School Festival #7
School Festival #7
"Haa, Geun-cheol. I'm so nervous."
Si-hoo, her face slightly flushed, pressed her back against mine and murmured.
Honestly, I'm nervous too.
"This is my first time doing something like this... I don't know if I'll do it well."
"Si-hoo. I mean this from the bottom of my heart—don't go out there and cause an accident."
"What!"
"You punk. I'm seriously worried you'll go up there and start doing weird stuff again."
"Th-that's my line!"
We all had to get on stage now.
—Murmur, murmur.
A space set up inside the auditorium. The performance participants were all gathered here right now. Seemed like they were checking a few things. I wish I'd done this kind of thing before.
"Lee Si-hoo, Lee Si-hoo, please come this way!"
The people called went forward and had some kind of discussion. As I waited, me, my friends, and my classmates all went and came back too.
That settled the order.
"Whoa, look at that. I'm practically stuck at the very end?"
"I'm in the middle section. And I'm right next to Woo Yu-ri, too."
Looking at it, I was almost last.
Leona and Yu-ri were in the middle.
"Si-hoo, what about you?"
"Ah... um... I'm almost at the very start."
"Heh heh heh, aren't you basically the opening act? Anyway, Si-hoo. I'm always telling you—don't do weird stuff. Don't go randomly screaming weird things. Do it properly, like a normal person."
"Why do you keep saying what I'm supposed to say, Geun-cheol!"
"You're saying weird things again."
Anyway, apparently the people performing in the early-to-middle slots can't go out into the auditorium now and have to wait back here. Si-hoo, Leona, and Yu-ri were all stuck waiting here.
I was performing late, so I could watch some of the show and then come back here. I'd be able to see Leona and Yu-ri's whole stage.
"Alright then, Leona? Yu-ri? Do a good job. I'll be watching."
"Hey. Kim Geun-cheol."
"Hm?"
Yu-ri looked at me and said,
"Prepare to die."
Prepare to die... what?
"What? Why? Why am I dying?"
"Because I'm going to absolutely murder you. So get ready, you bastard."
—Slap slap.
Grinning, Yu-ri tapped my shoulders while making that threat.
Too scary...!
"Leona! Save me, please!"
"Fufufu. Well, I see. Anyway, Kim Geun-cheol. Do your best. And my performance—watch it carefully. Understood?"
"Of course!"
Leaving behind those friends overflowing with confidence, I headed out to the auditorium.
* * *
"The performances will now begin!"
—Waaaaaah!
—Oooohhh!
—Clap clap clap clap!
"Kyah."
The moment the emcee—some upperclassman I didn’t know—shouted, a thunderous roar erupted. Looking around, there were a ton of people. Our students, obviously. And the guests who’d been invited. I think this is the first time the school has been this packed since the last Gate Incident.
Glancing around, the center of the auditorium was all ours—the students—but the second-floor seats lining both sides were completely taken by guests.
"Where do I sit, now."
My friends and everyone I knew were all in the performance waiting room. The BKM Trio were getting ready for their act too, so I had nobody to hang out with.
Should I find Instructor So-ra?
If I ask her to watch together, she'd probably say yes.
So I was looking for her, when—
"Ah, aah... um, Geun-cheol?"
"What? It's you, O-hun Ha-yul!"
"Please, I'm begging you, stop mashing my name together...!"
Ha-yul shuffled over hesitantly.
"Agh, ya. Don't you know what teamwork is? Don't leave it out, stick it on. We did a technique demo together just a bit ago."
"I—I had no choice but to do it together... I mean, we had to do something, and there wasn't anything else..."
"That so?"
Well, they were grabbing everyone and making them do stuff, so they'd have to do something too.
"Yeah... b-but... Geun-cheol. Are you alone?"
"Yep. All my friends are in the waiting room. Why, you alone too?"
"Yeah..."
"Then let's sit together. Sit down here."
"Ah... o-okay..."
I sat right down with Ha-yul. Still, I guess that Mage Class connection got us sitting together somehow. I was about to go find Instructor So-ra, but this worked out perfectly.
—Flash!
We sat there and watched the stage.
"Kyaaap!"
Some upperclassman I didn’t know came out and gave a technique demonstration, showing off their swordsmanship and physical abilities.
"Hm."
That's the level, huh?
The standard was decent, but how do I put it—it didn't catch my eye. If you're going to demonstrate your martial arts, you should be strong enough to stand where Si-hoo does, but... somehow they lacked Yu-ri's impact.
"Waaaaaah!"
"Kyaaah!"
"So cooooool!"
Still, cheers erupted. I clapped lightly too while continuing to watch.
"U-um..."
