When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 151

Episode 151

As Erin was preparing for the Magic Tournament with Jez, Seraphina withdrew from participating with an air of knowing something. Miriam also declined due to other commitments. Victor, on the other hand, had disappeared without a trace. Erin, seizing this opportunity, decided not to search for Victor and focused on training with Jez alone.

Why wasn’t the eccentric alchemist present? Could it be that, like Seraphina, he had shown consideration for Erin? Victor, of all people?

…It’s hard to believe that Victor Alchemis would be considerate of others’ romantic endeavors. Even if the world were to end tomorrow, it’s inconceivable that he would care about such things.

Jez and Miriam, like everyone else, should have known this basic fact. But they were so focused on the upcoming Magic Tournament that their vigilance regarding Victor had slackened. It wasn’t so much that they were neglectful, but rather their attention had shifted elsewhere.

In any case, Miriam and Erin were simply young and inexperienced at the time. With an eccentric alchemist like Victor, one should never let their guard down, no matter the time or place. It’s just common sense.

So, what was Victor secretly up to by himself? Naturally, he was preparing for the Magic Tournament.

While Jez and Erin were busy with their training and experiencing their own version of youthful enthusiasm, Victor was deeply engrossed in his own interests. In a way, this too was a correct representation of youth.

・　・　・

The Magic Tournament and the Martial Arts Tournament at the Royal Academy of Tashman Kingdom are two prestigious events with a long history. Usually, the Magic Tournament is held towards the end of the first semester, and the Martial Arts Tournament takes place at the beginning of the new year in the third semester.

These events are open to the public. In addition to the residents of the capital and students’ families, members of various legions, academy staff, and officials visit eagerly as part of student recruitment efforts. 

Many people from outside the Tashman Kingdom also attend. It’s a well-known event that even attracts ambassadors, diplomats, and tourists from abroad.

The common feature of these two events is that the preliminary rounds are conducted in a battle royale style, and the top 32 from these rounds proceed to a tournament format. Additionally, the events are mixed across all grades from first to third years.

With about 1,000 students per grade and a total of 3,000 students at the massive Royal Academy, making it to the final 32 is a significant achievement. Being among the top 32 is a strong indicator of a promising future for the students.

The Martial Arts Tournament rules are straightforward: the winner is the one who remains standing in the arena until the time limit is up. If the time limit passes without a clear winner, it goes to sudden death.

In contrast, the Magic Tournament uses a judging system similar to figure skating or gymnastics. Since there are no direct combat actions, it’s a stage where non-combatants like magical tool artisans and magic practitioners can shine.

However, many combat-oriented students also possess impressive magical skills, so the competition is diverse and enjoyable to watch.

Both the Magic and Martial Arts Tournaments feature high-level competitions, and the preliminary rounds are especially spectacular and engaging, contributing to their popularity.

The Martial Arts Tournament preliminaries are conducted in a standard battle royale format, full of strategic maneuvers. The Magic Tournament preliminaries, however, are chaotic. Students are randomly placed in the field, showcasing their magic and magical tools within the time limit. About 30 judges are present to score the performances, making it a highly engaging spectacle.

These tournaments are held over the course of a week, spanning five days. The first three days are dedicated to the preliminaries, rapidly narrowing down 3,000 participants to 32. On the fourth day, the top 16 and top 8 are determined, and the final day decides the champion.

During this Magic Tournament, the eccentric alchemist Victor Alchemis would finally make his notorious name known throughout all grades.

・　・　・

On the first day of the Magic Tournament, the preliminary rounds are determined based on the results of the mid-term exams in magic and academics. In essence, those with lower scores, about 50 students, face the preliminary rounds in a large group. While the top 10 or so participants join the preliminaries in a smaller group.

Moreover, each pot has a cutoff score, so there is no fixed number of participants who advance to the next round. On the first day, students who don’t exceed a certain line will continuously be eliminated.

As expected, Jez was placed in a lower-performing pot. This group, like Jez, consisted mostly of those who were weak in magic but excelled in martial skills.

Jez showcased a nearly full-strength physical enhancement spell, but physical magic didn’t score well according to the tournament’s judging criteria. As a result, Jez was eliminated early on the first day of the Magic Tournament.

Feeling somewhat guilty about having Erin’s help, Jez spent the remaining time casually watching the preliminaries of various other students.

Erin, Miriam, and Seraphina smoothly advanced through the preliminaries. Given their performance, it seemed likely they would make it to the main tournament.

Then Jez spotted Victor. It seemed his preliminary round was about to start. True to his top-ranking status, about 10 students were preparing in the examination field.

Each participant had 5 minutes to showcase their magic and receive scores. What would Victor Alchemis do?

With many spectators gathered to see the prodigy of the first year and a member of the Alchemis’ main family, various participants in Victor’s group displayed an array of impressive magic and magical tools. The level of quality was so high that it was easy to forget this was just the preliminary round.

However, Jez noticed something: after observing these performances, Victor grinned. That smile seemed to promise trouble, so Jez prepared to act at any moment.

“Divine principles, gather the seven powers in my hand.”

Victor began his incantation with a strangely authoritative voice, displaying a rare and serious expression.

“Crimson flames, show the burning soul.”

As he chanted, a blazing fireball appeared behind him.

“Pure water, weave the flow of purification.”

Beside the fireball, a serene water sphere emerged.

“Free wind, blow towards the infinite.”

The incantation continued, and a swirling wind appeared.

“Solid earth, show your unshakable strength.”

A mass of metal formed.

“Rumbling thunder, bring forth the judgment of the heavens.”

A bolt of lightning materialized.

“Frosty ice, demonstrate your eternal coldness.”

Ice crystals appeared.

“Shining light, encompass and illuminate all.”

And then light. Behind Victor now hovered seven distinct spheres of power.

These seven forces began to orbit Victor like planets, and then…

“Here and now, let the power to command the seven attributes manifest. Powers of heaven and earth, heed my command! Multi-Incantation, Seventh Level Magic: Seven Heavens Concord.”

As the rightful heir of the Alchemis and a seeker of truth, Victor Alchemis lightly waved his hand. 

The seven spheres of light converged above Victor’s head and released their combined power towards the sky.

With a deafening roar, a pillar of light surged into the heavens. The light was observable not only throughout the capital but even from surrounding cities.

Multi-Incantation, Seventh Level Magic: Seven Heavens Concord. 

Due to its difficulty, this spell is rarely used in practical combat. Even among modern magicians and alchemists, very few can wield such a spell.

Victor Alchemis, having unleashed such a grand magic in the preliminary rounds of a student tournament, left the audience stunned and slack-jawed.

Satisfied, Victor looked around at the awestruck spectators and grinned.

“Did I do something?” 

It seemed he had indeed heard Jez’s previous remark and was somewhat of a fanboyish alchemist who had always wanted to say something similar himself.