The Bracket Draw

Mnevoir's face was as grave as ever. Blow, who had already half expected this, asked her.

"Yes, Professor. It's about the experiment, isn't it?"

"Mm. Starting tomorrow it'll get a bit rough, so we'll go on with your magic neutralization switched off."

Switching off magic neutralization—the mana reflex that buffered and canceled any magic laid on the body—meant he would have to bear the pain himself. Healing magic would follow afterward, but the instant of agony, and the memory of it, would stay perfectly clear.

Mnevoir knew that better than anyone, and her expression soured further as she spoke. Blow answered as if it were nothing at all.

"You already told me about this, didn't you?"

"That's true, but still."

"I have to do what needs doing. It isn't something I can avoid."

"You're a cooler student than I expected, Blow Deblique."

"Am I?"

"No matter how much you've been warned ahead of time, when the moment actually comes, don't you want to run?"

"The truth is, even if I wanted to, I'm not in a position where I can."

As he said it, Blow's gaze drifted toward Hills and Red Forest. Watching where his eyes went, a faint smile spread across Mnevoir's face.

"Right. Of course. I'll do my best too."

"Please do."

"I'd be grateful if you came by eight, the way you always have."

"Yes."

An awkward silence settled between them. After a brief pause, Blow gestured toward Hills.

"Shall we go in? The food's quite good."

"All right."

When they stepped inside, the others had already taken their seats and were poring over the menu. Amid the chatter, Rachel shook her head and swept her index finger from the top of the menu all the way to the bottom.

"Personally, I recommend you just order one of everything."

"Mmm! I'm only worried we might not finish it, my lady!"

"Obviously you'll eat whatever's left, Renerit Hersi."

"Ehh! I've been putting on weight lately, I can't! I already ate so much at the Black Bridge Gathering."

"Then ride a horse when you go up to the Imperial Capital."

"Hmm... maybe I should."

"You have to try it. You'll regret it later, you know?"

"If you insist that strongly, my lady..."

Under Rachel's insistence they ended up ordering nearly every dish, one of each. Blow caught Melo in the kitchen, nodding with sparkling eyes, and took a seat at their table. Lil, with the owner himself settling in beside her, looked faintly tense; Blow offered her a small smile.

Only after the food was ordered did everyone relax. Aurora, who had been studying Rachel's face all the while, clasped her hands and gushed.

"Oh my, Lady Rachel! You've grown so incredibly beautiful."

"I hear that a lot."

"And look—I baked cookies just for you!"

"Thank you. I'll share them with my retainers."

"If you would, I'd be far too honored!"

Watching the two talk as if rank meant nothing between them, Blow felt a flicker of curiosity and slipped into the conversation.

"Professor Aurora, it seems you already know Lady Rachel?"

"Me, and Mnevoir, and Lil too! All of us came out of the Imperial Palace! We've crossed paths a few times, coming and going."

"Yes. You have no idea how terrifying their faces were back then."

"I have a hard time picturing that."

Mnevoir let out a short laugh, as if turning those days over in her mind, while Lil looked utterly at a loss. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Aurora glanced around the table and smoothly changed the subject.

"By the way! Blow! I hear you recruited our Lil?"

"Yes. She seemed exceptionally talented."

Lil flinched at that, her face flushing red. Aurora clapped and nodded.

"Truly a wonderful idea! Lil may not look it, but she has real expertise in potions and research!"

"Hey, you..."

Lil looked ready to cry as she turned toward Aurora, who shook her head this way and that and added in a teasing lilt.

"It's true, though!"

"Couldn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you put in a good word with the boss for me?"

"Whaaat! I just did, didn't I? Right, Mnevoir?"

"That much is fine."

I thought they were completely grown adults. Seeing Professor Mnevoir and Professor Aurora like this, they just seem like students.

While Blow watched their exchange with interest, Pilsner Paulos was soon set before everyone.

"Blow, I'd rather have coffee."

