The day passed and we reached lunch, followed by another event.
My girlfriends and I sat at the same makeshift table to eat.
The lunch boxes were made by the cooks and sent to us a while ago.
They wanted it to be hot, I will thank them personally.
"Say aah~"
Eli and the others surrounded me to feed me despite having my own lunch.
Eli extended the fork with a sausage to my mouth.
Lily some meat.
Evelyn gave me juice and Celia and gave me vegetables.
They wanted me to do it too.
The expression on everyone's face was a little uncomfortable for me as they were smiling goofily as they moved from side to side.
This was embarrassing as only cheesy couples do this.
It was a reassuring moment, but I don't like to be seen.
◇
"The winner is, Elize von Rosenberg."
The event that happened to be playing after lunch is a wooden sword fight.
The time limit is three minutes.
It is a very small ring.
You can't use magic and you also can't hit your opponent from the waist down or in the face.
I was participating in this event because the monocle teacher want it.
Cliff was the one who would be participating, but the teacher told him that if he gave me his spot he would give him a good grade... the little bastard accepted.
I don't understand why he did it either.
Eli was returning to the space set aside for the participants.
The reason she is participating is because....
"I want to prove myself."
So she said. Apparently she was a student at the swordsmanship academy, but she couldn't graduate since that family problem happened.
She sat next to me and her head was laid on my shoulder.
"It looks like it will be our turn in the finals."
"I don't think so."
"Why?"
"If you haven't noticed, Lambert is my next opponent after your turn."
Right, Lambert also entered this event.
What's worse is that it's a game event where Lambert wants to test Lily's feelings.
Very unpleasant just imagining it.
The only real thing about it is that he uses only one hand, meaning he really doesn't consider anyone worthy.
After a few minutes, it was Eli's turn.
"Wish me luck."
"I already did."
Eli walked to the ring to engage in a battle almost equal to the game.
Eli stared at Lambert who looked at her in a disinterested manner.
She pointed her sword in front of him to indicate that she respected him as an opponent.
Lambert didn't, meaning he doesn't see Eli as a rival.
Considering he defeated the other competitors in seconds, I'm not surprised he doesn't care much about the enemy.
The bell rang and Eli lunged towards Lambert, but he moved a little and stood behind her.
It looked like it would be over instantly, but Eli used her foot that was still on the ground to circle around and take cover from the attack.
Lambert showed no change in expression, this was still normal for him.
Eli was throwing swings of her sword in different directions to try to hit him, before I knew it, a minute had passed.
Normally Lambert would have finished this in seconds, but Eli was showing all her training.
Sometimes I would spy on her and watch as she used all her free training time to train.
Day and night she would swing her sword, run and fall to the ground to simulate a strike.
Eli entered the competition to show that even if she failed to graduate from the academy for swordsmanship, she was quite the warrior.
Another minute had passed.
Eli's perspiration was quickening, sweat was pouring from her forehead, but Lambert was the one who was really suffering.
His poker face was distorted as he was now angry, he shouldn't use all his strength against those who are weak, but Eli was giving him a fight for two minutes.
For the first time he grabbed with his two hands the sword and in one move he sent Eli's sword flying, placing his sword on her neck.
Eli said. "It is my defeat."
And with that, she was defeated, my turn came.
It was my turn to go to the final against Lambert. What a funny twist, isn't it?
As Eli walked to the exit, she stopped for a moment and with her gaze she was indicating just one thing to me.
"Kick his ass for me."
I promised her and went straight to the ring. I stood in front of Lambert.
We were staring at each other, his expression indicated he was irritated, the kind of face you would make if you knew you had hemorrhoids.
I was ready, I placed my hands firmly on my sword, I moved into attack position waiting for the bell to ring.
I was going to teach this kid that he should not belittle his opponent.
I was also going to make him pay for defeating Eli.
The bell rang and as I was about to launch myself to attack him.
"I surrender."
He said those words and dropped his sword as he climbed down from the ring.
Hey, Lambert... what the hell are you doing!
◇◇◇
Lambert quickly got out of the ring.
