“...Huh?”
Ariane stared, her mouth hanging open.
It was a natural reaction. Anyone told such a thing would surely have responded the same way.
“Wait just a moment. I might have misheard you, so please say it once more.”
“I am the current Ice Sword Sorcerer.”
“...”
“You don’t believe me?”
Ariane shot a quick glance toward Amelia.
“Amelia, did you know about this?”
“I... well, I found out by accident.”
“Since when?”
“Near the end of the first semester. Before the Magics Chevalier, I think.”
“...I see.”
Ariane muttered something under her breath, so low that neither Ray nor Amelia could catch it.
“Sorry, Ariane. Could you say that again?”
The moment Ray spoke, Ariane surged to her feet.
“That is simply not fair!” she cried, pointing a finger at Amelia and launching into a loud denunciation. “I had heard rumors that you were training with Ray, but I was always—always—disturbed by why you would seek his instruction! If this is the truth, it all makes sense... but I must say it again. It is not fair!”
“Um... sorry?” Amelia stammered, recoiling.
Ariane, however, was far too worked up to stop. Her voice rose even higher.
“The Ice Sword, renowned as the strongest of the Seven Grand Sorcerers... To seek instruction from such a man... No wonder I was so impressed by your growth! But! It is still unfair! Receiving lessons from one of the Seven Grand Sorcerers is normally an impossibility!”
“Ahaha... Well, Ray was surprisingly eager. Though... just thinking back on those days makes me feel a bit nauseous.”
Amelia was undoubtedly remembering the Ainsworth-style boot camp. Back then, she had tried to flee at every possible opportunity.
To think several months had already passed since then. With the Cultural Festival over, time was truly flying.
“Ariane.”
“What is it?”
“Let me tell you a bit about my past.”
Ray proceeded to share his history with her.
In the past, this was something he never could have done. But since coming to this academy, he had slowly begun to change. Now, he was finally able to face his own history.
He spoke for several dozen minutes. When he finished, Ariane was weeping openly.
“Ray... for you to have endured such hardship... Oh, how terrible... hic...”
Ray wasn’t sure how to respond to such a reaction, but it reaffirmed one thing: Ariane was a truly kind person.
“I have heard that the Far East Campaign was the first war where sorcery was deployed in actual combat. They say it was the worst war in history. To think you were on the front lines since you were a child...”
“...It couldn’t be helped. I was caught up in it and did everything I could just to stay alive.”
“And you inherited the title of Ice Sword as soon as the war ended?”
“Yeah. I haven’t been able to draw out my full power yet because of my Magic Area overheat, but I did take over the position.”
Ray continued the story calmly. By now, he was getting used to telling others about it.
“So that was it... I had always wondered about you, Ray. Even as an Ordinary, the rumors surrounding you were always so grand. And that time you appeared at the Magic Association party over summer vacation...”
“Right. I was invited as one of the Seven Grand Sorcerers.”
“I see... I understand now.”
Ariane nodded to herself, crossing her arms in thought. Amelia watched the exchange in silence. Then, Ariane stood up once more.
“Ray! I challenge you to a match!”
Amelia was the first to react to the high-pitched declaration.
“Eh? Wait, wait, why does it have to come to that!?”
“Amelia. This is a maiden’s destiny.”
“A maiden’s destiny?”
Ariane’s expression hardened into one of sharp determination. “When faced with a powerful opponent, a maiden cannot help but test herself!!”
“Uhh... isn’t ‘maiden’ a bit of a broad category for that...?”
“It doesn’t matter! So, Ray. Will you accept?”
“...”
It wasn’t as if they were going to fight to the death. Ariane simply wanted to know for herself—she wanted to experience the true strength of the Ice Sword Sorcerer.
“I understand. I don’t mind.”
“Then let us begin at once!”
The three of them relocated. The days were growing shorter, and dusk had already arrived. In another hour, the sun would be completely gone. A chilly wind blew, bringing with it the sentimental realization that winter was nearly here. Ray had no good memories of winter, but perhaps being at this academy would allow him to grow fond of it.
They arrived at the meadow stretching out before the Kafka Forest. Located between the forest and the academy, it was deserted at this hour, making it the perfect spot.
“What are the rules?”
“The first to say ‘I give up’ is the loser.”
“I see.”
Ariane began her warm-up stretches. Watching her, Ray checked his own physical condition.
“Amelia, can I ask you to referee?”
“Sure, but... well, don’t do anything reckless, okay? You just used your power during that thing with Rebecca-senpai, didn't you?”
