novelThe Prologue of the Election Tournament (1)
| ← Ch.060 | Ch.062 → |
In the SHR at the beginning of the week, the students were informed of the implementation of not an [election] but a [Team Election Battle].
"Team?"
The students made a stir upon hearing that unusual word, Liz Liza-sensei slammed the teacher's desk to quiet the students down.
"In order to display the strength and leadership of a knight, the candidates will lead their supporters, as their comrade, and fight in this team battle. You all should think about what is required to organize a good team."
It was a team battle tournament that would be performed with two swordsmen and two Magica Stigma in each team, four people per team.
That was the Team Election Battle.
"Do all the ordinary students just get to watch?"
"No, when the tournament is all over, a vote will be performed next. Even if, for example, someone wins the overall victory in the tournament, but the students judged that the way he fought is not suitable, then his chances to become the Chief Student Council President are next to zero. A manifesto for the like of a knight is not just lip service but is to be shown through battle...it could be said that this is not just a mere [kouyakumanifesto] but a touyakubattle pledge."
In other words, this tournament battle served the function of an election campaign like in a conventional election. The students would watch how the candidates fought and decide the result in a vote.
"What will happen with the current student council president of the Magic Division and the Sword Division?"
One of the students inquired anxiously. She might be a fan of Kaguya-senpai or Hoshikaze-senpai.
"This is not a vote of no confidence, so as the general rules the present set-up of the student councils will be maintained."
Hearing that answer, the students, Kazuki included, released a sigh of relief.
"However, holding two positions at the same time will not be recognized. For example, in the case that Otonashi Kaguya is elected as the Chief Student Council President, then Kaguya will be retired from the seat of the Magic Division student council president. Thereupon, because the seat of the Magic Division student council president will be vacant, an additional election will be performed in response."
At the blackboard, Liz Liza-sensei put the ~Chief Student Council President~ at the top, below it ~Magic Division Student Council President~ and ~Sword Division Student Council President~ were written side-by-side, forming the picture of an organizational chart.
"The candidates will be gathered either by recommendation or by announcing their candidacy. The applications for this will be accepted in the staff room, so if you are interested then notify the staff room today. For recommendations, in the case that consent from the person concerned is not acquired, then it will be considered invalid. If an application of recommendation comes in, then the person concerned will be contacted, so give your declaration of intent promptly."
The classroom became noisy with people talking, this event that was happening so suddenly was something of great interest to many students.
However for Kazuki, this event was not somebody else's problem.
Because long before this day, the headmaster had told him that he would recommend him secretly as the Chief Student Council President.
There was no option to veto. In order to continue to stay at the Witch's Manor, Kazuki had to win the seat of the Chief Student Council President. Headmaster Amasaki would not allow it otherwise.
However, even though influential people like Kaguya-senpai existed, were they going to gather them all as candidates in this election? How could this develop into such a large-scale tournament, he had a bad feeling about this.
For this event that had no precedent, it couldn't be denied that the teachers were starting this without considering objections from the students.
"The briefing intended for the candidates will be carried out in the auditorium after school, the drawing for the seeding of the candidates in the tournament will be also conducted at that time. Until then, the candidates should begin forming their teams. As everyone knows, people who served as officers in the student council would go through the elite course even at the Knight Order, but this time a bonus will be awarded on their student evaluation from just participating in the tournament. I hope everyone will participate in this proactively. Also, there is one more point..."
At that point the informative matter had been finished or so we thought, but Liz Liza-sensei still had some words to continue.
"As of last weekend, there were three incidents where students were assaulted by a suspicious person, all of it happened in succession. The students are safe, but the perpetrator was not caught by the monitoring cameras and still hasn't been captured. Accordingly, a quest intended for the student council and high-ranking students to perform patrols and strengthen security was created. Reparations must be exacted from the perpetrator as soon as possible for looking down at the Knight Academy, don't you all agree? For that reason, students who don't have confidence in their skills should refrain from leaving their dormitory at night."
The Knight Academy was attacked by a suspicious person...what a bold move.
During the commotion the students created, Kazuki was reminded of the assault by an unknown person during his date.
And then during lunch break that day...
In order to have lunch together, Kazuki, Mio, Lotte, and Koyuki, had joined their desks into a cross shape. The moment they were going to begin, all of their cell phones vibrated simultaneously.
It was a text summons from Kaguya-senpai.
Even Lotte, who came to Japan penniless, was given a cell phone by the academy.
The four people left the school building and headed to the Witch's Manor by cutting through the garden.
In the living room of the Witch's Manor, the usual members were already gathered together:
The upperclassmen duo of Kaguya-senpai and Hoshikaze-senpai.
The familiar Sword Division student council trio of Kanae, Kamiizumi-senpai and Torazou-senpai.
Furthermore even Kohaku and Kazuha-senpai were there.
The influential people whom Kazuki was acquainted with were here in full-force.
Everyone was relaxing on the antique sofa and chairs or was standing around the table freely.
Kazuki and the others also took a seat at a suitable sofa. Mio sat on Kazuki's right, Koyuki sat on his left and Lotte, being a bit lost, sat on Kazuki's lap.
Kazuki was thinking, 'Oi', but hugged Lotte from behind tightly.
"I wonder if everyone is here with this... I called everyone here, of course, because of the matter of Team Election Battle".
Kaguya-senpai looked around at everyone from the center of the living room as she started the conversation.
"In this room, the preeminent champions of this academy are gathered en masse. I want us to discuss and decide how these members will be divided into teams. First of all, how many among us are going to become candidates? Of course I got a recommendation for this election."
"I was recommended too though."
Hoshikaze-senpai raised her hand at the very beginning. There was no way this popular person wouldn't get recommended.
"That, you don't have any intention to step down, right?"
