The fight between Claire and Rose goes on for awhile. Though, it can be seen who is the more skilled than the two of them.

"Ah!"

Claire has been hit once more, though she quickly shakes her head before charging again.

Rose simply parried her strikes and then goes for a swing. The black haired girl moves to the side, and then thrusts, which the blonde haired princess dodges by simply moving her head to the side.

After that, they clashed with their swords once more, before Rose manages to score another hit on her shoulder after a few exchanges.

"Give up! It will be bad if this goes on!" Rose stated with a troubled expression on her face.

Claire is also feel very exhausted. She has received a lot of hits on this battle, and she can still feel some of her limbs aching at those strikes. She is also thinking whether to just lay her sword down and admit defeat.

Though, she can't really do that.

Her ears perks up as she heard that voice. Her eyes moving to the side where her friend is watching. That cute, quiet girl is cheering for her.

"Don't give up! You can do it!"

"I'm rooting for you!"

"I believe in you!"

Her friend Arisa kept repeating those words as she cheered at them. Her voice is a bit softer than the energetic cheering of the audiences around them, but for Claire, hers is the loudest one.

Rose notices that she is staring at somewhere, and then looks on that side too. Her eyes quickly managing to notice that shade of purple hair amongst the crowd of audiences.

'Wait... is that the friend of my foe now?'

Rose didn't know who is that girl. She can admit that she is cute, though her appearance seems a bit pitiful. She looks like she barely takes care of her hair.

"That's my friend, Arisa. Did you know that she admires you a lot?" Claire suddenly speaks, causing Rose to perk up and look back at her.

It seems like she noticed her staring at Arisa. Rose gasps as she processed her words.

"I..." It's not really a surprised for her, though it felt awkward hearing that the friend of her current opponent actually admires her.

"... It seems like you didn't know that." Claire frowns at that before shaking her head. "It's understandable. You have a lot of admirers after all." She said, though her eyes are narrowing for a bit.

"Are you still going to continue?" Rose raises her blade as she says that. Seeing that Claire is going on her stance.

"I won't just stand down. My friend is watching after all!" She said with a grin on her face.

Rose felt a bit moved at that. She can see that Claire cherishes her friendship with that purple haired girl. It felt like she was even trying to impress the girl. Which is surprising for someone skilled like her.

Rose didn't know what's causing Claire to push herself like this. There might be some deeper meaning why she wants to impress Arisa.

Though, having learned that Arisa admires her, she can't help but become very conscious on the cheering of that girl. Despite the softness of her voice, it felt like she is trying her best to be heard from the crowd. As if wanting to convey her genuine support to the one fighting on this ring.

It felt like Arisa is cheering her instead of her opponent. That makes Rose feel a bit ashamed. Mostly as she heard that voice cheering something like...

"You can do it!"

"I believe in you!"

"I'm rooting for you!"

Regardless where it is directed, the knowledge that the purple haired girl admires her makes her very conscious about it. She even felt like trying her best a bit more as a respect to the friend of her foe who seems to be doing her best.

"Here I go!"

"Come at me!"

The two of them shouted as they flared their magical powers. The whole crowd gasps at that, before their cheering becomes louder. They seem to be very excited at this, instinctively knowing that this might be the final clash of their battle.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Hiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

The two girls charges with all their might. Using their greatest, most powerful, and most beautiful swing for this day. It is a mesmerizing color of their magical auras coalescing as they clashed their blades. Creating a brief twirl of their clashing magical power, before it explodes.

The ring is covered by the smoke. The audience stared as they waited on the results with bated breath. As the smoke gradually dissipates, the crowds with the sharper eyes slowly widened their eyes as they saw what's beneath the smoke.

And then, gasps of shocked were heard as the smoke finally vanishes. In the middle of the ring...

... The two girls lays on the ground unconscious!

"IT'S A TIE!"

... What?

... What the hell happened!?

I'm really rooting for you, Claire. Why are you lying down there too!? You should have taken a step back, lowered your body, and then charges straight before knocking that princess out!

I can't help but shake my head. I feel so sad now.

I really thought she can pull it off. Though it seems like it won't happen. Rose has a high potential to be a heroine after all. Claire has potential too, but it can't contend against Rose's rich background.

It might be also because a mob is cheering her up. I'm the only one who is cheering for Claire, while Rose is being cheered by a lot of people. I can't even cheer Claire openly, as most members of Rose's fanclub are here cheering for her. They might recognize me, and I can't afford to let them become suspicious of me.

It will also be very suspicious if I don't cheer along with the crowd, so I am trying my best without breaking my character. I don't know if I did a good job, but no one's looking at me weirdly so I think I got the pass.

Anyway, there is nothing for me to do here anymore. The only person I am rooting for has been defeated.

... Is this how people who bets on horses feels when the one they bet on loses? It actually feels frustrating...

"Are you leaving now?"

I turned to the person besides me, seeing that it's the pinkette sitting besides me.

Why is she asking me that?

Wait, why are the other girls looking at me?

... Oh, I see. Most of the girls sitting here are from the other fanclubs. I'm actually a part of some of those fanclubs, and I heard those people they are admiring have joined on this tournament.

It will be suspicious if I suddenly bailed.

"No... I'm just feeling a bit stiff sitting for awhile. I'll take a sit soon, so don't worry!~" I tried to pass it off while waving my hands dismissively.

Please, don't mind me.

"I see..." This pink haired girl smiled brightly at me when she heard that. Along with them are the others who also seems to heaved a sigh of relief.

... I'm just becoming more confused. Why does it seem like they want me to stay here? Is there something wrong with them? Are they filling up numbers, and can't afford to let anyone leave? Is there some sort of deeper meaning with it?

... Well, I'm already watching anyway so might as well. I might even find other potential protagonists on this tournament!

"Uh..."

This is weird. The participants are not that good, and I can say most of them are even average.

Though, there is a weird fervor on each of their strikes. They also kept saying something weird. Are they trying to impress someone!?

"I have to do my best for her!"

"If I win this, I can share the reward with her!"

"Bitch! I'll be the one to share the reward with her!"

"I'll ask her for a date after this!"

"Die, you scum!"

Regardless if it's a guy or a girl, they kept mentioning about this cute girl that they seem to adore very much.

Who is that girl? Hearing about the vague impression of them, they sound like a protagonist of a Shoujo Manga!

Another surprising thing, both the president of Alexia's club and Rose's club have participated. They also managed to defeat everyone until they got to the finals.

"Do you think I'll let you win?"

"Dream on, you flower loving maniac. Just go back to your ringlet princess and let me win!"

"You need to stay quiet and keep to your tea garden, you ghost haired banshee obsessed woman!"

... I don't know what they are talking about, but it felt like whoever they are referring to is a lot farther than what I am thinking about.

Even as this is happening, I kept cheering and repeating my words. I'm still at my Arisa persona after all, and it will be weird if a mob didn't follow along with the cheers of the other mobs.

Eventually, the two of them knocked each other. Causing the people sitting besides me to cheer rather loudly instead of feeling disappointed.

Why are these girls feeling happy? Why is this pink haired girl sounding glad when the two finalist tied out!?

I felt like a lot of things are wrong today...

A/N

Thank you for reading this story~

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See you later~