."
Who buys RPG gear from legit shops with cash?
"Pardon? Th-then, wh-where?"
Where else.
The spot tied to Act 2 events. The place I figured it was time to hit.
"Black market. The Black Auction."