Chapter 158: A wild and crazy sports festival (6)

Basically, the sports festival is a celebration.

A festival where all the participants come together with one heart and one mind to enjoy.

But as with any event that involves physical activity, there are always people who absolutely hate it.

Especially those who don’t move much, like indoor couch potatoes.

Marianne was exactly that case.

She preferred staying indoors, reading a book alone, rather than hanging out with people outside.

For her, the sports festival was nothing more than a torture under the scorching sun.

“Ah… I just want to go back to my room… take a shower, change clothes, and lie around reading a comic book…”

Marianne muttered gloomily, shrugging her shoulders.

The event she was participating in was the ball toss.

It was a simple game where you pick up the rubber balls scattered all over the ground and throw them into a basket high in the air.

Each team has 10 participants, and the team that gets more balls into the basket within the time limit wins.

The winning team is awarded 100 points.

The points per person are among the lowest in the competition.

Aside from the colorful balls being a pleasant sight, there’s nothing special about it—it’s a rather ordinary event.

Marianne’s reason for signing up for this event was simple.

It was the least physically demanding event in the sports festival.

You just wander around the arena, pick up a few balls, and make a half-hearted effort throwing them in—it’s the easiest event for someone with no enthusiasm to just slip by.

In this sense, it’s the complete opposite of the individual running race.

While in running, all the attention is focused on one participant, here, the attention is spread across 10 people.

‘But I like that. I’ll just fill in the numbers and then leave. No one’s really expecting anything from me anyway.’

Unlike her sister, who boasted quick athletic skills, Marianne’s physical abilities were downright terrible.

She was probably the weakest in her class.

If she could use magic, she might have buffed herself up with a spell, but since enhancing the body in any form was prohibited in the sports festival, there was no way to cheat.

So, in this event, Marianne was just a filler.

Simply there to make up the numbers.

No one expected her to do well, and in reality, no one even paid attention to where she was or what she was doing.

Well, to be exact, there was one person who did.

“Ma-rian-ne!! Our granddaughter, fighting!!! You can do it!!! Push through and beat those arrogant Esperas!!!”

Marianne lowered her head in embarrassment as she saw her ancestor, the commander, cheering without even tiring.

She wished she could disappear into a mouse hole if she could.

There are so many other good days, so why is today the day she has to do this?

“Ah… the game hasn’t started yet, right? I’m not late, am I?”

“Oh, you’re back, sis.”

At that moment, Thérèse, who had been carried out after fainting from the race, returned after recovering her energy.

However, she was still visibly tired, her legs wobbling.

Marianne, seeing this, looked at her with concern.

“If you’re tired, why don’t you go lie down and rest? You look like it’s hard to even stand.”

“Eh, I should still watch my little sister’s match. After all, I’m her older sister.”

“Even so, there’s not much to see…”

Marianne spoke in a low voice.

She didn’t understand why Nelia and Thérèse thought she would do well.

Thanks to that, the weight on her shoulders was getting heavier.

Maybe at the cultural festival in the second semester it would be different, but the sports festival was not the stage for her.

“What? Is that all?”

At that moment, a provocative voice echoed from the blue team.

Turning her head, she saw a boy with an irritated face, arms crossed, glaring at them.

His face was filled with irritation.

“Damn, it’s just a bunch of first-year trash. Was the rumor about sending in a big shot for the ball toss just nonsense? I swear, these commoners are useless.”

“…”

Marianne flinched, shrinking back under his sharp gaze.

Isma von Ulmenwald, a second-year student from Anatolia Academy.

Along with Emilia, he was one of the most influential students in the second year and part of the so-called “bully group.”

His personality was the epitome of “arrogant imperial aristocracy,” constantly looking down on those who weren’t from his country.

He almost didn’t treat demons or Salem people as humans.

He was also the one who planned to lynch the hero if he entered, but abandoned the plan when he was crushed by Pierce at the opening ceremony.

What made Isma worse was that, despite his twisted personality, his fighting skills were outstanding.

On top of that, his family background as the eldest son of the Boenback family made him hard to challenge.

In fact, aside from the imperial prince Elias, who was a year above, Isma was essentially an uncontrollable mad dog.

He was a predator by nature, and sure enough, when he saw the herbivores in front of him, he clicked his tongue in displeasure and scratched his head.

“Tch, I shouldn’t have gotten involved. To waste my time on these lowlifes like this.

Two insignificant demons, a nerdy desk jockey with glasses, and a weak little kid… it’s really pathetic.”

“What did you say?” Thérèse’s face twisted into a fierce expression.

