Maidens of Cygnus - Volume 2 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Premonition of a Rivalry

Monday, the day after Alisa’s first match. Nobody in the class Alisa belongs to, 1-A, asked her anything about the match.

It was a competition against a rival school, but it was still an unofficial practice match, moreover, Crowd Ball is currently a minor sport. Most students didn’t know the matches were held.

“Good morning, Juumonji-san.”

“Good morning, Kagari-kun.”

But Joui, who sits next to Alisa, knew she had the match. The day before the match he even said ‘I’ll go cheer for you’. Alisa declined.

But today, Joui didn’t mention yesterday’s match.

Mei, who also knew in advance about the match, also didn’t bring it up.

They both acted like they didn’t really care, but they might have been just avoiding talking about Alisa’s loss.

◇ ◇ ◇

It wasn’t like nobody touched on the subject of Alisa’s defeat though.

After school, after Alisa left the classroom and was on the stairs on the way to the library, someone called her by the name “Juumonji-san” from behind.

“Izayoi-senpai.”

The one to call out to her, as if aiming for the moment when Alisa was completely alone, was Souma.

“Are you going to the library?”

“Yes. You too, senpai?”

“No, a teacher called me in to talk about something.”

“I see.”

Who called him and why, Alisa didn’t ask. Maybe it’s heartless, but she isn’t that interested in Souma.

That said, she felt it was pretty bad to say ‘Okay then, bye’ and leave. Also, the staircase between the second and first floor is like a straight path. Alisa was forced to stay walking with Souma as a result of her half-hearted decisions.

Because of that, it was Souma who continued the conversation.

“You were pretty close yesterday, huh.”

“Did you watch it?”

Alisa asked him, her voice revealing her surprise. She had no recollection of seeing Souma at the Magic University the day before.

“I didn’t have much time, so I only caught the last set. It was while you were playing, so you probably didn’t notice because I left as soon as it ended.”

“So that’s why. Thank you for going out of your way to watch. Forgive me for showing you an improper match despite taking your time to be there to support me.”

“It wasn’t improper at all. Your decision to change your magic to something simpler in the middle was splendid.”

Alisa was even more surprised by this detail Souma brought up than by him having seen her. And that someone noticed her ingenuity made her unexpectedly happy.

“...Thank you very much.”

“Don’t mention it. Juumonji-san, Crowd Ball seems to suit you quite well.”

These words though, she couldn’t honestly accept so delightfully.

“Why do you think so?”

“In Crowd Ball, magic isn’t used to attack. I think it’s perfect for a nonaggressive defender like you to train your magic skills.”

“Nonaggressive defender...”

That way of phrasing it might be too unusual, as Alisa started chuckling.

“So you knew I can’t use offensive magic.”

“I think that’s just fine, don’t you? Not everyone needs to be the hero. The party needs healers too.

“Party? Healer?”

“You don’t know RPGs?”

“I’m never played them, but I’ve heard a little about them... Izayoi-senpai, do you have an interest in games?”

“Just a bit. Well now, see you later.”

Once they arrived at the first floor, Souma headed towards the corridor that leads to the faculty room.

“Ah, yes. Excuse me.”

Since she needed to go outside to go to the library, Alisa went towards the entryway.

◇ ◇ ◇

After school in the Second Gymnasium, nicknamed ‘Arena’. On Mondays, like today, it is practice day for the Magic Arts Club and Kenjutsu Club. It can’t be said it’s big enough for the two clubs to share, but both clubs are already used to it. They figure it how to do it amongst themselves.

“Tookami, you’re even more motivated than usual today.”

The Club President of the women’s division, Kitahata Chika, called out to Marika who was hitting a dummy with a combination of punches and kicks. Today, she is her usual manly self.

“Ah, you don’t need to stop.”

Chika said to Marika, who was about to turn around and respond.

“No.”

But Marika stopped hitting the dummy and turned to Chika.

“This is just the right time.”

As proof that Marika’s words were the truth, a timer set up on the dummy’s head was showing a zero.

“Alright then. Tookami, did something happen this weekend?”

The way Chika sees it, Marika’s spirit is different from when they practiced last Friday. It was natural to assume there was some motive for this.

