We were a bit blindsided by Yellow Pipe's sudden exit, but we shook it off and decided to focus on spectating the next race.
Looking around, I realized just how many participants were involved. There were plenty of eccentric characters scattered about—though few seemed to match the sheer intensity of the muscle-bound trio.
"Hehe, you certainly look comfortable. But don't think you've won this tournament simply because those muscle-brained fools were eliminated. That would be quite naive."
"Wait, what?"
I turned at the sudden voice to find a trio of women with excessively curled hair... the members of Scarlet Blue.
This was strange. Setting aside Yellow Pipe, I couldn't fathom why Scarlet Blue was approaching us now.
"Hey, Aoi-senpai, do you think Kaito-senpai is the reason we keep getting targeted by weirdos?"
"I’m ninety-nine percent certain of it."
My juniors were firing off relentless reputational damage. I really needed to sit them down eventually and ask exactly how they perceived me.
That aside, as I stood there wondering why Scarlet Blue had bothered with us, the woman who appeared to be the leader spoke with a daring smile.
"We watched your race. While your technique was unrefined, the elegance with which you took the lead and soared through the sky was remarkable. We thought you might become formidable rivals and intended to speak with you after the event, but then we spotted those unpleasant muscle-heads."
"I-I see... By the way, may I ask a question?"
"Yes, by all means."
"Your clothes... aren't they different from before?"
If I recalled correctly, the members of Scarlet Blue had all been decked out in noble-looking dresses. Elegance aside, they certainly had the aura of highborn daughters.
Now, however, they were wearing... well, they looked like tracksuits—outfits that were clearly designed for mobility. They looked so different I didn't even recognize them at first. Their "commoner" vibe had become so overwhelming that it served as a stark reminder of just how important clothing was to an image.
I'd asked out of curiosity, assuming the reason was simply that sportswear was more practical for racing. Having actually ridden a board, I knew the wind was quite strong, so it made sense for a "powerhouse" team to pay attention to such details.
"Oh, these? The dresses are rentals, so we can't risk getting them dirty."
"Come again?"
"If they get stained, we’ll be hit with an additional fee... and we must avoid that at all costs."
"Oh... wait... those dresses were rentals?"
That was an unexpected answer. If those dresses were rented, then these three weren't nobles at all. They were likely just ordinary people putting on a noble act. The fact that they were worried about cleaning fees while wearing tracksuits made them feel like relatable commoners all of a sudden.
"Hmph. It is only natural that you would not understand if you lack the proper connections... but dresses are expensive."
"Y-You’re right."
"To actually purchase one would cost well over 2 Silver Coins. We simply don't have the leeway to spend that much on a single outfit."
"What about the rings and accessories?"
"Imitations. Even so, they are high-quality pieces that cost over 3 Silver Coins for the set. Fufu, are you surprised?"
This person was a total commoner! And yet, I found her surprisingly likable for being so honest about it. She seemed like a genuinely good person.
I imagined that they probably lived quite frugally most of the time, then put all their effort into renting dresses for this once-a-year tournament. They were likely commoners who simply admired the nobility.
As those thoughts crossed my mind, Hina-chan muttered under her breath.
"Actually, Kaito-senpai is super rich. He has a mansion in a prime location in the Sinfonia Royal Capital, and he has more Platinum Coins than he can count."
"What!?"
"Hina-chan, where did that come from?"
"Well, the topic turned to money, and I just felt like bragging about you, Senpai."
I sighed and looked at Hina-chan as she gave me a sheepish smile, but when I turned back to the trio, a chill ran down my spine. It felt as though a predator had just locked onto its prey.
"Are you... perhaps a noble?"
"Ah, no, I'm not. I just happen to have a bit of money..."
"I see... Pardon me. Let us return to the matter at hand. We felt a certain grace in your board handling. We expect you to be serious contenders for the championship. Furthermore, our schedules are currently open, so we would welcome an invitation to an after-party or some other gathering to deepen our friendship once the tournament concludes. We shall see you in the finals."
For a split second, I could have sworn their eyes turned into currency signs, but they seemed to be decent people at heart. They suppressed their greed and left after delivering their declaration of war.
As I watched them walk away, I looked at Hina and Aoi.
"They aren't going to end up getting knocked out in the preliminaries too, right?"
"That would be hilarious in its own way."
For a moment, I worried we were headed for a repeat of the Yellow Pipe situation. However, Scarlet Blue proved their status as favorites by taking first place in their heat and securing their spot in the final race.
That said, when the results were announced, they let out a victory cry of "Yosshaaaa!" that didn't have a shred of elegance in it. The commoner vibe was truly strong with them.
Serious-senpai: "Man, every last one of them is a real character. Now I'm actually curious about Black Muscat too..."