Elaine hoped the female knight would fail the Hero Selection Tournament—not out of malice, but because she feared the knight would once again throw her life away in battle, fighting without purpose.
If she were chosen as the Hero and managed to repair her damaged soul, that would be wonderful. But Elaine would rather see her retire than return to the battlefield, only to be broken all over again.
Upon witnessing her state, Irid asked me to provide the female knight with psychological care. I think he might have even said that I could use any means necessary.
At the same time, I was working alongside the Imperial Family to ensure the Cardinal faction’s Hero candidates weren’t selected. These overlapping interests aligned seamlessly.
I could see a flawless, unbroken path ahead.
I would make the female knight win. The tournament itself would serve as a stage for her rehabilitation. If possible, I would even help her alter her Metamorphosis. And when she finally came into contact with the Holy Sword, I would search for a way to repair her soul.
However, for any of this to succeed, one thing was certain—
I needed to basically take complete control of the tournament.
Inside my simulations, I could act as an all-powerful game master. But here, in reality, I lacked the time, the necessary equipment, and even Yuna to prepare the session properly. Transporting tools from the Academy would take far too long as well.
To make matters worse, the female knight was every bit as powerful as Elaine. If I cobbled together a shoddy setup, there was a high risk of disaster.Not to mention, there was no way she would agree to something as suspicious as, “Just lie down, lower your mental defenses, and count the clouds overhead.”
So, I decided to use the ongoing tournament as the setting for my session in real-time. Given the less than ideal circumstances, improvisation was key.
“⋯Do you really think that’s possible? Controlling an entire tournament for a single person, with so many competitors?
“Of course, it’s possible!”
It wasn’t me who responded to the Pink-Haired Lesbian’s doubts—it was Evil God-chan.
Evil God-chan grinned mischievously, like a terrible friend—the kind who would hand you a cigarette with a smirk and say, “Go on, try it.” That kind of sinister encouragement.
“Oh? You’re finally going to start playing with reality? Nice, Mima. Let’s put on a legendary puppet show. It’ll be fun as hell!”
“Silence, you punk!”
“Eugyagyagyagyack!”
I grabbed Evil God-chan’s cheeks and stretched them as far as they would go.
One wizard, taking control of an entire tournament? It wasn’t impossible. If I played my cards right, I could build the perfect stage. And the first step was clear—
“Eliminating external threats.”
“Exactly. Strong players can’t be controlled. Like that female warrior from the Grand Duke of the North, or the high-profile names we put on our watch list. Those variables could throw everything into chaos.”
Variables had to be removed.
Cicel Yurensto, the female knight of the Imperial Family, was an S-tier contender in the Hero Selection Tournament. Unless some Sublimation lunatic with a complex decided to cosplay as a rookie and enter, she was undoubtedly the favorite to win.
From the perspective of other factions, the situation was simple: If we face her, we’re almost certain to lose. Meaning, if they had any sense, they would prefer to avoid her if possible.
So, I sent a loud and clear message: Don’t even think about stepping into this ring, you bastards
I spread rumors far and wide—whispers of the Imperial Family’s secret weapon entering the first tournament, the Tournament of 『Courage』. I made sure everyone knew of her extraordinary accomplishments.
And then, I had the female knight make a bold declaration. I even wrote her script.
“I, Cicel Yurensto, will enter the Tournament of 『Courage』 and prove to the Goddess that I am the bravest knight.”
That single statement set the festival ablaze.
I also sent a letter to the Grand Duke of the North, advising them not to participate in this bracket, and notified Bennet’s faction to stand down as well.
I had done everything within my power. Now, I just had to wait for the fallout—to observe the reactions and adjust my plans accordingly.
Sitting in a dimly lit room, I propped my chin on my hand, and let out a quiet chuckle—like a mastermind behind everything.
“It’s only the first tournament. There are still three more after this. There are three chances left. Who would waste their strength entering the Tournament of 『Courage』 where a top contender has already signed up⋯⋯?”
“Your leg, you’re shaking it like crazy.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
I was nervous. If someone like Kim Ruru decided to show up, all my careful calculations would go to shit.
But for now, the first step—deterring external forces through intimidation—was complete. The results would⋯⋯ become clear once the tournament brackets were revealed in a few days.
I moved on to the next phase while I waited.
===============================================================
How do we solve the problem of a lack of characters?
Inside a simulation, I could generate NPCs by the cityload. Not that I ever actually would due to resource constraints but⋯⋯.
The problem was clear: we needed more people to develop the story.
There are a few people I could call on for help. Myself, Pink-Haired Lesbian, and Evil God-chan made three. I could maybe stretch that number by recruiting from the 『Reformist Faction』, but there was a critical flaw in that plan—
If I exhausted all our reserves for this one session, what about the three remaining tournaments?
This entire operation was designed to screw over the Cardinal faction. If I diverted too many resources to side objectives and let their Hero candidate coast to victory, that would be an embarrassing case of misplaced priorities.
And even if I did rally everyone, we were still short on numbers.
