Sports Day and the School Festival (End)

The fourth day of the school festival was uneventful; it was still the same old competitions, watching matches, and experiencing youthful school life with the girls at the festival.

So let's turn our attention to the last day of this festival.

Nine o'clock in the morning, at the badminton court.

"Over the past four days of intense competition, we have witnessed firsthand the agile and heroic figures of many athletes on the field, who have exemplified the true meaning of sportsmanship!"

"But every competition has winners and losers, so after four days of fierce competition, two teams have emerged to present us with an elegant and magnificent badminton final!"

"Now, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome both teams onto the field!"

The host's enthusiastic opening remarks resounded throughout the badminton court, igniting the audience's passion.

Amidst enthusiastic applause, the finalists entered the arena with graceful steps.

On the left are Augusta and Iuno, both smiling and gesturing to the audience around them; composure and elegance are their defining characteristics.

On the right are Aemeath and Lynae, both smiling brightly and raising their hands in response to the audience's enthusiasm; youth and vitality are their defining characteristics.

Then, four pairs of eyes instantly converged on the center of the audience, waving in unison towards that spot.

Xiao Ling was struggling to finish the xiaolongbao, paused the moment she noticed their gazes, hurriedly swallowed the bun, and waved at them somewhat awkwardly.

"Looks like there'll be another headline on the school forum after today~" Roccia teased mischievously from the side. "What does Mr. Neptune think about this?"

"Reputation doesn't matter anymore. Living a good life with my girls is more important than anything else," Xiao Ling replied calmly.

"Great attitude, Principal, I really admire you!"

"Actually, there's no other way. No matter how we explain, it's useless, so we might as well ignore it."

"Let's put reputation aside for now, Ling, which side do you think has a better chance of winning?" Dania's words immediately brought Xiao Ling back to the competition.

"They're both my flesh and blood," Xiao Ling, finding it difficult to choose. "Besides, their strengths aren't that different, so it's hard for me to make a judgment based on reason or emotion. What do you think, Yaya Ya?"

"After watching these four days of matches, I actually feel that the deciding factor in this match won't be between Little Ai and Augusta," Dania analyzed, stroking her chin.

"You mean to see who makes a mistake first, Iuno or Lynae?"

"I'm right about this."

"Good observation skills, Dania." Roccia smiled and nodded in approval of Dania. "The battle between Aemeath and Augusta is purely a contest of physical strength and power. Their tug-of-war will likely drag on for quite a while, and at that point, it will depend on whether their partners can step up at crucial moments."

"So, after all that, which side do you two think has a better chance of winning?" Xiao Ling brought the topic back on track.

"Little Ai Xiao Ai and the others. She's Tacet Discord Resonator, so her physical abilities should be quite excellent. And Lynae's performance in recent competitions has also been quite good." Dania cast her vote for the Demon Orb Team.

"I'll also vote for Little Ai, after all, she's my student," Roccia said with a smile.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

"My vote is naturally for the Governor and Lady Iuno." Lupa cast her vote for the Sun and Moon Team without hesitation. "The Septimont ' determination to win will not lose to anyone."

"Based on their previous performances on the field, I also think Governor Augusta and her group have a better chance of winning. Their teamwork is clearly better than Lynae's," Cartethyia offered her reasoned analysis. "I just don't know who the Righteous One will support..."

"Hmm... He's got his hands on both, so choosing one is definitely difficult~" Lupa shrugged helplessly.

"Little Ai, are you confident you can win?" Lynae asked Aemeath was warming up, just before the match was about to begin.

"It's not just that we're confident we can win," Aemeath was warming up, said with absolute certainty, "We absolutely must win!"

She had made a promise with A-Yu: if she could win this match, he would grant her any wish unconditionally.

Therefore, she was determined to win this badminton match!

On the other side, Iuno was equally determined to win the match.

"Augusta, take them all down in one go."

"Yes, their strength is evenly matched with ours, so don't underestimate them," Augusta nodded. "I'll keep Aemeath occupied; the outcome will be decided between you and Lynae."

"Okay! Leave it to me!"

As the whistle blew, Demon Orb Squad served first.

"Hey!" Aemeath's energetic voice rang out as the shuttlecock flew lightly over the net with her movements.

Iuno gracefully stepped forward and easily returned the ball to its owner.

Lynae reacted quickly, taking small, quick steps to anticipate the shuttlecock's landing point and hitting it precisely, sending it back to the other side once again.

Augusta then effortlessly received the ball, completing a beautiful counter-attack.

They had already fought more than a dozen times in private as rivals, and while they didn't fully understand each other's abilities, they knew a fair amount about each other's strengths, so neither of them went all out first.

"Still testing the waters? Shouldn't it be about time to go all out?" Dania watched them probe each other back and forth, and couldn't help but feel bored.

"This is just the beginning. It would be disrespectful to the opponent to go all out right from the start," Xiao Ling explained. "However, this situation won't last long. Little Ai will definitely find a way."

Just as Xiao Ling had predicted, after a few rounds of probing, Aemeath became a little restless.

