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Chapter 309 part 2

Dran, Christina, and Phenia’s alma mater, the Galois Magic Academy, had experienced a significant reduction in strength after their departure, though Lenia and Nelneshia remained. The other four magic academies weren’t wrong in their assessment, given that Dran and Christina were among the top five competitors in the history of the Magic Tournament.

Lenia was particularly aware of this loss in strength, hence the rigorous training during the summer break.

Utilizing the grace period before the final battle against the Demon King’s Army, Dran left a doppelganger with Christina to assist the lords, while he himself went to the royal capital to witness his juniors’ performance, having participated there as a competitor the previous year.

Dran’s status as a knight and an official knight of Bern meant he was treated as a nobleman. His battle defeating the western prodigy Eksu and southern Haruto, competing for the title of strongest magic student, was still fresh in the memories of the Magic Tournament’s attendees. Dran’s presence attracted attention from other nobles, not just the athletes.

Although the royal family usually attends, only Princess Frau was present this year, as Sperion was busy with domestic and international affairs. Dran was seated with Princess Frau.

Dran, positioned almost at the bottom of the nobility, was not an individual who would easily be granted the privilege of being present. However, circumstances were favorable: he gained renown at the previous year’s Magic Festival, earned distinction in the preliminary battles against the Demon King’s Army, and was engaged to Christina, who was close to Princess Frau. All these factors collectively bolstered Dran’s position.

Most importantly, it was Princess Frau herself who wished for Dran’s presence. Merle frequently praised Dran, which made it easy to obtain consent from her father, the King, Sperion, and the dignitaries from allied nations.

At this time, the attendees in the viewing area included Dran, Princess Frau and her escorts, the formally invited Princess Liu Yuu of Ryuuguu Kingdom and her escorts led by Sougetsu, along with attendants from both countries.

Princess Frau, tasked with entertaining the state guest, adorned herself in a refreshing moss-green dress, complemented with a necklace and rings crafted by Arkrest Kingdom artisans, using seabed gems sent from Ryuuguu Kingdom. This ensemble rendered her the epitome of a dream princess.

Invited Princess Liu Yuu, representing Ryuuguu Kingdom, was not in her shrine maiden attire from Dran’s memory but in luxurious, front-closing robes from Akitsukaze, the native country of Yachiyo and Fuuko. Her long black hair was elegantly tied at the back of her head with a hair ornament embellished with large and small pearls on a mother-of-pearl base.

The presence of these two princesses, one born on land and the other from the ocean depths, captivated the attention of both spectators and competitors until the commencement of the Magic Festival.

While Frau and Liu Yuu, both daughters of national leaders, sat side by side, Dran was seated in a chair positioned slightly behind and between them. Despite being surrounded by higher-ranking guards standing, Dran, still harboring a commoner’s sensibility despite being an Ancient-Celestial Dragon, sat there quietly, having been coaxed into this role as a commentator.

Princess Frau had her own intentions of forging connections with Dran, who was becoming increasingly vital for the future of the kingdom and was also the spouse-to-be of her beloved Christina.

For Liu Yuu, the situation was simpler. She had previously disguised herself with her mother during the Agrarian Campaign to offer assistance at any time. But now, she could openly meet Dran without her mother for official reasons.

Despite feeling a bit constrained and daunted by the expectations of Arkrest Kingdom’s social standards, the joy of directly meeting and conversing with Dran was overwhelming.

At the Magic Festival, the final showdown of the generals was in full swing, with the players and audience engrossed and cheering as the contest heated up. While Frau responded naïvely to each move in the match, Liu Yuu, aware that almost all the combatants were significantly less capable than herself, was less dramatically reactive. She acknowledged their excellence by human standards.

Dran, not well-versed in magic, provided commentary, preemptively explaining complex maneuvers and details that even skilled magicians might miss. Surprisingly, he seemed well-suited for teaching.

