Chapter 124: Amelia vs Sif

Honestly, the magician category matches were worse than the warrior category.

Chant aria, release.

Chant aria, release.

That’s all.

Every single one of them didn’t do any decent moving. They activate the barrier tool that they brought in advance, chant arias, and release it; everything else the same. If your spell’s power is strong and it manages to pass through your opponent, it is practically your win. The one who received the spell will not be able to properly concentrate, and since the aria won’t be able to finish properly, that person will just sluggishly escape.

I felt like I was watching a speed-talking contest. Seeing this, I can tell that Sif was pretty competent the first time she participated in my lecture.

This is an academy that gathers the excelling warriors and magicians, right? Please try to be more decent, like, seriously.

Like, both Tomoe and Mio laughed out loud.

At the first match, they went silent; at the next one, they couldn’t hold it in and bursted out, then, they held their stomach and laughed. As the matches continued, they even made eyes as if questioning the sanity of the participants.

“Uhm, Waka. This is a fight where magicians compete with each other, right?” (Tomoe)

“… Most of the kids look like they are somewhat serious-desu wa. They are doing it seriously, right?” (Mio)

“It looks serious. It doesn’t even amount to a show, but the surrounding guests are really happy and cheering” (Makoto)

My head hurts. In other words, it’s not that this year is especially bad, but that this is the average level each year. I don’t want to believe that there’s a person wanting to employ anyone of them after looking at this. If it were me, I would have failed every one of them after 5 minutes of beginning.

“Could it be… Waka’s students will also be like that?” (Tomoe)

“I can’t bear to look at it. It is so bad that I even forgot the taste of what I am eating for a second” (Mio)

Even if they are people in charge of providing firepower from the back, this is just…

The sound itself is flashy, but it feels like I am watching a command-style battle. The warrior category is at least better than this. This is just spectating batteries.

In terms of what’s fixed and manual procedure, I thought this kind of things would be criticized. Well, there’s the plus that it provides stability in quality though.

“Oh~, they moved!” (Tomoe)

“Finally, it seems we will be able to watch a decent magician fight-desu wa” (Mio)

The fight of the two began.

Amelia and Sif. Sadly, the winner is already settled. With this stage and rules, and also thinking about the capacity as a magician from the two; even if a miracle occurs, Amelia has no chance of winning. In the first place, that girl hasn’t brought her main weapon which is the bow. Because aside from the staff that magicians use as intermediary, they can’t bring any other weapon.

Also, Sif’s power is purely in a whole different level. If Rembrandt-san were to come and see it, he would be relieved and be able to continue spectating without worries.

The grounds turned silent in an instant. Well, no surprise there. They thought those two would activate their barriers, but Sif suddenly pointed her staff at Amelia, and Amelia faced Sif and charged.

Sif’s staff is not the one she brought from home, but a thin wooden staff that screams ‘I am a practice staff’. At least it does have a jewel at the tip that serves to control magic power (not that good though).

I think that Amelia’s charge is a good decision. If you think about it even for a little, it is obvious that you can’t beat Sif in a normal fight. The specialty of Sif is firepower. She can also do support in the battlefield by using the earth spirit, but normally she uses the fire element, which she is more compatible with. The fire element has a lot of attack methods for single targets and area of effects to begin with, but in the present where she can combine it with the earth spirit magic, that firepower is something to watch out for.

I can say for sure that the one who increased its single-attack firepower the most in my lecture is Sif. Things like magma, I honestly feel like that’s cheating. The first time I saw a lava bullet, I even thought it was a meteor.

Amelia grasped that the aria of Sif was of fire element, so she charged, and that’s why it’s praiseworthy. If she closes the distance, restrictions to the firepower of Sif will appear. If the firepower is too high, there’s the chance that she will get dragged into it as well, so those kind of spells would be out, and, this may not happen normally in magician fights, but thinking about Amelia’s disposition, she is at an advantage in close combat. If this were earth element, the choice of waiting and seeing is not bad either.

Sif shoots out a standard-type arrow that’s clad in red light. Well, instead of an arrow, it is more of a bullet. The speed in which the aria was finished was so short that it couldn’t be compared to the matches until now. A big commotion occurs in the audience. Me thinking that this is still slow would most likely be strange for them.

