- The Winter Tournament
It was an especially cold morning.
(Mmm…just a little longer.)
Raze had been awake since her roommate got up, but she burrowed deeper into her futon.
Today was a day off. No classes. Even if she lazed around until noon, no one would scold her.
However.
Raze opened her hawk-like eyes with a snap.
Though currently disguised as an ordinary student on a mission, she was still technically a soldier representing the Cyan Empire. One with the bonus of retaining memories from her previous life on Earth.
Surely some of her military comrades were still diligently working. For her, a superior to Raze about in a cushy, safe posting would be unbecoming.
Who knew when she might be summoned to a deadly battle? Daily preparation was crucial for survival.
Raze promptly abandoned the warmth and got out of the futon.
“Ugh, so cold…”
She could use magic to warm the air around her body and adjust the perceived temperature. But temperature adjustment wasn’t Raze’s forte. She could only manage it temporarily, not for extended periods.
Adding to that, people in this world rarely used magic just for changing clothes. There was a mindset against relying too heavily on magic, so she had never witnessed any transformation scenes reminiscent of her previous life’s memories.
So unfortunately, Raze had to endure the cold as she changed clothes and opened the room divider’s curtain.
The single room was more spacious than the tiny apartment she had lived alone in before.
On the other side of the divider was a girl with soft, milky tea-colored hair and vibrant green eyes.
“Morning, Folia!”
A commoner like herself who was in the same class. As roommates, Folia was the person Raze had spent the most time with since enrolling at this academy.
Folia Crecias was the first “friend” Raze had made here.
“Good morning! Have you seen outside yet?”
Asked in a clear, beautiful voice so unlike Raze’s sleepy one, Raze turned her gaze questioningly towards the window.
Beyond the open curtains on Folia’s side was a world of white.
“Whoa, snow?”
“Yeah! It must have fallen overnight!”
Folia stood by the window, delighted so early in the morning.
“No wonder…it felt especially cold this morning.”
Raze furrowed her brow, staring intently at the large flakes falling.
The Saint Riolle Imperial Magic Academy was a crucial institution housing elite students shaping Cyan’s future, as well as precious materials. Its location was kept hidden, never appearing on maps and constantly protected by illusion magic – even teachers couldn’t fully discern this academic city’s true nature.
If it was snowing here at this time of year, did that mean the academy was located farther north than she had imagined? Or just at a high elevation? Raze shivered at the thought.
If a proper snowstorm hit, it could hamper her subordinate soldiers’ operations. Praying no accidents would occur, she turned her gaze back inside.
“I wonder if it’ll keep snowing today? I was hoping to make a snowman.”
Standing right beside her, Folia’s emerald eyes sparkled as she gazed out the window.
“If it clears up, let’s invite Lady Carne to play together!”
Her innocent, radiant smile was dazzling.
As the daughter of the Foreign Minister and this academy’s top noblewoman, Carne Mortens would likely only accept a pure invitation to play in the snow from Folia.
“Sure. Once it lets up a bit. We’ll bundle up nice and warm so no one catches a cold, okay?”
“Yep!”
Raze smiled and nodded at her energetic reply.
Knowing Carne, if their schedules aligned she’d happily join them for fun.
“Oh, I was going to boil some hot water. Would you like a drink too, Raze?”
“I would!”
With the colder weather lately, they had started enjoying a warm beverage together before beginning their morning routines.
The slightly oversized matching mugs they had all bought together when Folia first invited Raze and Carne out made it easy to brew tea after heating the kettle water with magic.
Built-in magic stones allowed anyone to easily perform basic magic for everyday living – so convenient.
The two sat on Raze’s bed, sipping an experimental chocolate tea.
This was actually a trial product from the merchant’s son they had befriended after Raze gave him her ticket to Ruben’s birthday party. He had asked for their feedback.
“…Not bad, actually.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty good!”
Folia raised her mug-cradling hands, her expression puzzled.
While definitely chocolatey, the flavor wasn’t overly sweet, surprisingly light and refreshing – unlike anything they’d tried before. It might appeal to avid tea drinkers looking to mix things up occasionally.
