Chapter 41: Chapter 40: Exams and Epic Rivalries!!
I've attended the Nine Schools Competition plenty of times—not just once or twice, but fairly often. However, Onii-sama wasn't always with me. After that incident, his summer vacations became anything but typical for a middle schooler. Between FLT, military training, and tutoring me, his summers vanished, yet he never seemed to mind.
Since I felt uneasy going alone, Onii-sama arranged for Lieutenant Fujibayashi to accompany me. Mother wanted to join too, but to protect our Yotsuba ties, she stayed back, likely out of concern for us. I couldn't help but smile wryly when Mother told me Aunt was sulking, insisting on watching with us.
Recently, anticipating our participation in the Nine Schools Competition, Mother and Aunt installed massive FLT-manufactured monitors in the main house's study and the Izu villa. They probably made that person buy them. I understood their desire to attend in person.
Onii-sama, bemused, remarked, "What are Mother and Aunt fighting against…?" I couldn't help but agree.
The most thrilling event I watched was last year's women's Cloud Ball final—a clash between First High's own, both from the Ten Master Clans.
The matchup: Third-year student council president Mika Mitsuya, holder of an undefeated no-point record, versus vice-president Mayumi Saegusa, a second-year who swept the rookie matches scoreless. Expectations for a high-level duel were sky-high.
As predicted, the magical volleys were so intense, spectators forgot to breathe. Women's Cloud Ball, typically a three-set match, ended 0-0 across all sets. Even extending to five sets, like men's matches, yielded no score. As the sixth set loomed with no winner in sight, Mika Mitsuya made her move.
A secret Mitsuya technique, distinct from their famed "Speed Loader," exploded onto the scene, flipping the match in her favor. I realized then: she'd planned a grueling, no-rest, double-match endurance battle to clinch victory. A strategy that would exhaust most magicians' psions, it demanded extraordinary reserves—an unthinkable feat when she'd enrolled, leaving onlookers stunned at her growth.
I couldn't tear my eyes away. Her strength echoed that person who saved me.
The result: 161-0. Mika's strategy secured a third consecutive title in the same event, spanning rookie and main matches.
At Third High in Kanazawa, known for its practical focus and two overall Nine Schools Competition victories, a group of formidable first-years gathered.
The boys: Masaki Ichijou, heir to the Ichijou family and dubbed "Crimson Prince," and Shinkurou Kichijouji, the genius "Cardinal George" who discovered a fundamental magic code. The girls: Airi Isshiki, the "Éclair" of the Isshiki family, and Shiori Kanou and Touko Tsukushiin, both from Numbered families.
For Airi, Masaki's presence as a fellow "Ichi" from the Twenty-Eight Families carried weight, but the divide between the Ten Master Clans and the Eighteen Assistant Houses was undeniable. Yet, she faced them head-on for the Nine Schools Competition.
"Third-year Mayumi Saegusa, Katsuto Juumonji, and Mari Watanabe are locks," Masaki said. "But this year's first-years are something else."
"You sound hesitant, 'Cardinal,'" Airi noted. "What's up?"
Airi, used to Shinkurou's confidence, was surprised by his troubled air. He muttered a name.
"First High's top first-year is a Mitsuya," he said.
"Mitsuya… Ten Master Clans…" Airi gasped.
"You two seem to know him?" Touko asked, catching their tone.
Masaki and Shinkurou exchanged glances, nodding. Masaki spoke.
"Yeah, George and I met him," Masaki said. "Not in magical combat, so his strength's a mystery, but my dad rates him highly. He's no ordinary guy."
No ordinary guy indeed. Masaki and Shinkurou still recalled his joint-locking takedown—impressive, but his magic was unknown. They hadn't strategized together, so it made sense.
"The Ichijou head says that much…?" Shiori murmured.
"Plus, a Rokutsuka enrolled at First High," Masaki added. "They'll likely compete. Others too. After the third-years struggled against Mitsuya, we can't be complacent."
Ichijou, Mitsuya, Rokutsuka, Saegusa, Juumonji—half the Ten Master Clans in one year, four from First High. Masaki's mention of his father's interest in the Mitsuya drew a vocal reaction from Shiori and a rare serious look from Shinkurou, driven by Mitsuya's competition legacy.
"Three years ago, we barely won overall," Shinkurou said. "But our girls were crushed. Since then, First High's women dominate."
"I saw last year's Cloud Ball match," Airi said. "We couldn't win. Saegusa lasted six sets because she's Saegusa. Against him, maybe ten sets minimum."
Ten sets—equivalent to back-to-back men's Cloud Ball matches without rest. Airi, inexperienced at that level, couldn't confidently claim victory.
"His events will dictate our strategy," Shiori said. "Masaki, know anything?"
"Speed Loader aside, nothing," Masaki said. "Even Dad's clueless. Every Mitsuya competitor uses different magic systems. We can't predict his moves."
"What a guy, troubling us before we even fight," Touko said. "First High's 'Magician' lives up to his name."
"Let's focus on what we can do," Airi said. "He can't compete in everything."
Shiori nodded, and the others agreed. They didn't yet realize Yugen could influence every event, even without competing.
After the girls left, Shinkurou quietly asked Masaki, "Was it okay not to mention that?"
"George, that's like asking me to be a sacrifice," Masaki said. "Give me a break."
"The 'Crimson Prince' is crying," Shinkurou teased.
"I didn't choose the name, but I'll own it," Masaki shot back.
