Everyone within the royal family’s box was also awash with surprise.
“Is she the one who just did that? But Liefes shouldn’t be able to use wind magic...” Seeking an explanation, Bernard looked to Kieran.
“She cast a nonelemental amplification spell,” Kieran said. “Liefes can’t activate elemental spells, but using certain nonelemental spells, they can interface with any of the four elements. She used a relatively simple amplification spell, as far as nonelemental magic goes. She cast it on Ivo Arman’s wind spell to boost its power.”
“And it can boost the power of that wind spell that much?” Alexis asked. Ivo had cast the most basic wind spell—the first one that anyone learns when studying wind magic. It was very beginner-friendly and did hardly any damage, but with Yui’s amplification, it had been powerful enough to cut all five magic beasts in half. Alexis’s doubt was completely natural.
“I don’t think there are any students who could amplify a spell that much,” Kieran said. “After all, nonelemental magic requires a correspondingly large amount of magic energy and control to cast. However, it isn’t impossible. Among the army, I believe the blue commander would be able to do it. But her strength goes beyond what she just showed us. She could have defeated those beasts without borrowing someone else’s power.”
Bernard couldn’t help but wonder whether Yui, who was only capable of casting nonelemental magic, could really do that on her own. But if General Kieran declared it so, then it must’ve been the truth. Many people, including Bernard, who had always been able to use the four elements, hardly studied nonelemental magic, if at all—it was unnecessary—so Bernard had no choice but to believe Kieran.
“Then why didn’t she?” Bernard asked. “This was the perfect opportunity for her to demonstrate her own power.”
“I don’t know. She somehow seems to avoid using her power around others. She’s certainly powerful enough to qualify for class A at the academy, but both her written and practical test results are below average, and she makes no effort to openly show her real strength.” Kieran sighed quietly, troubled, then continued. “However, when she was in middle school, she had the top scores in both areas. They were even higher than her classmate Ivo Arman’s.”
“What’s the reason for this?” Bernard asked. Yui had scored higher than the widely acclaimed prodigy, Ivo. All of them could see that her current scores were intentionally bad. But they didn’t know why she felt the need to do that.
“I don’t know. However, I do know that she began hiding her power after the middle school tournament.”
“Then...did something happen at that time?”
“I tried asking her, but she’s smart, so she nimbly dodged the question. If I knew why, I might also know why she keeps stubbornly refusing any recruitment offers...”
“I see. Maybe I’ll indirectly ask Layce about it,” Bernard said. Then he quietly mumbled, “Though I don’t think he’ll give me a straight answer.” Nevertheless, he understood quite well why the church and the guild were so eager to recruit her. None of them wished to let her talent and ability languish in anonymity in some small neighborhood bakery. Even Bernard would have definitely used his kingly authority to compel Yui to work for the government if Layce weren’t protecting her.
As they spoke about Yui, the first-years’ matches proceeded one after the other, and in the end, Yui’s group was the only one that was able to defeat all the magic beasts within the time limit. Many first-years froze up at the sight of these never-before-seen monsters, so they weren’t in a state to move or fight properly. Several even ran away. There were also many more who got hurt compared to the upperclassmen, and their injuries were more serious. Some seemed to have some combat experience against magic beasts, and a few students fought bravely, but these weren’t individual matches, but group matches. The other members of their groups dragged them down, and even when they were able to defeat all their foes, they couldn’t within the time limit.
This was a pitiful result for the first-years, but the magic beast fights came to much the same end every year. None of the upperclassmen or the observers ridiculed them for it. They looked upon the frustrated first-years warmly; the upperclassmen fondly reminisced on years past, and the observers eagerly anticipated what the newcomers’ futures held in store. At the end, when all the matches were complete, they gave the first-years a loud round of applause for their efforts.
