The morning schedule was like a storm.
Starting with the group jump rope, then playing soccer and volleyball, it was a non-stop series of matches.
Of course, due to complaints from other classes, I couldn’t participate in the finals, but I trust the others would fight well.
If losing significantly weakened our team, we wouldn’t have dread of winning in the first place.
And, as usual, lunchti arrived.
“It feels like it’s been a long ti since we all ate together like this.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“I just felt like ntioning it.”
We were huddled together in the schoolyard, eating our lunchboxes.
Actually, the group mbers who eat lunch together at school always change.
The usual fixed mbers were Rika, Sasha, Karen, and the Class President.
Sotis, I would eat in the Student Council room, and Satoru, being social, would often join various groups to eat.
Ryuji would usually eat with Yaguchi, but lately, Hattori seems to be tagging along.
“But Tojo, why do you always co to our class to eat? Don’t you have friends in Class A?”
To Satoru’s casual question, Tojo replied with a look of disbelief.
“Do people usually ask that so openly?”
“We’ve known each other for more than a day or two, so what’s the big deal?”
Tojo snorted and bit into his fried chicken.
“I just don’t feel the need to get close to anyone else besides you guys.”
“Wow… that’s a typical comnt from soone without friends.”
“You really want to die?”
Karen glared sharply, and Satoru whistled innocently, pretending not to notice.
Thinking it was better not to get involved, I asked Ryuji, who was sitting next to .
“So, Ryuji, which event are you participating in?”
“? I’m in the three-legged race and the centipede’s feet, I guess?”
That’s surprising.
Ryuji, who’s among the most athletic in our class aside from , is only participating in those?
When I looked at him in surprise, Ryuji scratched the back of his head awkwardly and said,
“I don’t really like standing out in front of others. I don’t want to attract attention.”
“That’s a sha. If you had gone out instead of , our class’s winning chances would have been much higher.”
「It’s because the contractor is shy.」
「Ryuji’s always been like that.」
I heard the two ghosts that follow Ryuji chi in, but since there were regular people around who had nothing to do with the underworld, I had to pretend I didn’t hear them.
At that mont, the Class President, who was eating a rice ball, spoke up.
“More importantly, the first event in the afternoon is the cavalry battle. Do you have any strategies in mind?”
“Strategy?”
“No matter how strong you are, if the other classes focus their attacks on you, you might not—no, forget I said that.”
Realizing that her assumption was ridiculous, the Class President quickly changed her words.
Since it was the right judgnt, I didn’t bother to point it out.
“Anyway, the points for the cavalry battle are quite significant, so I’m counting on you. If you do well, we can make up for most of the points we lost in the group jump rope.”
“Got it. I’ll do my best.”
I had my own problems to worry about, so I couldn’t be considerate of the other classes.
Sotis, you have to be ruthless.
After finishing the conversation, I was about to return to my lunch.
“……”
The others were staring at and the Class President.
“What’s up?”
When I asked, confused, Rika spoke on behalf of the group.
“When did you two get so close?”
“What?”
I looked at Rika, bewildered by the unexpected comnt.
The Class President seed just as flustered, her glasses slipping down her nose.
“We’ve always been close, so I’m not sure what you’re asking.”
“It feels like you’re even closer than before.”
Karen nodded in agreent with Sasha’s observation.
“It feels like that subtle distance between you two has disappeared?”
I felt wronged.
I was confident that I had been treating the Class President the sa as always.
“Ayase, say sothing.”
When I urged the Class President to say sothing, she made a strange sound before composing herself and speaking seriously.
“I know what you’re all thinking, but it’s absolutely not like that.”
The three of them fell silent.
Then, Sasha was the first to speak.
“Yeah, the straight-laced Class President wouldn’t do sothing like that.”
Rika clapped her hands and said,
“Of course, right?”
And finally, Karen reflected on her behavior.
“I really need to fix my habit of doubting people.”
With that, the atmosphere beca harmonious again.
I felt like I had aged ten years and was just calming down when Satoru made a blunt remark.
“Guilty bastard.”
…From an outsider’s perspective, my actions might seem like I was leading people on, so I couldn’t think of anything to say in response.
And so, lunchti flew by in a flash.
