Chapter 7: The Strongest Onmyoji Watches Again

　Since Mabel’s second round was to take place on the same day, I decided to join Amiyu and Ifa in the audience.

“N, thank you for your hard work. Here you go, Ifa. Seika, you’re back.”

“Yeah…Congratulations, Seika-kun.”

　Ifa blurts out in a downcast tone.

　Ah…….

“Ifa. See, I came back all right, didn’t I? I didn’t even get hurt.”

“……yes”

“Well… how did you manage to find us in this crowd? We only gave you a general location.”

“I did a lot of looking.”

　From the sky.

“I didn’t know you could do wind magic. You didn’t take any classes.”

“Sort of.”

“It was so easy for you to win against a golem with resistance. Your games are really not that exciting.”

　Then Amiyu says as she recalls.

“Speaking of which… if you win, do you intend to join the Imperial Guard?”

“Eh, no? I’m not interested. I’ll go back to the academy after the tournament is over.”

“Oh, yes; Yeah…Good.”

“What?”

“It’s nothing! Pray that they will decline the offer. I’m sure they have their own reputation to maintain.”

“I think it’ll be fine.”

　They would rather not have a sorcerer in their Kingsguard.

　The other side must be wishing for the same thing.

“I hope you only get the prize money. Worst case scenario, they might turn that down, too.”

“I mean, …… you’ve been assuming I’m going to win, but it’s not going to be that easy.”

　I don’t think I’m going to win, no matter how much I want to.

　Amiyu’s expression turns to one of bewilderment at my words.

“For some reason I can’t imagine you losing at all…… Don’t you think so too, Ifa?”

“…………I don’t know”

　Ifa said so and turned her face down.

　Ah…….

　I guess she was worried about me the whole time.

　There’s no need for that at all…however, I don’t feel like laughing it off.

　I lean in close to Ifa and look into her orange eyes.

“Ifa…it’s absolutely fine. Even if I lose, I won’t die.”

“……really?”

“Really”

　In fact, for me it’s like playing with a puppy.

　And by the way, I could totally die ten more times.

“…… because it’s a must.”

　Almost simultaneously with Ifa’s uneasy voice.

　The loud voice of the MC echoed throughout the arena.

“Thank you for waiting! Second round, next game! 』

“Hey, don’t flirt all the time. The freshman’s match is about to begin.”

　When I looked down at the stage at Amiyu’s words, both players were already in place.

　Mabel still carries a two-handed sword on her back. This time, however, she also carried two thin swords at her waist, and a storage holder for a throwing sword on her thigh.

　I tilted my head. What was she going to do with all those weapons?

　The opposing player, though, seemed to be a magician, as he was holding a staff in his hand.

“Harro is a highly skilled earth-attribute mage! Mabel, a first-year student at the Magic Academy, overwhelmed the orthodox knight in the first round with her superhuman strength and poise unbefitting of a magician, but how will she stand up against another magician? Now — the game is about to begin! ! 』

　The sound of a whistle echoed through the air.

　The first to move was the other magician. A large staff was pointed at Mabel.

“Rock blast!”

　With the name of the technique, a number of rocks as large as one’s arm are shot at Mabel.

　Without the amulet of protection, she could die, a medium level magic of the earth attribute.

　However, Mabel’s response was calm.

　She had already drawn two thin swords. The one in her right hand was lightly slashed at the approaching rock.

　I frowned involuntarily.

　Mabel’s thin sword was clearly suited for stabbing. It would be reckless to try to hit a rock with it.

　But the —- rock shell exploded the moment it touched the thin sword blade.

　The other magician fires a series of magic with a look of astonishment on his face. However, all the rocks that are released are crushed and dispelled by the thin swords that are wielded as if dancing with both hands.

　It was clearly an unnatural sight.

　It was nothing short of bizarre to see the slender sword wielded by the diminutive Mabel smash one by one against the giant rocks that had gained momentum.

　No matter how strong the wielder is, the sword will usually break or be shot due to lack of weight.

　Despite being bathed in earth magic, Mabel was slowly closing the distance with the opposing player.

　The magician, with a look of impatience on his face, then retreated far back.

“Kuh! Pulsating, roaring, exploding, breaking yellow! Precipice, precipice, steep, steep mountains…..”

　Spell chanting.

