The School Preliminaries for the Magics Chevalier were about to begin.
The rules were, naturally, the same as those of the main tournament: a simple system where victory was achieved by either scattering the petals of the rose on the opponent’s chest or knocking them out of bounds.
Participating students would spend all their afternoon hours in early July competing in a round-robin league. The top six performers would be selected as representatives for the Magics Chevalier.
We on the Management Committee were also assigned to handle the operations for these preliminaries during the afternoons. That said, there wasn't much work to do just yet; we were primarily there to record the match results. Since the academy's teachers served as the referees, our workload remained light.
Sera-senpai had explained that our biggest challenge would come during the actual Magics Chevalier itself.
Incidentally, as first-years, we were put in charge of the Newcomers' Tournament.
"Hey, Ray..."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Um... why did you decide to join the Management Committee?"
Clarice asked me that while the two of us were in the middle of preparing the training grounds.
"Fumu... Do you know Amelia?"
"She's famous, isn't she? Amelia Rose, the eldest daughter of House Rose—the Head of the Three Great Noble Families."
"Correct. She is a dear friend of mine. I joined because I wanted to be of help to her... or so I'd like to say. Beyond that, I was purely interested in the work of the Management Committee. This is the first time I've ever participated in a festival-like event. Honestly, my heart is dancing with excitement."
"...I have a lot of things I'd like to nitpick about that, but I guess the rumors were true."
"Rumors?"
"Yes. That Amelia Rose isn't hanging out with other nobles, but with a group of Ordinaries."
"Rumors, huh... Well, they are mostly correct. It seems Amelia quite dislikes the traditional nature of the aristocracy."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nobles are obsessed with pedigree and bloodlines, aren't they?"
"Ah... well, I suppose so. There’s certainly that side to it."
Clarice nodded in agreement. We didn't stop working as we spoke. At the moment, our tasks were simple—sweeping the area around the training grounds and generally tidying up.
"She seems to find that quite distasteful."
"I see. That's unusual."
"Is it different for you, Clarice?"
"Hm? Well, I think bloodlines are important, but... there are other factors like effort and environment, right? My father is a rare sort of noble who values hard work above all else, so I naturally grew up thinking the same way."
"Fumu... As I thought, your family is wonderful. I would certainly like to speak with your father one day."
"...Eh!? You want to come to my house!?"
"Hmm? Well, I have never had the opportunity to visit a friend's home before. I'm actually in the middle of making various plans for the summer vacation... fufufu..."
"You... you're kind of different from the image I had of you..."
"In what way?"
"They say that even though you're an Ordinary, you're strong in combat and your behavior is mature... stuff like that. But talking to you like this, you actually have a surprisingly normal side..."
"I see. If you see me that way, it makes me very happy."
When I said that, Clarice’s face suddenly turned bright red, and she glared at me sharply.
"D-Don't get the wrong idea, okay?! I-It's not like... I think of you fondly or anything...!! Ah... but it's not like I hate you, either... Aah! Jeez! Anyway, just don't get the wrong idea! A woman of the Cleveland family is nothing if not noble, you know!"
"Yes. I can see that clearly just by looking at you, Clarice."
"Hmph...!"
She turned her head away with a huff, but there was something I was curious about. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was appropriate to ask, but decided to take the plunge.
"Why did you join the Management Committee, Clarice? Why not participate as a contestant?"
"...That is, well..."
"Are you perhaps not fond of practical combat?"
"I-It's not that I'm bad at it, but... well..."
"If it's difficult for you to talk about, please don't force yourself. I apologize if I overstepped."
I immediately bowed my head. Apparently, this was a sensitive topic. I still have much to learn about social graces. As I was reflecting on my blunder, Clarice began to speak, looking quite flustered.
"Ah...! Y-You don't have to apologize...! But... you won't laugh?"
"Laugh? I would never do something so rude. Whatever your reason, I intend to accept it with the utmost sincerity."
"If you say so..."
She placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath.
Then, as if making up her mind, Clarice finally offered an answer to my question.
"Well... there were several reasons I became a committee member, but... the reason I'm not participating as a contestant is... well... more than being a Magic Swordsman... I want to become a Hunter in the future!"
"A Hunter? Are you interested in environmental research?"
"Y... Yes! That's it! But there aren't many female Hunters, right? And I know people generally say it's not the sort of thing a noble's daughter should be doing..."
"..."
Hearing those words, I understood her hesitation. Having a Gold Hunter License myself, I understood the reality of the profession quite well. Indeed, the population of female Hunters was small. Among those who made a living solely through hunting, the number was smaller still.
Furthermore, looking at the Environmental Research Club at this academy, there were no female members. It was composed entirely of brawny men. That alone demonstrated just how grueling it was to be a Hunter.
It came down to a biological difference where men generally possessed more physical strength, while women often faced a disadvantage in terms of raw stamina and muscle power. Of course, there were exceptions like my Master... Incidentally, Master held a Platinum Hunter License. According to her, she only obtained it because she was bored.
However, if Clarice wanted to become a Hunter, I would not oppose her. In the end, a person can only truly follow the path they have chosen for themselves. No matter what others say, once you have made your decision, you have no choice but to move forward.
"Clarice."
"W... What? Are you going to mock me too? Tell me it's ridiculous for a noble's daughter to be... a Hunter..."
"Mock you? Not at all. I know a woman who holds a Platinum Hunter License. For that matter, I am a Gold-ranked Hunter myself, and I'm a member of this academy's Environmental Research Club."
"Eh...!? R-Really!?"
"Yes. I have a fair bit of experience as a Hunter. That’s why I’ll say this: if you don’t want to give up on that dream, then chasing it is a perfectly valid choice. I will never look down on it. To begin with, I come from an Ordinary background. Social conventions like that don't matter to me."
"T-The truth is... I'm really interested in insects! I've loved catching bugs since I was a little girl... and as an extension of that, I want to see insects from all over the world with my own eyes!"
Her face was radiant.
Surely, she hadn't had anyone she could open up to like this until now. In that case, just having me listen might have lightened her burden.
If my friend's worries could be eased even a little, I was more than happy.
"Insects, huh... I used to spend a lot of time in the jungle in the past. I've seen quite a variety."
"The jungle...!?"
"My family home is also near Dogma Forest. I often ventured into the woods and encountered all sorts of creatures."
"Dogma Forest...!? Ray... you really are something else, aren't you..."
"I have an idea. Why don't the two of us go on an exploration during summer vacation? We could go bug hunting. To be honest, I'm going to be relatively free during the break."
"Eh...!? Really!?"
"Of course."
"I'll go! I'm definitely going! W-Which forest should we go to!?"
"If we're staying around here, wouldn't Kafka Forest be a good choice?"
"You're right! Ah, I'm looking forward to it already!"
Having secured a plan for the summer vacation, we continued our conversation. However, our primary duty at the moment was the operation of the School Preliminaries. Keeping that in mind, I resolved to continue working diligently.
A few hours later, the School Preliminaries finally began.