Seeing her opponent finishing her spell, the running Amelia makes a brake and whispers a: ‘What’s going on?’ She makes a step to the left, and once again, the staff of Amelia who’s approaching Sif, shines a pale light. She finished her aria by the time she moved to the left huh. That Amelia, was she this fast in arias? It may have been in the spur of the moment… Could it be, Amelia can also use the maneuver aria of Izumo? He gave it a cool name and was treasuring it, but in other words, it is a combination of aria reduction and part-by-part aria.

I thought the fire arrow that was going straight would surely be avoided, but in the moment Amelia stopped her steps, Sif matched that and changed the direction of her spell. The steered attack magic that Sif showed only once. So she mastered it huh. Impressive. That single move threw Amelia into a disadvantage.

Cheers erupt once again.

Even though it’s only been one minute since the match began, the developments are coming fast.

A spell with a decent amount of power hits Amelia!

No, she evaded it!

Pushing out her pale shining staff to the front, she changed the trajectory of the arrow. I remember that I have shown that move a number of times when fighting with Shiki. The one I did was cladding magic power to my fists and crushing the light-shaped spear with brute strength though. What Amelia did was not that kind of rough method. She pushed out her staff to a point that just barely touched the arrow and made a small explosion with the faint light to change the arrow’s trajectory. What a skilled girl. It may be because she is someone that endows various type of magic to her arrows which made her able to think up this kind of method, but it is truly fearsome.

No matter how much steering potential it has, when you have to make your own magic pursue the target that’s approaching you, the danger to the magician itself increases in an instant. There’s still some distance between them, but this is an unfavorable development for Sif.

There’s some sort of conversation between the accelerating Amelia and Sif. Maybe they are complimenting each other’s strenuous efforts? Those two get along unexpectedly well after all.

Amelia’s expression distorts. And then, for some reason, she stops her feet and looks at her back. What happened?

It was in an instant.

The arrow that Amelia deflected exploded close to her back. So Sif thought of the ending properly huh. And she announced it in that conversation just now. Or maybe it was a sign to make it blow.

There’s quite the distance between us, so, as expected, I am unable to tell what the content of their conversation was. I can’t lip read after all.

The blast from her back and the arrow’s fragments attack Amelia. She probably judged it impossible to evade, she deploys a barrier. Yeah, she is properly training. It was smooth. Amelia may not be that good at complex spells, but in exchange, she is really proficient at basic spells. I remember her asking me ‘What’s the point of praising me for that? What’s impressive about it?’ Strong points might be something that, unexpectedly, the person itself doesn’t notice.

Even so, Amelia was blown away, and to create distance, Sif runs away, no, she closed the distance?!

Amelia’s doll shoulders the damage and a part of it breaks. It didn’t break apart completely, but the left shoulder has been destroyed in totality. It determines that it was quite the damage.

With a thrust, Sif hits the stage once. The stone paving that’s spread out in the stage changed its shape and it’s reformed into a giant hand. Amelia, who still hasn’t corrected her stance yet, was seized and all futile resistance was stopped.

Being grabbed by the stone hand and lifted up to about two meters in height, Sif points her staff at Amelia and stops. The fighting eyes of the grabbed Amelia were being directed at Sif, but after some time, she closes those eyes and turns her head upwards. It is settled.

“Well, well, this was a good fight. A short decisive fight where both fighters knew each other’s ability. Inside those confined rules, Sif was in the advantage, but in terms of real combat, who knows what would happen. What an interesting pair” (Tomoe)

Tomoe makes a satisfied face. Well, it may have been the backlash of all the fights till now, but as a fight between magicians, this was good. It was a short way to the conclusion that took less than 3 minutes, but the two of them did well. It seems Tomoe was able to feel the competency of Amelia in real combat at this state where she is prohibited to use some skills. And in truth, not only can she do attack magic, she can also endow support and barrier spells to her arrows and increase the variety of tactics in a party.

“She is still taking time in her arias, but at least compared to the guys till now, she is a lot better-desu wa ne” (Mio)

Mio is bitter. *In her case, the sensation of aria separation that was used in the offensive and defensive just now, was in basis different*. Well, that’s the same for me who’s used to it.

A defeat declaration leaked out from Amelia’s mouth. Along with the signal ending the fight, big cheers rained to the girls. With the match just now, there seem to be none who were booing Amelia. From the outside, it looked like even though she is a magician, she charged and showed that she was able to deflect the magic, but in the end, she was blasted and lost. Moreover, in 2-3 minutes. Will she feel down when looking back at it later? Well, I feel like Shiki will be able to comfort her to some extent, so it should be fine to leave it be. I wouldn’t want to be hated for intruding on her after all.

