Haruto has left.
A while after the sun had set, the draft process finally…did not end.
The three coordinators are standing before the team roster.
“And now we begin the final adjustments.”
This declaration is made by Oratoria Belkam.
“I believe this year’s players are much more evenly distributed than the previous years’. Except for…”
“I agree. This particular team stands out. The members are much more advanced than the others.”
Their eyes all fall on Haruto’s team with Charlotte as the leader.
“I recall that these two went pretty deep inside the Olympius Ruins, as well as Irisphilia.”
“We can safely assume all three are skilled enough to pass the graduation exam.”
You may be wondering: what is this “final adjustment”?
A random drawing heavily relies on luck, which means there is a possibility that the results may lean heavily in one way or another. In order to prevent that, the coordinators are permitted to make any changes to the team formation at their discretion.
Of course, if the headmistress questions their decision, they’ll need to earn her approval by defending their judgment and reason for change, but that in and of itself is rare─unless there is a severe disparity in the team’s skill level.
“Should we separate these three?”
“There’s also the pair of exchange students who came from the empire. Shall we separate them from the three as well?”
“While their skill levels are still unknown, that’s reasonable given their mana levels. I have no objection.”
The three instructors continue their debate while taking the compatibility and mana levels of the other candidates into account.
“All right. Looks good.”
They write down the team roster in a separate logbook.
Haruto has already left the room. He was so assured by the results that he hadn’t even left a surveillance barrier behind.
Normally, there’d be an advisor to warn Haruto of the possibility of such occurrences, but Tearietta’s lack of knowledge about the draft process led to this misfortune. She doesn’t socialize with her colleagues, so none of this information was passed on to her. Needless to mention she’s never been appointed to any of these roles.
Thus, the players have been grouped in disfavor of Haruto.
Finally, it’s over. That took forever.
In the corner of the classroom, a woman is leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
Blonde hair, fair skin, and she’s wearing glasses, but it’s Vari the devil in disguise. Her breasts look like they’re about to burst out of her schoolgirl uniform.
After the solid barriers around the classroom disappear, Vari waits a bit before sneaking inside.
Not even the instructors of a top-ranking academic institution could detect the Devil Lord’s pureblooded vassal when she uses her full power to conceal her mana. They don’t even notice as she’s stepping away.
There’s no way I can let Charlotte Zenfis win this team tournament.
In order to do that, Charlotte’s team must be debilitated.
Having her be grouped with students of inferior skill should make it easier to cheat in the game.
Likewise, Haruto Zenfis and all her other cohorts need to be teamed with mediocre students.
Vari’s plan was to separate them and manipulate them into going against each other.
That would put her own team at an advantage and lead her to victory.
“Well then, shall we head over to the headmistress to deliver the team roster?”
The elderly teacher places the book inside his briefcase. All that’s left to do is to seal it with a magic spell and carefully transport it to the headmistress’s office. On the off chance someone attempts to steal the book, there will also be a spell to incinerate it along with the briefcase.
Their safety measures are flawless. Despite that…
Clink…
The three draft coordinators all look to where the faint sound came from.
✦ ✦ ✦
It only takes a few seconds.
More precisely, the teachers direct their attention to their surroundings for less than one second.
That’s right. No matter how flawless their safety measures are…
Vari sneers.
…it’s useless if the roster is switched out before it’s implemented.
Vari had prepared her own fake team roster.
In her book, Charlotte, Haruto, and the others are all in different teams. Each person is grouped together with players who have low grades, lack a sense of teamwork, or only have skills that are difficult to utilize in a team game.
In the end, this is the easiest and most efficient method, she thinks.
If anything, the possibility of the headmistress having qualms with the results and confronting the three instructors directly was the only thing to worry about. From there, they’ll discover the team roster has been swapped.
But her worry would very likely be in vain.
Vari’s team selection is well-balanced in its own way. The strongest players are dispersed, and each of them are grouped with players who are on the lower end of the skill level.
And in my team, I’m considered one of the weaker players.
Her teammates are all talented students. Two of them are a part of Numbers.
Perfection!
Vari is assured of her victory after witnessing the elderly teacher secure his briefcase with magic spells.
Lord Lucifyra might even commend my deed!
She leaves the classroom giddily.
But in the end…
“Careless much?”
“Huh?!”
At the exact moment Professor Belkam and the other two instructors step out of the empty classroom, a petite female student with golden-colored eyes appears out of nowhere to block their path.
“Oh, but in this case, it’s more about lack of imagination than carelessness. The thought that maybe they’re not the only ones with the same idea didn’t occur to either of those two. They eased off a little too early.”
She sounds disappointed, but her face blossoms with a bright smile.
“Funny, though, isn’t it? I can understand a student wanting to give himself an advantageous team. But why would he meddle with student exam affairs?”
Belkam speaks up. “You’re…the exchange student from the empire? Your name is…”
“Yup. Yulia Martienna.”
The two male teachers can’t help but loosen their expressions at the sight of her innocent look. Belkam, too, almost lowers her guard, but looks down at her sharply.
“Why are you here?” asks Belkam. “Even if you’re lost, I see no reason why you’d be all the way out here in the first place.”
Yulia doesn’t look the least bit intimidated.
“I’m not lost. I came all the way here because I have business with what’s inside that luggage you’re carrying so preciously.”
She points at the elderly teacher’s briefcase. The team roster for the Four Knights Match is inside.
Belkam’s expression stiffens well as the two male teachers’.
“I don’t know how you obtained the information, but we will not allow any fraud. Whether you’re here out of sheer curiosity or not, you’ll be severely─”
“I figured maybe─”
“…?!” Belkam can’t seem to utter a sound.
“─maybe leaving it to luck would be fine, too. But this event is such an exciting attraction. The more fun, the better. Don’t you think?”
The professor seems to have lost control over not just her voice, but her body as well.
The same goes for the two male teachers behind her.
“But I’m not trying to pressure you. This isn’t a request or a suggestion─and it’s most certainly not an order. All you have to do is accept me.”
Her golden eyes begin to glow softly.
N-No… I mustn’t stare into those eyes… Belkam’s instincts warn her so, but she can’t even close her eyelids, let alone look away.
“Come now. Accept me. Don’t worry, it’s not scary. Besides, if you try to resist for too long, your brain might get fried. That’s not something I want to do. So, please?”
Step by step, the three instructors begin to walk back into the room as if they’re being pushed inside.
Yulia inches in slowly. The door closes by itself.
“Good, very good. Now, everyone…”
She looks at each hollow-eyed teacher as they sway side to side.
“Shall we redo the draft?” the girl chirrups.