The final contestants were Lenia and Haruto. For those aware of Lenia’s background, her victory was a foregone conclusion. However, the uninformed audience was excited by Haruto’s fierce struggle, having improved since last year’s defeat.

The current score at the Galois Magic Academy was two wins and two losses, making this final a decisive match for this year’s championship.

Haruto had visibly honed his skills as a dual-wielding magic swordsman. In Dran’s battle, he had Chrono Maze and Aldeath possess a makeshift golem, while Lenia fought solo.

The match, crucial for the championship, saw Lenia smiling confidently. Liu Yuu, smiling, turned to Dran with a voice perhaps too affectionate for a future king addressing an emerging noble.

「I heard Lenia admires Dran greatly, so I expected her to mimic Dran’s fighting style against Haruto, but she fights as she always does」

Anyone who had witnessed Lenia’s adoration for Dran firsthand would understand Liu Yuu’s point. For others, the idea of Lenia imitating Dran’s fighting style seemed far-fetched, given the stark difference in their styles at the Magic Festival. The Arkrest Kingdom’s attendants present internally agreed.

「Her trust in me can be overwhelming at times, but she’s not trying to become me. Her current fighting style is the most familiar and efficient for her」

「In other words, telekinetic magic that reproduces supernatural abilities. While it is not highly regarded due to the inefficiency in magical power consumption and the mental and brain burdens compared to natural superpowers, I am impressed by Lenia’s mental strength to exhibit such power with that magic」

「In the case of telekinetic magic, Lenia has received acknowledgment from the Merle, the strongest mage in our country, surpassing even her」

Dran, not one to shy away from praising his own child, couldn’t help but be delighted. Just like himself, Lenia was rumored to be the strongest among the next-generation magicians.

It was quite an achievement for the Arkrest Kingdom to be able to show their strength and receive words of appreciation from the princess of the delicate Ryu Kingdom, who required an overly delicate approach. If Ryu, who knew Lenia’s true identity, thought that this level of praise was insufficient, it would be a surprise to the Arkrest Kingdom officials.

While Dran’s true identity was not something to be taken lightly either, the question remained: would it be better for the people of the Arkrest Kingdom to know about Dran and Lenia’s backgrounds, or would it be better for them not to know?

「I’ve met Merle-sama a few times. Yes, indeed. She and her mother were greatly surprised at the one who has reached the limits of the pure human race and is breaking through those limits by themselves. The fact that such a talented person from your country, guided by the Ancient Seven Dragons, wishes for friendship with our country is truly a sign of providence.」

To be specific, the involvement of an upstart pseudo-noble who had been invited here as a commentator played a significant role. Only a few individuals, including the person concerned and some from the Ryu Kingdom, were aware of this fact. Frau, who didn’t know, accepted the words of praise sincerely as she was there to entertain the foreign dignitary.

「Lord Merle is our pride. Although she tends to shrink back due to her evaluations being overly generous, if she were to know that she is appreciated by Lady Ryu and King Ryuukichi, she might faint on the spot.」

Dran partly agreed and partly disagreed. Knowing Merle’s troublesome eccentricities, he thought that Merle would indeed shrink back, but at the same time, he wondered if she could engage in a battle with Ryuukichi, yearning for it in the corner, or rather, in all corners of his mind. Only Dran knew about Merle’s peculiarities, which were subtly different from being a battle maniac.

「Oh my, I’ve unintentionally shifted the conversation to Lady Merle. But it seems we can see the end of the final match soon.」

In the eyes of the girl inheriting the bloodline of the ancient dragons, the figure of Lenia, who manifested her upper body from the waist up within the body of the thought dragon on stage, folding her arms and looking down at Hart with an arrogant disdain, was reflected.

If gods descended to disrupt the Magic Tournament, Lenia would likely overpower them with her fierce determination.

「Well, it’s a pity she couldn’t win all her matches, but that was within Lenia’s limits of tolerance, at least.」

Unbeknownst to Lenia, Dran watched her final battle with Haruto with a deep, parental-like affection.