The entrance to Ishtal’s Grand Stadium.As the pre-admission crowd murmured, a slight commotion broke out."U-unregistered vehicles cannot enter the Grand Stadium interior.""What are you talking about? We already completed registration at the Union gate. Besides, in this Union, there is no one with the authority to block my entry.""I… have received no such notice regarding that…""I told Freya in advance as well. The longer you delay, the more it hurts you. The opening ceremony is soon, isn’t it?"I had led wagons loaded with supplies necessary for the Sports Festival all the way to the stadium entrance, but could not proceed further.The fault lay with overzealous Disciplinary Committee members.I let out a sigh and resorted to a threat that wasn’t quite a threat."There’s no time. Can you take responsibility for what you’re doing right now?"As I tapped my wristwatch and frowned, the expressions of the Disciplinary Committee members blocking the entrance gradually stiffened."Th-that…"Orders were orders, but the fact remained that they were standing in Loen’s way; naturally, they would fear the retaliation to come.And the thing lower ranks fear most is the question of “responsibility.”Fortunately, the intimidation seemed to be working; their once-firm loyalty was beginning to waver.The entrance would open soon.Just then, as I was trading barbs with the Disciplinary Committee—Step-."No, the one who takes responsibility is the superior, not them."A calm voice cut through the tense standoff.Freya emerged, parting the line of Disciplinary Committee members holding the entrance.With a worried face, she asked me coldly,"What brings you here, Loen?""What else? As I said yesterday, I brought a gift born of pure goodwill. We’re short on time—let’s move.""A gift—surely you don’t mean…?""Yeah, that ‘surely.’"I gestured at the seemingly endless line of wagons behind me."One thousand large tents, fifty thousand folding camp chairs, and eight thousand folding desks. Enough for fifty thousand spectators in the Grand Stadium.""…!"For a moment, Freya and her aides’ eyes flashed wide."H-how did you even…"Given that they’d scoured the entire harbor these past few days and still couldn’t find these items, such surprise was only natural when I delivered them like this.I shrugged and said,"There are always ways. But what matters right now isn’t how I got them. There’s only one hour and forty-five minutes until the opening ceremony. We don’t have time.""…"Freya nodded as if she understood.The highest priority now was to install and place the goods I had brought as quickly as possible."I brought as many laborers and students as I could, but we’re still short-handed.""…I see."Layering the large tents and arranging fifty thousand chairs is no easy task.So I had contacted Ilein ahead of time and drafted three hundred students from Izelin Academy as support staff.They would arrive shortly under Ciel’s lead. That would bring our headcount to five hundred.But it was still not enough to finish the installation in an instant.I flicked my eyes toward the Disciplinary Committee members standing there gawking behind Freya and said,"Summon every execution committee member, Disciplinary Committee member, and volunteer you can. We finish the installation as fast as possible."***"Tents! Move ten more over here!""Hold the leg—one, two!""Match the height! Don’t forget to secure it!""Arrange the chairs in three rows per tier!"Students and laborers moved in perfect order, filling the stadium stands.Even other spectators who had come early to lay out their mats joined in and worked hard.Freya, moving cargo with them, climbed up to the command platform to catch her breath for a moment.The view of the Grand Stadium from above.Where it had been empty, sturdy steel pillars and large tents with sunshades were going up one after another; beneath them lay folding chairs for comfortable seating and folding desks where people could set water bottles and backpacks.Loen’s gift arrived right before the festival’s opening ceremony.The quantity originally canceled due to the bankruptcy of the merchant guild that had been contracted—Loen had procured it from somewhere and filled the void as was."…"With this, she could finally realize the Sports Festival as she had originally envisioned it.To provide everyone with equal shade to rest in and chairs to sit on comfortably.Perhaps, if you quibbled, it might be mere self-satisfaction over something simple… but in the end, if all the students could enjoy the festival comfortably, that was enough.Freya silently looked down at the newly rising white tents.No—strictly speaking, she was watching Loen from afar as he took command of each group."Don’t just stand there like dummies; follow the team leaders dispatched from the merchant guild.""Chairs in sets of three only. You’ll blow your back. Desks are teams of four. Tents move in teams of ten.""Ciel, go help the ones spacing out. We don’t have time."His tone was rough, but Loen placed people in the right spots and kept the installation work flowing.Freya stared at him absently for a moment, then flushed and ducked her head.…I’m ashamed.Ashamed that even though he had prepared these supplies perfectly, she had been unable to secure them even after running on her own two feet.Ashamed of her judgment—turning down Loen’s proposal based merely on conjecture and ignoring the fact that he had been fully prepared.Ashamed that, despite having treated him with hostility, she was receiving one-sided help from him."…"As Freya was sinking into gloom for a moment, she sensed someone behind her.From the aura and footsteps, it was Diona, one of her aides.Freya quickly steadied herself and spoke,"What is it, Ms. Diona?""President, didn’t negotiations with Loen break down?""They certainly did.""Then why is he offering this help?"At Diona’s question, Freya slowly shook her head."To be honest, I don’t know either."What on earth was Loen thinking?Which face was the truth, and which was the mask?For what reason had he come to commit such evils in the past?And why was he now changing as though he had repented?Though Freya had been close to Loen for over a dozen years, she could not understand his actions in the slightest."