“Alright, everyone, grab one!”
Pastel shook the paper box. The rustling paper with the tournament assignment numbers inside made noise.
“Just one! Even if you want to pick more, you can’t take two! That would make you greedy!”
Alicia, having succumbed to the no-forfeit clause, hesitated before taking a number. After that, one by one, her friends came out to draw their papers.
“Next, next!”
Pastel waved her hand.
“It’s my turn.”
Dustyn, who had been updating the assignment numbers behind the podium, approached.
“Oh?”
Dustyn?
In Tournament A, sorted by grades, there was Dustyn, the errand boy for the Student Council?
Pastel’s eyes widened.
“Weren’t you just here to do errands?”
Dustyn, about to put his hand into the paper box, hesitated. Then, flustered, he stared blankly.
Pastel beamed.
“Dustyn! You’ve worked hard!”
The difference from the weak and timid girl—Pink Pastel, who had chosen him to vent her frustrations during the entrance exam despite his low written scores—was night and day!
She grabbed Dustyn’s hand, which was heading for the box. Raising her hand high, she looked down at the podium.
“Hey, everyone! Look at this!”
All eyes turned to her.
Pastel smiled brightly.
“Dustyn has earned the top score after all his hard work! Most of you have excelled in combat or academics since entry, but Dustyn did not, making this result even more impressive!”
Wow, wow!
“He’s the dark horse of this tournament! Dark horse! If any of you confront Dustyn without preparation, you’ll be in big trouble!”
Whoosh, whoosh, bang, bang!
Dustyn stared in shock. Then he glanced around to see the looks on their faces and turned beet red.
He could be heard muttering shakily.
“You sometimes do this; are you doing this on purpose because of the grudge from the handkerchief incident during the entrance exam…?”
“What?”
Pastel tilted her head.
Seeing Dustyn’s trembling pink eyes, he started to mumble, turning redder in a different way, and looked away.
“Uh, just let go of my hand for now.”
“Oh! I need to draw a number! Sorry!”
When she released his hand, Dustyn quickly drew his assigned number and returned to his spot to update it.
“Okay! Next, next!”
Leonard, who had been sitting with his feet on the table in a slouched position, walked out. He stopped with his hands in his pockets, adopting a delinquent stance, glaring at Dustyn without drawing a number.
“Hey! Why are you trying to show off?”
Dustyn, who had just updated his number and was awkwardly standing there, flinched.
“Oh?”
Pastel’s eyes widened again.
“Leonard, are you jealous right now?”
Leonard paused, looking back with a face of disbelief.
“What?”
Pastel said firmly.
“You can’t be! Even if jealousy wells up inside you, you can’t show it like that! Look at how much effort Dustyn put in to raise his score! Having faced him in a match during entrance, I can say for sure! Dustyn worked super hard!”
Leonard briefly touched his forehead, closed his eyes, then pointed at Dustyn in disbelief.
“Why would I be jealous of that guy?! He’s just a nothing!”
Huh?
“Hey! Dustyn! You tell him!”
“Uh? Uh?”
Dustyn looked flustered.
Geez.
Trying to scold his friend that quickly.
Kids who enjoy bossing around are really troublesome!
Pastel haphazardly drew a number from the paper box. She handed it to Leonard and pushed him away.
“Come on! You’ve drawn your number; now head back! Hurry up!”
Leonard, in his higher-grade body, wobbled from the force.
“Why are you drawing for me? Oh? No, I’ll do it.”
The drawn number paper fluttered in his hand.
“Hey! Show-off! Check this out! Update the match-up! Let’s have a bout!”
It was Dustyn’s opponent’s number.
Huh?
Pastel’s mouth formed a triangle in shock, looking down at her hand that had drawn the number.
What number did my hand draw in this situation?
Dustyn!
I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you…!
I couldn’t bear to look at Dustyn and turned my head away.
Ellie, who was in that direction, stared at her with a villainous look. It was a glance, like looking at a complete wicked mastermind.
Ellie, why are you looking at me like that?!
Pastel felt incredibly wronged.
So wronged.
Leonard went down, and Melissa came up. Her blue eyes suspiciously scrutinized Pastel.
A soft voice broke the silence.
“You’re not doing this on purpose, are you?”
Melissa too?
What did I do?!
Aaah!
The bracket for Tournament A was completed, and they dispersed. The Student Council members moved to the waiting room for Tournament B.
Pastel turned to Ellie.
“Alicia versus Melissa. Even though the clans have a rivalry, they won’t fight too harshly in a match, right?”
“As for me, I’m specializing in academics, so I don’t know combat, but I’ve heard of the feud between Bellamont and Camelot.”
Huh?
Could it be that Craft’s infamous meddling is mixed in with those rumors?
Ellie pondered.
“Maybe it’s best for you, as a mediator, to wait? The professor is present, but it might be tricky to intervene at the right time since both have formidable family reputations.”
Eek.
“What does Dustyn think? Dustyn?”
“Huh?”
Dustyn, lost in thought, snapped back.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear. What did you say?”
Pastel tilted her head.
“Are you worried about facing Leonard?”
Well, it’s understandable; he’s a tough opponent. I could easily win with my skills, but given the significant size difference, it would be too awkward for a peer.
“Why are you worrying that much?”
Ellie looked at Dustyn with disappointment.
“There’s no angel that will be affected by your victory or defeat.”
Dustyn’s ears turned red from embarrassment.
“Well, that’s not it. It’s just that I’m so unsure of how to handle him.”
“Ellie! Even though Dustyn usually messes up in his Student Council tasks, this is clearly the realm of combat, so don’t be too hard on him!”