"Yes. I lost when we fought for the seat of the Magic Division's student council presidency, but this time I'll win for sure against Kaguya, you'll see!"
"Fufufu, what fine courage... I'll make Hikaru cry out beautiful sounds this time as well!"
Kaguya-senpai grinned broadly and laughed towards Hoshikaze-senpai who stood up; sparks were flying while they were staring each other down.
"I also received a recommendation, but I turned it down."
The one who said that brusquely was Kanae, who was leaning against the wall and crossed her arms.
"Why?" Kaguya-senpai asked her.
"That's obvious. The only suitable person to be the Chief Student Council President is Nii-sama after all. I mean, it's not like I became the student council president because I wanted to be in the first place. It's only because when I was aiming to be the strongest in the Sword Division, they made me the president as they pleased, that was all.
"The same with me~"
Hearing Kanae's words, Kamiizumi-senpai who was sitting languidly on the sofa just followed along blindly without a care.
"These two are no good humans whose good point is their strength, all the practical work was pushed on to me just like that..."
Torazou-senpai who was sitting to the side of Kamiizumi-senpai powerlessly leaned back on the sofa with his exhaustion obvious to see.
"Then, Kana-chan is going to enter Otouto-kun's team to fight together?"
"No...I'll fight Nii-sama! Nii-sama, you haven't forgotten right? During the school entrance ceremony, the oath we made that we are going to be rivals from now on too!"
"I remember but... are we going to fulfill that promise in this tournament!?"
"For Nii-sama to stand at the top of this academy, you have to get through the wall that is me!"
Kanae took a step away from the wall she had been leaning against and stared intensely at Kazuki with burning eyes.
"...With a powerful person like Kanae-san standing at the neutral position, it will become a dividing line between victory and defeat for tose who are able to recruit her. So in other words, the gist of this talk is something like that isn't it?"
When Hoshikaze-senpai murmured so, Kaguya-senpai was nodding strongly while saying "Correct! It's just as you say!"
"I don't want a bitter competition unfolding between powerful people, so like this I created a place where we all are gathered to talk it out. First I want all of us gathered here to declare their positions, whether they are a candidate or free! Is Otouto-kun a candidate too?"
"Yes, I was recommended."
...Although he didn't say who recommended him.
"I am neither recommended nor announcing my candidacy desu."
"I am not either."
"...Same with me."
In succession Lotte, Koyuki and Mio, that group of three announced their position in turn. Mio was pouting a little in dissatisfaction. It seemed she wanted to get a recommendation from somebody.
"This is a chance that is hard to encounter, so isn't it fine if you announce your candidacy?"
Koyuki glanced at Mio and said.
When Mio made her self-introduction on the first day of school, there was her proclamation that she was aiming for student council president.
"If I do that I won't be able to form a team with Kazuki...at any rate I don't get the feeling that I could win against Kazuki or Kaguya-senpai."
"That's unexpectedly realistic of you." Koyuki made an amazed face while saying that.
"But a student of the Magic Division that can enter Kazuki-oniisan's team is just one person right desu?"
When Lotte said that, those three were immediately glaring at each other.
Suddenly, Kazuki became conscious of everyone's positivity level. The positivity level graph floated in front of his eyes spontaneously.
[Amasaki Mio―146 Lotte―114 Hiakari Koyuki―108 Otonashi Kaguya―88
Hoshikaze Hikaru―50 Tsukahara Kazuha―29]
Lotte and Koyuki's positivity level enabled him to use powerful [level 5 magic], while the high number of positivity that Mio had reached enabled him to use the [level 7 magic] that even Mio herself still couldn't use.
"Hiakari, didn't you fight alone with Kazuki constantly the other day in the academy's underground? You should concede this time."
"If you say that, wasn't Amasaki-san in a party with just Kazuki for a long time?"
"Then taking the interval, this is my turn desu."
Against Lotte who attempted to profit from the fight between Mio and Koyuki, Mio intimidated her with "Nyaa-".
Thereupon Lotte was barking "Wan!" cheerfully and Koyuki was muttering "Puu".
Hoshikaze-senpai who was watching over the three quarreling with each other like their guardian laughed "Ahaha".
"Well, rather than recruiting from the wan-nyaa-puu trio who just entered the academy a month ago, the second year students are stronger, but as I thought, if I can, I want to group together with the girls from the Witch's Manor."
"I was recommended too, but I stepped back. The burden is too heavy."
"The same with me~"
Torazou senpai was going impossible, impossible, while waving his hands, after that Kamiizumii-senpai was just following after him blindly.
"So all three of the Sword Division's student council aren't becoming candidates. No, if it's like that then what will happen to the Sword Division's student council now? Kanae isn't the president anymore, right?"
Suddenly Kazuki noticed and asked. During the incident before where they fought against Nyarlatoteph, there was the event where Kohaku defeated Kanae and usurped the political power of the Sword Division.
"Even now Kohaku is still the president. I have zero intention to return to that post. At last that burden was removed from my shoulders. From now on I am not chased anymore by any routine tasks and I can give my undivided attention to Nii-sama Love!"
Next to Kanae whose expression was so bright, Kohaku's expression was darkening drastically.
"...At that time this one had an objective and stole the president's seat, but now that it has become like this that position is nothing more than a burden. There are lots of routine tasks, it's like everyday there are always opinion letters and life consultations brought by the students, I don't even remember the names of all the students...and this one couldn't possibly reach Kana-nyan-senpai's charisma. Using this chance this one plans to resign from the position. And then this one will make a proposal for democratic elections to be carried out in the Sword Division from now on!"
"Na!? Wait a second, are you planning to abandon your post!?"
"This one will have Kana-nyan-senpai returned as president by any means necessary! For that reason, regarding the Chief Student Council Presidency too, this one had received the recommendation from Mikohime-sama but I declined it."
