Mila: “Okay. Get ready～”
Ms. Mila’s voice echoes across the Practice Field. This is the final day of the exams. The last remaining test for Igni’s class was Ms. Mila’s class.
Edward: “IーIgni, please go easy on me!”
Igni: “Leave it to me.”
Edward: “DーDon’t hurt me too bad!”
The practicum that Igni’s class is performing is actual person to person combat. The classmates will face off one on one and fight with one another. This is a practice match, so going full all out will be out of the question.
Igni’s first opponent was Edward.
Edward’s Magic Type compatibility is [Life].
There are those with [Life] traits that use {Physical Enhancement} or {Medicinal Enhancements} to fight, but Edward’s best Spell is {Heal}. To be frank, he is not great with combat.
But just because you’re a Healer doesn’t mean that you can just say, “I can’t fight.” You are enrolled in the Rolmod Wizard Academy after all.
Mila: “BEGIN!”
As soon as Ms. Mila gave the signal, Igni connects with Edward. He flips Edward over onto the ground. Because everything happened so quickly, Edward laid on the ground spread eagle with his eyes wide in shock.
Igni: “See? I was gentle.”
Edward: “IーIt didn’t hurt, thankfully.”
Edward replied back to Igni from the ground. Igni reached out his hand and took hold of Edward’s as he pulled him back up on his feet. Edward had already made the gesture for surrender, and one of the teachers who was a judge signaled the end of the fight. For Edward, this was the end of his exam.
Since Edward lost, he began walking to the edge of the Practice Field.
Edward: “How is it fair to go against Igni in the first round? It would have been impossible for me to win.”
Yoori: “Hey, at least you didn’t get hurt. Why not consider yourself lucky?” Yoori also lost in his first round and was comforting Edward.
Mila: “Those who won, we’re moving to the next round～”
Ms. Mila began giving directions to the winners. Half the class was now out of the exam, so the Practice Field instantly began looking emptier than before. Well, the building is quite large in the first place butーー
Mila: “Oh, Igni will be seeded for the next round.”
Igni was ready to finish his next round instantly and turned around to Ms. Mila.
Igni: “Seeded? So I won’t have to fight the next round?” Mila: “Yup. There’s an odd number left now, so someone will get left out.”
So Igni got to skip his next fight. Instead, he decided to observe his other classmates fight. The remaining members are those who distinguished themselves out of the group. Within it, he saw Alicia, Iris, and Lilly. It made him proud to see them standing there.
The 2nd round ended quickly, and the 3rd round began. Now, with Igni, there are 8 left.
Mila: “Okay～ just take it easy～”
Igni: “I can just take it easy?” Mila: “Of course. You’re probably the strongest here after all.”
Igni: “Well, that is true butー”
Mila: “I’d be in so much trouble if you go all out and destroy the practice field～”
And Ms. Mila waves him off with that.
Mila: “Or do you want to do a 7 vs 1?” Igni: “.............no. I really do not want to do that.”
No doubt, Igni will win, but he can’t see himself being popular after the victory. In fact, he might get ostracized by the class. So Igni politely declined and faced off with his next opponent, Iris.
She tried to block him off with a wall, but he jumped over it, and cast a {Fireball} from behind, and the fight was over. Next, he faced off with Alicia who was riding her broom, but he guided the situation where his {Scattered Shots} would be most effective and firing multiple {Fireballs}, he won that round.
Lastly, his Finals opponent was Lilly.
Igni: “So you were my last opponent, Lilly.”
Lilly: “Yes, I’m going to fight you seriously.”
Igni: “Yes, come at me with everything you got.”
This will determine the Strongest in the class, so all the classmates’ eyes were locked onto the two.
Lilly took out a short wooden practice sword.
Lilly: “[As the Wind Dances] : {Dunnett・Ventos}”
<GOH>
The sound of wind rushes out from nowhere and wraps around Lilly’s body. She will use the wind to support her physical mobility. This is different from the [Life] Type {Physical Enhancement} in that the wind will also serve as her armor.
Mila: “Okay, begin whenever you want.”
Lilly: “FUH!” (sfx exhale)
Lilly kicked the ground at the signal. Igni uses his [Revolving Ember] : {Ignite} to forcefully boost his physical abilities exponentially and dodges Lilly’s wood sword. He casts a {Fireball} at Lilly who is now right beside him.
