'You know that great archmage ghost I said was attached to ?'
'What?'
The snake had ntioned sothing like that before.
Thinking it was nonsense, he had just ignored it.
'He says not to worry. He'll help.'
'Ah...'
'Says he'll crush that arrogant gno mage's pride.'
'I-I see.'
Obern just nodded for now.
==
No matter how harsh and rciless this world is.
And even though the Erald School Academy was an institution that trained mages and knights.
The terrorism at the circular arena left a deep wound.
Especially the children who survived there were left with scars on their bodies and minds.
It was natural that scheduled lectures were suspended.
But at the sa ti, being young, the Erald School students had resilience.
They soon ca to enjoy this unplanned vacation.
The sa was true for Rania, Amain, and the returned Phili.
They gathered in the dormitory's common room that they could all use.
Rania attempting knitting while practically lying down in an armchair.
Amain reading a book.
And for so reason, Phili fidgeting restlessly.
Yes. Phili's mind was currently full of worries.
'How should I say it?'
He had sothing important to tell his friends, a secret that had been weighing heavily on his mind for weeks now. Every ti he thought about sharing it, his hands would grow clammy and his heart would race.
How to bring it up. He was very worried about how his friends would react.
It might have been easier if he had this kind of experience a few tis before. But this was Phili's first ti making friends in the first place.
With the Solarian suspended, their passion burning for victory had cooled like a lie.
Maybe that's why Rania was enthusiastically knitting despite it not suiting her.
'Let at least try saying sothing.'
Phili gathered his courage and opened his mouth.
"Hey guys..."
"Ergency! Ergencyyyy!"
That's when Nemi Raiters ca running.
With injuries on her hands still not healed, she appeared waving her bandaged arm enthusiastically.
"What is it, not going to look at Daily Impel?"
Rania said without even looking at Nemi.
Until recently, Nemi had been running around everywhere telling people to read Daily Impel with her father's article.
"That's not it. The ergency is..."
"Ah! Right. How is it? I'm making this with a new knitting technique I learned."
"What a nice sock!"
"It's not a sock, it's a glove..."
"Anyway that's not what's important."
"It is important..." Rania muttered.
But Nemi ignored her and shouted.
"Professor Obern and Chancellor Balanyar are going to have a showdown!"
"A showdown... you say?"
"Yeah, a duel!"
Even Amain who was reading a book jumped up showing interest.
"A magic duel? When?"
"Now, soon? At Laurel Square."
"Let's go!"
"Everyone must be going to watch already."
Rania put away her knitting and Phili stood up too.
Though he couldn't tell his friends what he wanted to...
'I need to tell them... that I'm going to the Empire.'
There would be another chance to tell them soon.
The children hurried to Laurel Square.
Laurel Square was subtly too small to be called a "square."
It could be described as more of an open space with flagstones laid on the ground.
Its characteristic was the laurel trees planted around it.
Traditionally, magic duels were often held at Laurel Square.
"Wow, everyone's here."
Sohow students were already swarming.
They were all bored.
"Let's go to the front, press coming through!"
Nemi shalessly shouted that to make a path.
Though students made way, it wasn't really thanks to Nemi.
It was because Prince Phili was in their group.
Thanks to that, they were able to stand at the very front.
According to the arrangent of carvings on the flagstones, Obern and the Chancellor stood facing each other.
"They say it'll be spear and shield style."
"Spear and shield?"
Phili asked.
Nemi was knowledgeable about everything.
"It's the most commonly used style of magic duel because it's especially intense. They take turns with one person attacking and one person defending."
"Isn't that too dangerous...?"
"Since they're not trying to kill each other but competing in magical realms, above all they have to cast very slowly. If throwing a fireball, it must be thrown very slowly."
Amain cut in.
"It's harder to use magic slowly."
"Right, so you lose if you seriously injure or kill your opponent."
Of course, such a victory wouldn't be honorable.
"They decide who attacks first with a coin toss... Ah!"
Obern chose heads, and the coin ca up heads.
Obern would attack first.
He would make his best attack first, and the Chancellor would break through that magic head-on.
"How do you think it will turn out?"
Rania asked so.
Of course the Chancellor's chances of winning should be overwhelmingly high.
But sohow it didn't feel that way.
No, did they want Obern to win?
"Well."
Then Nemi spoke up.
She pushed up her glasses and said.
"Maybe... fifty-fifty?"
"No way..."
"My father agreed with my assessnt too."
Nemi subtly pointed at Obern.
"Look at the professor's expression."
Obern was, as always, expressionless.
An iron will showing not the slightest tremor.
Who else could be so confident before a great archmage?
"We might be witnessing the birth of a new hero."
Nemi said with conviction.
==
Thump thump thump thump.
That was the sound of Obern's heart pounding.
Since even I on his staff could hear it, it was clear how nervous Obern was.
But at least his expression was proper, that's Obern for you.
"How pathetic."
The one who condemned the rather admirable Obern with contempt was Pelerian.
"To be scared without even knowing who is helping him."
Obern doesn't know Pelerian's identity.
He just thinks I'm helping to so extent.
"Snake, tell that stupid fellow to create a fireball at maximum output."
'Yes, Obern!'
Obern startled to attention and began chanting.
'To hell with it, all or nothing!'
That's what he shouted ntally.
But in my opinion, there was no need to worry.
"The movent of magical power is quite chaotic. Much to refine."
From Pelerian's fingertips now moving, magical power was clearly being emitted.
Heaven Defier.
He had begun to regain his magic.
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