Before the Festival Curtain Rises
The curtain was about to rise on the festival.
It was the first day back after the holiday break, and the academy classes had resumed. Perhaps due to the letdown from the end of the break, the academy students sat in their seats looking somewhat drowsy or gathered in groups, chatting with one another.
"Ah... Hello?"
"Ah, Emilia! Hello!"
"Hello."
As I entered the classroom, I spotted Emilia sitting in the back row, and she greeted us awkwardly.
After a brief exchange with Riel, Emilia returned to her seat as the homeroom teacher entered.
Emilia's seat was right next to mine on the left side, so it wasn't far.
At that moment, I felt a gaze and turned my head that way.
The owner of the gaze was, as expected, Alan Ludwig.
When I looked at him, he quickly averted his eyes, which was oddly suspicious and made me uneasy. But ever since we started clashing, things that seem strange and suspicious have happened more than once...
"Everyone, pay attention!"
At the homeroom teacher's words, all eyes turned to her.
After glancing around, the teacher opened her mouth.
"Right after the holiday break, there's a rather disappointing piece of news... Liliana Edwin has left our side."
Wait, she just quit the academy, but saying it like she died is weird.
Look at that, right after she finished speaking, there are students reacting all over.
"T-Teacher!? What happened to her?!"
Look at that, even Alan is visibly startled.
"Huh? Ah!"
Only then did the teacher realize she'd made a slip of the tongue.
She said with panic, waving her hands.
"Ah... no! Liliana is just... she quit the academy! Ah, my mind!"
Only then did the students who understood the situation let out a sigh of relief.
But there were still students who couldn't accept it. Naturally, that was Alan Ludwig.
"W-Why did she quit the academy...?"
"Huh? It was... due to family circumstances..."
"Family circumstances? Then where did she go?"
"That I cannot say."
The teacher said firmly.
"Regarding her whereabouts, there was a request to keep it confidential except for those involved."
This was the first I was hearing about it, and it was probably a separate request from the Edwin family.
As I sat quietly after guessing so, I saw Alan glaring at me from the side.
...He's probably guessing again that I had something to do with it.
Whether or not it matters.
As a slightly dark atmosphere settled, the teacher clapped her hands to lighten it.
"All right! Everyone, pay attention! It's a sad thing that Liliana has left the academy, but you still have two years left at the academy!"
And with a slight smile, she continued.
"And soon, the 'Martial God Festival' is waiting for you all. Do you all know?"
At that, murmurs rose from the classroom.
"The Martial God Festival...! I've never seen it in person!"
Riel said in a slightly excited voice too.
The Martial God Festival.
Martial God Festival. The official name is the Royal Martial Tournament in Commemoration of the Martial God's Birth, but everyone casually shortens it to Martial God Festival.
It was a traditional martial arts tournament held in the royal capital in honor of the birth of 'Martial God' Calidos, who was renowned for his god-like martial prowess as the right hand of Queen Olivia, the founding queen.
Originally, it was a tournament where various martial arts like swordsmanship, boxing, and spear fighting competed on the anniversary of the Martial God's birth, but it was said that due to the mages' opposition, a separate magic division was also opened.
The Martial God Festival was also a story from the original work, where the protagonist Alan won first place in the Martial God Festival, which served as a signal to announce his name in the royal capital, which was previously unknown... that part.
As per that, the Martial God Festival holds competitions divided by rank, and among them, there is also a tournament for academy students.
That tournament is a good place for influential people to scout talent from students, so students show off their skills there to get job opportunities later.
"I've always wanted to see the Martial God Festival!"
"The competition is one thing, but the stage and stalls are amazing!"
"Who will be the main performer this time?"
"Last year, it was said that Ilina Nortie came!"
From various places, voices filled with anticipation for the Martial God Festival could be heard.
As intended by the teacher, the atmosphere was successfully lightened.
LeoNora's expression looked bright, as if she had succeeded.
At that moment, Riel poked me with her elbow and I turned to her.
"Kyou, are you going to the Martial God Festival?"
"Huh? Um... probably not going."
Well... Honestly, I wanted to go and see the festival since I was learning swordsmanship diligently.
...It's a bit embarrassing to say, but I do have some self-confidence.
"Yes! If Kyou goes, I'll cheer enthusiastically!!"
"Th-Then...?"
"Yes! I'll be looking forward to it!"
......
Good, I'll go!
'Martial God Festival...'
Alan, whose mind was complicated by Liliana's story, recalled the Martial God Festival at the noisy voices around him.
And the conversation he heard from behind.
"Cheer... enthusiastically..."
"...Yeah."
"...Looking forward to it..."
It wasn't clear, but the voices of Kyou and Riel.
As expected, Kyou Ventus seems to be going to the Martial God Festival.
'A chance has come...'
After that duel, he had been waiting for an opportunity for revenge.
But because of the ban on approaching him after the duel, the chance never came.
But if they meet at the Martial God Festival, he could get a chance to take revenge on Kyou Ventus without the ban.
'I will definitely... definitely defeat you, Kyou Ventus.'
At that time, other than taking one blow due to someone else's magic interference, his attacks didn't land.
For Alan, who had been walking the path of the sword diligently, it was truly nothing but humiliation.
Revenge flames blazed in Alan's heart.
'You... if I defeat you... then for Riel...'
Other dark emotions were also blooming besides the flames of revenge.
Having decided to go to the Martial God Festival, after informing the teacher, I was at the training ground.
Riel had said she was taking Emilia to the library's secret room.
It felt a bit lonely as it was a private secret place for the two, but since Emilia is Riel's first female friend, it was okay.
More than anything, I thought she could be trusted.
Perhaps because of the Martial God Festival, the training ground was full of people, but there were plenty of empty spots in the wide training ground.
"Hah"
Inside, Alan Ludwig was swinging his sword while sweating.
Not just Alan, but the girls following him, including Peris, were noisy with "kyaa kyaa" every time Alan swung his sword.
How much would it take for them to be glared at from around.
"Well, it's not my business."
With that said, I looked for an empty spot and started training.
From the basics I learned from my father in my childhood, to the applications I learned training with Princess Aine.
With the feeling of reviewing one by one from the start, I swung my sword.
After swinging the sword into a state of no-mind, I was catching my breath when I felt a gaze and turned that way.
'Eh.'
When I turned, honestly, I was quite shaken.
"Ah, sorry. Did I interrupt?"
"Ah... no. I just finished one set."
A woman with long hair tied up from above, wearing training clothes... well, closer to gym clothes, but judging by the pattern color, she was a senior second-year.
"Interesting swordsmanship. It doesn't seem like Kingdom military swordsmanship. Could I ask about the style?"
But I knew who this woman was.
After all, she was one of the sub-heroines who met Alan during the holiday break and built a bond, just like Emilia.
Gransen Academy second-year, Iris Reiknear.
"I don't have a specific style... It's swordsmanship I learned from my father in my childhood. ...Senior."
