Beyond the cloud of dust, the referees checked the three bases one by one.
The cheers died down from the Grand Drill Grounds, and even the soldiers who had been clashing with sword and shield just moments before held their breath. From where I stood by the fence, I couldn't make out the fine details. All I could see was that troops from both armies were jumbled together surrounding the right base, with a single banner standing at its center.
Please, damn it...! I didn't come all this way just to walk away with two hundred coins!
Before long, the referee standing in the center raised one hand.
"Left base—House Eldran!"
That one had been taken mid-match. As I waited for the next ruling, Clarice, who was standing beside me, gripped the fence tightly without realizing it, glaring toward the right just like me.
"Center base—House Razgrim!"
That made it one each. And then—
"Right base—House Razgrim!!"
For an instant, my mind went blank. Center and right made two. Which meant...
"Therefore, the winner of the Founding Festival military competition finals is... House Razgrim!!"
"Hell yeaaaah!!"
I threw both arms up in the air instinctively, and right beside me, Clarice's face lit up with a brilliant smile.
"We did it! We won! We really won, Vain!!"
"We won, Clarice! Five hundred coins, babyyyy!!"
Overcome with pure joy, I lunged forward and threw my arms around Clarice right where she stood.
"Eek?! Wh-whoa, V-Vain?!"
Clarice's voice sounded awfully close as her body went completely rigid, but I couldn't care less right now. We won! Five hundred gold coins! Even after paying for medical treatment for the wounded and repairs for broken gear, the amount left over would be on a totally different level compared to the two hundred coins for second place.
"Five hundred coins! My five hundred coins are officially safe!!"
"A-All right, I get it! Just let go for a second...!"
When she told me to, I released my hold, only to find that Clarice's cheeks and ears had flushed bright red for some reason. Maybe her body was still running hot from sprinting all the way down to the fence.
Well, whatever, that could wait...! Five hundred coins!
"...Honestly, you're hopeless... But we really did win, didn't we?"
"Yeah! Five hundred coins!"
"I said I get it! When you're this fixated on it, I'm almost impressed..."
Right then, a roar of cheers erupted from inside the Grand Drill Grounds, loud enough to drown out our voices entirely.
◇
Even as the announcement of the victor echoed through the arena, the Razgrim soldiers didn't move right away. Both those at the right base and those who had been holding their shields in the center stared at the referees with heaving shoulders. Many of them were caked in mud and lacked the strength to even lift their swords anymore; precisely because of that, having the victory they had craved thrust right before their eyes made it hard to process immediately.
"...Did we... win?"
Someone murmured as if to make sure, and another soldier looked toward the right banner. Turning his gaze to the center next, he saw the same deep navy banner still standing there as well.
Gash couldn't bring himself to speak right away either. They had been pushed back time and time again; midway through, he had genuinely thought it was impossible. Even so, whenever someone was shoved back, the man beside him held the line; when someone fell, another stepped forward, and in the end, everyone had held the center together until the very finish.
The soldier next to him slammed a hand down hard on Gash's shoulder.
"What're you spacing out for?! We won!!"
The sharp sting of that slap finally brought reality crashing home.
"...Yeah! We won! We really won, boys!!"
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
The cheers of three hundred men shook the Grand Drill Grounds. Some raised their swords to the heavens, some threw their arms around their comrades, and some simply collapsed onto their backsides, unable to stand any longer, laughing where they sat.
"Those guys were last year's champions! We just beat Eldran!!"
"First place! We can bring first place back to Lord Vain!!"
At those words, countless soldiers turned their gazes toward the fence. Spotting the silver-haired man, one after another naturally began raising their shields and swords high.
"Lord Vaaaaain!! We took first plaaaace!!"
Hearing my name shouted from afar, I waved both hands vigorously back at them.
"Great work, everyoneeee!! Five hundred coiiins!!"
Beside me, while the cheers grew even louder, Clarice let out a weary sigh.
"...Those men definitely think you're that happy strictly for their victory, you know."
"Of course I'm happy! They brought back five hundred coins!"
"The meaning is subtly different..."
◇
In the center, Raisa rested the tip of her sword against the ground, finally letting out a long, heavy breath.
"Haah... We really went and won it."
Beside her, Lydia compared the center and right banners. Her father's army, which she had watched since childhood, was among the strongest in the kingdom. The reality that they had just defeated that very army was something she still couldn't quite wrap her head around.
"...I still can't believe it."
"We took two banners, so believe it! Besides, it's not like the two of us won this alone. If the guys in the center hadn't dug their heels in till the very end, we would've been done for a long time ago."
Lydia turned her eyes toward the center as well. There were soldiers sitting on the ground clutching their shields, and others laughing while leaning on their comrades' shoulders for support. They hadn't won because any single person was strong. It was a victory earned solely because everyone had executed the formation she came up with all the way to the end.
"...It is everyone's victory."
"Lady Lydia! We pulled it off!!"
"Yes! Truly... thank you all for holding out until the very end!"
Just then, Percival walked over and offered a slight bow before Lydia.
"Magnificent work, my Lady. Not only did you turn our own movements against us, but you held out tenaciously in the center with that formation until the final moment... However, the next time we cross paths, we will prepare countermeasures from the very start."
"In that case, I shall simply come up with a different strategy next time!"
Without a moment's hesitation, the reply came back. Percival's eyes went wide for a split second before a quiet smile spread across his face.
"...You have truly changed, my Lady."
It had only been two months. Yet, it was an answer that the Lydia of House Eldran would never have given.
◇
Up in the noble seats, the moment the winner was announced, Alecia had stood up without thinking.
"...They won! They really won...!"
