The academy’s sports festival is vast in scale.
The number of students is enormous, and the events are diverse.
Therefore, it was impossible to conduct every game like a ceremony.
Usually, they gather the participants and hold preliminary events, then only the finals are held as the main event.
This final round is the flower and essence of the sports festival.
The academy typically enforces strict access controls, allowing entrance only with detailed entry records.
However, during the sports festival, they generously open it up.
Anyone can come and enjoy the festivities.
In exchange, they increase the number of guards to maintain order.
“Wow, there are so many people.”
Amor marveled at the bustling crowd.
Although people gather for each sports festival, she is always amazed each time.
Usually, the academy is quiet and tranquil.
“Phew… there are indeed a ton of people.”
Yuda exhaled deeply, looking tense.
Eliya chuckled lightly.
“Why are you tense, my dear?”
“Thinking about Fides and Donum standing in front of all these people makes me worried for no reason.”
Spei spoke somewhat bluntly.
“They’ll manage just fine.”
Though it seemed indifferent, it was meant to imply belief in the two.
The dual nature of Yuda and Eliya’s son was simply cute to witness.
Gallahaid and Maria, who had come along, agreed with this sentiment.
“Yeah, we have to believe they’ll do well. That’s all we can do now.”
“They’re our kids, they’ll definitely do fine.”
They had watched the sports festival together before, but today they were especially curious about the results.
Today, the whole family gathered to support Donum and Fides.
“I’ll take us there right away.”
Eliya said, not intending to navigate through the complicated crowd.
Before long, the family’s sights shifted.
The academy’s first gymnasium.
Though it’s a gym, it’s akin to an outdoor stadium with no ceiling.
It’s a circular arena modeled after Judeca, featuring a large field in the center surrounded by seating for thousands.
“This is our spot.”
In the densely packed audience, a spacious area was available.
Not too low and not too high, close to the field.
It was the best spot to watch the proceedings.
“Just sit comfortably. I’ll let the officials know we’ve arrived.”
Following Eliya’s instructions, the family members sat down or looked around.
Especially everyone focused on the stage in the center.
Soon, Fides and Donum would compete in that vast field.
Fides in a one-on-one freestyle duel.
And Donum in a race.
“I wonder why teleportation can’t be commercialized…”
Meanwhile, Amor muttered, marveling at Eliya’s magic.
Ever since majoring in magical tools, she was awed each time she experienced Eliya’s magic.
Her mother deservedly earned the title of great wizard.
Eliya gently patted her proud daughter.
She felt proud yet worried about her potential over-exertion.
A graduate student, after all.
Although it was Amor’s decision, Epona had suggested and encouraged it.
Eliya tormented that awful department head in a hellish job situation.
He’d likely not emerge from his private research lab for some time.
“It’s dangerous. There are still people who die while mastering this magic.”
As time passes, various technologies and sciences develop and level up.
Magic was no exception.
However, the spell of teleportation remained an untouchable domain.
Most who recklessly try it either die or lose their sanity.
“That’s exactly why it’s more enticing…”
That made Eliya all the more impressive as a wizard, so Amor desperately wanted to commercialize teleportation.
The wedding ring that Eliya shares with Yuda has a teleportation feature, but that’s only possible because Eliya can use teleportation herself.
Plus, it wasn’t made to be used by just anyone.
Although she yearned for it, she wasn’t willing to risk being reckless.
“Well, it is what it is.”
Seeing her daughter realistically willing to give up, Eliya smiled contentedly.
As they sat waiting together, people began to trickle in, filling the stands.
As thousands of voices buzzed, a man walked out to the center of the arena.
A familiar face to Yuda.
The man spoke energetically.
“Hello! Ladies and gentlemen in the audience.”
From the back of the stands, he appeared as a small dot.
However, his voice reached every corner without fail.
Thanks to a magical tool that amplifies sound.
This was also an invention of Amor’s.
After realizing during the first sports festival that the sound didn’t reach the back of the stands, Amor stepped in to improve the situation.
Since its unveiling at the second sports festival, it has gained much acclaim.
