Chapter 29: Preliminary (1)

The reason I participated in the auction for the first time.

Just two things, no more, no less.

One, to give the Holy Empire a big slap in the face.
Two, to make a good impression on the Tower Master.

You might wonder how doing just that can leave an impression, but surprisingly, it works.
That’s because the Holy Empire’s reputation has hit rock bottom.

Still, the reason why other factions can’t treat the Holy Empire lightly is simple.
They are not purely evil, but rather a necessary evil.

‘In this world, gods are real.’

In this world, gods do exist.
Even when I played the game, divine beings would occasionally appear as hidden figures behind quests.

However, the gods here are quite different from the sacred beings one might typically imagine.
Rather than being holy entities, they are more like artificial intelligence granted divinity.

And the only being that can request partial access to that system is the “Saint” of the Holy Empire.
Now that the Saint has disappeared, the Holy Empire is facing an unprecedented crisis.

---

“Hello, customer. Would you like to settle the payment using the Rushtiel guaranteed check you submitted earlier?”
“Yes, please charge the entire amount to that.”

I spent quite a bit, but for Rushtiel, who monopolizes the resources of the Frozen Sea, this amount is nothing.
In modern terms, Rushtiel is more than the Saudi Arabia of this world.

‘Finally got it.’

More than anything, I couldn’t let this slip away.
I wondered where that bastard Karon got the sleeping powder from, and it turns out it was an auction item.
Lucky me.

“Your purchased items are available for collection inside.”
“Thank you.”

Following the staff’s guidance, I walked ahead.
Soon, I arrived at a door outlined in golden frames.

Is this the place?
Without much thought, I opened the door.

And there, beyond the door, was a face I didn’t expect.

---

“Nice to meet you, Luke Richter.”

It was the Tower Master, Alicia.
She was sitting on a sofa with a fox-shaped mask on, looking at me.

“Just because you’re a member of the Disciplinary Committee doesn’t automatically give you the right to participate in the auction… I checked, and it turns out you impersonated the Rushtiel family, didn’t you?”

Impersonation? I just borrowed the name for a bit.
So, she found out already?
The Tower Master’s intelligence network is no joke.

But there’s no need to worry too much.
Even if she’s nagging about impersonation right now, Alicia is a pragmatic person who always weighs profit, a natural-born businesswoman.

“Tower Master Alicia.”
“…Huh? Me? As if I could be Alicia, that once-in-a-century genius magical girl with a heart of gold.”

A genius magical girl with a heart of gold?
What’s with that over-the-top title?
I couldn’t help but let out a snicker.

“Even if you cover your face like that, I already know who you are.”
“Wow, quick on the uptake, huh?”

Tsk.
As expected, my beauty can’t be hidden with just a mask… she muttered as she took off the mask.

Her platinum blonde hair flowed down to her waist, and her bright yellow eyes sparkled under the lights.
That bratty way of talking confirmed it.
It was definitely the Alicia I knew from the game.

“Is there a problem with me participating in the auction?”
“Problem? Not at all! The rule barring students from the auction was set by the academy, not the Tower. We have no issue with it.”
“Good to know.”

“I didn’t expect the one messing with the Holy Empire to be an impersonator of the Rushtiel family, but I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything today.”

As I thought, Alicia chose to be flexible and cover up my mistake.

“Well, anyway, I just wanted to stop by to say thanks. You’re more interesting than I expected.”
“Interesting?”

“Whether you’re just an inexperienced brat who doesn’t know how to control his power, a poser, or someone who can’t manage his own overwhelming strength… Whatever it is, your aura is far beyond the level of a mere student.”

Alicia leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, and looked at me with eyes full of curiosity.

“Let’s be honest. The way you suppressed the Holy Empire earlier, it was quite bold and thrilling. You didn’t back down despite their notorious reputation.”

I stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.
Alicia grinned and tapped the table with her fingers.

“You really went out of your way to annoy the Holy Empire. That took guts. But that’s not all that makes you interesting.”
She pointed at me with a sly smile.

“I can sense it. You’ve got power, far more than you’re letting on. You’re not just some random prodigy, are you?”