This stalemate can't go on. Each game only lasts twenty minutes and is a best-of-three series, so we must try to get as many points as possible in this game.

So, Aemeath made her move.

As the shuttlecock flew over the net and came to them again, she leaped high and unleashed a powerful smash with fierce momentum. The shuttlecock actually made a whistling sound as it was pierced by the terrifying force.

Dania's large, bright eyes widened instantly.

Dania: No? You're exerting force like that?

Seeing that Little Ai was starting to go all out and no longer holding back, Augusta also began to smash the ball the moment it came over.

Thus, what the audience witnessed was this scene: the badminton shuttlecock shuttled back and forth between the two teams at a speed so fast that it was almost a blur, barely visible to the naked eye, and the sound of the rackets hitting the shuttlecock resounded throughout the entire stadium.

Clearly, both sides have reasons not to lose, and are giving it their all.

However, this relentless spiking was not without its drawbacks. This state did not last long before Aemeath's breathing became somewhat unsteady, her full breasts began to heave slightly and violently, and sweat slid down her cheeks to her chin and dripped down.

Augusta on the other side wasn't in much better shape; she was drenched in sweat and breathing slightly rapidly, the intense back-and-forth slamming had clearly taken a toll on her stamina.

Iuno and Lynae were in a relatively better situation, since they mainly focused on defense rather than offense, and therefore expended much less energy than their partners.

But this also means they need to step up in the upcoming matches.

Therefore, during halftime, Iuno and Lynae made the same decision as if by unspoken agreement.

"Aemeath, you'll defend from here; I'll take over the attack from behind."

"Augusta, you take a rest. I'll handle the rest of the attack."

So, both teams switched between offense and defense, and next up was Iuno and Lynae's home game.

"Iuno, I'm going!" Lynae declared with unstoppable momentum.

"Bring it on!" Iuno flicked her ponytail, looking quite confident.

With a "snap," the shuttlecock was hit again, and the audience eagerly awaited the birth of the final winner.

"I'm exhausted--!" Iuno, lying on Augusta's back, vented his exhaustion, a silver medal still hanging around his neck.

"If you're tired, talk less and get some rest," Augusta said calmly, a silver medal hanging around her neck, just like Iuno's.

"What a thrilling match!" Lynae said wearily, a satisfied smile on her face. "But I'm almost exhausted too..."

Aemeath was unusually quiet. She lay obediently on the Rover's back, taking a short rest to recover her strength. The gold medal around her neck gleamed brightly in the sunlight.

Looking at her current state of extreme exhaustion, Xiao Ling couldn't help but chuckle, yet also felt quite gratified.

After a fierce three-round battle, the final score was 2-1. Little Ai and her team won the last round by one point. When the match ended, all the girls except Augusta collapsed to the ground.

When the award was presented, Little Ai was overjoyed. She held the gold medal and kept waving it in Xiao Ling's direction, her big eyes sparkling.

Xiao Ling knew very well that this gold medal meant a lot to her, after all, he had made a promise with Xiao Ling that he would grant her one wish unconditionally if Little Ai won the championship.

"This awful weather... it's getting hotter and hotter..." Lupa's ears and tail drooped from the scorching sun overhead, and she looked completely listless.

"It's unusually hot today. Let me check the weather." Xiao Ling took out her phone and glanced at the weather, her expression turning serious. "The wind chill feels like thirty degrees Celsius. There are track and field events all afternoon. Can we even run in this heat?"

"I'm fine, it's just that Yaya..." Lupa was more worried about Dania's condition.

"I only have to run 800 meters, Lupa, you don't need to worry too much about me," Dania reassured Lupa.

Actually, she herself was quite unsure of herself. The weather was much hotter than a few days ago, and she was genuinely afraid that she would faint from the heat on the field.

"Yaya, do what you can. Even if you don't win the championship, it's already amazing to surpass your previous self." Xiao Ling gently stroked Dania's pink hair.

"Don't push yourself, Dania. Your health is the most important thing. No one will blame you even if you drop out halfway through," Roccia advised. "This isn't running away; it's taking responsibility for yourself."

"Don't worry~ If I'm really not feeling well, I'll withdraw from the competition myself." Dania paused for a moment, then said lazily.

But will she really withdraw from the competition as she said she would? Let's leave that for now.

2 PM, at the track and field stadium.

"It's so hot..." Aemeath's expression turned awkward from the heat. "Is Xiao Ya really okay competing in this weather...?"

"It's impossible to say there are no problems." Xiao Ling was very pragmatic. "Look, there are many more sunshades than a few days ago, and look at the finish line section, Doctor Lu and Doctor Wei are both there watching over it."

Roccia has always been reliable. Upon noticing that the weather conditions were somewhat severe today, she immediately took measures. She not only set up more sunshades but also had Doctor Lu and his team, along with volunteers, stand guard at the finish line to provide assistance to participants experiencing any sudden health issues. She also prepared a variety of cooling measures, such as ice packs and ice towels, to ensure the safety of the participants.

