The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

Episode 174: Opening Ceremony

“Alright! The day has finally arrived! The major event of the Suzette Imperial Academy, the Martial Arts Tournament! This year too, we have a huge crowd and tons of participants to set this venue ablaze! And! Once again, the host will be our academy’s idol teacher, Lime Riel! Everyone, give her a warm welcome!!!”

“Lime-chan!!”

“Riel-sensei!!”

On the day of the Martial Arts Tournament, the large arena within the academy was packed with spectators and students who weren’t participating, all filling the stands from the morning, cheering loudly for Lime, who was flying through the air using flight magic.

“She’s super popular.”

“I know, right? It’s the first time I realized how popular Teacher Lime really is.”

“Yeah, me too. I had no idea she was this well-loved.”

Together with Fiera and the others—Shuvina and Sephiria—I was waiting for the opening ceremony to start while trying to endure the noisy chatter around us.

“But I can totally see why. Teacher Lime is so bright and cheerful; just watching her makes you feel lively.”

“True. She looks really friendly, so I get why the other students and townspeople love her so much.”

“I heard some people come to this tournament each year just to see Teacher Lime. Apparently, that’s the reason many graduates return too.”

“That’s impressive.”

In fact, since Lime became a teacher, the number of spectators for the Martial Arts Tournament had been increasing every year, with people lining up from the morning to buy tickets!

“Now then! This year, we have a lot of students participating in the tournament! There are a whopping 224 of them! Even more than last year, and fighters from all grades will compete for the championship! But since we have so many participants this time, we’ve decided to change the format a bit!”

As Lime said this and snapped her fingers, the single stage in the center split into two, creating a slightly smaller stage.

“In previous years, we held the preliminaries over two days on one stage, but this year we’ll be using two stages for the preliminaries over the same two days! Then, starting from day three for the main event, we’ll move back to a single stage for the finals, culminating in the semifinals, finals, and the third-place play-off on the last day!”

The format will be tournament style, with winners competing in two matches per day! In other words, if you win two matches, you can advance to the next day! It’s simple to understand, right?!”

Evidently, we had too many participants this year, so they decided to add more stages to accommodate everyone.

“Alright! Let’s welcome our brave competitors—the stars of this year! Everyone, gather ’round!!”

As Lime’s bright and energetic voice spread throughout the venue, students from each grade began to enter through three of the four entrances of the arena in sequence.

“First, from the right, we have the first-year students who just enrolled this year! They may be newcomers, but they’re determined to give it their all and not lose to their upperclassmen! Look at all that anticipation and spirit as they enter!”

“And coming in from the left are the second-year students! Last year, even as first-years, S-Class students led by Princess Sharueina made quite an impressive showing! We’ll be able to see that thrilling battle again this year!”

“Finally, entering from straight ahead are the third-year students, the pride of our academy! While they may be fewer in number compared to other grades, their prowess is top-class here! Show the first and second years just how powerful you are!”

As Lime finished her introductions, the cheers of the audience reached a fever pitch, making it feel like the ground itself was shaking.

Most of the first-year students participating were combat-type, and surprisingly, this year even some support-type students who could manage a fight were signed up!

Therefore, apart from me, Fiera, Shuvina, and Kamael, the S-Class was joined by two support-type students, which meant they had more participants than the other grades.

And looking at the other classes, it was unsurprising that the protagonist, Shudo, was also participating and seemed quite pumped up.

(No, it’s not just excitement; I feel the same aura as when we met in my former life. It didn’t feel like this before though. Did something happen?)

Unlike during the time of the bandit extermination, there was no trace of naivety from Shudo. Instead, he seemed more resolute and filled with conviction, stronger than before.

In the second year, many students, including Sharueina, lined up on stage, and amidst them were a few who seemed to possess quite impressive skills, but Sharueina still exuded a unique, exceptional aura.

Lastly, for the third years. Some among them had already secured their post-graduation paths and jobs, so the turnout was low, yet they carried themselves with remarkable composure, truly embodying the essence of upperclassmen.

“Yup! The fiery spirit of the first-years, determined to win against anyone! The boldness of the second-years, not wanting to lose to their juniors nor wanting to be outdone by their seniors! And the unyielding will of the third-years to not accept defeat—it’s all incredibly cool! Now, let’s hear some encouraging words from our academy’s director! Director Mejina, if you please!”

As Lime called Mejina loudly, suddenly dark clouds covered the sky, and purple lightning struck the arena.

“Hello. I am Mejina Marcuri, the director of the Suzette Imperial Academy.”

The once boisterous crowd fell silent in an instant at the sudden lightning and Mejina’s entrance, utterly taken aback by her every word and action.

“This time of year has come around again. Regardless of grade, the students will fight with all the experiences they’ve gained, what they’ve learned at the academy, and with their pride and determination in this Martial Arts Tournament. There’s just one thing I want to tell you all—give it your all and ensure you have no regrets. By putting forth your full strength, you’ll undoubtedly come to see the differences in power between you and your opponents as well as what you lack. Utilize those feelings and lessons to propel yourself to even greater heights.”

“This tournament isn’t everything. However, the lessons you learn here can only be grasped in the moment.”

“First-years, think of it as borrowing the strength of your seniors, and fight with everything you have.”

“Second-years, battle against your juniors and seniors, and feel how much you’ve grown compared to your own self from a year ago.”

“And third-years, it’s time to showcase how much you’ve grown in this academy. There’s no need to hold back or worry about the juniors—showcase what you’ve learned here to your classmates, underclassmen, us teachers, and everyone present at this venue.”

“All of you students are our pride. We expect to see some magnificent battles.”

As Mejina finished her address and stepped down from the stage, she headed to the reserved area for teachers and sat down in her seat.

“Thank you, Director! That was a wonderful speech! It really resonated with us! I particularly liked the line, ‘The lessons you learn here can only be grasped in the moment!’ Now, I want everyone to create the best memories here at this tournament! And now! Let the Martial Arts Tournament begin!!!”

As Lime declared the start of the tournament, fire magic shot up into the sky, exploding, marking the official beginning of this year’s Martial Arts Tournament.