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“Leafa, are you here?” It was a little before dinnertime when Alfe came to visit my room, accompanied by Farah.

“What’s up? There’s still a bit of time before the dining hall opens.”
“Heh, you’re slow on the uptake! That’s why we came.”

With a mischievous grin that flashed her sharp canines, Farah opened the door and gave Alfe a gentle push into the room.

“There’s something we need to talk about, just the four of us.”

As Farah glanced back to make sure the door was closed, Alfe timidly began to speak.

“You mean the mock battle, right?”

There was really nothing else it could be, so I brought it up first, and Alfe and Farah both nodded in agreement.

“Vannabelle’s come up with a strategy, but my gut says it might not go very well,” Farah said.
“And what’s your role in it?”
“When I asked her about it today, she just told me to do as I pleased.”

Ah, so Professor Tanutanu’s analysis of Vannabelle seems to be fairly accurate. She acted confident, but beneath that, Vannabelle likely felt crushed by prejudice—that would explain why she wouldn’t listen to opposing views.

Although Farah appeared calm, she might not be as composed as she seemed. It would be better to have Alfe explain the situation in detail.

“Could you give me a rundown of the strategy, Alfe?”
“Ah, right… well, to put it simply, it’s a high-risk, preemptive strike approach.”

According to Alfe, Vannabelle’s plan was as follows:

Before Class A could fully arrange their formation, Vannabelle would lead a vertical offensive. This meant they’d launch an all-out attack not only against the front lines but also targeting all students stationed in the rear. The aim was to break through Class A’s defenses in one decisive blow, overwhelming and annihilating them in a single sweep.

The ones at the forefront of this vertical attack formation were the four, Vannabelle, Numelin, and Lili-Lulu. The other students would follow behind them, in a simple and straightforward tactic.

Given that speed would be the deciding factor here, it was certainly the kind of plan Vannabelle would come up with. It was also a reasonable strategy, considering that the students in Class F, who generally had high levels of stamina and magical power, were among the top performers.

“Not bad… but it’s hard to imagine Class A wouldn’t have a counter for it.”
“Nyaha! That’s Leafa for you!”

After some contemplation, Farah spoke up, slapping her knee in satisfaction.

“I feel the same way. In fact, since Class A is at the top of the noble caste, they might even use some of their lower-ranked students as decoys.”
“I see…”

A shiver ran down my spine at Farah’s observation. As Leafa, I wasn’t used to class systems, but in my previous life as Glass, this was all too familiar. I hadn’t expected to hear such tactics would be used in a mock battle in this life.

“Even though it’s called a mock battle, it’s essentially the real deal, and it seems there are usually quite a few injuries. Ms. Matilda can heal most things, but I hear it’s no exaggeration that limbs have been torn off before.”

It might not happen every year, but serious injuries were clearly a possibility. I certainly wanted to avoid having any of my classmates suffer such injuries.

“…Hey, Leafa, what do you think we should do?”

Maybe my serious expression worried her, because Alfe was watching me with a rather anxious look. I should probably share my honest analysis, including what I’d discussed with Mr. Tanutanu.

“Alfe and Farah, you two should step back and observe the battlefield, moving freely. Vannabelle’s ‘do as you please’ comment isn’t such a bad idea, either. In other words, she doesn’t have absolute confidence in her own plan, so she’s asking for backup.”
“Leafa… that’s amazing, how did you figure that out?”
“I thought you two didn’t get along, but you totally get her!”

Alfe and Farah stared at me with wide eyes, their faces peering intently into mine.

“That is because Master is always composed,” Hom answered proudly on my behalf, looking at me with a pleased expression. Having all three of them staring at me like that was a little embarrassing.

“Vannabelle’s personality is pretty much as straightforward as it seems. She doesn’t put on any airs, and she’s surprisingly honest. So, I think she’s always a bit anxious. That’s why she raises her voice and acts tough,” I explained.
“I get it… kind of,” Farah said, crossing her arms behind her head as she leaned against the wall, looking impressed. “So basically, Alfe and I can just go with our gut and act however we feel, right?”
“Exactly. And if it comes down to it, I’ll step in, too. This class competition is still a team effort for Class F.”
“Leafa, that’s so cool!”

Alfe clapped her hands together and jumped up, overwhelmed, grabbing my hands and twirling us around. Lili-Lulu’s influence, perhaps? She’d been acting more spirited lately, but I didn’t mind.

“You know… I was so worried that you wouldn’t be able to join this mock battle with us,” she admitted softly.
“I wouldn’t leave you unprotected, Alfe.”

Squeezing her hand back, I clumsily matched her steps.

“We promised we’d stay together, after all.”
“Yeah…”

Tears welled up in Alfe’s eyes as she listened to my words. Her gentle smile, shining with joy yet misted with tears, was so perfectly her.

“I too shall protect Master and Lady Alfe with all my might,” Hom declared from behind me, joining our little dance as if to envelop me in her support.
“I’m not sure what this is about, but it looks fun. Let’s form the Leafa Alliance right here and now,” Farah suggested, grinning.
“Hehe, let’s do it.”

The four of us joined hands and spun around in the cramped room, twirling and dancing. Later, when I looked back on this moment, I’d probably burst out laughing countless times over how silly and random this strange little ritual was. But somehow, this ‘alliance’ of ours felt just right.

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