"Ah, yes. I'll have it ready right away."

"Whaaat! Mnevoir, have a drink with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠us! Lil's here, and even Lady Rachel!"

"I have things to do."

"What?"

"Preparing tomorrow's experiment."

Caught short, Aurora closed her mouth. Rachel, who had been quietly watching them, smiled and spoke.

"You all seem exactly as you were the last time I saw you. As if you haven't aged a day."

"Us? Well, being around the kids, we do seem to age a little less. Right, Mnevoir?"

"Not that we don't."

Hearing them, Renerit brightened and jumped in.

"Me too! Maybe I should become a teacher! I don't want to get old!!"

"Oh my, Renerit! You can't even raise the rabbits at home properly, and you want to be a teacher!"

"You kill every plant you try to grow too, Sister!"

"Haha, my little sister never runs out of things to say. Cookies confiscated!"

"Hiiing..."

Rachel Campbell chuckled as she watched them. Blow found it unexpected—her expression looked more at ease than usual.

Then Aurora smiled brightly and turned a question on Rachel.

"When will you go up to the Imperial Capital, Lady Rachel?"

"After I've watched all the Academia preliminaries."

"Aha! So that's why you came? Our students really are remarkable!"

Rachel nodded, agreeing with the pride in her voice.

"Of course."

"Oh my, I wish we could watch together. Mnevoir and I will be inside the dueling hall."

"As judges, I assume?"

"Yes. Me, Mnevoir, and one more professor! We have to make sure nothing major happens like last time."

Aurora smiled. Blow, pricked for no good reason, quietly turned his eyes toward his beer. Aurora pressed on.

"Then what will you do until Saturday, my lady? The preliminaries are all evening events anyway."

"Well, if I get too bored, I was thinking of stopping by city hall."

"Oh my, you're going to hunt magical beasts even after coming all this way?"

"I'm restless. Or I could have Blow pick out some clothes for me?"

"Me? Out of nowhere?"

"I heard you picked out clothes for Lady Skadi."

"How on earth do you know that?"

"Yesterday Yulia mentioned it more than a few times."

Senior really does say the most unnecessary things.

Blow's eyes narrowed, uncomfortable, and Rachel chuckled as she went on.

"I'm joking, Blow Deblique. Focus on your work! Though I'll still be eating at Hills, of course."

"Please do. Tomorrow at lunch there's the Academia preliminary bracket draw, so when I'm not around, Megan will—"

"What are you talking about? I'm going to watch that."

"Ah, right. I have work in the morning, so let's meet around eleven by the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠library."

"Whatever you say. Then, since it occurred to me, I ought to go pay my respects to His Highness the Prince."

The door of Hills burst open, and Skadi came in beaming.

"Blow Debl—"

Mid-word, Mnevoir's and Aurora's faces entered her line of sight. The moment she saw them she stopped dead and made to shut the door and leave. Before she could, Renerit waved.

"Lady Skadi!! Come over here!!"

"It looked full. Haha..."

"It isn't! There's plenty of room!"

"......"

If she left now, Skadi thought, the professors would think poorly of her. She had no choice but to quietly take the seat across from Blow.

Formal greetings passed back and forth, and Skadi sat with an expression even more awkward than the day before. Rachel looked at her and asked with a chuckle.

"What's this, coming alone? Where did you leave that Hervena Westriver?"

"She said she had an assignment."

"Did she? She went to prepare for the duel, more like."

"Mm... Hervena doesn't seem to worry about it much."

"Yulia said she's starting duel prep from today. Right, Blow Deblique?"

"Yes, that's my understanding. She'll stop by briefly tomorrow evening, because of a meeting."

"After we watch the group draw tomorrow, we can have dinner with Yulia."

"Please do. You'll need to talk investments anyway."

"I-I'd like to join too."

When Skadi hesitated her way in, Rachel nodded.

"True enough. Lady Skadi said she'd invest in Blow as well."

