Lunch break arrived.
However, the usual group wasn't all gathered today.
Amelia was absent from school, apparently having some business to attend to at her family home.
Albert and Evi also seemed to have errands during the break and were nowhere to be found. I hadn't heard it from them directly yet, but I was certain they were going to participate in the Magics War.
I could just sense it from the atmosphere.
And so, currently, it was just the three of us—myself, Elisa, and Clarice—having a meal together.
"Come to think of it..."
Clarice was the one who spoke up.
As usual, her twin-tails were perfectly set. Her lustrous golden hair looked almost divine.
Since Clarice's condition could be read more easily by looking at her twin-tails than her complexion, I could tell she was in very good spirits today.
"Ray, you're entering the Magics War, right?"
"Yeah. That's the plan."
"But are you going to be okay?"
Elisa joined the conversation as well.
"...She's right. Because, Ray-kun, you..."
Both of them knew about my circumstances.
It was true that I was the Current Ice Sword Sorcerer. However, I was currently keeping my own abilities sealed. Even if I could release them temporarily, it was only a fleeting measure.
My Magic Area Overheat hadn't completely healed yet.
However, there was no doubt that it was steadily improving.
I didn't fully understand the underlying cause myself—though I had a rough idea—but I believed I would be fine when it came to a tournament like this.
"Regarding the Overheat, it isn't fully cured yet. However, strictly concerning this tournament... the Magics War, I should be fine."
"What do you mean by that?"
Clarice stopped eating and looked at me blankly.
Elisa also gazed at me with interest.
I decided to explain the nature of this upcoming tournament.
"This is a team battle, isn't it?"
"Right."
"Moreover, the matches take place in the Kafka Forest. It seems they will also be using the old castle located in the northernmost reaches."
"Heh... So that's how it's set up."
"Even if I can't use sorcery to its full potential, I believe my experience will be an asset here. Unlike the Magics Chevalier, this is a team-based competition. Furthermore, the victory conditions are complex. There is a path to victory."
"Now that you mention it, what are the rules exactly?"
I started to answer Clarice's question, but Elisa pulled out some folded documents and read them aloud.
"Let's see... Teams must consist of three people. There are Qualifiers and a Main Tournament... The Qualifiers seem to be a Point Capture match held in the Kafka Forest."
"Heh. Point Capture, huh? How does that work specifically?"
"It says they'll prepare specific locations where Prima Materia overflows at set intervals. The side that stores a certain amount of Prima Materia into a Magic Tool at those locations wins... that's what's written here."
"...? I don't follow. What does that actually mean?"
Clarice still didn't seem to have grasped the concept, so I provided a more detailed explanation.
"Points will be established randomly throughout the Kafka Forest. Every six minutes, the location of the point changes. The key is to be inside that point while holding the Magic Tool."
"...Um. So, one person stores the Prima Materia with the Magic Tool, and the other two protect that person?"
"Exactly."
"That sounds like quite a lot of work..."
She muttered softly, and she wasn't wrong; the rules were indeed complex.
You had to accumulate Prima Materia in a Magic Tool. The points where you could do so were randomized and shifted over time.
In other words, the battle would take place while constantly on the move as a group of three.
When you occupied a point, you had to defend; when the enemy occupied it, you had to attack.
On defense, one person would focus on the point capture while two guarded them.
On offense, all three could attack simultaneously.
Looking at it that way, the attacking side technically had the advantage.
Unless there was a massive gap in skill between the teams, I predicted the matches wouldn't be one-sided. Control over the points would likely shift back and forth frequently.
"That's right. Moreover, only one Magic Tool can function at a point at any given time."
"Which means you absolutely have to push the opponent out of the area."
"Yeah. And the winner is whoever reaches the target value first, or whoever has the most Prima Materia when the time limit expires."
"How long do the matches last?"
"Qualifiers are thirty minutes per match."
"Hah... That sounds intense."
Clarice's twin-tails were bobbing busily. It was surely a reflection of her inner excitement. I had grown so used to it that the movement no longer felt particularly novel.
"Ray-kun, you're amazing. You've already memorized everything."
"Since I'm participating, I've hammered the rules into my head. However, more than the Point Capture... the real challenge will be the Siege Battle. It seems that starts from the Main Tournament."
"Um..."
As I spoke, Elisa looked back at the documents.
"In the Siege Battle, you're divided into offensive and defensive roles from the start."
"Right. The offensive side wins if they seize the flag placed inside the castle and bring it to a designated location outside. The defensive side wins if they hold out until the time limit. The limit is two hours."
"...I wonder which side has the advantage?"
I didn't have a clear answer to that yet. This might be something we wouldn't know until we actually played a match.
"It's hard to say. It really comes down to the team composition. Besides, which side you're on is decided by the representatives drawing lots before the match. There are many uncertain elements. We should train in a balanced way so we can handle either role."
"I see... There sure is a lot to do. Will you guys be okay, Ray-kun?"
"...Oh, he'll be fine, won't he? I mean, this is Ray we're talking about."
"That's true. Ahaha."
Elisa smiled at Clarice's remark.
However, I knew I couldn't afford to be careless in this Magics War.
The composition of a three-person team. Compatible and incompatible sorcery. Furthermore, given the nature of the rules, physical ability would be a major factor.
In the Magics Chevalier, matches were one-on-one duels with very little movement involved. You just had to clash head-on.
The Magics War, on the other hand, utilized Point Capture and Siege Battles.
Combat while maneuvering. Deciding when to commit to a fight or when to disengage. Simply charging forward wouldn't be enough.
The Magics War was a competition of strategy as much as strength.
The person who devised these rules was likely Abby-san.
That was obvious to me based on my time in the military. Since I had experience with this exact kind of training, I certainly had an advantage.
But this was a team battle. My two teammates, Amelia and Ariane, had no experience in this kind of sorcery warfare. I needed to ensure we underwent rigorous training and polished our coordination before the tournament began.
No matter how I looked at it, it wouldn't be easy.
"Actually, if it were just me, I could manage... but since it's a team battle, coordination with my partners is vital. I can't afford to be complacent."
"By the way, Ray, who are you entering with? I've heard about Amelia, but who else?"
"It's Amelia and Ariane."
"Eh... You mean the Ariane Algren?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
Clarice looked genuinely surprised. I wondered what was on her mind.
"No... but thinking about it, you and Ariane are actually quite compatible."
"Do you know her, Clarice?"
I asked, though I figured that as a member of the Upper Nobility, she likely had prior interactions with her.
"Well, I see her at parties and such. We've talked a few times... She's the hot-blooded type, isn't she?"
"...There's no doubt about that. Ariane is passionate. Her soul is."
"Stuck between the two of you, Amelia is going to have a rough time..."
"Heh. She'll just have to do her best."
"Since I know what your training for the Magics Chevalier was like, I'm sure things are going to be incredible this time too."
The moment those words were spoken, Elisa also muttered softly.
"Ah... that was something else, wasn't it... I see. Amelia-chan. It's going to be hard for her."
"Isn't it? Well, let's make sure to support her! Right, Elisa!"
"Yeah! Let's do that. Let's give her all the help we can!"
The two girls were strangely motivated.
Admittedly, as a man, I couldn't provide Amelia with the same kind of support they could. There were things that were simply easier to talk about with friends of the same gender.
With those thoughts in mind, I began my preparations for the Magics War, which was now only two months away.