Pastel thumped her chest.
“Dustyn! If you have concerns, come to me for advice! I’ll teach you the secrets of Tushah Tushah Pashah Pashah!”
“Tushah Tushah Pashah Pashah…?”
Dustyn looked dazed.
Then he unconsciously muttered quietly.
“Adorable.”
Oh?
Pastel’s eyes widened.
“Really? Thank you!”
Wow!
Praise is always a joyful thing~!
I wish the lord of demons would compliment me more often!
Ellie looked at Dustyn with disbelief.
“So naive.”
Dustyn averted his eyes, touching his ears.
“Anyway, I have no idea how to face Leonard.”
“Yeah!”
Pastel crossed her arms and pondered.
“Given that Leonard enjoys bossing around and Dustyn is more suited for a subordinate role, their compatibility is poor.”
They’d fit in well just walking together!
Dustyn stared blankly without saying a word.
Uh-huh!
I know how you feel!
It’s just too daunting!
“But if Pastel has a secret remedy, we can easily flip the compatibility issue!”
Pastel pulled out a glass bottle from her pocket.
“Bam-bam~!”
She held the bottle high. The yellow liquid inside sloshed around.
Pastel’s secret remedy!
It can even paralyze the opponent!
Whoa.
Dustyn and Ellie stared vacantly at the super ultra super special item.
Pastel boasted.
“As you’ve experienced, this can paralyze a person!”
Even the large Leonard would probably go down in one blow!
Whoa.
She took Dustyn’s hand.
“I’ve learned this from my master!”
Her pink eyes sparkled with innocence.
“Better to win dishonorably than suffer a devastating defeat!”
True teachings!
I will always follow this!
The once silent demon looked bewildered.
『I didn’t say it that explicitly.』
Then contemplating, she added.
『But it is a valid point.』
Leonard examined the sword and shield provided for the tournament.
“Geez. Cheap stuff.”
Despite his words, the equipment was of high quality. It was not something like a lightweight fether sword for training but an actual sword and shield.
For safety, the blade was dull and weakened in many ways, but it was still usable.
However, it couldn’t compare to the personal equipment prepared with the Count’s capital, leaving him feeling dissatisfied.
Having gathered new gear only to use the same equipment as the commoners? What kind of joke is this?
“Sigh.”
Had he been in the Student Council, he would have changed the rules long ago. No, if he could join the Student Council in the first place.
– Why aren’t they accepting me into the Student Council?
– Puru pu pa pa~!
Leonard looked up at the sky.
A girl, who had ambiguously answered, was flying around on a broomstick.
Her pink hair fluttered against the bright blue sky as she spun in circles, holding a white broom.
“Wow!”
Bright laughter echoed through the air.
A girl from the Craft family.
As infamous as she was, she was a being who lived without revealing her inner self.
Her lively actions and innocent expression were followed closely by her shadowy deeds.
Dual-natured, contradictory.
What is true, and which is the mask?
Even the reason they prevented people from joining the Student Council is telling. Though she puts on a lively facade, if one thinks deeply, the reason can be speculated.
Was it to concentrate power within the Student Council to monopolize it and minimize the number of personnel for smoother internal control?
A typical behavior of power addicts who try to keep every bit of authority they seized under control without sharing it.
“Wow!”
The girl repeatedly flew up and down, performing tricks. Her delighted laughter rang out.
Was this to manage public sentiment amidst it all?
What a sinister little girl she seems.
He turned his head and saw Dustyn holding a sword with a perplexed expression straight ahead.
Leonard frowned deeply.
Why is that kind of guy even in the Student Council?
– Why can’t I, but that guy is in the Student Council?
– Huh? Just because!
It couldn’t be just because.
It’s clear that they must have let him join because he’s easy to manipulate since he doesn’t have a strong mind.
Ellie also had an obvious weakness, being a demon, and she was probably included for that reason.
But despite guessing the reason, Leonard felt uncomfortable. It’s just that a clueless guy ended up holding power.
Why did it have to be him?
While minimizing the number of members in the Student Council might seem good at a glance, it has clear weaknesses. If any of the members, who functioned like parts, were to be removed, there would be significant complications in handling tasks.
But now that he became Leonard’s opponent in the tournament, it’s a good opportunity. He can wound the unqualified guy just enough and then fill the vacancy himself.
Whether as an apology for the inflicted injuries or to fill in the manpower gap.
After the broom performance ended, it was time for the matches.
Leonard pointed his sword at Dustyn.
“Hey! Just so you know, there are a lot of spectators, and I’m quite excited right now, so controlling my strength might be difficult; keep that in mind!”
Building justification.
However, Dustyn didn’t listen and was looking up at Pastel. He was gazing earnestly at the girl with uncertain eyes.
She smiled brightly and gave him a thumbs up.
What’s up with this?
Leonard pondered the signals exchanged between the judge and participant, which seemed guilty of cheating.
He only figured out the actual reason after the match began.
A glass bottle suddenly flew in, bursting with yellow gas.
“Khaaaak!”
Surrounded by gas, Leonard saw Dustyn charging at him while wearing a mask that was clearly prepared and was horrified.
He hurriedly looked up at the podium where Pastel was.
“Judge!”
That guy is using a foul!
It’s a disqualification!
Pastel, the judge who was watching, slowly turned her head.
“Wow!”
The girl’s finger pointed at the clouds.
“Dog cloud!”
The cloud looks like a dog~.
Leonard’s eyes widened.
You…!
This is blatant bias!
As he waited innocently for the disqualification announcement, Leonard was hit squarely with Dustyn’s sword.
“Cough!”
This cunning…!