"Y-yes, that's right! Haha."

"Hmm. House Hetaya. I have to say I'm rather looking forward to it. So—how much are you planning to invest?"

And why are you the one asking that?

Blow stared at her with his brows drawn tight. Rachel, uncharacteristically, had a sparkle in her eyes.

"W-we still have to negotiate a bit."

"Negotiate? Oh..."

"Yes. Father said he'd agree, for now."

"You spoke to the Grand Duke?"

"Mm. He told me to wait a little."

Wait?

Uneasy now, Blow tilted his head.

Aurora, who had been following their exchange with keen interest, cut in.

"Oh my, Blow, this is no joke, is it? You're taking investment from House Campbell, and even House Hetaya?"

"It just sort of happened."

"This—shouldn't we be doing something too? Renerit?"

"Should we?"

"It's good to get a foot in the door. Even if you completely ruin yourself, at least a potion shop—"

"Why would you say it like that!!"

Renerit fumed, but Aurora only chuckled as if she found it adorable. Lil breathed a sigh of relief, thinking her choice had been the right one—thank heavens.

The next day at lunch, near Pétrus Hall, where the bracket drawing was to be held.

Linne Franche, now a full-fledged employee of Red Forest, was fielding questions about the potion subscription from a few first-years.

"Senior Linne, if we subscribe, do we really get potions all month long at that price?"

"Of course! Obviously!"

"They really even do the cleaning service?"

"Th-there are already kids using it. Oh, you can just ask them."

The Traffic Light Trio was approaching from a distance. The first-years tilted their heads.

"Aren't those three clerks at Red Forest?"

"That's why they signed up as the first members."

"Ah."

A moment later the trio arrived and bowed to her in chorus.

"Hello, Senior Linne!"

"Ah, hi. C-could you tell them what the potion subscription is like?"

"Oh, yes! I'll do it."

Radness answered brightly and stuck with them to explain. At the waists of Alice and Cosette, who had come with her, hung the leather potion cases one received upon subscribing.

Just as Blow had said, the Traffic Light Trio were faithfully serving as walking billboards. Customers who came because they had seen them already made up half the subscribers. The first goal of fifty had been filled, and they were taking reservations for the second round. She and Jane sometimes worried the work might grow too heavy, but the good mood was real all the same.

"—and that's what's so good about it!"

"It does sound nice."

"If you're going to sign up, stop by Red Forest later!"

"Got it. See you later, Radness!"

The first-years' faces had brightened—the explanation must have satisfied them—and they drifted off. Cosette quietly approached Linne, who was standing there blankly.

"Senior, are you going to Pétrus Hall?"

"Y-yeah. To watch the bracket draw."

"Aha, us too. Want to go together?"

Linne, who had been sneaking glances at them, went wide-eyed and answered in a trembling voice.

"I-if it's all right for me to join..."

"Of course, Senior! Let's go!"

"It's almost noon, so we should hurry."

Alice and Cosette each linked an arm through one of Linne's. A full, unmistakable smile spread across her face.

The four of them entered Pétrus Hall. From the foot of the platform at the front all the way back to the entrance, students packed the space so tightly there was hardly room to set a foot down. Everyone was putting in a word about this year's grand tournament.

"Obviously Senior Yulia!"

"Come on, it's Hervena!"

Those two voices were the loudest, with Rebecca's name surfacing now and then among them. Most conspicuous of all were the members of the Finance Department, who had even made a banner to come cheer for Cindy.

Mortified, Cindy stood on the platform with a hand planted on her hip and shouted down at them.

"Indoor, take the kids and go do some work!"

"Chief! We can't do that! Cheering comes first! Work, she says!!"

"That's right, Chief! We'll even pull an all-nighter if we have to!!"

"Chief! Chief!"

"You people are seriously embarrassing!"

"Chief! That's not how you say thank you! Repeat after me. Thank. You. Kids!"

