Chapter 3: The Silver Dragon Festival Begins

Early the following morning.

The ceremony for the Silver Dragon Festival commenced with solemnity.

Watched by a large crowd of tourists, young girls dressed as shrine maidens clad in pure white robes, entered the city from the east, west and south gates of White Town, each accompanied by a few attendants.

These maidens were representatives from the eastern, western, and southern settlements of Snowria.

The maidens carried sacred flames, lit from the hearths of their respective settlements, in silver-crafted lanterns, holding them aloft.

Their attendants bore offerings: smoked river fish from the valleys, smoked venison from the mountains, llama milk liquor, gaja yams, and other bounties harvested in Snowria.

The three groups of maidens and attendants proceeded down the heavily guarded eastern, western, and southern main streets, each with a dignified air, heading toward the central plaza of White Town.

In the central plaza, a grand altar resembling a theatrical stage had been erected, surrounded by a throng of tourists holding their breath in anticipation.

Eventually, the three groups reached the altar, offering the sacred flames and tributes. A priest, who had been waiting there, conducted the ritual according to traditional rites.

Then, a fourth maiden, who had been waiting at the altar, combined the three sacred flames into one. Together with the attendants carrying the offerings, she proceeded north along the town’s northern main street.

The sacred flame and offerings were to be presented at the《Dragon Shrine》built at the foot of the northern mountain range.

“Hey, Sensei. What’s the meaning behind that ritual?”

Watching the group of maidens heading north, Rumia asked curiously.

“Hmm… Even I, as great as I am, don’t know much about the rituals of such a remote, local religion…”

Glenn scratched his head, dodging the question.

“Heh heh! Looks like it’s my time to shine!”

Sistine puffed out her chest proudly.

“Leave folklore and archaeology matters to me! That ritual is—”

“It’s a ceremony to offer gratitude to the guardian of this Snowria region, the Silver Dragon.”

But before Sistine could elaborate, Celica cut in matter-of-factly.

“…Silver Dragon? The deity revered in that local Silver Dragon faith?”

Glenn turned to Celica, seeking clarification.

“Exactly. It’s said that long ago, a Silver Dragon, a guardian deity, protected this region. Thanks to its blessings, the people enjoyed a prosperous life. In other words, the harvests of this land were seen as gifts from the Silver Dragon, who ruled over the natural world here.”

“Sounds like nonsense. Dragons are just magical beasts, right? Pests that harm humans.”

“Maybe. But if the story’s true, that Silver Dragon might’ve been an Ancient Dragon, one that gained intelligence beyond humans over time. Who knows now? After all, not a single dragon’s presence can be confirmed anywhere in Snowria today. All we have is the legend that a dragon called the Silver Dragon once existed here.”

“Knew it. Legends are just legends. No way such a dragon exists.”

“You sure? They say dragons that live long enough can take human form. That Silver Dragon might still be closer than you think.”

“Ha! That’s ridiculous!”

Glenn laughed off Celica’s words.

“Grr… As expected of Professor Arfonia! Oh, but, Sensei! There’s an interesting anecdote about this! That ritual is actually—”

Sistine tried to continue, but…

“Also, there’s a theory that the ritual was originally about ‘offering a sacrifice to the Silver Dragon.’”

“—Guh!?”

Once again, Celica beat her to it, and Sistine clutched her head in frustration.

“A sacrifice? Whoa, that’s kinda grim.”

“The maiden heading to the northern shrine to offer tributes is a metaphor for a human sacrifice meant to appease an enraged divine dragon. It’s a remnant of an old custom, transformed over time.”

“Seriously…? That’s creepy.”

“Y-Yes, exactly! And, Sensei, I think that Silver Dragon—”

“Was the Silver Dragon a god protecting the people? Or a demon harming them? I think the answer might be both.”

“—Guh! A-Actually, I was thinking the same thing… and the basis for that is…”

“The thing is, this Silver Dragon Festival includes a ceremonial dance dedicated to the Silver Dragon. The content of that dance seems to reflect the dual nature of the Silver Dragon.”

“A ceremonial dance? There’s something like that?”

“Yeah. It’s a dance that expresses a certain local folktale. Apparently, it’s one of the main events of the Silver Dragon Festival.”

Celica nodded at Glenn’s question.

Sistine seized her chance to speak.

“Y-Yes, exactly! And in my opinion, that ceremonial dance is—”

“I think the folktale depicted in that dance is one of the original sources for ‘The Magician of Melgalius.’”

Beaten to the punch yet again, Sistine dramatically collapsed onto the snow.

At this point, it almost felt like Celica was deliberately teasing her.

“Huh? Why’s ‘The Magician of Melgalius’ coming up now?!”