Because this was a tournament where brackets were drawn at random. I needed multiple matchups with the female knight of Yurensto to squeeze out story progression or whatever. But what if it all went wrong due to bad luck?
⋯⋯What if no one met the female knight in the tournament? What if some shit like that happened?
That’s why we needed more people.
Even with the bullshit scenario, we needed enough participants to guarantee at least three encounters with the female knight. Enough discipline to follow my direction perfectly. And enough acting skills and absolute loyalty to keep the illusion intact.
“It would be difficult to gather that many skilled actors, even with an immense amount of wealth. How do you plan to manage it?”
“Surprisingly, Pink-Haired Lesbian, they’re already here. Countless people who will obey my command.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯?”
“Hello, Pink-Haired Lesbian. I’m Kay, the Battōjutsu trainee. I’m also Needlepin Ong, the aged assassin who has mastered the art of stealth. And I’m Ka-something, the naive village girl.”
Yes.
It was all me.
What was the point of having illusion magic if I wasn’t going to use it?
I was going to flood the tournament registration with disguises.
What a beautiful plan, isn’t it?!
“⋯⋯You’re seriously planning to pull off a one-man tournament?”
“Of course! I’ll adjust the numbers so I don’t completely dominate.”
“That’s not the—well… You already know a bunch of extraordinary martial arts techniques, and you do have the ability to load or overwrite holograms. I suppose it’s feasible.”
Let’s get started.
I had a lot of fake identities to create and register.
===============================================================
The tournament official was exhausted. The flood of applicants had turned his job into a waking nightmare. Mechanically, like a lifeless zombie, he processed one after another.
From country bumpkins who had crawled up from the abyss to clueless nobles waving ancient artifacts around, he had seen all kinds of applicant imaginable⋯⋯.
By now, he could tell at a glance who would fail or pass the preliminaries. With dead fish eyes, he greeted the next applicant.
“Next. Name?”
“Kay of Battōjutsu”
The applicant was a peculiar guy⋯⋯ wearing a straw hat pulled low, and a blade of grass in his mouth. The aura he exuded suggested he might actually pass the preliminaries.
“⋯⋯Your reason for applying?”
“To gain power to slay my rival, Jay.”
“Approved. Proceed to the preliminary test area. If you can breach even one layer of the holy shield, you’ll pass.”
“Heut.”
Kay of Battōjutsu passed effortlessly.
The examiner waved him off, processing a few more ordinary applicants. Then, another strange figure entered.
A scrawny old man.
“⋯⋯Next. Name?”
“Kehehe⋯⋯What’s the point of a name? Just write me down as Awl.”
“And your reason for applying?”
“It’s hard for someone like you to understand… Perhaps you’ll have nightmares tonight. But if you insist, I’ll tell you⋯⋯?”
He exuded an ominous, unsettling aura. Wanting this interaction to end as quickly as possible, the examiner hastily let him pass.
Even if his vibe didn’t fit this celebratory event, he’d probably clear the preliminaries anyway.
After a few more mundane participants, a cheerful and energetic young woman entered the tent. Her mere presence seemed to brighten the world, as though the saturation of colors had increased, and a fresh citrus scent wafted through the air.
“Next. Miss, may I have your name?”
“Ah, my name is⋯⋯ call me Karen! I came all the way from the South because I wanted to try becoming a Hero!”
“Energetic, aren’t you? Answering before I even ask why you’re here. Very well—head inside for the preliminaries. I hope you perform well!”
“Ehhehet⋯⋯ thank you!”
The girl swished her twin tails as she skipped toward the preliminary grounds. Her short holographic skirt swayed at a precisely calculated angle.
The registration official had no idea.
Kay, Awl, and Karen…
They were all the same person.
===============================================================
The tournament brackets were out.
“⋯⋯It’s perfect! Absolutely perfect!”
Neither the Grand Duke of the North nor the Cardinal faction had sent their aces. The numerous Mimas with disguised identities I had scattered using Multi-Cloning Magic were also positioned flawlessly.
Not a single well-known independent participant had dared to touch the Tournament of 『Courage』 bracket. No doubt, this was thanks to the terrifying reputation of the ace from the Eastern Front. Most people had decided to sit this one out.
Perfect.
The Mima vs. Mima matches? They would play out as a holographic puppet show with fancy effects.
The Mima vs. actual opponents? My clones would win or lose depending on the script. If my specs weren’t enough⋯⋯ I would send out Pink-Haired Lesbian equipped with a Mima skin.
Everything was ready.
Now, I just had to observe the first round, gauge the participants’ specs⋯⋯ and slowly manipulate the narrative from there. Smiling in satisfaction, I looked over the bracket again.
“It’s great that you’re excited, but take it easy. Your arm hasn’t fully healed yet.”
“Aw, thanks for worrying about me babe.”
“⋯⋯and slowly manipulate the narrative from there. Smiling in satisfaction, I looked over the bracket again.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
So she was calling it a honeytrap.
Both Pink-Haired Lesbian and I instinctively turned away from each other, pretending to focus on other things.