Unable to contain her joy, she gazed down at the Razgrim soldiers. Beside her, Galvas stood with his arms crossed in silence.
"Duke Eldran...?"
"...So I lost, did I?"
He murmured in a low voice, leading her to think he was frustrated after all. But in the very next instant, a boisterous laugh roared up from the bottom of his gut.
"Gwahaha!! They got me! If I'd known it would turn out like this, I should have entered the fray myself!"
"If you took the field as well, Duke Eldran, I believe everyone would find themselves in quite a bind..."
"What are you saying?! I am an Eldran man through and through! What is wrong with taking the field?!"
In fact, his mind was already looking ahead to the next one.
"It's settled! Next year, I am absolutely competing myself, and I will grind those Razgrim fellows into dust!!"
"You intend to hold a grudge until next year...?"
"Of course! As if I could let things end on a loss!"
Though exasperated, Alecia smiled with genuine amusement.
◇
After the match, around the time the soldiers began withdrawing from the drill grounds, I headed over with Clarice to meet the Razgrim troops. Both Raisa and Lydia were thoroughly exhausted, and the soldiers were covered in mud, but every single one of them had a bright look on their face.
Among them was a slender soldier who looked strangely familiar. When that person, wearing a helmet pulled down low, walked up in front of me, she casually took off the helmet, letting smooth blue hair spill out.
"Master."
"............Serena? What the hell are you doing?!"
Raisa and Lydia, who were standing nearby, whirled around at the exact same time.
"You... That was you after all, Serena?!"
"S-Serena?! Why were you among the soldiers?!"
A short distance away, only Gash wore an utterly indescribable expression. I had wondered why she was nowhere to be seen since morning, but Clarice had told me that she had said she was "going to clean up around the area a bit."
"You... That cleaning you mentioned this morning, don't tell me you meant this?!"
"I cleaned."
"That's what you meant by cleaning?! At least say something beforehand! My bodyguard went missing first thing in the morning, and just when I'm wondering what you're doing, it turns out you entered the tournament?! What gives?!"
Serena tilted her head slightly.
"Master was safe."
"That's not the point...! Well, we won, so whatever, but still."
"Vain! You're being far too soft on her!"
Clarice's voice flew in from right beside me.
"Winning doesn't mean you can just do whatever you want! And Serena, next time, at least talk to me or Vain before you run off. If something happened to you, we wouldn't even be able to celebrate our victory properly!"
"Next time, I will tell you. When I enter."
"You plan on entering next time too?!"
My voice echoed across the still-bustling Grand Drill Grounds.
◇
After telling the soldiers to go get some rest, I returned to the noble seats with Clarice. Feeling like everything was finally over, even the fatigue from earlier felt lighter. After all, I had five hundred gold coins coming my way.
Spotting me, Alecia immediately flashed a delighted smile.
"Vain! Congratulations! That was truly an incredible match!"
"Yeah! We won, Alecia!"
Beside her, Galvas was glaring at me with an undeniably disgruntled scowl. Our eyes met, so I let the corner of my mouth curl up just a bit.
"Old man, looks like you lost, huh?"
"Quiet, you! This time, your little tricks just happened to mesh together well by fluke!"
"A loss is still a loss, right?"
"Guh-nu-nu-nu...! Mark my words, Vain! Next year, I'm joining the fray myself! Next time, I'll grind those Razgrim fellows into absolute dust!!"
"No, why the hell are you entering personally, old man? Just stay quiet and watch from up here!"
"I am an Eldran man too! There should be no problem whatsoever!"
He was already raring to go for a competition that was a whole year away. It wasn't funny because he actually looked like he might do it.
"Alecia, make a rule stopping him before next year."
"Gwahahaha! Using the monarch to stop me is cowardly!"
Alecia couldn't hold back her laughter, and Galvas ended up laughing along with her in the end. While losing was undoubtedly frustrating for him, it seemed he was enjoying the fact that Lydia and the others had defeated his own army even more.
Right then, something crossed my mind.
"Oh, right... Alecia. When you win the tournament, you get a medal along with the five hundred gold coins, right?"
"Yes. It is set to be officially bestowed during the awards ceremony."
"In that case, give that medal to Raisa and Lydia instead of me. I don't need it."
"...Eh?"
Alecia's eyes went wide, and even Galvas stopped laughing to look over at me.
"You... what did you just say?"
"I said I don't need the medal. I didn't do anything, and the ones who brought home the win were those two, right? So it makes more sense for them to have it. But make sure I get the five hundred gold coins, got it? I definitely need those."
Alecia let out an exasperated sigh, yet she looked somewhat pleased for some reason.
"...You certainly make sure to claim that part. But very well. We shall arrange it so that you present it to the two of them."
"I'll leave it to you, then."
"Gwahaha! To so readily yield your own honor to your subordinates!"
"I'm just giving something I don't need to the two people who actually proved useful, aren't I?"
Galvas burst into hearty laughter again. I didn't really get what was so funny, but that meant all I had to do at the awards ceremony was collect the five hundred gold coins and be done with it—or so I thought, until Alecia turned toward me as if remembering something.
"Oh, that's right, Vain... There is something you need to prepare for after this. As the champion, you will be giving a speech at the awards ceremony."
"...What's that now?"
"You are to address the gathered nobles, the common folk, and the soldiers who fought. It is a yearly tradition, so there is no running away, understood?"
For a while, I couldn't say a single word. I had intended to tolerate standing on the stage if it meant collecting the five hundred gold coins, but nobody told me I had to speak in front of a massive crowd of my own accord.
"...What a colossal pain in the ass."
Even though we had gone through the trouble of winning the championship, it seemed the most annoying chore of all had been left for the very end.