Glenn groaned, exasperated by the term that kept preempting their conversation.

The fairy tale ‘The Magician of Melgalius’, written by Loran Ertoria, a magical archaeologist and fairy tale author, was a widely known story in the Alzano Empire.

It was also a compilation of ancient myths, drawing from legends, myths, and folktales across the empire. Centered on the recurring theme of a righteous magician’s battle against a demon king, Loran Ertoria wove these stories together with his unique interpretations.

“Chapter Seven of ‘The Magician of Melgalius’, was it? The ceremonial dance performed at this Silver Dragon Festival is a ritual to honor the soul of the now-vanished Silver Dragon, and it shares striking similarities with the content of that chapter. Heh… Loran Ertoria probably visited Snowria for his ancient history research and incorporated it into his work.”

“Huh, interesting. You sure know a lot, Celica.”

“Grrrrrgh…!”

Sistine, having all her points stolen by Celica, could only grit her teeth in frustration.

“Sistine, your face is covered in snow. Weird.”

“I-I can’t help it! With Professor Arfonia around, there’s no room for Sistie to shine…”

Re=L tilted her head curiously, while Rumia comforted the teary-eyed Sistine.

(Man, what was Chapter Seven of ‘The Magician of Melgalius’ about again…?)

As Glenn tried to dig through his childhood memories,

“Hey, you lot! The opening ceremony’s over. Since we’re here, let’s check out the various events happening around White Town!”

Celica, unusually excited, grabbed Glenn’s right hand and started walking briskly.

“H-Hey!? Wait a sec! Don’t pull me! Geez, a grown adult getting this hyped over a festival… what are you, a kid?”

Despite his complaints, Glenn didn’t seem that bothered, letting Celica drag him along.

“Grrr…”

“Haha, she’s a tougher opponent than we expected, huh?”

“Mrr… Celica’s hogging all the fun. It’s not fair.”

Sistine glared at Glenn and Celica with a frustrated expression, Rumia gave a wry smile, and Re=L furrowed her brow slightly as they watched them go.

After the Silver Dragon Festival’s opening ceremony concluded,

White Town, bustling with tourists, came alive with the full swing of the festival.

Held once a year, the Silver Dragon Festival transformed White Town’s streets into a dazzling spectacle, adorned with decorations reminiscent of a holy night.

Orchestras played cheerful music nonstop at various spots in the city, bells rang out, and fireworks were launched continuously, blooming in splendid displays without pause.

The main streets in all directions were lined with stalls selling hot mead, sausages, and other snacks. People wearing dragon-themed headgear marched in parades, forming lively processions.

The upbeat, festive atmosphere wasn’t confined to the city.

Outside the western gate, a dogsled race was held on the snowy plains, drawing huge crowds.

At the southeastern gate, a frozen lake had been turned into a skating rink where tourists enjoyed skating, and locals offered impromptu skating lessons.

In the sparse southern woodlands, a snow sculpture contest was underway, with magnificent snow sculptures crafted for the occasion captivating visitors.

Glenn and his group wandered through the lively White Town, soaking in the festive spirit to their hearts’ content—

“Hey, Glenn! Wanna climb the northwest district’s hill? They say the view of Mount Iceria to the west is breathtaking! You wanna see it, right, my disciple!?”

“Sure, sure, whatever you want. I’ll tag along, Master.”

“Look, Glenn! I bought one for you too. Eat up.”

“Huh!? Why the heck do I have to eat ice cream in this freezing cold!?”

“Eating something cold when it’s chilly is the best, right? Come on, eat it. Or should I feed you? Here, say ‘ahh’…”

“Like hell I will!”

Celica, brimming with enthusiasm the whole time, stuck close to Glenn.

She stayed by his side, acting even more carefree than usual, dragging him around as she pleased.

—However.

“I’m not losing to her!”

Finally, Sistine’s patience snapped under Celica’s overwhelming offensive.

“I get that Sensei is like irreplaceable family to the professor! But this is too much—we’re totally being sidelined here…!”

Sistine clenched her fists in frustration.

“At this rate, not only will Sensei not see us as girls during this trip, he might not even remember we were here at all!”

“You’re right… We can’t let this go on! Yeah!”

“I don’t really get it, but… I want to play with Glenn more too. Celica’s hogging him. It’s not fair.”

Even the usually gentle and soft-spoken Rumia tightened her expression, and Re=L pouted, visibly dissatisfied.

“We’ve got to turn the tide in our favor somehow!”

Sistine racked her brain for a solution.

Just then,

“Still… what’s up with Professor Arfonia?”

Rumia, as if noticing something, placed a hand on her delicate chin.

“What’s wrong, Rumia?”

“Well, sure, the professor’s sticking to Glenn-sensei and seems to be having a blast…”

Rumia’s expression grew slightly serious as she carefully chose her words.

