"Eh?"
The third-year S-Class students who heard Rei's words all asked him to repeat himself, as if to say they couldn't comprehend what they had just heard.
Even as they did so, however, their gazes drifted toward Set, who was lying on the gymnasium floor beside Rei.
Having played to its heart's content with the fourth-year S-Class students that morning—from Set's perspective, at least—and having gained a certain degree of satisfaction, Set lay there without any particular excitement.
Of course, that was also because Rei was currently speaking. Had it been told it could play, Set would have happily leapt up.
In any case, what the third-year S-Class students should have been thinking about was not Set, but the words spoken by the person standing right in front of them.
An Alias Holder and B-Rank Adventurer who had recently arrived at this Officer Academy as an instructor.
A man who had not merely broken but utterly shattered the mindset of students who had been somewhat prone to arrogance.
Failing to land even a single attack and nearly having their spirits crushed—that was not so long ago.
Granted, only about five days had passed since Rei arrived at this school.
But conversely, five days meant... there was one mock battle class every day, so they had already been unilaterally crushed five times over.
If they hadn't been told that it wasn't just them suffering this fate—that the fourth-year S-Class seniors also hadn't so much as grazed Rei with an attack—their spirits would have been completely broken.
"That's why, as I just said, today's mock battle class won't be in this gymnasium. We'll do it outside. To be precise, it's not a mock battle—it's a snowball fight."
Their thoughts apparently thawing from their frozen state, they finally seemed to process Rei's words.
One of the third-year S-Class students timidly raised a hand and spoke up.
"Um, well... excuse me, Instructor. We came here to take a class, not to play."
"Of course I know that. ...Let me tell you, though—this won't be just an ordinary snowball fight."
Those words likely gave them a bad feeling again. The students furrowed their brows and waited for Rei to continue.
(So snowball fights existed in this world too. Well, it's a game anyone would think of as long as there's snow, so it's only natural they'd have it here.)
Rei had asked Grink about snowball fights and properly confirmed that they existed in this world.
Grink, however, had been somewhat reluctant about substituting snowball fights—a game—for mock battle training.
Still, when Rei persuaded him, Grink eventually relented, albeit reluctantly.
"First, your opponents in this snowball fight will be among yourselves."
"Does that mean... we won't have to fight you, Rei-sensei?"
Rei nodded at the question from the same student as before.
"That's right. You won't have to fight me."
It was clearly a statement that seemed to have a catch, but the words "you won't have to fight Rei" were enough to silence them—perhaps out of concern that asking anything further might result in having to do mock battles against him after all. The student who had spoken, along with everyone else, kept their mouth shut.
"However... in exchange, the team that places last in the snowball fight will face strict training. Be prepared for that."
"..."
At those words, rather than looking distressed, many of the students showed expressions of understanding.
Naturally. They had learned well enough by now that Rei's training was harsh.
And yet, they had expected from the start that there was no way it would end with everyone simply enjoying a fun snowball fight.
"The rules of the snowball fight are simple. Unlike usual, form teams of ten. You'll build fortifications on the grounds. Then, each team will be given a single flag. This is it."
Saying that, Rei produced a flag—a piece of cloth attached to a wooden stick about one meter long.
"If your flag is knocked down or captured, your team loses. There are forty of you, so that makes four teams. First, Team A versus Team B, then Team C versus Team D. The winners of the first round advance to the finals, and the losers play a match to determine last place."
After giving a brief explanation of the tournament format, Rei glanced at the students as if to ask if there were any objections.
But by then, the students were already consulting each other with their eyes about who to include on their teams and what tactics to employ.
"Seems like you're fine with it. Then, decide your teams."
At Rei's words, everyone sprang into action simultaneously to assemble their teams.
Watching this, Rei stroked Set.
"That's quite a spiteful lesson, isn't it?"
Grink called out to him.
Initially, Grink had also been somewhat opposed to doing something like a snowball fight in place of mock battle training. But once rules were incorporated—preparing flags and either capturing or knocking them down—he apparently judged it would serve as group combat training. In the end, he accepted it.
"Is it? This is a class, after all. I can't just let you play around."
"...I suppose so."
Grink turned his gaze toward Set, whom Rei was stroking.
There was no trace of fear toward the creature in his eyes.
Normally, it would be impossible to discard one's fear of a Gryphon so quickly. The fact that Grink could do so spoke volumes about why he had been entrusted as a mock battle instructor at this Officer Academy.
Though, seeing the sight of Set acting affectionately toward Rei, one would quickly understand there was little reason to be so frightened.
While Rei stroked Set and exchanged words with Grink, the teams were steadily being decided... and in the end, all teams were finalized in under a few minutes.
Confirming this, Rei promptly distributed flags to each team and headed outside.
Naturally, Set came along too.
"Guruuuuu."
Set rumbled happily at the snow that had begun to fall.
It rumbled, wanting to run through the snow itself, but Rei stopped it.
"Wait a little longer. I'll let you play to your heart's content later."
"Guruu..."
Set rumbled with disappointment at Rei's words, but it stayed quiet—no doubt because it understood that Rei never broke his promises.
After patting Set's head, Rei arbitrarily assigned the team names A, B, C, and D to each team.
"The first match will be A versus B, followed by C versus D. Attacks are limited to snowballs only. Direct physical attacks, magic, and skills are all prohibited. Anyone hit by a snowball is immediately out. However, if you knock a snowball down with your hand, you will not be disqualified. I will be the one watching and judging whether someone is out."