“I went to support the Crowd Ball Club yesterday.”

“Ah. The competition with Third High, was it?”

As could be understood by her words, Chika knew about yesterday’s competition.

“I noticed a girl that looked interesting there.”

“Noticed? You didn’t talk with her?”

“Right. She came to support Third High, and there was no chance for us to talk.”

“Oh? What kind of girl was she?”

Chika asked with growing interest.

“Let me see... Let me borrow the blackboard for a minute.”

Marika walked to the electronic blackboard placed close to the wall. It has a large display that uses a large colored electronic ink display.

She picked up the electronic pen and began drawing the girl’s likeness on the electronic blackboard.

Chika let out a “Oh” with a different meaning, revealed her admiration. It was line art with just black, but it was realistic, well drawn and quick to a surprising degree. It looks like she could even make a living as a portrait artist. This was the moment Marika’s unexpected talent became known to anyone other than Alisa.

“...She was like this.”

When she saw who was drawn on the portrait, Chika immediately knew who it was.

“Isn’t that Ichijou Akane?”

“You know who she is?”

“Rather, why don’t you know?”

Looking amazed, Chika sent the question back.

“She is the eldest daughter of Ichijou Family of the Ten Master Clans, and she was a semi-finalist in the women’s division at last year’s Magic Arts tournament in the Chubu region.”

“If that was last year, she was still a middle schooler, right?”

“Yeah. She’s become quite the hot topic in the Magic Arts community, the ‘supernova in the world of women’s Magic Arts’.”

Marika felt a little embarrassed due to Chika’s dumbfounded look.

“Last year I was studying really hard for the entrance exams, so... I didn’t have any time to look at news about areas I’m not involved with.”

“I get it. I guess that would be the case.”

Luckily, Chika believed it and didn’t make fun of her either.

“Well, that said, your intuition wasn’t wrong. Though it’s not ‘looked interesting’, it’s ‘super interesting’.”

The smile when she said that was a little mean.

“...Isn’t your grading of me too rigid?”

“It’s important to have the insight to determine your opponent’s abilities.”

“I only saw her from far away.”

“Wasn’t it just enough distance to tell she wasn’t an ordinary person?”

Marika was at a loss of words.

Chika grinned, looking like he was having great fun.

“I have video recordings of Ichijou Akane’s matches. Want to watch?”

“Yes please!”

Marika’s reply was instantaneous.

When she saw Marika readily jump at the opportunity, Chika giggled with a smile of a different variety than she had until then.

“In that case, we should probably gather everyone who wants to watch tomorrow in the club room.”

“Understood! I’ll go talk to all the first years about it!”

“Don’t be in such a hurry. We can just tell them at the meeting after practice.”

“Ah, you’re right, ahahah...”

She was probably embarrassed from anticipating it so much, but she put on a deceiving smile.

“Are you that excited?”

But unfortunately, Chika wasn’t that easy of an opponent.

“I’m going back to practice!”

Marika didn’t do anything foolish like continuing to resist Chika’s assault, choosing to retreat instead.

◇ ◇ ◇

After school, Alisa went to the library. Her objective is to study by herself until Marika’s club activities end. Since last month, when Marika joined the Magic Arts Club and Alisa joined the Crowd Ball Club, it became a habit for Alisa to wait in the classroom or the library on Mondays, as their time to go home didn’t match.

The library is divided into large reading rooms and self-study rooms. There are no open access bookshelves full of books filling the library, which are a symbol of libraries of the past century. Except for the books held in the underground storage room, all of them have been converted into digital format and can be read in each student’s personal terminal.

Among the reading rooms, there is a room where students can read valuable books and papers belonging to the Magic University. However, the use of this room requires special permission, so students almost never use it.

On the other hand, any student can use the self-study rooms, though it is first come, first served. These rooms are very similar to the ones in school libraries in the last century.

Though that being said, the seats in these rooms are rarely completely filled. It is the practice rooms and experiment rooms that are usually filled. Whether it is a classroom for general or specialized subjects, they have private terminals for students, so the library’s self-study rooms that require procedures to rent information devices like tablet terminals or notebook terminals are not very popular.

