Her eyes went wide, and she suddenly felt a sense of clear and imminent danger — of the romantic variety. Just then, there was an announcement telling contestants to get ready for the next round.
“Well, looks like I’d better get going,” said Rayde, his expression suddenly growing sober. “I want to... get myself focused for my next match.”
“Your next opponent is Cain, right?” asked Alicia.
He nodded.
“Yeah. Once a year, I get to have a crack at him. I’ve been waiting for this chance,” he said with a toothy grin.
For someone like Rayde, who was always looking for a challenge, there was no better opportunity than this. It allowed him to face the student council president, who was widely considered the strongest student in the school, in direct combat. His fixation on Cain was nothing new. Even during the field exercises, he’d been hoping to win first place and ask to be moved one grade up as his reward. That would have put him in the same year as Cain, allowing more opportunities for them to clash in battle.
This was news to Sain, who hadn’t realized that the two would be matched against each other. Another look at the tournament brackets confirmed that what Rayde said was true. His eyes followed the trail of lines back to the column of names, where he discovered the one that lately had been on his mind with increasing frequency.
Cain Theresia .
“Master Sain, would you mind spectating Rayde’s match for me?” asked Melia. “I have to go for my second match, so I can’t be there to watch.”
“Right... Assuming you win, your next opponent will be one of these two, huh... All right. Leave it to me. I’ll get you your intel.”
“Much obliged.”
He was personally interested in the match, too. It was a shame that he couldn’t go root for Melia in person, but a duel between Rayde and Cain was a must-watch. Besides, Melia probably didn’t need any encouragement from him to win, anyway. Her next opponent was someone he’d never heard of, and nameless students stood very little chance of beating her.
“Well, there you have it. I’ll be watching to see what you can do,” he said to the departing pair.
“Keep your eyes peeled then, because I am going to be putting on one hell of a show,” Rayde said, laughing confidently with his hands on his hips. His fingers, however, trembled slightly.
Ten minutes later, Rayde Eldis was on his way to the senior division’s field. He walked with measured strides, feeling the tension in his body build with each step as he neared the arena. Rested and ready, he knew he could be in no better condition to face his oncoming challenge.
“Rayde... I’ll be praying for your victory.”
“...Thanks.”
He regarded Yuria, and she returned his gaze. She looked even more nervous than him, but rather than laughing or cracking some sort of joke, he simply acknowledged her with a nod. His expression was solemn, and his usual bravado was nowhere to be seen. As they beheld each other, they shared a brief moment of vulnerability, feeling the weight of their circumstances bearing down on them — a weight unknown to almost every other student there. Resting on his shoulders was no small responsibility.
Their father, Viscount Eldis, though ostensibly a member of the nobility, wasn’t known for his influence or pedigree. The Eldis family had acquired its present status entirely through military prowess. Normally, when a noble title was newly conferred, the recipient would quickly throw themselves into the power struggles of high society. Whether they sought advancement or protection, they would have to find it within the swirling vortex of aristocratic politics. However, Viscount Eldis refused to play the game. After acquiring his title, he showed no interest in political power, and only pursued further military accomplishments.
During times of war, the Eldis family’s hunger for glory in battle was unmatched. During times of peace, they drew little attention, as they spent most of their time training and honing their skills. At first, this drew the ridicule of their peers, but their stubborn commitment to their ways slowly established a reputation of integrity and trustworthiness founded on their detachment from the complicated web of political interests.
Now, the Eldis family was favored by many nobles for their lack of political ambition and devotion to martial prowess. It was commonly accepted among nobility that the Eldises were the ones to call for a fight. So long as there were enemies — be it humans or monsters — they would handle them, regardless of circumstance. Early on, their skills were often employed as little more than a convenient tool, but as time passed, their repeated exploits on the battlefield earned the respect of their peers, who began coming to them with earnest pleas for help. The requests ranged from exterminating large monsters that had showed up in someone’s lands to lending out their soldiers for various reasons. Considering that nobles were creatures of excessive pride, who were often loath to ask each other for help, that they were willing to petition the Eldis family was a testament to their reputation.
Born as the eldest son of Viscount Eldis — often called the kingdom’s finest warrior — Rayde had been trained since a young age to conduct himself in a manner befitting his family’s reputation. Burdened with the many responsibilities of being the heir to a renowned military family, “defeat” was a word that often carried more weight than he could bear.
“Coming up is the second round of matches! For this one, we have Rayde Eldis versus Cain Theresia!”
The crowd cheered as the senior division arena’s commentators announced the contestants’ names. As he’d expected, this match had drawn a sizable number of spectators. Many of them had arrived far in advance to grab seats, and even the standing areas were packed. In addition to the students, many of the outside guests also seemed to be aware that Cain and Rayde were particularly skilled. Over half of the audience was composed of family members of students, so it wasn’t surprising that word of their talent had spread.