Chapter 58: Aftermath and An Invitation

“Ugh… Good work, Sayo. That was close!”

“Haa… I’m exhausted. Good work, Emelly.”

Both of us were covered in dust, our sparring outfits scorched and torn. I collapsed to the ground, while Emelly, still full of energy, stretched her muscles.

“You look pretty rough, Sayo. The disheveled look is… surprisingly appealing, considering how neat and proper you usually are. Though, I’m the one who did it!”

“…You do realize I won, right? You don’t get your favor.”

Emelly spoke with a strange smugness, even though I had clearly won the match. I hoped she wasn’t under some delusion that she had won and was about to demand something.

“I thought I could win using the consecutive spellcasting I’d been practicing. It’s a shame. I thought this was my best chance to beat you.”

To put it simply,

I had been caught off guard by Emelly’s unexpected Double Casting and had been momentarily on the ropes, but after that initial surprise, I had secured a comfortable victory.

The difference in our fundamental magic skills was significant. I had lost some ground initially, but I gradually closed the gap. In the end, I overwhelmed her with superior casting speed and spell power, rather than relying on complex strategies. Of course, dodging spells, rolling around the arena, and casting magic relentlessly had taken its toll. I was completely drained.
…Though, my low stamina was also a contributing factor.

“Well, I’m satisfied that I managed to push the academy’s top mage this far. I almost won!”

“Don’t be satisfied with ‘almost.’ I’ll be cheering for you to beat me next time.”

“What, are you saying I’m still no match for you? Well, I can’t argue after losing like this.”

“No, I’m genuinely cheering for you. As a friend… and a rival.”

That was the truth. While I had been momentarily threatened by Emelly’s Double Casting and the prospect of having to fulfill her unknown request, her overall skill level was underwhelming.

Just like talents and characteristics were ranked in the game, mages and Reinforcement magicians also had skill rankings, based on stats that increased with level. Generally, a higher rank indicated greater strength.

Those with unique abilities, like Emelly and myself, could often perform above their rank. But that was the general rule.

I remembered that the magic instructor overseeing the sparring matches was A-rank. I had been observing the students and their sparring matches, including the instructor’s demonstrations, and had developed my own ranking system.

It was a rough estimate, my own subjective assessment, but I believed it would be useful to have a general idea of everyone’s strength.

I had placed myself at B+, and Emelly at around C to C+. Of course, even at that level, she was well above the academy average. But for a protagonist, it wasn’t enough. Her Double Casting, though potentially powerful, was clearly underdeveloped compared to my Instantaneous Magic. It took her too long to prepare, and she hadn’t been able to use it after that initial surprise attack.

“…This could be a problem.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself.”

My worries had slipped out unconsciously.

The reason Emelly had lost so decisively, despite her initial advantage, was her relatively weak foundation. I wasn’t expecting her to have B-rank level stats at this stage, but the minimum recommended level for clearing this part of the game was a solid C+, or at the very least, a low B-. I was starting to get concerned.

Should I have assessed Emelly’s level earlier?

No, wait. That wasn’t right. I was thinking in game terms again. This was reality. There were no minimum level requirements. And even if Emelly’s current level was a problem, unlike in the game, I was on her side now. I could help her.

Her weaknesses were a minus for the enemy, and my strength was a plus for our side. As one of the protagonist’s rivals, I was a considerable asset.

Yes, thinking positively, Emelly’s slightly slower progress wasn’t such a big deal. The fact that she was already using Double Casting, an ability she wasn’t supposed to learn until much later, showed that this world was different from the game, full of unpredictable variables. Once she mastered Double Casting, it could easily compensate for her lower base stats.

Yes, focusing on the positives, things didn’t seem so bleak. I had been needlessly worrying.

Positive thinking was important. The weight on my chest lightened, and my mood improved. The fact that my optimism was grounded in logic made it even better.

“You’re a strange one, Sayo.”

“Huh?”

“One moment you’re deep in thought, and the next, you seem to brighten up. You look… happy?”

“…Is it that obvious?”

That was strange. It shouldn’t be easy to read my expressions. Had I unconsciously relaxed my face and let my guard down? No, that couldn’t be it. I couldn’t control my expressions that easily.

“No, your expression hasn’t changed much. I just… sense it. Your mood.”

“Ah… have you always been able to do that?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t really pay attention to you before. I only started… noticing you recently.”

“I suppose that makes sense…”

I still wasn’t sure how to react when remnants of Sayoreinne’s past slipped out during conversations. I would have to be more careful, especially around Emelly. How could she read my thoughts through my expressionless mask? Was this some kind of protagonist’s privilege?

“Haa… I’m really disappointed. I was so sure I could win, just this once.”

I was curious about what she had wanted to ask me. I hadn’t thought much of it before, but now I wanted to know.

“What favor were you going to ask? I’m curious.”

“Well… it doesn’t matter now, since I lost.”

“I still want to know. Was it something embarrassing, something you can’t say unless I agree to do it?”

“What do you take me for? It was nothing like that.”

“Then you can tell me, right? I want to know what you were going to ask.”

Emelly hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

“Haa… it was nothing, really. Just… spending time together this weekend…”

“This weekend?”

“Yeah, like… hanging out. It was nothing, really!”

That was it?

“That’s all?”

At my incredulous question, Emelly blushed and looked away.

“Well, we weren’t exactly on good terms before. I wanted to become closer to you. I was worried you might reject me, and I still don’t really know how you feel about me… anyway, that’s all it was! Really, nothing special!”

Oh… Seeing her like this, with that expression, saying those words… as a man (even though I was in a woman’s body), I couldn’t resist.

“Alright.”

“Huh? A-Alright?”

“Yes. You didn’t need to make it a wager. I would have agreed if you had just asked. Let’s spend some time together this weekend.”

“Oh, that’s all it was… are you sure? You don’t have any other plans?”

“If I had other plans, I wouldn’t have suggested it. And it’s with you, Emelly, so of course I want to.”

My words seemed to please her. She blushed, looking even cuter than usual. I felt a smile tugging at my lips, though I managed to suppress it.

“O-Okay. It’s a promise then?”

“Yes.”

I felt a warm sense of satisfaction. I briefly wondered if this was how Emelly usually acted, but she was a playable character in the game. Her personality and behavior depended on the player’s choices, so she didn’t have a fixed character… it was possible. Even the other characters, whose personalities were set in the game, seemed different in this world.

It felt like I had grown, being able to casually invite someone out like this.

I was definitely looking forward to the weekend.