“At the same time, she seems… really anxious, somehow?”

“Anxious? The professor?”

Puzzled by Rumia’s comment, Sistine glanced at Celica and Glenn.

Celica was at a game stall, competing with Glenn in a shooting game.

“Yay! I win! Take that!”

“That’s cheating! You used magic at the end, didn’t you!? The cork bullet curved in an impossible way! Hey, are you listening!?”

Celica’s profile, as she bantered with Glenn, shone like a midsummer sun despite the frigid surroundings.

Sistine couldn’t sense any anxiety, no matter how she looked.

“Yeah, I’m sure of it. The professor… she’s anxious about something…”

Rumia, however, seemed convinced.

“I can’t quite explain it, but… it’s like she’s desperate, as if missing this chance means she’ll never get to spend such fun times with Sensei again…?”

“Hmm… Really? Aren’t you overthinking it?”

“…I hope so.”

Rumia gave a wry smile in response to Sistine.

Sistine wanted to dismiss it as Rumia’s imagination, but given Rumia’s keen sensitivity to others’ emotions—honed by her life experiences—it was hard to ignore.

…That said,

“Still, we agree we can’t let things stay like this, right? I mean, it’s a rare trip… (I want to have more fun with Sensei too…)”

“…Sistie? Did you say something at the end?”

“Eh!? N-No, nothing! Nothing at all, haha…!”

Sistine hurriedly waved her hands, flustered that her mumbled words were nearly caught.

“But seriously, what can we do? There doesn’t seem to be any opening to cut in…”

As Sistine and the others trailed behind Glenn and Celica, sighing,

“AHHHHHHH!? Y-You guys!?”

“AHHHHHHH!? Y-You lot!?”

Suddenly, voices called out from behind, making them turn around instinctively.

There stood three girls, their faces filled with shock.

One had blonde hair styled in vertical rolls, exuding the air of a refined young lady.

Another had long black hair and sharp, almond-shaped eyes, giving off a cool, gallant vibe.

The third had gray hair tied in braids, her expression blank and unreadable.

“Huh…?”

“You’re…?”

Sistine and the others recognized the trio. They were dressed in cold-weather gear instead of their uniforms, so it took a moment to register—

“Francine!? Colette!? And even Ginny!?”

Yes, they were the trio of troublemaking ojou-samas they’d met during their short-term exchange at St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy.

“Sistine! Rumia! Re=L! It’s been forever!”

“I never imagined we’d reunite with you in a place like this!”

Colette and Francine rushed over, their faces beaming with joy.

“Yo, long time no see.”

Ginny, as usual, greeted them with a flat tone, barely moving or changing her expression.

“What are you guys doing here!?”

“Probably the same reason as you!”

“We’re using the fall break to travel to Snowria!”

“Ugh… I’m stuck babysitting the silly ojou even during vacation. Can’t catch a break.” (mutter)

“Eh? G-Ginny? What did you just…?”

“Nothing. This unworthy Ginny will serve Francine-ojou-sama with utmost devotion. It is my joy as her attendant.” (crisp)

“Ginny… you’re, uh, still the same, huh… haha…”

And so,

The group, reunited unexpectedly, walked side by side, catching up on recent events.

Apparently, since their last encounter, the two major factions at St. Lily—White Lily Society and Black Lily Society—had grown more amicable. Instead of mere reconciliation, they’d begun engaging in positive, competitive exchanges to hone their skills.

This trip was part of that initiative, with volunteers from both factions organizing the journey. Though not present at the moment, nearly forty students from St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy were currently in White Town.

“…Elsa? Is Elsa not here?”

Re=L glanced around, asking Francine and the others.

“Unfortunately, Elsa-san isn’t on this trip.”

Ginny answered Re=L’s question calmly.

“She’s probably back in her hometown right now, training in the mountains.”

“Since parting with Re=L, Elsa has been tirelessly honing her swordsmanship, improving at an astonishing rate! All so she can one day stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Re=L.”

“That girl’s probably getting even stronger during this break. Heard she even got scouted by the military recently…”

“Ugh… If I didn’t have to babysit the silly ojou, I’d be back in my village, training with my grandfather.”

“Ginny… you’re getting less and less subtle, you know!?”

“So, Elsa’s working hard… Good. I’ll work hard too.”

Hearing about Elsa, Re=L’s expression mixed slight disappointment with a hint of happiness, her lips softening.

“Sure, we’re not on Elsa’s level, but we’ve been sharpening our skills too. Can’t wait for a rematch with you guys.”

“Hmph, bring it on.”

Colette and Sistine exchanged confident smirks.

Naturally, the conversation soon turned to that topic.