That's when Ma O-hun started talking to me. No, but this kid has zero confidence. I don't really know if 'confidence' is the right word for a guy, but he's way too timid.
"Oh, Ma O-hun. What's up."
"Just how many variations are there..."
"Heh heh heh, what does it matter? More is good. So what is it?"
"Um... Leona Kainus... are you close with her...?"
"Closest in the world."
"Oh... I see..."
"Why?"
This kid?
"Don't tell me you want to be friends with Leona!"
"Wha, wah?!"
"Right!"
"Y-yeah... th-that's right..."
"Then I'll introduce you next time."
Kids like Ma O-hun are timid, so they see a friend with a strong will like Leona and get envious and all that. Looks like Leona's charisma has captivated another student.
"Now then, please witness the skills of first-year ace Lee Si-hoo!"
While we were talking, Si-hoo's turn came up.
—Step, step.
Si-hoo walked out holding a scabbard.
"Ooh, so cute!"
"Right up my alley!"
"Heyyyy!"
Still, since the kid's actually a girl, she looks really cute, so cheers erupted. In male disguise, she's exactly the pretty-boy type.
Anyway.
A time I've been looking forward to.
Let's watch closely.
—Shing!
Drawing her sword with a light flourish, Si-hoo began to demonstrate her skills.
"Ooh...!"
I know Si-hoo's ability well by now, having watched her all this time. Her skill is genuinely admirable. Her footwork was light and her sword strikes crisp, yet each carried overwhelming power. And the form of that sword aura... as expected.
Even if the things she does are weird, her skill is undeniable. She does spew strange nonsense pretty often, and she is a friend with a huge chest, but her swordsmanship alone is top-notch.
—Swish.
And when the sword dance ended.
"Waaaaaaaaah!"
"Oooooooh!"
"Incredible!!!"
Cheers exploded.
"Heh heh heh, that bastard Lee Si-hoo. Her skill is the real deal. Right?"
"Y-yeah... she looks really strong..."
But what do I do about Ma O-hun when Si-hoo comes over?
I was worrying about that when—
"Kyah! Truly incredible skill! A first-year already at that level! We can expect great things! Next up is...!"
The next act started.
"Cadet Ryu Cheon-hwi's electric guitar performance will begin!"
"Oh, Mister Ryu!"
It's finally Mister Ryu's turn!
I gave him something to eat, so I believe he'll do well!
—Flash!
A spotlight shone down, and Mister Ryu, sky-blue hair and all, strode to center stage, electric guitar in hand.
"Ooh."
"Oh."
The audience was already starting to buzz with anticipation. Mister Ryu's famous, after all. Famous enough to show up if you search him online.
Anyway, Mister Ryu headed to center stage, and—
—Thud.
He took his stance. Raised a hand.
—Bwooowww!
He started shredding a guitar solo!
"Oh!"
Unhindered fingerwork. And an unbroken stream of sound. You could tell just by looking. This guy was damn good at the guitar.
"No, why's he so good?"
Does he practice every day imagining himself looking cool playing guitar at home? It was so freakishly perfect it felt absurd. The audience roared, and even I stood there blankly watching, arms crossed.
—Bwooowww!
And just as the performance was rocketing toward its climax—
—Fwoosh!
"No way?!"
For a moment, Mister Ryu's body blazed with fire—no! It wasn't fire!
He'd started wrapping himself in mana!
"Gasp!"
And that blazing mana began to take on the shape of some absolutely badass armor...!
"That guy...!"
That's the Mana Armament he's shown me a few times! The skill that wraps you in armor made of materialized mana! That bastard was layering armor onto his own body while shredding a guitar solo!
—Kyaaaaaah!
—Aaaaaaaaaah!
—Waaaaaaaaaah!
The people went wild, screaming as they saw Mister Ryu become a single, utterly badass armored knight.
"You madman! You wanted to do that, didn't you!"
That was truly a perfect, awesome production. Something like that doesn't just get thrown together overnight! This Mister Ryu guy has definitely imagined himself making armor while shredding guitar on stage about a thousand times!
You'd better thank me!
—Clap clap clap clap!
—Clap clap clap clap!
—Clap clap clap clap!
While applause was exploding from all directions, suddenly I heard a voice next to me.
"Hoh...! Magnificent!"
"Huh? No, holy shit, Ma O-hun?!"
Sitting beside me, Ma O-hun was watching the stage with shining eyes and genuine admiration. When did this bastard get next to me?
"Ya. When did you get here?"
"None. Of your business. Do not disturb... my appreciation."
Haah.
"Crazy bastard, this one. Ya, what, you impressed by Mister Ryu's armor?"
"Magnificent. I am surprised. Sincerely."
He looked utterly awed.