"My recommendation was useless in the end."
At Kohaku's side, Kazuha-senpai pouted.
"Conversely, I was recommended by Kohaku but turned it down. If someone like me announced my candidacy, I'd get laughed at..."
These two close friends, Kohaku and Kazuha, mutually recommended each other but it looked like both of them turned it down together.
"Then the candidates that are in this place are Hikaru, Otouto-kun and I, the three of us huh? The number is unexpectedly low."
"But I feel that based on the number of people is just fine, we can divide the eleven people here into three teams."
Everyone was nodding while Kaguya-senpai and Hoshikaze-senpai were counting the number on their fingers. There were eleven people in this room, so the calculation was that one team had to invite a swordsman from the outside.
"Then, I'm entering Hikaru-senpai's team desu!"
From among the group of three who were still glaring each other down, Lotte took a step back and hugged Hoshikaze-senpai.
Hoshikaze-senpai happily laughed and hugged her back....It felt like seeing a prince and a princess.
"I really want to group together with Koyuki-chan, because I have known her the longest."
Kaguya-senpai gently took Koyuki's hand. Koyuki was saying "Understood" and grasped Kaguya-senpai's hand.
"I'm together with Kazuki-!"
Mio looked as if she was being obstinate by herself alone and grabbed Kazuki's arm.
"By any chance, is Mio worried about me?"
"After all, if I'm not at your side, if Kazuki's heart is stopped then..."
While clinging closely to Kazuki's arm, Mio was looking down with a face that looked like it would burst into tears.
"It's fine you know, I won't let something like my heart stopping happen that easily..."
Kazuki smiled wryly while stroking Mio's head with the intention of soothing her.
"Kazuki, add this one too as your comrade. And then, when we gain overall victory, let's get married."
"If you stop pressing for marriage forcefully, then it's fine to let you join too."
"Muu... Understood, " with a sour look, Kohaku was added to the team.
In a panic, Kazuha-senpai came and flared up.
"Just wait, wait, wait, Kohaku! So you're joining the team of that shameless man!?"
"Mikohime-sama...Sorry, this one wants to fight together with Kazuki."
"I don't have any acquaintances other than Kohaku in this place, you know!? I got called here without even knowing the reason yet I am made to taste this solitude...Gr, group formation nightmare...!"
It seemed a strange trauma was stimulated inside Kazuha-senpai, her face was getting pale. Since a while ago Kazuha-senpai had been continuously feeling uncomfortable in the Witch's Manor.
"Then enter this team together with this one!"
"Eh? Kazuha-senpai is going to enter my team, is that so?"
When Kazuki's eyes opened wide in surprise, Kazuha-senpai was shouting "Don't misunderstand!"
"It's because I want to fight together with Kohaku! After all Kohaku is...she is my friend!"
"Mikohime-sama...to go as far as joining with this one on the same team with Kazuki, whom you dislike..."
Kohaku felt touched in her heart and stared at Kazuha-senpai.
"Then don't call me Mikohime-sama! Call my name properly―!"
"Ka, Kazuha-senpai..."
Kohaku who was not allowed to call Kazuha-senpai as mikohime was finally defeated decisively.
"I did it...! Though if you can, I want you to call me Kazuha without an honorific...!"
Kazuha-senpai did a little guts pose.
{GUWAHHAHHA, with this you two are not master and retainer, but have become genuine friends right, Kazuha!}
The avatar of Futsunushi no Kami came out at Kazuha-senpai's side and guffawed loudly.
Just like how Kohaku had decided Kazuki was her future husband as she pleased, it seemed she also decided Kazuha-senpai was her master.
For some reason, Kohaku really made extreme assumptions, or perhaps he should say that she was a really straightforward person when she had decided something.
"Shut up you stupid Futsu no Kami! Don't just come out as you please!!"
Kazuha-senpai turned bright red as she waved her hands (funfun!) around at Futsunushi no Kami's avatar.
The charming and also reliable swordsmen duo were added to Kazuki's team.
Seeing that situation from where she was leaning on the wall, Kanae walked and approached Kaguya-senpai's direction.
"Oi, Kaguya. Enter me into your team."
"Kana-chan is entering my team? So you are finally going to be my friend!?"
"Don't misunderstand! I'm reluctant to be grouped together with you but...I have to do this to be the greatest wall for Nii-sama. For that I must create the strongest team!"
Kanae and Kaguya-senpai grasped each other's hands tightly. Without a doubt, the strongest team of this academy was formed right here.
"Oi, Iori. You join us here too."
"Eh, I don't want to though~. Hoshikaze-san is way cooler! Though actually with Hayashizaki-kun is also fine~"
"That's okay, come to me." When Hoshikaze-senpai spread her hands with a princely smile, "Kyaa—"Kamiizumi-senpai sprang up from her chair and flew to Hoshikaze-senpai spiritedly.
"Fuh, it couldn't be helped...Torazou. You're just a leftover good-for-nothing but it's sufficient."
"...Rather than Kanae-kaichou, I too want to be in prince Hoshikaze's camp that looks gentler, they seem better."
"What are you saying? Hoshikaze-hikaru has a man-phobia you know? Have some consideration, you idiot."
Kanae dragged Torazou-senpai's arm without allowing him to give his consent or refusal. Torazou-senpai was going "Ah, that's right" and consenting.
"Besides you like mature women and there are no women here that meet your preference right? Don't get so picky."
"No, it's not that I think of Hoshikaze-san in that way, it's just that the president duo on this side is very scary, you see..."
"Torazou-kun? I'm not scary at all you know?"
Kaguya-senpai crept up unnoticed behind Torazou-senpai, then she suddenly seized his head with both hands.
"HIII!? Guernica-san is coming!"