“By the way… Sistine? Um… how’s Renn-sensei doing?”

“Yeah, since you guys are here… is Renn-sensei around?”

Francine and Colette asked, their cheeks flushing as they fidgeted.

Renn was the alias Glenn used when he posed as a female instructor at St. Lily Magic Girls’ Academy.

For some reason, the girls were utterly smitten with “Renn.”

“Gle—Renn-sensei? Over there.”

Sistine pointed.

There, at a stall selling decorative crafts, were Glenn and Celica.

“W-Wait, hold on, shopkeeper! Don’t push weird stuff on us! Our relationship isn’t like that! We’re just—”

“Husband and wife.”

Celica teased, clinging to Glenn’s arm, while he flusteredly tried to explain.

“Huh? Renn-sensei still hasn’t turned back into a woman?”

“And who’s that blonde woman? Why’s she so chummy with Renn-sensei…?”

“Ugh, what a hassle… Where do I even start?”

Sistine felt a headache coming on from the impending complications.

—A short while later.

““Renn-sensei is actually a MAN!?! No wayyyyy!?!?””

“I mean, you’d normally figure it out. How dense are you guys?”

As expected, Francine, Colette, and Ginny reacted predictably.

“N-N-N-No way! If Sensei is actually a gentleman, th-th-that means I could actually be with Renn-sensei, l-l-like—”

“W-W-W-Wait! I gave up because I thought it was girl-on-girl, but, w-w-w-what!? There’s actually a chance!?”

Francine and Colette cycled through turning pale, blushing furiously, and swooning like lovestruck maidens.

“…That’s why I didn’t want to tell them.”

“Haha…”

Sistine and Rumia could only exchange complicated looks.

“If that’s the case, I absolutely won’t forgive her! Even if Professor Arfonia is Sensei’s master, hogging my beloved Sensei all to herself is unforgivable!”

“Exactly! Sensei belongs to me!”

“…He doesn’t belong to either of you. You lovesick alley cats.”

“Ginny… your sharp tongue’s gotten even sharper.”

What’s more, the way Ginny says all of this with an even more expressionless face than Re=L is downright terrifying.

Well, anyway.

“…So, that’s why I’m wondering what to do.”

“If things keep going like this, it feels like this trip won’t lead to any progress, despite being such a great opportunity.”

Having explained the situation, Sistine and Rumia let out bitter sighs, their faces grim.

“I see, Glenn-sensei’s master… quite the formidable opponent, isn’t she?”

“But if that’s the case, we’ve got a little plan in mind!”

At that, Francine and Colette began to chime in with such remarks.

“Huh?”

“Lend us your ear. The thing is—”

The strategy Colette proposed was—

It was just past noon.

Glenn had been sent off by Celica to buy lunch for everyone from the nearby food stalls, and he was temporarily absent from the scene.

“Hey, Professor Arfonia… how about a little competition with us?”

Sistine suddenly proposed such a thing to Celica.

“Hm? What’s this about, Sistine? …A competition?”

Caught off guard, Celica’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment… but soon, sensing something amusing was afoot, she flashed a confident smile.

Then, Rumia showed Celica a flyer that was being handed out on the street.

“What’s this? ‘White Town’s Strongest Snowball Fight Tournament’? At the Reene Thicket in the east?”

“Yes, it seems there are some pretty lavish prizes, but that’s beside the point. How about this: the one among us who performs the best in this tournament… gets, um… the right to spend all of tomorrow touring the Silver Dragon Festival with Glenn-sensei. What do you think?”

“…Oh?”

Celica narrowed her eyes slightly, a daring smile playing on her lips as she glanced at Sistine and the others.

“I-I don’t really care about that kind of thing! But I thought it must be tough for you to always be the one looking after Sensei, Professor! Ugh, this is all so chaotic, but it’s a challenge! A challenge!”

“I’m sorry, Professor. We also want to have fun with Sensei… Would you accept this challenge? Please, give us a chance too.”

“Mm, Celica, let’s compete.”

Each of the three girls stared intently at Celica in their own way.

Embarrassment and confusion, shyness and determination, or just going along with the momentum despite not fully understanding—though their expressions varied, their eyes were unmistakably those of maidens in love.

“…”

Celica gazed earnestly at the three girls for a while… and then, she let out a soft chuckle.

“I see, my bad. Looks like I’ve been hogging Glenn a bit too much. Forgive me.”

“Professor?”

“The thing is, I actually need to periodically recharge my ‘Glenn Supply’ or I’ll die. Seriously.”

“What!?”

Sistine and the others blinked in confusion, unsure whether Celica was joking or serious, her playful tone brimming with mischief.

