Magic Arena

"Where have you been these past two days?"

"I went to see my younger brother. He's studying at the Knight Academy."

"The Knight Academy?" Wesley looked at Donald, who was plainly dressed, even somewhat shabbily so, with some confusion.

"A Knight is sponsoring him."

"Are you all right?"

"What could be wrong? I'm doing fine."

"If I hadn't asked, were you planning to keep it from me forever? I heard Carl and the others gave you trouble that day."

"...You mean that? I was wondering why you were acting so strange today. It was just a small matter. It's already over."

"I think you should tell me..." After thinking for a moment, Wesley added, "What they did wasn't fair."

"For a commoner, pursuing fairness is a pretty troublesome thing. Besides, I can't beat them. The gap in strength is too great—what fairness could there be? All right, I'm fine. Why are you being so naggy? Look, another beauty is coming over there. Aren't you going to make a move?"

To Donald's surprise, Wesley did not go over to strike up a conversation. "I have an idea," he said, his expression unusually serious.

"I've been meaning to tell you, that approach of yours doesn't work. You need to be more subtle."

Wesley did not respond.

During dinner, someone knocked on Mr. Victor's door. Lucia had come looking for Donald.

"The maid just said you're Professor Victor's assistant?" Lucia looked at Donald uncertainly.

"I suppose you could say that... Did you need something from me?"

"Wesley just challenged Carl. Nine o'clock tonight, at the Academy's Magic Arena?"

"Wesley? Challenged Carl?"

"That's right! What did you say to him today?"

"Me? I didn't say anything."

"Everyone's rushing over to watch now. They're saying Wesley and Carl are dueling over Lucia. I hate hearing rumors like that. I saw what Carl and the others did to you that day, but no matter what, I think it's despicable of you to provoke Wesley like this!"

"You came all this way just to tell me what you think?" Donald gave a bitter smile.

"Don't you want to go watch their duel? Isn't this exactly what you wanted to see?"

"Miss Lucia, you were furious when you heard the rumor that they were dueling over you. Did you explain things to those people?"

"What's the use of explaining? It would only make things worse!"

"You're right, so I don't want to explain anything for myself either." After saying that, Donald turned and went back inside.

"You're an asshole..." Lucia had probably never been treated like that before. She shouted bitterly at Donald's retreating back.

"That beautiful third-year student? Nicely done, Donald!" Victor gave Donald a sly grin across the dinner table. The maid must have told him the visitor's name.

"She came to tell me I'm a shameless asshole."

"It's already gotten that far? Tell me, how did you manage it?" Victor seemed to have shifted his curiosity about natural history to the study of gossip.

"You're really bored. Wesley challenged Carl, and she thinks I egged him on."

"Who's Carl? Why did Wesley challenge him?"

"Who knows? Maybe it really does have something to do with me. It would be troublesome if Wesley got hurt."

"Why would Wesley get hurt?"

"Carl is one of the Academy's Top Ten Experts."

"Donald, do you know how the Academy's so-called Top Ten Experts are ranked?"

"No. By their trial results?"

"Trials? Don't you know that's just another name for the winter and summer trips? A few familiar students spend two or three months in some scenic spot, maybe kill a few wild boars for a taste of game, then come back and write some pretentious report. What use is that garbage?"

"Then how are they ranked?"

"Who the hell knows how they're ranked? Maybe by a few so-called duels that are like mime performances, or maybe by public opinion stirred up by little student cliques. In any case, the only purpose of that nonsense is to make people laugh. Did you know that one year, the Academy's number one expert wasn't even a Magic Apprentice? He bluffed his way through until his graduation assessment exposed him."

"Are graduation assessments the only assessments in the Academy?"

"Of course. Otherwise, how could they let those pretentious idiots stay in the Academy and keep paying tuition? If they held one school-wide assessment, I'd bet a third of the students in fourth year and above would drop out."

"The annual Martial Magic Tournament can't be rigged too, can it?"

"The Martial Magic Tournament? That's an even bigger joke! A Magic Apprentice's casting range is pitifully small, while Squires all wear armor. If they endure a few minor injuries, they can knock you unconscious just by charging into you."

"Are Mages that weak?" Donald was astonished.

"Of course not! A Mage Level 1 can deal with a Knight Level 1 easily."

"But most Academy students can never advance to Mage Level 1 in their entire lives. If they can't beat Squires, why not go to the Knight Academy instead? They could save quite a bit of money too."

"Don't you know Mages live longer? All right, Donald. From what I know of Wesley, you should be worrying about his opponent tonight."

"Then can I go take a look at the Magic Arena later?"

"Of course. I wouldn't restrict your personal freedom. You're only my assistant."

"Doesn't the school pay a professor's assistant wages?"

"Oh, did you forget? You're my private assistant, not connected to the school." Victor smiled mischievously. "The assistants the school hires for me are all idiots."

"I haven't received any wages from you either."

"What I gave you is more useful than wages. You'll find out when the time comes. Oh, Donald, do you really need money?" Victor asked seriously.

"I was joking with you." Donald certainly needed money, but Mr. Victor's help was indeed more precious than money.

After dinner, Donald asked for directions to the Magic Arena before heading out.

Walking along the path by the lake, he saw the student dormitories across the water glowing dimly. Under the stars, the Magic Academy held even more mystery than it did in daylight. The youth was wearing the thick cotton clothes he had just bought, and no longer needed to fight off the cold with sheer willpower.

Passing through the quiet teaching district at night, Donald saw the Academy's Magic Arena for the first time. It was like a small Roman Colosseum with half of it cut away. The whole structure could probably hold two or three thousand people, but only seven or eight hundred were seated now. Considering that the Academy had just over two thousand students in total, the audience for tonight's duel was enormous. Donald walked from the front toward the back, found a seat farther away, and sat down. He did not see Lucia.

"I'm finally going to see magic." Donald could not help feeling excited.

Dozens of enormous furnaces arranged in a semicircle lit the center of the arena. The flickering flames made the faces of the front-row spectators look somewhat savage. Before long, the two duelists and a Referee entered the field.

The crowd erupted.