Imperial Rankings. (3)

“From now on! The Frisian Royal Academy Rankings! The long-awaited first match of the semifinals begins!!”

The sky is a little cloudier than usual.

Even though it was the height of summer, the spacious outdoor training grounds of the Royal Academy of Frisia, which were a bit stuffy due to the weather, were holding a ranking competition that was attended by not only students but also a considerable number of outsiders.

“First, the first player enters! The black star who has overwhelmingly defeated the 3rd year Gwent Klein, who was a candidate for the championship in the round of 16, and has also easily defeated the quarterfinals, appears as if to prove who is the brightest star in the Kingdom of Freesia right now!! Nora, a 2nd year student at the academy and disciple of the Black Magic Tower Lord!!”

When the news came that the black magician had made it to the semifinals, the audience and students let out a few half-hearted gasps, and some even booed. However, as soon as the introductions were over, she appeared uninterested and went up to the training ground, only staring blankly at the opposite entrance through her emotionless eyes.

“And the 4th round contestant opposing him is! His Majesty, the student council president of our academy and the next king of the Kingdom of Frisia~!! But for now, it’s our classmate and junior, our 2nd year!! Albert Dear Frisia!!”

Her opponent is the dark horse of the second-year swordsmanship department.

When Crown Prince Albert appears, he is met with enthusiastic cheers and support, unlike Nora, and ascends to the top of the training ground.

“… I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

She tilts her head at Albert’s words, which were not heard by the students far away and could not clearly reach her because of the cheering, but she could tell from the shape of his lips.

There was absolutely no reason for me to come up and apologize right away.

“I wanted to improve this, but it’s still… deeply rooted.”

“Ah.”

And I understood.

He implemented a policy of admitting black magicians into the academy in order to reduce discrimination against black magicians, and he also preached that the black magic used by the Demon Race and the black magic accumulated through training by black magicians were different.

Moreover, it was with his help as the crown prince that the Master was able to create a black magic tower and sell various magic tools that could be used by ordinary people.

I think I saw Rudis’ back in that way…

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t care.”

“… Are you still mad at me?”

“Not at all. Rather, I’ve lost interest.”

“… … “

And now I know that Albert’s ideals are similar to Rudis’s, but they are fundamentally different.

Rudis, the master has been working tirelessly for us black magicians, starting from the bottom with nothing.

However, Albert was the ‘superior’ who only moved after ‘we’ came out into the open.

For some reason, Rudis is willing to sacrifice herself for others, but Albert is a ruler who does not hesitate to cut down others who put him in danger.

The futures the two people envision are similar, but the directions they take to reach their goals are completely different.

Now, I am finally starting to understand it properly.

“Nora, I… “

“Don’t expect me to give you time to approach me while chanting long and hard like other sloppy magic students, just draw your sword.”

Cut him off.

As the thick papers unfolded with a rustling sound and the magic book in my hand began to take on a black glow, Albert frowned but immediately raised his sword.

Yeah, that’s the part.

Even if you fought with me, even if we had a falling out.

Rudis never gave up on conversation, even if it meant forcing herself to be relaxed.

But Albert, whenever he feels that his opponent is a threat, he gives up and immediately draws his sword for himself.

I don’t have to think too deeply about who is doing the right thing, but I still liked that kind of stupidly honest side of him.

“I’m an idiot.”

“Nora, let’s talk after we’re done… “

“[Lv. 3] [Black Magic Bullet]”

As soon as the announcer signaled the start of the duel, I blotted out Albert’s voice with pitch-black blackness.

*

– Interview with Raoul Edmont, winner of the Frisian Kingdom Academy Rankings. –

– Raoul Edmont, a genius prosecutor who has been showing his talent since his first year of school, wins by defeating Nora, a black magician, in the finals and forcing her to surrender…

-The greatest ranking match ever, there has never been a ranking match like this in the Kingdom of Frisia before.-

-According to experts, the ranking match where not a single third-year student advanced to the semifinals is an unprecedented event in history…

-Black Magician. Is this even possible? An interview with Gwent Klein, a third-year student in the Department of Dark Magic who was a favorite to win but was eliminated in the round of 16. –

– The attack of the black magician, which started with the cancellation of the spell at the start of the match, was something that ordinary magicians could never handle… (omitted) Gwent Klein said that he couldn’t understand if his opponent was truly a merciful person, and that the black-haired magician looked like a demon attacking a person…

-Black magician Nora, controversy arose because she did not even attend the awards ceremony.

-… (omitted) While there are differing opinions on whether such a rude black magician can really be ranked 2nd in the ranking match, considering her ability shown in the semi-finals, her surrender in the finals seems to lack respect for her opponent…

.

