The Main Tournament.
The time had finally come. The tournament was a single-elimination bracket where all fourteen teams that survived the Qualifiers would compete for the top.
The top two teams in terms of total points from the Qualifiers were granted a seed. In this Magics War, our team took second place. By a narrow margin, Team Forst had taken first.
Because of the seeding, if we were to clash with Team Forst at all, it would be in the Finals.
Essentially, the Magics War was structured to reward the teams that dominated the Qualifiers with preferential treatment in the bracket.
"...Morning, huh?"
I muttered to myself. It was dawn, and the pleasant morning light filtered into the room. However, I sensed something was off.
It was nothing major, but I couldn't hear Evi's loud snoring.
I made it a habit to wake up at five every morning, but Evi was generally poor with early starts. And yet, his snoring was nowhere to be heard.
That meant he was already awake.
When I headed to the living room, I found him hard at work. Despite it being winter, Evi was dripping with sweat as he pushed through his muscle training.
I stripped to the waist as well and joined him.
I kept it light, just breaking enough of a sweat to ensure I wouldn't be stiff for the upcoming matches. When we finished, Evi gave me a broad grin and handed me a protein shake.
"Here, Ray."
"Thanks."
I drained the drink and set the glass down on the table with a clack.
"Ray. We finally made it here."
"Yeah. We did."
We exchanged looks. For this tournament, we were on opposing teams. If we met on the field, it would be in the final match.
Nothing could be more exhilarating.
"If we face you guys, it’ll be in the Finals."
"The Finals, huh... Is your team doing all right on your end?" I asked.
"If things go as expected, we'll probably end up facing Team Hartnett before that."
"Team Hartnett, huh? They’re tough."
"I figured that much watching them. But we’re still gonna win."
It wasn’t an empty boast. Lately, I’d noticed that Evi’s skills as a sorcerer had improved significantly. Beyond just his physical training, he seemed to have devoted himself to his magical drills every single day without fail.
In League A, Team Algren had taken first, while Team Hartnett took second. We had been undefeated in the League round, securing the top spot, while Team Hartnett had won every match except the one against us to secure second.
I had watched their other matches; their magical coordination was top-tier. Since few students were accustomed to fighting in a forest environment, most matches devolved into pure magical exchanges, and Team Hartnett had dominated those scenarios.
"I've been wondering when to ask this, but..."
Evi paused for a moment, then tossed a question my way.
"Ray, do you know my old man?"
"Did you... see us together?"
"Yeah. Just a glimpse from a distance. To be honest, I’d been suspecting it for a while."
I knew this conversation would happen eventually. I felt that I should tell him one day.
It was true. I knew Evi's father. More than that, we had been in the same unit. We had trained under the Master together, shared the same meals, and survived the same battlefields.
His name was Deruku Armstrong.
During the Far East Campaign, Deruku often talked about his family. He said he had a son the same age as me but didn't know how to bridge the distance between them.
Because he was a career soldier, he was rarely home. Our unit was stationed on the extreme front lines of the Far East Campaign. Unlike me, many of the men had families to return to.
Because he could so rarely go home, he had once told me:
—I want you to be friends with my son someday. I think he already hates me.
The moment I first met Evi, I knew he was Deruku's son. Their appearances were strikingly similar. That overwhelming physical frame and the bright white teeth he showed when he grinned couldn't help but remind me of the man I knew.
Deruku was still in the military. Unlike me, he hadn't retired after the war. That was likely why there was still a rift between him and Evi.
Given the circumstances, I had hesitated... but it seemed the time had come.
"Deruku Armstrong. I called him Deruku, but yes, we were in the same unit. He’s my comrade-in-arms."
Evi's expression twisted slightly.
"I see... I've been thinking that ever since I heard you were in the Far East Campaign, Ray. And watching the matches confirmed it. You and my old man are similar in some ways."
"Is that so?"
"It’s just... a hunch. I felt it intuitively."
"I see."
He fell silent again. After a moment, he spoke up, sounding a bit anxious.
"Did my old man... ever say anything about me?"
"..."
I wondered if I should be honest. Should I, an outsider, intervene in the private affairs of a father and son?
I hesitated.
However, I decided that this encounter was fate and chose to speak truthfully.
"Deruku mentioned you often. He said he had a son my age and that he felt a sense of distance. He blamed himself for never being home. But hearing him talk, I knew one thing for certain. Deruku loves you, Evi."
"I see..."
It was the first time I had ever seen Evi look so downcast and conflicted.
I pressed on.