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal.
Alicia chuckled as if she found my silence amusing.

“Relax. I’m not going to dig any deeper.
Just know that I’ve got my eye on you. And if you ever need something from the Tower, don’t hesitate to come to me.”

Alicia’s attitude was playful, but I knew better than to take her lightly.
She was a cunning and shrewd person, not the type to offer help without reason.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You better. Just don’t go causing any trouble in my territory. I’m a busy person.”

With a wave of her hand, Alicia dismissed me, her expression one of mild amusement.
Well, at least I managed to make a decent impression.
Now it was time to collect my auction items and get out of here.

My current level is 68.
I’ve completely surpassed the average student level.

I tried to hide it as much as possible, but it looks like it was pointless against Alicia’s eyes.
She looked intrigued, stroking her chin with a sly smile.

“Alright, that’s it for now! Your auction items are over there, so take them and go.”

This turned out to be quite a success.
I managed to make a connection and left a good impression.

Of course, the biggest gain was acquiring the sleeping powder, but more benefits are always welcome.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Take care~”

There’s no need to feel sentimental since I’ll be seeing her again during the academy’s academic conference.
Considering the incidents that will occur during the conference, her help will be essential.

To progress the story, I need to win Alicia over.
And the condition for doing that is simple.

Accumulating overwhelming wealth.

Honestly, it’s not a difficult condition.
After all, I have Aisha.

---

The magic tournament has officially begun.

The format of the annual tournament is quite simple and straightforward.
It’s a tournament-style competition where the drawing process doesn’t consider the year or class.
In other words, it’s completely random.

It’s a contest where no one knows who their opponent will be, purely based on skill.

That’s why it’s usually the higher-grade students who participate.
It’s only natural that higher-grade students are stronger.

That doesn’t mean lower-grade students don’t participate.
Although the participation rate is relatively low compared to upper-grade students, those who are confident in their abilities don’t miss this opportunity.

In other words, even as first-years, most of the S-Class students are participating.

‘Time to set the tone.’

Since the number of participants is significant, the magic tournament isn’t a one-day event.
It’s a large-scale competition held over five days.
Today is the first day, where the preliminaries will be held.

The preliminaries mainly sort out the rankings within the same grade.
Three people from each grade are selected, and in the main tournament, the selected students are randomly drawn against each other.

‘I have to win at all costs.’

The prize for winning is the <Trize’s Necklace>.
It’s a legendary artifact certified by Stella that protects the wearer from a lethal blow once.

For Odette, who always ends up in life-threatening situations, there couldn’t be a more fitting artifact.
Since she has no intention of participating in the tournament, I’ll have to win it and give it to her as a gift.

While I was quietly seated, organizing my thoughts, I overheard the chatter of the other students waiting in the same room.

---

“I heard the Imperial Scouts came this time.”
“I heard the Tower also sent people.”
“They say scouts from all three major duke families are here too. The rumors about the Golden Generation are spreading like wildfire.”
“If you make it to the finals, it’ll be worth it, right?”

I spotted some familiar faces as well as some extras I couldn’t recognize.
They were right.

This tournament is the perfect opportunity to showcase one’s potential.
If you stand out here and get scouted, your career after graduating from the academy is practically guaranteed.

[First-year Luke Richter, first-year Sven Drixion. Please proceed to the duel arena.]

The voice echoed through the waiting room.
Following the announcement, I stood up from my seat.

“You lowly commoner. How unlucky you must be to face me as your first opponent.”
“Oh, it’s you again?”

It’s that guy. Sven Drixion.
A self-proclaimed noble genius with an ego inflated to the heavens.
Despite being a first-year, he acts as if he’s already conquered the academy.

Honestly, he’s just annoying.
But what’s even more annoying is how his arrogance actually draws in a crowd.

I couldn’t care less about his pompous attitude, but his constant barking gets on my nerves.
It looks like I’ll have to put him in his place right from the start.

Sven snorted as he walked toward the arena, waving his cape like he owned the place.
I followed him, keeping my expression neutral.

The duel arena was filled with spectators, including both students and scouts.
The atmosphere was already charged with excitement.