"I feel like I'm going to be dried out by the sun..." Even with a parasol in hand, Lynae was still drenched in sweat from the heat. "Is Sister Nia really okay? She's never been very good at running..."

"Principal Roccia and I have already told her to prioritize her health. If she really can't continue and has to withdraw from the competition, that's okay. No one will blame her."

But whether she's willing to do it is another matter, Xiao Ling thought to himself.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Dania felt the outside temperature with her fair arm, and a burning sensation ran down her arm, making her immediately pull her hand back.

Dania frowned almost imperceptibly; the weather was a bit too warm.

"Yaya!"

Dania turned around and found Sigrika standing right behind her, guarding her.

"Xixi? What brings you here?"

"Here's some water for you!" Sigrika slapped her thermos into her hand. "It's very hot, Yaya, you need to remember to stay hydrated before the match!"

"By the way, don't drink it all at once, drink it in small sips several times!"

Faced with her best friend's serious yet concerned reminder, Dania simply smiled sweetly and obediently did as she was told.

"Yaya, don't push yourself if you can't handle it! Even if you don't get a prize, you'll still be the best in my eyes!" Little Orange gently held Honey Peach's soft, jade-like hand and said with a bright smile.

Dania looked at Sigrika in front of her and suddenly felt as if she had been transported to another world.

"Don't worry, Xixi, I'll do what I can." Dania gently squeezed Sigrika's hands back, a smile playing on her lips.

"That's good! The race is about to start, good luck Ya Yaya! I'll be waiting for you at the finish line as always!"

"Uh-huh."

As the announcement signaling the start of the race sounded, Dania stepped onto the track once again.

The same scene had played out several times before, but this time, her opponents were not only the other contestants, but also the irresistible enthusiasm of the sun.

"On your marks!" The referee's shout echoed across the track and field.

"Bang!"

As soon as the starting gun fired, the participants surged across the starting line like wild horses.

"Dania seems to be doing well." Roccia eye on Dania's condition.

"Hmm, the rhythm is steady, she didn't get flustered," Xiao Ling nodded. "It seems she's learned everything I taught her before."

You also provided her with special guidance?

"Something about what you said sounds weird."

"If you're not serious yourself, everything you hear will sound weird," Roccia commented.

"I didn't give her any special tutoring, just occasional pointers during training," Xiao Ling replied. "Aemeath and Lupa both know that."

Roccia immediately looked in Aemeath's direction, and only after receiving a confirming look from the other did she turn her gaze back to the arena.

"I'm going to wait for her on the sidelines." Xiao Ling said after watching Dania finish her first lap, and then turned to leave.

"I'll go with you!" Aemeath immediately stood up, patted her skirt, and followed Xiao Ling to the sidelines to wait.

Roccia watched as her students ran to the sidelines, chuckled twice, and then followed in their footsteps.

As we all know, the most difficult part of running the 800-meter track and field race in this kind of weather is often the last quarter of the race.

Under the scorching heat and physical exhaustion, two or three contestants began to feel unwell. They immediately chose to withdraw from the competition and slowly walked to a shady spot to wait for the school doctor and volunteers to check on and take care of them.

Dania's condition wasn't much better.

Although she had trained a few times and participated in a few races, she was essentially someone who didn't exercise regularly. Her ability to outperform others was mainly due to Solaris's superhuman physique, which sustained her through the intensity of the competition.

But those who make it to the finals are no ordinary people. At this moment, she was right behind another track and field athlete, and she couldn't find any chance to overtake him.

Should we just let it go? Second place is fine too, isn't it? Her increasingly heavy limbs and dizzy head were telling her that.

"... I don't want to!"

Dania bit her lip tightly; the pain brought her back to her senses.

Then, to the astonishment of the first-place finisher, she, with a flushed face and lips that were gradually losing their color, came from behind and took the lead.

They all advised her to act within her means, and she thought so too.

But when the time actually came, she just couldn't swallow her anger.

Even though you were so close to first place, how could you convince yourself to give up like that...?

That's so embarrassing!

Now that she's come this far, she's determined not to stop!

She, Dania, can be their pride too!

Tinnitus, dizziness, and weakness in the limbs—none of these matter! As long as I cross that finish line!

The whistle blew in her ears, and Dania knew her match was over.

Her vision went black and she was about to kneel down when a strong and powerful arm firmly pulled her back.

"I told you not to be a hero..." Xiao Ling's voice was unusually serious. "You almost scared Xixi and the others to death just now."

"... Don't talk to me, let me lean on your shoulder for a while..." Dania rested her forehead on Xiao Ling's shoulder, the firm feeling bringing a moment of peace to her violently beating heart.

Seeing the bloodied marks on her cherry lips, Xiao Ling sighed softly and quietly helped her walk slowly along the track and field.

"You were the first to cross the finish line, that was incredibly close, only half a step ahead of second place," Xiao Ling said with a hint of satisfaction, announcing her result. "Well done!"

"Haha... I didn't let you down, did I?" Dania smiled, her voice so soft it seemed to drift away on the wind.

Xiao Ling smiled gently and patted her head lightly.

"Of course, you are our pride, now and always will be."