Under the Sun, Raising the Flag High
Under the blazing sun, I raised the flag high. Cheers from the crowd rang out, directed solely at me. Even a third-rate villain like me earned this kind of roar? It was a perfect victory, needing no other words.
"I stand at the pinnacle of the heavens."
A Monumental Feat!
Impossible Accomplished!
Perfect Victory in the 1km Flag Snatch Race!
'Racing' events are closely tied to Stamina! Stamina +1!
See? Even the system agrees. I was exhausted, but vitality surged through my body. As a reward, my Stamina rose by 1, finally bringing it to 7. The minimum Stamina for academy students is 14 as far as I know, so I'm still a frail weakling. But all things considered, I'd secured the Blue Team's first victory while picking up some Stamina on the side. Solid foundation laid.
"Well done, Adrian. Lutelus is watching from over there."
"Hope it was a good show. Looks like it landed perfectly."
Perfect. Time for a swift exit. My athletics festival is over. Why? 'Because I have work to do.' Not that I'm not scared—lying if I said otherwise. But it's something only I can handle.
With the groundwork set, everything else proceeded smoothly. Three-legged race, relay, obstacle course—you name it, Blue Team dominated utterly. We won by a landslide. In the three-legged race, Sufle froze the entire track, and Relbrian used wind magic to propel them forward, shattering the all-time record for shortest time. And then—
─Hmph. Ebnis stepped up boldly in the eating contest, devouring 50 loaves of bread to set a single-person record. But since it tallied the total from 10 runners, we lost. Leaving Ebnis's anguished screams behind, Blue Team swept the morning events.
Hmm. Adrian being on White Team was a minor wrinkle, but the athletics festival is just a sub-event, not main story. Win or lose, no game-changing rewards flip the plot. Victory gives stat boosts and a trophy; defeat triggers a "fruits of effort" event, maxing affinity with team bonds. That's actually beneficial sometimes—players skip 2-3 stat points via gear later and run a "festival loss route" to farm character affinity first.
So. Blue Team affinities are maxed now. Mission complete. No need to micromanage further; it'd just interfere. The rest is up to her. Time for me to handle my own tasks—what only I can do.
……And so, promised lunchtime arrived.
"……Why's everyone looking so glum?"
"Adrian……."
"Senior……."
"Lord Adrian……."
They gathered before me, faces full of woe. Ah.
"Adrian! What sorcery did you pull off?! This is supposed to be a fair festival! I'll kill you today and drag us both to hell! Holy Sword: Execution!"
One outlier among them. I casually dodged her Holy Sword, then flicked her forehead with my hand blade.
"Huh? D-did you just hit me……? Wait, no—how'd you dodge……?"
"Calm down, you idiot. What makes you think I tampered with the festival?"
"……I just assume you're behind anything bad that happens."
Ha! Listen to this one.
"Isn't that just 'cause you hate me?"
She huffed and crossed her arms. Where does she get off? Fine, shall we settle life and death here?
"Anyway, I don't recall inviting you, Ebnis."
"……."
"I called Millije, Kalen, and Reina. So why are you here?"
All eyes turned to Ebnis.
"Y-you……."
She steamed from her ears like a main character, then blurted,
"M-my duty is to surveil you so you don't pull anything weird! Even if your family disowned you, that core doesn't just vanish…… right?!"
Broken.
"Kidding."
"……Pardon?"
"Just a joke. Why so reactive?"
"……Die."
She bowed her head, then lifted it with eyes blazing blue. A light axe embodying Destruction formed in her hand, flying straight at my head. So I sidestepped gracefully, dancing away.
"Why dodge?!"
"Hmph, you can't even graze my toe."
"Raaagh!"
Utter despair in her scream.
The noisy first half of day one ended, ushering in festival lunchtime. Usually, folks wander the stalls, buying food. Shared meals even boost companion heroine affinity. But.
That's for one companion only. Can't do that here. Pure affinity loss. In Salennium Saga, character affinity is your lifeline. Botch it, and even good routes derail into dead ends.
So my go-to method:
"Everyone ready?"
"Brought it."
"Brought mine too?"
"I-I did as you said, Senior!"
[Meow!]
Three people and one beast held up their lunches. The beast? Churu. And.
"Wh-what? What'd you bring?"
One clueless soul.
"Oh, Ebnis. Adrian said to buy lunches from the stalls…… Didn't you hear?"
"Reina, I didn't invite Ebnis in the first place."