Alisa doesn’t use the self-study rooms in the library because she can concentrate better that way. It was so that she could read books as soon as she got tired of studying, a reason inconsistent with the purpose of the room. From the start, her number one objective is to pass time while waiting for Marika. In short, it’s to waste time.

Alisa rented a notebook terminal at the counter and entered a self-study room, then she looked around for an empty seat. She then happened to make eye contact with a boy she had just recently come to know. Alisa decided to sit next to the boy who raised his hand slightly when he noticed her.

“Hello, Karatachibana-kun. Can I seat here?”

She chose to sit next to Mamoru, but there’s no deep meaning to it. It was simply because their eyes met. Alisa felt it was rude and unfriendly to pick a seat away from him after they both became aware that they were there.

“Of course.”

Mamoru replied with a smile to Alisa’s formal permission request. And as for Alisa, she would smile even if it wasn’t Mamoru.

“Karatachibana-kun, do you come to the library often?”

It was just a coincidence that they met in this self-study room the week before. Maybe she just hadn’t noticed him before that. Alisa thought that and asked Mamoru about it. Not even for an instant did Alisa misunderstand that he was waiting for her.

“Yeah. I’ve always liked the atmosphere in libraries. In my hometown there’s still a library with books lined up.”

“You mean paper books?”

There was sizable surprise in Alisa’s question.

“Yeah, that’s right. The smell of paper made me feel really calm. It’s unfortunate that the library here doesn’t have that smell. But still, I can feel the air has the same nature.”

“I see... Is your home far away?”

Nowadays, libraries that have open access bookshelves with paper books are rare. Alisa’s curiosity lead to her question, it wasn’t because she was interested in Mamoru’s private life.

“I’m not sure if I would call it far... It’s in Ashikaga.”

But Mamoru’s response sounded like he was a little embarrassed. Consciously or not, he definitely had the wrong idea.

“What about you, do you come here often?”

Mamoru abruptly changed the topic because he didn’t want those weird feelings any longer.

“Me? I only come here on Mondays.”

The other party in the conversation, Alisa, didn’t seem to notice those feelings.

“My friend has club activities on Mondays, so I’m waiting for that to end.”

“When you say friend, are you talking about Tookami-san?”

“Karatachibana-kun, you know Mina?”

Alisa found it surprising that Mamoru would know about Marika. Mamoru isn’t in any club. He isn’t the sporty type, and he gives the impression that he isn’t at all involved with combat sports.

“Mina? You mean Tookami-san? Then I know about her. You two are the only first years to be chosen for the Public Morals Committee, and even if you weren’t, you two stand out.”

Knowing because she’s in the Public Morals Committee is a story that Alisa could believe.

“What stands out about us?”

But she didn’t immediately understand this part.

“Eh, well...”

“Well?”

Alisa kept piling on the questions on Mamoru, who looked hesitant to say anything. Alisa wasn’t particularly worried enough that she had to keep asking him questions either. She just asked for ‘no reason’. In fact, when Alisa first met Mamoru, she kept troubling him with successive questions like this too, but she had forgotten about that.

“...”

“...”

Alisa stared at Mamoru who was avoiding looking at her in the eye.

Though Alisa didn’t mean it that way, the gaze of a beautiful girl puts pressure on most boys.

“Umm... It’s just that you’re pretty and Tookami-san is cute...”

Mamoru turned red when he gave up and confessed.

Luckily for him, Alisa isn’t the type to get carried away because of this.

“Ah... Umm, sorry.”

Alisa apologized awkwardly.

“And... Thank you.”

But because she shily said that while looking away, Mamoru was ultimately not spared from the massive damage.

As a result, Alisa became even more embarrassed.

“By the way, Karatachibana-kun, what are you studying?”

And to dispel the bittersweet but uncomfortable atmosphere, Alisa asked the most usual question she could in this room.

“Ah, umm, I was doing civics homework.” 

The use of magic is severely restricted by law. Because of that, magic high schools emphasize education in civics over geography and history compared to general high schools, and education in the legal field is regarded as especially important. While legal education regarding the use of magic is a general subject, in a magic high school it is tinged with some specialized subject characteristics.

“The one that is to be delivered by next week?”