…"But at least for now, she would be grateful for this stroke of luck that had come to her.And she would offer thanks to Loen, who had given such a gift without asking for anything in return.Of course, she knew very well there was no such thing as pure goodwill in this world.If the request was something she could accept, it would be best to grant it.Thus, forty-five minutes before the opening ceremony, all installation work was completed.And soon, students from each academy began pouring into the Grand Stadium and gradually filled the stands.Students moved to the zones assigned to their academies and took their seats.Seeing the endless wave of people brought a mix of excitement and nerves."President. It’s about time. The chairman and the faculty have also arrived."At her aide’s report, Freya—who had been watching the seats fill—rose to her feet."Yes, I’ll move to the waiting room."***The Grand Stadium was filled with a hum of voices.Tens of thousands had already taken their seats, waiting for the opening ceremony that was about to begin.The heat and vitality pouring out from the masses felt as though it reached all the way into the waiting room."Hoo—."Freya evened her breathing and calmed her chest.She prided herself on maintaining a clear and tranquil mind through steady training in daily life, but giving a speech before such a multitude still made her tremble.She was loosening her nerves, clenching the hand placed over her chest, when—Step-.Heavy # Nоvеlight # footsteps sounded from behind."Ho— very impressive."A familiar, warmly full voice followed.Hengarde, the Union’s Chairman, with a kindly face and cloud-like curls puffed out on either side."Ah, Chairman, good day.""Yes, long time no see, Miss Freya. Give my regards to Sir Wodanaz at Wintercastle as well.""Yes, I’ll be sure to convey your regards to my father."Freya bowed her head."Good."The Chairman smiled and glanced around the Grand Stadium."An interesting sight. I’ve been chairman for well over a decade, yet this kind of Sports Festival is a first."Great waves of massive tents encircled the stadium.Their layered shade and seating transformed what had been an ordinary stadium into something akin to a domed arena.In this city, the only arena capable of providing such shade and seating to a crowd of this size was the imperial chariot arena, “Kirkus Cassandra.”And even there, desks weren’t prepared except for the VIP section.The Chairman shrugged and continued,"Miss Freya, whose idea was this? I also heard there was a complication midway that made preparations difficult.""We envisioned this seating so that all students could enjoy the festival in comfort. The planning was conducted by our entire execution committee. However…""However?""As you know, we failed to realize the plan in practice. That was my fault. We had no choice but to proceed in a simplified form, but right before the opening ceremony, we received help from Loen.""Ho?"It was a statement that revealed her own inadequacy, but truth was truth.Freya stated the facts without filtering them."So Loen has distinguished himself here as well?""…It’s due to my shortcomings."When Freya reproached herself, the Chairman lightly patted her shoulder and said,"Miss Freya, there’s no need to blame yourself so much. Loen cooperating with you is also one of your abilities. Having capable people at your side is one of a leader’s virtues, you know?""…Pardon?"That using others’ abilities was also a skill—The words didn’t particularly resonate with her, but she could clearly feel the Chairman’s kindness.Perhaps it was the Chairman’s own story—someone who had reached such a high position through excellent social grace and connections."Feeling a little less nervous?""Yes."For some reason, talking with the Chairman made her feel at ease."Good. Everyone is waiting for you, Miss Freya."As the Chairman pointed toward the waiting room’s tent flap, her aides waiting outside approached to report."Lady Freya, it’s time.""Yes, I’ll go out now."Hoo—.Taking a deep breath, Freya left the waiting room."Whoaaaa—!!"The moment she stepped outside the tent, a roar poured over her like a waterfall."Ugh."Under the heat that seemed to weigh upon her entire body, her heart pounded and her vision swam.But the position of Student Council President she held required her to withstand such pressure.This place of powerful authority came with duties befitting it.Freya calmed herself as much as she could and stepped up to the podium."Nice to meet you, students of the Union. I am Freya—Freya Gunhild of Ishtal, host of this Sports Festival. I ask for your kind support."As Freya bowed, another wave of fierce cheers rose from the stands.In the heat of the cheers that seemed to set her entire body ablaze, she lifted her head and looked up at the sky."First, I offer thanks to the gods who granted us this joyful day, and my respect to all the execution committee members and volunteers who worked with me. And—"Freya glanced briefly toward the VIP section and continued,"I especially give thanks to Student Council President Loen, who worked for this Sports Festival."***When Freya’s clear voice finished ringing across the Grand Stadium, thunderous cheers and applause rose once more.The heat and cheering of the students reached even the VIP section near the command platform.Elena, seated near me, gave a small clap and spoke."As expected, Miss Freya is incredibly popular. I’m jealous.""Wasn’t your popularity ranking higher than hers?""Oh, that’s only because I’m always out doing external support activities. My situation’s different."Elena tapped my shoulder and asked carefully,"So, what did you pull off this time? I heard you dragged in dozens of freight wagons from the morning and staged a sit-in at the stadium entrance.""…Something like that."She already knew and still asked.Even if I didn’t explain, with Elena’s sharp ears she would have heard the whole story already.Freya had even mentioned me in her speech, after all.Instead of a detailed explanation, I quietly changed the subject."They’re starting the torch relay."After the representative delegations’ entrance, the last runner carrying the torch entered.A knight in light armor, with striking dark-blue hair and eyes.Felicia Ardion, who had served as the 492nd President of Ishtal.Currently the sword point of the Cassandra Empire and Vice-Captain of the Blue Rose Knights—when she ascended the platform and lit the flame—Whoom-.With the towering blaze, the Sports Festival began.

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