The highly anticipated final of the water skiing tournament.

While I managed to find a seat at the highest spot of the neutral spectator stands thanks to my companions, I had no intention of showing off the sight of being sandwiched awkwardly between Nagisa and Haruna to everyone in Kivotos, so I was somewhat satisfied with the situation.

By the way, looking at the members representing each academy in the finals, if Trinity gives out a gold medal here, my blood pressure might just explode!

Ichika and Tsurugi from the Justice Realization Department.

Sakurako from Sisterhood and Mine from the Rescue Knights.

Makoto and Satsuki from Manma Battle.

Kasumi from the Onsen Development Department and Iori from the Student Council.

There are some unexpected team combinations, some teams that make you wonder why they are there, and others where it feels fortunate if they don’t fight amongst themselves.

Honestly, if Trinity can’t at least get gold or silver in this event, I have no hope for them. It’s clear that teams like Makoto’s or Iori’s have some strength to get this far, but with that lineup, I can’t help but think they might self-destruct from fighting each other.

Above all, I can’t help but have high expectations for Ichika and Tsurugi’s team. As someone who has witnessed their training process firsthand, it’s hard to imagine any other team winning.

[Before the match starts, let’s hear a word of determination from each team…]

…But the voice of today’s announcer sounds familiar.

Could it be Iroha? That voice dripping with annoyance leaves no room for doubt.

I can’t believe Makoto made her throw a fit to let Iroha handle the commentary on her competition day!

Honestly, maybe it wasn’t a good idea to bring Iroha from Gehenna; she seems to be suffering a lot.

[Well… Is there really a need for long-winded talk? We’re definitely going to win.]

[…]

Ichika’s confident statement and Tsurugi, who can’t say a word while avoiding the camera, are cute. Our Ichika, who promised she would definitely bring home the gold medal regardless of whether the sky collapses today or Kivotos falls tomorrow, I’m really counting on you.

…What? You say that’s never happened? Well, if I say it, then it’s true!

[Regardless of the outcome, I hope it’s a match everyone can enjoy. Peace peace.]

[The spotlight belongs to Sister Sakurako. I’m merely leading the way for her to blaze a trail.]

Sakurako, clad in her school swimsuit and making a V with her hands, looked way cuter than I expected. I wonder if she actually heard something normal for a change.

“But how did that combination come to be…? I know they have some acquaintance with each other, but still, it seems a bit unexpected.”

“…Why does Mika, the originator of this tournament, seem less concerned about the Trinity representatives than I do? Mine shifted from being a water skier to a driver due to her wings getting in the way. I heard that Sakurako approached Mine first to team up. Apparently, Sakurako suddenly said something like, ‘You, be my companion.’…”

…Hmm, this must be Sakurako. I thought she was a bit normal today, but it turns out her backstory is quite extraordinary.

[Heeheehee——!! There’s only one summit. I’m grateful you provide us with some entertainment, but in the end, you’re merely a diversion.]

[Huhu, Makoto-chan, that kind of truth-telling is violence. Especially since as chairperson, you should maintain dignity, or your voter support might decline?]

[Hmph, those are trivial matters. What’s most important is showing Trinity being crushed in this tournament, which would naturally skyrocket my approval ratings! Hehehe.]

Looking at the Manma Battle team, I oddly feel no concern. Even though they’re a capable team that made it to the finals, I can’t shake the feeling.

And that Makoto wearing sunglasses looks quite cool… If only he would keep his mouth shut, he’d be the most handsome guy ever, but unfortunately, he’s the type whose mouth produces thorns if he stays quiet, leading to regrettable content.

Hmm, and that Satsuki girl has an immense presence. Not as much as Hasumi, but still no joke. Aside from that, surprisingly, she seems more normal than Makoto.

Considering Iroha, that might actually be expected. With an oddball like the chairperson, for Manma Battle to succeed, the subordinates need to be competent.

[Huh? Is it my turn already? Time is money, so let’s make it quick. Today, I’ll deliver the most fantastic show for you. You can look forward to it!]

[…That fantastic show probably means you’ll need to think carefully about your own situation.]