Today is May 25th. The monthly practical skill exams are the day after tomorrow. Alisa had decided that there was no point in rushing to prepare for the exams now, but even so, she didn’t feel like making progress on the homework which has a deadline on next Monday right before the practical skill exams. — That is, until she heard Mamoru’s answer.

“...Can you help me, Karatachibana-kun?”

Among the general subjects, Alisa’s strong point is science. She is particularly good at chemistry and biology. If this was a world without magic, she might have been called a ‘science girl’.

Conversely, she knows she is not very good at liberal arts. She is good at memorizing, but complex sentences make her flinch. Among the things Alisa is not good at, homework requiring essays about law are the worst.

Incidentally, Marika is even worse at it. The practical exams were not the only reason they both put off doing this assignment.

“I’m not too confident either, but... Should we do it together?”

“Yes, let’s do our best.”

Alisa, who had involuntarily been putting on the pressure with her gaze, nodded with a relieved expression.

But when it comes to ‘relieved’, it must have been far greater for Mamoru who escaped the pressure from the beautiful girl.

◇ ◇ ◇

Marika received a mail from Alisa, who was waiting at the library. She should head to the library as soon as practice in the Magic Arts Club ends, as she did until last week, but for this week only she’s making a detour.

Her destination is the geometry preparation room on the third floor of the experiments building.

The person she came to see is the teacher of class 1-B, Kitou Tomohiko.

“Excuse me. I’m Tookami from class 1-B.”

“Come in.”

Marika opened the door after being granted permission. She took a quick look around the room before she went in. Marika became relieved there was nobody in there other than Kitou and then came inside.

“Sensei, may I ask something about the range of topics in the practical exams in two days?”

Marika didn’t return to the geometry preparation room because she wanted to be alone with Kitou. She just wanted a high score at the fast approaching monthly practical skills exams by any means necessary. Specifically, she wants to be in the top 25 in her year. Each class has 25 students, so if she is within the top 25, she’ll join class A. If that happens, he’ll be in the same class as Alisa —.

Put simply, Marika is doing her utmost because she wants to become Alisa’s classmate.

“You don’t have to be that formal. Like you said, the exams are very soon so I can’t give you practical guidance, but if it is just a verbal question, I can help whenever.”

“Thank you very much. Honestly, I don’t really understand the theory behind frequency control. The swaying motion of a pendulum is periodical by nature, isn’t it? So then why do we need a process to maintain the amplitude?”

Maybe because Kitou allowed it, Marika’s tone became slightly informal while still retaining the politeness.

“The theory is related to physics and mathematics, not magic. To start, it is a necessary condition for a pendulum that it maintains its isochronism...”

Kitou explained while drawing a diagram on the electronic blackboard. He didn’t draw it by hand, he did it entirely with CG in a program. Kitou’s tone is firm, but the explanation polite. But Marika still can’t understand it well.

It’s understandable. Present day middle school doesn’t teach in this much detail and they haven’t yet reached this part in the standard high school physics curriculum. There are no doubt many students who don’t have questions, who don’t realize they have questions, at this stage. Just by thinking ‘Why?’, it can be said Marika deeply understands it.

But still, as a result of about ten minutes of Kitou’s fervent teaching, Marika reached one conclusion.

“So basically, pendulums like the ones used in practice that are just hanging don’t have a fixed period unless the amplitude is very small.”

“Correct. For now, it’s good enough that you understand that.”

“Okay. I don’t really get the theory, but I understand why it’s needed to have the process for maintaining the amplitude in the Activation Sequence. Now I should be able to use the magic without giving it too much thought.”

Satisfied, Kitou nodded to Marika’s words.

“As a mathematics teacher I want you to understand the theory properly, but from the standpoint of magic practical skills, that much is fine. Doubt is a big obstacle to magic, so it’s important to understand the magic you’re using.”

“Yes. Thank you very much. If you’ll excuse me.”

Marika bowed to Kitou, looking refreshed, and left the geometry preparation room.

It was a few minutes after Marika left. A call came in on Kitou’s terminal, who was in the geometry preparation room preparing to go home. After confirming that the door to the preparation room was closed, he deployed a soundproof field around himself and pressed the answer button.