"Wh, who are you calling Guernica-san!"
Kaguya-senpai was grinding Torazou-senpai's head (guriguri) with a jolt.
"With this the division of the eleven people is done. Though only my team is lacking a person."
[Hoshikaze-senpai said so after giving all present an once-over look.
Hayashizaki Kazuki - Amasaki Mio - Hikita Kohaku - Tsukahara Kazuha.
Otonashi Kaguya - Hiakari Koyuki - Hayashizaki Kanae - Yamada Torazou.
Hoshikaze Hikaru - Lotte - Kamiizumi Iori. ]
"The presidents duo team is a little bit scary but, our team also isn't bad, right?"
Mio at his side was whispering at his ear. But Kazuki was harboring a faint anxiety, he knitted his eyebrows.
"Certainly we have strong members but...I have a feeling we will be affected by the rules."
"Rules?" said Mio while she tilted her head.
And then, after school:
The candidates along with their team members were gathered in the auditorium.
The auditorium stood tall in the inner part of the fountain square at the center of the academy, it was a remarkably splendid building. With its classic brickwork, it was fine to say that this building along with the fountain square were the symbols of this academy.
The school entrance ceremony was carried out at the square in front of the fountain for the sake of the dragon handling performance, but large ceremonies like the student general meeting or the graduation ceremony were carried out in the auditorium.
Kazuki and the others, a total of eleven people were finally arriving in groups at the auditorium.
When the heavy door was opened, the auditorium was faintly bright from the indirect lighting that was installed on the high ceiling that drew a gentle curve, innumerable number of chairs were lined up facing the stage like a solemn theatre.
"There is still no one here but I wonder if there are other proper candidates? Most of the top ranks in the second year had been done in by Kaguya in duels, so they won't even feel like coming yet right? Ahaha."
While sitting on the suitable seat, Hoshikaze-senpai was laughing.
"What 'done in', come on-, don't say it like I'm a yankee."
Kaguya-senpai let out a huff.
Kaguya-senpai had received a hypnotic suggestion that [she should be the strongest] from her father, former headmaster Otonashi.
Because of the influence of that suggestion, it seemed that until now Kaguya-senpai had kicked around the other powerful students in duels.
"Moreover there are a lot of people who didn't want to fight Kaguya a second time."
"Ah, I can understand that."
Kazuki immediately held the same opinion. The spell lineup that would make people faint in agony such as [Fruitless Flower of HatredFeel Pain], [Pitch Black of Self-MutilationSuicide Black], and [Double PainUltra Violence], the senses isolation from [Extreme Circle of Neighboring DeathNear Death Roulette], then while the opponent was suffering from all that they would be assaulted by [Darkness of the Bottom of the ShadowDeep Specter], all of that was a nigh insurmountable horror. She wouldn't use it in duels against her fellow students, but she also had [Hell Imaginary FireGuernica] as her trump card.
"Hoshikaze-senpai, who keeps challenging Kaguya-senpai however many times, without a doubt, you're an M aren't you?"
Koyuki was whispering such, hearing that Kazuki made a face of realization.
"Now that you mention it...it's like that isn't it?"
"Wait! That's a misunderstanding you know, Hayashizaki-kun! Because, isn't it frustrating to keep losing!!"
"That's right, the prince is only being brave!"
From Hoshikaze-senpai's side, a girl was suddenly putting out her face.
She was the member that Hoshikaze-senpai recruited, the Sword Division's second year. Her name was Kimura Tomomi-san.
She had a small stature with braided hair, her atmosphere was like a na?ve small-breed dog. With just one glance it was impossible to see her as a strong swordsman, but...seeing her leg muscles, he was able to guess that she was fairly skilled.
"Wait a second Kazuki, where are you staring so intensely at!?"
Toward Kazuki who was secretly observing the lower half of a female he was meeting for the first time, Mio pressed a question with her sharp eyes.
"It's just the leg muscles. The Hayashizaki-style is a school that puts importance on observing."
"It's that kind of fetish!? Pervert! ...Even my legs are beautiful too, see. Look here-."
Mio turned her skirt lightly and revealed her beautiful slender legs. Though in truth, he didn't have that kind of fetish at all.
"Kazuki, make one wrong step with your speech and you'll become a mere pervert swordsman. Amasaki-san too, please don't expose your legs so easily."
Koyuki interjected with an amazed expression.
On the other side, Kimura-senpai continued in Hoshikaze-senpai's defense heatedly.
"In order to defeat the evil student council president and clear away the darkness in this academy, the prince continued to fight against the unparalleled atrocious magic without faltering! Our fan club is always seeing that courageous back without fail!"
What amazing passion. For some reason it seemed Hoshikaze-senpai had many fans in the Sword Division.
"I wonder if I'm being treated as the great, evil Demon King among all of Hoshikaze Hikaru's fans?"
The corners of Kaguya-senpai's lips were twitching hearing those words that were too much.
Hoshikaze-senpai's team were being held properly in Hoshikaze-senpai's arms, no need to mention Kimura-senpai, even Lotte and Kamiizumi-senpai, the atmosphere around them felt even more like a harem than Kazuki's.
"Certainly, I who kicked around everyone indiscriminately became the student council president, but it's not like I have fought against all the powerful people in this academy you know? For example, like the Ryuutaki sisters..."
Kaguya-senpai, who had pulled herself together started to talk.
"Well, those girls don't have any reason to announce their candidacy for something like becoming the Chief Student Council President though, isn't that right?"
"―Ara? I wonder if all of you are talking about us by chance?"
At that time the door of the auditorium was opening (giiii), coinciding with the appearance of a voice that had an impressive presence even in the silence.
Accompanied by the light from the outside at their back, someone was entering.