“It’s been a while since I last recharged my Glenn Supply, so… I may have gotten a tad too carried away. Heh heh heh…”

And then, Celica…

“…Hmph, I see. There are some awfully good girls around that guy, far too good for him. In that case, even if someday I’m no longer myself…”

For a fleeting moment, she murmured those words with a lonely expression.

“Huh? Professor, what did you just…?”

“Alright, I’ll take you up on that challenge.”

But in the next instant, Celica declared with a triumphant, radiant smile.

It was a smile as bright as a sunflower in midsummer, making the fleeting expression from moments before seem like a lie.

Because of that, Sistine and the others missed their chance to press her about it.

“However! You called it a challenge, right? If it’s a challenge, I’m going all out. Let me warn you, I’m a tough opponent in any kind of contest. Be ready. Throw everything you’ve got at me—call in reinforcements, use the strength of old friends you’ve reunited with, anything goes.”

“Ugh…”

Somehow, she’d already figured out about Francine and the others. Just where had she gathered such information about their situation? Truly, the seventh rank, Septende, was unfathomable.

But now that things had come to this, there was no backing down or turning back.

“W-we’re doing this, Rumia, Re=L!”

“Got it, Sistie.”

“Mm, leave it to me.”

And so.

Sistine and the others led Celica, brimming with enthusiasm, toward the snowball fight venue—

—And then.

“…Isn’t this a bit harsh?”

When Glenn finally returned to the spot, arms laden with a mountain of food…

Not a single person, not even Celica, who was supposed to be waiting at the bench, was there.

“Sending me on errands and then ditching me? What is this, some new kind of bullying? Can I cry now?”

What am I supposed to do with all this food? …Glenn could only let out a deep sigh.

To the east of White Town stretched a coniferous thicket.

The coniferous trees stood at just the right intervals, blanketed evenly with snow, while soft, fluffy snow piled high at their bases. Even a dramatic tumble wouldn’t result in a single injury.

The area was reasonably spacious, making it the perfect spot for a snowball fight.

And now, at the wide-open clearing in the heart of the thicket, nearly two hundred participants had gathered.

Of course, Sistine, Rumia, Re=L, and Celica were among them.

A little distance away, Francine, Colette, and Ginny stood poised.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for gathering here! Without further ado, we will now commence White Town’s Strongest Snowball Fight Tournament!”

The event organizer addressed the large crowd of participants through a megaphone.

“The numbered bibs you’re wearing are enchanted with a magical mechanism that makes your body progressively heavier each time you’re hit by a snowball. Eventually, it will become difficult to even stand. Naturally, anyone who removes their bib without permission will be disqualified. The rules are simple: the last person standing is the winner. Everyone else is your enemy.”

To ensure the Silver Dragon Festival ran smoothly, certain magical tools had been approved for use, and these enchanted bibs were one such tool.

This was likely thanks to the political finesse of Mayor John.

“Oh, so that’s how it works? Fascinating…”

“So this is magic, huh…”

The main demographic of tourists—upper-class or relatively affluent property owners—were accustomed to the concept of magic. Many nobles studied magic as part of their education, so they reacted to the magical mechanism with mild curiosity at best.

“The competition field encompasses this entire thicket. Anyone who leaves the field is disqualified. As time passes, ropes will cordon off restricted areas, gradually shrinking the playable field, so please take note.”

In other words, simply running away wouldn’t cut it.

“And since this is called a snowball fight, only snowballs are valid as attacks. Anyone who attacks other participants with any other means will be disqualified without question. As long as you adhere to that rule, alliances, conspiracies, pincer attacks—anything goes. The goal is to be the last one standing. Now, let’s begin—”

With the organizer’s signal, the snowball fight tournament officially began.

Right after the competition started…

“That was some clever thinking, Colette!”

Having temporarily parted ways with Celica, Sistine and her group secretly rendezvoused with Colette and the others.

They ran side by side through the thicket, exchanging glances.

“With these rules, it doesn’t matter how skilled the professor is at magic! After all, the only valid attack is snowballs!”

“Right? That means we, who’ve teamed up for now, have the advantage in numbers!”

“And the one who directly defeats Professor Arfonia, who’s been beguiling my Glenn-sensei… will earn the right to spend all of tomorrow touring the Silver Dragon Festival with him. No grudges, agreed?”

“Ugh, what a hassle. Why am I even involved…?”

Colette and Francine grinned smugly, while Ginny let out an exasperated sigh.

“Ha… I kinda feel bad for the professor. And treating Sensei like a prize for a competition feels a bit…”

“But I want to hang out with Glenn too.”

Rumia gave a wry, apologetic smile, while Re=L murmured softly.

“If you overthink it, you’ll lose, Rumia! It’s a festival, after all! Anything goes, anything! It’s fine to let loose a little on a trip like this!”