“I bet it would pair well with a creamy pastry?”
“Or some berries maybe?”
As Folia immediately began considering what foods would compliment the tea’s unique taste, Raze joined the pleasant conversation. Such tranquil moments would have been unimaginable before coming to this academy.
These ordinary days made it easy for Raze to forget her military duties – a minor concern, really.
While blending in seamlessly as a student was ideal, the environmental shift from harsh battlefields left the veteran soldier ill at ease.
“Will you be exercising again today, Raze?”
“Yep, planning to hit the dojo.”
“Got it, see you later then!”
To keep in shape, Raze’s morning routine involved running. But trekking through rain or snow seemed unwise – better to avoid gossip.
The massive courtyard dubbed the “training grounds” had an adjacent gymnasium-like building. On bad weather days, Raze would occupy herself there until breakfast.
Without her diligent roommate Folia modeling a structured lifestyle, Raze doubted she could maintain such productive mornings.
Finishing her tea, Raze left the dorms with Folia seeing her off to study.
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Passing through the school building first, Raze walked the exterior hallway leading to the dojo.
The training grounds and building exteriors were blanketed in white, snow drifting onto the walkway – yet the special material remained clear as usual, seemingly melting accumulation.
(This early and there are already plenty of people around, huh…?)
Male students in athletic attire had gathered, likely for self-practice coinciding with the dojo’s opening hours.
As an elite institution, Raze had come to expect most students here were highly motivated. Still, their numbers surprised her.
“Ah, must be because of the upcoming winter tournament.”
Raze realized aloud as she continued down the frigid corridor.
Just after the summer’s battle festival had concluded, the grade-level tournament bracket for winter was rapidly approaching.
Though regarded as a prestigious noble academy, this was still first and foremost a magic school. Educational policy prioritized magical studies, so there were numerous combat-oriented classes and events. Well, the winter tournament functioned much like the battle festival, just split into grade levels to decide each year’s champion. With a reduced pool of closer-skilled competitors, students hoping for impressive performances had assembled early.
(Come to think of it, didn’t Lady Carne’s prophecy mention the winter tournament would be dangerous…?)
Raze recalled the previous event’s happenings. Befitting its Otome game backdrop, so to speak, accidents were inevitable. According to the scenario, the heroine Folia was supposed to sustain injuries from an opponent’s foul play, only to be rescued by Ruben. But what actually transpired was an attempt on Raze’s life by a Magenta Empire assassin using forbidden magic. Apparently, the enemy also had personnel privy to the game’s knowledge, identifying Raze as an outlier intent on derailing the plot. A ludicrous ordeal.
No matter how hard one tried to alter the game’s scenario, an enforcing mechanism seemed to demand events still materialize in a coherent manner. Preventing incidents altogether appeared impossible so far. Last summer, instead of Folia getting hurt, Raze took the hit.
This winter’s tournament wasn’t scripted to feature any accidents, just the heroine nurturing and supporting her romantic interests.
(Hopefully no one gets injured this time…)
It was no coincidence that whenever something Otome game-related went awry, Raze ended up hurt one way or another. As a distinguished soldier representing her nation’s military, suffering an ignoble injury was undesirable.
Then again, her protective duty as a bodyguard meant shielding her charge took priority over remaining unscathed herself. The scenario where she escaped harm while her protected person was hurt terrified Raze more than any personal injuries could. Somewhere along the way, accepting the inevitability of getting hurt – no, voluntarily Getting hurt – had become an unconscious mindset.
Watching people steadily file into the crowded dojo entrance, Raze frowned slightly.
“Maybe I should’ve just stretched in my room today?”
As third-years faced their last chance to showcase skills for prospective employers, this winter tournament garnered particular zeal. Underclassmen tacitly surrendered equipment and space to their elite upperclassmen when using the dojo.
Just as Raze considered turning back, her gaze fell upon the eerily vacant, snow-blanketed training grounds.
“Huh?”
A single figure made her eyes widen. Her strides slowed.
Amidst the frozen, white scenery, a fiery crimson mane danced like flickering flames.
“Is that…Lord Ian?”
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