“...Yes, that’s right. There is no doubt that Tookami was the one who came with the questions... Even without my Lord’s instructions, as a teacher, I have the duty to respond to student’s desire to learn... Don’t worry so much. As it is, I feel I’m winning her trust. How is it going for you?... No, I don’t think all girl students are looking for love. Just because they get close to a particular boy doesn’t mean it will be a hindrance. Rather, it’s more dangerous to be too impatient. Yeah, let’s talk in more detail later.”

With the call over, Kitou cancelled the soundproof field and resumed his preparations to leave.

◇ ◇ ◇

Just as she left the experiments building, Marika received a message on her terminal. It was a message from Alisa. It said that she was waiting for her in the lobby of the library.

(Oh no. Did I make her wait too much?)

Marika started to run. On the way, she passed by a boy who came out of the library, but she didn’t have the time to care about who he was.

“Sorry, did I make you wait!?”

Marika said that almost at the same time as Alisa got up from the bench.

“I didn’t wait that long. Sorry, I made you hurry here. It was time for the study room to close.”

“Eh, it’s already that late!?”

Flustered, Marika looked at a clock. For sure, it was already almost time for the gates to close.

“I’m really sorry.”

“I already said it’s fine. Anyway, let’s go home?”

“Yeah.”

Alisa and Marika simultaneously joined their hands. It was a natural thing for them. Thankfully most students had already left school, so there was nobody to give them strange looks. The two left through the school gates like that and headed to the station.

“Did the club drag on that much?”

Alisa asked Marika on the way. It was not a tone of criticism at all. Magic Arts Club practice had never prolonged that much, so she was simply curious.

“Eh, uh, yeah.”

“...What are you so flustered about?”

“Ah, I’m not flustered or anything. Umm, truth is... I went to ask sensei a question.”

“By sensei, you mean the teacher in charge of class B, Kitou-sensei?”

“Yeah.”

Marika nodded with an expression that felt somewhat similar to resignation.

Alisa wondered why she had that expression on her face. A little like she’s feeling guilty about something...

But Alisa couldn’t ask Marika about it.

“Why so suddenly? I would have gone with you if you went tomorrow or any day.”

What Alisa asked about was something different.

“Eh?”

But Marika was unexpectedly shaken by that question.

“Ah, uh? Ahahah... I wonder why?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

Alisa responded, sounding exasperated.

(She wanted to meet the teacher all by herself... There’s no way, right?)

Alisa laughed off the suspicions that passed through her mind.

◇ ◇ ◇

After eating dinner and bathing, Alisa was studying in her room when the Vidiphone rang, signaling a call. The caller was Marika.

Alisa pressed the answer button without hesitating.

“What’s wrong? Did you forget anything?”

She then asked that to Marika when she appeared on the monitor.

“No, it’s nothing. Were you busy?”

“It’s fine. I was just studying.”

Considering the duty of a student, that no doubt falls under ‘busy’, but neither Alisa herself nor Marika questioned that answer.

“Come to think of it, what did you go ask Kitou-sensei? The contents of the practical skills exams were already posted.”

Though she said they were posted, that doesn’t mean on a physical notice board in the school building. It was published in the student website, which she idiomatically called ‘posted’.

“Did you go show him what you’ve accomplished with ‘stillness’?”

Alisa heard from Marika herself that she received guidance from Kitou regarding ‘stillness’, a Movement-Type Magic practical skills task.

“No way.”

On the monitor, Marika slightly shook the palms of her hands sideways.

“They can’t give me practical skills guidance this close to the exams.”

“So there’s that too, huh?”

“He also warned me that he can answer questions, but not tutor me.”

It is not a weird word, but despite that Alisa felt uncomfortable at ‘tutor’. But she had a premonition that it would blow up in her face if she tried figuring out what it was about that word that bothered her so much, so she didn’t say anything.

“I asked him to give me an explanation for why the process of maintaining amplitude is included in the frequency control magic.”

“Isn't that because the period of a simple pendulum changes as the width of its swing changes?”

Alisa tilted her head, her expression showing she didn’t understand what her doubts were.

“Hngh.”

Marika intentionally verbalized a phenomime and puffed her cheeks.

