The Wiener Opernball is Europe's largest opera ball.
For the young ladies of the upper crust, it presents a singular opportunity for social contact.
"Now that your task is complete, please leave."
"...Shoo, shoo."
"I wish everyone a delightful day. Since I will monopolize Ayato for all of tomorrow, allow me to first apologize to everyone."
Claudia curtsied, and left. Julis and Saya stared daggers at her back until it disappeared into the distance.
"I can't stand that fox! Just because her breasts are a little bit big, she thinks she can do whatever she wants...It's just useless fat anyway!"
"...I agree."
Saya nodded her agreement of Julis' words.
The former atmosphere of mutual hostility seemed like an illusion, giving way instead to mutual agreement.
"It's a pretty rare occasion, why don't the two of you show me around together?"
Hoping to preserve the good atmosphere, Ayato proposed a compromise.
"The two of us...?"
"..."
Julis and Saya stared at one another for a moment, before giving a grudging, wry smile.
"...I understand."
"Fine. Continuing to argue would just be a waste of time."
"Hah..."
Ayato wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his expression revealing his deep-seated relief.
✱
And thus their party of three made their way around campus-
"This is the club building. While it's true that our school doesn't really have club activities, given the slightest hint of an interesting occurrence, you can be sure the Newspaper Club will be there, regardless of where it may be."
"...Nn, nn."
"This is the student union office. All matters concerning student welfare, appeals, etc. must pass through here."
"...I see."
"As for food services, I won't show you those right now. The school has seven cafeterias on the grounds, including a buffet. There's plenty of space underground, so it's being used in a variety of ways."
"...That's the first I've heard of it."
✱
"Sasamiya, are you sure you don't need me to show you around as well?" Julis asked, as they stopped for a break in the central area.
"...What can I say? I'm bad with directions."
"And yet you volunteered to show others around?"
"Hehe."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"It's fine, isn't it? I've really learned a lot, thanks," Ayato said, languidly smiling as usual.
"I-if that's the case, then that's good."
"By the way, would you like something to drink? My treat."
"Red tea, if you would."
"...Apple juice, but not the kind that's made from concentrate."
"Got it."
Ayato walked around the large fountain, headed toward the high school building.
The vending machines in the junior high building were actually quite a bit closer to their current location, something Julis had just shared with him.
Julis considered that for a brief moment before laughing.
"...Riessfeld, let me ask you once more," Saya suddenly asked.
"What's up?"
"Why are you showing Ayato around?"
"You sure don't give up, do you? Forget it, I'll answer. I owe him a debt. That's why."
"A debt?"
Saya's question stopped Julis dead in her tracks, but she nonetheless answered openly.
"...Because in the middle of our duel, he helped me."
"A duel? Between Ayato and you?"
"That's right. You hadn't heard?"
Battles involving the Top Twelve were always a topic of discussion, and yesterday's duel was no exception.
It seemed this classmate of hers wasn't interested in the rankings.
"That's the most I'll say. Anything beyond that is private."
"...And the result?"
"Someone interfered during the middle of our fight. We never settled the matter."
"...That's weird."
"What is?"
"You fought with Ayato. There's no way you'd come out of it unharmed."
Julis found this utterly shocking statement unsurprisingly hard to swallow.
She considered for a moment that it might be a joke, but any chances of that were dispelled by the serious look in Saya's eyes.
"That's a rather rude estimation of my ability, don't you think?"
"...You are strong. I know that very well," Saya answered.
Saya's tone implied that such a thing was simple fact, which filled Julis with a strange, unsettling emotion.
"It's just that, at most, you're only around my level. That's nowhere near enough to be Ayato's opponent."
"––Ho. Someone's talking pretty big."
The atmosphere grew tense.
As far as Julis knew, Saya's name was not to be found in the Named Charts. Moreover, Saya was clearly aware of her classmate's formidable reputation.
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Although it wasn't like she intentionally kept her distance from others, but Saya hadn't participated in the ranking matches at all.
It went without saying that the ranking matches weren't the be-all, end-all of things; Julis herself had said as much to Ayato just earlier. There were those who hated to stand out, and purposely kept a low profile until the Festa itself.
That said, there was no way Julis was just going to let that comment stand.
"Why don't we test that confidence of yours?"
"..."
Saya rose, and silently created some distance between herself and Julis.
Taking Saya's actions as acceptance, Julis stood, and pulled out her school badge.
"I, Julis Alexia van Riessfeld challenge Sasamiya Saya to a duel."
Her words finished, Julis reflexively jumped aside.
At nearly the same moment, the bench gave out a groan as it was pierced by several arrows in succession.
"!"
The attack had come from the direction of the fountain square, and thus couldn't have come from Saya.
"The fountain!?"
Having entered the water at some unknown point, a black-garbed assassin appeared, their lower body still submerged beneath the water, a bow-type Lux in hand.
"Ugh, another ambush, is it?"
In all likelihood, the perpetrator was the same as from the previous incident.
Laughing mockingly, Julis gathered her Prana, and called forth her flames.
"Bloom proudly–– LongiflorumWhite Firebloom of the Keen Lance!"
Appearing out of thin air, the flame lance was released immediately upon contact with the ground.
This perfectly-timed counterattack failed to either pierce or set aflame its intended target, and was instead blocked by a newly-appearing black shadow.