It was because his hands were shaking and sweat was running down his cheeks.
As he stood in an area out of everyone's sight, his legs gave way and he fell to the ground.
"... What the hell was that..."
Lambert moments before dropping the sword, watched Razel getting into combat pose.
He wanted to settle this uneasiness he had once and for all.
Before the duel began, he began to sweat.
"... What was that?"
Watch as behind Razel a shadow manifested, that shadow gradually took the form of a skull.
The skull was black as night.
It looked like it would devour him the moment he approached.
Lambert understood why the other three lost again against Razel.
(There's no way I could defeat that thing.)
The skull stared intensely at Lambert.
That thing was formed by Razel's desire to fight.
So Lambert felt that Razel was going to go all out with his power.
There was no choice but to lose if he wanted to keep his arms intact.
Lambert was still trembling as he realized that Razel and he were in different leagues.
"I... I'm weak."
◇
The sports festival had already come to an end.
The last event was about to begin.
It was about selected trainee students from the dungeon fighting monsters.
Among them, the only one I knew was Regulux. He seemed to have struggled to get there.
The funny thing is that, unlike the game, Regulux was not there it was Lily, who wanted to test her strength.
Since I don't participate in this competition, it doesn't matter that I rest.
The principal was not present as both, he and some teachers returned to the academy to get everything ready for the farewell party for the semester and school year.
The person in charge of giving the speech was a woman I didn't remember already, it was because we only met once.
Lambert's aunt.
"It was a very long and suffocating day for all of you, you tried very hard, you gave your best, but the event is not over yet."
"Next the students selected to fight the threat of the monsters will show what they are capable of."
Fourteen students were selected, that's one for each.
They all got into position as the teacher left the platform to go to her place to start the final show.
Everyone was excited.
But at that moment something strange happened.
Inside one of the doors, a noise could be heard, it seemed that the monsters were attacking themselves.
And so it happened.
The door was destroyed by a huge flame and black cloud came out of the place.
Terrifying footsteps could be heard and an unimaginable creature came out.
"An Ifrit!"
A monster of danger level A+++, an intangible fire spirit called Ifrit.
It looked like a humanoid, a fusion between a human and a bird. Its belly was gone, a ball of fire was its abdomen.
Its head reminded me of American natives in old western movies.
"Gagaga!"
Growled the creature, the teachers in charge of protecting the students in case of an attack left with the principal.
So only the knight escorts of various nobles can do anything.
By the way, how the hell did they catch an Ifrit?
All I know about the game is that they become tangible when they sleep, was this idiot sleeping all this time? No one knew he was one?
No doubt stupidity is irresponsibility.
Everyone fled in terror as the monster generated huge fireballs in the air and launched them towards the bleachers.
As a magic circle protected us, it was easy to flee.
But those in the arena were not so lucky.
Regulux was among the students scared to see the Ifrit.
The idiot will become a very important ally for the final battle, I can't let him die.
Besides, Lambert's aunt was also there. I couldn't let a beauty with big breasts and strict aura die.
So I said to Evelyn.
"Open a hole in the magic circle quick!"
Evelyn was already doing it before I told her.
I smiled at her and after thanking her, I jumped straight into the arena.
I had fought against fast enemies, diamond-hard-skinned guys, those that can regenerate and withstand blows, but never with a being equal to a ghost.
Come to think of it, don't ghosts exist here? In the game there was talk of haunted houses, but one never came out.
But it doesn't matter now, let's save them.
I ran at high speed to be in front of the students.
The monster created a huge fireball.
It was just a huge hot mass of air and fire.
Normally repelling a fireball requires ice, water, or wind magic, or even a stone projectile.
But this thing will explode generating a lot of damage, you have to hit it back.
Like a soccer ball, I activated the Blut that runs through my veins and strengthened my leg. I gave it a strong kick and the fireball approached the monster.
The fireball was absorbed by it.
"Gagaga, gagaga, gagaga."
Was the bastard laughing at me?
More fireballs the size of small houses were created.
Growing with each passing second, six of them were formed.
