Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

Thanks to Palra and Belltina’s preemptive attacks, one goblin was taken down, while the other was significantly injured by Belltina’s spell. Even if her wind blade spell were aimed at the goblin’s head, it probably wouldn’t have been able to take it down.
Getting hit in the eye could hinder its movements, but the spell was unlikely to break through its thick skull. Just like with Viviana in the past, it seems difficult for Belltina to use high-power sorcery.

Even so, Viviana would have defeated that goblin with a single attack, but that’s probably just a difference in experience or proficiency.

It would have been ideal if both goblins had been defeated, but Ciel can kite around 2, 3, hell, even dozens of goblins without any issues. Still, there is a reason behind us limiting it to 3 goblins: if there were more, Ciel would need to use Dance Princess’ power to keep their attention. Also, it would be better for Palra and Belltina.

If the enemies were more numerous than our party, then the two could get too anxious to move.
No, they’ll probably be capable of running away, but it’ll make the fight more difficult.

「Please hurry and defeat it, if possible.」

Ciel said to the two at the back while getting the two goblins’ attention. I really understand the feeling, but that’s a bad move. And just as anticipated, the two responded, 「R-right!」 with anxious voices, proving my concern.
Sure enough, the two can barely graze the goblins with their attacks as a result. In fact, there are some that even fly towards Ciel. Despite this, she dodges them easily. If one ever hits her by some chance, a barrier is protecting her anyway. The two know that as well, and I even suspect that’s the only reason they have the courage to attack even in their anxious state.

If they couldn’t risk hitting Ciel, they probably would be too flustered to attack. In that sense, the mock battle with Palra has been quite valuable. It’s hard to say if it’s preferable that they can’t attack due to fear of friendly fire, or if it’s better that they’ve gotten used to not worrying about it, but for these two, the top priority is for them to simply accumulate battle experience.

『Was that bad?』
『It wasn’t, but perhaps it wasn’t the best way to relay that to the two. It’s still true that it would be better if they hurried, after all.』
『This is so difficult.』
『There is no universal way of communicating to other people, after all. However, I think it’s fine to handle interactions as you see fit, Ciel.』
『What does that mean?』
『It isn’t worth trying to be considerate to someone you don’t care about, you see.』

The difficult thing about human interaction is that while adjusting to other people is important, there’s no assurance that the other party would make equal effort to adjust to you. In that case, the question is how to behave, and the answer is different depending on who you ask.
Still, adjusting to be pleasant to the majority is not necessarily bad, and expecting the other people to adjust to you is also one way of handling interactions. Most people adjust differently depending on who they’re interacting with, though.

However, we didn’t have the leeway to have a proper talk about this, and we probably didn’t feel the urgency that we should have. In short, we’re simply unlucky, especially Belltina.
Suddenly, lightning fell from the sky. Soon after, the footsteps of the one who burnt the surviving goblins to a crisp could be heard.

There were 5 sets of footsteps, but I only recognized one of them by name.

『It was a mistake to let things take their course. I should’ve isolated the area with a barrier.』
『Oh, Ain, are you angry?』
『I am. You were attacked, after all.』
『Ain protected me, and that’s enough. Besides, look, we don’t really have the luxury to chat.』

Just as Ciel said, we don’t have the luxury to chat, as the source of the footsteps appeared from behind the shadow of the trees.

「What, it’s just Belltina.」

As Alcrei appeared, the first thing that caught his attention was apparently not us or Palra, but Belltina.
Alcrei scoffed, 「Weakling,」 and then instructed his cohorts to take the ears and magic cores of the two goblins he defeated and the one Palra took down. I glanced at Palra and Belltina, but it seems like the two of them don’t plan on arguing for the goblin that we actually defeated.

We would have objected if this were for a proper hunter request, but since this is a course requirement and we can’t simply avoid Alcrei in class, I agree with them not wanting trouble. I’m not happy about this, but that’s a different story. I can’t drag Palra and Belltina into a personal issue.
Ciel is also feeling displeased, so if she wants to argue with them, I’ll gladly turn around. But it seems like she’s not doing that.

「Disappear from my sight, weakling. You’re just an eyesore.」

As his followers finished with their task, Alcrei turned to Belltina to say those words before leaving with his underlings.
Belltina was scared for the duration Alcrei was here, but as the storm left, she let out a sigh of relief.

「B-Bell, are you alright? I’m sorry.」
「It’s fine. Bell is used to hearing that.」
「That doesn’t really sound alright, though?」
「It’s fine.」

Palra sheepishly asked Belltina, but she didn’t seem to behave out of the ordinary. Looking at her like this, I can’t help but find Belltina quite gutsy in a weird way. I suppose it makes sense considering how she was able to negotiate the best dorm room from her father.
On the other hand, Palra seemed more afraid after Alcrei left.

「Belltina, I’m sorry. I knew they were coming our way, and yet…」
「It’s fine, it’s Bell’s fault anyway for not being able to defeat the goblins quickly.」
「Then I’m at fault, too. I’m sorry, Ailneige.」

Ciel apologized, but Belltina and Palra shook their heads as if to refute her.
They probably now understand why Ciel hurried them earlier. Ciel appeared to be unhappy with how she handled it, too.
All I can tell for certain is that Ciel has opened up to the two enough that the thought of apologizing immediately came to mind in this situation.