Fantasy Libary 42

Title: Let’s Do Our Best, Kirin

Seidoukan Academy, courtyard.

It was late afternoon, and although most of the academy was filled with scorching heat, the courtyard offered a cool respite. Surrounded by lush greenery, the place exuded a soothing tranquility, making it very comfortable.

Ark and Kirin walked side by side along the shaded path in the courtyard. At a glance, they looked like a pair of close siblings, their familiarity appearing natural.

Of course, if judged solely by the girl’s behavior, one might misunderstand her discomfort.

Although walking beside Ark, Kirin seemed nervous, fidgeting with an awkward expression. Occasionally, she stole glances at Ark’s face, then blushed shyly when their eyes met. Her expressions changed so clearly that it was hard to ignore.

Ark, however, seemed unaware, continuing to lead her forward.

His destination was a secluded corner of the courtyard that he had recently taken a liking to. The place was quiet, with a small pavilion that was rarely visited by others. Ark often came here for its tranquility, whether for morning runs or sword practice.

Without hesitation, Ark guided Kirin there, entering the pavilion.

“Please, have a seat.”

Ark sat on the stone bench and patted the seat beside him, signaling for Kirin to join.

“O-Okay!” Kirin stammered, her nervousness evident. She sat down next to him, her posture stiff, her back perfectly straight, unintentionally accentuating her chest.

“...”

Ark caught this out of the corner of his eye and immediately regretted asking her to sit so close.

This proximity... How could he possibly resist looking?!

“Senpai?”

Noticing Ark’s sudden discomfort, Kirin tilted her head curiously. She seemed puzzled by the unease of her usually calm senior.

“Ahem!” Ark coughed to cover his embarrassment and quickly composed himself. With a natural smile, he greeted her. “Although this is a bit late, let me say it properly—thank you for accepting my invitation, Toudou-san.”

Hearing this, Kirin waved her hands in panic.

“N-No! Please don’t say that, Senpai!” She exclaimed anxiously. “I should be the one thanking you! Thank you for inviting me to be your partner!”

After speaking, Kirin hesitated for a moment before suddenly standing up and bowing deeply toward Ark.

For her, Ark’s actions were a form of salvation.

Although she had always told herself that following her uncle’s orders would save her father, the path ahead was uncertain. Who knew how long it would take or how much effort would be required to secure the man’s position among Galaxy’s senior ranks?

According to Kouichirou, Kirin not only needed to rank first but also achieve a level of excellence so extraordinary that it would be recorded in history.

The pressure she faced was unimaginable.

As a result, Kirin had long been unable to see a bright future. She didn’t know how far she had to go, how much effort she had to put in, or how long it would take to realize her dream.

But now, Ark’s invitation had given her hope—a glimpse of a brighter future.

How could she not feel grateful?

“I-I’ll do my best not to hold you back, Senpai!”

With gratitude awkwardly implied in her words, Kirin managed to stammer out her determination.

“You don’t need to worry about that.” Ark replied with a gentle smile. “I’m confident you won’t hold me back. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have invited you in the first place.”

Why did Ark choose Kirin?

It was simple—she was strong.

As Seidoukan’s top-ranked student, her swordsmanship even surpassed that of the protagonist in the original story, whom she had once defeated. Among all potential teammates, Kirin was undoubtedly one of the best choices.

So, after deciding to participate in the Phoenix Festa, Ark immediately set his sights on her.

“Since we’ve decided to enter the Phoenix Festa, we must win.”

Only then would the first significant experience of his life feel satisfying and worthwhile.

“Yes!” Kirin responded enthusiastically. However, she soon hesitated and asked nervously, “What should we do, Senpai?”

Ark’s earlier words had made her confident, convincing her that this Phoenix Festa was her best chance to achieve her dream.

But assuming victory would be easy would be underestimating the level of competition.

“Although there won’t be any unbeatable forces this time, the allure of having a wish granted will still attract the best competitors from all academies. They will be our opponents.” Ark explained, recalling events from the original story.

“If nothing unexpected happens, the top-ranked students from each academy won’t participate this year. But as I mentioned earlier, we still need to be wary of the Page One-level individuals from each school.”

“In particular, the top three students from Rewolf Black Academy and Jie Long Seventh Academy possess strength comparable to Seidoukan’s top ranks.”

“Saint Galahadworth Academy will likely send skilled swordsmen, and Alicante Research Institute is known for producing dark horses. They won the last Phoenix Festa, so unexpected threats might emerge again.”

If the story unfolded as it did originally, Ark anticipated facing formidable opponents from Rewolf Black Academy and Alicante Research Institute in this Phoenix Festa.

Saint Galahadworth and Jie Long weren’t much of a threat since their strongest competitors wouldn’t participate.

As for Queenveil Girls’ Academy...

Ark chuckled inwardly. Some charming girls might show up to tease, but they wouldn’t pose a significant challenge. A single attack would send them running.

“Although the other competitors are troublesome, our greatest challenge will likely be them.”

Ark’s statement made Kirin tense.

“Who... are they?” she asked cautiously.

Ark gave an unexpected answer.

“Amagiri Ayato and Julis-Alexia von Riessfeld.”

Kirin froze.

“Amagiri-senpai and Riessfeld-senpai?” she repeated, stunned.

“Exactly.” Ark replied with a faint smile. “Unless something unexpected happens, they will be our biggest obstacle to victory.”

After all, they were the champions of the original story—the undeniable protagonists.

“To face these formidable opponents, we’ll start intensive training tomorrow. We need to build strong teamwork. There’s only one month left until the Phoenix Festa begins—not much time, but enough if we work hard. Let’s give it our all, and the championship will be ours!”

“Yes!” Kirin replied, her heart pounding with determination. She hesitated for a moment before gathering her courage.

“I’ll do my best, Ark-senpai!”

Hearing this, Ark blinked in surprise, then smiled warmly.

“Let’s do our best, Kirin.”

Hearing his words, Kirin smiled back.

Her smile was truly adorable.