After lunch break, everyone proceeded to the practice session. As Sigulf and Yuu are preparing themselves to spar, a commotion could be heard from the other side.

“Hey!! What do you think you are doing!?”

“Hmm? Did you drop your eyes somewhere? I’m inviting him for a good sparring session.”

“Um, girls…”

It seems Eurypha and Carmen are fighting over who will be Minato’s partner.

“I asked him first! Go ask someone else!”

“Eeh? After what happened yesterday?” Carmen responded, faking her disappointment. “I’m sure a gentleman would take responsibility… After doing this… And that… In broad daylight…”

“T, that was an accident!” Minato panicked, his face getting red.

“You perverted witch! You’re saying that on purpose! And you, why are you getting flustered!?”

Most of the students are now more interested in the two’s quarrel than continuing practice.

‘A catfight?’ Sigulf thought. ‘Wait, what is Sir Fortier doing?’

He looked around, only to see Eliot apparently not giving a damn.

‘Don’t tell me he’s actually amused…’

“Be my partner, Amakawa.” Carmen beckoned. “Or should I call you… Mi-na-to?”

Minato got even redder being called by his first name.

“Aargh, go disturb someone else, you titty demon!”

“Oh my, did I sense jealousy there?”

“Hmph, I wonder about that! You probably lack anything else, so you have to resort to sex appeal!”

The last one struck Carmen’s nerve.

“What was that!? Then how about I show you that I have all brains, beauty, and brutality!?”

“Do you even have any one of them in the first place!?”

“Why you…!!”

“What!? You wanna go at it!?”

As their tempers flared, Minato tried to snuck away. Unfortunately, the two girls noticed.

“…ah.”

Minato quickly make his runaway. Eurypha and Carmen quickly chased him.

“Wait, we’re not done yet!”

“Minato! Take responsibility!”

As the three ran out from the room, Eliot simply said, “You three, don’t forget to return before the 10-minutes time limit.”

‘He’s completely non-chalant about this…’ Sigulf mentally commented.

“Pretty nice to be him, huh.” Yuu added. “Being chased by the girls like that.”

“…it depends, I think.”

———

Just before the 10-minutes limit ended, Minato, Eurypha and Carmen returned to the room. Eliot then prepared the class for the mock duel.

“Any volunteers?” Eliot asked.

The number of the volunteers wasn’t that much different from yesterday’s, though this time, some students seems to be aiming for Sigulf instead.

‘Good grief, I can feel their stares already.’

Eliot activated his randomizer, and once again, the students looked tense, waiting for the results.

Beep.

Much to most of the class’ disappointment, the two chosen were Carmen and a boy.

“Well, gotta watch from the sidelines then…” Yuu commented.

“So if I got picked once, I won’t fight until the next cycle it seems.” Sigulf added.

“Cycle? Aah, I think I know what you mean. So that everyone got a chance first, right?”

Meanwhile on Minato’s side, Carmen is preparing herself for the duel.

“Fufufu, looks like I get to show what I can do. Cheer for me, okay, Minato?” she said, giving him a wink.

“Eh… Um…” Minato responded, clearly looking embarrassed. Eurypha promptly elbowed him in the stomach.

“Ow! What’s that for!?”

“Nothing, idiot!”

Ignoring those two’s antics, Carmen headed to the middle of the room.

“Your oaths!” Eliot commanded.

“We, the Duelists from Atlantic swore to abide by the rules, respect the judge’s decision, and fight with all of our might, in honor of our opponent, and for the glory of one own self!” both of Carmen and her opponent recited their oaths.

“Now, summon your True Arms!”

Carmen then her right arm aside and began chanting. A rose-red aura swirled upwards from her feet, encircling her body.

“To the Rose of Desire, I plea… Satisfy my lust for victory and dominate my enemies! Bloom gracefully, Venus!”

The aura disappeared and an ornate scythe decorated with rose and vines materialized in her hand, befitting her name.

‘A scythe user.’ Sigulf thought. ‘In exchange for a bit of speed, usually they have great coverage. Let’s see how she fights.’

Her opponent was awestruck for a moment, before he regained his composure.

“Fufufu…”

“En garde!” Eliot announced.

Carmen readied herself.

“Begin!”

———

Unfortunately for her opponent, Carmen was way beyond his expectations.

“Duel’s over! Winner, Carmen Rosales!”

The room cheered on her victory. Dematerializing her True Arms, Carmen took a pose and seductively blows a kiss towards Minato. The boy in question went red from her gesture, Eurypha hissed with anger, and the rest of the boys groaned in frustration.

“Hmm… Maybe I should try to stumble like Amakawa-kun…” Yuu wondered aloud.

“…wait, what?” Sigulf responded.

“Why not? I mean, if it could hook you up with someone. Or two.”

“…I thought we’re here to fight?”

“Eeh? What are you saying, Sig-kun? Since we are on high-school stage now, might as well look for rose-colored youth.”

“I don’t really get what are you trying to say…”

“Hmm… Could it be that you don’t like girls?”

“That’s not the problem here…” Sigulf sighed.

“Eurypha or Carmen?”

“Can I choose someone else?”

“Just what kind of girls do you like, exactly?”

“…older girls, I think.” Sigulf said, getting a bit red.

“Hmm… Like the student council president? Or even the principal?”

“Yeah, somewhere along that line.”

“I see… You did stare at them intensely during the ceremony, after all.”

“…wait, I did? And you remembered?”

“Mm. Totally. Clear as a day.”

“…shit.”

———

After school, both Sigulf and Yuu are on their way to the dorms, talking about things when suddenly a group of students appeared before them.

“I assume you are Sigulf Hrimgard?” the one who appeared to be the leader addressed them. Including him, Sigulf counted there are 6 boys.

‘Already, huh…’ Sigulf thought.

“…yes, I am. What about it?”

“I see.” He chuckled. “Then we can go straight to the point, can’t we?”

Both Sigulf and Yuu grow cautious.

“Sig-kun, this guy…”

Sigulf said nothing and simply steeled himself.