With my stomach full and morale boosted, it was ti for the next match.
“So, this finalizes our class’s cavalry battle mbers, right?”
“That’s right.”
Answering Satoru’s question, Ayase, who was leading the strategy eting, set down the chalk.
Each class fielded a total of three teams for the cavalry battle.
Three teams from each of the eight classes, making a total of 24 teams in a battle royale.
The cavalry, made up of three male students as the base and one female student as the rider, aid to collide with the opposing team and steal their headbands.
The last team standing in this simple rule ga wins.
“Now, we need to decide who will be the most important person, the one who rides on Yu-seong’s back….”
Only girls could take on the role of the rider.
So, if we’re going to pick soone, it should be the strongest girl in our class, and only one person ca to mind.
“I’ll volunteer.”
As expected, the first to confidently raise her hand was Sasha.
The daughter of an active mafia mber and a Russian with the blood of a bear.
In so ways, having her on my shoulders was like holding a winning card.
But the person who raised her hand in opposition was quite unexpected.
“How about ?”
“Nagasawa?!”
The class buzzed with surprise.
It was because Nagasawa Kanna, the ace of the volleyball team and an idol among many girls, had suddenly volunteered.
Even though Sasha being attached to made sense, no one expected Nagasawa to suddenly volunteer.
With the two physical powerhouses of our class vying for the spot, the other girls didn’t even think about raising their hands.
In terms of combat ability, even the ninja Hattori was no slouch, but she didn’t seem particularly interested.
Standing at the front, Ayase looked back and forth between the two with interest and spoke.
“Is there a particular reason why you have to go?”
Sasha answered first.
“I’m a martial artist, trained since childhood, so I’m confident in using my body. If you let ride on Kim Yu-seong’s shoulders, I’ll take all the headbands from the other team’s riders.”
It was a pretty convincing reason.
The other students nodded, agreeing with Sasha’s explanation.
But Nagasawa’s counterargunt was also solid.
“In terms of physicality, I’m no slouch as an athlete. And as you all know, the most advantageous physical trait in a cavalry battle is height. If I ride on Kim Yu-seong’s shoulders, we can almost unilaterally take the headbands.”
That makes… sense!
Sasha’s about 170 cm tall, which is not short for a girl, but Nagasawa, the ace of the volleyball team, is a whopping 186 cm.
With my height being 190 cm, if Nagasawa sits on my shoulders, it would theoretically create the ultimate cavalry.
The other students seed to picture the sa scenario and looked quite tempted.
Sasha, sensing the urgency, quickly added.
“But I’m lighter. Agility and speed are also crucial in a cavalry battle. If Nagasawa rides on Kim Yu-seong’s shoulders, her weight will make him slow.”
“Who are you calling heavy?!”
No matter how much she’s treated like a prince, Nagasawa still proved she’s a girl by getting angry at the ntion of her weight.
But Sasha didn’t back down, standing her ground with a shaless expression.
“Anyone can see that I’m lighter.”
“It’s because I’m tall!”
This could escalate into a fight if we’re not careful.
As the atmosphere suddenly grew tense, the Class President shouted, “Enough!” and intervened between the two.
“This is getting us nowhere. Since it seems either of you would be strong enough, let’s settle it with rock-paper-scissors if you can’t decide.”
Sasha and Nagasawa stared at each other.
With everyone else watching with bated breath, the single match that would decide the future began.
“First, rock!”
“Rock, paper!”
“Scissors!”
And the grand winner was—
“Rock! I won!”
The daughter of Russia roared triumphantly.
The pilot agreent was dramatically settled.
As a result, three teams were ford.
The rider of the first cavalry team was the Class President, acting as the command tower.
The rider of the second cavalry team was Nagasawa, who, despite narrowly losing the competition, remained a strong dark horse.
And the rider of the third cavalry team was Sasha, the only daughter of Ivan, the living legend of the underworld, the God of Destruction.
A truly powerful combo of two dealers and one support.
“Kim Yu-seong, let know if it gets tough.”
Squeeze!
Feeling the soft pressure of her thighs against my cheeks, I thought it wasn’t a bad deal and agreed.
Finally, as all 24 teams entered the field…
Beep!
The deadly battle royale to steal and protect headbands began.
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