I looked over the bracket again—No matter how many times I checked, there were no problems.
The female knight of Yurensto had no major obstacles in her path. Her selection as a Hero candidate was practically guaranteed with this.
Each bracket chooses two Hero candidates.
Assuming one went to the female knight, the second would⋯⋯ I just had to pick anyone else but me. Preferably someone from the 『Reformist Faction』 or a neutral party.
Under no circumstances could I advance myself.
It was too dangerous.
If the Holy Sword was a tool for selecting the 『Hero』— an administrator—then it almost certainly had high-level virus detection.
That meant if I came into direct contact with the Holy Sword, ‘That’ inside my head would most likely be exposed.
I could already see it—the terrifying 『Divine Punishment』 raining down, turning me into charcoal. That would be the end of my second life.
As i was swallowed by these thoughts⋯⋯ something interesting caught my eye.
An unusual name in the female knight’s bracket: 『Mysterious Wizard X』.
I told myself it was nothing, but an inexplicable unease ran down my spine.
I gulped.
And so, the first day of the Tournament of 『Courage』 arrived.
===============================================================
“⋯⋯Stupid idiot.”
This was his fault.
Yuna had told him. She had warned him.
She told him he’d get seriously hurt. She had begged him not to do it.
And yet—he went ahead and wrecked his arm anyway.
So now, she was sulking.
She was upset. Really upset.
…Or at least, she had been. Her sulking had mostly faded after half a day. But if she let it go too quickly, she thought he might just pull the same reckless stunt again next time.
It was his fault, so it felt unfair for her to be the one to apologize first, so⋯⋯ she continued pretending to be mad and stayed out of sight.
But she was reaching her limit.
She wanted to fall into his arms, feel his warmth, and be patted on the head. She wanted to secretly breathe in his scent. But at the same time, she also didn’t want to seem too easy.
It was infuriating how effortlessly he slipped past her walls.
“⋯⋯There are plenty of people w-who can replace me, anyway.”
She told herself that, but the thought made her a little sad.
This world was full of women prettier and kinder than her.
Right now, someone stunningly beautiful and curvy was standing by his side—Yuri Lanster.
Even though he was the most important person in her life, there was a chance that she wasn’t the ‘most’ in his.
She had known this fact for a long time.
But knowing didn’t make it hurt any less.
But she couldn’t stay like this⋯⋯ and so, without realizing it, Yuna found herself walking toward Niolle’s quarters—dazed, lost in thought.
Somewhere deep in her instincts, she had already decided.
Niolle was the best person to ask about love advice. And she was close to finding an answer.
Niolle, startled by the sudden visit from the Archmage, quickly composed herself and smoothly slipped into counseling mode.
“⋯⋯What should I do?”
The essence of her dilemma was how she should express her feelings. She couldn’t just keep pretending to be mad forever. That wasn’t a long-term strategy.
Niolle lightly curled her hands, mimicking a cat. Nyan.
[Hmm, maybe acting a little mischievous⋯⋯ so, acting like a cat could work.]
“Like a cat?”
[Yes. Interrupt him playfully—like, ‘Look at me!’ cuddling. If he’s dealing with documents, rub your head against his shoulder. That way, you can show both discontent and affection at the same time.]
In short, cuteness aggression.
After hearing cat-girl Niolle’s ‘Capture-Your-Lover’s-Heart’ tips, Yuna’s eyes sparkled. She felt like she had finally found the answer!
“This is it⋯⋯!”
Cats were cute, even when they caused trouble. They had the power to naturally draw people’s attention. So acting like a cat⋯⋯ this had to be the ultimate form of expression.
With this, she could show her frustration without pushing him away!
Her mind raced, considering his current plans. She pondered how she should ‘tease’ him⋯⋯ Then, as she smacked her palm against her fist, a past memory resurfaced.
Back when he first joined the Purple Tower, she had mercilessly shredded his Illusion Magic to bits. That had been good teasing.
Aha.
Then she just had to wreck the tournament!
===============================================================
I was sweating in the audience seat.
The participant stepping out from the left entrance was… nothing special.
Just a mercenary. Besides his decent archery, there was nothing remarkable about him.
The announcer’s voice boomed over the amplification spell, hyping up the match.
“From the left, a trusted scout of the Greenfield Mercenary Group! Kevin Ross──!! And on the right, facing him isssss──!!”
But that wasn’t the problem.
The real problem was the one stepping out from the right entrance.
Her body was small and seemed fragile. She also wore a butterfly-shaped mask. Since she had her face covered, it would be hard for anyone to recognize her identity.
⋯⋯⋯⋯.
But I knew those twin tails swaying brightly.
I knew that fluttering skirt barely covering her thighs!
Even with her face hidden, I could feel the overwhelming aura of cuteness radiating from her entire body!
“Nobody knows her identity! Her school of magic remains unknown! The mysterious beautiful young wizard girl with her identity hidden behind the mask── X!!”
“Hm!”
What the hell are you doing here, Yunaaaaaaaack⋯⋯!!
***
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