"He told me he wanted to see his wife and son once the Far East Campaign ended. Did you two meet?"
"Just once... we had a family meal to celebrate my enrollment."
"How was it?"
"I still have a lot of feelings about how he left my mom alone for so long. Even if I know that's just my own selfishness. It seems he returns home regularly now, but... we ended up passing each other by when I left for the Academy."
"I see. This might be meddling on my part, but..."
I had actually run into Deruku the other day. It was while I was heading toward the Colosseum to watch a match. Evi must have witnessed it then—the sight of Deruku and me talking.
"Ray? Ray, is that you?!"
"...Deruku? Long time no see."
"Yeah! It really has been a long time!"
With his hair buzzed short like Evi's and an overwhelmingly massive frame, Deruku looked as energetic as ever. It was our first reunion in several years, but he hadn't changed a bit.
"Not since the Far East Campaign?"
"Right. The last time was right after the war ended."
"I see. You've grown. And to think you're a student now, Ray... It’s a bit moving."
The way he grinned, showing those white teeth, was identical to Evi.
"So, what brings you here, Deruku? Just spectating?"
"Well, well... something like that."
"Did you come to see Evi's match?"
"Wh—!!?"
He was a simple man. He raised his eyebrows, his shocked expression laid bare. The Master used to say, "Deruku is honest to a fault, for better or worse. Well, I don't dislike simple fools."
I hadn't quite understood those words when I was younger, but now I did.
"Well... you know. My son's out there, so I wanted to see him. Hehe."
The way he rubbed his nose bashfully was also the same. They really were two of a kind.
I decided to be direct.
"Deruku. I'm actually roommates with Evi."
"...Huh? Are you serious?"
"Yeah. It seems he didn't tell you."
"That sounds... right. We're still not on the best of terms. Hahaha!"
He laughed loudly, but it was a hollow sound. The rift was clearly still there. However, I could tell Deruku was trying to reach out in his own way.
"So, uh... is the kid doing okay?"
"He's dedicated to his muscle training, just like me."
"I see... so he's still doing that," he murmured reflectively. There was a warmth in his voice, a hint of genuine happiness.
I realized there was more to that story.
"Was it your influence that got Evi into training, Deruku?"
"Hm? Ah, yeah. When he was little, he asked me how he could protect his mom. I told him to start with muscle training! I said if you have muscles, you can handle almost anything. I told him the magic would follow... I see. That makes me happy."
His face softened into a joyful smile.
I was glad to see him like that. We had both survived so many brushes with death. Standing here in one piece felt like a miracle after the battlefields we had endured.
Deruku used to joke around with that classic unlucky phrase, "I'm going to see my wife and son once this war is over," but I was truly glad he had actually made it happen.
That kind of joke was common in our unit, though by the final battle of the Far East Campaign, we were so cornered that none of us had the breath left to say it.
Thinking about it now made me realize how far we had come.
"By the way, I saw your match too, Ray. Is your condition okay?"
"If you mean the Overheat, it’s improving."
"I see... But now you're the Ice Sword instead of the Captain, huh? And a student on top of it... Time really flies."
After reminiscing for a bit, I decided to speak my mind. It was proof of how much I had grown; I never could have said this in the past.
"Deruku. Evi is definitely growing. And it’s not really my place to say, but... I think you should try walking a little closer to him. I believe Evi is ready to accept that."
"..."
Deruku stared at me, his mouth agape. He was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve, but this time he looked genuinely stunned.
"What's with that look?"
"I'm just surprised. I never expected words like that from you, Ray. Did you change after entering the Academy?"
"I suppose so. I've made many friends, and I think I'm starting to change."
"I see... You found friends your own age, Ray."
"Evi is one of them."
"That makes me truly happy. Ray, please keep looking out for him."
"Of course."
That was the exchange we’d had.
When I recounted the story to Evi, he had the same stunned look on his face.
They really were a similar father and son. And both were still alive. That was something to be celebrated. I think Evi understood that too. So many had died in the Far East Campaign; many from our own unit had never come home.
Then, Evi told me his side. He still had complicated feelings toward his father, but he was truly happy the man had returned safely... he just hadn't been able to say it yet. He spoke with his head down.
I looked at him and said:
"Evi. Deruku is definitely watching. You can't afford to put on a pathetic performance, right?"
At that, Evi’s mood flipped, and he gave me a sharp smirk.
"Hehe. You're right! If the old man is watching, I can't show him anything unsightly!"
He looked genuinely happy then. Exactly like Deruku.
I hoped that one day, the distance between the two would finally disappear—or so I thought.