Simple rules, but easy to understand precisely because of that simplicity.
Those who could use magic complained, but Rei brushed them off and continued.
"The time limit is twenty minutes. If time expires and both flags are still standing, the team with more survivors wins. You have five minutes to build fortifications and decide your strategy. Begin."
With those words, both Teams A and B rushed out to the grounds simultaneously.
They planted their flags, built snow walls to protect them, and constructed walls of snow to hide behind like fortresses.
Five minutes wasn't enough to build anything satisfactory, but it was still far better than having nothing at all.
And five minutes passed...
"Time's up. Begin!"
After glancing at the pocket watch he had taken from his Misty Ring, the group combat training—renamed a snowball fight—began.
However, just because the starting signal was given didn't mean both sides immediately sprang into action.
Since the team with more survivors would win if time ran out, choosing to hole up in their own fortifications and wait for the enemy was a natural strategy.
Also, since the initial five minutes hadn't been enough to fully construct their positions, there was likely a strong element of reinforcement at play as well.
As a result, even after the match began, neither side showed any sign of moving.
"Just as expected, huh."
"Yeah. Just as Grink predicted. It's not that this choice is wrong, but..."
Perhaps because it was the expected development, Rei simply watched the situation unfold without saying anything in particular.
Both sides finished building their snow walls to protect their flags, but active combat still did not take place.
Turning his gaze to the pocket watch, ten minutes had already passed since the snowball fight began.
After checking the time, Rei spoke to those engaged in the match.
"If nothing happens and time runs out like this, both teams will be deemed to lack fighting spirit, and as punishment, you will have a mock battle. Note that the opponent for that mock battle will be me... and not just me—Set will join in as well. If you want to take that action knowing full well what's coming, then by all means, go ahead."
The moment they heard those words, both teams sprang into action simultaneously.
Because they understood that the words Rei had just spoken were by no means empty threats.
Throughout all the classes conducted so far, everything Rei said he would do had been carried out exactly as stated.
No matter how absurd it might seem from a general perspective, if Rei said he would do it, he would do it.
It was precisely because they understood this that they took action.
Both sides, carrying plenty of snowballs, charged toward the enemy.
Once they closed the distance to a certain extent, they built snow walls as makeshift shields.
Naturally, neither side wanted to let the other do such a thing, so they threw snowballs to prevent it. But since both sides were in the third-year S-Class, they possessed enough skill to be called elites among the third-years.
Moreover, their attack method wasn't bows and arrows but snowballs thrown by hand.
Naturally, the speed wasn't that fast, and they could dodge effortlessly even while building walls.
The poor conditions of falling snow were also a factor, but time passed without either side landing a decisive blow.
Of course, not everyone was unscathed.
A fair number of people were hit by snowballs due to momentary lapses in attention, slipping on the snow, or having their vision blocked by falling snow.
Still, time ultimately continued to pass...
"That's enough!"
The moment those words left Rei's mouth, Team A had eight survivors and Team B had six—the goddess of victory smiled upon Team A.
"Yeeeeah! We won! At least we're not in last place now!"
"We did it, we did it! We survived!"
Team A's students shouted with joy.
And in stark contrast to the victorious Team A were the defeated members of Team B.
"Aaaaaaaaah, no way, no way, no way!"
"Calm down! We just need to avoid last place! There's still a chance. We just need to win the next match!"
"R-r-r-right. C-calm down. If you get this agitated..."
"First of all, you calm down."
Imagining what would happen to them if they lost the next snowball fight—no, the next battle—Team B's students turned pale and despaired.
Watching this mixture of joy and sorrow, Rei turned his gaze toward Teams C and D.
"Alright, Teams A and B, move to the side. Next up are Teams C and D."
Following Rei's instructions, each team took the appropriate action.
Twenty students faced each other in the snowy grounds.
Watching them, Rei shouted loudly.
"Match, start!"
At those words, both teams—leaving behind only the flag bearer and one guard—simultaneously surged forward.
They had learned from the previous match that stalling for a time-out would result in a painful punishment.
Without pause, they scooped up snow and hurled it at their opponents.
Some students didn't throw snowballs themselves, focusing entirely on making them.
(They've gotten quite a lot more efficient at moving as a group, haven't they.)
Rei muttered to himself with admiration. But if the students had known, they would have shouted in loud voices, "It's your fault!"
Or perhaps they would have said, "It's thanks to you."
Which it would be was unclear, but there was no doubt that Rei was the reason they were taking such actions.
"Damn it! We're going to win! We're absolutely going to win! We won't lose!"
"Go ahead and lose with peace of mind! Don't worry, even if you lose here, there's still one more match!"
"If that's how it is, then you guys lose!"
"Dieeeeee!"
"Drop deaaaad!"
"There's no way we'll lose, no way, no way, no waaay!"
The battle, fought in an atmosphere so hostile one wouldn't think it was a snowball fight, was progressing in favor of Team D, which had students dedicated to manufacturing snowballs.
Team C's numbers dwindled—one, two, three, four, five.
Of course, Team D wasn't unscathed either.
Several of their members had already been hit by snowballs and eliminated.
In particular, those who tried to circle around to attack the flag directly once the enemy's numbers had dwindled were met with concentrated fire and eliminated the next moment.
And so time passed...
"Alright, twenty minutes. That's en—"
Rei had begun to call the end of the match when he twisted his body in a near-reflexive motion.
Simultaneously, an arrow shot from an unknown direction pierced through the space Rei had occupied a heartbeat before, its arrowhead burying itself in the snow.