That—Yuugen Mitsuya being Yuuto Nagano. His enrollment was reported to the Twenty-Eight Families, but his true identity was confined to the Ten Master Clans, a Mitsuya tradition for the competition's reveal. Shinkurou knew because Masaki told him.
Airi's ignorance suggested her father, the Isshiki head, had his own plans, but Masaki couldn't guess them. Having suffered from past entanglements, he wanted no more trouble. Shinkurou, sensing the same, didn't press further.
July 2095.
Magic high schools taught general subjects, magical theory, and practical magic—demanding curricula befitting national institutions. Exams comprised written magical theory tests and practical evaluations, typical of such schools.
Magical theory covered core subjects (Fundamental Magic Studies, Magical Engineering), two electives from Magical Geometry, Magical Linguistics, Magical Pharmacology, or Magical Architecture, and one from Magical History or Magical Taxonomy—five subjects total. Practical exams assessed casting speed, spell scale, and interference strength, mirroring entrance exams to gauge growth.
Yugen chose Magical Linguistics, Magical Geometry, and Magical Taxonomy. He'd considered Magical History, but the Joushima family's living history—Gousan's Third World War tales—sufficed. Magical Linguistics was a breeze thanks to his cheat-like "Linguistic Comprehension," earning perfect scores. Magical Geometry came naturally, somehow. Magical Engineering? Perfect, obviously. Taxonomy? Handled.
For practicals, he cleared without breaking the machines—though 99ms was overkill, he admitted.
The first-term exam results for first-years were announced, with top scorers' names posted on the school network. The combined theory and practical rankings were:
1-A Yugen Mitsuya
1-A Miyuki Shiba
1-A Touya Rokutsuka
1-A Honoka Mitsui
1-A Shizuku Kitayama
1-B Hajime Tsukasa
"Yay!" Honoka cheered.
"First to third makes sense," Erika said.
"Congrats, Yuugen-san, Miyuki, Touya-san!" Honoka said.
"Thanks, Honoka," Miyuki replied.
Entrance exam scores balanced classes, yet the top five were all 1-A—predictable, perhaps. Practical rankings followed:
1-A Yugen Mitsuya
1-A Miyuki Shiba
1-A Touya Rokutsuka
1-A Shizuku Kitayama
1-A Shun Morisaki
1-A Honoka Mitsui
"Nice one, Touya," Yuugen said. "Ten Master Clans, huh?"
"You and Miyuki are the real monsters," Erika said. "Shizuku's no slouch either."
"It worked out," Shizuku said.
Predictable, but 1-A sweeping the top six highlighted a class-divide flaw. The top three's casting speeds dipped below 250ms.
"No way!" a classmate shouted. "This can't be right!"
"A grading error!?" another cried.
The theory exams caused the uproar:
1-A Yugen Mitsuya / 1-E Tatsuya Shiba (tie)
1-A Miyuki Shiba
1-E Mikihiko Yoshida
1-A Touya Rokutsuka
1-A Honoka Mitsui
1-A Shizuku Kitayama
1-E Mizuki Shibata
1-E Erika Chiba
1-E Leonhard Saijo
Class E—those tied to Yuugen—dominated. Leo's leap was shocking, thanks to Touya's tutoring via their mountaineering club bond. Erika ranking just above him promised inevitable chaos.
(I'm ranked with Yuugen-san and Onii-sama…) Miyuki thought.
"Shizuku's got it rough," Erika teased. "In more ways than one."
"That's what's frustrating about you, Miyuki," Shizuku said. "I can't lose."
Miyuki, thrilled to be outranked by two, was in her usual mode.
Yugen recalled Mikihiko's father—likely "Miki" or "Mikihiko" in his mind. They'd met a few times, but not in half a year, given everyone's hectic schedules. Erika mentioned telling Mikihiko, "Don't hold back just because he's Ten Master Clans." Yuugen had paid that price but felt a bit grateful.
Some grumbled about cheating or "theory without practical skill is impossible," but Yuugen shut them down.
"Magic is about making the impossible possible," he said. "We use 'impossible' things daily, yet call these results 'impossible'? That's contradictory. Instead of complaining, be ashamed of your own lack of effort."
Practical exams measured speed and scale, but slow casting had uses. For theoretical research, millisecond precision wasn't critical. Magic studies stemmed from math and physics; specialized subjects waited for high school, but curiosity-driven study wasn't wrong.
Course 2 students were deemed "lower" only by practical evaluation systems, not incapable of magic. Admission to a magic high school proved their potential. Classmates' excuses were just that—excuses.
The complainers fell silent. Shizuku, Honoka, and Touya gave thumbs-ups, signaling "good job." The classroom avoided becoming a freezer, thanks to Miyuki's mood. Instead, her cheery proximity drew envious and jealous glares from male classmates. As a certain archer might say, Course 1's petty pride could be fed to the dogs. Yuugen understood, as a Ten Master Clans member, he wasn't blameless.
The faculty, too, doubted the results, summoning Tatsuya to the guidance office. They questioned how someone "lacking" in practicals could excel in theory—a school-wide issue, not just a student one. They even suggested he transfer, admitting, "We can't teach you." Did they not see their own inadequacy? They wouldn't say it if they did. Tatsuya declined.
Yugen recalled Sayaka relaying Tatsuya's words: he had no expectations for schools as educational institutions. Tatsuya saw through it easily. He'd asked, "Please don't tell Miyuki," and Yuugen agreed. The last thing he wanted was a school iced over by an enraged Miyuki or a principal's ice sculpture.