It was about a month ago that I had a conversation with Stella about facing each other in the final evaluation match.

It was about two weeks ago that I signed and returned the Dalian application she brought.

And it was this morning that a match list with Stella and my names written on it was hung on the department’s main bulletin board.

2nd Semester Midterm Preliminary Match

『Swordsmith Stella Arwen vs. Magic Conrad Perdalos』

In the face-to-face evaluation match between me and students from other departments, which I have already seen three times, the front of the department bulletin board was full of interesting speculations from all kinds of students.

“Wow, is this Conrad Perdalos again? How many times is this already?”

“Besides, I’m stuck with the chief again. Isn’t Stella Arwen the top of the entire swordsmanship department last semester?”

“Wasn’t they originally the same hunting party? Originally, don’t they match well with the same hunting party party members, even if they are from the same department?”

“You don’t know because I didn’t see you last year? I’m a 4th year archery club who is currently at Conrad Party. I guess his personality is just like Conrad.”

“I’ll test myself to see if I’m worthy to stay in our party, what do you mean?”

“Contrary to the appearance, you seem to have a very strict personality.”

As soon as the match between me and Stella came out, I heard other students’ speculative remarks that followed.

Knowing the truth, I felt a little but unfair.

I wasn’t the type to directly stick around to evaluate the party members, and in the first place, it was a sparring where the other person, not me, walked first.

All of a sudden, since the two of them belonged to my party, misunderstandings arose among the other students.

Even if there were rumors like this, it was fortunate that there was no problem.

“Who are you going to this time? I bet 5 gold coins on Stella Arwen.”

“You lose your mind again and go to reverse. Then I have five to Conrad Perdalos.”

“Hey, no matter what, there is a class difference between the swordsmanship department and the magic department.

If it’s the top overall, it’s actually on the same level as Prince Antonio, but have you ever seen Prince Antonio lose in a 1v1 battle?”

“You really didn’t watch the evaluation match in the first semester last year? At that time, Dyke, who was the senior in the 4th year of the swordsmanship club, was beaten by Conrad without even using his side.”

“Is the forcible chief made by Professor Oliver as a base work compared to the real senior chief? As soon as Stella started, I stuck with her, and even if she swung her sword a few times, she would go straight to church.”

“Yeah, it’s okay if you avoid it~. Last year, when I was fighting Xian, Conrad avoided everything and attacked unilaterally.”

I glanced at the scene where there was going to be a gambling table about who would win between me and Stella, and even a passionate discussion about who would win in earnest.

I stepped away from the bulletin board and immediately explained the situation to the other party members.

“therefore. Stella challenged you first, Conrad, and you had no choice but to accept it?”

After hearing all the explanations before and after, Lulu was the first to express her feelings appropriate to the current situation.

“What do you mean by fight? It’s just fair sparring in the evaluation match.”

“If it’s Dalian, I’d rather rent a training ground! That’s not why we set the evaluation match as the stage!

Like last time, until the anti-death magic activates again, let’s stick together with the momentum to kill each other without touching each other!”

“That would be correct, though.”

The only facilities enchanted with death prevention magic were open arenas used before evaluations, and since these facilities were used for various events within the academy, they could not be rented normally.

So, the easiest way to create a safe stage even if you fight for your life was to rent a place for the midterm evaluation match, which only happens twice a year.

Conversely, it also meant that he would not avoid fighting to the death.

“Wait a minute, like last time? Has Mr. Conrad ever had a fight with someone from another department before?”

Come to think of it, Saint Claire wasn’t at the academy last year, so she doesn’t know that I have a history of running into seniors Dyke and Xian.

“There is a person who fought with Conrad over there, so ask him.”

“Yeah? Who are you?”

Saint Clare looked at Xian-senpai, who reached the end of Lulu’s line of sight, then tilted her head as if asking if Lulu’s words were true.

“Could it be, is it Xian-senpai?”

“Yes, around this time last year, junior Conrad and I fought at this stadium. It’s been a while since I thought of you, so I miss you a little.

I still have vivid memories of junior Konrad pushing me to the ground in front of a large audience and then violently attacking me lying on the floor.”

“It hits hard… ?”

St. Claire had a strange misunderstanding at the mind-boggling nonsense expression.

“Don’t talk strangely, senior Xian. There was just a physical fight at the end of the sparring.”

“Of course you can see it that way, too.”

After lightly warning Xian-senpai, who smiled faintly, she briefly explained to Saint Claire the evaluation match against Xian-senpai last year.

Until the first semester of last year, senior Xian and I belonged to different parties, and I proved my skills in the evaluation match to get her into my group.

“Hmm, that’s right.”

Saint Clare, who had listened to my explanation to the end, thought for a moment and then once again described exactly what she felt.

“Summarizing, senior Xian had a history of doubting Mr. Conrad’s ability, and he attacked without knowing the subject, and then broke up, and now he has ten thousand tails, right?”

“… Junior Claire, are you trying to fight me right now?”

“No, I just conveyed my impressions.”

It was a summary full of clearly malicious expressions, but Saint Clare answered Xian with a shameless expression.

Is our party really going well?

Obviously, the relationship with each party member is deeper than before, and the other party members have built a relatively longer friendship than in previous lives.

It felt like they were fighting more than the demon subjugation party in their past life.

