Daniel glanced over the chaotic practice field.
The ground was deeply gouged in places, and the traces of blackened ash left painful marks here and there, making the field resemble a battlefield.
“Whew… this is damned tough. Damn it…”
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Daniel suddenly squinted his eyes.
On the back of his hand, where he had wiped the sweat, there was something more than just sweat.
The more he wiped his forehead, the more red, metallic blood speckled his hand. It was not a pleasant sight.
Only then did Daniel realize that the forehead he had been hit on earlier was extremely sore. Had he let his guard down by trusting the wooden dummy too much?
Resolving to reflect on this duel, Daniel stopped wiping his now-bloodied forehead and lifted his head.
His sharp gaze fixated on a place still shrouded in dust on the practice field. Daniel had finished preparing his spells in case of any unforeseen incidents.
Ironically, at the spot where the dust settled, a student lay crumpled. The tension immediately drained from Daniel’s body.
“Well, it seems I somehow won…”
It had been a tough fight. Meeting a fellow student from Class A invariably led to a troublesome and burdensome duel.
This time, with the opponent using firearms, it was an even tougher match for Daniel, who specialized in magic. He had always found combat students who used ranged weapons to be terribly frustrating.
The opponent, who had been sprawled on one side of the practice field, had been squirming for a while but soon fell limp, the gun he had been holding dropping to the ground.
– The winner has been decided! This nerve-wracking duel’s victor is Daniel, a student from the second-year A class of the magic department—!
Upon hearing Professor Andres’s voice crack as he shouted, an uncontrollable smile escaped from Daniel’s lips. No doubt, his shiny bald head must have turned bright red. He could easily imagine it, even without seeing it.
– Thus, the finalists for the second-year grade duel have been determined! They are Vivian de Valuager from the second-year A class of the combat department and Daniel from the second-year A class of the magic department!
As soon as he heard that, Daniel involuntarily shut his eyes tightly.
“I’m facing Vivian again this year…”
Last year, he had also faced Vivian in the finals of the grade duel. At that time, Daniel had enjoyed the glory of victory after numerous complications, but this time, he had no idea what the outcome would be.
He couldn’t fathom how much Vivian’s brutal swordsmanship – from the Valuager family – had grown. Vivian had shown a tendency to hold back against the students he had faced so far.
In the finals, she would probably reveal her true self, showcasing the ultimate swordsmanship she had honed over the year.
Daniel trembled. He had no time to savor the joy of victory, as soon the path of tribulation loomed ahead.
“…I have to prepare.”
Muttering this, Daniel left the practice field with a weary gait.
It seemed that he was in for a particularly tough day.
Chloe’s lips, dry from tension, were repeatedly licked.
– Ah…! Student Elin has finally raised the white flag! Up until now, she has endured with spirit magic, but it seems she couldn’t hold out against the magic of the Adelheit student!
Despite Chloe’s earnest gaze, Elin, her close friend, ultimately surrendered. Her opponent, Laura, was indeed overwhelmingly strong.
– Thus, Laura von Adelheit from the first-year A class in the magic department has reached the finals! Her opponent, unfortunately, is none other than Chloe, also from the A class in the magic department! A magic battle will unfold! The spectacle promises to be magnificent!
‘Magnificent, my foot… I’m completely terrified…!’
Though she couldn’t voice it, Chloe felt an urge to confront Professor Andres. Not only had she been surprised that Elin reached the semifinals, but she couldn’t even imagine herself winning against a fellow A class student.
With an anxious expression, Chloe kept glancing at the entrance of the practice field. The door would soon open, and Elin and Laura would come out.
Her expectations were spot on. The moment the thought crossed her mind, the door swung open, revealing Elin emerging with weak steps from the practice field. Chloe hurried over to her.
“Elin! Are you okay?!”
“Ah, Chloe…”
Seeing Elin’s weak smile softened Chloe’s heart, causing her to feel an overwhelming urge to cry. Elin had bruises all over her body, likely from being hit by the flying ice shards.
“You did well. Really…”
With tears welling up in her eyes, Chloe said, and Elin chuckled lightly, playfully giving her a light tap on the forehead.
“Ouch! Why’d you hit me all of a sudden?!”
As Chloe rubbed her forehead, Elin spoke quietly.
“…Just to cheer you up.”