“What did I do!?”

Not understanding why she suddenly had this sulky expression, Alisa showed impatience.

“Anyway, I went to ask!”

“I-I see... So, did you settle it?”

“He said a lot of things, but I couldn’t understand the theory very well. But I understood the process for maintaining amplitude really is necessary.”

“Isn’t that fine then? As long as you can use the magic, you don’t need the details of the theory.”

“Kitou-sensei also said the same thing.”

For some reason, Marika had a proud smile.

(Mina seems really attached to Kitou-sensei...)

Alisa’s thoughts revealed her shock. Alisa doesn’t know Marika’s attitude towards teachers after the first year of middle school. During those days, the old Marika was a girl who didn’t show whether she liked or disliked her teachers. She sometimes complained about ‘unpleasant teachers’ with her friends, but personally she didn’t assume a rebellious attitude, nor did she ever get too close to them.

(After I came to Tokyo, did something happen that changed her attitude?)

If her attitude towards teachers in general changed, it’s not something worth worrying about.

(Or maybe it’s only Kitou-sensei that is special?)

But assuming that it is affection for a specific teacher, that would be a big problem.

(...There’s no way, right?)

“Asha, is something wrong?”

“I was thinking that not needing to understand the theory is a very problematic thing for a teacher to say.”

Alisa misrepresented her own worries with a joke.

“Aha, you’re right.”

Luckily, Marika didn’t notice Alisa was unjustly suspicious of her.

“What were you doing, Asha?”

“After school?”

“Yeah, in the library.”

“I did civics homework.”

“The one about law?”

Alisa responded with Marika with a nod of her head. She felt a bit relieved — she didn’t realize she felt that way because Marika didn’t ask ‘With who?’.

“Ueh, that... I haven’t even started it yet.”

“It’s fine. It wasn’t that bad once I tried it.”

“Uh... Can you help me when the practical skills exams end?”

Marika skillfully showcased her puppy eyes through the monitor.

When she has this face, Alisa is unconsciously filled with the desire to pamper her.

“Okay. I haven’t finished all of it either, so let’s do it together?”

“Yay!”

On the screen, Marika raised both her hands as if screaming ‘Banzai!’.

“When should we do it? Submission is Monday, so Sunday? Or maybe on Saturday, so we have a day of leeway.”

“Before that we have the practical skill exams on Wednesday. Tomorrow’s club activities are independent training for me. Want to prepare for it then?”

Marika responded with a pleasant smile, and Alisa proposed they prepare for the exams tomorrow.

“I’m sorry. I have a club meeting tomorrow after school.”

However, Marika turned her down.

“Did you mention that before...?”

“It was quickly decided today.”

The practical skills exams are not done by the entire student body at once. This month, first years do them on Wednesday the 27th, the second years on the 28th and the third years on the 29th. The class distribution is also announced on the morning after each exam day.

But despite being in preparation for the exams the next day, even if it’s only the first-year students, they’re holding a special meeting? Alisa thought about it that way.

“Maybe it’ll end quickly, then if you still want...”

Marika looked like she felt guilty, perhaps she’s got the wrong idea that Alisa was blaming her. Thinking that, Alisa made the brightest smile she could.

“It’s okay then. I’ll ask Mei about it.”

“Yeah, please do!”

Alisa’s smile seemed to have the planned effect.

Marika responded cheerfully, her expression freed from her worries.

◇ ◇ ◇

Tuesday 26th, after school.

In the clubroom of the Magic Arts Club on the second floor of the preparations building, all the first-year and most of the second-year female students were gathering.

“Quite a lot of you here. I’m very impressed.”

And the only third-year student who came to the clubroom, Club President Chika, nodded with satisfaction as she looked over the gathered members.

“Okay then, let’s begin.”

Chika didn’t prolong the introduction unnecessarily. Taking into account that tomorrow is the practical skill exams for first years, they’re supposed to finish quickly.

The electronic blackboard that was carried here by the male club members switched to video mode. Worth noting that the male members are not here. They were chased out, with “Today is for girls only” as an excuse. Returning the electronic blackboard is also a job for the first-year male members after they finish the practical skills exams tomorrow. The epitome of male exploitation, a tradition in Japanese society, can also be found here.