[Wahahaha! Hey, Student Council Leader. Are we a team today? If you keep trying to stand in front of me, it’ll be troublesome, you know? Uh?]

[Don’t cling to me! Why on earth am I teamed up with someone like you…?]

This side already sounds chaotic just from the conversation. No matter how I think about it, it seems the anomalies happening this time in Gehenna are mostly orchestrated by Hina, and it makes me wonder what exactly is going on.

Do they want to see me lose that badly, or do they want to see Gehenna win?

No matter how much I want to win, pairing those two seems a little risky, right?

…Moreover, the thought of a “fantastic show” coming from that infamous Kasumi of the Onsen Development Department makes me uneasy. The fact that Iori felt the need to mention it suggests that even at this point, the Onsen Development Department is definitely causing trouble.

Especially seeing that she was having phone conversations with someone right before her turn makes it feel like something’s brewing.

After some deliberation, I decide to send a message to Hasumi and Hina, requesting the Justice Realization Department and the Student Council personnel to enhance their vigilance in maintaining order at the festival.

Hina replies that she’s already given orders to suppress the Onsen Development Department’s heavy machinery as soon as it’s spotted. She seems to expect trouble with Kasumi involved.

After a brief moment of hesitation, I decide to give Yukino a heads-up as well. It’s not that it’s an urgent need for FOX Squad’s involvement, but it’s better to take preventive action than handle the aftermath once a disaster strikes.

“…By the way, Haruna-chan, you and Akari-chan being participants in the tournament involves some kind of deal with Hina-chan, right?”

“Hehe, well, that’s hard to give a definite answer on. You could say we just had a similar wish for Gehenna to win.”

“So, it really was true? Haruna-chan, you’re the type who’d be more concerned about what to eat tomorrow or the day after than winning a tournament. For someone like you to be participating means there’s clearly a purpose.”

“Mika-chan, you know that in popular restaurants, making reservations is almost essential, right? Some places are booked weeks in advance due to high popularity.”

“And…?”

“Hehe, I think I’ve already said too much. The rest is something you’ll have to think about, Mika-chan.”

Seriously, how can she just cut off a sentence like that? Such irreverent behavior should be prohibited by law!

“Interesting. Does this tournament have to be strictly between Gehenna and Trinity? While it may be a little difficult for other academies to officially participate, wouldn’t it be exciting to recruit students from other academies as mercenaries for a match?”

Heueng. “Well, while this festival promotes competition between the two academies, it’s actually a merging ground seeking to improve relations between the two. Noa-chan probably has a good idea about that?”

“Yes. It became clear during Mika-chan and Haruna-chan’s visit to Millennium last time, but prior to that, at the seminar, we were analyzing that significant changes were coming for the relationship between the two academies. It’s a topic that could draw interest from other academies as well.”

“With that said, things are easier now. It’s hard to bring in other academies for this festival, lacking justification and being practically unfeasible. There are also complications regarding mercenary recruitment from other schools. I understand Noa-chan’s wish for everyone to enjoy the festival☆ But… well, we’ll need to deeply consider that part moving forward.”

I think this festival would be even more enjoyable if it turned into a summer version of the Grand Carnival, but since it has been drawn up to improve relations between Gehenna and Trinity, trying to bring in another academy at this late stage has several shortcomings. Still, since the intention is good, the mercenary recruitment system might be worth considering a little.

[It seems all the athletes are ready. Each contestant is waiting at the starting line, having warmed up.]

Anyway, the awaited water skiing finals seem ready to kick off.

Unlike my 1v1 event match with Hina, since this involves four teams, I expect the match dynamics to be a level of chaos beyond what happened then. While we must avoid having tow lines getting tangled, with four boats racing, I can’t even imagine what kind of madness will ensue at the corners.

Above all, it wouldn’t even be strange if something crazy happens among those eight people over there.

Ding. Ding. Ding.

The signal rings, and everyone tenses up. Ichika, wearing a charming smile, Sakurako, with a face that seems to have just stepped out for a drink, Makoto, radiating arrogance as if she believes she’s the best in this tournament, and finally, Iori, filled with the determination to make up for the shame of her previous failure to win gold.

Ding—

The four boats begin to slice through the water, and the athletes’ feet hit the surface!