[617] The Day of Decisive Battle (1)
The thirty seniors who'd left the capital and taken the magic circle to Creas wore faces of proud composure.
"Did you see the royal lot's looks? They looked like they'd just sucked on something bitter. Why did they even pick a fight? They won't even break even."
"At first I didn't notice, but now you can really see the gap in skill."
"It's because we worked hard."
Competing with the best students, whether they realized it or not, pulled potential out beyond its limits.
"Still, I'm glad we beat someone before the graduation exam. Makes me feel confident."
The rivalry was fierce, but skill earned through effort doesn't just vanish.
As each student spoke with confidence, Collie's expression—the man leading them—grew steadily darker.
They arrived at Alpheas School of Magic after midnight, and tomorrow would be the graduation exam.
"Good night. See you in the morning."
After roll call the students dispersed, and Collie spoke up.
"Could you spare me a moment?"
They turned in surprise.
They'd taken the graduation exam under Collie for years, but he'd never done this before.
As the students crowded closer, Collie gestured for them to sit.
"Sorry to bring this up at a sensitive time, but there's something I must say today."
"What do you mean? Teacher, you worked so hard for us this year."
A gentle smile touched Collie's usually stern mouth.
"You're the ones who climbed up from the lowest class, step by step, to reach this place."
The students sharpened their attention.
"That means none of you are here because you hate competition, or because you thought, 'Maybe I'll be a mage someday.'"
This wasn't a graduating class you could reach with complacency.
"So at this point, I want to ask you something."
Collie hesitated, then let it out.
"Why don't you just give up on becoming mages?"
Silence pressed in while thoughts raced through the students' minds.
They too knew fear and felt pain.
"Watching your shining faces today, I wondered what we're doing. The most important thing in life is happiness. Are these kids happy? Fighting every day, competing, envying, resenting—do they want to become mages that badly?"
For the first time in his teaching career, he spoke from the heart.
"Competition is a pyramid built with human blood and flesh. What's needed to raise that pyramid is the bodies of losers. Step on them, step on them, step on them, and only one reaches the top."
Only ten out of thirty will pass.
"Even if you pass, it's not the end. The misery required of the losers to climb higher will grow exponentially. The top is dazzling and radiant, but the chance of any of you being there is exceedingly slim. Instead of trying to win at all costs, can't you seek happiness instead?"
No one spoke, but their eyes burned brighter than ever.
'Right—the word "give up" isn't in your dictionaries.'
If they were the sort to need pity, they wouldn't have made it this far.
'I suppose I should retire.'
That he, the head teacher overseeing the iron-clad rules for the graduating class, had uttered such a weak plea was proof of his age.
"If you still won't give up..."
He could say that because he'd witnessed the whole year with his own eyes.
"Then fight and win! With no blood, no tears, no pity! Show no mercy—trample your friends and climb!"
If becoming a mage were the only happiness—
"Become a mage, no matter what!"
"Yes!"
Their voices echoed into the night sky.
The next morning.
For the first time in a year there was a day to do nothing.
Some students slept a little later to recover; others woke earlier than usual.
"Yaaawn."
Of the thirty who rose, the only one who could stretch out lazily like that was probably Nade.
'I'm hungry. Do they give breakfast today?'
With the exam a day away, the most honest thought was that it would be a relief to toss the mage certificate to the dogs.
"Huh?"
While washing his face, Nade noticed a letter slipped under the door.
"What's this?"
A towel over his shoulder, he frowned when he checked the sender.
The West family.
He tossed it like he'd touched something revolting, but then picked it up again and broke the seal.
What had he been expecting?
Even though the outcome he'd expected had come to pass, rage rose in his chest that he couldn't control.
"That vicious woman!"
Nade ripped the letter to pieces.
"What nerve she has coming here now!"
A mother who hadn't cared whether her son had talent and had only talked about money.
'But she's going to observe the graduation exam?'
She meant to swallow everything he'd built with pain and despair.
'Good. Crush my hope. She'll see me fail as soon as the exam starts. No—I'll die, right in front of her!'
"Nade, are you in there?"
At Shirone's voice, Nade forced his expression back to normal, shoved the torn letter under the bed, and opened the door.
"Hey. Come in."
Iruki was with him.
"How are you feeling? Tomorrow's the exam."
"Of course I'm over the moon. But what is it? I was about to head out. No breakfast today?"
"They're serving it. But—or rather, I wanted you to try this."
Shirone took a paper from his coat.
"Iruki and I bet on the rankings for the graduation exam, from first to tenth. The winner buys breakfast."
The paper listed the rankings Shirone and Iruki predicted, with the top spots naturally their own names.
"Ah, so the winner buys breakfast."
"Join in. It might help you steel yourself."
"Hmm, first to tenth, huh."