Igni: “[Exposive] {Fire}!”
He erupts a {Fireball} to explode only in a specific direction, and Lilly’s body is flung backwards. But as she flew, her body noticeably decelerated, and she gently landed on her feet. The wind armor was protecting her. Any attacks of this level will work on her.
Igni: “[Equip Flame] {Ignite} : {Snipe}”
Igni pours power into his {Fireball} and as it rotates, he bends the shape into an ovular sphere.
Lilly: “SH!!” (sfx exhale)
Lilly once again kicks the ground and runs towards Igni!”
Igni: “[Launch] {Fire}”
As he casts his Spell, a dry, popping blast <PAAANN!!> was heard as the Sniper Shot headed straight for Lilly.
Igni: “[Explosion] {Fire}”
The {Fireball} explodes in midair!
Igni detonates the {Fireball} 2 meters (～6 ft) from Lilly, and the concussive wind rips off her wind armor!!
Igni kicks the ground as the blast recedes and connects with Lilly. He stretched out a hand at close proximity to Lilly’s body and created a {Fireball} at point blank range.
With that, the victory was determined.
Mila: “THAT’S THE MATCH!”
Igni immediately stops with Ms. Mila’s call. But one moment later, Lilly runs straight into him.
Igni: “<GUFU!!>” (sfx painful exhale)
Lilly: “AーAre you okay, Igni?!”
Igni: “I’m okay……..!”
Lilly ran far deeper into his gut than he expected, and his face paled, but Igni responded obstinately.
Igni: (How could I call myself a man if I can’t handle a little pain……?!)
So Igni forced a strained smile and held it in.
Igni: (Popularity is determined by these delicate moments. The response to these critical moments separates the Popular from the Unpopular……!)
Or so Igni was furiously repeating to himself, but his face went from pale to blue, and Lilly looked upon him with concern and stood by next to him.
Mila: “So Igni won after all.” Ms. Mila watched the flow of events with “Yeah, just as expected” and immediately signaled the end of class with “That’s all everyone～” and disbanded the group.
Yoori: “Good work, Igni, Lilly.”
Yoori walked towards where Igni and Lilly stood on the Practice Field.
Yoori: “I guess this is the end of our semester.”
Igni: “It’s finally summer break.” And Igni’s class would go into full break.
For the next month and a half, they have a long summer break to look forward to!
Igni: “Edward, what about the restaurant we made reservations at?”
Edward: “I reserved our table for the evening. The restaurant wouldn’t be open right now.”
True, it was still before noon, so the restaurant wouldn’t be open at this point.
Alicia: “Then, should we go home once and regroup tonight?” Edward: “Let’s do that.”
And Edward agreed to Alicia’s suggestion, and since no one else objected, Igni’s group disbanded temporarily. They would gather together again at night, and as Igni was heading back to his dorm, he saw Elina standing there.
A heavy, ominous cloud floating over her like a dark aura, and with a very discouraged face, she stood there.
Igni: “Oh? Elina?”
Elina: “IーIgni. I wanted to discuss something with you…….can we talk?” As soon as Elina spotted Igni, she walked to his saide.
Igni: “Talk? Sure. That’s fine butーー”
Elina: “Great. Can we talk over there?” Igni: “Okay.” Being understanding, Igni follows behind Elina.
Elina: “Igni. Are you…….free starting from the day after tomorrow?” Igni: “From the day after tomorrow? Yeah, I’m free.” Elina: “Igni. I have a request. It’s something I can only ask you to do!”
Igni: “Just to me…..? Sure, ask me anything.” Popularity Etiquette No. 5 ーー “Always help a woman in need.”
Elina: “Could you be my boyfriend starting from the day after tomorrow for one week?!”
And Elina bowed her head low with her request.
Igni: “I’d love to.” Igni responded without a second’s delay.
<<<<>>>>
CHONKY TL LiT (Lost in Translation)
Japanese Summer Break - (per Google) “The Japanese school year begins in April. The first term runs to around July 20, when summer vacation begins. Kids return to school in early September for the second term, which lasts until about December 25. The final term begins in early January and continues to late March.”