The heat was scorching, the staff could not open the door for the students to escape as it was melted by the initial attack.
But they were in my way, so I materialized a lightning spear and threw it in the direction of the door destroying it.
The students were running for the exit, all except her.
"You run away too!"
The teacher apparently had water attribute, she materialized a sphere of water which enclosed the Ifrit, she wanted it I run away.
She's a good teacher, but that won't do her any good.
"Gagaga!"
The monster evaporated the water sphere easily, threw a fireball at her, I ran in her direction and grabbed her in my arms.
The bastard didn't hold back, more fireballs now measuring six meters in length were coming.
The explosion was so big that she could die from the heat wave, I must end this quickly.
"Teacher, please hold on tight to me."
"Huh?"
"Please do."
The teacher hugged me as if we were lovers. Her breasts pressed against me.
It was a wonderful feeling, but I couldn't enjoy it.
I gripped her back tightly and with my free right hand, I decided to use a trick, hopefully it would work.
I tried to release a little of that power Astraea gave me, the power of the deadly sin of laziness.
Gradually, a tingling sensation ran up and down my arm, the electricity emanating from it turned from blue to black.
It hurt so much, like I was being sucked, I want to stop feeling this now.
With the teacher on top of me, I took a leap straight at the Ifrit, it again generated large fireballs which it launched towards us.
Normally I couldn't and shouldn't dodge them... if I were the old me.
I used the same air friction trick after destroying my shoes.
I kicked the air and the blast propelled me into spaces where I could dodge the fireballs.
Eventually they all came together and exploded.
I used the cloud of smoke to hide and then being on top of the monster I shouted.
"Black... Lightning!"
A black light came out of my hand which totally devoured the Ifrit, I watched as it slowly evaporated and then as it was erased.
This is the second time in my life that I defeated a monster this strong, only this time I didn't suffer for it.
Is it because of the power Astraea gave me?
Could it be that thanks to her I became stronger than a sword saint and the demon king?
I hope so.
"Please... let go of me."
I looked at the teacher, she was close to my face, her eyes were wet and her cheeks were red.
I let him free and then watched as the girls approached.
The knights came and told me what was that.
I only answered that this was my power.
And so, the school festival ended.
◇
"And with that, I thank all of you, students, teachers, and other academy staff. Cheers."
"Cheers."
We returned to the academy after finishing the school festival.
I was asked questions about how I defeated the monster and I only told the truth.
Several students were awarded for many reasons I won't say, in my case I was awarded for saving them all.
We changed into our uniforms, winter break was about to begin for the end of the semester.
Eli was holding my arm as students surrounded us and praised me.
"I saw what you did, that was amazing, I never thought I'd see anything like that in my life!"
"I thought that news about the Lautreamont territory was fake, now I see I was wrong, I apologize."
"That was amazing Bartlet-san! You really are someone who can be on the same level as the sword saints!"
She reminded me a lot of the story of the long-nosed doll, as I watched her rejoice when I was cheered.
"That's right, my future husband is that strong. Not for nothing is he the next Duke of Rosenberg Household."
"It was he along with Prince Cid who defeated that monster and it was also he who defeated the dark knight of the Ideal Empire, isn't he amazing?"
That "Ohoho" coming out of her mouth was quite the spectacle of a rich lady indeed.
The laughter and praise kept coming.
I could feel more and more of the old me, Shishigami Naoto disappearing to be just Razel.
My happiness was perfect, and nothing could ruin this world.
"There's trouble!"
Suddenly, Cid came running, behind him was an official from Rosenberg Household, both of them were sweating, they came towards us, not before taking something.
I asked them as did Eli.
"Is something wrong Cid?"
"Prince Cid, what happened to you, did something happen at the palace?"
It was the duchy official who reported something that puzzled us all.
"Elize ojou-sama! Razel-sama! There's big trouble in the duchy!"
"Trouble? What is it!"
I was prepared to face the threat that was coming to trouble us.
"The second prince, His Highness Blake-sama...! He has declared a war game on the Rosenberg Duchy!"
But I never imagined, that threat was a game event.