“Exactly, exactly! The one who goes all out wins!”

“Indeed! If we all go wild together, there’s nothing to fear!”

Sistine’s tone, now seemingly past the point of caring and fully embracing the chaos, was met with enthusiastic agreement from Colette and Francine.

“So, first things first—”

Soon, a group of several participants came into view ahead of the group’s path.

Seeing them, everyone swiftly scattered, scooping up snow from the ground as they ran, shaping it into balls…

“—Before we face the professor, we’ll take out all the irrelevant outsiders!”

And with that, they hurled their snowballs in a fierce, unified barrage.

A meteor shower of snowballs sliced sharply through the air.

“E-enemy attack!?”

“Uwaaahhh!?”

The pitiful screams of the lovestruck maidens’ sacrificial victims echoed through the thicket.

—.

The snowball fight was nothing short of a chaotic free-for-all.

Adults and children alike threw themselves into the fray, reverting to childlike glee, relentlessly pelting each other with snowballs and getting covered in snow.

“Ugh… m-my body’s so heavy… huff… huff…”

“I can’t move anymore… so frustrating… ha… ha…”

One by one, participants dropped out, collapsing onto the snowy field.

Within an hour of the start, most of the participants had been taken out.

Six terrifyingly strong girls completely dominated the field.

“Ha…! Ha…! We’ve pretty much wiped out the other participants!”

Sistine, hiding behind a tree, gripped a snowball tightly as if in prayer.

The obstacles had been cleared. The damage taken was minimal. Her body still felt light and mobile.

Yes, the real battle was about to begin. It was starting now.

“The real challenge starts here. There’s no way the professor’s already been taken out… but without magical attacks, I should have a chance…!”

Having gotten separated from Rumia and Re=L in the chaotic battle, Sistine peeked out from behind the tree trunk, scanning the field for Celica’s presence.

Soon enough, beyond the rows of trees…

(There…!?)

She spotted Celica and Ginny facing off from a distance.

“Celica-san. I bear you no grudge, but on my ojou-sama’s orders, I must defeat you.”

Ginny readied herself, holding snowballs in both hands.

“I hail from a village that has passed down the techniques of the eastern ‘shinobi’ for generations, and throwing weapons is my specialty. From your demeanor, I can tell you’re quite skilled yourself, but—”

“Oh?”

Celica, with a playful grin, pulled a piece of metal from her pocket…

“《O sinful me, alone at the twilight of demons, I think of thee》”

She chanted a spell.

In an instant, the aura surrounding Celica—shifted.

Her presence, her overwhelming pressure, swelled to an almost suffocating degree.

“…Ah. This is definitely someone I shouldn’t fight.”

As a skilled fighter herself, Ginny instantly recognized the hopeless gap in their abilities, and with a resigned half-lidded glance at the sky—

A relentless storm of snowballs, thrown by Celica, rained down on her like a torrential downpour.

The snowballs, tracing sharp, precise arcs, were as beautiful and flawless as a master swordsman’s strikes.

“Ngyah—!”

Poor Ginny collapsed face-first into the snow, knocked out cold.

(That spell just now… Black Magic [Load Experience]!? Then that fragment—could it be a piece of Elliot’s sword!?)

Sistine, who had been watching from the shadows, could only shudder.

Indeed, Celica had used [Load Experience] to channel the abilities and skills of the hero Elliot, imbued within the sword fragment, into herself.

With a mere fragment, the replication accuracy would surely be diminished, but even so, it was the power of the empire’s greatest swordsman in history. Against Ginny, it was overwhelmingly effective.

(W-w-w-wait, wait, wait!? That’s totally cheating, isn’t it!?)

As Sistine hid behind the tree, sweating nervously…

Celica began muttering another spell under her breath…

“Oh? Hiding over there, are you, Sistine?”

Celica shot a sly glance at the tree where Sistine was concealed.

(S-search magic—!?)

Sistine realized her catastrophic oversight.

Just a snowball fight? Thinking she had a chance because the only attack method was snowballs?

How naive—this was a magical battle.

A magical battle where offensive spells were sealed, and attacks were limited to snowballs alone.

Unless she used every ounce of her wits, she’d be taken out in an instant. She’d lose—

“Well… throwing them by hand is getting tedious.”

Celica snapped her fingers, activating telekinetic magic. The surrounding snow rolled itself into countless snowballs, instantly forming and floating around her.

“T-that’s allowed!?”

As Sistine let out a scream, Celica pointed sharply at her.

The snowballs traced free, curving paths, rushing toward Sistine at high speed.

“O-o-o-《O gale》—!”

In a panic, Sistine activated [Gale Kick].

Wreathed in fierce winds, she kicked off the trees, darting deeper into the thicket like she was flying.