Just like speaking of the devil, Kaguya-senpai's eyes opened wide in a great shock.
"Ryuutaki Miyabi-san and Ryuutaki Shinobu-san..."
It seemed they were most likely twins; their faces were like two peas in a pod.
With their soft wavy long hair and their high and slender stature, they had an aura of refined high-class ladies. Symmetrical with their gorgeous impressions, there was an alert sharpness inside those long slit eyes.
And then in spite of the spitting image of their build, hairstyle, and looks, there was also contrast between them.
One side had black hair, while the other side had bright silver hair ―an elf.
"These two always challenged quests by forming a party with just the two of them you see. They left great track records, so it appears that they are considerably strong, however they never had a duel with anyone. They never tried to connect with anybody else, always being just the two of them. They are quite strange."
Hoshikaze-senpai secretly whispered into Kazuki's ear. Did they hear the whisper, the two of them were looking this way.
"The elf that is me is Miyabi, this is my twin little sister Shinobu. We are second year students of the Magic Division."
Miyabi-senpai was immediately looking only at Kazuki. Kazuki was faltering unintentionally.
Miyabi-senpai walked gracefully closer to Kazuki's position, the expressionless face that contained a sensuality somewhere was brought near Kazuki's face and then she whispered into Kazuki's ear.
It was a husky voice, as if it was touching his ears.
"Aren't you the one who killed the [Tentacle God] that brought forth the elves into this world?"
Kazuki was stunned involuntarily. Not to mention the existence of Nyarlatoteph, even the case about the human experiments that former Headmaster Otonashi performed was not announced to society. How could she know about that guy...
"For the sake of self-protection, I'm always putting information in order. After all, I had been targeted by a strange tentacle guy for a long time. It seems that guy wanted to use an elf like me, who had been raised up safely, as experimental material even more... That's why I have to give you my gratitude right?"
Right there Miyabi-senpai smiled widely.
"If it's alright with you, how about you stop being Kaguya's lover and come to my place?"
Miyabi-senpai reached her hand and stroked Kazuki's cheek with a manner of touching as if she was admiring a work of art.
"Onee-sama! ...Keep the jokes in moderation...!"
From the direction of the younger twin with black hair―a flustered Shinobu-senpai was drawing closer to Miyabi-senpai while shaking her wavy hair and remonstrated that hand.
Both of them had the same face, but in contrast with Miyabi-senpai who had a calm, relaxed expression, Shinobu-senpai had a grim look that seemed like she was always putting strength into her eyebrows.
"What do you mean a joke? I'm serious you know, he is the benefactor that put down a sworn enemy of mine. There's no way I can't feel overwhelmed with emotion in my heart from that."
Floating a subtle smile, Miyabi-senpai was persistently directing a heated gaze toward Kazuki.
"Miyabi-san! ...Miyabi-san and Shinobu-san don't seem to have any interest towards something like the seat of Chief Student Council president, yet why are you here?"
Kaguya-senpai forced her way through to the middle as if to obstruct the way and inquired of Miyabi-senpai.
"True, I'm not interested at all. I think it's fine even if this kind of academy ceased to function. It's impossible to not feel a cold hate in this heart. Even the case about us not fighting anyone to this day is in order for us to not get endorsed to be something like student council president imprudently."
"If that's the case, then why?"
Kaguya-senpai hugged Kazuki's shoulder and pulled him closer to her own direction while asking.
"You don't have any composure, eh." While teasing Kaguya-senpai's behavior like that,
"We were just scouted you know? The one who is announcing their candidacy is the older gentleman of these two brothers."
The one who turned up in this place were not only the Ryuutaki sisters―it was only natural, because the team wouldn't come into existence with just the two of them. A little late to the party, two male students entered the inside of the auditorium.
"Ta, Takasugi brothers!?" Kohaku shouted with an unpleasant expression.
The ones who appeared were male students of the Sword Division with solid build. With angular faces and crew cut hair, they made a really obstinate face. Were they twins too, both of them were also the splitting image of each other.
"Student Council President Hikita Kohaku...With yours and former president Hayashizaki Kanae's way of doing things, nothing had changed in the Sword Division! We are taking action in order to change the Sword Division with our own hands!"
"We will reform this academy that give maximum priority to the Magic Division in the truest meaning! By us brothers!!"
They both shouted loudly out of nowhere.
"Takasugi Shūsui-senpai and Takasugi Harunari-senpai. Which is which brother, even this one couldn't spot the difference....They are terribly radical [anti-Magic Division] advocates. It's fine to say that they are already political activists even as students."
Kohaku talked with a fed up face.
"Even Kohaku was a fairly radical anti-Magic Division student right? You even moved your plan to the next stage."
"What I advocated was only something worthless if you compared it with these two! It's like every day that they'd come to the student council room bringing their outrageous letters of opinion...more than half of this one's anxiety is their fault...!"
Kohaku directed resentful eyes toward those two brothers. If she said that much, then they might be that extreme.
As if they were responding to Kohaku's stare, both of them made a tight fist and shouted their opinions even though no one asked them.
"The Magica Stigma's tyranny can't be allowed any more than this! For the sake of the country's existence, it is necessary to bring Magica Stigma thoroughly under control! Not as humans, but as weapons!"
"Our advocacy is thus, for Magica Stigma to be deprived of their basic human rights!"
Deprivation of human rights―Kazuki reflexively doubted his own ears. These guys, what were they saying?
"Listen well! The most important thing for a modern nation is the complete separation between the ~people~ and the ~military~! So that nothing but the country could carry out war, nothing but the country could wield the military power! Therefore soldiers have to be segregated from the general public, it is unacceptable for weapons to not be controlled and placed where the hand of ordinary persons couldn't reach them!"
