episode_0081
by fnovelpiaWith the duel between Laura and Chloe, the annual duels at Chaldea Imperial Academy came to an end.
As the annual event came to an end, its closing ceremony was quite extravagant.
Deacon Sophia and I walked down the aisle of the competition hall, where all sorts of flower petals were fluttering. Throwing flower petals was a tradition to show respect to the outstanding students who had done well in the competitions of each grade.
“That’s really not true. I don’t know much about magic, but if Chloe hadn’t fainted, Chloe would have won unconditionally!”
For some reason, Deacon Sophia was furious. I walked beside her and said,
“Yes, if you didn’t faint.”
“Ugh…! The head priest! Isn’t that a pity!?”
Deacon Sophia started to pat my arm, but I gently pulled her hand away to silence her.
Of course, it was a shame that Chloe had used up all her magic power and passed out at the last minute. It was also natural that Laura had no way to deal with such a huge blizzard.
However, rules are rules. Since the opponent has fallen, the winner has to be Laura.
What was really surprising was that after the duel, Laura vehemently protested her victory decision.
– I’ll request a rematch! This, this…! This can’t be considered a complete victory!
However, the grade-by-grade competition was not an event that was held just for Laura. It was not uncommon for a rematch to take place at the last minute, even when the grade-by-grade competition was in full swing.
In the first place, the fact that Chloe was incapacitated from fighting was a big factor, but anyway.
“Really, it’s such a shame. If only Chloe had held on a little longer… .”
“The word “if” is not something to be used so carelessly.”
“Ugh… . But, but… .”
Deacon Sophia, who had been groaning for a moment, soon nodded and shook off her gloomy expression.
“Whew! Okay! It’s a shame for Chloe, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Her tone still dripped with regret, but the winner had already been decided. There was nothing we could do.
“By the way, I’m going back to the academy tomorrow.”
Within, Deacon Sophia spoke, her expression wiping away the regret. I nodded in response to her words.
“That’s right.”
“I feel a little sorry. It’s my first time at the sea… .”
Deacon Sophia showed a wistful expression this time. Certainly, Deacon Sophia had been very excited about seeing the sea before coming here.
“Won’t you come back someday? The sea isn’t only in Brittany.”
“… Well, that’s true too.”
Deacon Sophia’s face relaxed a little. As we talked like that and headed towards the training ground, we soon arrived at the door leading into the training ground.
For four long days, countless students had crossed the threshold countless times to prove their worth. We stood in front of it and looked at the nine students visible through the wide open door.
The best students in each grade are gathered in the training room, three from each grade. A total of nine best students are gathered in the training room.
“I guess there will be an awards ceremony.”
As Deacon Sophia said, the reason I was called here was none other than the awards ceremony.
The top three students in each grade are selected as excellent students and receive brooches made of gold, silver, and bronze. There is a system in place to arbitrarily designate the recipients.
And for some reason, Chloe nominated me as the person she wanted to receive the brooch from. To me, it was more like the sound of someone beating a bonfire in my sleep.
It was really a mystery. I tried my best to think of reasons why Chloe might have pointed me out.
‘Why on earth?’
As expected, there wasn’t really a good reason. At best, he gave Chloe a few words of advice while walking along the night sea while she couldn’t sleep?
It was true that Chloe had magically grown a great deal this time, and that the concerns about her talent that she had confided in me while we were walking along the beach seemed to have been resolved to some extent.
However, I was unable to give Chloe a single word of advice on her magical talents, which she was concerned about, and I could only offer her vague words of encouragement and consolation.
Maybe it’s because I’m an advisory professor at the Occult Research Department. For now.
Anyway, I slowly walked towards the podium where Chloe was standing. Deacon Sophia was following me.
After passing the podiums of the third and second year students, the podium of the first year students finally came into view. Chloe was standing on the highest podium in the middle, and to her left was a podium that was slightly lower than Chloe’s podium.
I approached her. Since the winner of this year’s grade-level sparring match was decided to be Chloe, Chloe, who lost after a close match with her, naturally came in second place.
The distance between Chloe and me became so close that there was only about a step between us. Chloe, who had been looking at me from afar, smiled brightly.
“Professor! You came!”
“Yes. How are you feeling?”
“Ehehehe… . It’s okay now.”
Chloe scratched her head with an awkward smile. I looked at Chloe like that, and then frowned slightly as I heard the cheers of the students pouring out from the training hall.
I don’t really like loud noises, but I had to endure it for Chloe’s sake.
On the other hand, Chloe, who didn’t know about my feelings, saw me frowning and interpreted it in a different way.
“Professor, I’m sorry… . I’ve bothered you so much… .”
“No. Chloe student.”
“Still… . It all shows in the professor’s expression… .”
“That’s not why.”
I faced Chloe’s face straight on. I was standing on a slightly elevated platform, but since Chloe wasn’t very tall, I could only look up at her slightly.
“Chloe is a student in Class 1-A, and she is a student in the theology class that I teach. It is never a bother to stand up for the students I am in charge of.”