The rock hand liberates her and puts her down on the stage. The hand that has accomplished his job returns to being a part of the stage. Spirit magic has short arias to begin with, so if you are able to use it, you will have an easy advantage. And in truth, almost all the people that are able to use spirit magic have won and advanced. By the way, our Amelia can easily win against the other spirit users. Regarding Sif… in the magician category, she will probably win easily.

While watching over those two walking down the stage, I couldn’t help but pity Izumo who’s going to be fighting Sif next.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

The guest seats were beginning to fall silent.

Just like in the first round’s last match of the warrior category.

Amelia Hopelace and Sif Rembrandt’s match. This is the reason.

Kuku… kukuku. Those prior warrior kids as well; counting those 4, all 6 of them are Makoto-kun’s students. Just how much does he intent to entertain me?

As the master of the Adventurer Guild, I am watching the tournament in the guest seats. For the most important event that just takes three days, scouts come here from many countries. This is also a chance for the students to appeal for a place of employment.

… Well, even if I watch, it won’t be interesting. It is also because of the fighting style of the hyumans, it is a truly boring tournament. In the first place, having dolls substitute the damage makes the tension dilute. Every year, every year, it is practically torture. My work as a master is also a harsh one. No, it was. This year, thanks to Makoto-kun, it is truly fun.

When talking about employment, at Makoto-kun’s world, there’s a fierce war called job-hunting, and it is an act where they have to show their own strengths and abilities to the nation and company. A fight where humans like Makoto-kun clash in a serious battle. There’s no doubt that it would be more fun to watch than this stupid show here. That’s something I have earnestly wished to see even if only once. The humans that taught me this haven’t participated in that fight yet, and before they participated, they ended up in this world. They sincerely talked about how glad they were, so it must be quite the harsh and serious fight.

The first round of the warrior category where it is a ‘can you push your attack, can you defend against it?’ In that fight, the defending boy was truly good.

There was the advantage that it was an opponent he already knew, but he was able to defend for 10 whole minutes the attacks of the boy that was clearly talented. The most he had were small cracks in several places of the doll, but in terms of a fight, it was the win of that defending kid. In the middle of it, it turned into some sort of dance performance where they confirmed each other’s ability. It’s been a while since I have watched a fight of swordsmen.

The next fight of warriors was a match where speed and handling stood out. The dagger boy tried to bring the fight to close range, and the spear girl handled him in a way that she could open the distance. Just that, the spear-wielding girl didn’t go in the defensive, which is the difference between the previous battle. The difference between the distance of a spear and a dagger, it was a fight to see which one controlled that space, but it was pretty enjoyable. The highlight was the moment the handling was overwhelmed and the spear distance became dagger distance. The girl changed the way she held her spear in an instant and rotated the spear to escape from the predicament. At that time, I unconsciously leaked out a gasp. It was an amazing way of thinking and ability. In terms of handling, the boy was better, but it seems the instantaneous strength of the legs was better on the girl, so she created distance again and the battle of distance continued. By changing the way of holding the spear, one can adjust the length. It may sound easy when just saying it, but it was impressive that she was able to put it in practice.

In the middle of it, maybe he grasped the attack patterns, the boy’s handling got better and began to push the girl. It was a difficult turn, but at the end, that girl used her own spear as a bait by letting it go and changing to bare-handed fight. I am surprised a girl of that age can fight that well. But of course, it was a gamble where she had to enter the area of the dagger. And in truth, the boy countered the kick that came from his back and got the better of the spear girl. Well, it was a good fight that made me gasp at the end.

And then, this time.

It was a fight between girls, but a girl suddenly charged in and the other girl begins doing an aria for attack magic. The fight began with an unconventional development. The set pattern of using a barrier and then unleashing your best magic was broken. An unprecedented start.

The one who ran had speed that could be comparable to that of the warrior category. Even so, the one who was doing the attack magic aria was able to finish it by the time half of that distance was closed. Fast. Too bad I wasn’t able to hear the aria and the language clearly from the guests’ seats where I was, but it was obvious that the aria itself was arranged, and it was a speed where she was aware to a certain extent the power of the spell and its success rate. Splendid. Students that have not even experienced real combat properly are able to reach the way of thinking that only a few adventurers are able to reach, moreover, able to apply it in battle. I don’t want to see pretty robed magicians lined up and chanting the same aria in the battlefield.

