Apparently, they weren’t counting me as an asset to the team. I mean, they probably thought I wasn’t good enough to be chosen for the gathering even though I was going to their academy, so no wonder.
“I think Lady Seleiyu will probably watch and see what happens for a while at the start of the match.”
After hearing more of the rules, I learned that the offense could switch targets whenever they wanted. As long as the flags weren’t brought down, two students on offense could trade which flags they were going after. In other words, if someone didn’t like their matchup, they could switch out with someone more suited to the opponent. Apparently, this is why the stronger participants tended to size everybody up first.
“One more thing. You’re not allowed to surround the flag with earth magic.”
Ah, of course. If someone surrounded the flag with a dome or something, then the other student would need to use a really powerful spell. That could be dangerous in a lot of ways, plus it simply wouldn’t be fun to watch.
“Oh, right. Shia, are you on offense or defense?”
“I’m on defense too. Let’s work together to defend our flags.”
All of us gathered on the field and greeted each other. Seleiyu looked at me like she wanted to say something. We finished our greetings, and each moved to our standby positions. While I was walking back, Seleiyu stopped me.
“I didn’t expect you to participate, Yuna.”
“I didn’t either, but is everyone actually okay with this?”
“They didn’t see anything wrong with having a girl the same age as everyone else participate. Everyone thinks they’re stronger than the average student.”
Well, they’d all been selected for this. Of course, they thought they were the best of the best.
“I’m happy that I’ll be able to have a second match with you. I’ll win this time.”
“I don’t intend to lose either.”
I really wanted to do my best for the team.
After saying her piece, Seleiyu left. I headed over to join Shia.
“Which flag should I guard, Shia?”
“Please cover that one, Youna.”
She pointed to the flag in the farthest corner.
“Youna, um, put in whatever effort seems appropriate.”
“Since I’m here, I’m going to put my best foot forward.”
Seleiyu had said she wasn’t going to hold back, so I was going to work hard too. Enjoying the clash was the best thing about competitions.
I headed over to the flag I needed to protect and found that it was taller than me. I could barely touch it if I lifted my hand all the way up into the air. This was the thing it was my job to. Since I wasn’t really a good team player, maybe this was the perfect role for me? I looked over at Shia and saw she was a distance away at her flag. When our eyes met, she waved at me.
Soon, all of the students got to their positions and one of the teachers gave the signal to start. The students didn’t sprint away. Instead, they slowly walked over to the flags they would be attacking. I thought Seleiyu would come over to me, but a different student came over instead. Seleiyu stayed a distance away, eyes locked on me, unmoving.
“Why are you looking over there? I’m going to take that flag.”
A girl from Yufaria with shoulder-length hair was talking to me.
“I heard that you weren’t part of the original contingent of students. Lady Seleiyu asked to face off with you, but we can’t waste her on a student who wasn’t even chosen to come here.”
“So you’re the weakest then?”
“Unfortunately, I am. So I’m the one who’s supposed to take your flag.”
She didn’t seem upset that I’d called her the weakest. I had a good feeling about her, since at least she knew what her role was.
“Okay, let’s start!”
She gathered mana in her hands and unleashed some wind magic. I used wind magic too to cancel it.
“Are you also a wind magic adept, like me?”
“Well…” I said.
The girl circled around the white line. I ran after her, keeping my back to the flag. She let loose another wind attack, but I canceled it again. Things were getting good.
We exchanged blows for a while. She fired an air shot, trying to blow me away, but I defended it well. The girl’s strategy was to try and hit the flag between attacks directed at me. But I kept on canceling out everything she did. She didn’t give up and kept going, though, but I didn’t give her any openings.
“Huff, huff...”
She was out of breath after a while. The running was taking a toll on her since she needed to take several steps for every one I took.
She stopped.
“You’re good,” she said.
“I can’t just let you take the flag, you know.”
“I guess I’ll just blow you and the flag away together. If that doesn’t do it, then I’ll throw in the towel.”
Then she brought her hands together and conjured up a gust of wind between her hands. This was the strongest bit of magic she’d used so far.
“Here goes!” she cried, as she held her arms out in front of her. The gust of wind blew right at me. I created a triangle wall out of earth magic and let the wind disperse to either side.
“So you can use earth magic too, then.”
“I never said I couldn’t.”
“Looks like I won’t be able to get your flag on my own, then.”
After saying that, she backed down. It looked like she was going to withdraw to talk strategy with another student.
I looked over at Seleiyu, but she hadn’t moved, her eyes laser-focused on me.