“I will get straight to the point. Robert and I are looking for a teammate to compete with us in this year’s Trelas Magic Tournament. Will you join my team?”
‘……Trelas?’
Damian’s proposal could not have seemed more unexpected from Jaes’s perspective.
Even Jaes, who had been considering several different possibilities, had never anticipated this.
He could not help being taken aback for a moment.
“Yes. It has already been quite some time since you enrolled here, so surely you know what Trelas is?”
“……Of course. It is the competition where teams of three face one another, is it not? Although I have never actually seen one yet.”
Trelas.
It could be called the most representative competition for mages seeking to test their abilities against one another. Teams of three mages competed to see which side could first destroy the opposing team’s crystal orb, which was positioned far away from them.
Since people could not always put their lives on the line whenever they competed, it was only natural that sports-like events existed in this world as well. Trelas was one of the most prominent among them.
‘It reminded me a little of a game when I first heard about it, so I could not help laughing.’
Naturally, as it was a competition intended to test magical ability fairly, the Magic Academy held a particularly grand tournament once every year. Students who achieved excellent results there could even represent the academy against teams from other Magic Academies.
As far as Jaes knew, Trelas was essentially an event resembling a school sports festival.
“Yes. I intend to participate, and I have been searching for one more person to join my team alongside Robert. I would like that person to be you, Jaes.”
“Hmm. When making a proposal like this, do people not usually introduce themselves first?”
“Hmm? Is there truly any need for me to introduce myself?”
“……No. I already know who you are.”
‘Tch. Nobles really are something else. That attitude of assuming that everyone naturally knows who they are is not growing on me.’
Of course, compared to Bele and his followers, Jaes had a far better impression of Damian.
Damian had never strutted around merely because he was a noble, as Bele did. During the incident moments earlier, Damian had effectively taken Jaes and Ian’s side as well.
However, that was only true in relative terms. Damian was still a noble, and Jaes’s favorable opinion of nobles had struck rock bottom after today’s incident. It was still too soon for him to feel genuine goodwill toward Damian.
‘Besides, even if he never participated directly, it is still true that he stood by and watched Bele behave that way until now.’
“I may not know much about it, but I thought first-year students did not participate in the Trelas tournament. Am I mistaken?”
Jaes was observing the bare minimum of courtesy, but his current attitude was precariously close to insolence for a commoner speaking to the son of a ducal house.
Robert, the butler standing a step behind Damian, glared sharply at Jaes. Damian, however, continued the conversation without appearing bothered in the slightest.
“No. You are correct. However, the rules do not prohibit it. The difference in ability between newly enrolled first-years and second- or third-year upperclassmen is inevitably considerable, so the custom arose naturally.”
“Hmm. Yet you still intend to participate? Why? For the experience?”
“No. Since I am entering, I naturally intend to win. If I defeat upperclassmen and win the Trelas Magic Tournament—or at least achieve an excellent result—while still a first-year, I will be able to raise the prestige of House Duschfeldt once more.”
‘……Ah.’
Jaes was not particularly interested in the matter, but he vaguely remembered hearing that Damian’s family had been gradually losing its standing as magic continued to develop.
“I understand. In other words, you need a teammate who can contribute through his abilities while allowing you to stand out, which is why you made this proposal to a commoner like me.”
Rather than denying Jaes’s words, Damian allowed a faint smile to appear upon his lips.
“As expected, you understand remarkably quickly.”
Among the candidates Damian had originally considered for his team, the most promising had been Bele, a first-year capable of using even Second-Tier Magic.
However, perhaps because Bele belonged to House Morris, whose influence had recently been growing at a rapid pace, he possessed a personality that Damian found less than ideal. Bele behaved respectfully in Damian’s presence, but elsewhere, he enjoyed taking center stage and attracting attention.
Even if they achieved an excellent result in this year’s Trelas Magic Tournament, Damian wanted himself and House Duschfeldt to receive the attention. He did not want anyone else to steal it from them.
Therefore, to speak honestly, Damian’s ideal teammate was someone like Robert: skilled, yet willing to devote himself to supporting Damian rather than seeking attention for himself.
Then the transfer student Jaes had caught Damian’s eye.
‘He appears to have some sort of connection with that Raiden. He also managed not to fall immediately against Instructor Grayker, a Fourth-Tier Mage. On top of that, he is a commoner. He is exactly the sort of person I was looking for.’
Naturally, however, that was only true from Damian’s perspective.
At present, Jaes had no reason whatsoever to accept Damian’s proposal.
“I will not bother asking indirectly. Jaes, you seem to possess considerable magical ability, yet for some reason, you do not wish to reveal it. Am I correct?”
“I do not know whether my magical ability is particularly impressive—but it is true that I would prefer to live quietly without attracting attention. If you realized that and still brought this up, should I assume that you intend to recruit me regardless of my wishes? Frankly, I naturally have no desire whatsoever to enter a place where participation would only draw attention to me.”
‘Now then. Is he going to use what he witnessed earlier to threaten me? Perhaps he will say that he will spread rumors unless I obey him.’
Damian might appear better than Bele, but he was still a noble of this world.
In fact, his status was even higher than Bele’s.
Moreover, he was still young. Surely he would not tolerate a mere commoner defying his wishes.