“What did you just say? Two ‘demons’? Are you treating us like animals now? Do you want me to beat you like a dog, you little brat?”

“U-unnie! Stop, please…!”

Marianne, looking pale, desperately tried to stop Thérèse.

If it were any other time, they might have just argued a bit, but not today.

The ancestor is here.

Fortunately, Nelia is far enough that she didn’t hear, but if the argument continues, she will definitely notice.

And once she finds out, she’ll surely take bloody revenge on Isma for insulting her own granddaughter.

If that happens, it will be a disaster.

It wouldn’t just end as a conflict between two families, but it would escalate into a diplomatic issue.

The already difficult relationship between Sanchina and Espera will worsen, and it might even trigger the start of a war.

It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but not entirely impossible. It’s a very likely development.

Therefore, that kind of future must be prevented at all costs.

Even if it means enduring some humiliation.

“I’m fine, so you go inside, Unnie! Please, I’m begging you!”

“Let go of me, Marianne! What era do you think this is, and you’re openly being racist in front of us? I don’t care about seniority or anything! Step forward, you brat! I’ll punch you in the face right now!”

“Unnie, please…!”

Thérèse was shouting furiously, and Marianne was desperately holding onto her, trying to calm her down.

Isma, who had been watching the struggle for a moment, suddenly sneered as if she had thought of something and said.

“What, it’s you two, the ones who just came in, right? The ruined women I heard about? I’ve heard a lot.

They say you’re the kind of people who read and share those disgusting comics where men are doing all kinds of weird stuff. Aren’t you ashamed?

Even though you must be considered noble back in your own country. If you had any common sense, you’d at least maintain some dignity.”

Thud.

At that moment, Marianne’s movement suddenly stopped, as though she had been frozen in place, like she had been cursed with petrification.

“ …Ah.”

On the other hand, Thérèse, who had been furious just a moment ago, suddenly felt a sinking sensation in her chest.

Marianne is basically shy and gentle by nature.

She doesn’t usually get angry when someone insults her, and always tries to lower her head and avoid conflicts.

But there’s one situation that makes her lose control and go on a rampage – when something she loves gets insulted.

It happened when they went to see Sion after escaping Tartarus, and also in Hypere.

When it involves comics, Marianne completely changes into a different person.

From being harmless and docile to a vicious wolf that tears into everything in sight.

As expected, after hearing Isma’s provocation, Marianne’s eyes instantly turned a deep, dark color.

“Senior, what… did you just say?”

Creeeek, creak.

She rose up with a sound like a broken puppet.

And with a smile completely wiped off her face, she stared at Isma with a look of empty darkness in her eyes.

“What… What did you say?”

In that instant, Isma, overwhelmed by Marianne’s aura, broke into a cold sweat, and, trying to cover it up, yelled even louder.

“What’s with that look, you brat? Did I say something wrong?! If it’s not disgusting, then what are those comics with men doing that stuff?!”

“………”

There was no answer.

But everyone gathered on the field instinctively sensed it at that moment.

A big storm was about to break out here today.

“Okay, okay! Stop fighting and get back to your places! The match is about to start!”

Sensing the unusual tension, the referee quickly intervened, trying to diffuse the atmosphere.

Thérèse, seeing this, quickly pulled Marianne behind her.

“Alright, alright, Marianne. Our good little sister. Are you okay? Not angry, right? Just ignore the words of people who can’t even respect preferences! Let’s live quietly, minding our own business, and we’ll be fine—”

“Unnie.”

“Uh, yes?”

Thérèse jumped in surprise at Marianne’s calm voice.

Marianne stared blankly into the air for a moment before speaking.

“Please, say the winning spell.”

“…..!”

Thérèse swallowed hard, surprised.

Then, she cautiously checked Marianne’s expression to see what she really meant.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“…….”

This kid, she’s really serious. 120% serious.

 Thérèse stared at her sister for a moment, then let out a big sigh. She shook her head in disbelief and said:

“Well, I guess there’s no helping it.”

After saying that, she walked over to Marianne, getting closer in quick strides.

“Come closer. Let me whisper it in your ear.”

“…….”

Swish.

Lowering her body, Thérèse cupped her hands around her mouth to make a clear channel for her voice.

Then she whispered the “magical words” into Marianne’s ear.

Words that would strike deeper than insulting her preferences, the ultimate insult she could never tolerate.

“[Sien is obviously the ball, right? How can you be so stupid, honestly, those guys are really pathetic.]”

Snap.

A thick vein rose on Marianne’s smooth forehead.