"..."
"..."
"Hang in there, Clarice-chan, Amelia-chan...!"
It was lunch break.
The five of us were having our usual meal together, but Amelia and Clarice were currently slumped over the table, completely defeated.
It was as if smoke were metaphorically rising from their heads; neither of them moved an inch, and they hadn't even bother to buy their food.
In Amelia's case, it was pure exhaustion from training. Her magic sessions had become incredibly grueling, and when combined with her test preparations, she looked ready to expire. I was maintaining a safety margin, of course, so it was really more of a mental collapse than a physical one.
As for Clarice, she had utterly bombed her exams. She’d failed several subjects and would have to attend supplementary classes during summer vacation. It was a pity, but there was nothing to be done about it now. I could only hope she would use this failure as a springboard for next time.
Elisa watched the two of them with a fretful expression, while Evi and I ate our lunch as usual.
"Those two are having a rough go of it."
"How were your results, Evi?" I asked.
"Hm? A bit above average. I mean, I'm no match for you, Amelia, or Elisa, but I'm satisfied with how I did."
"I see. Still, to think the first term is already over."
"It went by in a flash, didn't it?"
The closing ceremony had been held earlier that morning, bringing the first term to a formal close.
The exams were finished, and the School Preliminaries for the Magics Chevalier had concluded without a hitch.
Starting tomorrow, we would officially be on summer vacation. Students were allowed to return to their family homes if they filed the necessary paperwork.
However, almost no one was planning to head home just yet. With the Newcomers' Tournament and the Main Tournament of the Magics Chevalier looming, the excitement on campus had reached a fever pitch. Participants from other academies had already been finalized as well.
Amelia had cruised through the School Preliminaries for the newcomers with a perfect record. Albert Alium had also secured his spot; despite suffering a single defeat at Amelia's hands, he had won every other match. A lot had happened between us, but it seemed he was moving forward in his own way. I’d actually run into him quite often at that spot recently and had a few chats with him.
The academy's Newspaper Club had wasted no time in releasing an extra edition predicting the favorites for the upcoming Magics Chevalier.
The top seed for the Main Tournament was, unsurprisingly, last year's champion, Rebecca-senpai.
As for the Newcomers' Tournament, the predicted winner was Ariane Algren.
Amelia was projected to finish as the runner-up.
The moment I saw that ranking, I felt my blood begin to boil. A tournament where everything goes according to the script is a dull affair. It's the presence of dark horses and the shattering of expectations that give such competitions their true luster.
That was exactly why I wanted Amelia to win.
I believed with all my heart that she would be the one to defeat Ariane Algren and claim the crown of the Newcomers' Tournament.
"Well then, starting tomorrow, our schedules are wide open. My duties for the Management Committee are light until the tournament starts, which means I can focus entirely on training Amelia."
At my words, Amelia's slumped body twitched. Her hair practically stood on end, pointing toward the ceiling.
"...Or so I’d like to say. Is everyone free tomorrow?"
"I... I should be fine..." Elisa whispered.
"Count me in," Evi added.
Even the collapsed Amelia and Clarice weakly raised their right hands to signal their availability. That settled it.
"Since the timing is right, I'd like to introduce you all to my Master."
"Your Master... you mean that angelic woman?" Evi asked.
"Well... she looks that way, at least. Does that work for everyone?"
"Yeah! I'm totally down for that!"
"I'm... a little nervous, but I'd like to go..."
Amelia and Clarice silently raised their hands again.
And so, it was decided that we would all go to visit Master the following day. It was something I had been planning for a while. I truly wanted to show Master that I had found such wonderful, irreplaceable friends at this academy.
I was sure she had been worried about me.
Master was a strict woman—she had raised me with an iron hand. Not just in terms of magic, but in how to conduct myself as a human being. Yet, even in her harshest lessons, there was always love. I could always feel her underlying intent: that everything she did was for my sake.
That is why I respect her so deeply.
Thus, the next day, we set off for Master's home.
Noon the following day.
The five of us were en route to Master's house.
Amelia was the most high-spirited of the group.
"Wow! Look, look! It's incredible! The scenery is so beautiful!"
"Do you not come out West very often?" I asked from across the carriage.
"No, not really. Especially not this far into the woods."
"You seem particularly cheerful today. Are you that happy about having a break from training?"
"Of course I am! That training is honestly like a glimpse into hell..."
For a split second, Amelia's eyes turned vacant, like those of a dead fish. I couldn't blame her; I had experienced the brutality of the Ainsworth-style Boot Camp firsthand. As we chatted, the carriage arrived at our destination.
After paying the fare, we began our trek into the forest.
It was the peak of summer, and the trees were laden with cicadas. Their buzzing cries echoed through the woods, though it wasn't particularly annoying. If anything, it provided a pleasant seasonal backdrop.
However... heh heh heh. It seemed Amelia was under the complete delusion that today was a total holiday. A break from training for several days? As if such a thing were possible. It seemed Amelia trainee still had much to learn. Naturally, what awaited her at the end of this path was more training. That said, we were entering the home stretch.
Since the tournament was so close, I didn't intend to push her to the breaking point, but I planned to use this unique environment to sharpen her skills in ways only possible here.
Fufufu... she's in for quite a surprise... fufufu...
"Fufufu..."
"Wh-whoa! What is it, Ray?"
"Oh, nothing, Amelia. I just hope you have a wonderful holiday."
"I will!"
She gave me a brilliant, heartfelt smile.
I knew that smile would be gone in a few hours, replaced by something much more strained. It wasn't that I enjoyed pushing her, but it was a necessary part of her growth. During my own apprenticeship, Master had once told me we were going out for a holiday, only to drop me in a jungle for a survival exercise.
The world is a cruel place.
I had to teach her that the moment you let your guard down is the moment you are in the most danger.
"Kukuku..."
"I'm telling you, that laugh is creepy!"
As we continued our walk, the building came into view.
We had reached the western-style mansion where Master lived. I had already sent word that we would be arriving around noon, so I gave the door a firm knock.
In less than ten seconds, the door creaked open.
"Master Ray. And his friends... welcome."
"It's been a while, Carla-san."
"Yes. The mistress is waiting for you inside."
"Understood. Come on, everyone."
Amelia, being a noble, seemed used to manors like this and showed no signs of nerves, but the others looked a bit stiff.
"Don't worry. Master is a kind person."
We passed through the entrance and headed for the room in the back. As soon as she spotted me, Master, seated in her wheelchair, began rolling herself toward us. She seemed to be in an excellent mood today, her face graced with a radiant smile. As always, she was a stunningly beautiful woman—at least on the outside.
"Ray! You look well!"
"Yes, Master."
"Oh... have you grown taller again?"
"I tell you this every time, but I haven't grown at all."
"Hahaha, I suppose not. So, these are the friends you mentioned?"
"Yes. These are the irreplaceable friends I've made at the academy."
With that, I began introducing everyone to my Master.