After leaving the arena, we all went back to the waiting room.

"As soon as we take a short break, it's time for the closing ceremony, which includes the awards ceremony. Don't go anywhere far."

Bowen looked up and said so, then hurried back toward the arena.

Almark's legs had become much more mobile, but he was still far from his true shape.

Together with the bad taste of Celia's medicine he had just taken, Almark wanted to get out to a cool place.

"I'm going to go outside and get some air,"

He said to Nelson and walked out of the martial arts arena.

The closing ceremony was about to begin, and the place was sparsely populated.

The early autumn breeze was pleasant.

At one point he wonders what is going to happen, but somehow he manages to finish the match.

The team won, and our class won.

It was unfortunate that Leila and Raido lost, but this was a battle where no lives were at stake.

(I am sure that both of them will become stronger from the defeat.)

It was while he was thinking about this .

"Thank you."

A familiar voice came from behind him.

Almark turned around.

A girl with white skin and black hair. A girl about Almark's age.

The girl who had warned him was standing there.

"Thank you, Almark."

‘You are ……."

"Are you hurt?"

Her eyes looked worried.

Almark nodded involuntarily, and the girl looked straight into his eyes.

You risked your life to protect us,"

The girl said.

‘Everyone.'

‘Everyone ……?"

Almark rebutted, and the girl nodded.

‘Almark protected . Everyone's ……."

The girl's eyes were watering.

‘It was nothing, just a special day.

(Nothing just a special ……)

(The word.)

(The one who taught me those words.)

Almark's eyes widened.

‘You are.'

Almark said.

Speaking of which,

Almark thought of something.

She was cheering for Wendy at the game.

‘Who are you to Wendy?"

But the girl does not answer.

Instead, she smiles. A lonely smile with a hint of sadness.

". I know who you are, Almark. A very strong and very kind boy."

Almark is at a loss for words.

The girl suddenly bows her head to him.

"Please take care of Wendy."

The girl's voice was sincere.

When Almark was about to answer, a wind blew.

A strong wind.

Almark closes his eyes.

A very brief moment of blinking.

When he opens his eyes, the girl is nowhere to be seen.

Nelson's voice comes from the waiting room.

He seems to be calling for Almark.

Almark turned around and replied with a single word, then shook his head and changed his mind.

Then he slowly walked toward the waiting room.

Closing ceremony.

As in the opening ceremony, the competitors from each class line up on the stage.

Next to Almark, who stood at the head of the second class, stood Ein, also from the other class.

"Congratulations on your victory."

Ein, looking forward to the competition, softly

"Thank you."

Almark, too, looks forward as he replies.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get to see your match."

Ein had a faint smile on his face.

"The representative of the winning team receives the trophy from the guest of honor."

" he said, looking up at the guest of honor's table.

"You are the one who will receive the trophy from Crown Prince Wolff ."

Almark looked at him sideways and saw that Ein's smile had turned somewhat sarcastic.

You, go and check it out. See if the rumors …… about the crown prince's facial scars …… are true."

"You have bad taste."

When Almark gave a small shake of his head, an announcement rang out in the hall announcing the start of the awards ceremony.

First, one outstanding athlete from each class was chosen.

From class 1, Ein.

From class 3, Rosfilia.

And from class 2, Morgen.

The three were called forward and awarded medals by Bowen, who served as the referee.

The three were given a big round of applause.

Finally, the winning team was announced.

Although the results were already known, everyone waited for the names of the teams to be read out.

When it was announced that the overall winner was the second group, the competitors of the second group burst out in joy and were greeted with loud applause and cheers from the audience.

"We did it!"

Nelson shouted with his both hands raised in the air.

Almark also smiled and clapped shoulders with Morgen and the others, but because of Ein's earlier speech, he could not take his eyes off the guest of honor's seat.

Out of the corner of Almark's eye, Crown Prince Wolff rises to his feet.

Led by his guide, he slowly walks down the stairs.

At the sight of him, the cheers from the audience gradually subsided.

With calm steps, the Dauphin went up to the awarding platform set up between the bleachers and the playing field.

"Almark!"

Bowen called, and Almark led the way to the podium.

Make sure everything is in order," Bowen said.

"Yes, sir.

Bowen nodded at the short answer .

When Almark reached the podium, he quickly knelt down.

The woman leading the way presents the trophy to the crown prince.

, "No need. Stand up and come closer."

The crown prince said in a whisper.

It was a boy's voice, about the same age as Almark and the others.

Almark stood up and stood in front of the crown prince.

Because he was on the platform, the crown prince was at least a head taller than Almark.

In front of Almark's eyes is the crest of the Garai royal family on the chest of the crown prince's robe.

(Ein, can' t see the crown prince's face with this.)

Almark mutters in his mind.

But the crown prince said something unexpected.

" Raise your face."

Following the order, Almark slowly raised his face.

His eyes met the crown prince's, who was smiling calmly.

‘It was a good match," the crown prince said.

The Dauphin gave Almark the trophy.

‘Good luck," the crown prince said, offering the trophy to Almark.

"Thank you.'

Almark accepted the trophy with both hands.

The crown prince watched him, then turned and walked back to the guest of honor's seat.

Almark kept the trophy in his hand and did not look up until the Dauphin left.

(I wonder if his face showed how upset he was.)

Sweat was forming on Almark's hand holding the trophy.

The moment he saw the crown prince's face, he almost shouted.

It was just as Ein had said.

There was a scar around the crown prince's mouth like a twitch as rumored.

But that was not the point.

The shiny blonde hair peeking out from inside the hood and the handsome face.

The cool eyes.

His face.

The face of the crown prince Wolfe was a mirror image of that of Wallis.

"How was it?"

Ein whispered to him as soon as we returned to the line.

"Were there any scars?'

"There was a scar. In the corner of mouth.

Almark answered shortly.

"Was it really there?"

Ein sounded surprised.

"What did it look like?'

"I didn't get a good look at it."

Almark lied quickly.

For some reason, he felt that what he had just seen should not be spoken of lightly.

"The crown prince was on the platform. I could only see his mouth."

"I see.'

Ein answered regretfully.

"I can't help it. I'll have to take the trophy next year."

"You'd better," Almark said.

Almark looked up at the crown prince Wolff, who was seated at the top of the podium.

The closing ceremony was over, and the crown prince was slowly getting to his feet.

On the way from the martial arts arena to the main gate.

The crown prince and his attendants were walking quietly.

Although they had just finished watching a lively martial arts tournament, not a single person made a sound.

The group was to board the royal ship anchored in the harbor of Nork and leave the island by the end of this evening.

"How did it go?"

Prince Wolff suddenly said, without looking back.

"Did you have any success?"

There was hardly any emotion in his tone.

‘It was quite hard.'

The crown prince's call was answered by a white-robed man who followed obliquely behind him.

It was Rainul, the court magician.

He was a white-robed man who followed obliquely behind the crown prince.

"I lost some silver and copper coins.'

Despite his words, there is a tone of pleasure in his voice.

"But not without harvest".

"Oh."

There is no change in the crown prince's tone.

"Is the harvest enough to satisfy me?'

"Not quite that good," he said.

Reinul's tone was full of joy.

"I promise you, that in the near future I will fulfill my promise to you.'

For the first time, his voice held a hint of emotion.

‘Don't get carried away. What do you know about me?"

I beg …… your pardon."

Rainul bowed behind him

"I am only a servant pof , Your Highness."

"Do not forget those words."

Crown prince looked back at Rainul.and Rainul could clearly see the scar around his mouth.

Crown prince told Rainul solemnly,

"Encourage him and even more then that "

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