"There's one more than last time... and more than that, it's someone capable of actually holding off my flames."
The shadow who'd suddenly interfered in their battle was similarly clothed in black, and was using a large axe, requiring a two-handed grip, as a shield.
Although their manner of dress was utterly lacking in taste, it clearly denoted their role as partners. The still half-submerged attacker was slightly overweight, while his comrade was of rather large stature, nearly two meters in height.
She had no recollection of either that physique or that equipment, but this was hardly the time to be worried about something like that. Though neither of her opponents gave off much of a presence, they weren't likely opponents she could take lightly. Any questions she had could wait until she'd defeated them, and could beat the answers out of them.
Julis once again began to gather Prana, at which time––
"...~boom!~"
Accompanied by a deep rumble which shook the ground, the large assailant was thrown into the air.
He flew several dozen meters before finally impacting the ground with a vicious thump.
Initial shock aside, it seemed the impact had left him unable to move.
"...What?"
As the storm passed, Julis looked in the direction the attack had come from. There Saya stood holding a gun larger than her own body.
From the way things looked, Julis had a hard time deciding if Saya was holding that gigantic firearm up, or if it was holding her down.
"...What's that?"
"Thirty-eighth form, Lux-style grenade launcher - Helnekrom."
"When you say grenade launcher...you mean that thing shoots grenades?"
Saya nodded lightly, before absent-mindedly taking aim at the fountain.
"...Burst."
The firearm began to glow.
Prana massed in an instant, focused at the tip of the gun barrel. The light of its mana dite began to grow.
In other words-
"-Meteor Arts!"
The chunkier assassin jumped out of the water and made a break for it, but it was already too late.
Thirty-eighth form, Lux-style grenade launcher - Helnekrom.
"...~BOOM~"
Attended by an almost comical sound, the light burst forth, splitting the ground as it landed.
Their ears were assaulted by the booming roar of the explosion, which blew the fountain into dust.
Water poured out of the only part left standing, spilling over in all directions.
The scope of the explosion was on an entirely different level from Julis' own "Six-Petal Burst Firebloom". Its destructive capabilities were far closer to that of military armament.
"You're rather more extreme than you look."
"...Like you have room to talk."
Julis was struck dumb at her reply.
"I'm not going to thank you. I could have taken care of myself."
Though she faced a two-on-one confrontation, Julis had no doubt of her inevitable victory.
"Don't thank me. I only did that because they got in the way."
Saya continued in that monotone of hers, raising her head to catch Julis' eye.
"...Do you want to continue?"
Julis was confused for a moment until she realized Saya was referring to their duel. By now, however, that impulse had fled.
"No, that's not necessary. Your strength is real. I apologize for my disrespect earlier."
"...That's good."
Saya released her weapon.
This was just Julis' opinion, but the girl in front of her was undoubtedly a little odd.
"Alright, let's grab these two and hand them over to the disciplinary committee."
Almost as if they'd read her mind, the two assailants chose that moment to disappear into the forest.
There was no hint of the tall and large male from earlier.
"Well, they definitely seem healthy enough."
"...I'm amazed."
It seemed the two had managed to evade the powerful attack from just now. Normally speaking, one wouldn't be able to move an inch after something like that...
"Whatever. If we were to just blindly follow after them, it's likely we'd fall for a trap. On another note, Sasamiya, you just blasted school property into smithereens. Make sure you follow all procedures for cleanup, alright?"
"...Why me?"
"Because you were the one who blew up the fountain, of course."
"...Too much of a hassle. I leave things in your capable hands."
"What do you mean you're leaving it to me? Who do you think you're kidding here?"
"He~y!"
In the middle of their game of irresponsibility-hot potato, Ayato returned from the high school building.
"I just heard this huge boom...wai-, wha!? What the heck happened here!?"
Ayato shouted in surprise at the desolate scene before him.
"Some stuff happened, right, Sasamiya?"
"...?"
Too much had happened to make it worth explaining in detail.
"I'm still a little confused, but...Uwah-!"
Ayato, who had been guardedly glancing around until now, suddenly flushed up to his ears, casting his glance aside in a hurry.
His actions perplexed Julis for a moment's length before she suddenly understood.
The destroyed fountain was spraying water all over this area, which naturally included Saya and herself. Their clothes were thoroughly soaked.
Since they were wearing the thinner, lighter fabric that went with the summer uniform, the cloth adhered tightly to their forms.
Their curves showed clearly through.
Double-checking, the stripes on her underwear were clearly visible.
"Wha, wai-! D, don't look! If you look, I'll kill you!"
"I, I didn't see anything!"
"...Our clothes are all see-through. How scandalous."
"S-Sayamiya! Cover yourself! Wait, your underwear...?"
Julis looked over at Saya, whose clothes similarly stuck to her body. What she saw, however, left her stunned.
Even if their clothes were both soaked through, there was one stark difference.
"...It's rather unfortunate, but it's not necessary for me yet."
At Saya's unconcerned tone, Julis gripped her head in frustration.
"Hurry up and find something to cover her with! NOW!"
"R, right!"
Given the destruction of the fountain and the insatiable appetite for gossip of their school's students, they were certain to appear at any moment.
Watching Ayato race off into the distance, Julis sighed.