Black Iron Magician

「I’ve brought the 14 participants of the hero selection. Please confirm.」

「I’ve been told by Leader Nell. Excuse me, but I need to confirm your names and faces, so please sign here――」

A knight who seems to be a watchman in front of the headquarters is interacting with the guide from the royal palace magician. Apparently, they have to do some troublesome confirmation procedures to get in.

(Tch, even though I’m the hero…)

Even the reasonable confirmation to let strangers in was unpleasant to Akira. Of course, he didn’t show it on his face, but only complained in his mind.

After a short walk, they crossed the gate and arrived at the venue. This outdoor training ground seems to be usually used by the knights, and it’s so spacious that there’s more than enough space for the whole class. There are armored dolls, which seem to be imaginary enemies, and targets for bow training lined up. And more than that, many knights are lined up orderly. The female students show their unpleasant feelings for being stared at, but the knights show no hesitation at all. Apparently, they are knights who try to determine the power of the hero, and at the same time, they are also watching to make sure that there’s no injustice.

「Ugh, we are doing it in front of the public like this, huh… I’m a little nervous.」

「What? I’m the only one who’s going to be in the match anyway. Instead of worrying about being nervous, why don’t you focus on cheering me on?」

「Haha, that’s true! Oh, it seems that they got here first.」

At the opposing side of the designated waiting place for Akira and the others, Haruna and the others are already sitting there and are having a good time chatting. Surrounded by Haruna and Chinatsu, there is also Deris enjoying a sandwich that looks delicious. Seeing this scene, Akira feels a little annoyed. Or rather, he can’t understand the nerve of eating in this situation where they are basked in the knights’ gazes.

「… They sure are taking it easy.」

「Hmph, they are just thick-skinned. Or maybe that’s a strategy to provoke us. What a cunning strategy. He’s showing his true colors, huh.」

「B-but, I’m a little jealous. Needless to say, Rokusai was popular at school, and Katsuragi is a pretty girl when she’s like that, you know? Perhaps, that’s handmade――」

「――Oi, Enari.」

「Ah, no, sorry…」

Akira rebuked one of his followers, Enari, who has just leaked his true opinion. Even if that’s true, if they say it, their morale as boys in their puberty will go down. Even if they know it’s a trap, they can’t help but mind about it. ‘What a dirty trick’, Akira frowned slightly.

―― By the way, Deris is just tasting the trial product made by Gobuo. It is not a strategy or anything, but it’s just an everyday scene. It’s just Akira’s group self-destructing on their own.

「Hey, isn’t that silver-haired guy pretty good? He looks like a prince from another country.」

「Ah, you are right! The young knight over there is also good! How should I put it, he seems like a nobleman!」

「The blonde guy standing next to the prince is also good looking… He’s always standing next to the prince…」

「………」

Yes, they are just self-destructing. While such a one-way battle was quietly unfolded, Nell gallantly appeared in the center of the battlefield.

「It looks like both sides are present. It’s time, so let’s start it right away. Four representatives, come forward.」

It seems that even Deris couldn’t leisurely eat the sandwich when Nell came out, so he hurriedly put the sandwich into his mouth. With the sight of the master choking badly in the background, Haruna and the others representatives stood up and headed toward Nell.

「………Ha?」

Akira rubbed his eyes once to see if he had mistaken it, and then checked the members again. But in the end, there’s nothing wrong with his eyes.

「… Katsuragi, what’s the meaning of this?」

「What do you mean?」

「Don’t play dumb! Why isn’t Rokusai included as the representative!? Are you making light of us!?」

The four members on Haruna’s side are Haruna, Prince, Noct, and Therese. Chinatsu, whom Akira was most wary of, is pouring tea for Deris who’s still choking. For Akira, this personnel selection is the same as making light of him and he can’t accept it.

「Err, not that we are making light of you, but… the other representatives were decided by rock-paper-scissors, and Chinatsu-chan just happened to lose.」

「R-Rock-paper-scissors…?」

「Yes, rock-paper-scissors.」

Hearing that, Akira felt slight dizziness.

「Ohohoho! Rock-paper-scissors is quite an interesting game desuwa! You don’t need to prepare anything in particular and you can decide things in a short time without any future trouble!」

「Well, Haruna will settle it herself anyway, so it’s the same no matter who it is. Noct, while we’re waiting, let’s prepare for that thing.」

「As you wish!」

One is laughing loudly, one has no interest in the match, and the other one is looking only at one man. None of Haruna’s members seem to be eager. They really seemed to come forward because they won the rock-paper-scissors.

「H-Haha… Just make sure that you won’t regret it…!」

「Yep, you are right! Let’s give our all so that we won’t regret it!」

「…Tch.」

The sarcasm didn’t work, and on the contrary, Haruna gave an innocent smile. In the opposite sense of Deris, Haruna is also a difficult opponent.

「What? Hero candidate Akira-kun, are you still dissatisfied? We all thought about this until the last minute to decide on the representatives, you know? Don’t complain about it.」

And then, the most annoying man quickly interjected. Before he knew it, he’s already standing behind Haruna, and it seems that his choking has been cleared safely.

「If you are that dissatisfied, how about we fight until both sides feel refreshed? For example, how about we prohibit give-up and keep fighting until the referee judged that it’s the limit? It’s literally a give-your-all mock battle. Akira-kun and your pleasant friends can play an active role, you know?」

「H-Hee, that’s quite a suggestion. Are you sure about that? You proud disciple may not be able to recover, you know? And your unpleasant friends too.」

「Does that mean yes?」

「Yeah, I’ll accept it.」

Deris nodded very satisfied with Akira’s reply and turned to Nell and Joseph. On the contrary, Chinatsu in the back is at her wit’s end. ‘Ah, he has done it.’

「It became like this, but… is it okay to add that rule for this mock battle so that both parties are more convinced?」

「Hmm, isn’t it fine? There will be no future trouble, so let’s do that. Mage Prime Minister Joseph, what do you think?」

「…… If both accept it, then there’s no problem. However, please fight within the limit. The referee and the representatives should pay attention so that no one gets killed.」

The ban on give-up was approved without any trouble. Well, of course, since it was set up like that from the start. The price that Akira has to pay because he got taken in by the provocation easily is too great.