Nade thought briefly and realized that if his name wasn't on the list, Shirone and Iruki would notice.
"I won't do it. It'll just add pressure."
That was the reason Shirone had suggested it.
"Nade, surely you're not—"
"Ha! Don't worry. You two are graduating; I can't be the only one left at school. I'll use the restroom before I leave—my stomach hurts. Go on to the dining hall without me."
Shirone sighed and turned away.
"All right. We'll talk later."
Nade watched his friends leave, and just before the door closed, called Iruki back.
"Iruki."
"Yeah?"
"Don't say anything that'll hurt Shirone—"
"No way. You say it. I don't know what you're thinking, but if you disappoint Shirone, I won't look at you anymore."
"Iruki..."
"It's fine if you fail. One fewer rival isn't bad. But do you know? If you beat Shirone, you'd be kingdom number one. You'd gain wealth and fame. Why are you doing this?"
He could gain wealth and fame.
His father who'd squandered the family and gambled, his mother who never recognized talent—either of them would value that.
"Think coldly. What will actually help your life? If you let hatred rule you, you won't be able to do anything."
Nade gave a bitter laugh and tried to play it off.
"Ha! What kind of joke is that? Honestly, how could I beat Shirone? How strong is he."
"Are you serious?"
Iruki's face turned stern, and Nade's smile faltered.
"Do you really think that? Do you think you absolutely can't win even if you give your all?"
"Iruki, I just want to have fun with Shirone—"
"Answer clearly now. If later you stab him in the back, I won't stay quiet."
Nade bowed his head.
"See? You think he's stronger. Then fight. Shirone and I have both worked our hardest. If you pull back like that, you're belittling our efforts."
"Iruki, what are you doing? Hurry up."
Shirone's voice came from the corridor.
"I'll answer for sure."
Nade lifted his head as if resolved.
"Shirone is stronger than me. I will never fight Shirone."
"...See you in the dining hall."
Iruki shut the door.
* * *
After breakfast Shirone parted from his friends and walked through the garden.
One year ago today he'd passed through the iron gate to meet Amy and Seriel.
Now, as the protagonist, he finally understood how tense they must have been back then.
'I feel like there's a lump of iron in my chest.'
Facing the exam a second time, Amy would be fighting anxiety even more desperately.
'Repeat examinees have the lowest pass rate.'
Because this was an all-out exam, he could even analyze the situation in the dining hall.
Two of the thirty had skipped breakfast: Richard the alchemist and Amy.
'Richard can take something other than food, but...'
Amy not showing up in the dining hall made it likely her tension had hit the limit.
'Should I go see her?'
Shirone shook his head.
He couldn't afford to worry about a friend when he needed to bring his concentration to the absolute max.
"But..."
Amy wasn't just a friend.
* * *
Amy tried not to attach special meaning to skipping breakfast.
She'd grown far more than last year through sheer effort, so there was nothing to be nervous about.
"Focus. Concentrate."
After washing, she sat on her bed feeling refreshed, closed her eyes, and raised her concentration.
'I need to sense my self-image memories more precisely.'
The competition among the graduating class was the fiercest in the school's history; a single small mistake could mean another wasted year.
"Ugh!"
Hand over her mouth, Amy dashed to the bathroom and buried her face in the toilet as bile rose.
"Ugh! Uuuuggh!"
Nothing came up, but her insides churned and the anxiety she'd been holding in exploded.
Failure. Failure.
Only bad thoughts crowded her head.
'Pull yourself together, you idiot! If you get nervous, it's over!'
"Amy, are you in there?"
At Shirone's voice, Amy turned but couldn't bring herself to open the door. She answered instead.
"Yeah. What is it?"
"You didn't have breakfast, and I was worried."
"Hah..."
She should have gone to the dining hall.
When the door opened, Shirone's surprised look met Amy's pale face.
"So you're not feeling well after all."
"Ha! It's not like that. I just threw up, that's all."
"...."
Realizing her mistake, Amy averted her eyes.
"My stomach's upset. It's nothing—don't worry about it."
Shirone stepped over the threshold and Amy slumped on the bed as if surrendering.
"To be honest, I'm a mess. I don't know why I'm like this."
"I understand. I'd be nervous too."
Only then did Amy remember Shirone had an exam the next day as well.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."
"What are you talking about? You're more than a friend..."
She didn't say it aloud, but the truth was already clear.
Otherwise he wouldn't have come this far with such an important exam looming.
'Come to think of it, he's waited a long time for me.'
Last winter at the Snow Crystal Inn, she'd turned away from Shirone's feelings.
"Can I sit?"
The future was uncertain, but the question opened another possibility in the present.
Thinking that, her heart raced as if it would burst.
"Yeah."
A shy voice slipped out between Amy's lips.