[Afternoon. Old School Building Lecture Room.]
The Great Martial Tournament!
This festival has existed since before the establishment of Esdinas Academy.
Esdinas Academy stands at the center of the continent, vast enough to gather many participants.
Who are they?
Those who seek battle and wish to prove their strength.
“The history of the Great Martial Tournament is even longer than that of the Empire. This year marks the 998th tournament.”
Instructor Esta wrote the number 998 largely on the blackboard.
“And Esdinas Academy has been hosting this tournament for 498 years now.”
“The Academy?”
“Yes. More precisely, what could be considered its predecessor. There are slight differences in the exact numbers, but previously, the tournament was managed by the Empire. However, due to the influence of certain figures, it came under the jurisdiction of Esdinas Academy.”
Instructor Esta held up four fingers.
“Yunia. Who do you think they were?”
“Uh, the Four Founders?”
“That’s right. Ever since the Four Founders began participating in the Great Martial Tournament, they consistently dominated the top four spots—even before Esdinas Academy existed.”
The Hero, the Emperor, the Saint, and the Sage.
“From the time when the Hero was just a swordsman. From before the Emperor ascended to the throne, when he was still the Crown Prince. The Saint, though always the Saint due to the Goddess’s oracle, publicly identified as an ordinary priest. And the Sage, who had just moved from the countryside to the city to pursue knowledge as a mere scholar. Even as teenagers—your age—they consistently made it into the top 16 of the tournament.”
“Top 16? Not top four?”
“There were times when they met in the round of 16.”
“Ah.”
“As they grew older, these four kept taking turns winning the tournament. Eventually, a suggestion was made to enshrine them in a ‘Hall of Honor’ and instead grant the tournament champion a chance to fight against them.”
“Was that really allowed?”
“They were that strong. Of course, this is merely an explanation of the tournament’s origins. The truth of it remains uncertain.”
Instructor Esta pointed beyond the lecture room, toward the Old School Building.
“At that time, monsters ran rampant, and people suffered terribly. Could they really afford to risk their lives in an annual tournament? Some scholars believe the Four Founders turned the Great Martial Tournament into a spectacle as part of a drastic measure to erase a dark past.”
“A dark past?”
“Yes. The Colosseum. Some theorize that when the Emperor ascended to the throne and purged the Empire’s darkness, Esdinas Academy stripped the Colosseum of its former purpose and reshaped it into a ‘festival for the youth.’”
“Hmm… That interpretation does make sense. If people were suffering due to monster attacks 500 years ago, watching humans fight each other over strength might have seemed absurd. They could have tried to abolish it altogether.”
Regardless of whether Yunia’s speculation was true, what is the situation 500 years later?
“In a world where monsters are no longer a dire threat to humanity, what is the purpose of the Great Martial Tournament?”
“A showcase of student talent.”
“…”
“It’s unavoidable. This is the harsh reality. 500 years ago, it may have been a bloody festival, but today, it’s just a sparring competition where talented students fight without killing each other.”
Instructor Esta mimed swinging a sword through the air.
“However, adults do sometimes participate. Just like how an S-rank might fight against the tournament champions. That kind of situation happens occasionally.”
“…A 4 vs. 1 match?”
“Students are minors, and S-ranks are adults.”
If one were to question the fairness of an adult fighting four minors at once, the counterargument would be: What if those ‘minors’ possessed enough physical talent to surpass ordinary adults?
“This year’s Great Martial Tournament, thanks to your presence, has made even strong opponents hesitant to participate.”
“Why?”
“Because if they lost to you, they’d never be able to show their faces in public again.”
“Hmm….”
“Of course, some might say it’s just because Cutting Wind, a former active A-rank, is on your team. But that’s not the full story. Some people who originally wanted to enter as challengers have withdrawn their applications since the end of the semester. Mostly due to concerns about… Ludmila.”
“If they back out just because of one person, that means we’d defeat them anyway.”
That was an undeniable truth.
If a so-called strong opponent feared only Ludmila—who was nearing S-rank—and withdrew, then they weren’t fit to be in a leadership match in the first place.