The video shown on the electronic blackboard was a recording of a Martial Magic Arts bout. It’s from last year’s tournament in Chubu.

“First up are the quarterfinals.”

Chika added a single sentence of exposition.

The height was not very different between the opponents facing each other. It is maybe about 5 centimeters of difference. But in terms of physique, one of them far outweighs the other. They felt properly trained instead of being fat. The one with the lesser physique had the image of someone who’s still growing, instead of being slim.

The match began. First they exchanged jabs. They both had upright stances and given that they looked good at striking moves, they must be the striker type.

However, that impression was immediately discredited. The one with the large build pretended to go for a combination blow by lowering her body, instead aiming to reap the legs with both hands. This fighter is apparently more of an all-rounder.

The smaller fighter jumped lightly, just barely avoiding the tackle. No, it was tight timing, but it didn’t feel like he was ever in any danger. Rather, it looked like she avoided it easily.

The smaller one kicked her opponent’s shoulder mid-jump. The distance between them grew enormously from the recoil.

The person who received the kick was still standing in the same place. It could be seen by the way they behaved that they were slightly concerned about their shoulder that was used as a foothold. It might have received more damage than it looks.

“I think most of you know her, but the one who just dealt the kick is Ichijou Akane. It was found after the match that the fighter who she kicked, Kotani, had a damaged acromioclavicular ligament on their right shoulder.”

The ‘acromioclavicular ligament’ is a ligament that surrounds the acromioclavicular joint which connects the shoulder blade and the collarbone. It is said that when the acromioclavicular joint takes damage, this is the first part to be injured.

A commotion was spurred up among the members watching the video. It looked like Akane only kicked lightly. But they understood that that kick, which it appeared like it was just a convenient way to increase the distance, was accurately aimed at the tip of the collarbone. Nobody there had the carefree thinking to assume it was a coincidence.

When the match on the screen, which had slowed down, picked up again, the club members became quiet.

This time, Akane closed the distance. She appeared to be taking it easy while walking, but in a blink of an eye she was within reaching distance.

Her opponent, Kotani, was not fully prepared for it, perhaps fooled by her relaxed appearance. Akane pushed out her left hand to take advantage of this. She didn’t stop walking and right after putting her left foot forward, she swinged her left hand like a whip. Her palm, not a fist, slapped Kotani in the face.

It didn’t look that powerful. However, Kotani bent backwards slightly, but clearly to the eye, and brought her guard up.

As a result, Kotani’s upper body rose. At this point, because she left her stomach unguarded, Akane stabbed into it with a front kick. The soft shoes used in Magic Arts are named ‘soft’ because there are not hard parts in them, thus kicking with the tip of your toes is likely to hurt your feet. Nevertheless, Akane’s front kick appeared to thrust the tip of her toes, probably because she added a movement like she was squeezing in her toes right after hitting with the base of the toes — the so called ‘forefoot sole’.

Kotani’s body bent into the shape of the Japanese character ‘く’. She appeared to be going down like that, but, as expected of someone who made it to the quarterfinals, she wouldn’t simply fall over. She went for a tackle where she dove in from her position with her upper body falling down.

It was a surprise attack that ignored the damage received, to the point that some members watching the recording involuntarily raised their voices. In truth, it was so quick it caused them to question whether she was just pretending to be hurt.

But Akane read it this time as well. She dodged it so smoothly that it was impossible to assume anything but that she knew it in advance. She sidestepped to the right, pushed away the opponent’s arm with her left hand, pressed down on her back with her right hand and kicked her stomach from below with her left foot.

Kotani cowered down on the mat in pain. The referee announced she was down. The count began.

Kotani got up at the count of eight.

Right then, Akane went into full-on offensive.

On the next down, Kotani could not get up again.

The video stopped right there. Chika looked at the other members and asked “Do you want to watch the rest?”

A mood of indecision filled the room. Ichijou’s fighting style didn’t feel impactful enough to evoke fear in the viewers. But it lacks any weak spots, to the point it can be called magnificent, the kind that robs one of their self-confidence and breaks their heart. Rather than ‘supernova’, it seems more appropriate to call her fighting style that of a ‘queen’.