He had decided that medium-level magic was not going to cut it. The sorcerer, moving away from Mabel, raises his voice to unleash what is probably a higher level of earth magic.

　A perfect timing that creates an opening but not enough to close the distance.

　Mabel must have decided that she was not going to make it in time. Discarding both thin swords, she quickly reaches for the throwing sword in the storage tool holder.

　However, the magician’s reaction was also quick.

　He immediately interrupted his chanting and pointed his staff at the ground. Then, in an instant, a rock barrier rose up.

　It seems excessive against a throwing sword, but it is probably to buy time. Sure enough, the magician starts chanting again.

　Mabel, on the other hand, did not care.

　She released her throwing sword without regard for such things.

　Flying through the air is a small blade that seems as if it could not compete with a wall of rock.

　But――――that blade shattered the barrier with a roar.

　The magician hurriedly stopped chanting. He piled up the rock barrier in confusion.

　However, Mabel’s throwing swords were no match for them.

　It crushed and chipped away at the walls of rock as they were being created. The magic of the wall defense was almost meaningless now.

　The throwing sword itself is only the size of a small knife, and its speed can be tracked with the eye.

　It is obviously strange that it can penetrate thick rock walls with impunity.

　Amiyu mutters dumbfoundedly.

“What is that?”

“….. probably gravity magic. Mabel should have majored in the dark attribute.”

　Amiyu looks at me.

“I did a little bit in class, but that’s just magic to make things heavier or lighter, right? Can you do something like that?”

“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t explained in detail in the academy lectures. There are two major ways to make an object heavier. One is to locally increase the force of a star pulling an object, and the other is to increase the ease with which the object is pulled by the star. Since the particles involved have something in common, they seem to be grouped under the same gravitational magic, but the results can vary greatly depending on which method is chosen. In the latter case, it also affects the value of the difficulty of moving or stopping the object. ……”

“…???”

“Oh no”

　Seeing Amiyu open her mouth, I was forced to change my explanation.

“Umm… heavy objects are strong, and if you throw them, they’ll be powerful, right? If you have a thin sword or a throwing sword that is many times heavier than a rock, you can do something like that.”

　If you make your weapon lighter or make yourself heavier, you can handle any weapon, no matter how heavy it is.

　Conversely, by making the weapon itself heavier, its strength and power can also be increased.

“I think I kind of get it, but ……”

　Amiyu mutters.

“Isn’t that pretty hard to do? There’s no way you can swing it if it’s still heavy, so you’re using magic at the exact moment it hits you if it’s a thin sword, or at the exact moment it leaves your hand or not if it’s a throwing sword, right? Such subtlety without chanting ……”

　I’m certainly concerned about that too.

　Returning my attention to the stage, the sorcerer had just jumped out of the defensive wall under the pressure of the throwing sword.

　Before his staff could be aimed again, Mabel’s two-handed sword was swung in time.

　With a single swing, she sliced the staff in two.

　The tip of the staff was returned and thrust into the sorcerer’s neck.

　After a few moments of silence, a whistle sounds.

“Here, the judges have issued a final judgment! Winner, Mabel Crane! ! 』

　Mabel lowered her sword and walked off the stage with a blank expression on her face, as if she had not heard the cheers of those around her.

　More than her magic skills, I am interested in the swordsmanship she uses.

　I know this because I dabbled in it in my previous life, but it is not something that can be learned overnight.

　Mabel was proficient in both the handling of a fine sword and the movement of releasing a throwing sword.

　I wonder how a child who is adopted by a noble family could have acquired these skills.

“‘Was it a support magic buff or something? Mabel, you showed tremendous power! The red-haired hero’s mighty sword will not stop! 』

　I frown slightly.

　Again.

　Even at the end of the first round, that moderator compared Mabel to a hero. I hear such comments here and there in the audience and in the city.

　At first I thought it was a common expression, but there was no indication that other players were called that.

“…Why is it said that Mabel is the only hero?”

　I unintentionally said so.

　Ifa and Amiyu both turned their faces to me with a puzzled look on their faces.

“Why… Seika-kun, don’t you know?”

“Mabel is the same name as the second hero. It’s not an unusual name, but I think she sees it that way because she uses a sword.”

　At that moment.

　It felt like something connected in my head.

　I see.

　Could it be that it was something like that――――.

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