“Exactly. As a result, few adults are stepping up, and at this rate, the challengers are almost certainly going to be narrowed down to two.”
“Who?”
“Me. And Ederson, the Dean of Academic Affairs.”
“The Mercenary King and the White Sword Saint?”
“Correct. Even though it’s technically a sparring match, we can’t take it lightly—too many people will be watching. Phoenix, what do you think of the current lineup?”
“We lose.”
The students in the Old School Building might have their own thoughts, but one thing was clear.
“Whether it’s the Vermilion Bird Class or the Azure Dragon Class, no matter who we face, we will definitely lose. The best that students can aim for in this match is a ‘We lost, but we put up a good fight.’”
“Correct. But before that, there is one critical requirement we need to fulfill.”
Instructor Esta wrote Leadership Match on the board in large letters.
“Before we can even participate in the leadership match, what must we accomplish first?”
“Winning the tournament.”
“Exactly. Victory. And only one team in the Academy can achieve it.”
Instructor Esta wrote Vermilion Bird Class and Azure Dragon Class next to the word Victory.
“Let’s put it this way. This is the order of the teams with the highest betting odds.”
“Be… what?”
“Betting. I told you, this tournament has a long history. Even though it has turned into more of a talent showcase for students, it’s still a festival. And what’s something that a festival can’t go without, Student Yurha?”
“Gambling.”
Yurha answered Instructor Esta while drawing a small circle with her finger.
“For the record, this is an event run entirely by the Academy itself, without any involvement from Silverstar. I even made quite a bit of money last year as a freshman by betting smartly.”
“Then wouldn’t last year’s champions still be major threats?”
“They all graduated.”
“Ah.”
That was only logical.
Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen.
Even though some students were over twenty, the ones who held the most favorable position in the Great Martial Tournament were always the third-year students.
“Many third-year students hang around the Old School Building around this time, partly because of the tournament. Last year, when they were second-years, they were pushed out of the top spots by the older students. But this year, it feels like the Old School Building and the special class students are the favorites. Because of that, they feel that if they don’t perform well, their tournament record might be unimpressive on their resumes.”
“Some are actually staying near the Old School Building precisely for the tournament.”
Instructor Esta gestured toward me.
“They want to receive the Phoenix Buff.”
“Mmm….”
“Try not to be too critical of the third-years’ behavior. In the end, they just want to secure good jobs after graduation. Their goal is to build strong résumés for future employment.”
“I understand. Five hundred years ago, humanity fought desperately to survive against monsters. Now, people must fight desperately to secure their own livelihoods.”
If staying near the Old School Building before graduation meant higher salaries after employment, then seven out of ten students would camp out there permanently.
Esdinas Academy had no formal grade repetition, but some students might even request to delay graduation just to remain near the Old School Building.
“If they’re that desperate, why not just build a place near the Old School Building and live there after graduation?”
“Funny you mention that—Instructor Kadisha was about to discuss that very topic.”
Catching Yunia’s muttered comment, Instructor Esta immediately followed up.
“For this year’s top-performing graduates, Instructor Kadisha is planning to provide them with preferential treatment.”
“Preferential treatment?”
“Yes. It’ll happen after the tournament… Yurha?”
“Ah, is this my part to explain?”
Standing up from her seat, Yurha walked to the podium.
“Ahem. I won’t give a full lecture—I’ll keep it brief. It’s simple.”
Yurha wrote Old School Building on the board and drew a circle around it.
“We’re going to build a new dormitory near the Old School Building. A very special dormitory where junior students can regularly receive Phoenix’s Buff.”
“…Is that even allowed?”
“Wait, is this a dorm that requires payment to stay in?”
At Ludmila and Evangeline’s questions, Yurha gave a faint smile.
“Silverstar Construction will bid for the project, but this is officially an Academy initiative.”
“The Academy itself…?”
“Yes. And Instructor Kadisha is one of the key figures leading it. Though the term ‘dormitory’ is just a formality—this project has another name.”
“Let me be the one to say it.”
The classroom door swung open, and Instructor Kadisha stepped inside.
“Seven lecture halls, all arranged around the Old School Building. This will be the foundation of…”
Gulp.
“Phoenix Graduate School.”
