"Z Class will be participating in the long-distance swimming competition?"
Inside the old dorm's run-down room, Margrethe sat beside Ran on the creaky bed, her eyes widening in surprise.
"That's right, MarMar. Mobu managed to convince everyone, you know."
That's a stretch, Ran. What really happened was—after seeing you in a swimsuit, every guy in class probably just surrendered their brains right there. Ah... guys are such simple creatures. Their judgment short-circuits the moment their eyes drop below the neckline.
"Wow. I'm honestly surprised."
Still wearing her pajamas, Margrethe stared at me with unblinking curiosity. For some reason, she'd started sleeping over pretty often. Tonight was no different. Dinner and bath were over, and we were just chatting before bed.
By the way, I no longer get nosebleeds when helping Margrethe wash up. My body used to freeze up back then, but I guess I've gotten used to it. Maybe it's because living with Ran and her... unique personality has dulled my reactions. Or maybe I've just developed a sibling-like bond with these girls.
Ran's innocence sort of overrides any other feelings. Moe is powerful stuff. Seriously—she's just too adorable sometimes.
Of course, I'm still a guy, and Ran isn't exactly shy. She hugs me all the time and doesn't even try to cover herself when changing. But somehow, that weird closeness ends up scratching the itch just enough that I don't feel overwhelmed anymore.
"I thought Mobu hated doing troublesome things like this," Margrethe said, tilting her head.
That's true, and hearing her say it so bluntly stung a bit more than I expected.
"Is that how I come across?" I asked.
"Yeah. You've got your own way of doing things. You don't really get too caught up with others, Mobu. Even though you're only fifteen, you act like an adult sometimes."
Well, that makes sense. On the inside, I'm more like an old salaryman than a teenager. My mindset's completely different from your average high school student.
"You already know the competition rules, right? What's your plan?"
"...Wait, what are you, Margrethe? Some kind of S-class spy?"
"Of course not," she huffed, clearly annoyed. Her face turned slightly red as she hugged the pillow she'd brought with her.
"The rules are kinda complicated, right? I don't totally get how it works," Ran muttered beside us.
"It's based on the total time of all class members, right?" I asked. "The faster your class finishes overall, the higher you rank."
"Exactly," Margrethe nodded. "But there's more to it. The top ten swimmers get a time bonus—kind of like a negative adjustment."
"And since the adjustment increases exponentially, the faster the swimmer, the bigger the bonus," I added. "If one class takes all top three spots, they could even win overall, no matter how slow the rest of their class is."
"That's what makes it interesting," Margrethe said. "It's not just a normal race. It's more like a battle royale—you can use magic to help your team or mess with the others."
"So like... using magic to boost your best swimmer?" Ran asked.
"Exactly. You could also trap the enemy's fastest swimmer with water spells. Even create whirlpools in their path to slow them down."
"Yikes..."
"Yeah. Each class comes up with their own strategy every year. Their creativity really gets tested."
The long-distance swimming competition was a tradition going back over a hundred years. The rules were refined and well-documented. Teachers watched everything closely from ships floating above the course. If anyone got in serious trouble, they'd use magic to rescue them immediately. It was considered safe, though once every ten years or so, someone did end up genuinely drowning. Still—there'd never been a fatality.
Even students who couldn't swim were encouraged to join. Just showing up and moving a few meters counted toward class points. Splashing around before retiring wasn't mocked. Instead, classmates would cheer and thank them for trying. That kind of atmosphere was only possible in an event with such long history. It was actually kind of wholesome.
"Still, it's obvious the SSS Class has the best chance. They've got crazy stamina, top-tier swimming skills, tons of magic power, and high-level strategy. They've won 60% of the time over the past decade," Margrethe noted.
"Yeah. Other winners were SS, S, A, and C Class. B Class hasn't caught a break in ten years, even though they're mid-tier."
"What about D or Z?" I asked.
Margrethe shook her head.
"Nope. Not even once."
She sounded confident.
"I looked into all the past records. D Class might have won once, but that was during a monster war. All the top classes—A and up—were called to the battlefield last-minute."
"Ah... so D Class stayed behind because they weren't strong enough to be deployed?"
"Exactly. Their individual scores were low, but they had the numbers. That year, they won just by having more swimmers. It was kind of a fluke."
"I see..."
Thinking about it calmly, there was no way we could win. Not in a straightforward way.
"I've got a plan, but what's SSS Class doing? Are they going all-out with magic support?"
Margrethe hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Blaze insisted on it," she said with a sigh.
Her face grew serious, and a deep silence settled between us. Something about it felt... uneasy.
Notes:
• Margrethe - Female. A new student and sub-heroine character in the game. She is a Mage class with low physical strength. Her appearance is not described in detail, but she is noted to have a pleasant scent. She initially comes off as hostile but warms up to the protagonist, Blaze, over time. She is proud and insists on being addressed with honorifics, reflecting her noble upbringing. She has a strong dislike for men, considering them weak and arrogant. Her relationship with Mobu starts on a tense note, but she eventually shows a more vulnerable side, acknowledging her need to improve her physical strength.
• Ran - Female. An orphan and a close friend of Mobu. She has a gentle appearance. Ran is kind and trusting, often relying on Mobu for guidance. She survives the demon attack by hiding in the secret base with Mobu.
• Blaze - Male. The protagonist of the game, born into the wealthy Rosinore family. He has blond hair and a heroic appearance. Blaze is kind and lacks arrogance despite his status. He is destined to become a hero and defeat the Demon King. His relationship with Mobu and Ran is complex, as they are not part of the main story.