Thanks to that, her patent fees have also increased.
“I am Jerry, honored to host the 5th academy sports festival on behalf of the royal guard.”
The royal guards sometimes serve as honorary professors at the academy, often guiding students.
Mainly in subjects related to physical abilities.
Thus, the guards and academy share a good relationship.
“I thank everyone who came and wish victory to all participants.”
Jerry skillfully filled the time until the audience was wholly seated.
He did indeed possess the best eloquence among the guards.
‘Let’s see where everyone else is.’
Yuda fiddled with Eliya’s hand while scanning the surroundings.
They were gathered quite closely.
The guards and their families.
Although not as near as his own seat, they managed to find a place from which they could see the field well.
Coincidentally, Richard and Lindell, who were also looking around, spotted him.
They exchanged brief nods.
While Jerry proceeded with the procedural formalities.
Greetings about Empress Eliya.
And Eliya’s brief opening ceremony, etc.
Naturally, the first event was getting set up.
An oval-like shape was drawn in the center of the circular arena with white lines.
The long horizontal line was the track for the race.
“The first event is a race!”
Starting with the elementary division all the way to the middle school division.
That means Donum would be the first to step onto the stage of the sports festival.
“The athletes are entering!”
The ground level for the event has no audience.
All walls or doors.
It’s a passage for those participating in the game.
From there, children dressed in academy tracksuits emerged.
The royal family spotted Donum immediately.
Among the five elementary participants walking amidst the cheers in the stands was a girl with her hair tied back in front.
Her lips tightly pressed and her gaze fixed ahead.
The look of anxiety was apparent.
“Donum-!”
Amor shouted loudly.
“Donum, do well-! You got this!”
Yuda added from the side, shouting as well.
“Donum! Don’t be nervous! Just do what you practiced-!”
They knew she couldn’t hear, but they still wanted to shout.
*
Donum exhaled deeply.
“Phew…”
Her heart was pounding loudly and wouldn’t calm down.
She desperately wanted to settle it somehow.
Excessive nervousness could be harmful.
But in a situation surrounded by thousands of people, staying composed was no easy feat.
Fear also crept in.
Scary thoughts kept rising in her mind.
She was about to run in front of all these people now.
What if she tripped and fell?
Only visions of failure flickered through her mind.
Her feet felt heavy.
Her fingertips trembled.
Thousands of spectators rendered it hard to recognize anyone.
The noise blended into a cacophony.
Amidst that, Donum spotted her family.
In the largest area, so it was easy to find them.
Yet Donum instinctively discerned they were there.
“Papa…. Sister Amor….”
The two were shouting something.
Though unheard, she could tell.
They must be cheering her on.
Spei, sitting beside her, crossed her arms and looked unimpressed.
But their eyes met.
Surely, from this distance.
Spei sighed and shrugged.
The two twins had spent a long time together.
Though they sometimes fought, they understood each other easily.
Donum could tell right away.
‘She believes I’ll do well on my own.’
That’s what Spei was saying.
And then her mother.
Their eyes met.
Eliya smiled kindly, slowly moving her lips.
Donum’s sharp senses and precise eyesight read the movements of Eliya’s lips.
She tried to mimic what her mother mouthed.
“You can do it. Believe in yourself, Donum.”
The pounding of her heart gradually settled.
Though not completely calm, the excitement had become controllable.
That simmering energy transformed into something meaningful.
Donum felt a change occurring within her.
‘I can do this.’
The same level of confidence as her fear emerged.
Trust yourself.
Her mother was right.
Parents always praised her, saying so.
‘In this world, the one who can believe in you the best is yourself.’
She must believe in herself first.
If she doesn’t believe in herself, she can’t do anything.
Others don’t believe in her.
Thus, she must first believe in herself.
She recounted her father Yuda’s words.
‘Just do as you practiced.’
To practice like it’s a real match.
To treat the real match as practice.
They say as long as you give it your all in the actual race just as you practiced, that’s good enough.
She simply recalled the moments she ran.
With Yuel.
With the puppies.