“Yeah. I won't release my abilities this time.”
“Eh... you plan to beat Ariane without releasing them? Even for you, Ray, that’s surely...”
“Well, we won't know until we try.”
Once they were both ready, Amelia gave the signal.
“Then... Begin!!”
The instant Amelia swung her hand down, Ariane vanished from her spot.
“Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
Ariane closed the distance with a war cry, her limbs shifting to a reddish-black hue.
Ogrification.
It was the physical-attack-specialized Origin Magic she had displayed during the Magics Chevalier. A fist flew toward Ray’s face, and as soon as he dodged, a heel drop bore down on him. Ray realized his guard wouldn't be in time, so he caught the strike head-on.
“Whoa...!”
A small sound escaped her. She clearly hadn't expected him to catch the blow directly. Ray gripped her leg firmly and threw her with all his might.
He assumed someone of her caliber would be able to break her fall immediately. The moment he threw her, he was already dashing across the ground. Planting his feet, he concentrated inside code into his legs.
He ran. He ran. He dashed through!
In his line of sight, he saw Ariane’s panicked expression as she tried to regain her stance. She understood—if she didn't react immediately, his attack would reach her first.
Ray accelerated until his surroundings were a blur. The flow of his sorcery was smoother than ever before. Even a light application of code allowed him to demonstrate this level of performance.
Before she could fully recover her posture, he thrust his hand like a blade toward her throat. A gust of wind rose, originating from the space just before Ariane’s eyes.
In a flash, her platinum hair fluttered behind her. As it slowly settled back down under the pull of gravity, she conceded.
“...I-I give up.”
“Thank you for the match.”
In front of her as she sat on the grass, Ray gave a polite bow.
“...Did you use some special sorcery?”
“No. Just physical reinforcement with inside code.”
“Th-That’s a lie! To move like that with just inside code! It was even faster than my Ogrification...!”
“You know the truth, don’t you? You know it’s a fact.”
“...! Well... I suppose so. A total defeat.”
She looked visibly dejected. She had likely expected to put up a much closer fight. However, when the time came, it had been a complete rout.
Of course, that was because Ray had identified her weakness. Had he simply clashed with her head-on using brute force, his own defeat would have been possible. Her weakness had already been exposed during her matches at the Magics Chevalier. That was why he had been able to shut her down so completely.
“Ariane. You still have plenty of room to grow.”
“Is that... true?”
Ray held out his hand. Gripping it, Ariane pulled herself up. They locked eyes.
“Yeah. Do you want to get stronger?”
“Of course I do!”
“Very well, then...”
Taking a breath, Ray spoke the words just as he had during that summer.
“I shall assign both of you to an Ainsworth-style boot camp. And it will be a special menu.”
Amelia, who had been walking over, suddenly shuddered.
“R-Ray? Y-You’re joking, right? I already graduated, so I’m fine, right? It ended that summer, didn’t it? Ariane’s the only one doing it, right...?”
“Amelia trainee. There is more to the Ainsworth-style boot camp than what you've seen.”
“M-More...?”
“Yeah. The current Amelia and Ariane can surely handle it. Ariane seems to have already undergone considerable training on her own, so an enhanced version should be appropriate.”
While Amelia continued to tremble in fear, Ariane’s eyes sparkled.
“Ainsworth-style boot camp. I have heard the name. I believe it is... a hellish training that even soldiers flee from.”
“That’s right. To prepare for the Magics War, we’ll start by building up your physical strength. Don’t worry, I’ll be with you. And the response is ‘Ranger!’ Do you understand, Ariane trainee?”
“Ranger! It is!”
“Good.”
While Ariane gave a crisp salute, Amelia was already trying to flee, just like she had in the past. But Ray was not the type to let a deserter escape.
“Amelia trainee! What are you doing? I told you the response is ‘Ranger!’ There is a penalty for desertion!”
“Ah... aah... ah... Ray. Please, just... just let me off this time? Please?”
Ray grabbed her shoulder immediately, and she looked up at him with teary eyes. They were filled with total despair, but it couldn't be helped. It wasn't that Ray wanted to bully her, but he had to harden his heart—just like during that summer.
Because he was the instructor who would lead them.
“Amelia trainee.”
Amelia squeezed her hands together in a pleading gesture, but reality was heartless.
“W-What...? Are you going to forgive me...?”
“Let’s work hard together with Ariane.”
“That is right! Amelia, we shall do our very best together!”
“Noooooooooo! Now there are two muscle-heads! Waaaaaaah!”
To the tune of that nostalgic scream, they immediately began their training.