“… Hehe! That’s what I thought, right?”
It’s not that I’m annoyed. It’s just that I’m embarrassed.
After that, I stood facing Chloe and we talked about various things.
For example, the story that the duel with Laura was really, really hard. Or the story that the advice I gave her came to mind and she was able to light a blue flame.
As someone who is ignorant of magic, there were only a few things I couldn’t really relate to, but Chloe seemed to like it anyway. And so did I.
“Huh… . Still, I’m glad I finally found my talent. It’s not clear yet… . I had talent too.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. And… . It’s all thanks to you, Professor. Thank you.”
“I haven’t done anything.”
“Umm… It’s hard to explain in words, but anyway, it was thanks to you, professor. This is true.”
Chloe’s tone was so firm that I didn’t pursue it any further. I was just glad that I had been of some help.
As I was standing next to him, a familiar sound came closer. I glanced over to it.
“Father Antonelli. We meet again.”
“… … .”
It was Duke Adelheid, whose face was not clearly visible because he was wearing a bowler hat. It seemed that Laura had chosen Duke Adelheid to receive the brooch.
As I remained silent, Duke Adelheid spoke to Chloe this time.
“Chloe, right? Congratulations. Your magic was quite impressive.”
Chloe stared blankly at Duke Adelheid, who had appeared out of nowhere, for a while, then quickly lowered her head and opened her mouth.
“chi, thank you for the compliment… .”
“What. Talented wizards are always a great pleasure to watch. Work hard on your talent.”
I found that attempt to pretend to be kind and subtly impress upon me a good image disgusting. I moved my body slowly between Chloe and Duke Adelheid.
“You’re more childish than I thought.”
“… … .”
“Okay. You won’t talk to me? Then do it.”
After that, there was no eye contact between us. Chloe just looked at me with a slightly anxious expression.
So, how long did we wait in front of the podium?
Finally, as the students who placed third climbed onto the stage, preparations for the awards ceremony were complete.
– The Chaldea Imperial Academy also has a long history and tradition of annual duels! As has been the case up to now, there will be a brooch award ceremony for excellent students! Please give them a big round of applause!
The cheers from the stands and the applause that resonated everywhere echoed. I bit my lip as I listened to the sound.
I don’t like the sound of clapping hands, either then or now.
But since I couldn’t control all the students in the training center, I chose to endure it myself.
Soon, Professor Andres, who had come down to the training ground himself, began taking out the brooches one by one from the luxurious boxes.
– The brooch that contains the wishes of all students attending Chaldea Imperial Academy! There will be an award ceremony for the Excellent Student Brooch! We will start with the first-year students!!
The cheers that erupted from the stands were loud. I tried to drown out the loud cheers and received a silver brooch from Professor Andres.
– First, the first-year winner of this year’s class duel! The student who took home that honor is…! Laura von Adelheid, a student from the Faculty of Magic in Class 1-A!
Duke Adelheid pinned a brooch on Laura’s chest. And then, Professor Andres continued his words.
– Next up, the first-year runner-up in the grade-by-grade competition! Chloe!
I lifted the brooch. As I was caressing the silver brooch, I heard Chloe’s voice from in front of me.
“Professor Antonelli.”
“… Chloe student.”
Chloe had tears in her eyes for some reason, probably because she was disappointed that she had finished the competition with second place. I offered her some words of comfort.
“It’s okay. Chloe did her best, and second place is definitely worth it.”
“… Yes. I am very happy because I achieved what I wanted.”
Looking at Chloe who was smiling bashfully, I put my hand on Chloe’s chest to put the brooch on… .
“… … .”
I averted my gaze from my plump, assertive chest. The gaze from Deacon Sophia standing behind me was sharp.
How do I put this on?
* * * * *
“Laura, our daughter. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart.”
“… … .”
Laura von Adelheid forced a smile, but it was so awkward that it was natural for her father, Maximilian, to look at her with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong, Laura? Is there a problem?”
“… Oh, no. It’s okay. Thank you for the congratulations, Father. ”
“Yeah. I’m so happy that you’ve grown up so much. This summer vacation, let’s go on an outing with Lina for the first time in a while… .”
Her father began to speak, but Laura could not hear a single word.
Her gaze was only directed at Professor Antonelli and Chloe, who were standing next to her.
‘… I’m the one who clearly won. Why on earth?’
Why are you congratulating that child?
The only person who acknowledged Laura’s magic, or rather her very existence, was Professor Antonelli.
‘Wasn’t I the student that the professor acknowledged? Wasn’t I the only student that the professor acknowledged?’
Laura’s eyes lost their vitality, just a little.
This unknown emotion that Laura felt was clearly a sticky emotion called jealousy.
– Now! Let’s give a big round of applause once again to the main characters who made our Chaldea Imperial Academy shine!!
Even as the awards ceremony draws to a close, amid mixed emotions.
Laura didn’t take her eyes off the two of them.
Really, for a long time.
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