Just running alongside her mom and dad and those guard uncles.
That was enough.
She just needed to run.
‘I’ll win.’
Donum envisioned that future and hoped for it.
She untied her hair and tied it back securely.
“On your marks!”
The five lined up on the track.
They lowered their stances and focused ahead.
“Get set!”
Donum gazed straight ahead.
The path lay in front of her.
The surrounding objects blurred and seemed to fade away.
The noise dissipated.
Only the sound of her breathing and the beating of her heart remained; that was all that mattered.
A single noise pierced that world.
“Go!”
The signal.
Donum took off running.
*
“Oooooo…!”
Thousands of spectators marveled in unison.
And no wonder.
As soon as the signal sounded, a girl shot out like an arrow.
The sole one who made an overwhelming gap from the start was Donum.
The distance between her and the second place was far enough to see even from the audience.
“Waaaaa…!”
The doubtful murmurs turned into awe and soon erupted into cheers.
Amor and Yuda shouted at the top of their lungs.
“Well done-! Keep running!”
“Donum! You’re doing great-!”
The goal was a single lap.
But the distance she had to run was by no means short.
Anyone knew the type of defeat that came from expending too much effort in the beginning and getting overtaken by the end.
But Donum scoffed at that prejudice.
With stability in her stance.
Her gaze unwavering.
Her arms and legs swinging grandly back and forth.
She sped up beyond her initial start.
The gap with the second place didn’t close; it only widened.
Even as she rounded the corners, she showed no signs of wobbling.
A battle with such a predictable result is boring.
That sort of norm is typical in most cases.
But a match like this, overwhelming in nature, sends shivers down people’s spines.
Without any unexpected turns.
Donum surged ahead on her own, crossing the white ribbon.
In a race where countless sixth graders participated, a fifth grader emerged victorious.
“Waaaaaaah!”
The crowd erupted with cheers.
Amor and Yuda joined in wholeheartedly.
The two hugged each other and jumped for joy.
“Hah, hah….”
Donum breathed heavily as she surveyed her surroundings.
It took a while to come to her senses even after crossing the finish line.
Her narrowed field of vision widened.
Her once sharp sensations rounded as they swept across her surroundings.
The cheers nearly deafening.
And she was at the center of it all.
Only after realizing they were cheering for her did Donum comprehend.
That she had won.
Joy swelled within her heart.
“Yahhhh-!”
Donum jumped in place, shouting excitedly.
Then she dashed around the edge of the arena.
Offering her thanks to those who cheered for her.
“The final winner of the elementary race is Donum from Class 5-2! The thrilled Donum is jumping around now. Everyone, please congratulate her with cheers and applause!”
After soaking in the cheers of everyone, Donum stopped at one spot.
It was directly below her family.
From there, she jumped up and waved her arms.
“Mama, Papa-! I won-!”
Yuda and Eliya waved their hands back enthusiastically.
Donum returned to her family wearing the gold medal of the elementary division champion.
Yuda hugged his youngest daughter tightly, who was drenched in sweat.
“You did great, really great! Our Donum is amazing.”
Amor was excitedly stamping her feet.
“Donum! You were super cool!”
Eliya beamed, stroking her head.
“You worked hard, Donum.”
“Yes!”
Gallahaid and Maria also approached to praise her.
“You were really fast. How can someone so little be so quick…?”
“Are you hurt or in pain anywhere? Huh?”
“Yes!”
And Spei, arriving a bit late, muttered with a smirk.
“…Well done.”
Donum burst into giggles.
“Of course!”
A delightful sense of accomplishment filled her heart.
The family gathered cheerfully as they watched the upcoming middle and high school races.
Donum settled on Yuda’s lap.
While watching the games, Yuda couldn’t stop praising how well Donum had done, and Donum happily relayed how she felt.
The exhilaration of that moment.
The excitement felt amidst the shining cheers.
It was an unforgettable feeling.
Before they knew it, it was time for the next event.
“The event that gathers the most anticipation and cheers! It’s time for the freestyle duel finals!”
In other words, it was time for Fides to step up.
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