"Th-th... th... Shut up, you bastards!"

Beside her, Hervena burst out laughing at the sight. At the center of the platform, Yulia was in conversation with Rebecca and Danvers. Past them, in a corner of the dais, Greig Campbell stood with Blasse, clearing his throat and glaring at the center and down at the crowd below.

Looking at them, Cosette swallowed dryly and spoke to Radness and Alice.

"Seeing them like this, Senior Yulia and Senior Hervena both feel so far away. At Hills they seemed so close."

"Right! It feels like we're working with really amazing people, doesn't it, Senior Linne?"

"Y-yeah..."

Linne could only nod. From where she stood, both Yulia and Hervena were seniors she had no choice but to respect. Lately she had been feeling in her bones just how extraordinary it was that Hervena—now yawning on the platform as if bored—had skipped the third year entirely, gone straight into the fourth, and taken the top seat.

I'm jealous.

While Linne was gazing at Hervena with that envious look, a commotion suddenly rose near the entrance.

"It's Rachel Campbell!"

Silence fell in an instant, and every eye swung that way. Rachel walked in at her ease, hair stirring, and behind her came a worn-looking Blow, with Skadi at his side.

The moment they saw them, the Traffic Light Trio ran over.

"Hello, Boss!"

Blow gave a small smile to the three of them as they bowed together.

"You came to watch too?"

"Yes, we're so excited!!"

Rachel ran her eyes over the brightly colored trio and asked Blow.

"Employees, I take it?"

"Yes. Something like that."

"They all have good faces."

While the trio fidgeted under Rachel's gaze, Blow introduced her.

"An investor. Lady Rachel Campbell."

"Rachel... Rachel..."

And with that, the image of her handing Yulia a defeat at the Serdia Academia flashed through their minds.

"Ah, hello!"

"I'm not going to eat you. Why are you all so tense?"

"We're sorry!"

Rachel chuckled at how thoroughly frozen they were.

In the meantime Linne, who had come in with them, offered Rachel a formal bow.

"Linne Franche!"

"M-my lady, you've come!"

Glad to see her, Rachel slid an arm up onto the shoulder of the girl who had approached.

...That timid little Linne, with Rachel Campbell?

Everyone nearby stared back and forth between Linne and Rachel in surprise, and the Traffic Light Trio's mouths hung open.

"So, Linne. What's your schedule this evening?"

"I-I'm working! At R... Red Forest!"

"Blow will let you off this evening. Right?"

"Well, one day should be fine."

"Ah."

"Have dinner with us? With Blow, and Yulia, and Skadi."

"Y... yes!"

"I like that you're spirited, Linne."

...Well. If it's good, it's good.

Blow thought as much, and didn't add anything more.

Rachel shifted her gaze to him and spoke as if in passing.

"Hey, Blow Deblique."

"Yes, my lady."

"You look tired. Why not head in first?"

Skadi, beside him, was looking at him with the same worry. Today's experiment had certainly been rough. They had measured the pain after switching neutralization off. Even so, he still had to do what needed doing—because up on the platform, both Hervena and Yulia were smiling and waving at him.

Blow raised a hand to them and answered Rachel.

"I'm fine. Still, Hervena's up there, and so is Senior Yulia."

"Well, if you say so..."

"Your younger brother Greig is standing up there too, isn't he? Aren't you worried about him?"

"Mmm— well, he'll manage. That one."

The moment Rachel entered, Greig on the platform had retreated even farther into the corner. At the sight of him with no spirit at all, Rachel heaved a sigh deep enough to sink the ground.

Pétrus Hall grew solemn as Student Council President Randolph and the headmaster came in, with Mnevoir and Aurora following behind them.

Hervena, who had been watching Blow with a smile, drew her gaze away from him and looked over the faces ranged across the platform. In doing so she naturally met Yulia's eyes. The moment they saw each other, both pairs of eyes hardened at once.

The bracket draw was about to begin.