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—Team D leader Ethel’s POV

Thanks to Urania nabbing first place for the first event, our team is one step ahead of overall victory. Nonetheless, if I’m being honest, Urania is the strongest one here in team D. From here on out, we’ll only have a slim chance of winning unless the other team leaders crush each other in the individual games.

Currently, as I step forward to join the second event I see team C’s leader Hermie¹ right ahead of me. At the entrance rankings, she was ranked much lower than me but at the exam the other day, she utterly surpassed me and boldly took the third rank. Rank 1 is naturally Lily and Tebby is rank 2 as always. Rank 3 is Hermie while rank 4 is Sola.

In my case, I somehow clung to 5th rank, which sounds good since I’m in the top 5 but I’m a rank down compared to my entrance results. Honestly, it’s inevitable considering the guys ranking above me but from the eyes of ignorant outsiders, they’d probably see me as a disappointment.

The good thing though is that Hermie’s family is a major member of the second prince faction and Sola who’s a rank above me is a lady from the Ormos family, known to be the most valuable confidant of the first prince faction. If I was overtaken by Aura who ranks right below me, my brothers who don’t like my guts would probably criticize me for losing to some neutral yellow peer.

『Now then! Event No. 2 will be the Tentacle Guard! The participants are Suzy from team A! Aura of team B! Hermie of team C! And Ethel of team D! As to be expected, the eyes are probably going to be on team C’s Lady Hermie! Against the coming malevolence, how good will flame magic fare!?』

Hearing Sharl’s plucky commentary, I couldn’t help but slip into a wry smile. There are probably less than a few in this academy who are bold enough to publicly introduce the daughter of a purple peer and the son of a blue peer by their given names. Taking a quick glance at Hermie, she also has a wry smile but she doesn’t look particularly displeased, so she doesn’t seem to be angered.

I suppose this is also a part of Lily’s plan, as the first-year students practically ignore the differences in status. Well, I myself do find this sort of thing stuffy and annoying, so I’m pretty glad about it. And it appears that Hermie who’s of higher status than me feels the same way too. I think I remember her being sterner about this before, I wonder what happened to her?

『Now then, let’s move on to the event exposition!』

As she said so, flags were planted behind us. Each flag has the letters A-D written on it respectively and, as a bonus, drawings the faces of us participants.

『The rules are simple! Defend your flags against the upcoming “enemies”! How long you remain will decide your placement! Ah, lastly, attacking the other teams is forbidden!』

I’ve been told that it’s similar to “kick the can” but instead of a ball, we’re protecting these flags, huh. Instead of the other team attacking, the event host will provide the opposition. In this case, it seems that I really was the best choice for this. Urania is bad at defending after all and the other members are somewhat similar.

『Now then, please welcome the attackers!!』

On Sharl’s signal, two figures landed right in the middle of the training ground, exactly between us four participants. With practically the same faces, both had cherry blossom pink hair, glowing eyes that are different in color… wait, glowing, oii!?

『That’s right! The attackers are Lady Lily and Lady Selena!』
「Ah, umm, to be exact, we’re here to summon them. Well then, Selena. Here we go.」
「Yup! Big sis!」

Saying so, Lily and Selena linked hands and bumped each other’s foreheads. They were strangely close to each other and just seeing them from here is making me feel weird, but it looks like the three girls don’t feel the same way. W-well, I probably wouldn’t last even ten seconds against those two, so it is considerably relieving that they aren’t the actual attackers.

「We call for the ancient monster-」
「Of unfixed shape and eternal life-」
「「Come forth! Lil Shoggo! 」」

As the two finished chanting, something gushed out around them. What emerged were four long arm-like black appendages that were somewhat slimy and shiny. Are those tentacles?

The tentacles entwined with Lily and Selena’s white legs were unusually sensual, all the boys in the hall, me included, spontaneously slouched forward. No, it seems like the girls feel the same way as well, as both Hermie and Aura are so flushed that it’s visible from where I am.

『The attacker is this magic lifeform? Lil Shoggo! Please valiantly defend your flags against the coming assault of these tentacles! By the by, is Lil Shoggo perhaps a girl?』
「That’s right?」
「Seems so?」

Still entangled with tentacles, the two answer Sharl’s question with a smile. The tentacles are sprouting out from the ground, so its whole body isn’t visible but with how big the visible parts already are, I’m sure that its whole body is considerably enormous.
Well, we’re merely defending this time, so I should be able to manage…… I really hope so.

Belated may it be, I finally recalled what Urania said to me before the event; that she had a bad feeling about this.

1. Lyly: Ethel generally uses -chan on the girls, just to inform. Even on Lily, who’s generally basically treated like a noble by most non -high rank nobles just out of her sheer charisma and deeds. (And if we’re going by speculation, maybe her passive succubus charm is working its magic too.)