“Look, it’s that commoner from the S-Class.”
“Isn’t his opponent one of the Drixion family’s promising talents?”
“I heard Sven is skilled at elemental fusion magic.”

It seemed like rumors about Sven’s abilities had already spread among the students.
It didn’t matter. I was already prepared.

As we took our positions, the referee stood between us, raising his hand.

“Are both participants ready?”
Sven flashed a condescending grin, while I just gave a slight nod.

“Begin!”

The instant the signal was given, Sven raised his hand, gathering flames around his palm.

[2-Star Magic: Fire Lance]

A spear of flame shot toward me with intense speed.
I remained still, watching the trajectory.

Just before it reached me, I raised one hand.

[1-Star Magic: Water Sphere]

A ball of water formed instantly, absorbing the flames with a loud hiss of steam.

Sven’s confident expression faltered for a moment.
Without giving him a chance to react, I flicked my fingers.

[2-Star Magic: Ice Spear]

The steam turned into countless ice shards, shooting straight at Sven.

“What the—?!”

Caught off guard, Sven barely managed to raise a barrier.
The ice spears shattered against his hurriedly formed shield, sending him stumbling backward.

“You think elemental fusion is impressive?
It’s all about timing and control.”

Sven’s face turned red with embarrassment and anger.
I kept my focus, prepared to strike again.

“Don’t get cocky, you filthy commoner!”
Sven gathered more mana, preparing his next move.

But I wasn’t planning to let him take the lead.

---

[3-Star Magic: Lightning Bind]

Blue arcs of electricity shot out from my hand, coiling around Sven’s limbs and paralyzing him on the spot.

“Guh—! What… is this…?”

“It’s over.”

The referee stepped in, raising his hand.

“Winner: Luke Richter!”

The audience erupted in whispers and cheers.
Sven fell to his knees, his pride shattered.

I turned away, not bothering to glance at him again.
One down. Many more to go.

Drixion, the next candidate for the Tower Master of Mist.
One of the Crown Prince’s lackeys, and a third-rate villainous extra who tried to pick a fight with me during the group practice last time.

---

“I’ll make you crawl on the ground in front of everyone.”

Still spouting pathetic lines as always.
I ignored him and walked out of the waiting room at an even pace.

As I stepped outside, familiar sights unfolded before me.
Bright sunlight, the massive arena, and the roaring cheers of the audience.

Countless gazes focused on Drixion and me.
Curiosity, expectation, disdain, confusion, tension…
A chaotic mixture of emotions poured toward me from beyond those eyes.

Drixion and I took our places on opposite ends of the arena, maintaining a proper distance.
Judging that the match was ready to begin, the referee announced the start using amplification magic.

[ The match will now begin! ]

A deafening cheer echoed throughout the arena.

[ Three…! Two…! One…! ]

I shifted my weight forward, preparing to move.

[ Start!!! ]

At the sound of the signal, Drixion’s body transformed into a misty form.
In the blink of an eye, he was right at my feet.

But I had already predicted it.

There are three victory conditions in this magic tournament.

First, make the opponent surrender.
Second, dominate so overwhelmingly that the referee intervenes.
Third, knock the opponent out of the arena’s boundary.

I’m a veteran player.
Naturally, I aim for strategic and efficient choices.

[ Special Magic: Wind Cannon ]

Special magic, Wind Cannon.
A joke magic designed solely to knock the opponent away.
Even the casting motion is comical, as it resembles a Kamehameha or a wave attack with both hands together.

But there’s no better spell for knocking someone out of the arena.
Despite its goofy appearance, it’s widely recognized for having one of the best knockback effects.

Wooooosh—

The gathered mana surged through my fingertips.
Feeling a strange sensation as the mana vibrated, the air distorted, and a sonic wave shot toward Drixion.

“What the—!!”

Boom—!

The sonic wave struck Drixion directly.
With a bizarre scream, he was launched out of the arena like a home run.

“……”

An eerie silence crushed the once-boisterous arena.
I shielded my face from the glaring sunlight with the back of my hand and watched Drixion soar high into the sky.

“Refreshing.”

The arena, once filled with cheers, had turned as quiet as a library.