“Please let me see!”

But ignoring that atmosphere, Marika spoke up.

Seeing that Marika hadn’t just kept her fighting spirit, but was overflowing with it, both corners of Chika’s mouth went up in satisfaction.

“Anyone who doesn’t want to watch, you can go home, ya know?”

Chika provoked the club members, other than Marika.

Not a single one of them left.

The recording of the semi-final ended with Akane giving up from a lock.

A relieved air flowed through the room. Perhaps seeing that it was true that Akane lost with their own eyes, they were reassured that ‘by no means is she is an opponent I can’t win against’.

But Chika isn’t so kind to let things end like that.

“The one who beat Ichijou, Isogami, is known as an expert of locking techniques, and they went on to win the final as well.”

She briefly stopped talking and looked around the clubroom to see if what she wanted to convey was being transmitted. After confirming that the relaxed mood disappeared from their faces. She swung her sword yet again.

“If Ichijou had fought in a way that didn’t allow Isogami to get close, the victory might have gone the other way... Tookami.”

Chika called out Marika’s name, who still had a bright light shining in her eyes.

“How would you fight her?”

“I would go for an exchange of blows.”

The other club members were taken by surprise when they heard Marika’s answer. They were expecting to hear her say ‘I’ll grapple her or something’.

“You would fight on the battleground your opponent is best at?”

Chika, looking amused, kept questioning her. No surprise was on her face.

“It is my best battleground.”

“Hahahahaha...”

Chika laughed out loud. This way of laughing could be described well as a ‘hearty laugh’.

“You’re not going to take those words back, right?”

“I have no intention of taking them back.”

“Alright. I’m going to work you to the bone, aiming for the national tournament in late August.”

“Yes, please!”

The other members were astounded by the exchange between Chika and Marika.

◇ ◇ ◇

Once the meeting was over, Marika rushed to the classroom of class 1-A. She had arranged to meet Alisa as well as Mei there.

“I’m sorry, I ran late.”

“You’re finally here, huh.”

The one to respond to the loudly apologizing Marika was Mei. Contrary to the superficial meaning of her words, her tone wasn’t bitter at all.

“I’m reeally sorry.”

Marika lowered her head and joined her hands together above it. It wasn’t the posture of a serious apology.

“Mei, please forgive her.”

Alisa, mediating between them, was also half laughing.

“You’re right, we don’t have much time. As long as you get me something next time we go to Einebrise.”

“I will definitely treat you to something.”

Marika deliberately humbled herself to Mei’s self-important remarks. Put simply, this was a joke among fellow high school girls.

Alisa and Mei stood up and left the classroom along with Marika. The girls went to Mei’s house without making detours on the way there.

The three of them headed straight to the training facility when they arrived at the Isori Family house. The practical skills exams are tomorrow, after all.

Mei had been waiting in the classroom because she was exempted from the Student Council duties to prepare for tomorrow’s monthly exams. Suddenly holding a meeting (a pretense for watching a video) like the Magic Arts Club did is most certainly unusual.

“...Isn’t this just fine? You’ve at least passed the reference points for every task.”

After having finished the tasks, Mei gave a general comment on the results.

“Really? I’m so glaad!”

Marika shouted in joy because of Mei’s review.

“Alisa, you don’t seem to have any issues either. Well, in your case, you can practice at home as well.”

“No, this really helped. I can’t properly set up things at home like they are at school.”

Alisa showed Mei her gratitude with a smile.

“Good for you, it looks like you’ll be in the same class next month.”

“You too, right Mei?”

Alisa quipped at Mei, who had spoken like she was unrelated.

“Of course.”

But Mei was not perturbed. She was fully confident that Alisa and Marika were very grateful to her.

“It would be good if Koharu came too.”

“And Hiyori as well.”

Marika and Alisa talked about their friends that weren’t there with them.

“There’s nothing we can do if it doesn’t fit their schedule. They both live with their families, so they have a lot to do.”

Mei looked a little disappointed as she said that. She invited them during lunch today, but both Koharu and Hiyori declined, as they already had plans.

“Either way, let’s do our best tomorrow.”

To wrap things up, the three of them attempted the tasks they were least good at once more.