summerpeanut
patreon
Chapter 74 : Kickoff Party
🕑 Added 2022-09-03 18:18:14 +0000 UTCTL:SummerPeanut
Thanks for the peanuts Max Kneifel and the other patrons too~
====================================
February 10, 2030
“Alright. Things are finally feeling in place. Maybe this year we can get not only first place overall but also first place in both martial arts and magic divisions."
Lorenz said with satisfaction and we stopped training.
We had been training hard for the Freshmen Combat Tournament until February 14, and we decided to rid ourselves of tiring activities from tomorrow onwards.
Everyone got stronger but I'd like to point out Ellie and Misha because of their amazing growth.
Name: Ellie Leo
Title: -
Status: Beastman (Lion race), head of the Leo Baronetess
Condition: Good
Age: 10 years old
Level: 20
HP: 64/64
MP: 31/31
Strength: 44
Agility: 54
Magic: 11
Dexterity: 11
Endurance: 36
Luck: 10
Unique Ability: Sound Magic (Lv1/C)
Special Ability: Martial Art (Lv6/B)
Special Ability: Knifemanship (Lv5/C)
Special Ability: Wind Magic (Lv1/G)
Equipment: Mithril Silver Dagger
Equipment: Sylph Dagger
Equipment: Cloak of Wind
Equipment: Boots of Wind
Ellie now has the same Agility value as me.
It is quite difficult to catch her as she has a unique beastman's movement.
Name: Misha Febrandt
Title:
Status: Fairy(Elf), commoner.
Condition: Good
Age: 10 years old
Level: 12
HP: 23/23
MP: 74/74
Strength: 20
Agility: 22
Magic: 22
Dexterity: 20
Endurance: 13
Luck: 5
Special Ability: Spearmanship (Lv5/B)
Special Ability: Water Magic (Lv3/C)
Special Ability: Wind Magic (Lv3/D)
Equipment: Spear of the Gale
Equipment: Robe of Illusion
Misha has strengthened overall.
In particular, the levels of Spearmanship, Water magic, and Wind magic are raised by one level.
There are also two from Class A who were hastily transferred to Class S. Minerva and Johan.
It was decided that the two demon races who were supposed to come from the Iselia continent would not officially enroll in the school.
Minerva seems to be the daughter of a powerful noble from the Regan Confederacy, and is already known to Karen and Baron.
Johan seems to be quite close to Joseph and they are always together.
They are both wizards and so rearguards.
The composition of the contestants is thus.
Martial arts (vanguard) division:
Rank 1: Mars
Rank 3: Ellie
Rank 4: Baron
Rank 6: Dominic
Rank 7: Misha
Magic (rearguard) division:
Rank 2: Clarice
Rank 5: Karen
Rank 8: Joseph
Rank 9: Minerva
Rank 10: Johan
The forces were overwhelmingly biased towards the martial arts (vanguard). Karen, Joseph, Minerva, and Johan can only play their part as rearguards so it can't be helped…
By the way, Baron said he definitely wanted to be in the rearguard but I forced him to the vanguard.
He really wanted to be on the same team as Clarice.
February 13, 2030.
Today, all the S class members and Lorenz are going to a restaurant for dinner together as a kickoff party for the Freshmen Combat Tournament that starts tomorrow.
Only S class is privileged to be able to go out at this time of the year.
The way my classmates and I first met was terrible but I feel like we've gotten to know each other pretty well in just one month.
”Uhm, Mars. I want you to make a party as soon as possible...can you?"
When Clarice said this, Ellie did the same, “......yeah. Hurry up...” she agreed.
“What’s wrong? I am planning to take my time to do so after the tournament is over...”
“You see. The solicitations coming in are amazing. ...you know how senior students started coming to school in February? I was invited to their party every day... so I thought that if I was already in a party, the invitations would decrease and it would be easier to say no... Please."
“Aah, so they were party solicitations... I did wonder what they were doing... I see. Then let’s make a party. For now, it's just me, Clarice, and Ellie, right?"
Misha said in response to my words above.
“Where is my name? I'm in the party too obviously, right? You won't abandon me, will you?"
She came up to me with her eyes moist and upturned eye.
To be honest, I was seriously considering inviting Misha to the party but joining my party would mean that she would know that Clarice and I can use Holy magic.
If we form a party, we'll be challenging dangerous labyrinths so there's not much choice but to not use Holy magic.
When I looked at Clarice with a troubled look on my face, she said.
“I'm in favor of Misha becoming a party member. But only on the condition that she follows the party rules to the letter."
“...I'll listen to Mars... when there's an open slot, weird people will want to join the party...and it's a hassle to turn them down. Better to let......Misha in..."
Unusually, Ellie spoke at length.
“Right. Then we'll welcome Misha too. We'll leave one slot open and we'll decide on the other one some other time.”
As I said this, Misha hugged me.
“Thank you, Mars. I love you.”
Clarice and Ellie's gazes darted to me, and even Karen went…
“What are you talking about, Mars! Obviously, I will be included too! You'll have to escort me."
“Eh? What about Baron? As expected, we can only accept up to the 5th. The sixth slot is meant for a Holy magic user."
So I said while looking at Baron, and Baron replied.
“Mars, you know I don't have to tell you. I've decided to put Karen and my engagement on hold for the time being. It's a mutual decision and I've already informed both our families. And just because we've called off the engagement doesn't mean we won't get married. If we still seek each other again, we'll think about it then. That's why I, too, am not giving up."
Baron looked at Clarice as he said this.