Desperately fleeing from the relentless swarm of snowballs chasing her—

Amid the scenery of trees whipping past like a raging current, Sistine shouted.

“F-fine! Bring it on! This is the perfect chance! I’ll test just how far our current strength measures up against the world’s strongest—!”

Tears in her eyes, she had no choice but to go all-in.

By now, the battle had completely shifted to Celica versus Sistine and the other four girls.

Facing an overwhelmingly powerful opponent, there was no time or luxury to worry about who would take Celica down first.

Sistine and the others had no choice but to team up against Celica.

Having somehow managed to regroup with Francine, Rumia, and the others, Sistine and the five of them launched a coordinated assault on Celica.

“《Gather and frolic, maidens born of snow》!”

Francine chanted a spell—Summoning magic [Call Snow White].

The snow fairies—better known as Snow Whites—in the vicinity were urgently summoned by Francine.

Countless tiny white girls with icy wings appeared around them.

“Now, go!”

The Snow Whites, clutching snowballs, flew toward Celica.

The Snow Whites darted around Celica at blinding speed, surrounding her.

Then, in unison, they charged at her from all directions, snowballs in hand—

“《Too soft》.”

Celica activated Alchemy [Form Alteration] with a single verse.

Cling! With a sound like chiming bells, the surrounding snow transformed into spears of ice, spiking up around Celica like a thousand needles.

The poor Snow Whites were all impaled on the ice spears, vanishing in an instant.

“Wha—!?”

Francine’s eyes widened in shock as her horde of fairies was obliterated in a single moment.

“Take this—!”

Colette hurled a snowball, hardened like a block of ice, at Celica with full force.

The throw resounded with a crack, slicing through the air. Enhanced by White Magic [Physical Boost], her superhuman strength propelled the snowball at a speed akin to a shooting star.

As the snowball, humming sharply, barreled straight toward Celica—

“《O unseen hand》!”

Colette chanted White Magic [Psy-Telekinesis], altering its trajectory.

The snowball curved dramatically, swinging into Celica’s blind spot.

But.

“Idiot. That’s practically begging me to intercept it.”

Celica twirled her finger.

Suddenly, the snowball’s trajectory broke free of Colette’s control, seized by Celica, and made a U-turn.

“Eeeek—!?”

The snowball grazed Colette’s cheek as she ducked, flying off like a bullet.

Spell Intercept. A supremely advanced magical technique where one hijacks an enemy’s chanted spell, activating it in reverse and seizing full control. It required reading the opponent’s spell from their lip movements, but when executed, its power was devastating.

Naturally, only someone like Celica could pull off such a feat in the entire world.

“Graaah—!”

Then, from Celica’s flank, Re=L came charging at breakneck speed.

Re=L held aloft a massive snowball, its diameter over three times her height, and with raw physical strength, she hurled it at Celica.

The gigantic snowball flew in a straight line at ferocious speed. With enough mass and kinetic energy to crush a simple log cabin in one hit, it bore down on Celica.

“That’s a bit too heavy to stop with telekinesis, even for me…”

With a composed expression, Celica snapped her fingers.

Activating Summoning [Call Elemental], a snow giant emerged from the thick snow before Celica, intercepting and shattering the colossal snowball with its massive fist.

“Well, now… is that all you’ve got? …Hm?”

At that moment…

Celica noticed that her feet were frozen in place.

Her feet were trapped in the ice-hardened snow, unable to move.

“…I’m sorry, Professor!”

Looking up, she saw Rumia far off, her hands pressed against the snowy ground.

“Oh? Black Magic [Freeze Floor]?”

It was an enchanted trap spell, a magic snare set in place.

Likely triggered in tandem with Re=L’s snowball assault.

“Professor, prepare yourself!”

Seizing the opportunity, Sistine dashed through the air with [Gale Kick].

She ricocheted between the surrounding trees with triangular leaps, moving freely in all directions, and in an instant, positioned herself high above Celica’s head.

“—Yaaaaaaaah!”

Then, toward the immobilized Celica, she hurled snowball after snowball—

“Now!”

“Yes, let’s do this!”

Surrounding Celica, Francine, Colette, Re=L, and Rumia all unleashed a barrage of snowballs they’d secretly crafted and stockpiled, pelting Celica relentlessly.

With her movements halted, a 360-degree onslaught of snowballs rained down from above and all around—an area-suppression barrage.

No matter which direction she defended, snowballs from another angle were bound to hit—supposedly.

Victory was theirs at last!

It had all been part of their strategy.

They’d endured and persevered to create this perfect, unbeatable situation.

Sistine was certain of her critical triumph—at that very moment.

“…Well, I saw it coming.”

Click!