It seems what was shot was a fire arrow that you can see anywhere. The speed was also normal. It’s enough to give a passing score in a test.

When the running girl confirmed the activation of that spell, she soon stopped her straight path and changed into a charge to the left. There wasn’t much waste of movement in her steps. She may be the type that can do many things skillfully. In that case, she would have to fight against a pure magician. I thought it would be something truly difficult.

The fire arrow was not the normal kind that I thought it was. Matching the change of direction, the arrow changed directions as well. I was surprised, truly surprised. To think that she would include a pursuing trait. But the surprise didn’t end there. The girl that was supposed to be in a desperate situation had her staff shine a pale blue light. I didn’t notice it at all. On top of that, she matched the trajectory of the arrow and pushed out her staff, then released the light to explode and was able to defend against it. And then, she tried to resume her approach.

There, a conversation was exchanged between the two. The arrow once again pursued, and it suddenly exploded at the back of the running girl. In this fight, this was the first thunderous sound that resonated in the grounds. The power was decent. Iya~, truly impressive.

The girl that was blown away by the blast had her doll damaged heavily. Maybe fragments hit her, the girl that activated the explosion approached the girl that had her posture broken and finished a short aria. Spirit magic huh. Having that much ability in attack magic, and to sum it up, a spirit magician huh. There’s no doubt that she is the most complete participant of today.

Being grabbed by a stone hand, she declared her defeat and the match ends. And so, it connects to the silence that’s currently occurring.

“… Counting the warrior category fights a while ago, this is truly discomforting”

“R-Really! Persisting in only the handling of the fight, a fight where it looked like there was no intention to win from the very beginning and only focusing on defending. And in the magician fight just now, there was one that can’t even use magic properly and a magician that struggles by using petty tricks. To think that I would witness such a fighting manner, just what is the academy thinking?!”

“The student that won is the ill reputed Rembrandt daughter. Even though she is not even a noble, she lives in the noble’s dormitory, a wannabe. She must have bought a tool that reduces the length of arias with her gold”

When I thought they finally opened their mouths, they began criticizing those splendid fights between the students. With those words as the fuse, more criticism came from others. Those are… the nobles of Limia. How stupid. Are they throwing the excuses that they thought up among them and their own henchmen? Including the bias in this tournament and the importance they put in weapons, these pigs truly have no saving. If they yield to gold and authority intervention, ‘he’, who wished to make an independent education facility, will lose his footing, and yet, why is it that hyumans don’t follow the true nature of things, but instead put more importance in their greed and what brings benefits for themselves?

This time, it seems the one who did several secret movements was Limia’s Hopelace. That was the reason why the Limia nobles were making so much noise. Makoto-kun, just how were you able to get in trouble with another household that’s so far away? Even if their second son is attending here, this is a huge academy. There aren’t many chances of meeting.

But the flow of these conversations are truly unpleasant. The kids that finally gave color to this spectating, let’s protect their honor for a bit.

“Please stop, it is unsightly”

“Stop it, bunch of idiots”

Eh? I was beaten to the punch.

Princess Lily and… Limia’s King? This is quite the unusual pair giving their opinion. When the noisy bunch were directed these words, the people related to Limia and Gritonia fall silent. Most of the people complaining were Limia nobles, so the criticism to the students soon stopped.

“Their fights were truly magnificent. For people that have levels over 90, they showed strength fit for that number, and trying a new way of fighting is something important. The usual way of fighting that can be seen every year like the ones the other students showed, it would only be destroyed the moment they oppose the demon race. I feel that they are promising kids that can hold the future of us hyumans. They should be praised, and in no way should be looked down upon” (Lily)

After their utterance, the princess and king look at each other and didn’t say anything else, but when the king nods once, the princess begins to talk. And in response, the Limia nobles asked.

“But princess, that kind of fighting style is vulgar and cowardly. In no way is it a fighting style a soldier and knight should…”

“Then, what about our country’s hero-sama that repels the demons by capitalizing maneuverability in the sky? Is that fighting style also cowardly? Are the knights and soldiers that had their lives saved also cowardly? The foundation of your words itself are wrong. Including the match of just now, they thought properly and are increasing their own strengths, that’s it. That’s not vulgar nor shameful, and not to mention, cowardly by no means. Why is it that you can’t understand that, no matter if it’s slowly, the empire’s army is learning a certain new way of fighting, and that’s the same that’s happening here?” (Lily)

“?!! Princess, what you said-“

“Is related to secret intel? How stupid. The kingdom that is fighting alongside us, the empire, have already learned how much of a threat the demon race is with our own bodies. If we are changing tactics to cope with them, it shouldn’t be secret intel, but information that all hyumans should be sharing. You and the people that were making stupid talks as well, revise your way of thinking. Limia King, I am sorry for disturbing you when you spoke” (Lily)

Saying things you don’t actually feel. If the arrival of the hero were a bit faster, maybe those words of the princess just now would actually be from the bottom of her heart. Ah, but he is no good huh. If the perfect hero of Limia would have met the wild group of the wasteland… Well, Princess Lily is already in a spot she can’t come back from. It’s already too late.