…At least, that was what Jaes thought. Contrary to his suspicions, Damian politely presented him with another proposal instead.
“Of course. I expected as much. That is why I wish to make you an offer. If you join my team as I desire, participate in the Trelas Magic Tournament, and distinguish yourself there, then whether it is before or after graduation, I, Damian, shall grant one wish of your choosing in the name of Duschfeldt—as long as it lies within my power. I swear it upon the name of House Duschfeldt.”
‘……Hmm? What is this? Is today some sort of special occasion?’
Even Jaes had learned enough by now to understand what sort of family House Duschfeldt was and how much power it possessed.
‘Honestly, that is somewhat tempting.’
Jaes had deliberately kept his distance from families and other such organizations because he believed that becoming involved with them would only expose him to unpleasant complications.
However, an opportunity to make Damian, the third son of a ducal house, owe him a ‘debt’ in a world like this was certainly worth considering.
“Oh? You would go that far for a mere commoner like me?”
“Neither I nor House Duschfeldt looks down upon people merely because they are commoners. If someone possesses ability, we are instead inclined to place them in an important position. Robert, my butler standing here, is also a commoner, but we have grown up together like brothers since childhood.”
At Damian’s words, Robert, who had remained behind him, lowered his head slightly and met Jaes’s gaze.
‘Hmm. It is true that I have never seen Damian harass commoners, including me. Normally, he would have no grounds for complaint even if I treated him as no different from Bele merely because he stood by and watched what Bele did. Still, considering that he grew up as the son of a ducal house in a society governed by rank, perhaps I should give him some credit for having this sort of outlook.’
“Even so, the condition is somewhat unclear. Saying that you will grant my wish only if I ‘distinguish myself’ is far too subjective. I might do my best, only for you to insist later that my contribution was insufficient. I would have no way to object.”
“That will not happen as long as you properly contribute. However, if that concerns you, you may add whatever conditions you desire.”
‘Hmm. He truly appears sincere.’
“What if I do my best but simply lack the ability to be of much help?”
“I trust my judgment. At the very least, I do not believe there is anyone more suitable among the other first-years.”
“Ha ha. That includes the fact that I do not want attention and can support you while allowing you to become the star, does it not, Lord Damian?”
“Yes.”
‘Heh. At least he is honest.’
“Then are you saying that you are confident you can defeat the upperclassmen and advance through the tournament this year?”
“I do not know. However, Trelas is not a competition based solely upon magical ability, so I believe we at least have a chance. Since using a sword to subdue an opponent is also permitted in Trelas, strategy and physical ability are both extremely important. If you are curious, I can demonstrate my skills here.”
With disciplined movements, Damian drew the sword at his waist a handspan from its sheath.
Jaes felt a faint pressure from him that was distinctly different from anything he had experienced thus far.
“……Could you give me some time to consider it?”
“Of course. How much time do you require?”
“I would appreciate at least a few days.”
“Then two days. Give your answer to Robert within that time. There is only one week remaining before the deadline to apply for Trelas. If you refuse, I will have to find another teammate.”
“Hmm. You are not going to force me to join? I would have expected a noble to treat a commoner like me that way.”
“I personally dislike such methods. Even if I forced you to join us, you would only become a hindrance during the tournament if I could not trust you as a teammate.”
“……I appreciate that. At least you have given me a choice. Then I will think about it and give you my answer, as you requested. ……Ah! But in return…….”
“Do not worry. We will also remain silent about what happened today.”
‘Hmm. He is not a fool like Bele, either. That means he is more likely to act rationally, which might actually make him trustworthy. I should seriously consider this.’
“Understood. …Then I will take my leave.”
After finishing his conversation with Damian and departing,
‘Hmmm!’
Jaes stretched once again and quickly began organizing his thoughts.
Damian wanted a capable teammate who would help make him the star.
Jaes wanted people who could serve as insurance in an unfamiliar world where he had no connections whatsoever.
He still had no desire to attract attention, so participating in Trelas felt somewhat burdensome.
However, even if they achieved an excellent result, Jaes could direct the entire spotlight toward Damian and focus on earning his trust and support instead.
When viewed that way, the proposal appeared worthy of serious consideration.
There was also one other point.
If Damian truly drew all the attention at the front, Trelas could become an excellent training ground where Jaes could test his theories in actual combat from behind him.
‘No matter how many times I repeat the exercise in my head, I have to experience it directly in real combat before I can truly make it my own. Just like what happened today. ……Still, far too many things have happened all at once today. It feels like a branching point in a game where the ending routes split apart.’
Raiden’s proposal and Damian’s proposal.
Depending on what decision Jaes made here and how he proceeded, his future in this world would undoubtedly change considerably.
‘This is exactly the sort of moment when I wish I could save the game. If this were a game, that is.’
An incident significant enough to qualify as an event.
A day whose beginning, development, reversal, and conclusion had dragged on for far too long.
A progression that followed a clear chain of cause and effect.
For Jaes, that moment marked the end of a day in which danger and reward had coexisted.
Therefore, all that remained was for him to return to his room and rest.
‘Haa. For now, I should go inside, wash up, and relax.’
……However. Reality, as always, did not end merely because he wanted it to.
CLACK.
‘……Hm?’
And the most shocking incident of that entire day came at that very moment, approaching the unguarded Jaes without warning.