episode_0060

“Students who are selected to participate in Tri-Conflict must participate. There are no exceptions.”

I could only stare blankly at the large blue crystal floating majestically behind Professor Butterfly, the Vice Dean of the Academy.

This crystal is a device that can be seen as a tool for receiving and evaluating the qualifications of participants in the Try-Conflict, which is exclusive to first-year students of the Academy.

“You can be honest, Ain. It’s not like the rules for males to participate in Tri Conflict.”

“No, Vice Dean. I really didn’t participate.”

No matter how much I appealed to Professor Butterfly, the credibility was infinitely close to zero because the words ‘Ain Frostgarm’ were floating among the letters made of light floating around the crystal.

“I’ll say it again, Ain student. There are no exceptions. It’s better to prepare for a try conflict than to explain that you never received it.”

After saying that, Vice President Butterfly turns around and says one last thing.

“I heard you’ve achieved a lot, Ain. I hope you can show us your achievements at Try Conflict.”

“What about Elfin?”

“I went to apply to participate in Crystal. What the heck is going on…”

When we returned to the study group, all the females except Elfin were gathered there. They all had serious expressions on their faces.

“Ain, you really didn’t participate in the Try Conflict?”

“I keep saying this, but that has never happened.”

Bandi asked with a worried expression, and I gave him the same answer I had given him since morning.

As soon as it became known that my name appeared on the crystal that governs the Tri-Conflict, the Arrogant people started talking to me, so I was quite tired.

“I believe Ain’s words. But you, Ain, have to accept it too. Crystal judges participation based on whether or not she accepts the person’s magic power, so it’s natural for people not to believe her.”

Lulu evaluated it that way. Well, what good would it do if I said I didn’t participate when I had to go to the crystal on my own feet, put my hand on it, and channel my magic power into it?

“Who on earth did this? How did they do it?”

I mutter, sinking deeper into the sofa.

To summarize the current situation briefly, we started accepting participants for Try Conflict last week.

The location is right in the center of the Hall of Knowledge, where the crystal that determines the participants is installed.

When a first-year student who wants to participate places his or her hand on the crystal, the crystal absorbs the student’s magical power and determines whether the student will participate by either floating or not floating around the crystal, either immediately or after a few days.

But this morning I noticed my name floating around the crystal, even though I hadn’t touched it.

After a while, Elfin enters the club room.

“Elfin, did you go? How did it go?”

Elfin nods in response to my question.

“I got involved. My name showed up right away.”

Well, since Elfin has above average skill, it won’t be difficult for him to participate.

Elfin said he participated to protect me rather than to win the competition.

“Tri-Conflict doesn’t restrict such things, so it won’t matter. Of course, Ain, I trust your skills, but…”

She seemed hesitant to say her next words, perhaps mindful of my warning not to be overprotective.

“It’s okay, Elfin. I know you’re worried. Thank you for caring.”

I gave Elfin a little hug for participating in the Tri-Conflict without a moment’s hesitation. Elfin’s hands gently stroked my head and back.

“So, what are you going to do?”

I thought about Lulu’s question for a moment and then answered.

“Regardless of who did this, if you’re participating, just do your best. The goal is to win!”

When I put my hands on my hips and declared, Lulu laughed out loud and Hoyo burst out laughing. Ion, Bam, and Bandi laughed.

“I knew it.”

Ion, who answered like that, jumped up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to make your training plan. I’ll ask the professor to skip today’s lecture and go see your mother right away.”

Ion’s eyes seemed to glow with sparks even though he wasn’t participating.

“If the males of the group join, it means I’m joining. I’ll have to plan it out closely with my mother.”

As Ion left, Lulu immediately followed him out, saying, “I need to talk to Dad too.”

“Not everyone needs to do that.”

“There’s no need to do that. Of course you should. Bandi, work with Marquis Jude and your fathers to collect some artifacts. I’ll organize the contents of the last Tri-Conflict, so if you think anything is useful, prepare everything.”

“Okay, Chairman!”

At the night’s systematic instructions, Bandi nods with a determined expression, his large chest shaking, and leaves the club room.

“Hoyo, you should talk to Count Miho and rent one of Hegemonia’s seals for a long term. Bring the Count too. Ain and Elfin will need it.”