In times, the madmen’s words sound more upright than any other. Just like hers just now.

“No, I was thinking almost the same thing. Don’t mind it. Listen well, formality and tradition won’t reduce the number of casualties in the battlefield. We can’t protect both. Don’t mistake the things we really have to protect and the things we don’t have to protect. The three matches you repudiated, were all matches that stirred my heart. I unconsciously thought of the fighting style of our country’s hero-dono. The utterance of you bastards can be taken as insults to our hero-dono. They were truly unpleasant words. An insult to the hero-dono that is exposing herself to danger in the vanguard. Even if you are nobles in our country, no matter how much time passes, don’t go changing pride for arrogance”

There were no objections to the king’s words huh. The Limia nobles have all turned stiff.

Nevertheless, what an unexpected speech. The church related people and the people from Lorel that were listening also looked surprised.

From what I remember, he himself should be the old type of king that sticks to pride. He did look like he was extravagant. That perfect hero, it seems she also changed a bit the way the king thinks.

Well, I don’t think she would be able to make him have doubts of the monarchy system, but seriously, can’t underestimate that hero’s influence. Is the ideal she is aiming for a democracy government? Most of the humans that fall to these world believe that this is the best type of government after all. I don’t understand why they have that way of thinking. Maybe they receive that kind of education. Let’s try asking Makoto-kun next time.

Well then, it turned silent.

I should say something as well or it will give a bad impression to Makoto-kun. In his case, I can’t predict with whom or what he is connected with after all. In this time where the tournament has begun, I am busy most of the time, so there will be less chances for me to help him.

“… It may be rude of me to say my part after the king and the princess, but I also want to say it. I can’t help praise the way they fought as splendid. I am of course a devout follower of the Goddess, but the power and technique they showed, and also the magic; people that use to their utmost every strength they have and improve it, for me, I even think that they would be able to easily defeat people that have only received the blessing of the Goddess. If those kind of people were to receive the blessing of the Goddess on top of that, they might be able to show a fight that would put the demons in the dust. But well, in my case, I would want them to be the next era of adventurers and play an active role in it though” (Root)

“… I don’t consider that Falz-dono is denying the Goddess at all. I can tell that those words are purely from your expectations of them. Just like what you said, if they were to obtain the blessing of the Goddess, they would be able to increase that power even more. I am sure of it. This is my first time seeing students fight in this kind of way, so I am unable to evaluate them right this instant though”

The archbishop of the church that is close to the Limia King provides some cover for me, while advocating for the students and basically taking a position of being in favor.

When I follow the gaze of him, there’s the Rotsgard Bishop. I see. He is asking the reason why they didn’t know the existence of those students huh. They have been appointing new people a lot lately, so that responsibility should go to the previous bishop that’s already dead. That woman, so misfortunate. She will probably get scolded. And, that said bishop was eliminated in Makoto-kun’s place. Well, the previous bishop was the one who dealt with the management of ‘that organization’ in Rotsgard. It seems the other related party Brait-sensei that was in the academy was eliminated as well.

Even if they haven’t gone to the light yet, it would still create sparks, so I think that Makoto-kun is doing pretty well in his commitment to dealing with troubles.

“It seems the second round will be beginning soon. I am also looking forward to lunch, but I am truly looking forward to the tournament as well” (Root)

I say some light words to disperse the heavy atmosphere. As expected, I want to spectate comfortably. More so because I know that it will be worth the watch.

If possible, I wanted to sit together with Makoto-kun in the general seats and enjoy the show, but well, that’s impossible.

Fufufu, at this rate, I can expect a lot from the third round as well.

If the students in this academy learn, even if a bit, from the fights just now and get their mindsets reformed, the founder of the academy would definitely be happy.

I remember the face of my past friend and narrow my eyes in nostalgia.

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