Kays Translations

Chapter 125: Start of the Prestigious Matches

The rules of the prestigious matches are relatively simple: except for advanced-level magic and attacks that can cause death to opponents, everything else is generally allowed.

This rule is possible because there are priests from the royal capital who can use high-level healing magic and magic knights from the royal guard available as backups.

By the way, although there are quite a few who can use healing magic, those who can heal major injuries are rare, and in reality, each country’s royal family and senior nobles monopolize them.

The outcome of the matches is determined when the difference in numbers between those with combat capability doubles or when one side admits defeat. Also, if someone falls off the prepared stage, they are considered to have left the battlefield and are disqualified from further combat.

Furthermore, if the referee judges that the outcome is decided, the match ends there.

As the matches begin, both sides quickly divide into vanguard and rearguard formations.

Viscount Balbastre’s team led by Chigor Balbastre, who had been glaring at Isamu, had three members in the rearguard, while Count Lanzetta’s team had two.

The rearguard members remain in their starting positions, immediately begin chanting spells, and the vanguard moves slightly forward to protect the rearguard while they prepare their magic, planning to launch the first attack with the rearguard’s magic.

Isamu could see the magic energy being cast by both sides.

“Lanzetta’s side has two wind users, while Balbastre’s side has one earth user and two fire users.”

The three attributes of fire, earth, and wind are the most commonly used magic attributes. They are easy to imagine and remember, and among the new magics, they have relatively high power.

Anne-Marie’s specialty, ice attribute, and Liddell’s occasionally uses the lightning attribute, but they are not often seen. The water attribute is also popular, but it is rarely used in combat.

The Lanzetta side completed their magic first.

Both of them seemed to have cast the Wind Wall spell, creating a barrier of wind between the vanguard and rearguard, and in front of the vanguard.

Seeing this, three of the vanguard members from the Balbastre’s side dashed towards them. It seemed like they planned to use magic for support and engage in close combat.

Shortly after, the Balbastre’s side magic was also activated.

This was a classic combination magic using Stone Hail and Fire Blast.

The first Fire Blast exploded against the Wind Wall created by the Lanzetta side, canceling each other out.

Regardless, the three vanguard members from the Lanzetta side, shields raised, continued to accelerate.

This time, another Fire Blast and Stone Hail exploded simultaneously.

Since they can see the magic flying at them, Lanzetta’s vanguard spreads out, scattering their targets.

“Guh!”

Although the vanguard members of the Lanzetta side managed to avoid a direct hit, the scattered debris from the explosion caused injuries as they tried to shield their faces.

While protecting their faces with their shields, they managed to break through the barrage and close in on the Balbastre’s vanguard, only to be met with a three-to-one assault. With their shields knocked aside, swords were thrust toward their throats.

Unable to endure, the vanguard of the Lanzetta side, they raised both hands in surrender.

The Balbastre vanguard then proceeded to attack the next isolated vanguard member from the Lanzetta side and defeated them as well.

However, as they tried to move on to the next target, a Rock Fist from the Lanzetta rearguard struck them from behind.

Although the Balbastre rearguard activated the Wind Wall beforehand to block it, they couldn’t prevent all the rocks, and one unfortunate member was hit on the back of the head, causing them to faint and withdraw.

While the remaining vanguard from Lanzetta attempted to regroup, the Balbastre rearguard did not miss the opportunity created by the Rock Fist attack, which broke the Wind Wall, and launched another Fire Blast and Stone Hail at the now defenseless rearguard.

Unable to defend against the combined magic in time, two members of the Lanzetta rearguard were knocked down, resulting in two combat-capable members for Lanzetta and five for Balbastre, determining the victory.

“The winner is Viscount Balbastre’s family!!”

The referee’s declaration of victory echoed in the training ground.

“It turned out to be quite one-sided.”

Felix summarized.

“Yes, there seemed to be a difference in magic power, and that seemed to be the deciding factor. Does that sound right?”

Isamu confirmed his assessment with Felix.

“Yes, I think that’s what caused the defeat. Lanzetta probably knew they were at a disadvantage in magic combat in advance. They probably planned to somehow suppress the opponent’s magic with the initial Wind Wall and then engage in a favorable close combat. But it was painful when the Wind Wall was completely erased by a single Fire Blast.”

Felix’s assessment was similar to Isamu’s, attributing the difference in magic power they clashed with initially as the deciding factor.

“Miss, was it Chigor Balbastre who cast that first Fire Blast?”

Liddell asked Anne-Marie for confirmation.

“Yes, that’s right. Chigor-sama often mentioned that he excelled in fire attribute magic…”

Anne-Marie nodded softly.

“I see. Thank you. Isamu-sama, about our strategy…”

After thanking Anne-Marie for her answer, Liddell quickly began discussing their strategy for their upcoming match.

After about five minutes of discussion among everyone, they were summoned for their next match.

“Next, we will proceed to the second match! Members of Baron Reynolds’ family and Viscount Klaufeldt’s family, please gather at the entrance gate!”

“Alright, let’s go!”

“””Oh!”””

With Felix’s command in response to the call, everyone’s voices overlapped.