I don't know what is normal in this world. I don't know if I'm the crazy one or if Baron and the others are crazy instead...
“Baron, what kind of party formation are you going to make?”
I asked Baron.
“First, I invited Dominic and got an OK from him. Then I got Minerva's OK too so there are two more members. I also asked Joseph and Johan but they said they'd have to think about it. Well, I want at least three vanguards so to be honest, with Joseph and Johan together, the party formation is going to suffer."
“Certainly...balance is important. If Karen is going to be in my party, the vanguard will be me, Ellie, and Misha, and the rearguard will be Clarice and Karen ...... Yup! That's a great balance!"
When I said that, Minerva replied
“Mars, I don't think there's a party as unbalanced as your party though?”
“Is it not better with three vanguards and two rearguards?"
I asked back.
“I've seen and heard of a few harem parties... but I've never seen a party with four women. And to have four of the top five cutest first-year students - Clarice, Ellie, Misha, and Lady Karen - as party members? If it wasn't for you being a student of this school, you'd wonder what kind of party they were in. You'll definitely get tangled up with other male adventurers in the Adventurer's Guild."
I stared at Clarice, Ellie, Misha, and Karen.
Yeah. Clarice and Ellie are obvious but Misha is also an elf and could be cute.
Karen has well-defined facial features, she is petite and could be considered as beautiful.
I've been looking only at Clarice for so long that I didn't notice it but Misha and Karen are quite cute too!
“Aah......then I guess I'll have to ask Misha and Karen to refrain from joining after all...”
The two of them tried their best to persuade me and Clarice and officially became party members towards the end of this kickoff party.
“Teacher Lorenz, what are the prospects for the Freshmen Combat Tournament?”
“I have no doubt that the Lister Imperial School will be the overall winner. The rearguard will definitely be able to take first place. In the first place, wizards are very valuable. Most students at this school can use it as a matter of course but only a handful of students at other schools can use it.”
“The rearguard... does that mean that the vanguard team might not get first place?”
“Yeah, the vanguard division hasn't won first place for four years now... Ellie might know but the winner of the martial arts division for the last four years has always been the Royal School of Syrian, a new school created by the current Duke of Syrian.”
“The Royal School? Why in the Lister Confederacy... furthermore a newly created school? And is the Duke of Syrian the same as Ellie's father, Lord Barnes?”
“Yes, that's right. The person who initiated the coup is now the Duke of Syrian. It's a long story but would you like to hear more about it?"
Lorenz looked around at everyone, not just at me. Then Karen
“Myself, Baron, and Minerva already know but I think it's better for you to tell those who don't.”
Apparently, it is a quite well-known story in the Lister Confederacy.
Lorenz nodded and began to speak.
“The current Duke of Syrian name is Lord Victory Leo, the Black Lion from the Lion Clan. He is also the younger brother of Lord Barnes. The Golden Lion is known as the strongest amongst the Lion Clan. But you should know that the Golden Lion is a rare breed, born only once every 50 years or so, right?"
I had no idea, but I gave some responses to make the conversation flow.
“The rule of the beastmen is that whenever a Golden Lion is born, he or she will always be titled as the Duke of Syrian. Up until now, there had never been two generations of Golden Lion born in a row so Lord Victory thought that when Lord Barnes pass away, he would be the next Duke of Syrian, even if for a small period of time.”
“So when Ellie, a Golden Lion, was born......”
When I said so, Lorenz nodded.
“The ambitious Lord Victory must had been scheming in many ways. The Black Lion was originally a shadow of the Golden Lion. He is a master of the art of the conspiracy, and he is also a master in laying the groundwork. When Lord Burns left his mansion, he staged a successful coup d'etat."
“What does this have to do with the Royal School of Syrian?”
Clarice asked Lorenz this time.
“Lord Barnes previously stated that they should cooperate a little with us from human race, and meanwhile Lord Victory would do everything with only the beastmen. In other words, he insisted on creating a beastman only country. When Lord Victory became the duke, he created the Syrian Royal School.”
“Many of the beastmen that used to come to the Lister Imperial School went to the Syrian Royal School. It was particularly bad when the current fifth-year students were freshmen back then. Three of the five martial arts representatives from the Lister Imperial School at the Freshmen Combat Tournament at the time were beastmen. All three of them transferred to Syrian Royal School at the beginning of February so the martial arts division on the Lister Imperial School side was in shambles."
“If the Royal School of Syrian has been number one for the last four years, does that mean that Brother Ike lost too?”
“No, only Ike won, and that was by a pretty overwhelming margin. But this year, Lord Victory's heir is a freshmen there so I think that the Royal School of Syrian is also very enthusiastic. I believe they will do whatever it takes to win. After all, Lord Victory became Duke of Syrian on the premise that beastmen are stronger than humans."
"......for the beastmen, power is everything...and that's also why I think Mars is number one...but it's not just power that makes me think Mars is number one....."
Ellie opened her mouth with much weight.
It is true that the beastmen are proud and do not accept anyone weaker than themselves.
You only have to look at the Black Tri-Stars to understand that.
“Does that mean that capability of scheming is also one type of power......?”
I feel that we must not lose to the Royal School of Syrian no matter what. We should take it seriously.
We were going to face the Freshmen Combat Tournament in four days' time with a renewed determination.
====================================
Author’s note:
If you feel the series is even a bit interesting and are curious about the story’s continuation, please consider giving ★★★★★ and bookmark as it will really help with my motivation. m(__)m
I am also on Twitter.
I would be delighted if you would follow me on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/qdUYSDZf8XzNaUq