.

.

.

Two weeks have passed since the Kingdom Rankings ended.

If the story had gone as planned, it was originally supposed to be Ellis and Nora, and Albert and Raul in the semifinals, but Raul’s opponent was changed to some weird second-year student who didn’t even know who he was, and Albert and Nora ended up fighting in the semifinals.

The only thing that can be considered fortunate is that Raul won the final… Honestly, when I read the article and watched the videos floating around, it seems like Nora did a rough job and just gave up.

In the semi-finals, he came in holding the magic book I gave him, but it seemed as if that was his goal. In the finals, he came out with only a catalyst he had made himself, and it looked like he was going to attack for a while, but then surrendered as soon as the catalyst had served its purpose.

‘Just as the Master said… It seems like Nora really has a falling out with Albert and isn’t on good terms with her friends at the Academy.’

In the quarterfinals, she defeated Albert more easily than expected, and even after the match was over, she turned her back on him and left the training ground without even saying a word to Albert to thank him for his hard work.

Even after the battle with Raul, he surrendered and left the training ground.

Even the fact that she didn’t show up at the awards ceremony… makes me think that Nora is going through puberty late.

This is really it. How did a kid end up suffering from second-year middle school syndrome after turning twenty?

… Oh, is it my fault for getting caught?

And finally, Ellis.

It seems she didn’t even participate in the ranking battle.

The Master said that someone’s magical cure was done first, and then it was lifted and the cure was done again.

He said that he hasn’t fully recovered. However, he said that he would recover cleanly without any aftereffects after resting for about a month, so he will probably be pushed back for a while in this ranking battle story and then he will be able to find his place on his own.

If you don’t think you can do it, I can just find it for you.

‘The question is whether Ellis will come to the Empire or not.’

It’s obvious that Nora has a falling out with Albert and is coming to find me, but Ellis is a different story.

She certainly didn’t feel any favor or affection for me, and as far as I know, she was properly flirting with Raul and building a romantic relationship, so much so that I couldn’t even count the number of times I saw her.

That is, if she comes to the Empire, it will definitely be to cheer on Raoul.

However, if she is unable to hold the sword now and cannot participate in the ranking matches, she may be heartbroken and just rest in the kingdom, which is a cause for concern.

In the Empire’s ranking battle, Ellis, Nora, Albert, and Raoul are the main characters who must do their best.

So, while I was reading news articles on the cell phone I received from my teacher for the first time in a while, gathering information about the current situation and checking the differences from the original.

“Hey! Disciple! I’m telling you to eat, but you’re looking at your phone?!”

“Pleiades! It’s lunchtime, are you planning on starving a girl to death?!”

“Rudis, what are you doing here alone?”

Beautiful women in black, silver, and gold followed me into the forest.

“Haha. You eat first, I have some news I want to check briefly. “

“You can check it while eating!”

“Why are you so angry when you only eat bread every day?”

“Soboro is a bread that is greater than rice! And you’re not angry, are you?!”

“… Does Soboro really have more of an effect on the chest than milk? No, but when I see what he does, I think his intelligence is low… “

“Eww?! What did you just say?! You said the girl’s IQ was low?!”

“Ugh.”

“””?”””

When I see the three people arguing, not arguing, like usual, and let out a snicker, the gazes of the pretty women focus on me, and I find myself making excuses without realizing it.

“No. It’s almost the ranking match, but we seem to be very peaceful.”

“Ugh… The girl fell down and can’t participate.”

“Hot! Of course. Even if you had learned for only a few days and had defeated all the other black magicians, I would have cut you out of the line!”

“This is great! If a girl does well, she’ll go out! Isn’t that weird?!”

“But didn’t you completely mess up in the final test, the battle with Purungi?”

“Wow!! Watermelon fox! Are you going to stick with the girl and stick to me?!”

“Hey, where are the allies and enemies in this situation?”

It’s really peaceful.

In other countries, it’s the time when students under 23 who have passed their respective ranking tournaments prepare for the Continental Festival held in the Empire, but I feel that way even more because I ended up competing at the Imperial Academy.

“Now, let’s go eat. Your Highness, if you squeak like a monkey, people around you will look at you strangely, so please stop.”

“Whoa! Whose fault is this?!”

“It’s not Rudis’s fault.”

“Don’t blame others for your own foolishness.”

“It’s the fault of the commoners who didn’t come to eat quickly!!”

While I leisurely enjoy the princess’s squeals, I think about the Imperial Ranking Tournament that will be held in two weeks.

‘… But Harb’s swordsmanship level has really improved a lot, Raul… Will he be okay?’

This is the beginning of the Imperial Rankings story.