✦ ✦ ✦
With the morning matches over, the students all took a break for lunch in order to recover lost magic energy and stamina for the afternoon’s matches. Students everywhere got together and ate with their groups, where they discussed strategies for the match. The first-years were especially motivated after their poor results in the morning, and the depressed mood they’d been in right after the matches had completely vanished. They were intensely driven and determined not to shame themselves this next time.
In the middle of this atmosphere was Yui’s group, who, excluding the frequently complaining yet serious Ivo, leisurely ate lunch as if they were on a vacation.
“Your fried chicken looks good, Lyle,” Yui said. “I should’ve gotten combo A.”
“I’ll give you one if you’ll give me a bite of your hamburg steak,” Lyle replied.
“Okay.”
Finney turned to Clois. “I hear dinner is going to come with the custard pudding you love so much, Clo.”
“What?!” Clois exclaimed. “I’m looking forward to that.”
As the first-years around them earnestly discussed strategy with serious looks on their faces, Yui’s group was just happily chatting. “You guys should follow the lead of everyone around us!” Ivo yelled. “At least be a bit more tense!”
That morning, their match had only been against unintelligent magic beasts, and they had managed it thanks to Yui’s participation. However, the afternoon would be a fight for survival with upperclassmen thrown into the mix. They were lacking in experience, so they would inevitably struggle. They really should have been talking about strategy like everyone else, but with such delicious food before their eyes, Ivo’s serious worry was meaningless.
“We’ll be fine, Ivo. What’s more important is enjoying our food,” Lyle said.
“Exactly.” Yui nodded. “If you don’t eat soon, your food will go cold.”
“Is there any dessert for lunch?” Clois asked.
“I saw gelatin, so I took the opportunity to get some for you,” Yui replied. “They were almost all out.”
“I knew you’d have my back, Yui. You’re the only one who truly understands me.”
Concern over food overrode any concern for the match, and by the end, Ivo wasn’t even pretending to listen to the two sweets lovers’ conversation. Dejected, he gave up on having a discussion and slumped over in his seat.
When their lunch break was over, the students again gathered in the hall. Berg explained the afternoon matches, and as he did, magic items that looked like wristwatches were handed out to everyone. The clock part seemed to have been replaced by a round, off-white piece of glass with a small magic circle drawn on it.
“There will be two matches in the afternoon,” Berg began. “The magic items you’ve been given are made so that, after they sustain a certain amount of damage, the glass automatically breaks. If that happens, make sure you leave the field immediately. The last group with members left standing will be the winner. Students of all years will be participating in both matches, which makes this a good opportunity to gauge your current ability, so try your hardest. Finally, if anyone has any questions—”
Before Berg could finish speaking, Yui’s hand shot up. Instead of being pleased to see that she was finally showing some motivation for once, he furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her suspiciously. “What is it, Curtis?”
“Will there be a penalty for not winning this match, like the one in the morning?” Yui asked.
The morning’s sudden, mid-match announcement about the penalty of losing free time—right as her match had almost reached its time limit—had put Yui on her guard. She wanted to be aware of any similar stipulations regarding the next match. When the other students heard Yui, they also realized that possibility, and they all stared desperately at Berg. They were already on the verge of crying after losing their free time, and they wouldn’t be able to take it if they had to deal with something more on top of that.
“Don’t worry. There’s only a reward this time, no penalty,” Berg replied. At that, the students felt reassured, but they had originally come to the camp to get noticed by the observers, so none of them let that feeling show on their faces. But Yui, who didn’t care at all about that, was clearly relieved.
“So I can go to the town even if I lose. That’s good to hear...”
“Why did you even come to this camp? Do you think this is some sort of culinary tour?”
Yui was about to instantly reply that yes, she did think that, but those around her were all eyeing her coldly, so she swallowed her words and made an insincere, proper-sounding reply. “Why, of course not. I came to be recognized by our honored guests in the audience.”
“Don’t make it sound like you’re reading off a script, you idiot!” Berg yelled angrily, his voice echoing throughout the hall. He clutched his stomach in pain, probably thinking that he was sincerely grateful to not be Yui’s homeroom teacher.