“Huh…?”
“About the Adelheit heiress. You’ll be facing her next.”
“Uh… right…”
“She’s seriously incredibly strong, you know? So, brace yourself and get ready.”
“…….”
Elin’s words were sincere advice. After hearing them, Chloe gazed at Elin’s face with a dazed expression for a while.
Seeing her friend’s vacant look, Elin gave another gentle tap to her forehead.
“Ah! Stop hitting me!”
“I did it because you looked so miserable. It’s better to wear a determined expression.”
With that said, Elin walked away toward the infirmary. Chloe stared at her retreating figure for a moment in a daze.
‘…Cheer up, she says.’
Chloe thought of the upcoming duel against Laura. There was no doubt that Laura would win, and everyone could foresee Chloe’s defeat.
‘She believes in me.’
Chloe felt warmth spread in her chest. After Elin disappeared from sight, she finally turned her gaze away.
“Yikes…?!”
And then, standing before her was…
A dignified and majestic figure, like a queen ruling over the practice field. Even though her slightly raised chin seemed arrogant, it didn’t diminish her grace.
Laura von Adelheit faced Chloe with a gaze that looked down on everything. Chloe gulped as she looked at Laura, who had stopped in front of her.
Finally, Laura’s lips, which had been perfectly sealed like a ripe cherry, parted.
“You.”
“Yes, yes!”
Startled by the authoritative tone, Chloe responded loudly without thinking. Laura stared at her oddly for a moment before letting out a shallow sigh and continuing.
“Before the duel starts, I spoke with Professor Antorelli, didn’t I?”
“Um, yes.”
“…May I ask what you talked about?”
Hearing Laura’s words, Chloe stared at her face for a moment. The fearful attitude she had shown earlier was completely gone.
“I’m sorry.”
“…I see.”
Laura, upon hearing Chloe’s answer, momentarily displayed an unreadable expression. Chloe couldn’t decipher the meaning behind her expression.
The standoff between the two lasted for about a minute before Laura moved past Chloe.
“Really. If you are a proper lady, you should be mindful of your conduct.”
“…What?”
“This is all the advice I can give you. In the finals, let’s have a match where neither of us feels regret. Well then.”
Without looking back, Laura stepped out of the practice field. Chloe gazed blankly after her for a while.
‘What on earth did that mean…?’
After pondering briefly, she shook off the thoughts. Right now, it was enough for her to think about how to face Laura.
‘Can I win…?’
However, she couldn’t come up with any optimistic predictions. After conversing with Laura, Chloe felt even more small and defeated.
The chances of Chloe winning against Laura von Adelheit were virtually zero. She understood this fact better than anyone else, but…
‘…If I do my best, I’m sure a good result will come.’
– If I don’t believe in myself, then no one in this world will believe in me the strongest.
The advice given to her by Professor Antorelli during their nighttime walk to the beach. Chloe recalled that advice and steeled her resolve.
As much as Professor Antorelli had supported her, she had to repay that support. Chloe thought so.
She walked out of the practice field. Unlike before, her steps were now filled with determination.
“By the way, where did Professor Antorelli go?”
The grade duel at the Caldera Imperial Academy had reached a point where only the finals remained.
To be honest, I could only feel frustration. It should be a joyful occasion for students to showcase their hard-earned skills and become the victors of the grade duel.
However, what if Laura were to experience the joy of victory? And if the Adelheit Duke were to share in that joy…
Could I sincerely congratulate Laura on her victory? Could I genuinely rejoice in her triumph?
I probably couldn’t. That was the most infuriating and painful point.
No matter how much Laura von Adelheit was the daughter of Maximilian von Adelheit, she remained a student I taught.
Therefore, it would be right for me to have no personal feelings toward Laura. Yes, it must be so.
It was certainly the case.
Biting my cigarette in frustration, I thought of Sofia Sub-Priest, who was likely tending to the injured students alone, and headed toward the infirmary.
While it wasn’t impossible for Chloe to win, objectively speaking, Laura had a significantly higher chance of victory.
Based on that objective fact, there was Laura, achieving an overwhelming victory against Chloe, while the Adelheit Duke rejoiced at the sight.
When that time came, how would I react?
“Damn it.”
No matter how much I thought about it, I realized I was a hopeless human in terms of being an educator.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")