"Soldiers and weapons are only permitted to wield their power for the sake of the country! This rule makes the difference between crime and war! This is the greatest principle that makes the distinction between a primitive community and a modern nation! Don't you understand!?"
I don't understand. Kazuki was dumbfounded. Kohaku was saying "They are starting again..." and breathed a sigh.
"During the old era, military power was namely science! The members of the nation worked hard to invent resources, due to their hard work the scientific military power was reinforced, and like that the weapons they created could be handled by anyone! The fence between the soldiers with weapon mastery and the general public was erased! Consequently the government and the citizens could easily control military power! However right now is different!"
"Summoning Magic cannot be handled by anyone other than the Magica Stigma! That risk should be considered more carefully by the government! When all the Magica Stigma rebel and bring forth a coup d'état, the government won't have any means to resist! Even when they are bombed by nuclear weapons, these are the people who are able to laugh in the center of the blast like it was nothing!"
"Therefore, we will see to it that the treatment of Magica Stigma as [emotionless weapons] is carried out as thoroughly as possible without exception! The Magica Stigma have to be imprisoned in quarantine facilities and dyed completely with ideology education, all their blood relatives restrained as hostages! Like this, the new form of the military force in this present era can be regulated!"
"Turn your eyes beyond the sea! Foreign countries throw away their status as a modern country, reduced to a religious country! By giving the Magica Stigma favorable treatment, our country too is in the process of committing the same folly! The correction of direction that is finally being done now is still lukewarm! Too lukewarm I say! We are going to become the Chief Student Council of this academy and change this society little by little! The symbol of the Knight Academy has the power to achieve that much!"
"You bastards! Do you have any reason to fight!? Any motive that could stand in equal with our sublime ideology!!?"
Right there the two became silent. It seemed their long speech was over.
These guys...were they really serious in saying all that?
They didn't have any human trust at all toward the Magica Stigma, consequently they weren't going to treat Magica Stigma as human, if it was not like that then the nation wouldn't hold true―in short it was an irrational argument like that.
{Oi...Hayashizaki Kazuki. Absolutely don't lose to these guys okay...}
Leme talked inside his head. Her tone of voice was oozing an obvious disdain.
"Wait a second, the tournament is nothing more than appeal time, after the fight there will be a vote right? If these people spread such claims around, there will be no way anyone from the Magic Division is going to vote for them, so even if they get the overall victory in the tournament there is no way they would be elected, isn't that the case? ...It's futile already from the very beginning, isn't it?"
Hoshikaze-senpai whispered absent-mindedly....It's futile already from the very beginning she said, that was a really accurate expression.
"We can't really know, you know. The vote from the Magic Division is going to be distributed among all of us here, but if the votes from the Sword Division are concentrated in a heap to them, then they might get elected. The Sword Division follows the doctrine of real strength after all, if these guys get the overall victory then that kind of concerning idea is..."
"Even if you say that they follow that doctrine of real strength however much, I don't think even the Sword Division will have thoughts that extreme though..."
Towards Kaguya-senpai's apprehension, Kohaku shook her head with a stiff expression.
"Fufufufufu. Interesting don't you agree? What young revolutionaries these children are."
Miyabi-senpai suddenly leaked out a laughing voice. Kaguya-senpai glared at her sternly.
"Even though you too are Magica Stigma, you're supporting their views?"
"The miserable [victims] of the Japanese government's [Magica Stigma absolutism] are us. Rather it's fine even if something like this country is toppled over completely right from its roots. We as elves have the right to wish for that. Isn't that right, Hiakari-san."
Miyabi-senpai slid her sights toward Koyuki who was an elf like her.
As if to oppose her, Koyuki gripped Kazuki's sleeve tightly.
"Lamenting my own circumstances, peeving, begrudging someone else, I have already stopped doing all of those things. Because, there is a certain someone who found me. Someone who thought of me as precious."
Miyabi-senpai opened her eyes wide slightly, and then she once again looked at Kazuki.
"Hayashizaki Kazuki. As I thought, you are an interesting child. To do something like embracing an elf to this point, it makes me also want to try to be tamed just like this."
"Nee-sama, please cut it out! ...Besides...such things like an elf..."
"What are you sulking about? Well then, how about we take a seat, Shinobu."
Toward Shinobu-senpai whose expression became increasingly grim, Miyabi-senpai pulled her arm along with gentle expression and took seats at a place separate from Kazuki and company. The Takasugi brothers were following along after them.
When they passed by in front of Kazuki and the others on their way, they opened their eyes wide and glared at Kazuki.
"We appreciate your opinion, but we are not able to approve that kind of view after all."
Kazuki informed such toward the eyes of the two who were glaring at him.
"Is that so? If we are running counter with each other then it is until the fight! Don't you know, in the present where alchemy has reduced the burden on earth's resources, the wars that the human race caused are all carried out purely for ideological rivalries?"
"We will surely teach you how powerless that sword of yours, which lack ideology, is!"
"That's a cool exchange, but as swordsmen these guys are small fries, Nii-sama."
Kanae whispered with a sigh. The Takasugi brothers' face became bright red and their appearance filled with fury but, without saying anything back they sat behind the Ryuutaki sisters.
"Nii-sama, what the Takasugi brothers advocated is unpleasant, but what is troublesome might be those Ryuutaki sisters."
That was, from the appearances those sisters were clad in, even Kazuki could somehow understand.
"With this there are four teams. It's not like we can't have a tournament with this number but, this is still very lonely isn't it? I wonder if even more will come?"
Hoshikaze-senpai turned back towards the entrance of the auditorium while shading her eyes with her hand on her forehead and playing the fool.
"Hya—hahha! If you wish for that then we are coming ze!"
"Uwa, don't get so carried away!?" Hoshikaze-senpai's eyes opened wide.