The Nyafu team led by Felix, apart from Mizeroi, who could hardly use magic, and Ulysses, who specialized in bows and magic, could be considered all-rounders.

Among them, if they were to be divided by strengths and weaknesses, it would probably be Felix, Mizeroi, and Tiramisu in the vanguard, and Liddell, Marcella, and Ulysses in the rearguard.

However, in the first round, Liddell deliberately took up the vanguard position, and they challenged the match with a formation of four in the vanguard and two in the rearguard.

On the other hand, Baron Reynolds’ team had an orthodox formation of three in the vanguard and three in the rearguard.

As the match began, both sides’ rearguards began chanting spells, similar to the previous match between the Balbastre and Lanzetta families.

The only difference was that all of Baron Reynolds’ family’s magic was fire attribute.

“Ulysses, can you handle it alone?”

Liddell, who had positioned herself slightly closer to the rearguard, asked Ulysses softly.

“Of course.”

Ulysses, the half-elf magic knight who had finished chanting the Wind Wall spell and was waiting to activate it, smiled slyly in response.

Next to him, Marcella was also waiting in anticipation, ready to activate the Wind Wall spell.

Immediately after, Baron Reynolds’ family’s magic was activated.

Two fireballs flew towards the three people positioned slightly ahead of Liddell.

The ones who were surprised were the Reynolds side, who cast the magic.

Despite the fireballs flying towards them, the three vanguard members from the Klaufeldt side dashed forward.

And just above the three charging individuals, Ulysses’ Wind Wall appeared.

Slightly angled, two Fire Blasts hit directly.

With a loud boom, the area was engulfed in flames and smoke.

“Did it work!?”

The expression of the Reynolds team’s captain froze in place.

Ahead of his gaze, Felix and the others emerged unscathed from the smoke.

However, immediately afterward, a delayed Fire Blast was unleashed towards Felix and his team.

“It’s coming!!”

Cheers erupted from the knight who launched it, but the explosion did not reach Felix and the others.

“Too bad!”

Once again, Marcella’s Wind Wall activated right in front of Felix and his team, protecting them from the explosion.

With the conviction that their magic wouldn’t reach them, Felix and his team, who were rapidly approaching, caught the Reynolds team’s vanguard off guard.

Their slightly spread-out formation became their downfall as they were individually defeated by Felix and his team charging in together.

As two vanguard members were knocked down, three Rock Fists were finally launched from the rearguard as a counterattack.

A high-density barrage of stones assaulted Felix and his team head-on as they attempted to approach the remaining vanguard.

However…

“Dual Wind Wall!!”

Ulysses and Marcella’s voices overlapped as they prepared for the next attack.

The double-layered wind barrier completely blocked the incoming barrage of stones.

Amidst the astonished Reynolds team, Felix and his team, after defeating the last vanguard, dispersed and headed towards the rearguard.

“That’s enough!!!”

…At this moment, the referee declared the end of the match.

“Considering the inability of Baron Reynolds’ family to continue, I declare the end of the battle. Therefore, the winner is Viscount Klaufeldt’s family!!”

With all their vanguard defeated and their rearguard’s magic all blocked, the referee judged that further combat would be pointless, thus declaring the Viscount Klaufeldt’s family as the winners.

Without any particular protests from the defeated Reynolds’ family, the match ended as declared.

At this announcement, there were murmurs of surprise from the spectators who had been watching the battle.

Although the rule exists, referees rarely stop matches. Since there’s often a significant difference in power, the outcome is usually determined before they intervene.

“Nice, it went according to plan!”

Isamu welcomed the victorious members with a smile. It was truly a splendid victory, literally a complete victory.

Since Liddell, who was waiting in the midfield position for support, did not participate at all, it was essentially a victory of five against six.

“Now that’s sure to get that grudge-holding bastard all fired up!”

Tirami said with a fierce expression. The grudge-holding bastard referred to Chigor Balbastre, who had been glaring at Isamu.

This time, they deliberately chose a fighting style to poke fun at that grudge-holding bastard. It was regrettable for the Reynolds’ family, but…

First, they completely blocked the fire attribute magic, the specialty of the grudge-holding bastard, with the Wind Wall just like in the previous match.

Furthermore, they completely blocked the second attack as well and achieved a flawless victory, which was the script that Isamu and the others had come up with.

“Wow, Isamu-sama’s advice is amazing. By angling the wind wall magic, the effectiveness increased to that extent…”

Ulysses, the hero of victory, said, savoring the words.

Wall magic like the Wind Wall is often deployed vertically, as indicated by its name.

If it’s very strong or the attack is weak, that’s fine, but if not, it’s often more effective to deflect it by angling it, increasing the defensive effect.

It’s a good example of how magic effects can change with just one image.

“If we continue like this, Chigor-dono will surely notice. In the second round, we’ll aim for another complete victory by using this to our advantage.”

And as expected, Chigor was glaring at Isamu and the others with a demonic look.

“Let’s not be careless. Well then, Marcella-san. Please give us your usual rallying cry.”

“Understood.”

Marcella, prompted, cleared her throat and looked at everyone.

“Please stay safe.”

“”””””Stay safe!”””””””

Isamu was aiming for a sure win in the second race, a familiar cry from the field work that he had always wanted to try.

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