"Ah…… true. What now? Should've bought an extra……."
Yeah. Lunches. Stall event only boosts one affinity, so buy for all companions, then eat together somewhere to fill everyone's during festival. I popularized this exploit once; became meta strat.
Ignoring the dazed one, others unpacked.
"Oh, Millije, sandwiches?"
"Y-yes, Senior Reina! Uh, y-you have salad?"
"Hehe, mages don't move much, so we watch our figures?"
"M-mine’s meat……."
White Team switched to gym clothes. Reina: ponytail, white short-sleeve tee, long pants. Top folded neatly aside. Kalen: usual look, but top draped over shoulders, white headband. Millije: white band, top tied at waist. Standard for one-offs. Even unsubbed, extras stay extras. Nero had a white ribbon too—Millije's doing?—frowning and pawing it. Ebnis…… zipped to neck, long pants, white band like an armband on shoulder.
Under the tree, lunches spread, laughter blooming.
"……."
Save one.
"What."
"……Pardon?"
"Why stare?"
"N-not staring……?"
Ebnis glanced at a lunch, then huddled knees-up far off. Tsk. Idiot.
"Here."
"……Pardon?"
I pulled an extra lunch, set it before her.
"Figured this might happen. Prepared one more."
"Wh-why for me……."
"Afternoon has your events, right? Didn't you vow to crush me?"
"……."
Cheeks puffed, refusing. Got it. Doesn't want more debts. Fine. I handed it to Reina instead.
"Reina, yours now. Do as you like."
"Thanks, Adrian."
She set it right before Ebnis.
"……."
"A gift in Wolfgang's name? Won't take it even now?"
Only then did Ebnis hesitantly accept.
"……Adrian."
"What, another pathetic whine? Bet it's 'why me, your enemy' or somesuch. Preempting: shut it."
I eyed her.
"You're my junior first, foe second. That's it. Can't grasp that? Call it my whim."
She grabbed a sandwich, said,
"Wasn't gonna say that. Poison in it?"
This girl.
"Joking…… thanks."
She stuck out her tongue, nibbled the corner. Alright.
"Shall we eat?"
"Yes!"
"Yes, Senior!"
"Lovely picnic!"
Under the great tree, blanket down, we ate, chatted, bloomed in stories.
Post-meal, brief event chats, then split. Afternoon lineups for them. Sadly, won't see their wins. Festival must end Blue Team victory. Script demands it.
"Wanted to watch, but time to move."
Should be soon. Festival spans 3 days, but day one opening hottest. Post-lunch peaks vibe. Then, the kidnapping sparking Act 2.
"Need the target."
They crawl out, I punch first. No allies needed. Solo job.
"Kidnap spot: magic dept corner alley. Building 6, deserted."
If a known heroine's there, she's the 'Darkness' victim. Veteran instincts led me quick via shortcut to Building 6 alley.
"……Hm."
Something off. Two unconscious students on ground, student council armbands.
"……Guards, already down."
Guards fallen means target's near. Canon: heroine checks guards, gets nabbed. But weird. No one en route, heroine or otherwise…….
Sudden whoosh wind behind, heels clicking. Here it comes.
"Oh? Another catch."
From the alley I'd passed: someone emerged.
"Prey walks right in."
Bold black gothic lolita exposing shoulders. Two vacant-eyed council students trailed. Half-mask over eyes/nose, folding fan in hand. Familiar.
Here she is.
"Puppetmaster Pavela."
"Oh? Remember me? Of course you do."
Boss out first. Heroine should follow. ……But only me here. Wait.
No heroine. They…….
"……Can't forgive. That oblivious tone, pretending ignorance. Makes me hate you more."
……Targeting me? This 'kidnap' is mandatory game event, unavoidable. Glancing down: thin threads now bound my ankles, no escape. Soon, shadows swallow me to their lair.
Ah, I see.
"What're…… you?"
Scared? Ha. I'd quit if so.
"Getting kidnapped, yet smiling why?"
Why? "Puppetmaster Pavela, thanks for saving me the hunt."
"What……?"
Better even. No hassle.
"Hunt the tiger? Go to its den. Right?"
"……Cocky. But soon—minutes—you'll kneel, beg mercy. That's you."
Fan snaps shut, she turns.
"'Teleport.' Slave 1, Slave 2."
Fine. Whatever glitch triggered this. You challenged a world-weary rotten veteran.
I'll accept. Come. I'll smash it all.