Sword, Magic and Academic Society

"So he's the Allen Rovenne in the rumors, huh?......"

"I heard he's been the apple of the eyes of upper society right now, an 'unheard of persona' even with this kingdom's illustrious history......."

"But everything else aside, what in the world is with that irritating mask......."

"What a surprise though, I never thought I would be able to see the real person in the flesh. I thought he was supposed to be the concealed ace card of the kingdom....... Anyway, write down everything. It's going to be in the report."

A stream of whispers — some that I would have been totally happy to not hear — poured into my ears, enhanced by my passive sonar skill.

"Go for it, li’l bro! Also, Rose will kill you if you lose!"

......Heavens, I would be ever so glad for anyone who could give me some game-like 'the story so far' tidbits to tell me how things came to this.......

"Hmph. With that face hidden behind a mask and coming so grudgingly, do you know you look like a newborn fawn? This is why rumors are nothing but embellished crap. Just you wait, I’m going to strip off that mask, you mob face!"

And why was this idiot suddenly getting all pumped up for receiving this much attention?

On the other hand, the idiot had completely treated me as air and instead, declared to Leo while pointing at him, "It’ll be your turn once I finish pummeling this mob face, Leo Zatsinger!"

However, Leo put on his usual fearless grin and answered to her provocation.

"Well, good luck, I guess...... I don't think my turn will come though."

Another buzz spread among the audience.

"......So you really aren’t putting me in your eyes, huh? You pumpkin brat, just remember that I’m not going to stop my attack even if you try to surrender."

Hey, hey, hey, it's Leo who's taunting you, not me......

Why in the world were Godorfun and Leo acting as if my victory was a forgone conclusion. Could they not see the idiot boasting that she had the upper hand, for damned sake!

I mean, it was clear she had a short fuse as she even kicked a fallen contestant, you know?! I would have to bear all the brunt if she got mad!

Oh wait, I remember there was a line 'to earn a girl’s favor, you have to praise them' written in the book 'The secret theory to becoming a popular boy' that I had bought secretly in my previous life.

One would imagine a book with a title like that might even have equation-like suggestions written on it as well, which had thoroughly made my scientific mind fall head over heels for it and convinced me to buy it, but all that written in it were just damn abstract theories and spiritual nonsense that didn't help me one bit.

Frankly, I didn't think Grayfia was someone to talk to about looks when she herself had the same mob face as me, but she was somehow acting as if there was no one comparable to her. That said, she still had one charming point.

I swiftly decided to bank on that point.

"Your canine tooth is quite charming."

"You bastard! Now you're going after the only part I don't like about me! Don't think I’ll leave you in one piece now!!"

......Ack, that turned out to be a landmine.

◆◆◆

After somehow blowing up the only possible landmine in our conversation, and getting caught up in this mess, I was also starting to get irked now.

It was almost like I somehow had some kind of deal with god in the typical white dimension when I reincarnated, and that was why each and every girl around me was filled with nothing but landmines. And the worst part was that I don't even remember a single bit about it!

No wait, thinking back, the root cause of everything started with this girl treating Olivia-san in a sickening way, souring my mood just when I was really getting into a festive vibe. Why in the world was I getting treated as a doormat by her?

"......Allen-san, why're you here?"

Olivia-san, who had regained her consciousness after a priest cast holy magic on her, asked me.

"You're amazing, Olivia-san. I don't think I’ve seen anyone fight so coolly! By the way, can I borrow that rapier?"

Hearing my request, Olivia-san tilted her head in puzzlement.

"Yes? Ah, but sure. But this rapier is tailor-made for me, so I fear it may not suit you."

I nodded and answered.

"Anything will work for me since I only need to use it for a little bit. Then, I’ll be taking this temporarily. Here, please take care of my bow and dagger in exchange."

Our exchange elicited a furrowed look from the perpetrator behind all this.

"Hey, you, are you really going to fight me with that borrowed rapier? Pfft, ahahaha. So it's just as rough for you, huh, to prepare an excuse for losing already, O’ great Sir Knight.

......Anyway, come at me anytime. You're at best going to be a stepping stone that would propel my legend and nothing else. The legend of Grayfia who made mob face knight A of Yuglia kingdom's knight order cry and lick my shoes. Pfft, ahaha!!"

Grayfia announced loudly in a voice that traveled to every corner of the venue.

After confirming that Olivia-san had gotten off-stage, Godorfun, the umpire, gave the signal to start the match.

"......Begin."

◆◆◆

Grayfia-san beckoned me while resting her spear on her shoulders. She wasn't even trying to put up her guard.

She must have thought there was no way she'd lose in close combat to someone younger. Well, she was correct in a way that I would be kicking away any chance of victory if I charged head first at her with a borrowed weapon.

She was at least one or two steps above me, so I doubt I would have won even with my usual wooden sword with me.

I spread my arms like an eagle, and, thinking up an arbitrary incantation, chanted confidently in a booming voice.

"O' Spirit of the Wind, Le Sylphy. O' Unfettered Maiden....... Grant this foolish man a baptism of wind for ignoring the world's rules. I pray to thee, let her pilgrim’s voyage be a tranquil departure."

Grayfia-san's eyes squinted for a moment, then gave me a mocking look.

"Wind Spirit?...... What? What are you blabbering about, you idiot... Phahaha, maybe you should tone down on reading too many picture books."

Kukuku.

Laugh as much as you want, for this is the only time you can.

And then, the wind started blowing. It first blew in with a speed of 5 m/s, but it turned fiercer by each passing second.

