Ray’s eccentricities during the Magics Chevalier were too numerous to count, but for his classmates, the biggest shock of all had undoubtedly been... his training of Amelia.
"Uwaaaaaaan! I’ve had enough! I'm done!"
"Amelia trainee! What are you doing? Move it, double time!!"
"Noooooo! I don’t want any more muscle pain! I can’t take it anymore!"
Amelia would be hauled out of the classroom, practically dragged along by Ray. At first, their classmates had been utterly stunned by this behavior.
They couldn't help but wonder what kind of terrifying retribution awaited someone who treated the Eldest Daughter of House Rose—the head of the Three Great Noble Families—in such a manner.
While the nobility was divided into several factions, the Three Great Noble Families occupied a realm of their own. They were absolute entities presiding over the very peak of the social hierarchy.
Some in the class had known Amelia since they were children, yet everyone had always interacted with her while keeping her at arm's length.
They never spoke their true feelings to her. The reason they had treated Amelia with such guarded caution since childhood was that their parents had drilled it into them: any discourtesy toward the Three Great Noble Families was strictly forbidden.
However, the scenes unfolding before their eyes over the past few days defied all imagination. Most of the class realized then just how foolish their own ignorance had been.
"Hey... is that really okay?"
"She looks like she hates it, but... I wonder?"
"Wait, the rumor is that Rose was the one who asked White, right?"
"For real? Even so, that’s a bit intense..."
"Yeah... Rose really looks like she’s suffering. They say they're doing special training together, but I wonder what it's actually like..."
"..."
Naturally, the classmates couldn't stop thinking about it.
They recalled the words spoken by Albert and Evi.
—Look at Ray White himself. Don't just look at the superficial label of him being an Ordinary.
Driven by curiosity, the classmates decided to go and secretly observe their special training.
"Hey! Amelia! One more! One more! You can do it! You've got this! Move!! Hurry, hurry, hurry!!"
"Mnnnnnn!! I—I can't do it anymoreeeeeeeeeeee!"
"Yes, you can!! If it's Amelia, you can make it!! Come on, come on, come on!!"
"Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
What they witnessed at the training grounds was, as expected, a scene that was almost impossible to process.
"..."
They stood there, speechless.
Looking closer, Ray was holding Amelia's feet while she performed sit-ups as part of a grueling workout. Though Amelia’s face was twisted in agony, she was somehow managing to keep up.
On the other hand, Ray was facing Amelia with a gaze of absolute sincerity.
Seeing the two of them so earnest, not a single person could bring themselves to mock them.
They simply understood. These two were preparing for the upcoming Magics Chevalier with everything they had.
Once that special training finally concluded, the main tournament of the Magics Chevalier arrived.
◇
"Hey, isn't that..."
"Yeah. That's incredible."
"As expected of Albert. But the Eldest Daughter of House Algren was apparently strong, after all."
The match was settled.
Albert had faced Ariane head-on and lost. They stared intently at Albert, who lay on the ground, staring up at the sky.
Precisely because they had known him since childhood, his peers could tell.
After his defeat by Ray, it was as if Albert had become a different person, stacking effort upon effort.
They never expected that the same Albert who used to preach that talent was everything and bloodline was supreme would fight in such a gritty, unrefined way.
Midway through the match, many spectators had become certain of Ariane's victory. Because of that, there were those who hurled abuse, those who jeered, and some who even stood up and left their seats before it was over.
However, the classmates watching this match—not just the trio, but everyone—remained in their seats.
They simply burned Albert’s grand figure into their memories. And at that same moment, they all thought the same thing: Albert had truly changed by facing Ray White.
In everyone's hearts, Ray's presence was no longer just that of an Ordinary.
Then, the Newcomers' Tournament finals of the Magics Chevalier finally arrived. Amelia and Ariane were engaged in what was, quite literally, a life-or-death struggle.
The classmates knew how hard Amelia had worked. They had witnessed those days between Ray and Amelia firsthand.
"Go for it!!"
"Rose, do your best!"
"Don't lose!"
"Damn! The Eldest Daughter of House Algren is way too strong!"
"Go for itaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
The classmates had gathered naturally. Almost the entire class was in the stands to support Amelia. The only ones missing were the members of the Amelia Cheer Squad and Albert, who had slipped away.
Everyone else had come together with a singular desire to support Amelia in the finals of the Newcomers' Tournament.
It wasn't the kind of sycophantic fawning they used to offer the Eldest Daughter of House Rose.
They simply, purely, wished to see her hard work rewarded.
That was what everyone was praying for—
"Ah..."
"Is... Is she done?"
"Dammit! Is this as far as she goes!?"
"To come this far and still not reach...!"
Painful voices rang out.
Amelia was already crawling on the ground. Ariane, although wounded, was still steadily advancing.
The outcome appeared decided.
The entire audience fell silent, intending to witness the final conclusion—to at least watch her brave figure until the very end.
The moment that thought crossed their minds, a familiar voice shattered the silence.
"AMELIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! STAND UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!"
It was none other than the shout of Ray White.
The classmates had been wondering why he wasn't in the front row cheering as usual. They had been worried about where he was during the finals.
Just as that thought flickered in their minds, Ray had arrived.
In that instant, a massive swarm of Crimson Butterflies manifested from Amelia's back... and she claimed victory.
She won. She had actually won.
She had defeated Ariane Algren, the girl lauded as the strongest.
"Did she win?"
"She won, right?"
"There's no mistake. It's Rose's victory!!"
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
When Amelia won, the classmates let their joy explode in their corner of the stands. At the same time, they all felt it—that Ray's presence had undoubtedly been the catalyst for Amelia's victory.
There was no logical proof.
But those two had trained together, and in the end, Amelia had awakened because of Ray's voice.
They didn't need any more evidence than that.
And so, the classmates finally acknowledged the man known as Ray White. They saw him as a person who might be a bit clumsy and stubbornly earnest, but possessed an unshakable core.
They no longer cared about the rumors from when they first enrolled; they admired the way he simply carved out his own path.
It was adoration.
Even if he was an Ordinary, Ray being Ray remained unchanged. That was why, from then on, they wanted to interact with him more sincerely. Indeed, he was not a noble, and based on bloodline alone, they were by no means a match.
However, perhaps the world was not defined by that alone.
An extraordinary existence like Ray White changed those around him.
It was just like ripples spreading across the surface of the water, extending wide, far, and deep into the distance.
Then, the Cultural Festival finally arrived.
"I propose a Maid Cafe."
Looking at Ray as he spoke with his usual deadpan, serious face, everyone thought the same thing:
—Ah. Surely, more interesting days are coming.
In places where Ray wasn't even present, he had earned their respect. He had simply continued to move forward, opening his own way.
That was thanks to the teachings of his master, Lydia.
Before he had enrolled, she had spoken to him.
She told him the nobles would likely look down on him. She warned him that there might be painful times ahead.
Lydia had said those things out of concern.
However, Ray had only smiled lightly and replied to Lydia in a gentle voice:
"Master. I will probably lose my way again. But... I hope that at the academy, I can meet kind people like you—that is my wish."
Unintentionally, that wish had become a reality.
However, it was something he had seized through his own actions.
Without even realizing the impact he'd made, he would continue to deepen his bonds with his classmates.
Surely, those bonds would become a lifelong treasure—