With the sound of a watch’s hands aligning, Celica’s form vanished.

“Huh?”

The snowballs they’d thrown sliced through the empty space where Celica had stood just a moment before.

The sudden turn of events left Sistine and the others stunned, frozen in place.

“Hahaha! So close!”

A burst of laughter rained down from above, and as the group nervously looked up…

There was Celica, lounging nonchalantly on a nearby tree branch, legs dangling. She toyed with an old pocket watch, its chain looped around her finger, spinning it playfully.

“Heh… Welcome to [My World].”

“T-Time stop magic!? Isn’t that a bit too unfair!?”

Sistine could only clutch her head in frustration.

“Seriously, that’s just cheating, isn’t it!? Using a precious magical catalyst for something like this, in a silly game like this—what are you even doing!?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I’m going all out.”

Celica gazed down at Sistine, who was stomping and shouting in exasperation, with an expression of pure amusement.

Francine and Colette, staring up at her in disbelief, muttered to themselves.

“T-Time stop magic… When I heard the name Celica Arfonia, I had my doubts, but…”

“That blonde woman… she’s really, truly the legendary《Witch of Ash》, Celica Arfonia, isn’t she…? No way! What kind of impossible game is this!?”

Though Sistine and the others had warned them about Celica beforehand, they’d only half-believed she was the actual legendary witch.

“Ugh… I don’t think we can win this…”

Rumia gave a wry smile.

“Mrr… Frustrating. I won’t give up.”

Re=L, crouching on the ground, diligently gathered snow, shaping it into a large snowball.

(“Uh, um… this is…”)

At the snowball fight headquarters, the organizers watching Celica’s battle were left speechless.

The snowball fight, far too high-level and utterly beyond the realm of ordinary people, left the commentators at a loss for words.

Or rather, this was no longer a snowball fight at all.

“Come on, it’s not over yet, is it?”

Celica lightly hopped down to the ground, snapping her fingers once more.

As expected, a multitude of snowballs formed on their own, floating around her.

“What’s wrong? The fun’s just getting started, isn’t it?”

Before the girls, overwhelmed by a sense of despair, Celica let out a sinister chuckle and declared:

“Steady your breath. Make your snowballs. Channel your mana, wring out your wisdom. ‘If thou desirest, cast the desires of others into the furnace’… That’s what it means to be a mage, isn’t it? Heh heh heh… Come on, solidify your desires into those snowballs and aim for my throat… You’re going to take me down, right? So, rack your brains, mages! Burn your lives, humans! I

With a flourish, Celica spread her arms, her coat billowing as she glared down at the girls.

The girls, speechless, sweating coldly, shrank back like frogs stared down by a snake.

Celica’s ferocious laughter, her overwhelming presence, the dark aura she exuded—it was fitting to call her a demon king.

To put it simply, Celica was having the time of her life.

“Ugh, ooooooooh—!”

“Argh, fine! If it’s come to this, I’m going all out—!”

“We’ll fight to the bitter end—!”

Facing this hopeless foe, the girls bravely charged forward.

Snowballs flew. Spells were chanted. Screams echoed.

Celica’s predatory, bird-like cackle reverberated through the grove.

The desperate battle, as if snowballs could chip away at life and soul, raged on—and then—

“Well, I figured as much.”

“Ugh, so frustrating…”

Sistine’s resigned murmur mingled with Colette’s tearful voice.

What sequence of events had led to this?

There they were—five girls, buried in massive snowballs with only their heads sticking out, rolling around pathetically like snowmen.

“Ugh… For I, a lady of the Ekatina household, to end up in such an undignified state…”

“Haha… But, well, we did pretty well, didn’t we?”

“Mm… And somehow, this is kinda fun.”

Still a snowman, Re=L rolled off in some random direction.

“Hmph. You lot put up a good fight, but you’re still no match! If you want Glenn, you’d better train harder! Or something like that, eh?”

As Celica boasted triumphantly, an official from the tournament approached her.

“Uh, number 135… Celica-san?”

“Oh, what’s up? Oh, right! My victory!? Man, I’m thrilled! What should I do with the prize? Maybe give it to Glenn? He’d totally love—“

To the excited Celica, the official flashed a congratulatory smile, patted her shoulder, and said:

“You’re disqualified.”

“Yeah, figured—huh?”

Celica stuck out her tongue, playfully tapping her head with a grin.

“And all of you are disqualified too.”

““““Yeah, figured.””””

The snowman-bound Sistine and the others let out a collective, exaggerated sigh.

And so it went.

The White Town Ultimate Snowball Fight Championship ended in spectacular futility.

Incidentally, starting the following year, the tournament rules would firmly include a clause stating “All use of magic is prohibited,” but Sistine and the others had no way of knowing that now.