Chapter 31 – Charlotte vs Anna

 

 

An extreme seed position, where Laura Edmonds could only participate during the finals.

Because of that, the semi-finals that should have been twice, it became only once.

 

Anna won up to the semi-finals.

And the opponent that she collides to is, of course, Charlotte.

 

Both of them, defeated their opponents in a few seconds.

Because of that, the tournament had advanced with a surprising pace.

And both of them wasn’t showing their serious.

Especially Charlotte, she only hits them with Arrows of Light, or pushing the opponent outside the ring using gusts of winds, she had only fought using basic magic.

But, the techniques that she learned after secluding in the mountains, shouldn’t be as simple like that.

In the first place, she was flying when she appeared in the arena.

If she does that in the match, she literally would not be able to reach her.

 

「Thinking about it, it is the first time that I would fight with Anna-san」

 

Charlotte’s face when I came up to the ring, still had a very composed smile.

I want to break that at least.

 

「That is because Charlotte is always training by herself」

「I see, that is true. Well then, this is a good opportunity, so please let me see the sharpness of the sword coming from a first-class swordsman. The other swordsmen that I fought today, they have did not have any crisp」

「I might be so crispy, that your teeth would break」

「Oh, I am looking forward to that」

 

The drums signaling the start of the match was hit.

Anna waits for how Charlotte would comeーーor not.

In the first place, it is a disadvantage for a warrior to take a distance from a magician.

Using their physical strength they would close the distance, attack, attack, and attack, and not let their opponent a chance to activate their magic.

I learned from the class that that is the basic fighting against a magician.

 

But, it wouldn’t have an effect to Charlotte right now.

 

「You are unexpectedly fast huh. I am surprised. I was really planning to end it in an instant with a counterattack though」

 

My sword was stopped with bare hands. And even with one hand.

Most probably, she enveloped the palm of her hand with defense magic, and received the weight of the slash using muscle strengthening magic.

But, activating two magic at the same time should use concentration.

Anna charged at the same time with the start of the match.

I shouldn’t have let her any chance to concentrate.

No, it’s more of a shock that she had seen through my blade.

Up until now, other than the instructors and Laura, no one had been able to keep up with it.

 

「Anna-san. You should not be absent-minded during a fight you know」

「?!!」

 

Charlotte’s open hand, she touches her stomach.

Anna instinctively, changed her poor magic powers from muscle strengthening magic to defense magic, and protected her stomach.

And as if that was awaited, an explosion.

She was blown backwards with the impact as if her organs have turned.

In the situation where she lost her sense of direction, even so, Anna barely didn’t let go of her sword.

And the groundーーto the direction where she thinks it wasーーshe stabs using her blade, and somehow stopped.

When she puts down her feet, that was the edge of the ring.

She was almost out.

 

I had a cold sweat being saved barely.

But, it looks like it’s hard to say that I was saved.

A warm thing comes up from the back of my mouth.

I crouched to the ground, and spew blood.

 

「As expected of Anna-san. I have thought that you would be out of the ring with that right now, but you are really strong. What do you think? Would you want to continue?」

 

Charlotte who had not moved a step from the start of the match overwhelms Anna.

I knew already the difference with our skills at this point.

But, my limbs still move.

The victor is not called until the bout is finished.

 

「……one question. You were flying when you came to the arena. So why are you not flying during the match? Are you looking down on me?」

「Yes. I am. Since I can win even if I do not fly right」

 

I was told with surprising honesty.

She probably has the qualification to look down at me. She has that much skill.

If use that confidence of her, then maybe.

 

「Ahh, but, please do not let this match last longer. Since I need to fight against Laura-san. I will strengthen the attacks a little bit from now on. Would Anna-san still not break the will to continue even so? If you say that you would want to continue, then I will be your opponent for just another few seconds」

 

Charlotte smiled.

It was not a ridiculing smile, but rather a sweet smile of mercy.

And she sang.

She chanted as if to sing.

 

「Thy lightning spirits. I will sacrifice my magic powers. Manifest before the contractーー」

 

*Bachi*, there was that snapping sound, and a bluish-white light ran on the top of the ring.

The lightning was extending from Charlotte’s body.

It shone blindingly, created a human form in the air on top of the arena, and looks down at me.

 

It’s a lightning spirit.

 

A commotion rises from the audience seats.

There should be people within the ones who came outside the school who are petrified in fear for sure.

After all, it is huge.

It was huge enough to cover all of the arena.

Compared to the one that Laura summoned during her fight with Emilia before, it might be larger.

 

「Can I hear your reply?」

 

Charlotte asked while tilting her head as if it was the final notice.

 

「……I surrender」

 

My opponent was concerned about me.

Being confronted with that fact, my heart got broken.

It was not even a fight from the start.

 

In this half month, what in the world did Charlotte do.

It should not be within the range of a kind thing called trainings or practices.

 

「There is nothing strange about at all, Anna-san」

Charlotte started to speak as if she had seen through my heart.

 

「This Charlotte Gazard, compared to you and the rest, the definition of “doing my best” is only different. I did my best for half a month. That is right, I had done my best. I did not do anything other than that. That is all of it」

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 30 – Kenshi Mahou – Chapter 32