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In the academy, preparations were underway for- ould be to Rudel and the other fifth years- their final individuals' tournament

This time's tournament would be the last festival for what those in the acadeeneration The royal fareat cooes without saying the royal faroundwork for But once the royal fa one after the next

The academy was a ruckus from top to bottom and it was decided the tournament would take on a different form from the usual Competitors would still be selected in the same way from their achievements up to the appointed date, but they had decreased the numbers They planned to hold only the finals, but from the voices of nobles and other hopeful coht students were chosen to take part

Of course, with balance in roups during the preliminaries It was concluded so, for if the three of them collided in the preliminaries, the spectators would likely find the finals to be quite unsatisfactory

The reconstruction of the arena had it reinforced, taking into account the possible hts Luecke had personally volunteered to take on the task He said he would secure the safety of the arena's spectators

He planned to use the individuals' tournaade the Halbades House had been preparing for a few years While he had considered concealing theht, and he intended to show the other nobles their power

By his work, the top eight coth But those involved with the school held their heads as they i roo on the tourna on Preparations were underway, but they couldn't help but be anxious The reason being all their probleht Rudel They could never be optimistic about those students ould always run contrary to their expectations

"Finally, the time has finally coathered silently nodded Ever since the golden generation enrolled, there were nu up to their graduation year

Two dangerous , one of which was an incident that enraptured princess Fina It was an incident that made the academy considerably fearful

In the class battles, a number of matches unthinkable at the level of the fundamental curriculum These would often produce abnoritimate heirs of the Three Lords were hospitalized at once

If Rudel participated, he would be hospitalized without fail In the infirmary, there were so prepared for hi the commoner Fritz, and the First Princess Aileen's interference… Rudel's free pass into the girls' dormitory, toleration of Aleist's i of curfew, the ever-updating record of destroyed facilities in Luecke's ht up, but to the teachers and staff who had surmounted countless incidents, their sensations had been numbed

They who supported Rudel and the others fro touches on what could be called their last festival

"Reinforce steadily No proble nobles… but I'h!"

Everyone nodded No matter hoary they were of Rudel and co, they could never be wary enough

"Fina-saave an order to remain cautious of Aileen-sa in the es to be had She wants us to be wary of the co too stupid"

"Leave it to us, head room for each individual competitor Thanks to Fina-sauards" "As I recall, they were a unit established to fill in the hole created by the royal guard, correct? Are the 'defenders' up to par? We can't allow failure at the end of the end" "That isn't a probleathered frodom" "… But why are there soto say I hate dee inclination in their selection, or rather…" "The royal guard's in the saists, after all"

As the conversation derailed, the headathering on his face

"Everyone, this is our last festival Exercise adequate caution"

The festival they spoke of, it was a word that referred to any school event that involved the problem children While it was a word laced with cynicisely accurate

The festival's preparations were steadily on their way

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The fact the teaching staff was busy at workout her preparations as well In order to oppose Aileen, Fina had formed the defenders that would come under her control They for formed as a miscellaneous job squadron readied to fill in the hole left by the royal guard's foruard whose reason for existence was still in question were Aileen's pieces to play With Fritz as its future captain, it was an organization of knights who endorsed Aileen They held high conceit, and froher existences than the other knights, they were terribly particular about their work They were a problem even in the royal palace, and Fina ather those of lower status and put theuard were enorinally of lower status could be passed cheaply Fina's father Albach had shown disapproval of its for with that of the anizations

With their work taken away, the high knights were also opposed They were desperate not to let the value of their own existence fall any further

But by taking a stance that they would take on the work that no other knight brigades wanted to do, their forated into the work looked down on by each and bit on

On top of monster control around the capital, they would respond to calls for reinforcements on the border While they called themselves defenders, in the naht brigades bit by bit, increasing in numbers from the sheer breadth of their work They were already on the level of a knight brigade The only reason they could grow to such a size in the short period fro away in the outer reaches that Fina had recalled

For Rudel's sake, the captain seat was left ehts abundant in experience to take on deputy roles Demi-humans were always low in status, so there were those who hated their noble superiors Fina had sold favors as she gathered thehts whose eyes sparkled at their final chance, Fina expressionlessly expressed her delight

(Veteran fluffies are the bessssssttt!!)

But unfortunately, Rudel had no interest in the royal guard or defenders That alone was Fina's largest oversight

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"… I' a chill for some reason"

"What's this all of a sudden, Rudel?"

In the cafeteria of the acade for the individuals' tournaether They finished lunch and were putting their ht time to leave They were so laid back the other students were unable to cause the out a cal it strange, Izu what had happened, but Rudel's ansas an a so at me Well, the tourna There are quite a few busilythe arena's safety, while Eunius had no other thought than his final adjust in the tournament, Izumi? I'm not sure what to think of that"

"Are you worried? I'm happy, but you don't need to hold back In most cases, women don't take part in the tournament But this one's a bit of a different case"

Every year, the individuals' tournament would have many male participants Besides those confident in their skills, wo use of mana, there was a tendency for woreater ability to reinforce their bodies with enders, it ca individuals

The reason there were so ic Lilim was an elf, and thus on a different spectruood exa this time's individuals' tournaht offer, so this individuals' tournament was her chance She would be able to sell herself

"To be honest, it will be difficult for ht you"

Rudel made a displeased face, but he did know Izumi's ability Her peculiar swordsnized It was si to take Izuuard down, then apart from me, there are plenty who'll pull the carpet out froh the harsh nonizedforRudel She already knew Rudel recognized her ability, and it was intended as a bit of a joke

But jokes often didn't get through to Rudel While he had been caluard doas Izumi

"I don't want to hurt you If any of the other coathered fro in Rudel and Izumi were famous in the academy In crowded places, they stood out

"N-no, Rudel, I'"

"I don't want your pretty body to be wounded"

The man in question put the words to mouth with an innocent sentiment, but the pubescent student body went and interpreted it on your own 'Your body is mine', the rumor was reinterpreted as hit spread like the nonsense of a telephone game As embellishments and fins were tacked on to their conversation, it eventually turned into the following

'I want to enter the individuals' tournament, Rudel'

'… It makes me sick toyour body'

'It's just a ainst you If they injure you, I'll slaughter their household'

Why did it come to this? The delusions of the students that could only bring those words tothe ears of the staff, and by it, the first ed to be Rudel against Izu"

Fina expressionlessly processed paperith respectable speed Her forent The papers she dealt with pertained to the defenders she had established, and she was doing a proper job

The reason she was filling those fore of the defenders was substantially Fina

"… There's thea shortage of hands It will be quite bad if we lose anyout with her work, she was uard, and by noout ork, Mii could only fulfill odd jobs like preparing tea

Even so, rather than Fina who could actually help out, Fina's evaluation of Mii was higher From how hard she tried to teach Mii the work, Sophina noticed Fina was slowly groo her into her secretary, and wouldn't let her run away

"We really do have toobetween knights has increased It really is a bother"