Did I have to accept that we were close enough to fight this?

When I was talking about this and that with the party members in front of the department bulletin board.

An urgent voice from the bulletin board started calling me.

“Oh, brother! Brother… !!”

The young lady with light blonde hair looked as if she had heard the news of Perdalos’ extinction.

He was rushing towards me with a fuss.

“It’s a big deal, big brother!”

“What’s wrong, Delphina.”

“Ha, did you see the department bulletin board?! My brother’s opponent for this midterm evaluation match, the daughter of Count Arwen’s family in my brother’s party!”

I wish I could have come a little sooner.

If that was the case, I wouldn’t have to repeat the explanation I gave to Saint Clare twice.

“What should I do, brother?! Wasn’t it the rule before the midterm evaluation that other departments were not assigned to each other as usual?! Even the lady of Count Stella Arwen… !”

“Calm down, Delfina.”

“Right up until the last hunting festival, Lady Stella was a member of her brother’s party, right? Besides, if you belong to the same party, it’s a rule not to designate the same department as an evaluation match to prevent discord!

Did you ever have a disagreement with Lady Stella inside the party? If it’s to the point of deliberately changing the lineup for the evaluation match, isn’t Lady Stella really mad at her brother?!”

“It’s not like that, Delphina.”

“Hey, how should I deal with this? I’ve just started interacting with Arwen’s estate since last summer vacation, but at this rate, I might have to completely erase it!

What if Count Arwen’s family retaliates against our territory? In front of the Count Arwen family, which has produced many historical officials, the Perdalos family, who have only their father and mother to present, are a lamp in the wind… .”

Right. The sound of my fingers hitting Delphina’s forehead echoed around me.

Because he was pouring out his anxious delusions endlessly without giving me a chance to speak, he hit me with the meaning of calming down.

“Ouch… .”

“Please let me talk too, Delphina. yes?”

“I’m sorry, brother… .”

Delphina, who barely came to her senses, similarly repeated the explanation of the situation she had given Saint Clare.

Even after hearing the story, the expression on his face that he still did not understand was the same.

When I added the explanation that I had already had a similar experience with senior Xian, I managed to convince him.

“That, so the battle with Lady Stella is just a part of friendship, and not because of a discord in the relationship?”

“If I had to put it that way, it is.”

“All right, I’m glad. I couldn’t believe that my brother and Lady Stella had a bad relationship, and I was confused for a while because of that… .”

“It hasn’t happened before and won’t happen in the future, so you can rest assured.”

After saying that, I looked at my little sister’s expression, and she was genuinely relieved, as if she had returned alive from hell.

For Delphina’s heart health, if something like this happens next time, it would be better to inform her in advance.

“Senior Conrad!”

After calming down the flustered sister, she calmed her startled heart, and this time, a blonde haired lady wearing plate mail appeared immediately.

“stellar.”

“Have you checked the bracket?”

“Yeah, I already checked.”

Even if I didn’t bother to check it in the first place, the only news that could create such an uproar was the match between me and Stella.

“I will learn a lesson this time before the evaluation.”

“Yes, I will be looking forward to it too.”

Will the Stella of this lifetime be able to live up to my expectations?

Even if I didn’t say it, she would probably run into me with all her might, but I wanted to be sure that Stella would have done everything in her power.

That way, even if she was defeated by me, I would have been able to see Stella’s growth with objective eyes.

Having judged that, I immediately gave her an opportunity to focus on besides the pre-evaluation score.

“stellar.”

“Yes, Senior Conrad.”

“If you beat me in this evaluation match, I’ll grant you one wish.”

“… … Yeah?”

A bewildered answer came straight from Stella’s mouth, as if she couldn’t believe my sudden suggestion.

“Wait, Conrad. I’m serious?”

“What do you mean, junior Konrad?”

“Mr. Conrad, can you say that so easily?”

“Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

All of a sudden, everyone is in a frenzy about how much my right to wish is worth.

The other party members were more embarrassed than Stella, who had actually heard the story, so I felt absurd.

“I’m talking about a wish that can be granted based on common sense.

And even if Stella beats me and makes a wish, there’s no way she’ll say a ridiculous or strange wish. Right, Stella?”

“Yes Yes! Absolutely!”

It was only after hearing Stella’s firm answer that the other party members’ expressions immediately relaxed as if they were relieved.

“Oh, that’s right.”

“Well, if it’s Stella’s junior, well… .”

“If it’s Stella, it would be… .”

It was nice to see him being trusted by the other party members as expected of a person who would become the next warrior.

“All right. I will accept it.”

Stella also accepted my offer and expressed her intention to deal with me with all her might.

“However, conditions must be fair.”

Before long, he handed me an additional offer that I hadn’t expected.

“yes?”

“If I lose to Senior Conrad, then I will grant Conrad’s wish.”

“… I’m serious?”

“Yes, I am serious.”

It wasn’t exactly the answer I was expecting from this offer.

However, as if Stella’s eyes had already made up her mind, they were sending me an unshakable, determined gaze.

“Okay, let’s do that.”

If I withdrew the bet now, I would probably lose my pulse.

Above all, receiving the right to wish from her was a very good offer for me, so there was no particular reason to refuse it.

Although the reason why I had to do my best in the evaluation match increased one more time.