We safely cleared the second round of the main tournament. The semi-finals were up next, followed by the finals.
Truth be told, I was genuinely thrilled. Every victory sent a fresh shiver of delight through me.
Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that Ray and Amelia were already "complete" as sorcerers. Ray was, naturally, an outlier—a total anomaly. Amelia, on the other hand, was steadily and reliably sharpening her skills.
In most siege battles, the two of them handled the brunt of the fighting. Her magical proficiency was already top-tier among the student body. I suspected she was destined to become one of the Seven Grand Sorcerers one day.
Watching the two of them made it impossible not to compare myself to them.
I had put in the work, and I certainly had the talent. That was simply the expectation for the bloodline of the Three Great Noble Families.
So, what was it that I lacked?
Even in the heat of the tournament, those thoughts would occasionally flicker through my mind.
"Sigh... I need to pull myself together."
When the words escaped my lips along with a heavy sigh, Ray, who was sitting beside me, glanced over.
"What is it, Ariane? Are you feeling unwell?"
"N-No! I am quite alright!"
At that moment, Ray and I were spectating the second round of the main tournament alone. Amelia had stepped away once again.
Apparently, House Rose was busy with preparations for the Carol Festival coming up in a few weeks. Even with the tournament in full swing, Amelia was constantly being pulled away to help with her family's duties.
My own family hadn't mentioned anything in particular, so I spent the time spectating with Ray.
However, Amelia had made sure to drive a point home before we parted ways.
"Listen, Ariane. Just because you're alone with Ray, don't you dare get any strange ideas, okay?"
"Of course not! In the first place, I have told you time and again that I feel absolutely nothing for Ray...!"
"Well, I've heard that a dozen times, but I'm just making sure. Also, Rebecca-senpai might try to interfere somewhere, so let me know if anything happens."
"Yes, I understand."
"Haa... Ray is just so dense that it makes everything a struggle."
"I can certainly agree with that. He is incredibly oblivious, but... that part of him is—"
I had almost let something slip, but I managed to bite my tongue just in time.
"Hm? Did you say something just now?"
"I-It was nothing at all!"
And that was how we had ended up here.
I felt a nagging sense of inferiority toward Ray and Amelia. But just as much as that—perhaps even more—I truly admired them. It wasn't just about their raw talent. They stood where they were because of the sheer amount of effort they had poured in.
I was incredibly proud to call them my friends.
That was precisely why I wanted to prove myself in this tournament—so that I could truly stand beside them as an equal. Or at least, that was what I told myself.
"I see... that's a fairly good team. Their balance is solid."
Ray was muttering under his breath, scribbling notes. I had spent a lot of time with him during this tournament, and I felt like I was starting to understand him better.
When Ray became absorbed in something, he lost all sense of his surroundings. His focus was admirable, but it also made him a bit reckless since he stopped paying attention to anything else.
"Ray, you are leaning too far forward. Your posture is terrible."
"Ah. Sorry."
"And you should stay hydrated. You are becoming far too preoccupied."
"Thanks. That helps."
Knowing I would be alone with him, I had prepared various things to support him.
He was likely the greatest genius in the history of sorcerers. After spending so much time with him, I had begun to catch at least a glimpse of his true nature. For one, crushing Origin Magic head-on was nothing short of abnormal.
And yet, I suspected he still hadn't shown his true hand.
The Seven Grand Sorcerers were truly terrifying beings. To think that he had reached that domain at the same age as us...
However, while he excelled at magic, he was quite worrisome in almost every other area of life. He needed someone to firmly support him.
I-It wasn't that I wanted to be that person myself... but at the very least, I had to be the responsible one for the duration of this tournament! Amelia was overwhelmed with her family affairs and her own magic, after all.
Of course, I had my own plate full, but spending time with Ray revealed so much to me. It certainly wasn't an unpleasant experience.
"It's over. That was a good match."
"It was indeed. At this level, the refinement is truly impressive."
"Yeah. They're top-class, even among the students."
"Shall we head out, then?"
"Yeah."
With the day's matches concluded, we stood up and made our way out of the Colosseum.
As if Amelia's prediction had been scripted, Rebecca-senpai came running toward us with light, rapid steps. Maria was trailing along behind her.
Rebecca-senpai’s face was lit up with a brilliant, dazzling smile.
"Ray-san!"
"Rebecca-senpai."
"Congratulations on making it to the semi-finals!"
"Thank you very much."
It was clear that Rebecca-senpai had eyes for no one but Ray. She squeezed his hand firmly, smiling at him with pure joy. There was something... almost enchanting about her expression, enough to make even another girl like me take notice.
As I watched them, Maria quietly drifted over to me.
"Hey, Ariane-chan. Long time no see. The tournament seems to be going well for you guys."
"Maria. It has been a while. Yes, we have safely reached the semi-finals."
Maria Bradley.
We weren't particularly close, but we weren't on bad terms either. I actually appreciated the comfortable distance between us.
Maria had drastically changed her appearance because of the constant comparisons to Rebecca-senpai, adopting a bit of a rebellious look... but lately, she seemed much brighter.
Her hair was still styled eccentrically—with her bangs trimmed diagonally and the back shaved—but it suited her perfectly. I also thought the piercings in both her ears were quite beautiful.
In a way, I was a little envious of her ability to commit so thoroughly to her own choices.
"Anyway, look at those two."
"Yes... there are certainly a lot of hearts floating around, aren't there?"
"Right? Big Sister is one thing, but Ray is something else entirely for staying that calm while she's pouring it on."
"He certainly is..."
The two of us stared at Ray and Rebecca-senpai. Metaphorically speaking, there were literal hearts flying everywhere. It was a testament to Ray’s character that he could remain so oblivious in the face of such blatant affection.
Considering his past, I suppose it couldn't be helped, but I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up being "stabbed" by a jealous suitor one day...
Well, blades probably wouldn't work on him, but I could see a future full of headaches for him.
"By the way, Maria, are you and Ray close?"
"Eh!!?"
Maria’s face went pale with shock.
Wait... could it be?
Looking completely flustered, she grabbed my shoulder and practically hauled me away from the other two.
"Hey! Don't say that so loud!"
"Is there something I should know?"
Once we were at a safe distance, Maria leaned in and whispered. She looked so serious that I found myself bracing for the worst.
"...Big Sister is getting really paranoid about how well Ray and I get along."
"I see. So that's it. But you didn't actually deny that you are close, did you?"
"I... well... it's not like we're on bad terms. And he's actually pretty easy to talk to."
Oh? Oh, my, my...
I let out a long, internal sigh.
Honestly, Ray, just how many girls do you plan on charming? I mean, I suppose he is charming, but—wait, what am I saying!?
"Uuuuuuuugh!!"
"Whoa! What's wrong, Ariane-chan!?"
I collapsed and crouched down right there on the spot.
This was absolutely not that kind of emotion! I repeated the denial over and over in my head.
The match. I must focus on the match!