“Hey, let’s go now!”

Hoyodo leaves the clubroom naked, and Bam also gets up and puts on his coat.

“Elfin, Ain. Don’t worry, we’ll help you. For now, let’s focus on the competition. There’s no forfeit in Tri-Conflict, so if you’re participating, as Ain said, it’d be better to see it through to the end.”

“…Thank you, night.”

When Elfin bows his head with a stern face and greets him, Bam smiles broadly.

“The females in the group should help each other and survive. Since Ain decided so, I, as a female, just have to follow.”

After saying some pretty cool things, I leave the clubroom at night and only Elfin and I are left behind.

“Ain, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

The golden eyes of the elfin sparkled as she spoke, looking at me with a determined expression. I was quite impressed by the behavior of these females.

“I’ve never worried. What would I have to worry about when I have you guys?”

At my answer, Elfin gave a short laugh and said, “Hehehe,” and then headed towards the Hall of Knowledge, saying, “I must go see the Empress to explain the situation.”

During the month of preparing for Try Conflict, I tightened my belt and prepared for the loose academy life that I had been enjoying until now.

Even the females who saw my sincerity mode were tongue-tied. It was probably a life no different from the packed schedule of a week that Elfin had planned without knowing it before meeting me.

“Patience, I finally expanded my level 5 spell slot to include ritual casting. Am I living with a pack of males or with monsters?”

Although I received player compensation and had high specs, my range of magic spells, understanding, and application were pitiful compared to Lulu’s, so I learned a lot from her.

Thanks to that, when I first learned how to fight a wizard from Lulu, I lost every single one of them, but now I’ve gotten to the point where I can win four times.

“Magic is magic, but swordsmanship and martial arts have also improved tremendously.”

Not only magic, but I also learned shield and mace from Marquis Ion and Icarus Moratium, boxing from Count Hoyo and Count Miho Iron Foxtrot, and, as a hidden trick, rapier dueling from Marquis Luciola Anastasia. (Marquis Luciola was delighted and shed tears when she saw how fast I was learning dueling)

“I can’t believe that a recovery magic user learns to heal themselves by deliberately doing so.”

Bandi has been by my side helping me to complete my schedule as much as he can. And he felt very sorry for me when he saw me recover on my own when I fell, and when I fell, I recovered.

“I haven’t found the person who secretly brought Ain in yet. But I think there’s something suspicious, since I’ve been catching things that don’t look right.”

The night was spent with the Duke of Night Sustained trying to figure out ‘Who made Ain participate in the Tri-Conflict?’ However, with the help of the Empress and Elfin, and even the mobilization of the Night Raven, they were still unable to find a clear outline of the mastermind.

Elfin had stopped learning the science of kingship. After explaining the situation to the prime minister with great difficulty and asking to temporarily suspend his studies of kingship, the prime minister became furious and said that he recognized the man who had done it. He expressed his gratitude to the prime minister, whose face he had never seen.

The royal family’s reaction was not so loud. Their position was that if they did it, it would be a win, even if it was unprecedented.

In particular, Empress Alexandra even told Elfin, “If you and Ain are left at the end, fight with all your might and win.” Of course, Elfin’s response was to tell the country’s supreme leader, “Don’t say such stupid things.”

“The test of strength is generally simple. You fight in a prepared battle area until half of the participants remain. ”

Of the three Tri-Conflict Tests, the Test of Wisdom and the Test of Courage were so varied that no two were ever the same, but the Test of Strength was always straightforward.

“The power that Tri Conflict tests is not just muscle strength or horsepower. The power to captivate people, and the power to move. ‘Power’ is also defined as a power. ”

According to Night and Lulu’s explanation, the test of strength was not simply a matter of individual strength, but also a place to wield charisma and power, based on interests at the time of battle. In any case, the one with the strongest power passed the test.

“I passed by beating up everything I saw. If you and Elfin work together, the test of strength won’t be too difficult. ”

Elfin and I nodded at Hoyo’s words.

“We will help you with the Test of Wisdom and the Test of Courage as much as possible, so for now, just focus on the Test of Strength.”

There are three days left until Tri Conflict, the Test of Strength.