The character who opened the door wide while laughing wildly was not just one person. A large number of people were following along steadily behind her. They were a mix of Magic Division and Sword Division students, a group numbering several tens of students.
"Kaguya-chan yoo―, we won't let you off from ignoring us and introducing yourself as this academy's strongest zee! I'm going to teach you your place with this tournament for suree-!"
That was what the female Magic Division student that stood at the head of the group said.
"Right rightt―, anekii―"
At her side, a female student of the Magic Division said so with a child-like attitude.
"Mibu Akira-san and...Asamiya Anna-san...?"
"Hyuu―! Kaguya-chan, to remember the names of the likes of us, I'm happy ze!"
"Kaichou-sama is overly serious after all, she surely remembered something like the names of all the students―, anekii―"
The person that was called aneki was tall, while the other person that acted like a child was contrastively short, they were two people that when he looked at them, the word uneven was coming to mind.
"You know, something like memorizing all of your names...I remember how many times I had given all of you a warning. You people are problem children after all."
Kaguya-senpai, who was entangled with such people that acted so crudely, talked with a bitter face.
"Problem children?" Kazuki asked from the side.
It had been one and a half months since he entered the academy, the strictness of this national academy could be understood quickly from his experiences. This academy was raising the knights who would become the cornerstone of the country's defense after all, so something like allowing the students to backtalk couldn't be allowed.
Do something like problem children exist in this academy?
"It's not like they are delinquents who play hooky in class, or picking fights or committing crimes inside the school, but...these girls are not participating at all in duels or quests. They are students who are non-cooperative with the school's activities. The tall person is Mibu Akira-san, the short person is Asamiya Anna-san."
"It's just that we just want to pass our time in normal high school activities zee. We have no obligation to do any quests, isn't that rightt―. It's so tiresome― you know―. Don't you dare look at us like we're rotten apples just because we're not participating in something like that―"
"Right rightt―, anekii―. That way of talking, these honor students are so irritating huhh―"
Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai's eyes contained a wildness somewhere, they constantly talked twistedly and floated a sarcastic expression. Even though they had pretty faces if they just smiled normally.
There was no obligation for duels or quests―that was because there was still strong opposition from society for students of the Knight Academy to be forced into real battle.
If a student graduated from the Knight Academy when they still had a low-rank, it would have a major effect toward their career promotion as a knight. Even so if the student himself didn't mind and rejected quests and duels, even the academy itself couldn't do anything strict.
It was a little too exaggerated to call them delinquents, but they really seemed like it.
"In the Knight Academy, even if you didn't have any aspiration to become a knight, but as long as an ~enigma~ appeared on you, you don't have any right of refusal and you are forced to enroll, so...these kinds of students also come out as a result. Even so I want them to live their school life positively, that's why sometimes I called them, but..."
Kaguya-senpai talked with a complicated face.
Kazuki reflexively looked down at his own enigma on the back of his left hand.
Once, I too had experienced enrolling into this academy reluctantly.
Even inside his own heart, there was once a feeling of sympathy toward the words of Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai.
That was why he couldn't act as if he could be overly careless.
"It's just, to that extent every one of these girls has low ranks but, their real strength is still unknown."
For the Ryuutaki sisters, because they frequently raised results in quests, they were still known as powerful people. But in regards to that, it seemed Mibu-senpai and her group, their real strength was completely unknown.
Mibu-senpai and her group was standing at the lead and chattered away as they pleased. But even at their backs a line of a large number of students were gradually forming. It looked like there were several tens of people from the Magic Division and the Sword Division there.
"Err, those students at the rear, are all of them also delinquents?"
"...They are associating with those kinds of children but, it looks like some not so normal children are also mixing there. What in the world is their purpose here?"
Kaguya-senpai made a dubious face. Certainly it was unexpected for the participants to appear like this.
"Nii-sama." Kanae too was getting near Kazuki's ear.
"The swordsmen of the Sword Division that are gathering there, rather than saying that I know them as powerful people, it feels like they are quite a plain group aren't they? There is no rank-system in the Sword Division though, so I don't really know their strength either."
Because of the restriction that the students of the Sword Division couldn't challenge the quest without being together with a student of Magic Division, the rank system was not created.
For a long time until now, the Sword Division was treated only as the addition of the Magic Division.
Different with the Magic Division who was filled with just female students, male and females were mixing in the Sword Division. When he was surveying the crowd that were wearing the uniforms of the Sword Division, suddenly, Kazuki sensed a strong gaze being poured on him.
Kazuki too sent his eyes toward the owner of that gaze, his eyes met with the source.
That female student was looking at Kazuki, she was making a slightly shocked face.
Strong surprise could be felt, however her expression was as if it couldn't be allowed to come to the surface and she was enduring her surprise.
This person was... No, more precisely this person's body build, and the impression of her muscle's composition... However she pretended not to notice how her eyes met with Kazuki and averted her eyes with a pretending face. Rather if she did something like that, that was, well, she was really surprised wasn't she?
"Looks like all the candidates have gathered."
Right then Liz Liza-sensei appeared on the stage holding a megaphone.
As always she was a very tiny, child-like sensei, even when they were looking up at the stage from below.
"Ehem. Ladies and gentlemen of the chosen trash, the explanation of the battle election is going to be carried out. Take a seat, refrain from unintelligent idle talk and dig out the hole in your ears."
Receiving the instructions from Liz Liza-sensei that was accompanied with pointless abusive language, Mibu-senpai and the others were taking a seat too.
"First...the Chief Student Council President battle election is a team tournament between four-person teams where each team consists of two students from the Magic Division and two students from the Sword Division. The common students will watch the manner in which you fight in this tournament and then voting will be carried out. This vote is going to be carried out at the student's general meeting. Because of how important it is for the students to watch the match unobtrusively, we won't invite audiences from outside of the school like in the inter-division opposition matches."