Well. Thinking about it, he is exactly the type who'd like that. A guy who makes silk hats and even wings out of mana. Schweinshaxe Flügel, was it? A guy who gives things names like that would definitely love that kind of thing.
"I wish to become close. With him."
"What? You want to be friends with Mister Ryu?"
No, the fuck is this nonsense.
"Ability users of the same lineage. Him and me. There is value. A friend to be."
"Pff...!"
Fuck, I'm dying here!
"I'll pass that message on to Mister Ryu!"
"Thank you."
Something this hilarious was going to happen!
I can't hold the laughter in at all!
I can picture it so clearly—Mister Ryu losing his mind when he meets Ma O-hun. Or wait. Maybe that guy will actually get interested in the Flügel.
Anyway.
As Mister Ryu's stage wrapped up perfectly, the next performances continued.
—Whirl!
"Oooohhh! Yeeeessss! Watashi wa be-quiet kawaii dancer! I'm Brian!"
Brian, having finally pulled his helmet on, performed some insane breakdancing, executing an endless series of headspins like a human drill while spewing cringey weeb nonsense.
"Ore wa boot-pipuru da..."
—Strum strum strum.
Ken played a Japanese-style guitar while reciting some incomprehensible poem and squeezing out juice.
"Mun Min, Mun Min! The sensation of the academy!"
That utter bastard Mun Min by himself, pulling some ridiculous crap, mumbling homemade-rap-like nonsense while flailing his hands and feet around.
Of course, he got the worst reaction.
Well, like that, as the performances continued from first-years all the way to upperclassmen—
"Everyone's been amazing! Now we'll move to the next performance! And the cadet performing next is none other than...!"
Finally.
"Oh! Astoundingly! The famously renowned Kainus Family of Europe! Their cherished daughter, Leona Kainus, is going to dance!"
Leona's turn had come.
"Whoooooa!"
"Oooohhh!"
"Waaaaaaaaaah!"
Truly an overwhelming roar.
"Kyaaaaaaaaah!"
I added my voice to the roar too, clapping like a madman. It was blatant overkill, but in this moment, not at all! Because everyone here was going just as wild!
And why wouldn't they—Leona is from Europe's Mister Dominators!
The cherished daughter of the Kainus Family!
An incredibly famous figure...!
"I've been waiting for this, Leona!"
I'm so excited to see what kind of stage Leona will show, I feel like I might go insane. My heart is about to explode—hurry up and give me Leona already...!
The moment I thought that—
—Click.
The auditorium lights went out.
—Bam!
A spotlight descended.
And what appeared was—
—Softly.
Step, step.
Gracefully stepping forward, heading for center stage.
Leona, in her school uniform.
"Wow."
Bathed in the light, she was nothing short of an angel. Her shimmering silver hair seemed to lend her a holy aura.
Truly an angelic image.
—Vwoom.
Soon BGM began to play.
—...
Standing center stage, Leona's dance began.
—Swoosh.
With a hand on her hip, Leona executed a flowing motion, extending her right foot forward and smoothly sweeping the toe in a slow S-curve, drawing the foot back while moving her waist like a dancer.
The intro alone was an extraordinary movement, when suddenly—
—Whoosh!
Leona's dance unfolded with rapid momentum.
"Oh, ooh...!"
"My god!"
"Wow!"
Fierce yet elegant. This wasn't the kind of dance you see from idol singers on TV—it was literally an intense dance, as if performed by an exotic dancer carrying on some ancient tradition...!
"Hurk!"
My breath caught on its own. I covered my mouth with both hands and stared at Leona's stage.
"This isn't just an ordinary dance...!"
A dancer.
She was truly a dancer.
A beautiful dance, a modern reinterpretation of the captivating dances of dancers passed down from ancient times. I began to feel myself falling into the movements. No. I was already fallen.
And in that moment.
—...!
Leona's eyes met mine.
Did she really pick me out precisely at that distance? Leona? Or is she just dancing so beautifully that I'm under the illusion that only Leona and I exist in this place right now?
"Fufut."
Having become a single dancer, Leona smiled bewitchingly, continuing her dance while gazing straight at me.
"..."
I absolutely could not think of her as the ordinary Leona. Leona has this warm charm, almost like a mother... And within that affection exists a fierce and passionate charm too.
There exists the temperament of a warrior, one who shouts like a blazing fire and presses her claims through—never quiet or meek.
So she normally feels cheerful and energetic, but the Leona right now had completely cast off that image.
A snake-like sensuality.
Leona's bright-yellow eyes were fixed on me.
Look at those legs, moving like the most secret of serpents.
It feels as though I've come face to face with a giant snake, its yellow eyes glowing in the deep, pitch-black darkness.
Leona... you are a woman like an anaconda...