Well yeah, everything was happening within my control, this was just a show.

The audience who had been watching with bated breath broke out in a loud whisper.

"What?! Why is the wind suddenly blowing in the arena?"

Grayfia-san said as she finally took her spear in her hands and closed any opening in her defense.

◆◆◆

Grayfia had just taken her stance when the backside of her mermaid-like dress with a slit up to her thighs was suddenly blown up by the raging wind.

A silence descended over the venue.

The audience didn't have a guess as to what had happened just now. Should they be surprised, or maybe burst into laughter?....... They were lost on what approach they should take to the scenery unfolding before them.

Everyone literally had the same thought.

Perhaps, the one reason why they didn't burst into laughter at once was because the majority of the audience were from the upper class with refined manners drilled into them due to their lifestyle, unlike an audience coming to look at a convention where explorers compete with their skills.

Albeit, there was but one man who was number one under heaven when it came to 'not reading the mood'— Parth.

"Ahahaha! Pff-hahahaha! No, that, pfft, great!!!"

His unrestrained laughter echoed in the whole arena. Justin, the master of instigation, was standing beside him and hurriedly moved to close his mouth.

"You shouldn't laugh, Parth-san! I understand your feelings, that the same girl who jeered at others’ looks while calling them ugly ducks and pumpkin faces is herself wearing 'li’l rabbit' printed panties, but you can't just laugh like that!!"

The bewilderment of the audience found a direction to blow out at the comedic show of those two.

Soon, 'Pffttttt!!!', bursts of laughter echoed in the arena from here and there, seemingly no longer able to control their manners.

The solemn and upright royal guards in charge of the security of the VIPs were eyeing the arena with serious expressions, but anyone would be able to capture the trembling of their brows.

They not only held the prestige of Yuglia on their backs, but they were even in the presence of the VIPs of foreign nations, so bursting into laughter at the debacle happening in the arena was something they must hold off with all their might.

Grayfia hurriedly held down the hem of her dress in panic while shouting "T-This is just a good luck charm for me, I typically wear more risky and lace ones!" as if putting up an excuse. But her desperate cry earned her even more laughter from the audience.

"I-It's true, with more string and super revealing! T-The color is even black, too!!!"

Grayfia desperately repeated her excuse about how she actually wore more revealing underwear normally. Though the more she shouted in desperation, the more it worked as oil to fuel the fire that engulfed the arena in laughter and whistle.

But in a way, that was probably bound to happen when the same Grayfia, who had given off a vicious impression after her cruel treatment toward Olivia, was now trying to convince the audience about her choice of underwear with a furious expression.

The royal guards back in the VIP rooms had tears pooling in their eyes while their shoulders heaved up and down uncontrollably.

If they were participating in certain 'you must not laugh' TV programs in Japan, they would have surely got their 'disqualified' tickets from the judges.

It took Grayfia a while, but she also finally noticed her words were just livening up the atmosphere of the arena, pursed her lips and stood dumbfounded while giving the root of all evil that was Allen a death glare with her angry expression.

However, now that the wind had lost their direction when she held onto the backside of her dress, they decided to shift and tuck up the front part next.

She was somehow holding down the front and back part of her dress while still feeling the wind brushing past the slits from left to right. It was clear that if she tried to move her hands even a little bit, her 'lil bunny' would be out for everyone to gaze at.

Having her hands sealed in that fashion, tears pooled up in Grayfia's eyes as she glared at Allen with a furious expression, like a demon from hell.

◆◆◆

"Damn you pumpkin head, you lecher!! Don't you even have the guts to fight fair and square?!"

Fair and square.... Are you sure you're the one to say that?

Heck, I don't think blaming the enemy for the act when she herself entered the arena wearing a skirt type dress for battle is upright in itself. You know there were also trousers or shorts to wear beneath that if she didn't want to show herself that much.

I feigned a dumb expression and tilted my head in puzzlement.

"Umm, I don't think that's within my hands though. I did pray for a 'tranquil departure', it's just that Sylphy loves to prank others. There is nothing I can do the instant you enter her pilgrimage. You may have more luck talking to her instead of trying to ask me."

Grayfia hollered with bloodshot eyes.

"Don't give me that crap!! Hell, who even is that Sylphy?! Besides, that spirit or dumb shit isn't even real. Hurry up and stop these winds! I swear I'll burst that head of yours otherwise!!"

I shook my head in a 'good grief' manner. Seriously, even elementary school kids knew who Sylphy was.

"I don't think I have anything to say when you're so oblivious about Sylphy, the spirit of the wind and one of the four pillars of the great spirits. I would advise against angering her. If you want to pick a fight, at least do it somewhere near the entrance."

I declared it in a confident tone, staring at her with my nihilist mask while further raising the wind speed. This pushed Grayfia-san into even more panic as she hurriedly apologized with teary eyes.

"Alright! I'm sorry, Sylphy! I believe in you, so please stop the mischief now!"

I also slowly stopped the wind.

"..............I’ll kill you!!"

The next instant. Grayfia-san jumped at me with bloodshot eyes.

I deployed my wind magic at full power while shouting 'Stop her, Sylphy!!' which tucked up her skirt to the limit.

Her dress rolled up to the point that even her belly button was visible as it covered her head the next instance, robbing her of her vision.

Grayfia-san stiffened like an unmovable rock for some reason. I took that chance to knock down her spear from her hands with the rapier I borrowed from Olivia-san.

“Game. The victor is Allen Rovenne.”

A loud cheer erupted, literally shaking the air of the venue, following the announcement.

E/N - Well, I should have expected it would end like this.