The event this time was not a festival merrymaking event, to the end this was a strict and rigid situation.
"Originally the student general meeting was arranged for the middle of this month, but it has been postponed until the end of this month. The tournament is...the number of candidates is sixteen, sixteen teams. With this number of teams, the first round will have eight matches, the second round four matches, the semifinal two matches, and then the final...that is how this tournament shapes up."
A white screen was lowering (sa―) behind Liz Liza-sensei, on the screen the tournament chart was projected with the overall champion at the top and sixteen branches below it.
To achieve the overall victory, a team must win through four matches in total.
Kazuki observed the seats. There were sixteen teams of four people; that was why there were 64 students gathered here in this place.
All of them were students that had seriously gathered with the intention of winning against Kaguya-senpai and Hoshikaze-senpai.
"The first round will be held on Wednesday in the third week of May, the second round is on Friday of the same week, with the weekend in between the semifinals would be on Monday in the week after that, and then the finals will be conducted that Wednesday. The pace is three matches in a week, you got that? After that is the student's general meeting. Starting from next month, the Knight Academy is going to move under the new Chief Student Council President."
The auditorium became a little noisy. Within this schedule, an important meaning was hidden.
A pace of three times a week. It meant that there was nothing more than a day after the first match ended until the next match.
There was some individual difference, but if someone used their magic power until rock bottom he would need around two days for a full recovery. With a pace of advancing through three matches in a week, there was the possibility that they couldn't recover their magic power.
To skillfully preserve their magic power while winning through their matches was a must.
"It's not a one day tournament. How troublesome."
...At his side Kaguya-senpai was whispering a frightening thing without hesitation.
If they did something that hardcore, people that fell into magic intoxication would appear one after another you know?
"The rule of the matches is following the same rule of duels. The venue will use each of the Magic Division and the Sword Division's grounds, only the finals will be held at the fountain square."
Because duels were conducted with 50 meters distance between the two opponents, a fairly large place was needed. That location had satisfied that condition, on top of that because of the need of installing audience seats around the arena, it was perfectly suited for the event this time.
"However, as a special measure for this time only, the Magic Division's students are prohibited from using weapons, the same is true of the Sword Division's students using magic swords―in short fighting only using the combination of weapon skill and common magic. This is for the sake of observing how the leader would control two different units. Each team's leaders are obviously going to be assumed by the candidates. And Sacred Treasures too, for the sake of fairness, their use is prohibited."
As he thought that kind of rule was really coming―
"...I, it's a lie right..."
From the seat behind Kazuki, a voice in a stupor could be heard.
When he turned back, Kazuha-senpai's face was going pale.
Whether Kazuki's team was strong or weak was depending on whether these kind of special rules were attached or not.
Kazuki who specialized in kenjutsu despite being in the Magic Division, Kazuha-senpai who could summon Futsunushi no Kami despite being in the Sword Division, and then Kohaku who owned seven pieces of Sacred Treasures and was able to use them all skillfully without restriction...this team was assembled around irregular existences only. When the situation developed where Mio was the only one who could exhibit her real power like this, whether they could still win against the senpais' teams in the end was...
Well, could it still be called fair with this kind of happenstance?
Hayashizaki Kazuki―had to fight not as the swordsman of the Magic Division, but as a pure Magica Stigma, that was how it turned out.
"The referees are the teachers, but a [Battle Election Control Committee] is going to be organized. That's all. Is there any question?"
Toward Liz Liza-sensei's question, the auditorium only returned a total silence (shi―n).
"In that case, the anticipated lottery is going to be carried out next. Stand up you trash!"
"Hyahhaa―! It's lottery zee―!" Mibu-senpai thrust up both her fists and yelled.
"What will we get, what will we get, anekii―!" Asamiya-senpai too followed her with a loud voice.
What's with them?
"Balls that have written numbers were placed inside this box, take one in turn. Those numbers are the match number. First is starting from Otonashi Kaguya, come!"
Liz Liza-sensei held up and showed the box with both hands, and then she called Kaguya-senpai.
Kaguya-senpai stood on the stage and took out a ball..."It's two." She said.
At the column of ~Round 1 Match 2~ in the tournament's chart, letters of ~Team Kaguya~ and characters was surfacing.
Following her, Kazuki was called. When he took out a ball, its number was..."It's one."
At the column of ~Round 1 Match 1~, ~Team Kazuki~ and his name were carved.
In other words he was going to fight the first round against a team that would pull out the same number as him, in the second matches the probability of him clashing early against Kaguya-senpai was high.
Following him, Hoshikaze-senpai stood on top of the stage, "Five huh" she informed.
Hoshikaze-senpai got the fifth match in the first round. If she was going to fight against Kazuki, they wouldn't get the chance until the finals.
When the teams of the Witch's Manor were done being called up, next was Mibu Akira-senpai who was called to the top of the stage.
"I'm six zee―! What a good-for-nothing number, hyahhaa―! Fuck you mee-n!"
With unclear tension, Mibu-senpai's name was carved into the column of the sixth match. If by some chance Mibu-senpai won through the first round, it seemed she would fight against Hoshikaze-senpai at the second round.
Takasugi Shūsui was called next. He declared "Three!" with a loud voice.
If by some chance Kazuki defeated Kaguya-senpai, there was a chance he would face against Miyabi-senpai and her group in the semifinals.
Of course there might be a chance that other powerful people were still in hiding, but―the other teams were pulling out the lottery in succession, the remaining columns in the tournament chart were filled one after another.
"With this the explanation meeting is over. After this in the period until the matches begin, begin your own special training."
Leaving behind those words in the end, Liz Liza-sensei exited the stage.
| ← Ch. 060 | Ch. 062 → |