Hoshiharu’s Chances of Winning are Very Low

In the messy student council room.

"Touka, how does it feel to be in love with someone?"

Touka was a bit confused by Kanata's sudden question.

"Kanata, are you asking something like that too?"

Touka looked at her with a surprised expression.

"I remember, don't you have a family marriage contract?"

Kanata was the daughter of the Totokubara Consortium.

As the second-largest economy in Japan, the Totokubara Consortium was almost as wealthy as other countries and had a dominant position in Japan. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Kanata was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

But as the eldest daughter of a large financial group, Kanata enjoyed many conveniences provided by her family, but she also had to bear corresponding obligations.

That was her engagement.

When Kanata was very young, her family had already decided her marriage partner. It was said that the partner was the heir of a major European conglomerate and would not disgrace her status.

The reason why it's called a rumor is because Kanata had never seen her fiancé even once since she was a child.

"Because of that engagement, I want to know the answer."

Kanata answered alternately, her expression very serious.

If there were no engagement, she wouldn't ask this question, and she could try it herself, but with the engagement, she would never be able to fall in love personally.

She thought helplessly, looking at her best friend with a bit of envy in her eyes.

Unlike her, Touka was not from a big family, didn't have a marriage contract, and could fall in love freely. If there was someone she envied the most, it would undoubtedly be Touka.

It was because Kanata didn't have the freedom to fall in love that she especially wanted to know what it felt like to be in love.

"I see."

Touka suddenly realized and then began to think.

She and Kanata were best friends, and they even knew exactly what color underwear the other liked.

"You're really looking forward to it, aren't you?"

Touka carefully thought about her feelings for Hoshiharu, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her face.

"Looking forward?"

"Yeah, when we can't see each other, I'm always thinking about meeting each other. Once we meet, I hope to go further. Holding hands and hugging and getting praised... This is my intuitive feeling towards Junior Brother."

"Aren't you nervous or scared? I read that in manga."

"Junior Brother and I are very familiar with each other. We don't have that kind of tension. Maybe it's different from person to person."

Touka recalled the scene where she held Hoshiharu for the first time last year, and the scene when he attacked her chest last year.

"However, sometimes I get very nervous..."

Because she was too shy, she spoke in a low voice and wasn't heard by Kanata.

"...You're looking forward to it?"

Kanata nodded in understanding.

She had never been in love and didn't understand what Touka was saying, it was like smoke and mirrors to her.

"By the way, the first match the day after tomorrow will be against Junior Brother, right?"

Touka shook her head and asked the other party with feigned indifference.

"Yes."

Hearing this, Kanata woke up from her daze, throwing away the chaos in her mind, and chuckled, "Don't tell me Touka wants me to show mercy, right?"

"Of course not."

Touka couldn't help but laugh.

"Even if I wanted to say this, Junior Brother definitely wouldn't want me to."

Really?

Kanata was slightly surprised. Her impression of Hoshiharu was quite average.

Although Hoshiharu was the only handsome man Kanata had ever seen in her life, she also expressed her admiration for Hoshiharu's determination, but she didn't want to comment too much on his character.

Leaving all the housework to Touka, enjoying the fruits of her labor, skipping school without knowing what to do... All these behaviors kept Kanata's impression of Hoshiharu at a level of laziness.

"Kanata, you must think the outcome of this match is already decided, right?"

"That's right. Is there a problem?"

"No, like you, I think Junior Brother's chances of winning are very low."

Touka shook her head.

"After all, the compatibility between your abilities is very poor."

That's right.

Even if Touka wanted to side with Hoshiharu, she had to admit that his chances of winning against Kanata were very low.

The first principle that Blazers followed in their battles was compatibility.

As long as the compatibility reached a certain level, creating a restraining relationship between the two parties, then no matter how big the difference in the total amount of magic power, nothing could be done.

Just like the fight between Bishou and Stella over the weekend, it was clear that Stella had the strongest magic power in the world, yet she was defeated by Bishou with just one move.

This is an unavoidable fact, an unshakable truth among Blazers.

As for Hoshiharu's Noble Art and Kanata's Noble Art, the two were very different from each other.

For Hoshiharu, there was no doubt that the elimination round the day after tomorrow would be a very difficult battle.

"However, Kanata, I suggest you not underestimate Junior Brother."

However, unlike Kanata who believed that the outcome was already decided, Touka clearly hadn't given up on Hoshiharu.

"—Junior Brother is clearly not someone who gives up easily, and he's clearly not someone who can be easily defeated. If you underestimate him, you'll definitely suffer."

Kanata remained silent on the other side.

In her eyes, victory or defeat had been decided, and fate had been sealed. No matter how she thought about it, Hoshiharu couldn't be her opponent.

But what Hoshiharu said to her when he came to the committee office that night crossed her mind – he would never give up on fate without trying.

'Then let's see who's right.'

She thought to herself.

❀❀❀

"Phew..."

On Tuesday morning, Hoshiharu put on his sportswear, left the dormitory, and ran towards the school gate.

Many students weren't up at this time, and there were only a few people including Ikki and the others at the school gate... That's how it started.

At the main entrance of the school, the sound of camera shutters clicked continuously. The girls gathered, chatting and discussing something enthusiastically.

"Even in sportswear, he looks so handsome!"

"Nangou-san, go for it!"

Somehow the news about Hoshiharu waking up in the morning to exercise spread, but in two days it became like this.

It seemed that there was a girl journalist among them. She mingled with the crowd and kept selling the photos she had to the girls.

The money from selling the photos was split 30% and 70%, and she got a profit that was also entrusted by her idol. This made Kagami very excited to work hard alone.

It seemed that no one confessed today.

Hoshiharu looked around the crowd and didn't see the destined beautiful girl, so he stopped paying attention to the crowd and turned his attention to Ikki not far away.

"Hey, Ikki, isn't Stella here today?"

Hoshiharu looked around and didn't see Stella's figure, so he asked in wonder.